Gilbert Sun News 0108

Town panel praises mammoth apartment project

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

One of the largest apartment projects planned in Gilbert near the San Tan Village Mall won kudos from a town panel for its overall design last week.

Tuscany at Gabriella Pointe will be located on 39 acres of vacant farmland east of the southeast corner of Higley and Warner roads, near the Morrison Ranch and the Cooley Station North neighborhoods.

“There are 17 buildings for the multifamily with 760 units,” Planning Manager Eva Cutro told the town Planning Commission,

which acted as the Design Review Board at the Jan. 4 study session. “This is one of the largest multifamily developments by unit count within the town.”

The buildings, which will be three- and four-story tall, contain 369 one-bedroom units, 286 two-bedroom units and 105 three-bedroom units.

Project amenities include a clubhouse, sports recreational building, pools, tot lot, sand volleyball court, two pickleball courts, a tennis court, two dog parks, corn hole area, bocci ball court, and multiple ramadas.

Other residential amenities include 184

fully enclosed garage parking spaces and 765 covered spaces. Total parking spaces provided on-site will be 1,383 spread through the property.

The two entry points into the community will be directly from Warner Road with a dedicated right-turn lane to be installed and from a yet-to-be completed Martingale Road, a public thoroughfare that runs to the Gabriella Pointe development on the western side of the site, according to staff.

Cutro said staff was concerned that the trees seemed to be evenly spaced through-

Gilbert studio’s naked yoga fills a void, owner says

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

At a downtown studio in Gilbert people can find enlightenment through the practice of yoga –in the buff.

Gilbert Yoga has been offering its Naked Yoga class since October 2021 but has recently begun promoting it heavily, according to owner Heather Promise.

“Yoga and nakedness are not new,” Promise said. “But there’s a void in the market-

place and we saw that need and wanted to fill that gap for people.”

Practicing flowing movements and deep breathing without clothes will help students to cultivate courage, develop emotional intelligence and strengthen their resolve, according to the class description.

Promise isn’t the first or the only studio owner offering nude yoga in the Valley. Other places that offer it in-

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Heather Promise said she screens participants in her naked yoga classes at her Gilbert studio to keep out perverts and voyeurs. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Gilbert ready for 2 new town projects

Now that its Town Hall has a new look, the next major project on the books for Gilbert is a remodel and expansion of the Public Safety Building on Civic Center Drive.

Work is expected to begin in February to redo the Police Dispatch Center and the Emergency Operations Center or EOC, where key officials gather to coordinate response and recovery efforts.

The additional room and upgrades are needed to meet the needs of a growing town expected to reach build-out in 2030 with an estimated 330,000 residents.

Council in December approved change-orders for both, bumping up the budget for the dispatch center to $19.7 million and to $7.8 million for the EOC, according to police spokeswoman Brenda Carrasco.

The original estimate for the dispatch center project was $8 million.

According to Carruso, the planning for the dispatch expansion revealed that the original scope of the project had increased based on the needs determined by all departments involved. Same goes with the EOC renovation, she added.

“The high rise in costs associated with materials and construction, are all factors that led to the increase in costs associated with both projects,” Carruso said.

During the remodeling, people can still get help from the Youth and Adult Resources, “which will still have the same level of services available to our community members through virtual sessions,” Carruso said.

The 4,400-square-foot dispatch center, located on the second floor of the Public Safety Building, will be expanded to 10,000 square feet to accomodate for five more dispatch stations and four additional spaces for future growth. Currently there are 15 stations.

The remodeled space also will include a training center equipped with the essential technology to instruct dis-

patchers.

Part of the project scope includes remodeling 51,000 square feet on the first floor of the Police Department for administrators who will be displaced by the expansion of the dispatch center.

Additionally, the first floor of the adjacent court building will be remodeled to accommodate more police personnel and the youth and family counseling service, which will be uprooted by the dispatch expansion.

The remodeling of the dispatch center is expected to be completed in February 2024, Carruso said.

For the EOC, plans are to move it from the second floor of the Public Safety Building to the first floor. The relocation will allow for the expansion of the center to accommodate 59 employees, up from the current capacity of 24.

The work on EOC is expected to be completed in October 2023, according to Carruso.

The 4,400-square-foot dispatch center, located on the second floor of the Public Safety Building, will be expanded to 10,000 square feet to accomodate for five more dispatch stations and four additional spaces for future growth. Currently there are 15 stations. (Town of Gilbert)

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2 more hotels preparing to come to Gilbert

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Hilton Garden Inn and Springhill Suites Hotel by Marriott are looking to bring a total of 280 guest rooms to Gilbert.

The Planning Commission, acting as the Design Review Board, weighed in on both projects at the Jan. 4 study session.

Hilton Garden is proposing 146 rooms in a five-story building on a portion of 3.19 acres within an existing commercial master-site plan at the northeastern corner of Higley and Baseline roads. The master site plan is zoned regional commercial for high-intensity commercial development.

Hilton’s proposed amenities include an outdoor pool and spa, a pet area, a bar, fitness center, office space and an additional plaza for pedestrians. Additionally, the hotel will have 172 parking stalls surrounding the 96,405-squarefoot building.

Principal planner Ashlee MacDonald said the site is tucked in behind some existing commercial developments, such as Ruby’s, Starbucks and Cracker Barrel and near Banner Gateway Medical Center. She reminded the commission that it recently approved a multifamily project northeast of the site.

MacDonald said staff wanted the commission’s feedback, including if members felt the hotel design was compatible with the surrounding development.

“This is an area that’s kind of interesting,” she said. “It’s developed over time and so there’s not really a cohesive or unified architectural theme for the bulk of it.”

Some of staff’s concerns with the project included landscape setbacks and building elements that did not blend with the larger structure.

Vice Chairman Noah Mundt said he was fine with the project as proposed.

project has decent access through the existing commercial development and that the design was similar to the nearby Hampton Inn. He said the color mix looked good although he would like to see more color variations especially along the south elevations, which is a bit stark.

Commission Lesley Davis said she liked the color palette and had no issues with the design

Commission Brian Andersen said he agreed with Bianchi in that the south elevation could be dressed up a bit.

Chairman Jan Simon said the elevation design looked nice and that the hotel fit in with the eclectic mix of uses in the area.

according to planner Keith Newman, who added that the master plan for Northside was approved in early 2022 as an expansion of the San Tan Valley Mall.

The first phase to the south is a village center shopping concept and the third phase is a future office development to the east with two, four- to five-story buildings along the 202 freeway, according to Newman.

He said the proposed design for the hotel is “custom” rather than the standard so as to fit in with master plan guidelines for the area.

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“I actually don’t take any issues with any of the design,” Mundt said. “I think it looks nice and I think the variations are sufficient and that the roofline is undulated enough to make it appropriate. It’s a good design.”

Commissioner Anthony Bianchi the

Springhill proposes 134 guest rooms on 1.35 acres of vacant farm land right off of San Tan Village Parkway, just south of Main Event, an entertainment venue. Amenities include a pool, bar area

The proposed hotel is Phase 2 of a three-phase, 20-acre commercial development, Northside of San Tan Village,

Some of staff’s concerns included the amount of CM-2 veneer block proposed on the facades, which is not compatible with the guidelines approved in the master plan, Newman said.

He added that the developer has expressed concerns with the cost of having to substitute the CM-2 block with CM-1 block.

“As far as the overall site plan I didn’t

An

The Springhill Suites Hotel by Marriott will offer 134 guest rooms on 1.35 acres of vacant farm land right off of San Tan Village Parkway. (Town of Gilbert)

The Hilton Garden In will offer 146 rooms in a five-story building.. (Town of Gilbert)

out the property when they should be strategically placed along pathways and amenity areas to provide shade instead.

Also, there was a concern with a solid block wall proposed on portions of the property and staff felt it should match the rest of the partial view fencing and has masonry block on the bottom, which allows for openness into the site, according to Cutro.

She said staff believed the Mediterranean-style theme, developed in conjunction with neighboring homeowner’s associations and property owner’s associations, is well-suited for the site.

However, ithere was a concern about the garages, she said.

“Many of theses garages border the paths or back up to amenity areas,” she said. “And while the front façade has nice architectural detailing, the rear elevations and the side elevations seem to be lacking in detailing and these will be very visible from the pathways and from the amenity areas.”

Cutro concluded the presentation by saying the applicant has since agreed to look at the landscaping request and was already working on additional elevations for the garages.

Vice Chairman Noah Mundt said he agreed with staff’s take on the landscaping and suggested that the developer integrate some of the brick palette on the back walls because until the trees grow in it’s “going to be a very bleak area.”

“But all in all, great design,” he said. “I think it fits really well. Nice work.”

Commissioner Lesley Davis said she agreed that more detailing was needed for the garages, that trees should be

placed along pedestrian pathways and that the entire development should have partial-view fencing.

“It’s a nice development,” she said. “We want people to feel open even though it is fenced off.”

She also said a solid wall proposed on the south property line, where there could be a street in the future, was a concern in terms of access.

“As far as the buildings, the Mediterranean style it looks like it’s well-done and it got a lot of details to it,” Davis said. “There’re a lot of apartments here, it’s a lot of buildings but it does look nicely done and it’s good to hear this is what the neighborhood wanted.”

Commission Anthony Bianchi said that he agreed with all the concerns pointed out by staff and supported their recommendations.

He also suggested the use of low-water shrubs or trees along the pedestrian corridors and amenity areas.

“This is a very large complex,” he said. “But I think the materials and the variations and the facade, I think they look acceptable.”

Commissioner Brian Andersen asked and received confirmation that the developer met all the requirements of the site’s zoning.

“I think the architecture is really nice,” said Andersen, who himself is an architect. “It’s nice to see somebody doing architecture instead of just these box contemporary things that we see everywhere for multifamily. I think it’s a nicely designed project.”

Chairman Jan Simon said, “This is a beautiful project. I think that the design on it is great.”

But, he said he didn’t see any type of barbecue or ramada-type areas where residents could have an outdoor event.

“Coming from an insuring background

we are not going to want barbecues on the patios,” he said.

Project designer Jose Pombo said that there are two large courtyards, one on the east and one on the west sides of the site. And each courtyard have two pools and amenities such as ramadas with grills and outdoor shaded seating, he said.

“I guess the only thing you are missing is a grocery store,” Simon said jokingly.

Tuscany at Gabriella Pointe is part of a 148-acre mixed-used project.

The Town last year approved the infrastructure plat for the Gabriella Pointe Commerce Center.

Town Council in December 2018 approved changing the land-uses on the 148-acre site to 56.4 acres for regional commercial uses, 57.5 acres for a business park and 39 acres for the multifamily residential.

It is unclear when the project will return to the review board for formal approval.

Tune In To Your Community

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Tuscany at Gabriella Pointe will comprise 17 buildings with 760 apartments. (Town of Gilbert)

ADOT maps expanded interstate EV charging network

BY JENNIFER SAWHNEY Cronkite News

Electric vehicle drivers across Arizona can expect more chargers on interstate highways in the next few years, which means longer road trips.

The Arizona Department of Transportation will oversee the upgrade of existing chargers and installation of new ones along five interstate highways, thanks to $76.5 million in funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was signed into law in November 2021.

“The goal is to develop a network of EV fast chargers to facilitate long-distance EV travel and encourage EV adoption by more users,” according to a fact sheet with ADOT’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan.

The expansion will help EV drivers avoid range anxiety: the fear of not making it to the next charging station.

The plan covers Interstates 40, 17, 10, 8 and 19. For now, no charging stations are proposed for the Interstate15 corridor in the northwestern corner of the state.

Upgrades to eight existing charging stations will start in 2023, and in 2024, ADOT will begin the process of installing 13 more. They’ll be placed about every 50 miles and within 1 mile of an interstate, ADOT spokesperson Doug Nick said. Each station will have at least four EV fast chargers capable of charging most vehicles in about 30 minutes.

Nick said ADOT had “no trouble finding potential infrastructure to meet the criteria” to implement this plan.

The stations will be independently owned and operated. Station owners will pay 20% of construction costs and federal funding will cover the other 80%. ADOT is coordinating the work.

Arizona currently has 903 public EV charging stations with over 2,400 charging ports.

There are nearly 125,000 charging ports nationwide, according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aims to increase the current number of chargers about four times and create a “nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030,”

More electric-vehicle charging ports will be installed along interstate highways in Arizona as early as 2024. ChargePoint already has some charging stations, similar to this one in downtown Phoenix, along several interstates. Each station will have four or more fast chargers capable of charging most vehicles in about 30 minutes. (Jennifer Sawhney/Cronkite News)

clude Bear Naked Yogi and Tha Nude Guru Yoga& Tantra, both in Phoenix.

Promise, a Chandler resident, has been practicing yoga for over 22 years and teaching it since 2006. She is the lead trainer of the Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Program and Dean of Curriculum at the Gilbert Yoga Teacher Training School.

She had been an instructor at Gilbert Yoga since 2009 when she purchased the business from the founder in 2020 and relocated the studio to the current site, a mile away from the original location.

According to Promise’s bio, her personal practice is informed by Tantra and the ancient teachings of Hatha Yoga Pradipika. She’s also well-versed in many yoga styles, including Tantra, Kundalini, Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Beginner, and Prenatal.

“My personal field is psychology and the humanities,” Promise said. “And so I am very concerned with some of the shifts taking place in the world relative to mental healthcare, among other things.

“Our social media realms are filled with highly idealized bodies and so these unrealistic standards for bodies create a lot of dissatisfaction among people especially if they get the impression that is what they should be like.”

She said her class offers a direct investment in mental health as it lets people see themselves in a more accepting light.

The class size for Naked Yoga ranges from eight to 20 with an equal number of men and women from all age groups, according to Promise, who recently upped the monthly class to twice a month.

She said there’s a process to ensure that the people who want to attend the class do so with the right intentions.

“It costs $55, that is the first vetting process,” Promise said. “The notion with that is when someone is interested in investing in themselves, they need to put their money where their mouth is.”

She also considers people’s behaviors leading up to a class.

“Folks who have seemingly nefarious attitudes… that comes out pretty clear in the line of questioning,” she said. “There are ways to ensure that those folks don’t find their way into our classrooms.”

That may be so but it doesn’t stop

plenty of naysayers from taking potshots at the class on social media.

“Some things my eyes do not need to see,” wrote a woman while another said, “Ew. No one wants to see or do that. People are disgusting and I can only imagine the outbreaks of disease.”

A man jokingly advised, “Get there early so you’re not stuck in the back row” and another man commented, “I think the word for that is just 0rgy.”

Promise is quick to point out that nude yoga in a group setting is not eroticized.

The classes are conducted in a circle “therefore some of the issues related to classroom management are completely diffused,” Promise said.

As for hygiene, people who regularly come to the class bring their own mats and towels and for those who forget, the studio provides a clean towel to them that they take home and keep.

“There are very, only very rare occasions when one’s genitals come in contact with the surface of a mat,” Promise

said. “Most often it’s the hands and feet touching the mat. In situations when the genital is touching the mat there is a towel to use.”

To provide an additional level of comfort, the doors are locked during class time and stragglers aren’t allowed in, according to Promise.

“We maintain very high standards of self-respect and mutual regard,” she said. “I’ve found in the year and several months of doing this class that there have been very small incidents of any kind of concern.”

She said feedback from class participants is that they feel safe while doing a blend of postures with a focus on breathing and alignment.

“It’s been well-documented and studies have shown that doing activities naturalistically or in the nude or buff actually increases self-esteem and just overall life satisfaction by virtually adding self-acceptance and positive body image for people who practice it,” Promise said;

“whether alone or in a group, the impacts are positive.”

A class participant agreed.

“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it,” the woman said. “I did this a few times and it was very freeing and no one stared at each other and it was coed.”

IF YOU GO

Naked Yoga classes

When: First Friday of each month from 7:30- 9 p.m. and second Saturday of each month from 6-7:30 p.m.

Where: Gilbert Yoga, 655 N Gilbert Road,Suite 162.

Cost: $55 per person.

Info: Must be 18 and older. Pre-registration is required. For more information on Naked Yoga and other classes offered, go to Gilbertyoga.com

Gilbert Yoga offers a bright and expansive space for participants whether they are clothed or naked. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers are once again wading into the area of the rights of transgender minors.

A new proposal by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Scottsdale, would bar school employees from knowingly referring to a student by a pronoun “that differs from the pronoun that aligns with the student’s biological sex’’ regardless of the student’s preferences. Only if the adult first gets parental permission would that be permissible.

And Kavanagh already is planning to expand what has been introduced as SB 1001 to close what he sees as a possible loophole where teachers could avoid pronouns and instead address a student by the first name he or she prefers.

He wants state law to read that only a student’s given name or some variant could be used. So, someone named Edward could be addressed as Eddie or Ed.

But calling that student Emma or Evelyn would be breaking the law.

Kavanagh bills his measure as ensuring that parents know if their children are identifying themselves by a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. That, he said, ensures the children can get the psychological treatment they may need to deal with depression and possible suicide.

But what it’s not designed to do, he told Capitol Media Services, is make it easier for a parent, informed of a child’s “gender dysphoria,’’ to get him or her the medical treatment needed to match the biological sex and gender identity.

“You’re talking to somebody who was a parent who wouldn’t let their minor child get a tattoo, much less change their gender,’’ Kavanagh said. “Those decisions need to be deferred to when an individual’s an adult and can make a mature decision.’’

His legislation comes less than a year after state lawmakers approved – and former Gov. Doug Ducey signed a measure to prohibit any form of “irreversible

gender reassignment surgery’’ on an individual younger than 18, even with the consent of parents.

But to get the votes, proponents had to remove a provision that would have prohibited doctors from providing puberty-blocking hormones or any other hormone therapy to minors.

Ducey also signed another measure passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature spelling out that anyone who is born a male cannot participate in intramural or interscholastic sports for females, regardless of whether she has fully transitioned.

Kavanagh, in discussing his new bill, acknowledged he has heard of no issues in Arizona schools with teachers using the “wrong’’ pronouns with students -yet.

“It’s something that is spreading,’’ he told Capitol Media Services. “We want to nip it in the bud.’’

But Jeanne Woodbury, the interim executive director of Equality Arizona, said it’s a bad idea.

Scottsdale state Sen. John Kavanagh wants to ban schools’ use of pronouns that don’t reflect an individual’s birth gender. (Cronkite News)

“Reactionary legislators are now trying to forcibly enlist teachers into their efforts to make schools inhospitable to trans and binary students,’’ she said. And Woodbury called it “an embarrassment to good governance’’ for this to be the first measure introduced in the Senate for the 2023 session.

Bridget Sharpe, state director of the Human Rights Campaign, said Kavanagh is trying to make an issue out of something that’s not problem.

“All that happens at the end of the day is that the kids feel ostracized,’’ she said. Sharpe said it also undermines the ability of trans students to believe they have “a trusted person at school’’ with whom they can speak.

“It’s really an attempt, we’ve seen it nationwide, to just kind of demonize these kids and saying that their pronouns don’t matter,’’ she said.

Kavanagh pointed out that his legislation would not preclude a teacher or other school employee from referring to a student using his or her preferred pronoun or even a name that doesn’t match the person’s “biological sex.’’

“It says they can’t do that unless the parent has given permission,’’ he said.

Kavanagh said there’s also a potential benefit in requiring teachers to check in with parents when a student makes such a request.

That goes to the issue of gender dysphoria, generally described as a sense by individuals that there is a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. More to the point, it refers to the distress that can result which can lead to depression and even suicide.

Kavanagh said alerting the parent could get the child necessary treatment.

“In fact, if the parents know about it and the child is receiving treatment, then calling a child a name or a pronoun that doesn’t align with their gender may, in fact, be contrary to their treatment,’’

Kavanagh said.

“These children are often depressed and suicidal,’’ he continued. “So the last thing that I want to do is keep parents, who are in a position to help the child, in the dark.’’

But he acknowledged, that “treatment’’ would be for the depression,

essentially getting the child to be comfortable with his or her assigned gender, rather than any intervention, medical or otherwise, to help confirm the child’s perceived gender.

The legislation also is raising concerns in the education community.

Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, said it comes even as the the state is losing thousands of teachers each year. And she said measures like this make it harder to convince more people to enter the profession, citing a conversation she had with some would-be teachers.

“It was their No. 1 priority: How do we stay in a state where we are constantly being politicized?’’ she said, with state government adding to the bureaucracy. “It’s just frustrating and angering.’’

Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, actually offered a similar idea last session.

But his proposal only would have precluded school officials from requiring teachers and other staff from using a gender pronoun that differs from what is on a student’s birth certificate. It would not, however, have precluded someone from voluntarily honoring a student’s request, something that Kavanagh’s SB 1001 would outlaw.

Fillmore’s measure, however, did not even get a hearing in the House Education Committee to which it was assigned.

Mesa OKs 396-unit complex near Gilbert

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER GSN Staff Writer

Opposition to high-density residential projects is common in Mesa, but usually the protests come from neighboring residents – not city staff.

At a City Council hearing last month for the proposed 396-unit Millenium Springs apartment complex at Baseline and Recker roads, multiple city departments opposed the project, but no neighbors.

The project is next to the Ross Farnsworth - East Valley Family YMCA and A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine within a few hundred yards of the Mesa-Gilbert border.

In September, the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board declined to recommend Millenium Springs in a 3-3 vote, and at the recent council hearing, the Mesa Planning Department, the Economic Development Department and the mayor came out against rezoning the parcel

from its Specialty Medical Campus designation.

Still, the council approved the rezoning request for the four-story, 10-acre apartment complex in a 6-1 vote.

The vote grants Millennium Springs RM-5 zoning, the highest density in city code.

Among a list of multifamily projects

in Mesa shared by city staff during their presentation, only two projects had more units per acre.

The case may be a sign that the Mesa City Council looks favorably on increasing the city’s housing inventory with high-density housing, though David Luna and Kevin Thompson will be replaced by council members-elect Alicia Goforth

and Scott Somers in January.

So, the dynamics could change.

In explaining her “yes” vote, Cuncilwoman Julie Spilsbury said the lack of public opposition to Millennium Springs weighed heavily on her decision.

“There is no neighborhood opposition, and having seven controversial zoning cases this year in my district … that’s huge for me,” Spilsbury said.

The Millenium Springs site is bordered directly by medical and commercial users, and there are few homes in the immediate vicinity.

But the project was controversial among city staff because they believe Millenium Springs is in a prime spot for jobs and health care activities rather than housing.

They also argued the project is too dense for the area and too far from public transit.

Mesa Planning Director Nana Appiah

Mesa planning staff opposed the apartment complex near the northwest corner of Recker and Baseline roads partly because of its density. (City of Mesa)

said at the September planning and zoning hearing that the city should hold out for employment uses in this particular part of Mesa.

He said large tracts of undeveloped commercial land in Mesa are getting rarer, while potential sites for high-density housing like Millenium Springs are relatively abundant.

Millenium Springs is within a 254-acre “specialty campus” district that city officials designated in 2004 as an employment hub anchored by a hospital with a health care and education focus.

Medical school A.T. Still University, a dental school and multiple clinics have moved in, but about 60 acres of the area owned by health care giant Tenet remains undeveloped.

Tenet had planned a hospital on the site long ago, but it now wants to offload this land to buyers interested in property zoned for business parks and apartments.

Assistant Planning Director Rachel Nettles told the council that the Economic Development Department wants to increase the jobs-to-housing ratio in the

area, among other reasons for opposing the project.

A P&Z board member who voted against the project said before his vote in September that there was already multifamily housing in the area, so Millenium Springs wouldn’t be filling an unmet need.

When Mayor John Giles weighed in at the council hearing, he said the complex was a “beautiful, good-looking project” and a “close call.”

But Giles didn’t think the location was the best place in Mesa for the level of density proposed.

“I would love to see a four-story apartment complex in a different part of town,” Giles said. “It doesn’t quite fit the character of this neighborhood, in my opinion.”

He also faulted the applicant for requesting a 27% reduction in the required number of parking spaces per unit down to 1.66 spaces per unit.

“I think you could have the parking reductions if it were somewhere closer to the light rail or somewhere in a more urban environment,” Giles said.

Though council went on to support the rezoning, Spilsbury was the only member to explain her vote.

“When I first got on council two years ago, one of the first things I was told that was needed in my district was more housing for A.T. Still and for Banner (Gateway Medical Center),” Spilsbury said, “and I have been looking to find out how we can fill that need, and I feel like this development fits that need.”

Giles motioned to deny Millennium Springs rezoning request, but the motion didn’t get a second.

Spilsbury’s subsequent motion to approve was seconded and passed with only the mayor voting “no.”

“Congratulations,” Giles told the applicant’s attorney after the vote, “your case passes.”

Air Force Completes Explanation of Significant Differences

For Operable Unit 3 Record of Decision Former Williams Air Force Base

The Air Force, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality have signed the Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD), Operable Unit 3 (OU-3), Fire Protection Training Area 2 (Site FT002), for the former Williams Air Force Base, Mesa, Arizona. The OU-3 Record of Decision (ROD), completed in 1996, identified benzene, chloroform and 1,4-dichlorobenzene as chemicals of concern at Site FT002 because each compound was present at concentrations greater than its respective soil cleanup level developed for protection of human health and the environment. Implementation of the OU-3 ROD remedy included bioventing, soil vapor extraction and excavation to address the soil contamination. Since completion of the OU-3 ROD, the State of Arizona promulgated Soil Remediation Levels applicable to the closure of Site FT002. Because the contaminants trimethylbenzenes, xylene and naphthalene remain in subsurface soil (greater than 15 feet below ground surface) at levels greater than the Arizona residential SRLs, the OU-3 ESD modifies the remedy selected for Site FT002 in the OU-3 ROD to add Institutional Controls.

The OU-3 ESD is a legally binding document that details the Institutional Controls to protect human health and the environment at Site FT002. Institutional controls in the form of deed restrictions and an Arizona Declaration of Environmental Use Restriction to prohibit residential use and require management of soil will be implemented to address contaminants above the Arizona Soil Remediation Levels in soil. The modified remedy protects human health and the environment and complies with the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). In accordance with CERCLA, five-year reviews of the remedy will occur to ensure protectiveness.

A copy of the OU-3 ESD and supporting environmental documentation is available online at: https://ar.afcec-cloud.af.mil

Select “BRAC” and “Williams” from the Installation list, then enter 619905 in the “AR #” field to retrieve the document. The Williams AFB AR can also be searched online through the ASU Libraries Online Catalog at http://library.lib.asu.edu/ by inserting the title of the document into the KEYWORD search box. Documents can be requested to be brought to any ASU Library for pickup using the online request form at: https://lib.asu.edu/access/blocked/request/form

For additional information, contact:

Air Force Civil Engineer Center

Catherine Jerrard, BRAC Environmental Coordinator 706 Hangar Road Rome, New York 13441

FAX: 315-356-0816

Email: catherine.jerrard@us.af.mil

More cuts in Arizona’s Colorado River share likely in 2023

BY RYAN KNAPPENBERGER Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Experts say few Arizona residents will notice any immediate change to the availability of water in their daily lives now that steep cuts were imposed on the amount of water the state can draw from the Colorado River.

But that does not mean they can relax. State and federal water officials expect more cuts will be required in 2023, as they struggle to keep drought-ravaged Lake Powell and Lake Mead from falling to critically low levels.

And it’s anybody’s guess as to when and how those additional cuts will take effect, they say.

“If there’s one thing water managers really like, it’s certainty,” said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources. “And 2023 seems to be anything but.”

That uncertainty is felt on the local level as well. Phoenix Water Resources

Management Adviser Cynthia Campbell said the most recent projections show that Lake Mead and Lake Powell

could drop below the point where the Hoover and Glen Canyon dams can produce hydroelectric power.

“It’s very bad,” Campbell said. “There’s no way to mince words about this … if we’re going to save the functionality of Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam, there’s going to have to be, by necessity, a significant decrease in demand on the river.”

Those cuts would be in addition to reductions already imposed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the dams and the water that passes through them.

The bureau last summer announced that the lakes had fallen to Tier 2A levels, triggering previously agreed-upon cuts to water supplied to states in the lower basin of the Colorado River, beginning on Jan. 1.

Arizona will see the steepest cuts, with the state set to give up 592,000 acre-feet of water – the amount of water is takes to cover an acre to a depth of 1 foot – in 2023. Mexico would lose 104,000 acre-feet, Nevada would lose

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Plummeting Lake Mead water levels have reflected the crisis along the Colorado River and while recent rains have contributed recently to a rise in that level, experts don’t expect it to last. (Special to GSN)

see any issues,” Commissioner David Blaser said.

However, he added, he would like to see more variations in the window color and he was in favor of the developer sticking with the approved design guidelines.

Davis said she liked the proposal of an artist mural on the solid wall but that the hotel “building does need more color, more oomph.”

She also felt that the entrance or the porte cochere gets lost and that the use of CM-2 block was not a right fit.

“It looks like the apartments to the south maybe have both blocks,” she said. “Looks like they have some of that CM-2 that is proposed on this and it’s heavy and it’s dark and not very welcoming on portions of theirs.

“I don’t think it’s a great choice,” Davis said after seeing the Hilton Garden design, which she liked, this design “falls a little flat for me.”

“This could step it up a little bit especially in that area because it should be something better,” Davis said. “It’s an important area in our town.”

Bianchi asked if the plan called for shared parking.

Newman said the hotel has 48 parking spots and to meet the requirement, it

will need to use about 88 of the 121 parking spots included in the Phase 3 office development.

Bianchi also agreed with Davis that the hotel’s entry should be more pronounced.

Simon said he agreed that the windows need to pop, otherwise it’s a monotone-looking building.

And “shared parking gives me a little heartburn,” he said. “Especially what is going to be adjacent to it, especially if we have night life there and shared parking can get a little bit dicey.”

Staff did not indicate when both projects will return for formal action before the commission.

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 January 31st, 2023. Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10c allers YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (480) 274-3157 NOW!!

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

Aspen Medical 4540E Baseline Rd.,Suite 119 Mesa AZ, 85206

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.

Hilton Garden is proposing 146 rooms in a five-story building at the northeastern corner of Higley and Baseline roads. (Town of Gilbert)

Brothers press on after losing Gilbert cider locale

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Staff Writer

In Latin, “ex malo bonum” translates to “out of bad comes good,” and that’s remained the story of Cider Corps especially now.

Two years ago, Cider Corps founders Josh and Jason Duren announced they would expand their growing Mesa operation by opening a production facility in Gilbert.

But last month the brothers announced the closure of their Gilbert taproom at 685 S. Gilbert Road. Jason Duren said the landlord for the property passed away in August and the estate decided to sell the 2.5-acre parcel.

The new owners were not interested in keeping the brothers’ business on the property.

Jason said this move comes at a time when the company had just started to see success in the last year as they grew their operation and began ramping up production.

“So, we’re kind of bursting at the seams,” Jason said. “It’s a really bad timing for all this to happen, but can’t change it.”

The cidery opened its doors on Veterans Day in 2017 in downtown Mesa and in 2019 expanded into its neighboring space to add another 2,000 square feet to its production area.

Jason said this unprecedented move changes many of the plans the cider makers had for creating a second home for the business and adding to the community dynamic in town.

“When we went over to Gilbert location, we had dreams of the property, developing it and creating a place for people to come and build community,” Jason said.

A taproom sat inside the 14,000square-foot Gilbert production facility with 22-foot ceilings – large enough to hold some of their newest production tanks. The Mesa location has only 10,000 square feet and 14-foot ceilings.

But a spirit of “adapt and overcome” comes naturally for Jason, who earned a Purple Heart for his injuries during a tour of duty in Afghanistan and was medically retired from the Marine Corps.

While in Afghanistan in 2012, Jason served as a heavy equipment operator running bulldozers and excavators. Within five days, he hit two improvised explosive devices

He returned home and while going to his medical appointments, he and his brother Josh had started making cider in their garage as a therapeutic hobby.

“For me, it was a release from mental health and different issues and things that I was going through,” Jason said. “And it also was helping me process and relearn processing skills.”

After Jason earned his degree in sustainable horticulture from Arizona State University, the brothers combined their efforts to launch Cider Corps.

Since starting the business five years ago, Jason said he and his brother have constantly had to adapt to new and unforeseen circumstances, from the pandemic and ensuing economic downturn, to this move.

But it’s all in a day’s work for them.

“From Day One of the conception of Cider for us it has just always been a continued process of reinventing and being malleable and adapting,” Duren said.

This move will bring some good to their flagship location in Mesa with new furniture and draft system, but the same taproom.

Jason said the move only makes a negligible downsize for customers, from a 3,000-square-foot taproom in Gilbert to just under 2,800 in Mesa.

But he said the real work comes

on the production side moving from 6,000-square-feet in Gilbert to 4,500 in Mesa.

“With smaller ceiling heights, we have to be a little bit more creative and how we accomplish our fermentation, which, again, if I were going to have some outside capacity,” Jason said.

To ease the struggles with the move, Cider Corps started a crowdfunding initiative to raise $300,000 for “making improvements to the space to house our production,” according to their website.

The crowdfunding offers four levels of memberships including “PFC” (an abbreviation for the rank of private first class) for $250 that get the donor a commemorative “honor tile” and limited-edition T-shirt.

The “CPL,” or corporal membership earns a $500 donor the tile, T-shirt and glassware.

The “SGT,” or sergeant, donor of $1,000 gets the tile, T-shirt, glassware and $100 Cider Corps gift card.

The highest level, Commandant of Cider Corps, costs $2,822.87 and earns a lifetime 28.2% discount for one person, all the rewards of lesser donors and an invitation to the Commandant Private Party with free cider, food, and giveaways.

That number specifically comes from the Julian Date Calendar the military uses and the days “282” and “287” signify the dates Jason was injured in combat.

Jason said he doesn’t anticipate this move affecting the cidery’s production and distribution and the next piece of the puzzle would come with purchasing their Mesa property.

Jason said Cider Corps started on brokenness and this move won’t change anything about the business.

And they’ll continue to share their story with other veterans and the community.

“We’re going through this hard time right now, but we know that there’s something good on the other side of it,” Jason said. “So, this is just another piece of it. We will adapt to our new circumstances will overcome it will continue to grow.”

Brothers Jason and Josh Duren, founders of Cider Corps, are back in full operation in Mesa after they were forced to close a production facility they had opened in Gilbert to accommodate the growing popularity of their product. (Special to GSN)

Former Mesa lawmaker Russell Pearce dead at 75

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Russell Pearce, the sponsor of Arizona’s 2010 comprehensive and controversial law about illegal immigration, died Thursday at his home at age 75.

The Mesa Republican gained international attention with his SB 1070, dubbed the Fair and Legal Employment Act, which was designed to give the state a role in identifying and detaining those not in this country legally.

That included giving local police the power to charge migrants with violating state laws for seeking work in Arizona without being in this country legally and failing to carry federally issued registration cards. It also would have allowed police to make warrantless arrests if there is “probable cause’’ a person committed an office that makes them removable from the country under federal law.

Those provisions were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as conflicting with federal law.

WATER

from page 14

25,000 acre-feet and California would not give up any of its water yet.

Most of the cuts in Arizona will be felt by farmers, with agriculture one of the biggest users of water in the state and one of the lowest priorities for delivery.

But Reclamation has already called on the seven states in the Colorado River Basin to find an additional 2 million to 4 million acre-feet to cut in the coming years, as Lake Powell and Lake Mead fall to the lowest levels since they were filled.

Campbell said that Phoenix is actively preparing for even the worst-case scenario, finding ways to continue providing water, but it will take some help from residents. That means people will have to start thinking about conservation in their daily lives, from making their homes more water-efficient to getting rid of lawns and pools.

“We’re also making sure we’re ready to deliver alternate supplies and make

But the justices said there was nothing inherently illegal about what was known as the “papers please’’ provision.

our customers aware of what they can do to be as efficient as they can,” Campbell said.

Colorado River basin states have been planning for years for water restrictions. But Reclamation has said that if the first months of 2023 are particularly dry, Lake Powell levels could drop below 3,490 feet, the minimum level at which the dam can produce electricity. In the worst case, both lakes could fall to the point at which water can no longer flow through the dam, a condition known as “dead pool.”

The bureau stressed that it will do everything in its power to maintain water levels needed for power production and water flow, either by limiting water deliveries to states, by prioritizing Lake Powell over Lake Mead by transferring water from one to the other, or both.

Noe Santos, the Bureau of Reclamation’s river operations manager for the Lower Colorado Basin, said the agency

It says if police have stopped someone for some legitimate reason, they must “reasonably attempt’’ to determine

that person’s immigration status where there is “reasonable suspicion’’ he or she is not legally present in the United States.

The high court sent the case back to a trial court to determine if that law can be applied legally.

And in a 2016 agreement, immigrant rights groups gave up on challenging that section in exchange for some state-issued informal -- and non-binding -- guidance on how police should enforce it.

But his sponsorship of that and other anti-immigrant legislation led to an effort in 2011 by voters in his Mesa legislative district to recall Mr. Pearce, by then the Senate president. The move was successful, resulting in the only such ouster of a state lawmaker from office in Arizona history.

That special election represented a blow to the more conservative wing of the Arizona Republican Party which had portrayed the recall as a liberal effort to take down the author of SB 1070.

will begin releasing less water from the reservoirs in 2023. Most users will only feel the changes in winter and summer months, he said, when less water overall is pumped because agricultural demand is lower.

One step that some Arizona cities and tribes have already taken to protect reservoir levels is to store some of their water allotment in the lakes. Phoenix is part of that group, having already stored 30,000 acre-feet in 2022 and volunteering to store an additional 30,000.

But Buschatzke said there are concerns across the state, especially among tribal governments, that such goodwill could end up hurting them in the end.

“No one wants to put their water on the table when there’s a chance it could be cut anyway by the mandatory cuts the federal government is considering,” he said.

Those concerns are amplified for tribes that have long fought to have

their claims to Colorado River water recognized, and now worry that water could disappear before they ever get a chance to see it.

Campbell said all Arizonans will be stressed in the next three to five years, with water likely to become more expensive as the supply continues to dwindle.

If residents can come together and become more efficient water users, she said, there is hope that the city and state can comfortably adapt. But she stressed that difficult changes are in store, adding that she has been using the “Serenity Prayer” as way to look at the coming years.

“To accept the things you cannot change, and change the things you can,” Campbell recited. “We have to accept the fact that this is going to happen.”

Former Sen. Russell Pearce, who died last week, is pictured here in 2009 discussing policy with colleagues in the Senate Republican caucus (Capitol Media Services file photo by Howard Fischer)

Mr. Pearce raised money from across the nation as conservatives rallied around the lawmaker.

It was a sharp turnaround for Pearce.

He and his measure were popular in his district when the law was approved in 2010.

But criticism grew in 2011 when he pushed a new round of anti-immigrant legislation that was so controversial that it could not muster a majority in the Senate.

The legislation also triggered a letter from the CEOs of some of Arizona’s largest companies urging the legislature to put a hold on new immigration laws.

There were other factors.

Former Mesa city councilman Dennis Kavanaugh, who represented about half of Mr. Pearce’s legislative district, said the defeat was no surprise. He said the

district had become more politically diverse, especially among independents.

And Mr. Pearce’s views on immigration also had caused a stir in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which he was a member. That gave an edge in the recall election to Jerry Lewis, another member of the church.

SB 1070 was not Pearce’s sole foray into the issue of illegal immigration.

In 2004 he was a supporter of Proposition 200. The measure, approved by voters, made proof of citizenship a legal requirement not only to vote but also to receive any public benefits.

But even that did not fully survive.

Just last year Arizona voters approved a measure partly repealing that initiative. It allows children who were brought to this country illegally, to pay the same tuition at state universities and community colleges as any other resident if they meet other conditions.

He also was the author of a 2006 ballot measure to have English declared the state’s official language.

Mr. Pearce also was a staunch advo-

cate of what he said are Second Amendment rights and ushered through Arizona’s first law in 2010 allowing people to carry concealed weapons. Prior to that, all adults could be armed -- but only if the weapon were visible.

Prior to being in the legislature he was a deputy in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, including being the chief deputy under Joe Arpaio. Pearce said he was responsible for creation in 1993 of the “Tent City’’ which ensured that the county would never run out of space to house inmates. But that was shut down in 2017 amid issues of cruel conditions especially during the summer heat.

In 1995 he became director of the Motor Vehicle Division of the state Department of Transportation.

Mr. Pearce was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 and served three two-year terms there before moving to the Senate in 2006 where he remained until the recall.

Funeral details and survivors were not available at deadline.

Copper State Beer Festival returns to EV

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Staff Writer

It took a couple years to get started but organizers Copper State Beer Festival said they’ve tapped into something in Mesa.

The second annual Copper State Beer Festival returns next Saturday, Jan. 14, to Mesa Riverview Park with more than 80 breweries including Pedal Haus Brewery, Steel Cactus Brewing and Cider Corps, and more than two dozen other companies including local cideries, distilleries and wineries.

Along with the brews, the 21+ event will have more than 20 local food vendors, live DJs and activities such as axe throwing, cornhole, and Giant Jenga.

It’s a full day of fun in the suds.

Event organizer Joseph Lopez said the idea for the event started in the summer of 2020. With his business partner’s insurance background giving them contacts with local companies in the alcohol industry, Lopez said his background in event planning seemed a good match for this venture.

“We thought what better way to give back to our clients than to promote them on another level,” Lopez said.

The alcohol offered at the event runs the gamut, including craft beers, wines,

ciders and mead – an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey.

“As much as me and my business partner love beer, we realized that not everyone loves beer and we want to provide options to all attendees,” Lopez said.

Over the last decade, Lopez has traveled around the country for work.

Through his love for craft beer, he visited breweries across the country and he

said the craft brewing industry in Arizona has grown exponentially in that time.

“I think, honestly, the craft brewing industry has exploded, for sure over the last 10 years, in which each new year I feel like it exponentially grows and grows and grows,” Lopez said.

To his knowledge, Lopez said the industry has grown from 3,000 breweries in 2010 to more than 10,000 currently,

and he puts it up there with other states.

“I put Arizona up there with pretty much any other state,” Lopez said. “We have some really good breweries out here that produce really good beer.”

That talent drew more than 3,000 people to last year’s event and Lopez said they could easily reach the 5,000-person capacity the City of Mesa has designated to them this year.

Lopez said much of the talent behind these savory suds has come from talking with breweries from around the region and learning the story behind how they all got started.

“If you ask a lot of these owners of these breweries, a lot of them started out at other breweries locally and eventually they reached the point that they had the means or wanted to pursue opening their own brewery,” Lopez said.

IF YOU GO

What: Copper State Beer Festival

When: Saturday, Jan. 14

Where: Riverview Park, 2100 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Mesa.

Times: The event ends at 5 p.m. Start times: VIP admission, noon; GA+: 1 p.m.; GA: 2 p.m. Tickets: start at $20.

Info: copperstatebeerfest.com.

according to a February 2022 memorandum from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

For Jim Stack, the president of the Phoenix Electric Auto Association, this is welcome news.

“I’m real big on the environment, and I just love the fact that we aren’t burning oil. We aren’t importing oil, we aren’t digging it up. We aren’t spilling it all over,” he said.

Stack, who has driven electric cars for about 20 years, said he’s amazed by the technological advances that have led to the growth of EVs and the various solutions available to charge his cars.

He said he started off converting his

own vehicles and installed solar panels on his home to power them.

“I can drive on the solar that comes off my own roof,” Stack said. “That’s like a miracle.”

Other Arizona drivers also are charged up by the plan, said Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, an independent nonprofit that researches and educates on public interest topics.

“The ADOT plan is one that we widely support,” she said, adding that the timing for the project “coincides nicely” with growing interest in EVs in Arizona.

In 2017, about 7,200 electric vehicles were registered in Arizona. In the past

five years, the number has increased more than five times: at least 40,740 as of June 2022.

“Consumers that own and drive an electric vehicle stand to save thousands of dollars annually through the reduction of fuel costs and operating and maintenance costs,” Brown said. “Additionally, gas-powered vehicles contribute to air pollution and adverse public health impacts such as asthma. Therefore, electric vehicles also offer air and public health benefits.”

The plan came together fairly quickly, she said. In August, ADOT sent its draft proposal and received federal approval and immediate access to $11.3 million

in funds the following month.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $1.2 trillion to infrastructure development nationwide. About $550 billion is new spending. Although the federal government already spends millions on infrastructure, this new spending is earmarked for roads, bridges, mass transit, water infrastructure broadband and more.

“Congress has spoken,” said ADOT’s Nick. “And so when the money was made available, they were hearing from their constituencies, presumably, to see that this is something that needed to be addressed. So we’re responding to that.”

More than 80 breweries will be on tap at the Copper State Beer Festival in Mesa next Saturday. (Special to GSN)

AZ zip codes turn up gold for residents

“If you live in the state of Arizona you need to find the first three digits of your zip code listed in today’s newspaper announcement and call immediately,” said Laura A. Lynne, Director of Coin and Currency for National Mint and Treasury.

That’s because Arizona residents can really cash in for the next 48 hours. Here’s why. Non-state residents and those who miss the 48-hour deadline must pay $8 per coin, but Arizona residents who take the Vault Bricks cover just the $4 per coin state minimum. That means Arizona residents get all 125 coins with rare 24 Karat Gold Layering for just $500 which is a real steal since non-state residents must pay over $1,000 for each Vault Brick. And it gets even better for those claiming the Jumbo Gold Vault Bricks.

This is all happening because thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold. Now any resident who finds the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication and calls to verify it gets to claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable gold found inside.

And here’s the best part. Arizona residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication are getting Sealed Vault Bricks containing the only Arizona State Gold Bank Rolls known to exist with the exclusive State Restricted Design and each loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Buffalo Nickels layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold by National Mint and Treasury.

“As Director of Coin and Currency for National Mint and Treasury, one of my jobs is to deliver breaking news. And today’s announcement confirming the release of Sealed Gold Vault Bricks to residents of the state of Arizona is as big as it gets,” Lynne said.

“So my advice is this, anyone who gets an opportunity to get their hands on one of these Gold Vault Bricks full of coins issued by the U.S. Gov’t nearly 100 years ago with rare 24 Karat Gold layering from the National Mint and Treasury better jump at the chance while they still can,” Lynne said.

“These Gold Vault Bricks make the most impressive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and any other occasion, especially for that hard-to-buy-for person,” Lynne said.

According to Ms. Lynne, since thousands

Contents inside sealed Vault Bricks reveal old U.S. coins with added 24 Karat Gold Layering minted nearly 100 years ago are actually being handed over to Arizona residents who find their zip code below; but only those who beat the 48 hour deadline are getting them at just state minimum

of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, today and tomorrow are intended as a “special 48 hour release” for the benefit of Arizona residents. This gives them a fair chance to claim the Sealed Gold Vault Bricks and all the valuable gold loaded inside for themselves.

But, Ms. Lynne added, “The Sealed Gold Vault Bricks are only available as inventory permits during the special 48 hour release so please do not miss the deadline.” The director added, “We have no power to stop coin dealers, resellers or collectors buying up all the Gold Vault Bricks they can get their hands on,” Lynne said.

”We already know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of agents are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 48 hours to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Lynne said.

“That’s why National Mint and Treasury set up the State Distribution Hotlines in order to make sure residents of Arizona can get them now,” Lynne said.

The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they live in one of the zip codes listed and call the State Distribution Hotlines before the special 48 hour deadline ends midnight tomorrow. ■

Answering Your Questions

Q: How much are the Gold Vault Bricks worth?

A: It’s impossible to say, but these Buffalos date clear back to the early 1900’s and are not ordinary U.S. coins. That’s because only an extremely low percentage of Buffalos were then commissioned by National Mint and Treasury to be covered with rarely seen 24 Karat Gold Layering, then sealed and protected in brilliant collector condition inside special 25 count Arizona Bank Rolls. That’s why you better hurry if you want to get your hands on them. Collector values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But we do know they are the only Arizona State Bank Rolls known to exist. So anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these sealed Vault Bricks should hold onto them because there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value someday.

Q: Why are so many Arizona residents calling to get them?

A: Because they are the only Arizona State Bank Rolls known to exist we’re bracing for the flood of calls. These are not ordinary Bank Rolls. These are full Bank Rolls containing 25 Buffalos dating clear back to the early 1900’s. Best of all each Buffalo is layered in 24 Karat Gold and the state minimum set by National Mint and Treasury is restricted to Arizona residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication and beat the deadline only. That means Arizona residents cover only $4 per Buffalo when they claim the Gold Vault Bricks, which is just $500 for the next 2 days.

Q:

How do I get the Gold Vault Bricks?

A: The only thing Arizona residents need to do is find the first three digits of their zip code in today’s publication and call the State Toll-Free Hotline at 1-800-280-4564 Ext. GNH1511 before the deadline ends. Everyone who does is getting the Bank Rolls for just the state minimum. That’s a sealed Gold Vault Brick containing the only Arizona State Bank Rolls known to exist each loaded with the rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Buffalo Nickels layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold for just the $4 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, which totals just $500 for the full sealed Gold Vault Brick. That’s a real steal because state residents and non-state residents who miss the deadline must pay $1,000 for each sealed Gold Vault Brick if any remain.

FIRST

Vault Bricks

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Gilbert woman earns ASU degree with Uber Eats’ help

BY MARGOT L ANOUE GSN Guest Writer

Sara Vidal is a new graduate, and a new mother, and it is through the partnership between Uber and Arizona State University that the Gilbert woman was able to accomplish both of her big dreams.

In December, Vidal graduated with a bachelor of interdisciplinary studies, with concentrations in organizational leadership and Spanish, from the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts through ASU Online.

Vidal, a former airline employee, had been furloughed from her job during the pandemic and had struggled to find employment. Delivering with Uber Eats was meant to be a short-term solution while looking for something more permanent, but Vidal quickly realized Uber offered perks that simply couldn’t be found elsewhere.

Uber’s partnership with Arizona State University provides qualifying drivers, or an eligible family member, with 100% tuition coverage at ASU toward more than 100 undergraduate degree programs offered online. It would allow Vidal to graduate from ASU without a heavy financial burden.

“Uber offered the reward program at ASU and I was trying to have a baby and going through in vitro fertilization,” she said. “Uber Eats and the online program provided the flexibility I needed. That was my main motivation to go back to school and reskill.”

The Gilbert native thrived during her time at ASU Online, joining the Organizational Leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa, and serving as the secretary of the interdisciplinary studies honor society Alpha Iota Sigma.

Vidal also spoke about her experience with the program during the annual Education Summit presented by Salesforce.

The parallels between academics and life can be poetic; Vidal and her husband welcomed new life into the world this past spring with the birth of their son.

Becoming a mother and earning her degree has taught Vidal that anything is possible. We spoke with the new graduate about her academic journey and the advice she would share with anyone looking to fulfill their own dreams with Uber and ASU Online.

What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?

I went back and forth between Spanish and organizational leadership. I wanted to learn more Spanish and understand my husband’s culture better. It is important to me that my son is taught to be proud of being both American and Dominican. I also always wanted to go into training. I like seeing others succeed,

and training in a new hire class would be so rewarding. When I found out I could do both and learn how to integrate them, it all clicked for me.

What’s something you learned while at ASU Online — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

It surprised me when I learned just how much the United States is way behind many other countries in maternity care. We have zero paid maternity leave federal mandate. We only allow 12 weeks of FMLA, and many women do not have the resources to take that time, as they need the income to survive. It has devastating physical and mental health effects on mothers and babies, yet nothing has been done about it.

Why did you choose ASU Online?

Mainly due to the partnership between Uber and ASU, but also because I need-

ed that flexibility. Many family members and friends went to ASU and highly recommended applying. I was excited to join ASU and call myself a Sun Devil. Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU Online? There were so many professors that were impactful for me. Professor Brian McCormack taught me I could do an extensive research paper and even encouraged me to publish in our honor society’s (Alpha Iota Sigma) annual publication, Interdisciplinary Studies Works. Something I never thought I would do having dyslexia. It taught me I could do incredible things if I take it one step at a time and focus. Professor Judy Grace took the time to email about a project I was involved in just to congratulate me. She wasn’t even sure if it was actually me she needed to be congratulating. It taught me how such a simple gesture can be immensely impactful. What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

It’s OK to cry. I mean it, just have a good cry and keep on going. If you are feeling overwhelmed or confused, just ask your professor. Every professor I had was willing to meet with me outside of class and give clarification.

What are your plans?

It’s all up in the air. I want to get a master’s in organizational leadership and become a corporate trainer.

If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

I am tackling getting everyone access to clean water. I heard in one of my classes that water is life. Even here in the States, families are still suffering from polluted houses and drinking water. For example, in Flint, Michigan, where they are still dealing with hazardous water that was contaminated in 2014. Everyone deserves to drink clean water and bathe in clean water.

GilbertSunNews.com | @GilbertSunNews /GilbertSunNews

Sara Vidal of Gilbert and her husband, Anthony Vidal Castro, welcomed their son, Corsario Alexander Vidal, while she was pursuing her degree through ASU Online. (Courtesy of ASU)

Protect Your Legacy

Norece Leaonard Hatch

Norece ‘Shorty’ Hatch was born to Leonard and Dorothy Hatch on March 27, 1947. He is the oldest of 7 kids. Darnell Brown (Tom), Ray (deceased), Don (Kay), Ross (Karen), Gwynn, Lynn Romney (Jess). He grew up in Northern Arizona. He graduated from Ashfork HS, then served a 2 year mission in Central America for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In 1969 he married Nivla Lamoreaux of Gilbert, Arizona. They moved to Flagstaff where Shorty earned a BS degree in business. The family moved to Gilbert out on Ray Road where he ran his business, Shorty’s (and later Spartan) Electric. He was an electrical contractor for 40 years.

They had 9 children. After 28 years the family moved out to south Higley Road where the family continued to grow. Shorty and Nivla left in 2011 for a mission in Córdoba Argentina. Nivla passed away in March of 2012 while they were serving there. In 2016 Norece married Mary Rogers. In the Spring of 2018 they served a temple mission in Madrid Spain. Mary made Shorty very happy.

On Tuesday, December 27th, 2022 Shorty passed away of natural causes in his home, after having the best couple of days participating in family traditions. He is survived by Mary Rogers Hatch, Shamaine Wright (Mike), Titia Mann, N Cody (Melanie), Yana Reidhead (Keevin), Cozette Fox (Sean), Tima Hird (Nick), Toah, Taffy Sherwood (DJ), Koay (Rianne). 43 grandkids and 14 great grands. He was a large spirit in a short body. He served his community, his family, and his friends.

A funeral service will be held from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM on 2023-01-07 at Power Ranch stake center, 4170 S Ranch House Parkway Gilbert, AZ. A viewing (wake) will be held from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM on 2023-01-07 at Power Ranch Stake Center, 4170 S Ranch House Pkwy.

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Despite new debt law, consumers should be on their guard

BY TORI GANTZ Cronkite News

Rodd McLeod thinks voter approval of Proposition 209 this fall will go a long way toward keeping people from being “forced out on the street or lose their cars” when they have medical bills they can’t pay.

But he also thinks that consumers still need to be on their guard.

“I think debt collectors are still going to be aggressive and try to get as much money from people as possible,” said McLeod, spokesperson for Arizona Healthcare Rising, one of the main supporters of the proposition.

“That’s just the reality of the way the debt collection industry functions, which is why it’s important to have protections in the law so that ordinary people don’t get hurt,” he said.

Opponents of the law have not given up the fight. They challenged the measure in court, and a Maricopa County Superior Court judge earlier this month temporarily blocked the law from taking effect on any debt incurred before Dec. 5 – the date the 2022 election results were certified. That injunction was lifted this week, however, and the judge allowed the entire law to proceed for now.

The proposition creating the Predatory Debt Collection Protection Act passed with an overwhelming 72% of more than 2.4 million votes cast. The 1.75 million who voted for the proposition were the most of any of the 10 measures on the ballot. Only Proposition 211, relating to dark money in politics, had a larger margin of victory, with 72.3% in favor.

Greater Phoenix Chamber Vice President of Public Affairs Mike Huckins said he was only “a little bit surprised” at the passage of the measure, which he credited to successful marketing by its supporters.

“The proponents did a great job of

naming it,” Huckins said. “When you have a title like Predatory Debt Collection Protection … it’s an easy one, I think, for people to vote for.”

Given that, Huckins said he does not think business groups and other opponents had “the resources … to get the message out to the voters.”

Proposition 209 makes several changes to state law that supporters said will protect consumers from crushing debt that can lead to a downward economic spiral, costing debtors their cars, which can cost them their jobs, which can cost them their homes.

The measure’s backers said it was aimed at medical debt, the No. 1 cause for calls from debt collectors and what McLeod said is a leading cause of personal bankruptcies. But much of the new law actually applies to all debt.

The new law lowers the interest rate that businesses or debt collectors can levy on medical debt from the previous 10% to 3%. It will also increase the value of homes, cars and bank accounts that are protected from debt collectors for all debt, while lowering the amount of dis-

posable income that can be garnished to settle a debt, from the previous 25% to 10%.

“Any time a debt collector tries to take someone to court for unpaid debt, you know, the … judges will be operating under these new guidelines for what is allowed to be claimed by the debt collector,” McLeod said.

Opponents insist that the long-term impact of the law will end up backfiring on the people it is intended to protect.

“I think it’s going to affect all consumers, not just those that have medical debt because … it raises the exemptions from automobiles, your house, your salary,” Huckins said. “There may be a little bit of buyer’s remorse for some folks for voting for this once they see the impact it’s going to have on interest rates down down the line.”

That was echoed by Michael Guymon, president and CEO of the Tucson Metro Chamber, who said in a written statement that the new law will be “bad for the Arizona economy, bad for many of our businesses and bad for overall lending in the state.”

Guymon complained about the supporters’ framing of the measure, which he said was “marketed and described on the ballot as a medical debt initiative and it is not.”

“It only references medical debt specifically as it pertains to the interest rate change. The public did not understand that it was going to have an impact on ALL debt and therefore have a detrimental effect on lending, the Arizona rental market, etc.,” Guymon wrote.

He said businesses will be forced to raise prices for everybody to make up for the debt they will no longer be able to collect, an argument advanced by Huckins as well.

“When you put these sort of protections around folks, where they don’t have to pay back their debts to a certain extent, it’s still going to raise the interest rates for the rest of us and it’s going to reduce the credit market for those folks that … probably are going to need it the most – those folks that don’t have the cash to pay for stuff up front,” Huckins said.

But McLeod said that consumers need protection now – which was evidenced by the roughly 470,000 signatures that were submitted to put the measure on the ballot and by the overwhelming support at the ballot box. He said the chambers of commerce need to recognize that.

“We’re really pleased and thankful that the overwhelming majority of Arizonans agree with us,” McLeod said. “We would like to see the chamber of commerce join us in that belief.

“We just believe so strongly that you know, somebody with a medical bill they can’t pay should not be forced out on the street or lose their cars and couldn’t get to their job anymore,” he said.

GilbertSunNews.com

Arizona Healthcare Rising celebrated the passage last November of Proposition 209. (Special to GSN)

BY HAROLD WONG GSN Guest Writer

very year, the Gallup Poll asks Americans their opinions of the ethical standards of various professions. T he results of the 2021 Gallup Poll, reported in a Moneywise article by Sarah Cunnane, found 9% believe car salespeople are very honest and ethical; only 12% members of Congress, 13% of insurance salespeople as well as advertising professionals, 14% of stockbrokers, 20% of the nation’s governors and business executives, 22% of all lawyers and 24% of labor leaders.

In contrast, the 10 professions rated most honest and ethical are: nurses (85%), engineers (66%), physicans (65%), pharmacists (64%), dentists (61%) police foficers (51%), college teachers (49%), psychiatrists (43%), chiropractors (41%) and clergy (40%),

The 2008 Gallup Poll said 14% rated stockbrokers for high or high honesty and ethical standards and this was the fifth worst-rated profession. Only 25% rated real estate agents as highly ethical and this was the ninth worst professions.

In contrast, 42% rated accountants as highly ethical and this was the 6th best profession. The third best profession was high school teachers and 60% ranked this profession as highly ethical. Nurses remained #1 rating and 85% rated the profession as highly honest and ethical.

This data should create a dilemma for the public.

Would you trust your life savings to the advice of a high school or college teacher who has read books his whole life, but has never started a business or worked in the real world? In contrast, stockbrokers and insurance agents have worked in the private sector, but aren’t rated as very honest or ethical.

Nursing is consistently rated as the most honest profession, but would you

let a nurse advise you on your invest ments, real estate, taxes, and other fi nancial issues?

EIn reality, only 35% of Americans use a financial advisor, according to the Northwestern Mutual 2022 Planning & Progress Study. Most people tend to either ignore their financial future or decide to be their own financial advisor. The analogy in the legal field is: “He who acts as his own attorney has a fool for a client.”

If most Americans don’t use a finan cial advisor and instead rely on them selves, please look at a study by Ramsey Solutions titled “The National Study of Millionaires.”

The top five careers for millionaires are: engineer, accountant, teacher, man ager, and attorney. Three out of four said that regular, consistent investing over a long period of time leads to success.

They spend less than $200 a month at restaurants and 93% of millionaires use coupons all or some of the time when shopping. Nearly three-quarters have never carried a credit card balance in their lives.

In other words, most millionaires have great financial discipline and are logical. They are able to avoid impulse purchases and instead save steadily for decades until they become millionaires.

Most Americans don’t trust stockbrokers or insurance agents and rely on themselves instead of a financial advisor. It’s true that no one cares about your money as much as you do.

For lots of useful financial information, go to drharoldwong.com and then click on the “Published Works” link. You will find all of my Times Media Group articles as well as relevant articles by others.

Attend my free live seminar and supper Jan. 26 at Hyatt Place, 3535 W. Chandler Blvd. Chandler. The seminar is 6-7:30 p.m., followed by a free catered supper. The topic is “Beat Inflation by Saving Taxes and Increasing Income!”

Valley’s nation-leading inflation may ease this year

BY HALEY SMILOW Cronkite News

After a year in which the Valley saw the nation’s highest inflation rate for metro areas, experts say consumers can expect inflation to ease in 2023 – but warn that it’s not going away entirely.

The consumer price index for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale in October, the most recent month for which data is available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was 12.1% higher than it was in

DEBT from page 24

But McLeod said the law alone will not protect consumers.

“What consumers can do to protect themselves is have a lawyer who is up on the law,” he said. “The sad reality is that the overwhelming number of consumers who go to court for this sort of thing are not represented by a lawyer.”

October 2021. The next-highest metro areas were Atlanta, which posted a 10.7% increase for the year, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg at 10.5% and Miami at 10.1%.

Price increases were up across the board, with higher prices for fuel, food, clothing and more. In Arizona, the biggest increases came in the price of gas, which was up 41% from October 2021 to October 2022 – although that recently reversed course – but experts say the biggest driver of the inflation index was the cost of housing.

MONEY

from page 25

To RSVP for the seminar or schedule a free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com. His website is drharoldwong.com. He earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs.

Mark Stapp, a professor at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, said shelter accounts for one-third of the consumer price index, which is why Arizona is facing such high inflation rates.

“The index is a composite. One of the larger elements of that composite is related to shelter,” said Stapp, who is also the director of the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at the Carey School. “It can make up 30-40%, so a significant part of the estimate of what inflation is in Arizona is that shelter component.”

George Hammond, the director of the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, agreed that shelter has driven inflation in the Phoenix area.

“The major reason why Phoenix’s inflation rate is running so much faster than the national average, is what’s going on in the housing market,” Hammond said. “Housing is by far the biggest single category in the price index, so it has a huge influence on what happens.”

There are several reasons for the rise, they both say. The steady increase in the number of people moving to Arizona jumped with COVID-19, creating more demand for what was already a short supply of housing for renters and homeowners. It created what Hammond described as a “recipe for really rapidly rising house prices and rents.”

“The shelter component has been very difficult to come back down because of the amount of growth that we’ve had here and the lack of supply in ownership and rental housing,” Stapp said.

While housing has been the biggest part of Valley inflation, gas prices may have had the biggest emotional punch. A gallon of gas cost as much $5.39 a gallon in June, according to AAA. Prices started falling after the summer peak and were at $3.36 a gallon last week, almost 19 cents lower per gallon than it cost a year ago. But the spikes still had an impact.

Dennis Hoffman, an economics professor at the Carey School, said transportation costs play a large role in infla-

tion for a sprawling area like Phoenix.

“We’re quite a commuter region,” said Hoffman, who is also director of the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the Carey School. “A lot of people commute, so they pay the costs of used cars, and cars of course need gasoline.”

Hoffman said Arizonans typically pay more for gas because there are no refineries in the state, relying instead on California and Texas for its gas. Arizona was hit hard when some California refineries shut down in September.

Another increase that hit home for consumers was the price of food, which was up by 12.6% over the year, led by a 16.4% increase in dairy products, according to the BLS.

Beth Fiorenza, the executive director at Nourish Phoenix, said that has caused the number of people seeking help from her pantry to roughly double in the last three to four months over normal levels.

“If people were already living paycheck to paycheck, and then inflation and higher expenses hit, now they’re really struggling to get by every month,” Fiorenza said.

The latest surge in inflation capped three years of steady increases, according to the BLS. It said inflation in Phoenix rose by 0.7% from October 2019 to October 2020 and then rose 7.1% from 2020 to 2021 before spiking over the past year.

But the economists believe that things may be turning around and that the high prices will slowly decrease over the next couple of months. Stapp noted that gas prices have already fallen and he expects the same should happen with housing.

Hammond agreed that housing prices should start to fall in the new year, and he thinks Arizona will likely follow the rest of the U.S. economy, which has been generally cooling in recent months.

Hoffman was more confident, saying he thinks the worst is in the past and that the economy will soon start to stabilize.

“I think we’re going to see inflation rates come down over the next year pretty dramatically,” he said.

Perry basketball establishing dominance early on

BY DAMON ALLRED GSN Contributing Writer

The Open Division is coming to Arizona high school basketball this year.

Meant to crown a “true” state champ, it’ll feature 32 teams — the top eight from each of 6A, 5A, and 4A as well as eight atlarge choices. It’s meant to add parity and a standardized level of competition.

But there’s already one team standing out among the rest of the field in the state: Perry.

That isn’t something Perry boys’ basketball head coach Sam Duane is thinking about, however. He knows his team must be prepared to battle every time they step on the floor.

To Duane, the arrival of the Open Division tournament is comparable to March Madness in the college ranks. Especially with many teams involved. He’s also a fan of the unique feature of the tournament where teams can return to conference

playoffs if they lose in the first or second round of the Open tournament rather than having their season come to an end.

“I don’t think the schedules [within regions] were balanced this year real well,” Duane said, “so I think it allows good teams to be in the tournament, and I think it’s going to make for a really good state tournament.”

Even with the uptick in competition, Perry is still the favorite to come away with the Open title. The Pumas have picked up where they left off after winning last year’s 6A state title. They were 15-0 heading into their winter break and have faced little challenge led by two five star 6-foot8 prospects, senior Cody Williams and sophomore Koa Peat.

teammate, Ian Jackson, who’s ranked as one of the top juniors in the country.

Perry won big, 78-47, over a national power.

“I thought we did a really good job of meeting that challenge on Friday,” Duane said of the win. “We wanted to do the best we could on him, but he’s gonna get his. I thought when Ben [Egbo] was on [Jackson], he did a really good job on him… We wanted to take away their transition, and we wanted to take away them getting to the rim, so I thought we did a really good job of packing in our defense, and we were really good as a team.”

Perry’s talent level is, on paper, above the rest of the AIA schools. The Pumas feature two potential NBA stars on the roster in Peat and Williams.

“He’s such a great, positive influence on our team,” Duane said of Silsby. “On the floor, he doesn’t turn it over, he understands his role, and he stretches the floor for us.”

Rounding out the starting lineup state is 6-foot-5 sophomore D’Andre Harrison and 6-foot-4 senior Ben Egbo. The two combined for 40 points and 20 rebounds over the two games at Hoophall and bring a toughness on both ends that sends the lineup over the top.

Harrison is the new starter to the group after Perry graduated now-Arizona Wildcat and 7-footer Dylan Anderson. Duane said Harrison is getting better each day, finding comfort in his new role.

“He’s a really good rebounder, he crashes the offensive boards, and he can shoot the ball from three,” Dane said. “So, he’s a threat for us … if you leave him [open], he’s going to make you pay.”

Perry handled the national competition with ease and has so far done the same in AIA play.

So far, Liberty in Peoria has played the Pumas the closest. Perry won that game 93-79. The Lions are widely regarded as the second-best team in the state this season.

But even with how dominant his team has been, Duane doesn’t want them to become complacent. They still play Brophy, who has size most other schools in Arizona don’t, and a game against one of the best junior guards in the country in Style Phipps at St. Mary’s. Perry will also have to matchup twice against Basha, which is quickly rising in the ranks thanks to star freshman Mason Magee.

Sophomore sensation Koa Peat, a five-star prospect with legitimate future NBA talent, has been key for Perry along with the other four starters. He has gelled well with fellow five-star Cody Williams, and the duo lead the Pumas alongside the three other starters and supporting cast. (Dillon Nockideneh/Hoophall West)

Perry was the featured team at Hoophall West, a national showcase hosted by Chaparral. Their first game, a late Friday night contest, matched the Pumas against Cardinal Hayes (NY) and Peat’s FIBA

But the rest of the starting lineup shouldn’t be overlooked.

Perry went on to dominate San Ysidro (Calif.) at Hoophall. Barron Silsby, a 5-foot11 sharpshooting senior, was named Player of the Game after scoring 20 points and connecting on 6-of-8 3-pointers.

The Pumas know they have the talent to make a run. The state and country know, too. They recently were ranked as the No. 12 team in the nation by MaxPreps. But they aren’t letting that get to them.

Duane is keeping them focused and grounded on the goal at hand.

“Be where your feet are,” he said.

GilbertSunNews.com @GilbertSunNews /GilbertSunNews Check us out and like Gilbert Sun News on Facebook and follow @GilbertSunNews on Twitter

From left: Barron Silsby, Koa Peat, Cody Williams, D’Andre Harrison, Ben Egbo have quickly become the best starting five in the state as the Pumas are nationally ranked and have, at this point, overcome every challenge they’ve faced this season. (Dillon Nockideneh/Hoophall West)

GilbertSunNews.com | @GilbertSunNews /GilbertSunNews

Chandler Film Festival offers a feast for the eyes

BY KEN SAIN GetOut Staff Writer

Chandler filmmaker Mitesh Patel says there has been a noticeable change when he attends film festivals around the world.

“When I go to see some, like AFM American film market, or any other like Berlin, or Cannes, whenever I go somewhere for my movie work, I meet with people and they talk about the festival,” said Patel, who is president and the director of the Chandler International Film Festival. “And what’s surprising to me is they all know, mostly I would say they know about the Chandler Film Festival.”

Patel said he and his team once had to work hard to get the word out about the annual festival. Now, they don’t.

The seventh annual Chandler International Film Festival is scheduled for Jan. 21-29 at the LOOK Dine-In Cinema in downtown. Patel is extending it to nine days this year so they don’t have as many matinee showings. Films will start at 6 p.m. most days, with some matinees on the weekends.

“You know a lot of people work, so it’s kind of a struggle, but it was good for the people who are coming from out of town so they can just stay for an entire weekend,” Patel said.

He said he wanted more Chandler residents to be able to attend, and that was the reason for pushing back start times and extending the festival.

Patel said the number of films will be the same, about 125 or so. He said they had more than 500 submitted to be considered. That’s still down considerably from pre-pandemic when they would get about 1,000.

“I think the pandemic is still

(Above)

Smat directed “Walkout.” It’s the story of his friend Thomas Marshall (in photo) leading employees to try and force change at Walmart after the tragic mass shooting at its El Paso location. (Courtesy of Chandler International Film Festival); (Right) Dana Beth Kippel stars in “Reflect,” a film she directed and wrote about friends participating in a spiritual obstacle course. Parts of the film were shot in Arizona. (Courtesy of

going on,” Patel said about the lower number of submissions. He added that they no longer advertise and push hard to get the word out about the festival, relying on the fact that many in the business are already aware.

The films will be shown at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas for the second time. Patel said they were great hosts a year ago, and complimented their food. After-hours parties will be staged around the downtown area.

There will be no online viewing of the films for the first time in two years.

In 2021, the festival was all digital because of the pandemic. Last year people had the option to watch them online if they didn’t want to sit in a crowded theater.

Patel said many directors are concerned about piracy if they put their films online, so they would rather not.

The lineup of films is still being determined in late December with an announcement expected in early January. Patel said he had not decided on which film to open the festival with, but he does have one that he would love to open it with.

The festival is adopting a theme for the first time, and it will be a celebration of Indian filmmaking. The country is celebrating 110 years of filmmaking in 2023 so Patel thought that was an easy choice.

“Last Film Show” was chosen by India to be its submission for the best international film Oscar at the Academy Awards. It has won top honors at some of the film festivals where it has been shown.

It’s the story of a 9-yearold boy in rural India who

Carlos (Juan Francisco Villa) takes the lead in a wheelchair race at a holding facility a woman goes to after a suicide attempt. “Eyes Upon Waking” was directed by Timothy Zwica, a Tucson resident. (Courtesy of Chandler International Film Festival)

Former Chandler resident Rob

Chandler International Film Festival)

Chandler filmmaker Mitesh Patel founded the Chandler Film Festival, which has been growing in influence and audiences since its launch in 2016. (Special to GetOut)

Back by popular acclaim

The Limelight Performing Arts Theater is bringing back its award-winning presentation of “The Lion King Jr.” next weekend at Mesa Arts Center. Limelight last produced and performed the musical in 2018 and won an AriZoni award for its costumes in 2018. Directed by Emma England and Kayla King, the musical will be presented at various times Thursday, Jan. 12, through Jan. 15. For tickets and performance times, go to mesaartscenter.com and search by “Lion King.” (Special to GetOut)

‘Disney on Ice’ takes on a road trip expedition

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE GetOut Staff

To ring in the new year strong, “Disney on Ice” is making a pitstop in the Valley to take families on a magical getaway visiting some of their most beloved characters.

Produced by Feld Entertainment, “Disney on Ice presents Road Trip Adventures” embarks on an immersive excursion of exciting twists and turns through some of Disney’s most popular and classic tales. The tour will be in Phoenix for seven shows from Jan.12-15 at the Footprint Center.

“This show, in particular, come in with an open mind — it truly is an amazing show. We’ve all worked so hard and we’re so excited to share this show with you and everyone that comes into the magic,” said Kiera Clifford, 22, a first-year skater in the cast. “It’s a big road trip adventure for everybody.”

During an enchanting and athletic performance, spectators will go on a safari to see Simba, Timon and Pumbaa in the Pride Lands and help Woody and Bo Peep search for their new friend, Forky, at a wacky carnival.

“We’ll start with Mary Poppins going

FESTIVAL

through the town. We’ll see some Incredibles, we might run into Moana and her tribe or we might even run into Olaf with his little ‘In Summer’ song,” said Clifford.

In comparison to other “Disney on Ice” shows, the skater said that “Road Trip Adventures” is by far the most interactive with audience members.

“There’s not just one thing you’re looking at, there are a bunch of things,” she said. “One of my favorite numbers is Aladdin’s (Prince) Ali Parade. You have a lot of things in the air, you have things on the ground, there’s a lot of props – you

won’t be unsatisfied with our show.”

To further immerse the audience in the performance, Clifford hinted at a surprise launch into the crowd during the “Toy Story” segment and noted cast members who escort families onto bus stops to watch the show close to the ice.

“I feel like our cast members blend very well, the show pulls together,” she said.

Seeing “Disney on Ice” is a memorable experience that Clifford thinks every kid needs.

“I grew up a Disney kid, and I’m so grateful that my mom brought me to the shows and to Disney World, just because it’s something special that you’ll look back on and remember for a long time,” she said. “And seeing your favorite characters come off the screen onto the ice is something that was super exciting to me, so I’m sure for every child out there, it would be exciting for them, too.”

The children’s enthusiasm is some-

thing that the skater believes is exciting for parents to witness. She recalls seeing videos online under the hashtag “#disneyonice,” taken by parents capturing their young ones’ happiness as their dreams come to life.

Likewise, Clifford said interacting with the children and bringing their heroes to life on the ice is the most fulfilling part of her role as a performer.

“I graduated with a teaching degree in music,” said Clifford, who attended Penn State University. “I’m missing that a little bit right now, so seeing the kids interact and their faces light up is probably the most appealing part of the show for me.”

“Disney on Ice” was launched in 1981. Its traveling team consists of 90 to 100 people, including Clifford and nearly 50 other performers, several coordinators, a sales team and crewmembers.

IF YOU GO

What: “Disney on Ice presents Road Trip Adventures”

When: Various times Jan. 12-15.

Where: Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix

Cost: Tickets start at $20 Info: Disneyonice.Com, Ticketmaster.Com

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loves films so much, he bribes the projectionist of a run-down theater with homemade food so that he can watch and learn about films and filmmaking from the best seat in the house. It’s a semi-autobiographical story of director Pan Nalin.

One of the keys to being the opening night film, Patel said, is that the filmmaker needs to be in attendance. He said Nalin said he’s willing if his film is not nominated for the Academy Award. However, if it is he will be far too busy promoting it and won’t be able to attend.

“I noticed that whoever attends the Chandler Film Festival, they get very excited when someone from the movie, they’re coming and attending,” Patel said.

He added a couple of films in this year’s festival will be by directors with

Chandler ties. Former resident Rob Smat made a documentary called “Walkout.” It’s about Walmart’s reaction to having 23 people shot and killed in its El Paso store in 2019.

After the tragedy, the company took no action to stop selling firearms at its stores. Its employees decided to do something about that and forced the company to change.

India will not be the only country getting a focus at this year’s festival. Patel said they plan to have special nights throughout the nine days.

“We’re adding a Japanese day, a Spanish day, a Korean day, a Chinese day,” Patel said, pointing out the Chinese New Year will happen during the festival (Jan. 22).

One of the reasons the Chandler International Film Festival has gotten such

notice is because of the success it has had in matching filmmakers with distributors. Patel said all of their feature-length films last year got distribution deals.

“It’s been a couple of years now,” Patel

said of the 100% distribution. “I’ve been doing this for 15 years, I know so many companies. And I created this festival to help the filmmaker to showcase their work and put it out.”

Festival Films with Arizona ties

Walkout: Directed by former Chandler resident Rob Smat

ID: Directed by Chandler resident Kiran Kondamadugula

The Monster Inside Me: Directed by Phoenix resident Tony C. Silva

Reflect: Parts filmed in Sedona

Eyes Upon Waking: Directed by Tucson resident Timothy Zwica

IF YOU GO

Chandler International Film Festival

When: Jan. 21-29

Where: LOOK Dine-In Cinema, 1 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler

Tickets: chandlerfilmfestival.com

‘Disney On Ice’ offers a colorfully costumed cast whose signing, storytelling and ice skating abilities will delight young and old alike. (Courtesy Disney on Ice)

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