AHWATUKEE FOOTSHILLS NEWS, DECEMBER 28, 2022

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

month to the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee for consideration of their rezoning proposal amid concerns about its impact on traffic and Phoenix Police.

During the panel’s monthly virtual meeting Dec. 19, VPC members Darin Fisher, Jerry Youhanaie and Chad Blostone persuaded their colleagues to delay until Jan. 23 for-

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As Ahwatukee prepares to put 2022 in the rearview mirror, here in no particular order are some of the people,

events and organizations that made it a rollercoaster year for the community.

COVID-19

Hopes that the pandemic was winding down in late 2021 were shattered by the

mal consideration of the rezoning request by Everest Holdings and PB Bell for a 13.95acre site between E. Thistle Landing Drive and Ray Road.

The zone change would allow them to replace the two-building Commerce Park office

time 2022 began as both Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts started the third quarter after winter break with a mask mandate

on

Kay

her husband John, continued to work

African country of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. 12-year-old Altadena Middle School student Chloe Close held her ninth drive to collect food and supplies for animals in shelters. Girl School Shanti Oza won Scouting’s Gold Award for developing a food allergy awareness website and corresponding campaign. Kema Charles, founder and executive director of the new Arizona nonprofit Lights, Camera, Discover, opened an Ahwatukee studio for for youngster aspiring to the stage and screen. Infielder Cole Tucker was picked off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks for their Reno Aces in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. (AFN file photos)

SHANTI OZA KEMA CHARLES COLE TUCKER

AFN NEWS STAFF

Ahwatukee natives and residents who had an impact in 2022 included: Adonis Watt received the Shaw Courage Award from the National Football Foundation for playing

Brophy College Prep’s football team despite his blindness.

West, with

on behalf of poor villagers in the

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Bowie frustrated by Ducey’s failure to call special session

AFN NEWS STAFF

With less than two weeks before he leaves the state Senate seat he has held for six years, Sen. Sean Bowie of Ahwatukee is frustrated by Gov. Doug Ducey’s failure to call a special session of the Legislature to address the spending cap that could prevent school districts across Arizona from spending more than $1.4 billion they already have in the bank.

Bowie last week told KTAR Radio that Ducey risks tarnishing his legacy by not fulfilling the promise he made on the Aggregate Spending Limit in order to secure passage of the bipartisan 2022-23 state budget.

In an interview with AFN, Bowie reiterated his frustration with the lameduck governor. Bowie said he fears for the future when the new session begins because more conservative lawmakers will be on deck and it may become more difficult to get the bipartisan support for the two-thirds majority needed in both chambers to either waive the cap for the current school year or get rid of it for good.

“I was really proud of the budget that we passed in June,” Bowie said, :I helped negotiate that and helped get all that additional money for K-12 education and part of that agreement was this promise on the” spending cap.

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“Now, the governor is not being as forceful as I would like,” Bowie said. “IT’s just been frustrating because I have no idea what’s going to happen. This next sessison, the Republican Cacus is more conservative and because of the primary results, a lot of my moderate colleagues aren’t coming back or lost their primaries.

“So even if there is a Democratic governor, you need that two-thirds majority. So I worry about if the votes are going to be there.”

Voters in 1980 approved the expenditure limit as state Constitution amendment. It holds spending to a level determined by a formula that heavily weighs on the previous year’s enrollment and inflation.

complex with four three-story and two four-story buildings housing mostly onebedroom (201 units) and two-bedroom (183) “highly amentized” apartments.

Blostone and Youhanie complained they had received their informational packet less than two hours before the meeting and had little time to sufficiently familiarize themselves with the project, But broader concerns convinced the committee to postpone action, derailing the developers’ plan to get the project before the city Planning Commission next week and to Phoenix City Council Feb. 1.

“That seems a little rushed to me,” Youhanie said.

Both Fisher and Youhanie expressed concerns about traffic, particularly because not far from the complex, a massive three-building complex of warehouses is being built that its developers said could generate as much as 1,800 new vehicle trips a day.

“I don’t want you to read anything negative on this side. I am a fan of increased housing – we definitely need it,” Fisher told the small battery of lawyers and other representatives of the developers.

“But you’re dealing with a particular area that has a unique reputation from its traffic standpoint,” he continued. “You’re going to be dumping out close to 48th and Ray, which has the highest incidence of accidents in our village. So, we have tremendous problems with the backup on both Ray and Chandler during rush hour and the I-10.”

Youhanie raised concerns about the Converge Logistics Center that is already nearly completed not far from the apartment complex site, saying “I assume it’s just a lot of semi-trucks delivering things and taking things out of there.”

The development team countered that its 2017 traffic impact study showed the complex would add about 200 vehicle trips to both the morning and evening rush hours and that far less traffic would be generated than would be by a thriving office complex or other type of development.

Developer representatives also asserted that the Converge Logistics Center – three warehouses totaling 510,831 square feet on a 28.6-acre site – would attract mostly minivans and small trucks that would sue either Ray Road to the north or Chandler Boulevard to the

south to reach I-10.

The developer for Converge said at a neighborhood meeting in October that the center would generate as many as 1,800 vehicle trips a day by mostly semitrailers that likely would head north on 50th to Ray Road to get to I-10.

The apartment complex developers also said that most of their tenants would likely be professionals who work at home, further minimizing the impact on Ray Road and Chandler Boulevard traffic as well as 50th Street.

“The traffic study is missing the point,” Youhanie told the development team. “The traffic’s not there at rush hour. There’s a traffic problem on Fray on the weekends and nights. This will only exacerbate that because you’ll have more individuals coming in and going out on the evenings and weekends versus what you focused on….50th Street is a disaster. You try to time the lights. – they’ve been

trying to do that for the last 20 years.”

Youhanie also noted that the complex proposes 781 parking spaces, which he said implies many tenants would have visitors in vehicles.

In response those concerns, one of the developer’s aides replied that because of the amount of retail nearby, tenants “may actually take some cars off the street and choose to walk or bike or do something different. …I see a great symbiotic relationship in terms of a reduction of some of those visitors driving cars to shop.”

Though he said he shared the concerns about traffic, Blostone raised an issue about the apartment complex’s impact on the already strained Phoenix Police and Fire Department forces.

“You’re bringing in a ton of people into the community,” Blostone said. “It’s not just on the site. I don’t know that they would consume less public safety resources than what the office complex does just because their socio-economic status is high. I don’t think they would use less fire, right? Fire doesn’t discriminate that way.”

Attorney Majula Vaz of Gammage & Burnham, representing the developers, said the city has made no comments about an adverse impact on public safety resources.

would generate an estimated $1.5 million in development impact fees that must be spent in Ahwatukee and another $300,000 in sewer and water impact fees.

“I can’t speak to exactly that it will be better or worse from a public safety standpoint, but that hasn’t been what we’ve heard from the city,” Vaz said. “We’ve heard support from the city and I do think that it will help redevelop the area … I can’t imagine it would cause a greater problem. Typically these new types of apartment complexes are not any more of a problem than an office building.”

Vaz also had said the office complex is an investment loser, mainly because it is no longer configured for modern office use and because the demand for office space in general has plummeted since the pandemic has led to more work-from-home operations.

She produced slides showing tenancy in the Commerce Park buildings fell dramatically in recent years and argued that in its current state, those buildings would be more likely to attract vagrants and related public safety concerns.

Youhanie also expressed concern about the extent to which neighbors were consulted about the project.

Two residents tried to make comments at the meeting, but the city’s webex platform malfunctioned and they could only watch it.

Vaz noted that the developers held a virtual neighborhood meeting – which only three people attended.

Vice Chair Andrew Gasparro agreed to have the committee vote to postpone action on the project – which the developers did not object to – because Youhanie and Blostone said they did not get enough time to study the project.

“I think it’d be silly for us not to agree as a committee that this is the type of re-use discuss we would like to have on facilities that are not being sued to the highest and best potential today in the Ahwatukee Foothills area,” Gasparro said, noting that Blostone said he was “not in direct opposition to the project.”

The complex would replace a two-building office development about 1,500 feet south of Ray Road. It also would be close to a 510,831-square-foot complex of three warehouses that is being built on 28 acres. (City fo Phoenix)

“I think this project is just paying for itself in terms of bringing in more people,” she said. The project also

“However, I do agree with the rest of the committee that there are some concerns worth future discussion,” Gasparro continued. “I prefer to see this project move forward at a pace that meets not only the applicants’ desire but also the committee members’ desire.” 

The 417-unit apartment complex would comprise six buildings four three-story buildings along the perimeter of the 16-acre site and two four-story buildings in the center around a pool and 12,000-square-foot clubhouse. (AFN file photo)

Virtual meetings puzzle Village Planning Committee members

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

As the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee peppered developers of the 417-unit apartment complex on 50th Street with questions and concerns, Constance Holcolm sat in front of her laptop screen grinding her teeth.

“It was frustrating,” Holcolm said the day after the Dec. 19 committee meeting; no matter how hard she and city Planning Department staff tried, she couldn’t get to speak during the virtual meeting.

“I absolutely loved everything that they had to say,” she said. “And it sounded like they had same concerns we have.”

Holcolm had no problem voicing her concerns about the project’s impact on traffic in an already heavily congested area near her home during an online neighborhood meeting conducted by the developers last month.

But the problem city has not allowed Phoenix’s 15 village planning committees to meet in person since the pandemic initially curtailed gatherings in March 2020.

While Phoenix City Council has been meeting in person – with citizens allowed to attend – for several months, no one can explain why the committees are still being forced to stay online for meetings that often involve projects where citizens want to appear in person with their concerns about a project’s impact on their neighborhood.

At the Dec. 19 meeting, Vice Chair Andrew Gasparro – who was elected chairman for 2023 – specifically noted before recommending tabling the apartment project vote that he “heard no public comment.”

While none of the eight committee members who had logged in apparently knew Holcolmb was out in the metaverse trying to make her comments known, member Darin Fisher raised the issue about why the panel was still meeting virtually instead of at the Pecos Community Center.

City Planner Nayeli Sanchez Luna cited City Council.

“The City Council still has decided to keep it virtual,” she said. “If anything does change, we would automatically

notify any other VPCs.”

Another planner said the last update he received from council was six months ago. That struck Gasparro as odd because Council meets in person.

He then asked Sanchez Luna. “Does the mayor and council have feedback from VPCs across the Valley or across the Phoenix area that going back to formal sessions in person is the preference? It certainly seems the case with this group. I won’t speak for everybody but just based on the feedback over the last 18 months, that seems to be a prevalent comment that’s been reoccurring.”

She replied, “City Council has heard a lot of different opinions on the VPC and one of them is remain virtual. Others, they want to go back in person. The City Council is the one making the ultimate decision to remain virtual until further notice.

“With the coming 2023, we don’t know if that might change now that they have removed the emergency protocol regarding virtual meetings. So there might be an update in 2023. However, right now that is where we stand.”

That led committee members to question how they can directly tell the mayor and council they want to resume in-person meetings.

And Fisher said, “I’m wondering if that is the most up-to-date information. I had had a conversation very recently with Mayor Gallego and we actually talked about this particular thing and I’m not sure that’s correct information anymore – that council is requiring us to meet virtual. She seemed to think that decision was up to the individual village. So perhaps we can get clarification on that.”

The panel also discussed the number of committee members who haven’t logged in regularly for meetings, forcing cancelations for lack of a quorum.

Because six of the current 14 committee members were absent, the VPC just had the bare minimum for a quorum to vote on anything Dec. 19.

The frustration became clear when members were voting on next year’s chair and vice chair.

While Gasparro was unanimously elected chairman, the committee never got to vote on a vice chair.

One member had logged off. 

Tax defeat leaves fire districts in a bind

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER AFN Staff Writer

State firefighter organizations lobbied the Legislature this year to put a question on the Nov. 8 ballot asking voters to approve a 20-year, .1% sales tax that would generate revenue for fire districts across the state.

The Legislature obliged, but in a 5248% vote – 1,230,042 against to 1,144,495 for – Arizona voters shot down Prop 310, sending fire officials back to the drawing board to address a funding problem they say isn’t going away any time soon.

Firefighters also noted that at the same time as Proposition 310 failed, voters approved another legislative initiative that requires ballot questions pos-

SPENDING

If nothing is done to waive that limit by March 1, school districts must begin paring their planned expenditures – possibly axing staff and teacher positions – so that they are complying with the cap beginning April 1.

Kyrene School District would be unable to spend $20.5 million beginning that date, according to a presentative that Chief Financial Officer Chris Hermmann gave the Governing Board last month. Tempe Union would be forced to cut about $17 million in budgeted expenditures.

Ducey made his promise because at the time, there was an ongoing legal a challenge to a proposed ballot initiative that would raise taxes on the wealthiest Arizonans to fund education. At the same time, the Republican-controlled Legislature was trying to wind up its 2022 Session but needed Democratic support to pass the state budget.

The challenge to Proposition 308 ultimately succeeded and the measure was kicked off the ballot.

Many Republican lawmakers were fuming at school boards for backing Prop 308’s defenders, and so they’ve been anything but enthusiastic about a special session.

Republican leaders in both chambers have said they have enough members of

ing tax increases to pass with at least a 60% approval.

Approval of Prop 132 by a 50.7% to 49.3% – 1,210,702 votes in favor and 1,176,327 against – means it will be even harder to get a tax passed in the future.

“We were obviously disappointed. Like the air came out of our sails,” Daisy Mountain Fire District Chief Brian Tobin said. “My firefighters worked very hard on their days off to try and get as much education and information out about 310, but we came up short.”

Tobin and Superstition Fire District Chief John Whitney said Arizona’s urban departments also lost with the defeat of 310. They said Arizona’s robust “automatic

their caucuses to call for a special session. But now Ducey and some of those GOP lawmakers want a session to take up other issues left on the table – including more money for the private school voucher program.

Although state Rep. Michelle Udall, RMesa said last month that while some legislative supporters of a special session do have a wish list, they have promised to vote on waiving the spending cap.

“In my six years there,” Bowie said of his time in the Capitol, “we’ve never had a special session…I guess they used to be pretty common when Jan Brewer was governor nut we’ve never done one outside of the regular session. So yeah, it’s frustrating.”

Neither Kyrene nor Tempe Union administration have said how they would address the cap if lawmakers do nothing, though Hermann warned the Kyrene board that the cap applies to funding streams that comprise “the vast majority of funding that’s needed to operate schools on a day-to-day basis.”

He said the brunt of that spending freeze will be born by employees – mainly teachers, administrators and support personnel. “It’s impossible to make budget reductions of this size without talking about impacting those areas,” Hermann said, noting it also would crimp the district’s ability to offer teacher contracts for the 2023-24 school year.

Western Star Park fires frustrate concerned neighbor

that makes women and children feel unsafe and uncomfortable.

Aspate of vandalism at an Ahwatukee park has neighbors concerned, and they are even more frustrated by the city Department of Parks & Recreation’s failure to even respond to their questions or requests for help.

Retired teacher Marcy Forde, who has lived near Western Star Park at 4425 E. Western Star Blvd, since 1982, said she called the park in vain about a series of trash can fires that have occurred after dark as well as the fact that doors were removed from all the bathroom stalls.

About a half dozen fires have been started in trash cans that sometimes were moved into the bathrooms. While they caused no damage, Forde fears the culprits will start them closer to relatively new playground equipment that was installed in the park.

Forde’s first encounter with the department occurred in May of last year, when she complained about the removal of the doors being removed from stalls. She said she was told there was money to replace them, but that the work has not been scheduled.

Apparently, it still hasn’t been since the stalls remain without doors, creating what Forde calls a lack of privacy

The first started this summer and have occurred sporadically. Forde said this time, no one from the Parks and Recreation Department return her call. The department also ignored a request for comment from the Ahwatukee Foothills News.

Forde said there have been at least a half dozen fires and that she called the department with an offer to help.

“I’ve asked them to install cameras – I’ll even pay for them,” Forde said, adding police have told her the incidents are not serious enough to warrant either an investigation or regular patrols.

Forde had nothing but praise for two city workers at Western Star who she said promptly clean up the mess from the fires when they come into work in the morning. She said they told her they’d patrol the park if they could but they live too far from Ahwatukee.

As for the absence of bathroom stall doors, Forde is frustrated by the city’s inaction, especially after she told the department in an email over a year ago, “I think my tax dollars would be well spent re-installing this item for the safety and security of the neighborhood.” 

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

New Arizona moms and dads aren’t choosing the names for their children this year that their own parent selected for them.

New figures from the state Department of Health Services show the names that were most popular a quarter century have all but disappeared from this year’s Top 20 list.

The lone exception for girls is Emily which was the fifth most popular name for girls in 1997. And it hung on, only barely, at No. 20 for 2022.

And what of the names that were so popular back then? Good luck finding newborns this year with the same names.

Consider Jessica, the most popular name in 1997. There weren’t enough new parents this year for that name to even crack the Top 100. Ditto Alexis, Ashley and Samantha which came in second, third and fourth, respectively that year: all fallen off the list.

So what replaced them?

Olivia remains the top choice for newborn girls for the third year in a row. That is followed by Emma, Isabella, Sophia and Luna.

A similar situation exists among parents of newborn boys, though the shifts in parental preferences aren’t quite so radical.

Jacob, the most popular name back then, fared no better than 49th this year.

Michael, however, which was right behind at second place in 1997, fared better. It now comes in at No. 18.

And Daniel, third in popularity back in 1997, dropped to sixteenth position.

Instead, Liam remains the top choice this year for parents of newborn boys for the third year in a row.

Also posting repeat performances are Noah, Mateo and Oliver which followed as second, third and fourth this year, matching the data from 2021.

Still, there were some major shifts from even a year ago.

Luca, which logged in at No. 48 a year ago, rocketed up in popularity to crack the Top 20.

And Violet, which had been at No. 32 in 2021 moved up to No. 17 for girls.

Top girl names for 2022 babies

1 -- Olivia 2 -- Emma 3 -- Isabella 4 -- Sophia 5 -- Luna 6 -- Mia 7 -- Camila 8 -- Amelia 9 -- Ava 10 -- Charlotte 11 -- Scarlett 12 -- Aria 13 -- Penelope 14 -- Evelyn 15 -- Gianna 16 -- Sofia 17 -- Violet 18 -- Aurora 19 -- Victoria 20 – Emily

mutual aid” system among first responders stands out among states and helps all of the various police and fire departments to function as one large emergency department for the state.

If a five-alarm fire breaks out on the edge of a city, resources from surrounding departments are deployed in an efficient system.

With a more resilient source of funding, Arizona fire districts would have been able to bring more to the table in the mutual aid system.

Fire districts are special taxing districts governed by an elected board that provide fire service to areas where none exists, such as areas not covered by a municipal fire department.

Arizona’s 154 fire districts provide emergency fire and medical service over huge swaths of the state, including major transportation corridors like I-10. In terms of the number of firefighters the districts employ, they aren’t as large of municipal departments.

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About a third of the state’s professional firefighters – or about 2,500 of 7,500 – work for districts.

But many of those fire districts, especially those serving the urban-wildland interface, provide fire protection to dynamic areas as residents move into rural areas, recreation and traffic swells, and wildfire risk grows.

In all, the districts employ over 4,000 trained personnel to provide fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to roughly 1,5 million Arizona residents every day, protecting over 15,000 square miles from fires and covering 27,000 square miles with emergency medical services.

Outside Mesa, for example, the Superstition Fire and Medical District serves communities east of Meridian Road, Apache Junction and the State Route 60 corridor in Pinal County.

The Daisy Mountain Fire District serves the area north of Phoenix along the busy I-17 corridor as far north as Sunset Point.

“Every weekend it’s a s— show” along the I-17 corridor,” Tobin said.

One contemplated project using Prop 310 funds was a fire station at Sunset Point, a major rest area for north-south travelers in the state.

“We’ve just had a need in rural areas that are close to urban areas where people hike, bike and ATV, and we don’t

Fire Ground Survival is an extensive training through which all the members of the Daisy Mountain Fire District company learn techniques for saving themselves if they become lost or trapped in a life-threatening situation during a fire. “Crews learn many techniques to give them the best preparation for these high risk/low frequency events,” a district spokesman said. (Facebook).

have the technical expertise to respond to those incidents. We rely on our p artners to respond to those incidents,” he said.

Tobin said fire districts took a major hit in funding when property values plunged during the Great Recession because property taxes are their main source of revenue. The impact was so significant that many fire districts are still trying to get back to pre-recession levels of service.

Daisy Mountain, for example, has fewer firefighters per capita than it did before the recession, according to Tobin.

“It’s been a very slow process to build back out of that,” Tobin said. “We were hoping to at least get ourselves back up to where we were before that time” with Prop 310 funding.

Tobin said there was “excitement” in the department about some of the lifesaving equipment it could buy with the funding. An example, he said, is telehealth equip -

Voters gave mixed messages in initiatives voting

BY EMILEE MIRANDA AND RYAN KNAPPENBERGER Cronkite News

Arizona voters this fall made it slightly tougher on themselves when it comes to passing laws at the ballot box, but they also sent a strong message to state legislators – keep your hands off voter initiatives.

That mixed message was the upshot of a package of unrelated ballot measures that critics said aimed to rein in voters’ power after a string of victories by progressive groups at the ballot box in recent years.

But supporters said the measures were designed to keep power in the hands of voters by keeping out-of-state interests from swooping in.

“They definitely do not take any rights

ment on ambulances that would allow medics to coordinate with doctors more closely on long rides to hospitals.

away from voters,” said Suzanne Kinney, CEO and president of the Arizona chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. “They’re bringing the power back to Arizona.”

Pinny Sheoran, president of the League of Women Voters of Arizona, called those arguments misleading.

“They (voters) bought into that argument, OK, let’s put it that way. They bought into that sales pitch, we still think it was a sales pitch, that was misleading,”Sheoran said. “And it’s going to become harder for us, for the citizens, to bring forward very critical initiatives.”

Propositions 129 and 132 limit future ballot initiatives to a single subject and require voter-approved tax increases to pass with 60% of the vote. Proposition 128 would have made it easier for the Legislature to amend voter-approved measures

Unlike municipal departments, fire districts say they are especially challenged because they are almost totally dependent on property taxes.

They saw Prop 310 as a way to diversify

that are found to have legal flaws.

Voters approved the first two but overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 128, with 1.5 million voters rejecting it and 859,675 supporting it, a 63.6-36.4% margin.

The measure would have let a simple majority of state lawmakers amend voter-approved initiatives or deny funding for them if the initiatives. Currently it takes 75% of the Legislature to make such a change, a process that remains in place with the failure of Proposition 128.

Sheoran took that as a victory, noting that “the voters on one hand are saying we don’t want the legislature to interfere.”

On the other hand, she said, voters agreed to make it harder to propose and approve ballot measures in the first place, with their passage of propositions 129 and 132. Proposition 132 had the narrowest margin of the three mea-

funding streams.

Whitney said that because the state limits annual increases in property valuations for taxation, his district has only just now crawled back to its funding levels of 10 years ago even though call volume has seen a “dramatic jump” in recent years.

“At the end of the day, we don’t have access to state shared revenue, we don’t have sales taxes, we don’t have all the different mechanisms available to municipal fire departments,” Whitney said.

“So the citizens of the community continue to shoulder the burden for anyone who uses the services of the district,” he said.

Whitney was disappointed by the defeat of Prop. 310, but he said he isn’t angry at voters and knows they still support their firefighters.

“We understand that there’s a lot of fear about recession and inflation, and people are very conscientious right now about what they’re spending in taxes,” Whitney said. “We understood the challenges all along.”

Whitney thinks the task of convincing voters was made harder by the complexity of the topic and confusion about the difference between fire districts and other fire departments.

With costs and call volumes still growing for fire districts, what’s next after

sures, with 50.72% of voters approving it to 49.28% rejecting it, according to unofficial numbers from the secretary of state’s office.

Sheoran pointed to what she called the irony of barely more than 50% of voters approving a measure that would require 60% approval for revenue-enhancing measures in future elections. She called it “hypocritical” and a “huge imposition on the voters.”

“We think it’s both morally wrong and we think it’s going to harm and hurt the citizens’ ability to appropriately and fairly provide tax revenues to fund education and other services,” Sheoran said.

It was the success of voter-approved tax increases two years ago that critics believe led to the three voter-oriented

Prop 310’s failure?

“Plan B is to reconvene the stakeholders, and find our way down to the state leadership and try to figure out a solution, whether that’s through surplus funds, ... alternative funding mechanisms, something to help offset,” Whitney said.

Whitney predicted that in the shortterm, many fire district property owners will see increases in their fire service levies. Last year, the Legislature raised the cap on these levies as part of a larger tax reform package.

The tax reform lowered the state’s commercial property tax rate, but approved a phased increased in the maximum levy that local fire district boards can set and to help districts compensate for lost revenue from commercial owners.

The previous cap was 3.25% and will go up to 3.75% by tax year 2024.

Whitney said the change will help, but districts don’t like having to hike levies.

“The problem is most of the citizens don’t know about the commercial decrease. All they see is us raising their taxes,” Whitney said. “Great, then we get to take the beating for that.”

“My district board chose not to increase the level,” Tobin said, because the increased revenue from higher property valuations will be just enough to cover recent cost increases.

and all the other protocols that students and parents alike thought were ending for good only a few months earlier.

But the Kyrene administration and board gave families and staff a Valentine’s Day present by making Feb. 14 the effective date for lifting the mandate. Tempe Union followed suit a week later.

While experts continue to warn COVID-19 variants are still around, the impact of mandates and, in some cases vaccine requirements, prompted the state Legislature to make sure campuses are never disrupted again: it passed a ban on vaccine and mask mandates that Gov. Doug Ducey happily signed.

HAPPY RETURNS

The easing of the pandemic brought plenty to cheer about in Ahwatukee as four signature community events and longtime programs returned without masks, social distancing or other restrictions.

The first was the Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee’s Easter Parade, which rolled up 48th Street from Warner Road to Elliot for the 46th time, drawing dozens of floats, dancers and marchers as well as hundreds of spectators.

Thanks to the dedication of a handful of business owners who comprise the Festival of Lights Committee, both the Wine and Beer Festival and the Kick-off Party returned as well. Both events were modified in reaction to leaner times brought on by inflation and the battering businesses endured in the pandemic. Also returning after a two-year hiatus was Dance Studio 111 owner Kimberly Lewis’ “Ahwatukee Nutcracker” for the 23rd year that she rebranded as “Arizona Nutcracker” because so many dancers and young thespians from outside Ahwatukee wanted to participate.

Senior citizens also rejoiced in September when the City of Phoenix fully open the Pecos Senior Center.

TEEN MENTAL HEALTH

The pandemic-related school closures, together with the relentless influence of social media, continued to impact the mental and emotional well-being of young people, especially teens.

Tempe Union spent months crafting a plan to address that complex problem, thanks largely to Governing Board

from left, First row: Morgan Vanderwall, Kimberly Bolton, Dawn Matesi, Alexandra Hughes. Second row: Chris Kracht, President Rafi Isaac and Janine Moeller. Not pictured is Maria Reyes-Smith. (AFN file photo)

Vice President Armando Montero of Ahwatukee.

Montero, an Arizona State University senior who had lobbied for more mental health services as a student at Desert Vista High School, chaired a committee that developed a multi-pronged policy creating “trauma-informed practices aimed at helping our students feel safe, connected and equipped to learn.”

GOLF COURSES

Hardly a year in recent Ahwatukee history has gone by without at least one of its four golf courses producing major developments and this year, three sites generated major developments.

Nine years after co-owner Wilson Gee shut down the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course, the 18-hole executive venue re-

opened in mid-October, although the two homeowners who waged an eightyear legal battle to do that are pressing for a $2 million sanction over allegedly deficiencies. Their grievances will be aired in a hearing in Superior Court next month.

Gee, who with his partners once owned all four of the community’s courses, is now down to two after selling for $4.7 million the Foothills Golf Course to a California family-run real estate company whose history in real estate has involved multifamily and commercial development.

Ennabe Properties has hired Troon, the world’s largest golf course management company, to oversee day-to-day operations and what Ennabe promises will be a significant overhaul of the Foothills property, including the clubhouse.

And while visitors to the Club West Golf Course might have trouble finding a blade of grass on the 164-acre site – barren since 2016 but for a few green months in late 2017 and early 2018 – that site continues to generate lots of action for lawyers.

After winning a lawsuit against the Foothills Club West Association board, the homeowners who comprise the Club West Conservancy sued course owner The Edge and Shea Homes over their failure to maintain thr site as an 18-hole course.

The Conservancy filed that suit in December 2021, but the hearings and legal briefs didn’t start coming until this year. This month, a judge rejected The Edge’s effort to have the suit dismissed and is allowing the Conservancy to press forward on its allegation that Shea promised in advertising and even some sales agreements with individual homeowners to maintain an 18-hole course.

The Edge has fired back by noting that the land use rights to the course include an escape clause to get out of that purported promise. No new hearings have been scheduled yet.

ELECTIONS

The Nov. 8 election saw significant changes for Ahwatukee. Legislative District 12 remained solid blue after the trio of female Democratic candidates thumped the all-male Republican slate.

With Sen. Sean Bowie bowing out and state Rep. Jennfier Jermaine running for (and winning) a justice of the peace seat in Chandler, Tempe Rep. Mitzi Epstein decided to run for Senate while two Ahwatukee residents, Patty Contreras and Stacey Travers beat three male contenders in the Democratic primary. Epstein, Contreras and Travers won handily.

The governing boards of both Kyrene and Tempe Union saw one member leave, one incumbent get re-elected and one new member.

Ahwatukee residents Jill Ostendorp, left, and Carrie McNeish brought a nearly year-long petition drive for pickleball courts at Desert Foothills Park to City Hall, turning it into a fight for the completion of Desert Foothills Park, (AFN file photo)

In Tempe Union, board President Brian Garcia decided against a second term and incumbent Andres Barraza won, as did Ahwatukee speech therapist Amanda Steele. In Kyrene, Margaret Pratt decided not to seek a second term. Triné Nelson of Ahwatukee handily won her bid to replace Pratt while board President Kevin Walsh coasted to a second term.

A lot of hard work by the Festival of Lights Committee brought back both the Wine & Beer Festival and the Kick-Off Party after a two-year pandemic hiatus. The committee included,

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

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

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

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

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

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

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

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

Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00.

Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

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

It’s completely painless!

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

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

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

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until December 31st, 2022 Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment

HOUSING BLUES

The year began with home sellers riding high in Ahwatukee and across most of the nation as tight inventory and huge demand pushed home prices to record levels.

The average price of a house in 85048 hit $1 million, putting that Ahwatukee ZIP code among 28 Valley postal zones in Arizona with seven-figure average prices.

But as the Federal Reserve began hiking the primary interest rate to cool soaring inflation and banks responded by jacking up mortgage rates, demand began plummeting. Fewer owners are putting their homes on the market and fewer people are buying houses, though no one expects that to last too long in 2023 as the massive influx of new residents to the state continues.

DEVELOPMENT

Anyone who thought new development in Ahwatukee meant little more than a new restaurant thought again as a rafter of big new projects began rolling out.

Leading the pack was Blandford Homes, which unveiled its plan for the 373 acres of State Trust Land along Chandler Boulevard between 19th and

27th avenues that it bought the previous year with a high bid of $175.million at a state Land Department auction.

Blandford said it will build 1,050 singlefamily houses, 150 townhomes and about 360 apartments with an eye of putting the first homes on the market by 2024.

After it got pushback from residents and the city Planning Commission, the homebuilder dropped its bid to free itself from a requirement that it expand three-lane South Chandler Boulevard to five lanes.

Meanwhile, Via West began building three huge warehouses that comprise the Converge Logistics Center on 50th Street between Ray Road and Chandler Boulevard that could generate up to 1,800 new vehicle trips a day while not far that project, a 417-unit apartment complex looks like it will materialize.

UNMET NEEDS

Blandford’s failed effort to get out of widening South Chandler Boulevard put the spotlight on the concerns among far-west Ahwatukee communities for a fire station. A proposal to include a new station on city-owned land in the proposed $500 million General Obligation bond the city hopes to put before vot-

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As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

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

Blandford Homes unveiled initial plans for one of the biggest residential developments planned for Ahwatukee in many years. The homebuilder has said it hopes to have the first 1,050 homes on the market in 2024. (AFN file photo)

ers next year was shelved, possibly for at least five years.

Meanwhile, Ahwatukee residents Jill Ostendorp and Carrie McNeish waged a petition drive and vigorous push on City Hall for pickleball courts at Desert Foothills Park as well as a completion of the overall venue.

They got a small part of their demands met when the city agreed to turn existing tennis courts into use for both tennis and pickleball, but they said they’ll continue to campaign for ccompleting the park, which the city has failed to do.

They said the Pecos Park pickleball complex is almost always taken by pickleball players – mostly form outside Ahwatukee.

Overall, both the two women’s fight and the efforts to get a third fire station in Ahwatukee underscored what local City Hall critics call continued neglect of the community.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

There were three homicides in Ahwatukee this year and the first – at a party on

New Year‘s Day – remains unsolved.

Meanwhile, a long-running Ahwatukee homicide case that cost taxpayers more than $5.5 million in court-appointed lawyer fees came to an end as a jury convicted Jeffrey Martinson of negligent homicide and child abuse in the 2004 drug death of his 5-year-old son in his Ahwatukee home.

Martinson was convicted of first

degree murder in 2011, but free two years later when a judge vacated the conviction. Charges were reinstated by the state Supreme Court in 2016 and it took six more years for a judge to wade through numerous defense motions.

Because Martinson already had served more time in prison than provided as a sentence for his conviction this year, he walked out of court a free man.

Not so free is ex-student Justin Walters who agreed to a four-year prison term in August after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a 19-month sexual affair he had with an underage student at Desert Garden Montessori School in Ahwatukee.

The victim and her family subsequently have filed a lawsuit against Desert Garden and owners James and Shetal Walters, claiming their failure to supervise their teachers – including their son Justin – caused irreparable emotional damage. The suit is still ongoing.

LA CASA DE JUANA

DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT WITH ITS FRESH, AUTHENTIC AND MOUTHWATERING FOOD

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

Don’t hesitate to stop by the Ahwatukee location

3941 E. Chandler Blvd. (S/W corner Chandler & 40th St) to make your next reservation call 480-823-2834 www.juanashouse.com

Developer would turn Sheraton in Ahwatukee into apartment complex

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

AScottsdale real estate investment company is seeking a zoning change from Maricopa County to repurpose the Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix South Mountain at 51st Street and Elliot Road in Ahwatukee as an apartment complex and build additional units on the 8-acre site.

Caliber Company of Scottsdale –which has made huge investments in other parts of the Valley, particularly Mesa, repurposing underused buildings – is seeking the zoning change “to allow the development of a multi-family residential community and reuse/ conversion of the existing hotel tower to multi-family units,” according to a county summary of the application.

Neither the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee not Phoenix city government have any say in the proposal because the site is a county island, subject to Maricopa County zoning regulations. It is not clear when the county will hold hearings on the plan.

The application was submitted by Earl & Curley P.C. on behalf of Elliot & 51st LLC and UpTown Square LLC. Caliber is the managing agent of the Uptown Square LLC, state records show.

Although Caliber did not return a request for comment, media reports said a developer would convert the 180room hotel into 100 studio and onebedroom apartments while demolishing the hotel convention center for an additional 88 apartments.

Caliber has been playing a major role in downtown Mesa’s redevelopment after buying eight properties in 2018 that are located in so-called federal Opportunity Zones, which entitle large investors to significant tax breaks for putting money into the development of low-income areas.

Recently it signed an agreement with former state Sen. Robert Worsley to convert one of its Main Street properties in Mesa into the state’s first apartment complex created from Arizona-made two-bedroom and studio homes stacked and connected togeth-

er like LEGOs to form two five-story midrise towers.

“We appreciate Caliber’s investment and commitment to our downtown,” Mesa Mayor John Giles is quoted as saying on Caliber’s website.

Caliber describes itself as “a leading vertically integrated asset management firm whose primary goal is to enhance the wealth of investors seeking to make investments in middle-market assets.

“We strive to build wealth for our investor clients by creating, managing, and servicing proprietary products, including middle-market investment funds, private syndications, and direct investments.”

The timetables for county approval and developer’s construction schedule were not immediately available.

If the rezoning request is approved, the project would be the second hotelto-apartment conversion in that part of Ahwatukee.

Less than a mile away on the north side of Elliot Road just north of a small strip mall, another developer is converting the old Clarion Hotel on E. La Puente Avenue into apartments.

Quinn Holdings is already has zoning approval for turning the hotels 188 rooms into 96 one-bedroom and 14 studio units. The one-bedroom units will be approximate 600 to 620 square feet, eight studios will be “micro studios” with about 300 square feet of space while the other studios will be about 500 square feet.

“These will be at market rate, not subsidized,” attorney Larry Lazarus told the Village Planning Committee during a hearing, indirectly addressing again concerns by neighbors that the complex would be Section 8 housing. “The rents project will be in the range of $1,200 a month.”

Lazarus had touted the site’s location to nearby retail as a perfect place for young professionals and young adults who preferred to walk or bike to their job.

Reports related to the Caliber’s conversion plan also have cited Intel’s ongoing $20 billion Chandler campus expansion and Ahwatukee’s proximity to that site. 

ballot initiatives this year. In 2020, just 51.7% of voters approved the Invest in Education Act, which would have raised income taxed on the highest earners in the state to fund state schools.

The tax increases were later rejected as unconstitutional by the Arizona Supreme Court.

Kinney said the restrictive measures were needed to cut the influence of outof-state groups and restore the intent of the state’s constitutional framers.

“It (the initiative process) was designed to be a process for residents of Arizona, not other states, to take matters to the ballot when they felt that the Legislature was not adequately addressing those matters,” Kinney said. “And with these having passed, that original intent is going to be met more clearly than it has been in the past.”

While the successful initiatives, 129 and 132, took effect after the state certified election results on Dec. 5, their impact will likely not be felt until the next round of elections in 2024. But opponents say the impact of Proposition 129

could be felt months earlier by activists who are trying to put issues on the ballot by initiative.

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, introduced Proposition 129, which limits future ballot measures to a single subject that can be represented in the title. He said its passage was “a great victory for the taxpayers and a defeat for special interests who would abuse the initiative system.”

Kavanagh said he did not agree with the characterization of his legislation, along with propositions 128 and 132, as anti-voter. But he said he was not surprised.

“Obviously the other side is going to use spin words and propaganda to try to convince people to vote the way they want,” Kavanagh said after the election. “And, you know, pretty much everybody does that. That’s the way the game is played.” 

GOT NEWS?

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5631 or pmaryniak@ timeslocalmedia.com

www.ahwatukee.com

Music Makers teacher studied with guitar greats

AFN NEWS STAFF

As a teacher at Music Makers Workshop in Ahwatukee, Dr. Steve Kinigstein helps his students master the strings of guitars and ukeles.

As a composer and professional musician, Kinigstein by his own account is an explorer traversing an endless universe of sounds and melodies.

“My favorite thing about being a musician is the joy of discovery,” he said. “Whether I am playing or composing there is always something new that pops up. When I’m teaching, I love that moment of epiphany when the expression on the face of a student tells me something new has just clicked.”

And as a musician, he said, “Whatever I might be playing, there is always something popping up that arouses my desire to explore.”

He recalled that when he started learning the guitar at age 8, “music had a

compound and somewhat complex role in the early years of my life” as he discovered that music “was transporting to

me” and in turn “I brought my own curiosity to the table.”

At age 14, tragedy struck when his father passed away and because he had no siblings he could share his grief with, he found comfort in music, practicing for hours after school and throughout the weekend so much so that he came “a musical recluse” for about a year.

Kinigstein’s desire to play in a band ended his grieving period and soon he was off on a musical odyssey that deepened his passion for music and expanded his reportoire.

His formal education included a bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a master’s degree and doctorate from Columbia University in New York City.

His “informal” education, though, in-

cluded studying under some of the great guitarists and composers of several generations.

He studied guitar with masters of the instrument such as Jim Hall, George Benson, Ike Isaacs, and Harry Leahy. Recommended for the doctoral program at Columbia by the late composer Milton Babbitt, who earned a reputation for his work in electronic music, Kinigstein studied composition under some of the giants in composing, including Ursula Mamlok, David Rakowski, Mario Davidovsky, Giampaolo Bracali and George Edwards.

While living in New York and going to school there, he earned his living performing as a substitute guitarist in the orchestras of several Broadway shows, including “Grease,” “They’re Playing our Song” and “Shenandoah,” and as a studio guitarist for recordings and commercials as well as teaching guitar privately.

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club makes foster kids’ holidays brighter

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee and some sponsors did it again this year by bringing some Christmas cheer to more than 200 children ages 3 to 19 who live in 29 group foster homes. Most homes were for teen boys or girls – who often have no families that want to take them into their homes because of their age.

“The group homes we help are mostly in the East Valley and Kiwanis is lucky to get help from volunteers and sponsors from all over the valley as well,” said Kiwanis Club member Andi Pettyjohn.

Ahwatukee travel agent Carrie Chipman spearheaded the drive for donations of a variety of gifts. Chipman organized community members to ensure that each group home got a box of Christmas cookies. Each child received clothing essen-

tials, including shoes gathered in a a shoe drive by Western Windows and

hoodies that came from a drive held by the Sun Valley League. They also received an item from their wish list or gift cards.

“One boy who was able to open his gifts early because of special circumstances, commented that he had never had new clothes before and never had pajamas,” Pettyjohn said. “One girl asked for a hug for Christmas.”

Some of the homes received games and sports balls for the kids to share.

Major donors to the club’s foster effort were Insight, Texas Roadhouse’s corporate headquarters, ADP, Mountain View Lutheran Church, Desert Foothills United Methodist Church, Classic Image Dance, Sun Groves HOA in Chandler, West USA, Western Windows, TD Syn-

AFN NEWS STAFF

Dr. Steve Kinigstein teaches guitar to all levels of students at Music Makers Workshop in Ahwatukee. (Courtesy of Music Makers Workshop)

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club members and community volunteers helped wrap gifts for 200 kids in group foster homes. (Special to AFN)

ARC slates history series as part of 50th celebration next year

In 1970, only farms west of I-10 south of Phoenix when California developer Randall Presley bought a few thousand acres and began Ahwatukee with a golf course and a senior activities center. Homes were sold in senior, adultsonly and family areas.

That center, now called the Ahwatukee Recreation Center, will host Ahwatukee historian and author Marty Gibson and several characters involved in those early days at 2 p.m. Jan. 21 at the center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive. Gibson has authored two books on Ahwatukee history.

In a panel discussion, Gibson and guests will reminisce about those days, including the construction of the “House of the Future” on Equestrian Trail that drew busloads of tourists from the airport who conveniently were driven slowly through the model homes on Mesquitewood Trail so that the they might be enticed to buy in the new development.

The public is invited to the free presentation, which is part of the ARC’s celebration of its 50th anniversary.

History sessions will also be held in February and March to highlight the pioneer residents and merchants in Ahwatukee. All sessions will be free.

Ahwatukee financial planner offering luncheon discussion

Ahwatukee financial planner Joseph Ortiz of Edward Jones has scheduled a luncheon discussion at noon Jan. 13 at VaBene Italian Cuisine, 4647 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. He will discuss some key topics facing investors today amid inflation and the Federal Reserve’s efforts to curb it.

MUSICIAN

from page 21

In 2009, he began writing for Just Jazz Guitar magazine, leading him to a friendship with his idol, Mundell Lowe, the late American jazz guitarist who worked often in radio, television and film, and as a session musician.

Kinigstein wrote and delivered Lowe’s eulogy at his funeral.

Lowe had chosen Kinigstein to produce his final CD, “Poor Butterfly,” which rose to #58 on the national jazz “Top 100” chart and still gets air-play in the USA and abroad.

Kinigstein’s teaching career began in the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1998, where, despite a two-year battle with cancer, he was a band and orchestra director and served as chairman of instrumental music. He also created

AROUND AHWATUKEE

To reserve a seat, contact him at 480-7523-7664 or email joseph.ortiz@edwardjones.com by Jan. 6.

Ahwatukee garden club invites new members to next meeting

Desert Pointe Garden Club members invite prospective members to start the New Year with them at their meeting at 1:15 p.m. Jan. 2 at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E Cheyenne Drive.

Several members will discuss their favorite plants and give tips on achieving success with them. Members maintain the plantings at the Blue Star Memorial and three other nearby locations.

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club announces guest speakers for early 2023

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee has announced a full roster of speakers for its weekly breakfasts at 7 a.m. Thursdays at Biscuits Restaurant in the Safeway Plaza on the southwest corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street.

Speakers include: Jan. 19, Paul Maryniak, executive editor of the Ahwatukee Foothills News; Jan 26, a speaker from Helping Hearts; Feb. 9, Jeff Parent, Ahwatukee Little League; Feb. 6, Kevin Robinson, Phoenix City Council candidate; March 9, Mary Adams, of Mountain View Lutheran Church; and March 16, Juan Te Dailey, of D Squared Homes for the Homeless.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages

Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, presents a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Unless otherwise noted, free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s in-

and designed the guitar course for the district. He also was a clinician on a national level, giving seminars to improve the effectiveness of guitar teachers who were working in the secondary level classroom.

A Mesa resident since 2020, Kinigstein recently completed a biography on Lowe.

He also teaches students at all levels at Music Makers Workshop and composes..

“Being a trained composer, I, of course, write my own music,” he said. “I don’t really have what I would call a definitive creative process. I do have some of my own rules to which I strictly stick. If I’m composing for guitar, I never have my instrument in my hands.

“This comes from a studious avoidance – even a fear – of composing to my own technique rather than the pure musical idea. I always let that which I’ve written

formation desk.

For more information: phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

Babytimes

Babies ages birth to 23 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Tuesdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. No Babytime Jan. 3. Space is limited to 12 families.

Toddlertimes

Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Thursdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. No Toddlertime Jan. 5. Space is limited to 12 families.

Sit, Stay, Read!

Young readers & listeners can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy dog/handler team. Read with Elsa 4-5 p.m. every Tuesday.

Full STEAM Ahead

Children ages 6-12 can explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent Saturdays 2-3 p.m., in this Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. No program Jan. 7. Space is limited to 10 families. No tickets are required.

Teens: Envision 2023

Teens are invited 4-5 p.m. Jan. 24 to make vision boards – a collage of images or objects that represent their goals – to motivate them all year long. They can bring photos or objects to but it’s not required. All supplies will be provided. No tickets required.

Library Teen Council

Ironwood is looking for teens ages 12-17 who would like to help organize programs, create displays, and improve the library experience for all library users.

Participation offers an opportunity for those wanting experience in a work environment for

sit overnight before I revise or develop it further. I never show it to anyone until it is absolutely finished.”

As he looks at his career as a performer, a highlight for him was his appearance at age 18 in the Atlanta Pop Festival in Georgia at the stadium that hosted Braves games.

“Waiting in the dugout and watching the other performers until it was time to go on, I was sitting among stars such as Frank Zappa, Steve Winwood, and Duane Allman. Albert King, my favorite blues guitar player was sitting next to me, holding his guitar. Summoning up my courage, I asked him if he was going to play my absolute, number one favorite Albert King tune, ‘As the Years Go Passing By.’

“I was shocked when he handed me his guitar and said, ‘Why don’t you?’ I

school, scholarship, or job applications. Online volunteer applications are available at volunteer. phoenix.gov. Under “Browse by Interest” choose “Library,” in the “Keyword” box type “Ironwood,” and complete the appropriate application.

A volunteer coordinator will notify applicants when the first meeting will take place.

Sit and Stitch

Join fellow stitchers and work on your current project on 3-4:45 p.m. Jan 4. Knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, needlepoint are all welcomed. No tickets or registration required.

Next Chapter Book Club

This inclusive community-based book club is designed for people ages 12+ with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have a desire to make friends, explore their community, and read (regardless of current reading ability). This weekly gathering is free and occurs 3:304:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

Registration is required and available in the library or online in the Calendar section of the library’s website.

Book Club

Adult readers 18 and over can meet up with fellow adventuresome bibliophiles to share their thoughts about each month’s selection the 5-5:45 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month.

The book fgor discussion Jan. 4 is “ Bottle of Lies” by Katherine Eban, and on Feb. 1, “A Woman of No Importance” by Sonia Purnell. 

had copied and learned the solo from the song note for note. By some miracle my nerves – which were already in fifth gear – didn’t force me to choke. When I finished playing it, I handed him back his guitar. He just looked at me and said, ‘That’s right boy. You’re doing it right.’ I couldn’t believe what had just happened – right in front of Zappa, Winwood, and Allman.”

He said he likes to tell his students to “get a clear idea of their musical goals.”

“These will evolve through time.” he tells them. “If you stick with it, you will achieve them.”

To learn about his lessons and those of other Music Makers Workshop teachers, call 480-706-1224, email lessons@ mmwaz.com or check out mmwaz. com.

nex, the Brillo-Sonnino Family Foundation, Matthew and Jennifer Klandrud of the Thrivent Financial Group, Sun Valley League,7th Dream Helping Hearts, Volofit Gilbert and “lots of community members,” Pettyjohn said.

Club members were racing the clock on Dec. 17 to finish all the wrapping, so a call to community members finished the job.

“Santa put the firemen at Superstition Station #5 in East Mesa on his nice list for wrapping some of the gifts for the foster youth,” Pettyjohn said, addig that the club is grateful to all who contributed and helped make the drive a success.

In 2022, there were 2,936 licensed foster homes and 78 group home providers in the state, reported Who Cares, the nation’s first public resource on foster care capacity.

Although the state’s goal is to reunite children with their birth families, sometime that doesn’t happen.

Nearly 800 youth age out of the foster care system in Arizona each year, according to Arizona’s Children Association, which recruits, trains and

provides necessary supports for foster families.

school by 19, 46% were employed and 1 in 4 was involved in the criminal justice system within two years of leaving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

www.ahwatukee.com Subscribe here Receive your digital flip-thru edition every week in your e-mail box! www.ahwatukee.com @AhwatukeeFN @AhwatukeeFN PAUL MARYNIAK AFN H partof rapidlydiminishingbreed member Greatest Gen eration,thoughwhenyouaskhimwhat thought mindwhen on days as telegraph operator in the peantheaterduringWorldWar FloydCasey hesitation ys: weather.” “The weather was so damn recalled Floyd, ho becomes centenarian on 20 already is the resident the rise Chandler assisted living community. ou couldn’t think every you went out the wintertime summertime was hotyoucouldn’tbreathe.” ButFloydsurvivednotjusttheweatherbut everybulletandshell Germanscouldfling against his units in major WWII clashes like the the Ardennes, Battle Cen tral Europe, the Battle Rhineland all BY Editor AprivateAhwatukeeschoolandits ers have denied they or the school shar anyblamefor 19-monthsex ual relationship the an under agestudent taughtthere. esponding lawsuitbroughtby now 18-year-old victim, attorneys for James Walters,owners DesertGardenMon tessoriSchool,andlawyers schoolsaid couplenortheschoolbearan responsibilityfortheactions son,Justin alters. The Walters’ attorneys the case, Elizadenials by Fitch and McCarthy and school attorneys Sean Healy and Gina Battoiled June 30 with Superior Court Judge eter Thompson in response lawsuit filed by Chase Rasmussen Rasmussen Wednesday, July 13, 2022 INSIDE: COMMUNITY 28 BUSINESS 33 P. 36 PORTS 38 GETOUT P. CLASSIFIED 44 CENTENARIAN Local man to lead 100th birthday tribute to his WWII dad School, owners deny fault in student’s sexual abuse COMMUNITY 28 Festival Lights supporters rev up fundraising campaign. SPORTS 38 Vista football cementing his legacy. NEWS 3 Lovebird deaths danger for residents, warn. INSIDE This Week HEALTH WELLNESS---------JungleBring the Outdoors In with our Moving Glass Wall Systems Thomas 602-508-0800 liwindow.com Mon-Thurs 8:30-5pm 8:30-4pm Sat 9-2pm ROC#179513 Easy-To-Read Digital Edition ht whosextheir son had Eliza bethFitchandCraigMcCarthy,saidthatwhile the must prove any damage she suffered resulted from their actions, and all damagessufferedbytheplaintiffwere resultof Injury Law on May the same day Walters, 29, Tempe, sentenced to four years prison and lifetime probation for his www.ahwatukee.com @AhwatukeeFN @AhwatukeeFN INSIDE: COMMUNITY AROUND AF OPINION X BUSINESS X |HEALTH & WELLNESS GETOUT X SPORTS P. CLASSIFIED PAUL MARYNIAK AFN T Phoenix Planning Commission on Aug. dealt 30-daysetbacktothe developers’ timetable for the massive Upper Canyon development in Ahwatukee after expressing confusion over their request questioning city staff’s analysis related trafficstudy. Blandford Homes and subsidiary Reserve 100LLChave zoning build1,050mostly single-story houses, 150 build-to-renthouses and 329 apartments on the 373-acre State Trust parcelalongChandler between19th avenues. Butthey CityCouncilapproval proposal leave South Chandler Boulevard three lanes downgrade the classification of 27th between the and South Mountain Freeway from “arterial” “collector”street. They hopedtogetPlanningCommission approvalduringlastweek’svirtualhearingin timeforCityCounciltoacton atits postsummer-vacation meeting Sept. Blandford Reserve100aim startsellinghouses But timetable was thrown off by at least 30 after the Commission directed them to more clearly explain the impact of so manyhomesontrafficandroadsafety light their opposition to widening South ChanBoulevard. commission also complained Blandford’s reasoning confused them le residents who opposed the plan said Blandford toavoid roadwideningandhave andfor Residents fear for ability emergency vehicles to access not Upper Canyon but communities therePromontoryandCalabria. Among those expressing concern was John Barton, one of developers those communities. Stressing that he supported the Upper Canyondevelopment,Bartonneverthelessripped Blandford’s request, noting that the nearest fire station miles away and city has no immediate plans to build one in western Ahwatukee. Wednesday, August 10, 2022 COMMUNITY BUSINESS 29 OPINION 31 SPORTS P. 33 GETOUT 37 CLASSIFIEDS CANYON page ELECTIONS page Traffic concerns snarl Upper Canyon’s bid for city approval SPORTS 33 frosh Everest Leydecker already champ. BUSINESS 29 Local man’s supply compan milestone. INSIDE This Week Whether you’re home renovating one, your choices when comes ully designe Milgard windows doors. Strong, beautiful, and durable. Milgard patio doors are stunnin architectural performance. secure your investment industry leading, Warranty that includes Milgard offers beautiful, comfortable, energy efficient vinyl windows nd doors for your home 4454 Rd. Phoeni 2-508-0800 liwindow.com on-Thurs 8:30-5pm Fri 0-4pm Sat 9-2pm ROC# LD 12 contests appear set, GOP senate race tight NEWS Court fight continues over candidate’s residency. GET OUT 37 Company offers marijuanaflavored cocktails. scene from out be th 22nd last presentation of ”The Ahwatukee Foothills Nutcracker.” No, the community Christmas tradition one Ahwatukee’s oldest isn’t going away ut been rebranded Arizona Nutcrac where this taken from may surprise you too, as you’ll read on page 23. (Tubitv.com) ‘Nutcracker’ made new MARYNIAK ExecutiveEditor The General Election the three legislative seats representingwatukee appears battle the sexes sorts as an all-male Republican slate will threeDemocraticwomen. The two Ahwatukee women running in five-wayracefor DemocraticHousenations Legislative District 12 topped and the all-Ahwatukee contest Republican Senate nomination appeared won

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PetWellClinic offers basic care with less hassle, expense

BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

Most pet owners are well aware of long wait times to get appointments at local veterinary offices and hospitals and daunting bills once their fuzzy family member has been seen.

But now, a new walk-in, non-emergency veterinary care center, PetWellClinic, opened on Dec. 7 on Chandler Boulevard near South 50th Street in Ahwatukee Foothills.

Though the company has franchises around the nation, this is the first location in the state, and the owners have plans for at least 16 more throughout Maricopa County over the next few years.

The goal of PetWellClinic is to increase accessibility to pet care. It promises more timely and affordable preventative and non-emergency urgent care as well as treatment for chronic conditions.

“We like to think of ourselves as a minute clinic, if you will, for dogs and cats,” said Cole Walling of Scottsdale, president of PetWellClinic franchises in Maricopa County.

They can help with everything from vaccinations to upper respiratory infections (which have been prevalent lately, he noted), minor cuts, and fleas and

ticks, among others.

Walling added, “We also have been managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and severe allergies. We’re able to help manage those conditions at a more affordable price than some of the hospitals or general practices.”

That’s because PetWellClinic has less overhead. They don’t do surgery, imag-

ing or euthanasia, so they don’t have pricey equipment and rooms that sit unused much of the time.

“We’re able to take those savings and pass it directly to our clients,” Walling said.

An exam is $55 and a basic yearly blood check is $35 at PetWellClinic. Vaccines start at $79, and a “PetWell Pack-

age” with an exam and several vaccines are $199.

“We’re clocking in significantly cheaper than every clinic in the valley,” said Walling, adding that their prescriptions are competitive with online and low-cost pharmacies, and they offer discounts to rescue groups.

However, the goal is for PetWellClinic to complement the care other vets are providing, not totally replace it.

Walling said they “have dedicated partners we’ve pre-vetted, so that way our veterinarians and our teams can feel comfortable sending our patients to them for additional care for things we’re not equipped to do.”

Not to mention, the veterinarians at PetWellClinic are centered specifically on wellness.

At clinics that do surgeries, handle more severe emergencies and expect staff to field calls, “you get really overwhelmed and frazzled sometimes,” said Dr. Kimberley Shaird, one of the vets at PetWellClinic. “I definitely have more time to focus, do my notes and be a doctor. I don’t have to be sidetracked with phone calls or jumping into something else.”

Shaird also emphasized that they

Ahwatukee child therapy clinic opening 2nd location

AFN NEWS STAFF

An Ahwatukee medical practice that offers speech, occupational and physical therapy to children is opening a second location in one of Gilbert’s hottest developments.

Desert Valley Pediatric Therapy, founded by a speech language pathologist to treat children with a variety of developmental delays and injuries, is one of three medical clinics that have signed up for leases in the new Verde Medical Center.

The 39,000-square-foot medical office building at Williams Field and Recker

roads is part of a larger mixed-use Verde at Cooley Station development, which includes approximately 95,000 square feet of retail, restaurants and fitness operators, a 25,000 square foot of creative office building and three multi-family residential projects with a total of about 750 units.

Verde Medical Center is being developed by Florida-based Sina Companies and leasing management firm Plaza Companies announced the early lineup of tenants last week.

Norman Brody, managing member of the team developing Verde at Cooley Station, said the new medical office build-

ing will be a key component in the overall development.

The developer noted that Williams Field-Recker area “has seen explosive growth in housing over the past couple of years with just under 5,000 multifamily and single-family housing units within walking distance of Verde Medical Center and more under development.

“This growth is the driving force behind the need for this site and for more medical office out in the community, not just on hospital campuses,” it said.

Desert Valley Pediatric states on its website that it aims to treat “the ‘whole’

child, educating caregivers and team members, and empowering the family. We are committed to helping ALL children achieve their greatest potential.”

It provides evaluation and ongoing assessments and treatment to kids from birth to young adult.

“Our therapists work together with families to foster involvement in therapy and provide continuous education,” it says. “This collaboration maximizes the effectiveness of treatment and strategies provided by our therapists.”

Information: dvpediatrictherapy.com.

Cole Walling, left, of PetWellClinic talks to Francis and Vanessa Garcia of Ahwatukee, who brought their cockapoo puppy, Boba. (Geri Koeppel/AFN Contributor)

Ahwatukee Skin & Laser announces partnership

AFN NEWS STAFF

Ahwatukee Skin & Laser is partnering with Saguaro Dermatology to expand the delivery of high-quality patient care in the Valley.

Saguaro Dermatology, founded by board-certified dermatologists and brothers, Dr. Carsten R. Hamann and Dr. Dathan Hamann, has locations in Central Phoenix and Mesa.

“We’re very excited to team with

this innovative group of healthcare providers,” said Sarah Neumann, PA, the founder of Ahwatukee Skin & Laser and Sun City Dermatology in Sun City West.

“This collaboration will allow our practices to provide a unique brand of dermatologic care to help more patients throughout the metro area,” Neumann added.

Saguaro Dermatology boasts quality care, innovative practices, helpful re-

in the clinic and how we communicate to clients as well,” he added.

sources, and state-of-the-art technology to prevent and treat a multitude of skin disorders.

Ahwatukee Skin & Laser is a fullservice general and cosmetic dermatology practice and a leader in skin cancer surveillance.

Founded in 2010, the practice has been recognized as “Best in Skin Care” for several years running in local polls, and Neumann has been consistently ranked as “Best Medical Specialist” and “Best PA”

in Phoenix.

A spokesperson for Saguaro Dermatology said the partnership “will enable both our groups to offer more resources to serve patients. We will be better together as a combined organization with a deeper team of clinical experts.”

Ahwatukee Skin & Laser is located at 4425 E Agave Rd., Building #9, Suite #148, in Phoenix. Information: ahwatukeeskincare.com. 

treat the immediate issue without pressuring pet parents into a long list of other costly care items.

“We can focus on the main problem,” she explained. And they don’t judge people if their pet isn’t perfectly groomed, either.

PetWellClinic also understands that time is valuable: Although it operates on a walk-in basis, people can sign in online in advance and leave home when it’s almost their turn instead of sitting in a waiting room for long stretches.

“We’ll hold your space for two hours,” Walling said.

In addition to helping people care for their cats and dogs by saving time and money, PetWellClinic also allows them to stay with their pets throughout the process.

“Everything is very open, very transparent,” Walling said, noting that people can see from the lobby into the two exam rooms when they enter.

“That openness translates through from our physical footprint to the way we conduct ourselves and operate with-

On a recent weekday, Francis and Vanessa Garcia of Ahwatukee brought in their cockapoo puppy, Boba, because they found a suspicious lump on his stomach. Dr. Shaird diagnosed it as an umbilical hernia.

“She said it’s totally and fine and it’s normal and it’s nothing to be concerned about,” Vanessa said.

Francis said they’d “100 percent” recommend the clinic thanks to the cost and efficiency.“I feel other places charge thousands of dollars,” Vanessa said, while Francis noted he felt he didn’t get questions answered elsewhere, “and the wait time is ridiculous.”

Walling and his extended family decided to invest in the business after he had a hard time finding care for his dog, Dennis, during the pandemic.

The original PetWellClinic in Knoxville, Tenn., popped up during an internet search, and he said, “I think this is something we could use and truly need here in Arizona.”

Walling, who has a degree in economics and global business from the Univer-

sity of Arizona, chose to open the first franchise in Ahwatukee after identifying a severe shortage of veterinary clinics and hospitals in the area.

Walling and other team members visited 17 other clinics in the vicinity before opening, and all were enthusiastic to hear about it and already started referring patients to PetWellClinic.

Walling’s mom, Dina Walling, who does marketing and social media for the company, said, “They’re thrilled to have us at their disposal.” 

If You Go...

Who: PetWellClinics, walk-in veterinary care for minor ailments, preventative care and chronic conditions

Where: 5029 E. Chandler Blvd., No. 305, Ahwatukee

Hours: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday Contact: Contact: 480-447-4566; petwellclinic.com

www.ahwatukee.com

Why is the Club West Conservancy not reading the tea leaves?

We read the minute entry from the Club West hearing. Perhaps the spokesperson for the Club West Conservancy can explain to the majority of us homeowners why it wants a final ruling on the December action. The court has signaled its future ruling very strongly.

We, many of the owners on the golf course and in the CWHOA, do not endorse your continued actions. The Edge was and is willing to work with us. You have rebuffed The Edge.

Pretty soon The Edge will have little incentive to work with this community. Thank goodness it is partially comprised of Club West Homeowners who

@AhwatukeeFN | @AhwatukeeFN

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

love this community. Phoenix zoning and planning will likely be its only remaining hurdle.

Why is this so hard for y’all to forecast? It is very sad how the voice of a few homeowners has resonated for so long.

We could have had a beautiful community with golf by now.

- Chris Henrichsen

Hobbs must make border security a major priority

So the first thing our new Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to do is halt any further work on building a wall of storage containers on our state’s southern border. She states a wall makes “no sense”, it’s just a “political stunt not actually pro -

viding effective barrier to entry” and “a waste of taxpayer’s money.”

She states the money could be used more effectively….really! Great! How?

Let’s hear your ideas since you were basically silent during your campaign against Karie Lake. We, the people in Arizona, don’t have a clue what you stand for, other than abortion, since you hid in your office and even refused to debate the issues with your opponent.

It’s amazing to me that politicians can win elections by remaining silent; how can citizens be informed voters when the politicians running refuse to be transparent and inform us of their platform?

Securing the safety of Arizona’s resi-

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

dents by getting control of our open border which allows fentanyl, criminals, gang members, drug cartels and terrorists to invade our state should be your main priority Ms. Hobbs.

So what’s your plan?

Thank you!

-Beth Gadzik

Share Your Thoughts:

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

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Concussions remain at the forefront of high school athletics

BY RYAN MCCLURE AFN Contributing Writer

Head injury awareness has increased at an exponential rate in the past decade, leading to monumental strides at the high school athletic level.

The rate of concussions continues to grow across high school sports, amid growing efforts to prevent head trauma and protect the safety of athletes. The medical field’s leaps in awareness on head injuries has led to a categorization on different types of traumatic brain injuries. The most prominent on the high school athletic level are concussions.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a concussion is a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.

“There has been a really strong progression towards really addressing that aspect of head injuries,” Highland High School athletic trainer David Hayward

said. “We have focused on head injuries and made sure athletes are safe and not playing with anything that potentially involves a head injury. Concussions are the lowest grade of brain injury, but they can turn into something really big.”

Certain levels and sports see higher

rates of concussions than others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, boys’ football, girls’ soccer and boys’ ice hockey are the three sports with the highest concussion rates.

Concussions are most commonly found in instances of falls or collisions with other athletes. From sport to sport,

the mechanism of injury varies, even offthe-field occurrences happen.

Boys’ football, with 10.4 concussions per 10,000 athlete exposures, leads all sports in the rate of concussions. Although the most padded sport, it still comes in at the top.

“Helmets were originally created to prevent skull fractures,” Campo Verde High School athletic trainer Julia Marino said. “The technology of the cushions in the helmet and shock absorption are there. But if concussions still occur, it proves itself.”

Arizona high schools are now taking advantage of easier access to modern head injury technology. Valley schools have integrated these technologies to help prevent and enhance recovery of head injuries and concussions.

ImPACT (immediate post-concussion assessment and cognitive testing) is a computer-based head injury assessment tool used to help the medical field, and specifically athletic trainers. It has

ASU legends reflect on Fiesta Bowl, express concern

BY REMY MASTEY Cronkite News

Back in 1982, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album was atop the music charts, Rocky III was playing in theaters and Arizona State’s football program appeared to be on the verge of becoming a national powerhouse.

The 1982 Sun Devils, coached by Darryl Rogers and featuring future NFL players such as running backs Darryl Clack and Alvin Moore, cornerback Mike Richardson, defensive end Jim Jeffcoat, kicker Luis Zendejas and wide receiver Ron Brown, won their first nine games and rose to as high as No. 3 in the Associated Press rankings.

That squad lost its final two regularseason games against Washington and Arizona, letting a Rose Bowl berth slip away, but bounced back to beat Oklahoma in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl.

Members of that team recently gathered at a luncheon held at the Sheraton

Hotel in downtown Phoenix to honor their Fiesta Bowl victory. They reminisced about that 1982 season, but also voiced concern about the direction they see the program going today.

Players from that 1982 team cited several reasons they believe the program has slipped, including poor local recruiting and greater competition in the Valley’s booming sports market.

“I think one big thing for ASU is to focus on recruiting here in Arizona, because we have a tendency to lose a lot of players that are here in Arizona to other schools,” Clack said. “We have got to focus on trying to keep those players, because they are successful when they go to other teams.

“So why not be successful at Arizona

Concussions remain at the forefront of discussions regarding the safety of certain sports at all levels, but especially high school. In Arizona, schools, athletic trainers and coaches continue to take necessary steps to better understand and potentially prevent head injuries. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

Arizona State entered the 1983 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma as major underdogs but pulled off the 32-21 upset in Tempe after a successful season. (Photo courtesy of the Fiesta Bowl)

been branded as the most effective tool for creating baseline concussion tests, which are used to compare a person’s cognitive abilities after injury to before.

Modern technology like ImPACT has led to a safer and more efficient recovery process for athletes. Identifying when an athlete is back to the testing level, they were at during the baseline test is key to allowing a player to return to play safely, preventing long term injury.

Another advancement in understanding concussions has been the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5, often referred to as the SCAT-5. The SCAT-5 is a standardized tool designed to assist with the clinical and sideline assessment of concussion.

The SCAT-5 is a good predictor of the duration of time away from sports in high school athletes with concussions, which allows athletic trainers to have a better understanding of where each specific athlete is at in their recovery process, or to even identify if a player has a concussion.

“There are always optics out there watching,” Hayward said. “If a player elicits some sort of sign or symptom of a concussion then they will be approached and addressed.”

The state, athletic program, and even specific teams have taken steps since the modern wave of awareness of these injuries.

Coaches have implemented their own methods to potentially prevent head injuries. From neck stretches to limited “hitting” time, or when players can fully

use their tackling techniques. Each specific coach has their own implementations in their practice schedule.

But it isn’t always fool proof.

Gavin Chavez, a senior at Desert Vista, has been one of the many athletes in the Valley to be impacted by head injury.

Chavez is a member of the varsity football team and varsity lacrosse at Desert Vista. He has played football since the age of 6 and has picked up lacrosse since. His first concussion was minor in 7th grade, followed by a more serious one the following year.

“Gavin plays with a certain energy, he plays with all his heart,” Gavin’s father and Desert Vista assistant coach Gary

Chavez said. “He was an impact player.” Chavez stayed symptom free until his first game his junior year. But in that first game Chavez was hit hard on a kickoff return, leading to another concussion with microfractures detected. Six games later, and almost a month and half of recovery, Chavez was cleared to return to the field.

In his first game back Chavez was injured yet again on a special teams play.

“Special team plays are just so dangerous,” Gary said. “Players are flying around the field, and it results in more injuries than any other plays. Gavin got unlucky and just got in a couple bad situations.”

Chavez was forced to make a decision

after his latest concussion: Try to play or give up the sport to focus on his longterm health.

He showed maturity in his decision.

“He could have made an impact in his last season, but he chose his health,” Gary said. “We were going to support him with any decision he made, whether he wanted to take all the precautions in order to play. One day he decided to call it a career and look towards long term health and stability.”

The state and the Arizona Interscholastic Association have implemented rules over the years to help combat the rate of concussions. From changing kickoff alignment rules, and adding defenseless player and helmet to helmet rules, the AIA has implemented new ideas to prevent higher rates of injury.

All athletes and coaches have to complete “Brain Book,” which is an educational program that the AIA mandates statewide.

The awareness and the level of education on head injuries has raised, which has allowed athletes like Chavez to make decisions to benefit their long-term health where historically long-term brain health has not been in the forefront.

The new wave of concussion awareness and modern implementations has led to new methods of prevention, diagnosis, and recovery.

“I feel we are really going in the right direction when it comes to concussions,” Hayward said. “There is still just a lot of research out there to do to really figure out about a young developing brain and how it could be impacted.” 

State? I think once that changes, maybe we will get better.”

Clack has a point. Of the top 25 recruits in Arizona last season, as ranked by 247Sports.com, none committed to Arizona State. Three committed to the University of Arizona.

But recruiting isn’t the only issue.

More than a dozen players from the 2021 ASU roster transferred to different schools, including starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is currently enjoying a breakout season for Louisiana State, rated sixth in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

The Sun Devils filled some of the holes with players from the NCAA transfer portal, but the lack of continuity was evi-

dent during a slow start that led to the removal of coach Herm Edwards three games into the season.

“You were able to transfer back in the day, but I think today guys don’t have as much loyalty because if a player gets benched or doesn’t get what they want, they can just transfer to another team,” said Todd Hons, the quarterback on that 1982 ASU squad. “I personally think that is wrong. You teach a kid not to just quit and go to another place. So I think that is part of the problem.”

In 1982, Arizona State football was arguably the biggest sports attraction in the Valley. The Phoenix Suns were the state’s only major professional sports franchise at the time, and during football season, Sun Devil Stadium was the place to be on Saturday nights.

“If you grew up back in the 70s and 80s, the only thing to do on a Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona was Sun Devil football, for the most part,” said Pat Gamle, a Sun Devils football fan since the 1970s who attended the luncheon. “This was kind of our NFL team.”

Clack believes players have changed, too. They have different priorities than players in his era. Young athletes are more focused on building their brand than on building a team and can even profit now off of their name, image and likeness.

“We played as a family, we won as a family and pushed everyone to want to win as a family,” Clack said. “That’s the part that this generation is missing out on, because it’s all about ‘What can I do on social media? Who is looking at my social media?’ And all that kind of stuff.

Let’s get back to focusing on being a family and being a teammate.”

The program’s slide into mediocrity is also evident in the many empty seats at Sun Devil Stadium. Average attendance slipped to 43,081 this season, the team’s worst since 1968.

One voice from ASU’s distant past offered a more realistic assessment. Larry Kentera, a 98-year-old former ASU player who was an assistant coach during the Frank Kush era, addressed the players at the luncheon.

“You know where we are right now, be honest with ourselves,” Kentera told the 1983 Fiesta Bowl champs. “You’re looking out there right now and are seeing what they’re doing.

“But we are going to get there. The Sun Devils always get there.” 

Desert Vista student Gavin Chavez, “right,” gave up football to focus on his long-term health after suffering numerous concussions throughout his playing career dating back to 7th grade. His father, Gary, as assistant at Desert Vista, said he respects his son’s decision. (AFN File Photo)

HappyNewYear

www.ahwatukee.com

Extraterrestrial life explored at AZ Boardwalk

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff Writer

AZ Boardwalk’s newest attraction, “UFO Experience: The Truth is Out There,” is deciphering how many people believe in aliens from space.

The experience took over the existing space for “The Science of Ripley’s Believe it or Not” and guides guests through nine galleries that tests whether or not guests still believe there is extraterrestrial life out there.

“Because the subject of ufology –the study of unidentified flying objects – has a lot of moving parts to it. We wanted this to succeed in detailing out a few of those areas of ufology that help to demonstrate or help to explain what people are thinking when they are seeking to understand its subject matter,” said AZ Boardwalk Managing Partner Ran Knishinsky.

It was important for Knishinsky to understand this field as well because it is something that he has been infatu-

ated with for years before opening this attraction.

“A couple of years ago, I started read-

ing books on UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomena and as I started to learn about it, I found it fascinating,” Knishinsky recalls. “The question for me became ‘are we alone?’ and that’s something that I wondered about, which fed my curiosity.”

It wasn’t long after that Knishinsky began to think the question of whether mankind is alone could make for an interactive and educational attraction.

He began researching whether an exhibition of such a nature had been done before and discovered that two similar attractions had been created in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Buena Park, California.

Inspired by the attractions, Knishinsky sought out The Event Agency, which had produced the attractions in Buena Park and Myrtle Beach.

“I liked what they were doing, and

Lebanese Palace serves ‘back home’ delights

BY GERI KOEPPEL Get Out Contributor

Goodbye, peanut shells and burgers; hello, hummus, shawarma and kibbeh: A Lebanese restaurant is now open in the former Teakwoods Tavern on the southeast corner of Ray and Kyrene roads in Chandler.

The Homsi family opened Lebanese Palace in late November, with mother Mona creating the recipes. Sons Kanaan and Sleiman run the dining room and kitchen, respectively. Their brothers Wassime and Samer help out wherever needed, too.

The restaurant already is racking up five-star reviews online and attracting customers of Lebanese heritage looking for familiar flavors.

“All the food that we make here, we’ve

been eating this our whole life—the kabobs, the kafta, shish tawook,” Kanaan said. “Everything is homemade here like we would make it at our house.”

Homsi added, “When I eat a kabob, I want it to remind me of Lebanon. This is ‘back home’ food.”

Lebanese Palace serves popular Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, gyros and baba ghannaouj (roasted eggplant dip).

But it specializes in traditional Lebanese cuisine such as shawarma, which is marinated, roasted meat shaved off a rotisserie; kafta, a ball of ground meat and spices on a skewer; shish tawook, skewered chicken marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic and other ingredients; sambousek, or crispy meat pies; and more.

Ran Knishinsky, managing partner for Arizona Boardwalk, hangs out with a friend in the UFO Experience exhibition, which features more than 200 alien artifacts, films, recordings, conceptual models, and interactive experiences. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

Mona Homsi, flanked by sons Sleiman, left, and Kanaan Homsi, run the Lebanese Palace restaurant together in Chandler. Not pictured are her sons Wassime and Samer Homsi, who also pitch in. (Geri Koeppel/GetOut Contributor)

I asked them to take it out, refresh it and make it relevant for today,” said Knishinsky, an alumnus of Chaparral High School.

So began a lengthy planning process that culminated in an extensive monthlong renovation to convert the space into an experience out of this world.

Because of this, the educational attraction begins by showing guests an eight-minute video detailing the field of ufology, the history of extraterrestrial encounters around the world and explaining the existence of extraterrestrial life in pop culture.

From there, guests are juxtaposed to rooms dedicated to detailing the sightings of UFOs throughout history, the history of weaponry and reverse engineering conducted by the U.S. military, and the history of ancient aliens.

The gallery on the history of aliens poses the question of whether or not they have had any influence over human civilization.

Another is dedicated to space travel, titled the “Propulsion Gallery,” while the Abduction Zone makes guests feel like they are being abducted.

Still another gallery examines the presence of aliens in pop culture. It includes props created by Hollywood

set designers of famous aliens like E.T., Alien! and Watto from the Star Wars prequels as well as a chart of celebrities who claim to have had an encounter with extraterrestrial life.

“We’re just looking to present information and let people make their own decisions,” Knishinsky said. “We wanted to spark people’s curiosity and spark their thinking and what better way to spark thinking than to ask the question, ‘do you believe?’ and allow the person to ask themselves that throughout each gallery and answer that question with a yes, maybe or no?”

This is why guests are given a card and a green token upon their entry.

Although the experience is mostly centered around a Socratic debate of whether or not one believes in aliens, Knishinsky wanted to also create an abundance of fun opportunities throughout the experience.

“We wanted to also do this in a family fun and friendly way, which is why there’s a lot of really cool interactive elements here from a moonwalk bounce

initely checked all the boxes.”

house for kids to an alien shooting video game to interactive floor graphics where kids can step on aliens to a lot of different photo opportunities that exist within the experience.”

At the end of the experience, guests are asked to place their tokens inside a box marked “yes,” “maybe” or “no” so they can weigh in with their personal belief or disbelief in creatures from outer space.

“UFO Experience: The Truth is Out There” is currently slated to be open for the next year but it could become permanent at AZ Boardwalk if it is successful. 

If you go

What: UFO Experience: The Truth is Out There

When: Now- TBA, daily hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Suite E250, Scottsdale Cost: $19.95

Info: theufoexperience.com

Appetizers average about $7-10, wraps are roughly $10-12 and come with fries, and entrees are about $15-26.

The number one seller is the chicken shawarma” sandwiches and plates, Homsi said, adding, “We do extra seasoning so it stays juicy the whole time.”

His favorites are the grilled meats, he said, noting, “The filet kabobs we have are really good—flavorful and tender.”

And, he added, many Lebanese customers like the kibbeh, made with ground beef, bulgur, onions, pine nuts and herbs and spices formed into small balls and deep-fried.

They also make a vegetarian version that’s not deep fried made with boiled potato instead of meat called kibbet batata. There’s also a dish with raw lamb called kibbeh naveh.

“People really like the kibbeh, and it’s hard to find authentic kibbeh here,” Homsi said.

First-time customers Ty Davis of Phoenix and Zach Garoutte of Tempe said they tried Lebanese Palace based on recommendations from multiple friends who had eaten there over the previous few weeks.

Davis got the chicken shawarma sand-

wich and said, “It was cooked perfectly; lots of flavor. The hummus was really good as well; same with the pita.”

Garoutte got the chicken shawarma plate and said it was high-quality food that tasted homemade. He added, “It def-

Both said they would “absolutely” be back.

Everything at Lebanese Palace is made fresh daily on site except the bread—which comes from a purveyor in California that bakes Arabic pita—and the feta and labneh, a soft, tangy cheese made from yogurt.

They do, however, make a date brioche as well as baklava daily, and all the meats are halal.

Keep an eye out for even more delicacies to come.

Homsi said that they’ll slowly start to feature weekly specials featuring that his mom has made at home for years that aren’t typically made in restaurants.

“We’re going to offer something really traditional like no one has,” he said.

The restaurant seats about 160 in two large dining areas, and Homsi said the second room is available for private events. They’re going to have hookah on the patio, and down the line, they might carry Middle Eastern groceries.

There are no plans, however, to add a liquor license.

The family, who lives nearby, decided

to open their own restaurant when they saw the space become available.

Their father, Omar, manages another restaurant in the Valley, and Kanaan and Sleiman have worked in restaurants for several years as well.

Mona Homsi was born in California, and she and Omar met there, married and moved to Arizona. They have five sons and a daughter. Omar is from Tripoli, Lebanon, and still has family there.

In fact, Homsi said he and brother Sleiman spent much of their childhood with their grandparents in Lebanon, where they developed a deep appreciation for the food.

“Lebanese people are meant for cooking,” he said. “Their cooking is really, really, really top notch.” 

If you go

What: Lebanese Palace, serving traditional foods of Lebanon and other Middle Eastern cuisine

Where: 5965 W. Ray Road, Suite 20, Chandler.

Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Info: 480-867-1772; lebanese-palace.business.site

This familiar reproduction of a space traveler is aprt of the Arizona Boardwalk exhibition. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

The chicken shawarma is the most popular item on the menu at Lebanese Palace in Chandler. (Geri Koeppel/GetOut Contributor)

LEBANESE PALACE from page 33

With JAN D’ATRI

Begin the new year with this sake-soy-miso glaze

Anew year is about to begin!

I want to kick it off with a recipe that’s an elegant yet simple, rich-tasting yet healthful and ever so flavorful dish using just a few ingredients. This sake-soy-miso glaze was one of the recipes on top of my list. If you prefer a piece of fish other

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sea bass or salmon filet

• 2/3 cup sake (drinkable rice wine)

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2/3 cup Mirin (cooking rice wine)

• ¼ cup soy sauce (omit for gluten free)

• ¼ cup (2 oz) light colored Miso paste (Japa-

Directions:

Combine sake, sugar and mirin in a large sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and heat until sugar dissolves and incorporates. Mix in soy sauce and miso until smooth. Continue heating until mixture reduces by one-fourth.

Make a slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir this into the pot to thicken the sauce.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a me-

than sea bass, I’d recommend salmon. The ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores and of course, at any one of our Asian markets in the Valley.

May your 2023 be filled with good health and happiness and many, many memorable meals!

nese soy-based seasoning)

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin

• Toasted sesame seeds

dium, non-stick sauté pan over medium. Sprinkle the sea bass with salt and pepper to taste and carefully place in pan. Sear both sides until golden brown. Remove from heat. Place fish in a baking pan. Brush with the sauce. Place in oven for 4-5 minutes, or until fish is thoroughly cooked. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

(Note: Sea bass with miso glaze can be served with sliced pickled onion, cherry tomatoes and half of a grilled lemon.)

Office Administrator

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