Gilbert Sun News - 5.23.2021 by Times Media Group

Black students criticize GPS

Mayor’s initiative on teen suicide

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Sunday, May 23, 2021

Short-term rentals rile Islands owners BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

ublic urination in the front yard, people swimming in the lakes, loud parties and fighting are some of the problems that come with short-term rentals, say homeowners at The Islands community of over 2,000 houses. Residents voiced their frustrations at an overflowing meeting last Monday as the HOA Board announced an election to amend

its community rules to curb short-term rentals made available through platforms such as VRBO, Airbnb and Travelocity. “Investors are buying up property,” HOA President Matt Letter told the audience. “The Islands have completely become a private market for these investors.” Letter said the HOA is increasingly fielding complaints from homeowners about problems caused by short-term renters in their neighborhoods and inquiries from non-resident investors looking to buy more

houses in The Islands, which does not control short-term rentals in any way. “It’s an issue all over Arizona,” he said. “We live in an area people like to vacation.” But other Islands homeowners oppose restrictions, saying they have a right to use their property in the way they see fit. Letter used Prescott as an example, saying 26 percent of the single-family homes there are vacation rentals.

Mom outraged by Sweet victory! Higley’s ‘limitations room” for girl, 7 BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

aley Kizer had no idea that Higley Unified School District controls student behavior by putting kids into a small, windowless room with no handle on the inside of the door. She learned differently last March when her daughter, Finley, 7, refused to go to class at Power Ranch Elementary School. “That morning, she stood there crying and peed her pants, begging not to go to school,” the Gilbert mom said. When pressed, the first-grader – who has ADHD, audito-

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Mesquite junior outfielder Keeton Bell celebrates with the 4A championship trophy after the Wildcats’ beat Salpointe Catholic 2-1 Monday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Zac BonDurant/GSN Contributor)

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NEWS

Gilbert, Chandler mayors address teen suicide BY ASHLYN ROBINETTE GSN Staff Writer

uicide prevention and awareness were on the minds of Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson and Chandler’s mayor and vice mayor as they joined a virtual town hall recently with two experts on the subjects. Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke and Chandler Vice Mayor Mark Stewart joined representatives from Teen Lifeline and notMYkid in a State of Mental Health roundtable. It was organized by Chandler educator Katey McPherson, Gilbert marketing and communications director Cori Garcia and Stewart. Citing the suicide of a Perry High sophomore and the drug overdose death of a Hamilton High senior earlier this month, Stewart said, “We want to keep them top of mind during this conversation because we want to stop this from happening ever again if we can.” All three officials said they are committed to making mental health a priority in Gilbert and Chandler and are having more frequent conversations with local experts to educate and provide the community with the resources they need to confront these issues head on. In the spirit of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the mayors hope to destigmatize mental health and generate life-saving conversations. “This is an issue that affects us all,” Peterson said. “This past year I’ve seen so many people with inner angst that is affecting their regular interactions with others. You might not even think it’s happening to you or a loved one or a friend but it is and we need to pay attention. We need to continue to talk.” Last year, COVID-19 prevented progress of the One Gilbert Initiative, a community-wide effort formed in 2019 to prevent and respond to the youth mental health crisis, Peterson said. This year, Peterson said she will look into the initiative and how to move it forward. She wants Gilbert’s soon-to-be formed community engagement task force to work on mental health as well. Peterson and the Gilbert Town Council are also embarking on Year ONE, a new

Participating in a roundtable on teen suicide were, clockwise from top left: notMyKid CEO Lrosten Polin, Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson, Chandler Vice Mayor Mark Stewart and Teen Lifeline Clinical Director Nikki Koontz. (Special to GSN) campaign focused on making a difference in the community through spreading #GilbertKindness. “The most important way we can all affect each other is to be kind,” Peterson said. “We need to focus on Gilbert kindness and share that with our neighbors in Chandler and in the region.” Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg is committed to bringing a family advocacy center to Gilbert, Peterson said. She has made supporting Soelberg in bringing that advocacy center forward her main commitment for 2021. To address rising youth suicide, the mayors spoke with Teen Lifeline Clinical Director Nikki Kontz and notMykid CEO Kristen Polin, who both encourages open conversations about suicide and mental health to destigmatize asking for help. “We cannot create a bubble of a perfect world for our children,” Kontz said. “We instead have to instill resiliency in them on how to handle life struggles when it happens. We need to model it and show our kids.” Teen Lifeline, a Phoenix-based nonprofit providing suicide prevention services to teenagers statewide, first started working with schools to get their crisis hotline to appear on student IDs in 2015. Over 270 Arizona middle schools and high schools already participate in Teen Lifeline’s student ID initiative and more than 1,000 high schools and nearly 60 colleges and universities in Arizona will

now be required to add a suicide prevention phone number to their student IDs. Kontz describes the initiative as a “life saver and conversation starter” that ensures that students, families, parents, faculty and staff at schools are aware that Teen Lifeline is available 24 hours a day. Gilbert Public Schools and Chandler Unified were among first districts in the East Valley to take on this initiative even before it hit the Legislature. Chandler also has Teen Lifeline’s information in all of their school buses, Kontz said, adding “Lives are being saved with every conversation.” Through Teen Lifeline’s peer-to-peer crisis hotline, which is supervised by master’s-level behavioral health clinicians, struggling teenagers are able to first turn to peers who better understand what they’re going through and can connect them with healthy adults in their life who can get them the other help they need, Kontz said. “Arm them as much as you can with all the different avenues and understand there are some things that are just too hard to tell our mom and dad right away,” Kontz said. Kontz says that the top suicidal warning sign is first that gut feeling in your stomach. “If you feel uneasy about someone in your life, you feel that they are hurting

see SUICIDE page 5

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Exemplary award takes Higley principal by surprise

GSN NEWS STAFF

ecognition for a job well done doesn’t get much better than the one that Jeff Beickel got for his work as principal of Bridges Elementary School in Higley Unified. That Beickel was named an Exemplary Principal by Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools Steve Watson was exciting enough. But the way it was presented was beyond special. Somehow, the award was kept secret until the morning of May 19, when Watson showed up to give Beickel his award – and the entire student body and staff were in the schoolyard to applaud their beloved principal with posters and full-throated cheers. Assistant Principal Todd Berg helped organize the celebration, cautioning the Gilbert Sun News when he arranged for its photographer to capture the moment

the top of the stairs, I realized what was occurring, and s u b s e q u e n t ly had trouble processing as I was overtaken by emotion,” Beickel told GSN. Indeed, at one point as he walked across the schoolyard, he could be seen Bridges Elementary Principal Jeff Beickel wipes away a tear after the away celebration around his receipt of the Exemplary Principal award from wiping a few tears. Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Steve Watson. (Pablo Robles/ “We’ve poured GSN Staff Photographer) our hearts into not to let the cat out of the bag. making this school one of the best, if not The cat stayed in the bag almost until the best, in the state of Arizona, and I’m the climactic presentation of the award. grateful to be recognized for that work,” “Upon opening the double doors at said Beickel. “This award is truly indica-

tive of the incredible humans that work at Bridges Elementary School and in the Higley Unified School District, coupled with our collective vision in ensuring our students are prepared for experiencing current and future success.” Watson fully agreed, saying it “is an honor to recognize Jeffrey Beickel as an Exemplary Principal.” “Jeff is an inspirational leader who has created a positive and supportive environment with both students and teachers at the heart,” Watson said. “He prioritizes culture as a driving force in student and teacher success and works strategically to build relationships and connections. The enthusiasm and joy at Bridges Elementary is palpable.” Joy was pretty palpable last Wednesday over the recognition accorded Beickel, who became Bridges’ principal in

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SUICIDE from page 3

NEWS

or that there is something going on with them and you just can’t put your finger on it- that is the number one warning sign,” Kontz said. Suicide is always going to be a complicated issue that won’t be fixed quickly so don’t try to solve or dismiss their problem, Kontz said. Instead, spend that time really listening and understanding them to get to the root of the problem. Polin said that listening and validating

what youth are experiencing is critical. notMYkid is another nonprofit organization that provides children and families with lifesaving programs, support, resources and education to empower and educate them with the knowledge and courage needed to identify and prevent negative youth behavior. “Make sure your kids know it’s okay to ask for help and it’s okay for parents to ask for help,” Polin said. “They might

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not know what help they need but what I hope is being communicated is to start somewhere and don’t do it alone.” As schools close, families have to turn to other avenues for help, Polin said. She has been hearing from pediatricians that they are overwhelmed by the number of families that are asking for support. She noted there are many nonprofits in the East Valley willing to help families every step of the way with nav-

igation of support and services free of charge. The next conversation covering suicide and mental health is 6 p.m May 24, Kontz said. Teen Lifeline and notMYkid will speak to the Chandler Unified School District, Chandler Fire and Chandler Police Department for a deep dive into the crisis system and how to navigate it. “Let’s get this down to zero,” Stewart said.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

ISLANDS from page 1

If The Islands, with lake-front properties, had 26 percent short-term rentals, that would mean 782 units, according to Letter. “A Holiday Express has 75 rooms,” he said. “You are talking about 10 hotels spread out in our community.” The proposed amendment calls for a 30-day minimum stay on rentals, limiting owners to renting their units to six times a year, requiring information that must be provided to the association upon the rental of a dwelling unit and a one-year grace period for owners currently renting their units in order to comply with the proposed restrictions. Time is of the essence Letter said, adding that investors can accelerate the number of homes they purchase in the community and block the amendment. Property owners will vote on July 1 but the online ballot will open June 1. In order to pass, 75 percent of those voting must approve it. “I’m seriously concerned if we don’t do it now, we will miss the last opportunity to address this issue,” Letter said. “People who are benefiting from STRs are investors. They buy their place and never see it.” Speakers spent over an hour voicing their opinions or experiences with the rentals. One man said when he served on the HOA board, the same issue was raised three to four years ago and since then the number rentals has doubled. He added that he has a daughter who looking for a place to live but can’t find anything in her price range because investors are buying up the property in the community. “I always had a fear of a lack of young families coming in,” he said. “Given the prices influenced by investors, it’s out of control for young families.” Another man said he lives on a street with 12 homes and three are short-term rentals. The 28-year resident said he’s seen a dozen cars parked on the street, people sleeping outside the homes in vans, trash, fighting and younger people dropped off by Uber at all hours of the night. A resident who retired as a Sheriff’s deputy three years ago, said if the com-

Scores of Islands homeowners gather for an HOA board meeting May 17 to discussed short-term rentals (Facebook)

Most of the audience voiced support for curbing homeowners’ ability to use their houses for short-term rentals, though some invoked the rights of property owners to use their homes in any way they see fit. (ZOOM)

munity doesn’t get a handle on the situation, there’ll be “stash houses, drug houses and prostitution.” A woman who lives in Canada said she owns short-term rental at The Islands but has a professional management company. The woman, who participated via Zoom, said she understood the concerns but the management company makes sure her property is “always prime.” “It brings a lot of money into the community because they eat out,” she said. She added the proposal would cost

her a lot of money because she is booked up for one year. A single-mom who lives in the community said she relied on the income from a short-term rental. “This is my livelihood,” she said. “This is my income. If it goes away it will hurt me.” She said she required a minimum of three to four nights stay, no parties or events and if cops are called, the renters are charged a fee. “I am part of The Islands community,” she said asking the Association to con-

sider grandfathering people with existing STRs. A woman said she moved to The Islands to retire and that if people are depending on rentals for income, they should instead consider doing a longterm rental of their homes. She reminded the audience that the Super Bow was returning to Arizona in 2023 and “you want to clean up this mess before it comes here.” One man said if the association can’t enforce the Conditions, Conditions and Restrictions, or CC&Rs, that are on the books now, what makes it think it can enforce the amendment if passed. If a homeowner has a frat party and there’s noise all night long, that is already a violation under the CC&Rs, he said. He added the benefits of short-term rentals are the landscaping and the homes are kept “nice and new.” But a majority of the speakers supported restricting rentals. “I brought this issue up a year ago,” a man said. “This is a cancer on our community.” He said he moved to The Island for its community of retirees and families and he likened renters to “transients.” “This is about economics,” he said of investors. “They buy houses to get rich on our account. They don’t give a damn about our community. They don’t give a damn about us.” He added he wanted to see higher penalties for people who break any of the community’s rules. “Make it so they don’t make any money and go away,” he said. “It’s about protecting where we live. Act quickly.” Councilman Laurin Hendrix at last Tuesday’s Council meeting commented he accepted a resident’s invitation to attend the HOA meeting and found it “chaotic.” He noted no one knew who he was, so he was incognito. “One of the common comments I heard from the speakers there is how evil their elected representatives are in the town and in the state,” said Hendrix, a former state representative. “There was quite a few who wanted to talk about all the

see ISLANDS page 12

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

NEWS

LD17 delegation laments rental bill defeat

BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

en. J.D. Mesnard suggested the Arizona League of Cities and Towns shares as much blame for the defeat of a short-term rental regulatory bill as those who oppose any regulation of such homes at all. Mesnard, joined by his Legislative District 17 delegation colleagues Reps. Jeff Weninger and Jennifer Pawlik, spoke about that defeat and other legislative issues in a virtual roundtable May 14 hosted by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. LD 17 includes parts of Chandler and Gilbert. Pawlik and Weninger both supported Mesnard’s SB 1379, which tried to prevent those rentals from turning into rowdy party houses by allowing local governments to set occupancy limits and insurance requirements on the owners who lease out their homes through web-

On the other hand, short-term rental owners and some House members opposed any regulation, contending that people had a right to use their own property in any way they see fit. At the time the bills were being considered, Nick Ponder, the League’s legislative director, said Mesnard’s measure failed Legislative District 17 delegation members, hosted by Chandler Chamber CEO Terri Kimble, discussed a to make enough substanvariety of issues in a roundtable May 14. From left: Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, Kimble, Rep. Jeff Weninger and Sen. tive changes to the state’s J.D. Mesnard. (Zoom) current laws. The League was not advocating for sites like Airbnb and VRBO. of the authority to cities and towns that Pawlik said she felt the House defeat- previous legislatures and Gov. Doug Du- outlawing short-term rentals, he added, but cities and towns want more autonoed it because too many legislators saw it cey stripped away in recent years. as “an industry bill” while Weninger put The Arizona League of Cities and my over how to control these properties. During the Chamber roundtable, the blame for its defeat on the League of Towns, which represents the interests Cities. of most East Valley communities, said Mesnard criticized that kind of thinking. “I think of all the bills I’ve ever run, Scottsdale Rep. John Kavanagh had Mesnard’s bill did not go far enough to pushed a competing bill in the House resolve the issues brought up by local that went much further, restoring much governments. see LEGISLATURE page 11

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Black students assail GPS’ efforts on race BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

lack students from Highland High School last week demanded that the Governing Board address ongoing discrimination, weeks after a video became viral of two white students on their campus re-enacting the murder of George Floyd. “At Highland High there are times where I felt unsafe, whether it’s because I’m openly trans and queer or because I am Black,” said Michael Baudanza, a member of the school’s Black Student Union. “I’ve experienced racism at other schools but nothing like the event a few weeks ago. “I was scared to go to school since I’ve already been harassed by students because I am queer. It hurts knowing the hard work BSU puts into every event didn’t sink in with many students at Highland High. I hear slurs every day and other Black students telling me

Carl Mitchel

Michael Baudanza

things that go on in their classrooms unnoticed.” Highland High had a student population of 3,177 in 2019-20, of which 2.52

percent were Black, according to the latest figures from the state Education Department. After the video of the two white stu-

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dents became public, the district issued a short statement that it investigated the incident after learning of it on April 28 and that its policies and procedures were followed “to deliver consequences.” “Currently at Highland High and throughout Gilbert Public Schools accountability is something we lack in regards to discrimination, whether it be race, sexual orientation, gender, etcetera,” said Black student Carl Mitchel. “This mark on the district is aggressively apparent. Events such as the George Floyd re-enactment that happened at my school to the use of the N-word are incidences of discrimination.” Floyd died when a Minneapolis police officer, now convicted of murder, knelt on his neck during an arrest for more than eight minutes. Three other officers are awaiting trial and the U.S. Justice Department has filed criminal chares

see RACE page 16

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Gilbert officer wins SUV from San Tan Ford BY SYDNEY MACKIE GSN Staff Writer

motions ran high last Wednesday afternoon as the keys to a new Bronco Sport were passed from the hands of San Tan Ford owner Tim Hovic to a Gilbert policewoman who won a nonprofit’s fundraiser-raffle. Officer Vickie Faber wept with joy and gratitude as she took ownership of the mini-SUV that she won in the House of Refuge raffle. The House of Refuge, a Mesa-based nonprofit that helps homeless families, had to cancel its annual fundraiser gala because of the pandemic. A renown supporter of charities throughout the region, Hovik wanted to do something big to help the House of Refuge recoup some of the funds it lost because of the cancelation. Hovic partnered with House of Refuge CEO Kayla Kolar, to organize the raffle. “We thought, how great would it be to do a raffle, and how amazing would it be

PRINCIPAL from page 4

June 2017 after a year-long stint as its assistant principal. A 2020 winner of Grand Canyon University’s STEM Principal of the Month, Beickel started with Higley Unified in 2021 as a math teacher and basketball-track-football coach at Power Ranch Elementary and Sossaman Middle School. Three years later, he was appointed a math teaching specialist and assistant principal at Power Ranch, where he remained until getting his initial gig at Bridges.–He has powered Bridges to some lofty academic heights. The school is in the top 10 ranking for language arts and math scores in state, has three consecutive A ratings and is considered a leading STEAM school for its integration of virtual reality and 3D printing at the K-6 grade level. Beickel has been credited with creating such a positive atmosphere for students and teachers alike that Bridges has retained 97 percent of its staff the last three years and has a waiting list of 165 students with an enrollment that

Gilbert Police Officer Vickie Farber was overwhelmed with winning a new vehicle – the first new one she has ever owned. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer) to raffle a new car,” Kolar said, “We called Tim and he responded, ‘How could I say no?’” When Hovik first heard the offer to work together he thought, “Maybe we

ought to really get crazy. Maybe we should raffle the best-selling vehicle in America, the all-new Bronco Sport.” Tickets were $100 and by the conclusion of the drive, House of Refuge

Bridges Elementary Principal Jeff Beickel was stunned by the surprise celebration staged by students and staff when he received his award. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer) has climbed from 525 to 745 students. Small wonder kids were cheering him on. The feeling is mutual for Beickel. “I love our school, students, staff, par-

ents, and feel so lucky to be able to celebrate our school’s success with them,” he said, calling the award “a byproduct of our collective work.”

raised $70,000 to put towards providing homes, support services, clothing and food boxes to families experiencing homelessness. “So many charities have struggled this year, and other than virtual events, there are no fundraisers. But the needs don’t go away,” Hovik said. Making the event more special was the pure coincidence of a 20-year veteran of the Gilbert Police Department winning the raffle at the same site where one of her colleagues was seriously injured and a Chandler officer slain during a violent confrontation April 30 with a truck thief. The entire community grieved the loss of Chandler Officer Christopher Farrar and prayed for severely injured Gilbert Officer Rico Aranda. Faber said she entered the raffle because she simply wanted to support the House of Refuge, conscious of the June 30 end to the federally imposed eviction

see SANTAN page 12

“In terms of being genuinely surprised, that is an understatement. I knew I had a shot at the award, as I felt as though the four phases went relatively well: written responses, staff surveys, an interview, and a virtual school visit,” Beickel said. “I hadn’t heard anything though, so I figured the end result may not have been what I was hoping for. I’m glad I was wrong, as the event was one of the most special moments of my life don’t worry- marrying my wife, MaryAnn, is still first,” he continued. “I admittedly was slightly teary-eyed as I was walking up to the podium, but was quickly overcome with an overwhelming feeling of appreciation for those that were there supporting me, as they all have played an integral part in my personal growth as an educator, and our school’s overall success over the last five years.” And he was “simply amazed” at how many kept the event a secret for weeks.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

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LEGISLATURE from page 7

that probably failed the worst of any,” said Mesnard. His measure passed by a 27-3 vote but got clobbered in the House, 43-17. “I want to clarify that there were as many folks – or nearly as many folks – who voted against it because they don’t support any regulation on short-term rentals,” Mesnard said. “I think there was a belief that all folks universally voted no because they wanted to do more regulation, but that’s not the case.” “The cities want full regulatory zoning authority,” he continued. “They want to say, what can be where, and how many and all of that – which I think is a bridge too far. “And they did oppose the bill because they want that authority. My frustration with that is that I think the bill would have done some serious good. I think it would have addressed the most important of the issues. “Would it have addressed every issue? No, but you don’t sacrifice the 90 percent for the 10 percent unless it’s some sort of power issue. And so that was very

frustrating. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but that was a disappointment.” Pawlik said she and Weninger had pushed Mesnard’s bill in the House but to no avail. “When it came over to the House, both Representative Weninger and I were advocating for the bill because we know how much it means to our community to have some regulation with short-term rentals,” she said, stating “the bill failed miserably.” She added, “That’s a bill that seems to be dead,” though she added it “could always come back before the session ends.” Weninger said he gave “an impassioned speech” to his colleagues for Mesnard’s bill and that the outcome “was really disappointing.” “It essentially was the League of Cities on one side which was the influence,” he said. “Now, like JD said, a lot of people just don’t want any regulation, but on the other side, it was the influence of the League of Cities saying, ‘it’s not good enough.’”

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Weninger said Mesnard’s bill would have addressed the short-term rentals that become party houses and neighborhood nuisances. “This bill fixed the party house and you could have literally taken someone’s license away,” he said. The legislators discussed a variety of other issues, including the proposal now making its way through the Legislature for a flat 2.5 percent state income tax. Municipalities contend they will lose millions of dollars in shared tax revenue if a flat tax is imposed. “We do think that there needs to be some major tax reform to really help us compete against these other states,” Weninger said. But Pawlick said, “One concern that I have that I’ve heard from our cities is that it will really impact the shared revenue that the cities operate their budgets on to the tune of almost 30 percent of their budget. “And I’m very concerned that that will impact the cities’ ability to pay for public safety.”

Mesnard noted that the state’s current surplus is four times the size of any state budget surplus in Arizona’s history. And he boasted of the tax reform’s potential impact. “I am optimistic,” he said. “We’re going to do something pretty big, pretty spectacular. Actually, something that will get us national recognition.” He also said, “I’ve spoken with the mayors and others about the impact on the cities and we’re going to do what we can to mitigate that.” But he noted that the state’s budget surplus now totals $12 billion – “which is outrageous.” He also said “the cities also are sitting on some money” from the measure that legalized recreational pot “and that will also be leading to more revenue for public safety.” Less than a week after the roundtable, aides to Gov. Doug Ducey said their boss fully supports the big tax overhaul, which is wending its way through the Legislature.

NEWS

SANTAN from page 10

moratorium and the prospect that more people in the Valley will face unstable housing situations. “$100 on a raffle ticket is a lot for me to spend, but it was a great way to give back,” Faber said. When the organization called her initially, Faber was unable to pick up the call and so a message was left on her voice mail informing her she had won. When she picked up, “All I could do was cry, I couldn’t talk anymore,” Faber said. “It was like being struck by lightning. I don’t even win my own office raffles, I just wanted to give money to a good cause,” she explained. Both Hovik and Kolar were pleased over the winner, expressing similar sen-

ISLANDS from page 6

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

timents that few were more deserving of winning – especially since Faber has never owned a new car in her life. “Miracles do happen, and after the obvious sadness weeks ago, I’m so pleased to gather in a time of joy and celebrate with the community,” Hovik said. Faber was all smiles. After getting behind the wheel of her new vehicle for the first time, she playfully asked the crowd, “Who wants a ride?”

San Tan Ford owner Tim Hovic hands the SUV keys over to Gilbert Officer Vickie Fabor., who won a raffle sponsored by the House of Refuge. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer)

politicians who were purchased by investors that own these Airbnbs and they were purchased by lobbyists. “There were two bills that were run in the Legislature this year that would have regulated Airbnbs statewide on some level. … It didn’t seem like anybody was aware there’s been different bills to address the issue this year.” The failed Senate Bill 1379, sponsored

by Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, included restricting the number of adults in a short-term rental and giving municipalities authority to enact fines and penalties on hosts who violate the law. House Bill 2481 by Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, which allowed municipalities to create residential use and zoning ordinances on short-term rentals, also fell by the wayside.

Hendrix said many of the problems raised by the residents at the meeting are already regulated. “When they talk about fights in the streets, it’s already against the law,” he said. “You talk about vandalism to a neighbor’s property, that’s already against the law. You talk about noise at 2 in the morning, it’s already against the law. You talk about people that are not

clothed swimming in a lake in their community, that’s already against the law. “Most of the problem they’re having, although they didn’t realize it, these problems are already regulated.” “They’re already against the law and the issue comes down to how do we choose to enforce those issues as a town. It might be something to talk about in the future.”

BY KEVIN REAGAN GSN Staff Writer

tivities and off-campus field trips. “We are optimistic and it is reflected in this plan for 2021-2022,” said Superintendent Camille Casteel, who will be retiring this summer. Perhaps the biggest deviation in the district’s new plan is the removal of a mandate that had been requiring all 44,000 of Chandler’s students to wear face masks on campus. The district says it will support every student’s wish to continue wearing masks and will be encouraging administrators to prevent any mask-related bullying observed between students. The mitigation measures are still subject to change as Arizona’s vaccination rates continue to change and new recommendations come down from state and

federal agencies. “There still is no playbook on how to manage a pandemic,” the superintendent added. “We’ve been operating under conflicting, changing messages and varying opinions.” Students will now be expected to distance themselves from each other by at least 3 feet rather than 6. The sharing of classroom materials will be permissible again, as long hand-washing practices remain in place. Elementary students will be allowed to return to pre-pandemic protocols and will be allowed to play on their school’s playground before the school day starts. The district intends on deferring to the Arizona Interscholastic Association for any mitigation rules involving athletic ac-

tivities. Assistant Superintendent Craig Gilbert said the district’s plan attempts to ensure every student and employee will feel safe on campus. “We believe this is the best course of action for moving forward,” Gilbert said. While an unknown number of CUSD teachers have received the COVID-19 vaccine, the district will not be asking teachers or students to show proof of vaccination in order to return to school in the fall. “We have had no goals established in regards to vaccination of students,” Gilbert said. “Just like any other vaccinations, it is going to be up to the parents to decide if that’s what they’re going to do.”

Chandler Unified easing COVID-19 rules

ew mitigation measures released by the Chandler Unified School District show students won’t have to wear masks in the next school year and will be allowed to stand closer to each other. After more than a year of social distancing and mask mandates, CUSD officials are planning to ease some of their pandemic-related restrictions and begin the process of returning to a sense of normalcy. The district’s mitigation plan for next year includes more than 20 changes to Chandler’s current policies and include reduced restrictions on after-school ac-

see CUSD page 15

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

ROOM from page 1

ry dyslexia, cognitive learning disability and sensory processing disorder – told her mom she was stripped of her shoes and put into a “box room” because she was “bad.” “When she was in kindergarten, if Finley was having a hard time, the teacher would email or call me or the special-ed teacher would call or email me,” Kizer said. This time, no one from the school called her, Kizer said, and Finley would have likely remained in the dark until her daughter’s revelation. HUSD citing privacy laws would not comment on what happened with Finley. The so-called “Recovery and Limitations Rooms” are used for the involuntary confinement of HUSD students and are permissible under state statute, according to the district. “Again, a school is permitted to use restraint and/or seclusion techniques on any pupil,” the district stated. “The use of restraint and seclusion techniques is not limited to pupils with an IEP.” An Individualized Educational Plan ensures students with disabilities receive specialized instruction and related services. For the 2019-20 academic year, 16 unidentified students were put into a seclusion room. One student was placed into the room 10 times in July, according to district documents requested by Gilbert Sun News. In the 2020-21 school year, 12 students were placed into the rooms. “Due to student privacy, we are not able to disclose the campus as it could identify a group of students,” said district spokeswoman Teresa Joseph. Not all Higley Unified campuses have such a room. According to the district, Power Ranch Elementary is the only campus that has areas pre-identified for use when the seclusion technique is warranted but that many locations on a campus could be used for that technique. Under state statue, a school is allowed to use restraint or seclusion techniques on any student if their behavior “presents an imminent danger of bodily harm to the pupil or others” and if “less restrictive interventions appear insuffi-

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cient to mitigate the imminent danger of bodily harm.” Kizer said Finley told her she was out on the playground playing with other kids when some boy kept kicking her feet every time she ran by. It made her angry, so she ended up pushing the little boy, Kizer said. The district, however, said that’s not what happened March 3. According to an incident report by Assistant Principal Michelle Cota, Finley “began to hit and kick students during lunch recess.” A general education teacher took Finley to the front office, where she became upset, “claiming that she had not been hitting and kicking students, rather the teacher was the one hitting and kicking students,” according to the report. Finley began to run around the office and hid under a table. Cota said she coaxed Finley out and escorted her to a recovery room. “Once in the recovery room, Finley began to pull way from me, kicking, hitting and scratching me – this continued for two minutes,” Cota said in the report. Because Finley did not stop her actions, Cota placed the girl in the seclusion room for 5 minutes to calm down, the report stated. Two wall-mounted video cameras in the room allowed staff to monitor the girl. Kizer said she was initially told by Cota that Finley was put into the room because she couldn’t keep her hands to herself, knocked over a chair and tossed something on the floor in Cota’s office. Under HUSD’s Student Conduct policy, the restraining techniques are not to be used as a punishment for misconduct and that school personnel are required to notify the parent/guardian on the same day they are used unless circumstances prevent same-day notification. According to the U.S. Department of Education, a school’s use of restraint or seclusion may have a traumatic impact on a student. Even if the student were never again restrained or secluded, the student might nevertheless have new academ-

see ROOM page 14

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ROOM from page 13

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

ic or behavioral difficulties that, if not addressed promptly, could constitute a denial of federal financial assistance, the department says. The fact sheet on restraining and seclusion of students with disabilities said that traumatizing effect could manifest itself in new behaviors, impaired concentration or attention in class or increased absences. The federal agency’s latest civil rights data report for the 2017-18 school year found of the 101,990 students nationwide who were restrained at school to immobilize them or reduce their ability to move freely or were placed in seclusion – 79,676, or 78 percent, were students with disabilities. Specifically, 56,905 students were subjected to physical restraint, 1,494 students were subjected to mechanical restraint, and 21,277 students were subjected to seclusion, according to the data. Kizer said no one from the school called her either to tell her that Finley was having an issue and to come and pick her up or after when she was put into the room. According to HUSD emails, Kizer called the district office March 4 about the incident. School Principal Chris Reuter on March 5 responded and arranged for Kizer to view the seclusion room that same day. Kizer demanded to see video tape of her daughter in the room but was told by the district the cameras only provid-

or seclusion techniques must be used only by school personnel who are trained in the safe and effective use of restraint and seclusion techniques unless an emergency situation does not allow sufficient time to summon trained personnel.” Kizer also questioned how much physical force was used on her daughter, who she said, had “nail marks cutting into her wrist.” According to Cota, she maintained contact with Finley “by gently holding onto her wrist,” the report said. Kizer said Finley informed her that Cota threatened to put her in the room every time she was bad and she wondered how many times the district locked up Finley. “Finley told me it happened more than once,” Kizer said. “She kept saying seven but with her having a cognitive learning disability, I don’t know if it happened that many times or she Gilbert mom Haley Kizer is outraged over how Power was threatened to be put in the Ranch Elementary staff treated her 7-year-old daughter room that many times.” District staff contacted KizFinley. (Special to GSN) er on March 5 and March 12 to discuss steps to help Fined live feed. She also demanded the dis- ley move forward, according to HUSD trict discipline Cota, who she said is not emails. trained in the use of restraints. But, according to Kizer, the efforts According to district policy, “restraint failed to help her daughter, who con-

tinued to be traumatized by what happened to her. She has become fearful, no longer trusts authority figures and “no longer knows the difference between discipline and abuse,” according to Kizer. “I try to keep her focused as much as possible,” she said. “She has to go to therapy.” “She brought up she was a bad kid and she knew she was weird. I keep telling her she is not weird or bad. She got a hold of some tweezers and she wanted to cut herself with it but decided to pick at crayons. “When my daughter returned back to school they tried to antagonize her unstable state and make it appear she was the problem,” Kizer said. “I pulled her from school and put her online.” She said she will have Finley finish out the school year online and then plans to enroll her in a special-needs school in the fall. Kizer said as a single-mom she doesn’t have the money to pursue legal action against the district. The district did not respond to a question if there have been other parents who have complained about the use of the room. In the meantime, Kizer has posted a 25-minute video of the incident on her Facebook page to alert other parents about the room. “I know it won’t change anything that happened with my daughter,” she said. But “I’m doing whatever I can to get the word out.”

GSN NEWS STAFF

have at least 25 percent of their population consisting of Hispanic students. Over 5,000 Chandler-Gilbert students last school year identified as Hispanic. As a result of the designation, the college can seek millions of dollars in grant funding that could go towards curriculum development, new technology or a scholarship endowment. Chandler-Gilbert joins eight other community colleges in Maricopa County to earn the HSI label. Scottsdale Community College is now the only campus in that has not earned the status.

college’s students. “It will equip our college to better serve our Hispanic and Latinx students throughout their academic careers,” President Peterson added. Over the last year, Chandler-Gilbert has had to contend with fluctuating enrollment numbers as many students chose to delay their post-secondary education during the pandemic. CGCC and the nine other campuses in the Maricopa Community College Dis-

College earns special status for Hispanic population

ew enrollment figures have helped Chandler-Gilbert Community College earn a distinction that will allow the campus to apply for new sources of federal funding. The growing number of CGCC students who identify as Hispanic or Latinx has recently reached a level that has allowed the college to earn the title of a “Hispanic-Serving Institution.” The U.S. Department of Education awards the distinction to colleges that

College President Greg Peterson said the new distinction will open up more opportunities for Chandler-Gilbert to seek federal funding that can support a variety of programs. “This is a sign of the commitment we’ve made to our Latinx community members and neighbors to prioritize inclusive curriculum, resources and student support,” Peterson said. Even though the HSI distinction singles out the college’s Hispanic community, Peterson said the status could potentially enrich the education of all the

see COLLEGE page 16

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

CUSD from page 12

That policy, which almost certainly will prevail in other districts, contrasts sharply with many colleges and universities across the country. They are requiring staff and students to be vaccinated. Arizona State University President Michael Crow said he “expects” students will be vaccinated when they return to campuses in August, but there has been no indication that the state universities will mandate it. Chandler Unified has reported only about a dozen active COVID-19 cases throughout the district and administrators now rely on county officials to decide when a campus should close due to a sudden outbreak. CUSD had been using its own data to determine when schools would have to close, but the district has yet to have enough active cases of COVID-19 to warrant a temporary shutdown. Students who have been in the presence of an infected individual will continue to be quarantined for up to 10 days, but CUSD is contemplating whether it’s still effective to keep students home while the rest of society starts to open up again. “This is one area that we know school districts are debating,” said Larry Rother, the district’s executive director of educational services. Students who have been fully vaccinated won’t be required to quarantine after coming into contact with an infected person. But Rother said school districts across the Valley have been discussing whether quarantine procedures should remain in place or if a better system should be im-

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plemented. During the worst days of the pandemic, CUSD had quarantined up to 2,700 students. And yet only a handful of these students ended up testing positive for the coronavirus. “It’s kind of hard to use that data to say if they’ve gotten (COVID-19) at school or not,” said Rother, adding it’s been difficult for CUSD to trace how a quarantined student contracted the virus. Furthermore, quarantined students could now potentially contract the virus at a restaurant, theater, or any other business that had been previously shuttered for most of the pandemic. The data dashboard CUSD created during the pandemic, which shows how many COVID-19 cases have been reported at each campus, will continue to be updated on a weekly basis. CUSD additionally plans to continue practicing the cleaning and hand-washing procedures it initiated during the pandemic. Students who are not comfortable with returning to campus will be encouraged to enroll in the Chandler Online Academy, since CUSD does not plan to provide any other type of virtual learning next year. Interim Superintendent Frank Narducci said the district’s plan will undoubtedly anger some parents who may feel the mitigation is too strict or too lenient. But the district intends to be committed to the best practices that can protect students, he said, regardless of the divisions that still exist among families. “Our community is divided in their ideology, as well as opinion, as to COVID-19 mitigation practices,” Narducci said.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

RACE from page 8

against all four cops. “Minority students have been told time and time again to tell a teacher, an administrator or a parent and as Black students we have taken this route and were met with nothing but empty promises and blanket statements, Carl said. “Too much time is spent on saving the reputation of the school or schools rather than sowing the new seeds of love and unity.” He accused the district of spending too much energy “towards coddling the privileged rather than aiding the oppressed.” “Long story, short I came here to ask Gilbert Public Schools to be more accountable for its actions no matter who the offender may be,” he said; “even if it is you.” Hanaan Abdulle, a senior and president of BSU, said she and members of the group were fortunate to meet with the school principal and the superintendent last summer to share their experiences at Highland High. “We shared our stories with the naive

hope that that through impacting our leaders that they would see the emergent need of action to protect their students of color.” Instead, the students found a lackluster sense of progression and ultimately their concerns was put on the backburner, she said. “They heard us, they saw our pain,” Hanaan continued. “And they defaulted on false promises.” She said when they pretend racism and racist acts are not as prevalent, what results are things like the video. “It’s incidents like these that remind us of where we are in our struggle for equality,” she added. “These students and many others are not edgy teens who went too far. These are home-bred racists who intentionally (commit) hate crimes (against) students for their own enjoyment.” She asked the district to be pro-active in combating the erratic ideology of hate. “We go to school not to simply learn how to count or how to read,” Hanaan

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said. “We go to school to learn how to be a contributing member of civil society.” Mary Conley, who is white, also spoke about the video incident. She wanted to know how the district planned on addressing it and the strategy for moving forward. A total of 18 speakers spoke on a wide range of topics, including the unfair enforcement of dress code during the public comments portion of the board meeting. Because the topics were not on the agenda, the board is prohibited from addressing them under state statute. But Board member Reed Carr assured the speakers “many of us will probably have a private discussion with Dr. McCord as to how to proceed outside of this meeting.” Board President Charles Santa Cruz said the speakers’ comments didn’t fall on deaf ears. “Please know the superintendent as people were speaking was feverishly taking notes and there is at least a certainly that he will have that conversation with staff and subsequently with us in some form,” Dr. Santa Cruz said. “The outgrowth of that is typically some kind of decision, some kind of policy, some kind of procedures.” A day after the board meeting, spokeswoman Dawn Antestenis said the district has held a number of meetings with students and parents regarding race relations on campuses.

“The intention is to continue this open dialogue with all stakeholders to actively build learning environments that are built on respect, where every student feels supported and heard,” Antestenis said in an email. “As was shared with our community recently the use of racial slurs, racist acts or racially charged language is not permitted in Gilbert Public Schools and will be met with consequences.” She said the district believes its key role is promoting inclusion within society and that it’s essential that its schools are a safe place where students feel heard, supported and treated equally. “Our district policies and procedures are designed to achieve this, and it is our goal to create learning environments where every student and employee is treated with respect,” she said. “As a district we know and acknowledge that there is still much work to be done.” Racist incidents aren’t new at Highland High School. In the early 2000s a white supremacist gang of football players at the campus called the Devil Dogs terrorized the community. The gang grabbed media attention after an especially brutal beating of another teenager that left him disfigured. Another campus in the district also came under spotlight in 2020 after a Campo Verde High School senior posted a racist TikTok video that went viral.

trict have collectively lost about 10,000 full-time students over the last year. Chandler-Gilbert started off its 20202021 school year with a 22-percent drop in its enrollment numbers. The college ended the 2021 spring semester with about 11,000 students and already has more than 2,100 enrolled for courses in the fall. The campus anticipates its enrollment data to change as it begins to bring back more in-person class offerings in the coming months. During the pandemic, most of Chandler-Gilbert’s courses had to quickly shift over to a virtual format. Chandler-Gilbert has not made public any plans for what types of projects it

may seek federal funding for, now that it’s eligible to apply for the government’s HSI grants. Only 18 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities have the HSI distinction. Each year, the country’s HSI campuses compete to obtain a large grant from the federal government for a project that would benefit its minority students. In 2019, more than 200 HSI campuses applied for grants and only 43 were successful in obtaining funds, which had a total value of $24 million. Phoenix’s Gateway Community College received $582,000 in 2019 to develop a holistic approach to ensuring its students graduate on time.

COLLEGE

from page 14

COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

For more community news visit gilbertsunnews.com GilbertSunNews.com

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Quilters display heirloom treasures in Gilbert BY SRIANTHI PERERA GSN Contributor

eirloom quilts – those that are handed down from one generation to another – have a special place in families. Their creations often have stories attached to them, or its fabric tells the stories of yesteryear. The quilt show currently running through end May at HD SOUTH, the home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, displays many such treasures. It is open free of charge on Memorial Day. The all-volunteer quilting bee within the museum accepts community quilts to complete and helps raise funds for the organization. Over the years, it has basted many heirlooms. Basting means making backing, adding batting and attaching the quilt top to complete the layers of a quilt. This

In one quilt called “Sunbonnet Julie,” she depicts her daughter Kim Davis (now a g r a n d mother) when she was a teenager. The quilt was hand-quilted Darlene Reid quilts history into her work. This is one of her Laurie Abdo with her treasured Grandmother’s Flower by the bee, Sunbonnet Sue patterned quilts.(Srianthi Perera/Contributor) Garden patterned quilt that her mom made for her in and contains secret. (Srianthi Perera/Contributor) fabric from dresses that is an important step in the process and is Guided by her imagination, Reid gives Julie used to wear. “She had a mind of her own. She done by hand. life to the classic quilt block pattern Avid quilter Darlene Reid is one such Sunbonnet Sue, which became popular wanted to pick out her own clothes. One member whose quilts have stories in the early 20th century and depicts a see QUILTERS page 20 attached. hooded frontier girl

Gilbert teen gets jump on med school BY CASEY FLANAGAN GSN Staff Writer

ge is just a number for Nathan Reed, a Gilbert student who has been accepted into medical school at age 18 – six years ahead of the average. Reed will begin studying at the AT Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in July and will be placed at a clinical health center in Mesa. Reed said he has dreamed of becoming a doctor since he was young, and already has a few ideas on where to take his medical career. “I entered the process of college thinking I want to become a developmental pediatrician,” he said, citing a “huge need, especially in the Valley, for

Gilbert resident Nathan Reed recently graduated from Arizona State University and is now heading to medical school a good 6 years earlier than the average miedcal student starts. (Special to GSN)

that type of doctor.” Reed also grew fascinated with the gastrointestinal tract through his studies at Arizona State University’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. “Part of med school is learning and seeing these different fields up close, so I’m choosing to keep an open mind and make that decision later down the line,” Reed said. Reed said he chose AT Still because “I liked the fact that they’re a very established program with a good history, and they’re focused on the underserved.” He has previously worked with children with special needs, who he said often are among that underserved community.

see GRAD page 18

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

9 Gilbert Girl Scouts earn Bronze Award BY ASHLYN ROBINETTE GSN Staff Writer

ine Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 1656 in Gilbert recently earned their Bronze Award for filling 100 birthday party bags for foster children. “Each bag contained items that would create a birthday party, as many foster children do not have birthday parties and sadly, some do not have their birthday even acknowledged,” said Kellie Stevenson, co-Junior Girl Scout leader. “Our girls wanted to change that as they know how important it is to have your special day celebrated.” The award was given to Scouts Aubrey See, Averie Stevenson, Jalyn Johnson, Helene Keckta, Madelynn Voiles, Kiley Hubbell, Cordy Didrickson, Maley Resh, and Kyrie Gray. The Bronze Award is the highest honor a Junior Scout can achieve. Three of the girls are in fourth grade and six are in fifth grade. The girls were led by Stevenson and Heidi Resh. To earn the Bronze Award, Girl Scout Juniors have to team up to make a difference in their community by choosing a project, planning it, and putting their plan into action. Each girl must complete

a minimum of 20 hours during their project. Girl Scout Cadettes, who are in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade, do a similar project to earn the Silver Award while seniors and ambassadors must drive

lasting change in their communities and beyond to receive the Gold Award. “The girls learned to help those less fortunate,” Resh said. “I also hope that they learned team building and leadership skills.”

“Being able to, while I’m a student, help service these populations, is just an added benefit of their program,” Reed said. Reed said the osteopathic approach to medicine used at AT Stills also falls in line with a principle he learned as an Eagle Scout: “be prepared.” The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine notes that “osteopathic medicine is a ‘whole person’ approach to medicine – treating the entire person rather than just the symptoms.” According to Reed, to be prepared “means you’ve given yourself every tool and bit of knowledge you have to succeed and be successful.” Reed said the founding principles of osteopathic medicine, “of manipulating the muscular system, skeletal system, to heal other parts of the body, and how

they connect, is an important aspect for me.” Another standout aspect of AT Still, according to Reed, is that “you don’t spend, necessarily, all four years at their learning center here in Mesa.” “They have a lot of what they call” clinical health centers, Reed said, that allow students to practice medicine under medical professionals in underserved areas. AT Still students still go through traditional schooling, Reed said, “but get to practice medicine and see professionals in their field doing medicine, which I think is going to be an enormous help in molding me into a better physician.” Reed said as long as he meets the requirements, there is no reason he can’t enter med school at such a young age. AT Still Dean Jeffrey Morgan has

pushed him to pursue this goal since they met when Reed was 16, he said. “If it wasn’t for people like Dr. Morgan,” Reed said, “I probably would have given up because some of the people I met even told me ‘there’s no chance you will be accepted at any younger age than 20.’” The process to enter med school at 18 years old was years in the making, and started with Reed’s high school experience, he explained. Reed said he completed high school through a homeschool co-op called Elite School for Gifted and Talented Youth. Reed’s graduating class consisted of about 16 students, he said. “Every person had a lesson that either worked for the whole group or was special to them, depending on what they were learning at the time,” Reed explained.

GRAD from page 17

Troop 1656 Brozne Award winners and their leaders are, from left: Kellie Stevenson (leader), Aubrey See, Averie Stevenson, Jalyn Johnson, Helene Keckta, Madelynn Voiles, Kiley Hubbell, Cordy Didrickson, Heidi Resh (leader), Maley Resh and Kyrie Gray. (Special to GSN)

The Juniors began brainstorming project ideas in the fall and the majority voted on creating birthday party bags for foster children, Resh said. Throughout their meetings, which were every two weeks, they created a supply wish list, wrote a letter to send to friends, family and local businesses asking for donations, collected and sorted the donated items, then went shopping to fulfill the rest of their list using monetary donations. Inside each bag were tablecloths, plates, napkins, candles, cake box mix, frosting, sprinkles, invitations, streamers, balloons, party hats, toys, and a $10 giftcard to Target or Walmart. Once the 100 birthday party bags were filled and ready for distribution, they gave them to Branching Out Family Services, a Chandler company that provides services to support adoptive, foster and special needs families. “I feel as though it was a very rewarding and eye-opening experience,” Stevenson said. “It gave the girls awareness that not everyone has as many blessings. It made them realize that they shouldn’t take their own birthdays and celebrations for granted.” Reed said his parents decided on a homeschool co-op because before high school, he was years ahead in math and excelled in science but struggled in English. “I put more effort into catching myself up in English, while not letting my math fall behind,” Reed said. That allowed him to finish high school four years early. Reed said he completely finished his high school curriculum in 2014 but filed for graduation in 2016. He said he earned some college credits through Rio Salado Community College and Mesa Community College in the meantime. Doing this allowed Reed to enter Arizona State University in 2019 “as a

see GRAD page 21

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QUILTERS from page 17

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

day I bought her a skirt and I gave it to her and she said ‘oh that’s nice’ and she put it in the closet,” Reid said. “A few weeks later, she came out on her way to school and she said, ‘oh drop this off at Goodwill.’” “I looked into the bag and she had put that skirt in there,” Reid added. “The skirt has come back to haunt her.” Davis now lives in Ohio and the two of them have worked together on many quilting projects. “Sunbonnet Darlene” is dressed according to a pattern from a 1933 Capper’s Farmer magazine. “These girls are dressed exactly the way I dressed. I didn’t wear the hats, but the dresses, the shoes, the socks are similar,” Reid said. In other iterations, Sunbonnet Sue is a witch, and is quilted with a black cat, pumpkins and a border of Halloween décor skeletons. “That’s what she does to Sunbonnet Sue; she morphs her into other personalities,” said Kathy Lester, another volunteer. Quilter Laurie Abdo displays a “Grand-

mother’s Flower Garden” patterned quilt that was completed by the Gilbert group. Abdo’s mom made it in the 1980s when Abdo was abroad. “I was completely unaware of what she had made until about 14 years ago, when she first showed it to me and she asked me to pack it and send it to Texas to be quilted by a friend of hers,” she said. But her friend couldn’t do her bidding, and the quilt was returned and boxed until her mom passed in 2015. “The quilt top finally came home with me, with all the rest of mom’s and dad’s possessions,” Abdo said. Periodically, she would search for someone who could complete the work. She even tried to get it machine-quilted, but was advised not to. That’s when Abdo came across the Gilbert group. The volunteers accepted the project, but she had to wait nearly two years. One day, she went to the museum with her children and her camera. “I realized that my kids had not seen it, and I needed to document what it looked like,

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and where it was; just in case something happened to me, it would not be lost to the family,” Abdo said. “I was thrilled to walk into the room where the quilters work and see mom’s work spread before me,” she added. Abdo was so impressed by the group, its happy camaraderie and industriousness that she volunteered to join them. She had some sewing and embroidery experience during her youth and felt that she could learn the rest. “The ladies were very welcoming to me, the newcomer, and they had questions about mom, the maker of the top we were working on,” she said, adding: “The whole experience over the next few months was heartwarming and cathartic. Each time I worked on the quilt I recognized fabrics from my childhood.” She came across a fabric patterned with pink suns that used to be a sundress when she was about four years old; there were others from her childhood, clothes that her mom made into her teenage years and those that she

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herself had stitched. “Some I had forgotten about completely until I sat staring at it and putting needle and thread through it. Each was a happy surprise that brought back memories. There were also pieces from dresses I had made mom, and those also brought back happy memories,” Abdo recalled. Iva Ruth is another quilter who gave long hours to the bee. She passed recently. Her family donated a selection of fabrics that belonged to her and Abdo made a quilt out of the samples and called it “Thank You, Iva.” Most of the quilts worked on are from the Valley, but sometimes they come from other states. Candace Miller of Three Forks, Montana sent a “Grandmother’s Flower Garden” patterned quilt that was made in the 1960s by the members of the Flat River Christian Church in Flat River, Missouri. “My mother’s first cousin helped make

see QUILTERS page 21

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU on Page 26

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

QUILTERS from page 20

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the quilt top and gave it to my mother as a gift. I inherited the quilt top and cherished it but wanted it quilted by hand,” Miller said. A friend mentioned the Gilbert Historical Museum hand quilters and Miller sent it there. “Their group completed hand quilting my quilt, a queen size, within 10 months. The finished product is beautifully done with love and care in every stitch and now I must carefully bind it by hand,” she said.

Reid, for whom quilting continues to play a significant role, has embedded her family history in quilts. One features her great-uncle Harry who died from the flu epidemic 100 years ago. At 18, he had his picture taken for Christmas, came home and told his mother he didn’t feel very well. “And he got sicker and died just like that,” Reid said. The quilt has masculine fabric and incorporates a newspaper clip with a flu advisory and a handwritten note from Harry to his girlfriend that reads

“good luck to all from your loving friend Harry.” Reid’s Grandma Jones quilt features the woolen fabrics cut out from winter clothing, including Uncle Ed’s uniform from the Korean War and school teacher Aunt Lola’s good quality clothing and also incorporates her wedding and 50th wedding anniversary photos, along with some poetry. Another poignant quilt features her grandfather Poppy Slattery and grandmother Laura Belle, who gave birth to

eight children, six of whom survived. Donald and Gladys, the two toddlers who passed of common illnesses at 18 months and nine months, are memorialized. “Their pictures reminded me of angels,” Reid said. Details: The quilt show runs to Memorial Day (entrance free on that day) at HD. Museum admission applies on other days. Call 480-926-1577 or hdsouth.org

freshman with two years’ worth of college credits already completed,” he said. Reed majored in applied biological sciences through the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts because it allowed him to study at ASU’s Polytechnic campus. “I have always loved sciences, especially biology, learning about the human body and animals,” he added. Reed said the biggest challenges of the major came in the labs, which he said

“may only be four credits, but they’re often as much work as six.” Reed said he had an especially big workload because in place of regular elective classes, he took classes that fulfilled his med school requirements. Reed said as the COVID 19 pandemic became entrenched, “I was a little bit blessed compared to some of my colleagues in that I had completed most of my lab credits before then.”

The one lab class Reed still had to do amid the pandemic was anatomy, which he said “was interesting trying to learn from Powerpoints and 2d images and models.” “I think it was one of the hardest things I had to adjust,” Reed added, but said he was motivated to push through the challenge by “my dream to become a doctor.” Reed won the Moeur Award for his work.

Reed said earning the award “was a major honor that I am still thrilled to have received in my academic journey.” Reed said his biggest motivators for his work are his parents. Neither specifically work in medicine, Reed said, but they “have instilled many of the values that I hold true in me that are very important, such as being committed to what you’re doing and never giving up.”

GRAD from page 18

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Wedding show highlights pandemic’s impact on nuptials BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

s the wedding industry emerges from its pandemic slump, businesses and betrothed alike are reinventing ceremonies and celebrations to a large extent. No longer are there only ceremonies. Mini-monies follow micro-weddings while sequel-monies are bigger receptions that are scheduled the following year. Whether plated or buffet, reception meals are different and guests who belly up to the bar for a cocktail likely will be pouring everything themselves except for the booze. And couples may have to move off a traditional Saturday for a wedding if they Master Wedding Planner Kim Horn says the want to tie the knot this year. These and other pandemic impacts on pandemic impacted weddings in many ways. (Special to GSN) the wedding industry – and how they affect couples – are part of the first bienAlthough future nial Arizona Wedbrides and their ding Show in a year entourage could try and a half. on gowns at preKim Horn of vious shows, that Ahwatukee, one of won’t be happening. the world’s few certiThe show – which fied master wedding was canceled both planners who helps times last year – organize this longwill run 9 a.m. to 3 time event, said that p.m. June 6 at the couples also will be Convention Center’s able to check out 175 South Building in matrimony-related downtown Phoenix. vendors. Tickets, which are And like most $8 now or $10 on everything else in June 6, will not be wedding world, the sold at the door and show is bending to must be purchased COVID-19: attendees at arizonaweddingmust be masked and show.com. their number will be limited at any given Bride Cailee Schreck is dressed in an That ticket also point through timed Avancy Bridal gown. (FaithandCody.com/Spe- entitles one lucky cial to GSN) couple to win a tickets.

package with big discounts on gowns, tuxes, venue, DJ, photography, invitations and décor – courtesy of the vendors. Horn said the ebbing of the pandemic has “basically unleashed everything” in her professional world. Think train wreck when it comes to a popular venue or a specific date. “Put it this way,” Horn explained. “Almost half the couples last year that we’re getting scheduled to get married rescheduled their date to 2021. Many

Cailee Schreck’s gown features what Horn calls “gorgeous beaded detail on the back.” (IFaithandCody.com/Special to GSN)

have been rescheduled to fall.” “Then you have all of the new people who got engaged last year and are looking at having their wedding in the fall of 2021 too,” she continued. And naturally, most want a Saturday wedding, prompting Horn to reflect, “It’s insane because you only have so many Saturdays.” As a result, wedding planners like Horn are prodding couples to think other days of the week for their nuptials. Like Friday – “Then you get the reception out of the way and you have the

whole weekend to relax and visit with family and friends.” Or Sunday, though, “you have the whole weekend to be stressed.” Or even Monday through Thursday – which could save couples a lot of money from vendors all too willing to make some money on what would be a typically dead day, Horn advised. The venue operators themselves have their own stresses – starting with the fact that resorts and restaurants can’t find enough people to work. That’s a big reason why Gov. Doug Ducey last week said the supplemental $300 in unemployment pay will end July 10 and why two weeks ago he rescinded his pandemic order that had relaxed the requirement to prove people are diligently searching for a job if they want to receive the state’s $240 in weekly unemployment compensation. In rescinding the extra $300-a-week, Ducey specifically cited the difficulty that restaurants, bars and the like are having finding wait staff, bartenders, cooks and other employees. Arizona Grand General Manager Paul Gray can testify to the wedding challenge. “As larger gatherings become safer, inquiries for more traditional weddings are definitely coming back,” Gray said. “Many couples that had to cancel in 2020 and chose to wait are now itching to throw their dream wedding. “We are currently working aggressively to hire new and returning staff in just about every area of operations to meet current and future demand.” Horn added, “A lot of the resorts that I’ve talked to are having a really hard time getting cooks back because they went off and found something else.” The venues themselves have changed their operations to some degree to be in step with the times.

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WEDDINGS page 23

BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

WEDDINGS from page 22

“Everything is very different,” Horn said. “The plated meal is very different. The buffet is very different. Now we have the stations with acrylic dividers so if someone sneezes and doesn’t sneeze in their elbow, the food is covered.” Even attire has been impacted, though, of course, new fashions still remain a big consideration, COVID-19 be damned. Couture wedding gowns feature ruffles, high slits and varied necklines, Horn said, adding that mix and match bridesmaid dresses for style and color to accent body shape are a big thing. “The groom now can choose from designer suits and tuxes in bold colors with pocket squares and accessories to highlight their personality,” Horn added. Micro-weddings for up to 50 people are still a big thing, so as a result, she said, “floral and succulents have a specific color palette in lieu of a specific flower based on what’s in season and available.” And while many pandemic restrictions have been lifted, cautious couples are

still seeking outdoor venues for weddings – putting even more demand on venues for cooler fall wedding dates. All of which means, Horn said, is that what “couples should be looking at is flexibility.” “If they call a venue and they love that venue and this is the venue that I want, they are normally going to save money if they switch to an off-premium date.” Nonetheless, Horn said, the pandemic hasn’t taken the thrill or the traditional stress out of a couple’s big day. And that’s what makes the Arizona Wedding Show so useful, she said. “We have venues. We have invitations. We have dress shops. We have wedding planners. We have DJ’s. We have live music. There are suits and tux rentals. There are florists, weight loss clinics and hair and makeup, rental companies.” Asked if she added any type of vendor specifically because of the pandemic, Horn replied “We’re not really adding any vendors but we are adding more people doing sanitation.”

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Gilbert schools well represented at state meet BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

he 2021 track & field state championships saw the emergence of future powerhouse programs and a star on one of Gilbert’s best teams year in and year out. Overall, Gilbert schools were well-represented on the championship podiums, with Highland and Williams Field’s girls placing second overall in their respective divisions. But there were plenty of individual honors also handed out during the two-day event. “I think I’ve only scratched the surface of my potential,” Highland sophomore Lainey Jones said. “It was super cool to be able to compete and I think I will only get better.” Highland’s track & field program competes for a state championship on a regular basis as head coach Monty Montgomery continuously finds ways to reload his roster with athletes. This year, after the pandemic forced the

ALA Gilbert North’s relay team, made up of Adam Damante, Emeka Ogbonna, Tristan Carrera and Justin Provenzano placed first overall in the 4x100-meter relay. (Zac BonDurant/

GSN Contributor)

cancellation of the 2020 season, he unleashed Jones, a super sophomore that has already established herself as one

of the top sprinters in the state. Jones challenged defending champion Trinity Henderson from Chandler in

Morales, second-ranked Mesquite held off No. 4 Salpointe Catholic 2-1 in a rematch of the 2019 4A title game Monday night at Tempe Diablo Stadium. “It was déjà vu all over again,” Holland said. “(Salpointe Catholic head coach Danny Prebble) does a hell of a job with those kids. I tell them we have to play 21 outs. We played till the last out. “No one thought we’d be here. Except us.” Both teams were locked in a pitcher’s duel through the first inning, as Salpointe Catholic right-hander Dawson McHughes found success on the mound early on. Mesquite managed to muster a hit in the bottom of the second off the

bat of Levi Morrison. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly by Chris Robles scored the Wildcats’ first run of the game. The RBI by Robles was his first of two on the night as he was responsible for both of Mesquite’s runs. His second came in the bottom of the fourth inning in the form of a single. “I was just trying to do my job as a (designated hitter),” Robles said. “We worked hard all year. In January, you would’ve never imagined us being here. But we made it and we won. It just feels great. “We worked so hard, and we deserve it.” On several occasions Salpointe Cath-

the Division I 100-meter dash championships on Saturday, May 15. Her time of 11.88 seconds was just .6 shy of Henderson’s mark, good for second place and the first medal of her high school career. Despite her young age, Jones never shied away from the competition or the spotlight. She went on to compete in the 200-meter dash later on and took third overall, medaling once again. She also helped Highland’s 4x100-meter relay team place second overall and the 4x400 team win gold, securing more points for her team that later proved to be the difference in the final rankings. “I love my team and I’m thankful for the opportunity to help them toward winning state,” Jones said. Highland’s girls finished the meet second overall with 83 team points, narrowly defeating Desert Vista with 80. Along with Jones’ contribution, Highland also received an added boost

see

TRACK page 25

Mesquite wins 4A title behind the arms of 2 stars BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

acks against the wall on several occasions during the 4A baseball championship, Mesquite head coach Jeff Holland never lost faith in his pitching staff. Junior right-hander Sebastian Granillo started on the mound for the Wildcats while senior right-handed pitcher Luis Morales came in for the save in midway through the top-half of the sixth frame. Both found themselves in jams throughout their outings, but they both delivered. Behind the arms of both Granillo and

olic had a chance to either tie or take the lead over Mesquite throughout the night. Three straight walks in the fourth inning left Granillo in a jam with bases loaded and two outs. He managed to get out of it with his fourth strikeout of the night, but he faced a similar situation in the fifth and sixth innings. On each occasion, however, he managed to record the third and final out. Between Granillo and Morales when he took over after 6 2/3 innings, Salpointe left 15 runners on base. The Lancers’ lone run came in the sixth in

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MESQUITE page 25

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

TRACK from page 24

from early in the meet from fellow sophomore Emma Baugh, who finished third in the 1600-meter final after overtaking Perry’s Taylor Lovell in the final 100 meters. Baugh was also racing in the state meet for the first time, and it just so happened she faced arguably two of the state’s best distance runners in Desert Vista’s Lauren Ping and Katie Sigerud. Still, Baugh held her own to finish in 5 minutes, 3.78 seconds. She also went on to place fourth in the 3200. “I’m really happy, especially with my final kick,” Baugh said. “I was thinking to myself, ‘should I go get it?’ and I figured, ‘why not?’ I had a lot of adrenaline going into the race and I think when I had that straight away I could hear my teammates cheering me on and I went for it.” Perry senior Makayla Long entered the state track & field meet with a bit of a chip on her shoulder after her personal and state record throw of 53-feet, 3.5 inches still wasn’t made official. She used that motivations, most of which built up frustration, to capture the Division I girls shot-put and discus state titles. Her state-record shot-put throw of 50-feet, 8 inches was nearly 8 feet further than second-place thrower Makayla Long of Chandler, who also placed second in the discus. Long continues to hold out hope her 53-foot throw at Red Mountain Rampage in April will be officially marked as the record. Nonetheless, she was

MESQUITE from page 24

the form of a wild pitch with the bases loaded. But even then, Mesquite managed to hang on. The final out came in the top of the seventh with two runners on for Salpointe. Morales forced a pop up between first and second base. Mesquite second baseman Jake Gorrell got under the ball to make the final out. “My teammates, my defense, I trusted them all the way,” Granillo said of his ability to maintain composure in several jams. “I knew Luis would come in and get the job done. Especially with this

pleased with her performance overall to close out her high school career. “It’s been a bit of a controversy in regard to my other throw,” Long said. “I’m not sure if they are going to appeal it or not but it’s great to always improve and be consistent at the 50-foot mark. I’ve come up short in year’s past so to finally have it in the bag feels awesome.” With Long’s help, Perry girls finished fourth overall at the meet with 62 points. In Division II, which took place at Perry High School, Williams Field’s girls fell just 10 points short of firstplace North Canyon for second overall. Sophomore Saira Prince helped the Blackhawks gain early points by winning the 100-meter hurdles. She also placed second in the 300-meter hurdles later on in the meet. Senior Alyssa Colbert, running for the last time, finished second overall 100-meter dash and was part of Williams Field’s 4x100-meter relay team that placed fourth. Prince and Colbert also teamed up with Kianna Jones and Jacklyn Trice to place second in the 4x400-meter relay. Along with Williams Field, Campo Verde’s girls also had a strong showing at the Division II level, placing fourth overall. American Leadership Academy Gilbert North’s boys track & field team didn’t see the result it wanted in the overall team scores but picked up a state championship in the 4x100-meter relay in an upset.

The Eagles qualified with a time of 42.70 seconds during preliminaries the Friday before the meet. They were behind only Peoria at 42.62 seconds. The Panthers had been the frontrunners for the state title in the event all season long. But ALA was confident it could walk away with gold medals. Adam Damante ran the final leg of the race and let out a boisterous cheer when he crossed the finish line at 42.28 seconds, the fastest time ever in ALA Gilbert North program history. He hugged relay teammate Emeka Ogbonna near the finish line before they were

joined by Tristan Carrera and Justin Provenzano on the podium. “We came into it knowing we were going to win that race, we had been preparing for it the entire season,” Damante said. “We were confident in ourselves,” Ogbonna added. “Peoria gave us a little shock with the time they ran (Friday) but we knew it was going to be a great battle and we would come out on top. “At the end of the day, our team chemistry has been what helped us all year long. We all trusted each other to be at the top of our game today.”

being a rematch and us coming out on top this time, it was much needed.” Holland praised his pitching staff for their ability to navigate out of tough situations. He also gave credit to his entire team for their tenacity and positive mindset throughout an emotional game. In five state championship appearances, Holland called Monday night’s 4A title game the most intense. Even after receiving an ice bath from his players, he was all smiles with the way his team performed. “Out of the five I have been in this was

probably one of the most tense,” Holland said. “I was disappointed we didn’t win in 2019. We were in the same situations, bases loaded with runners on. But we found a way to win today.” The win, in many ways, was more special given the circumstances Holland and his team faced last season – along with all spring sports in Arizona. The pandemic forced the cancellation of the season just a few weeks in. When the Wildcats took the field for the first game in over a year back in March, they set out to accomplish their goal of win-

ning the state title. They fell to Salpointe Catholic by a single run in 2019 and had the bitter taste of defeat in their mouths for two years. But finally, it has all come full circle for the Wildcats. “I think this win means more because they didn’t take anything for granted this year,” Holland said. “At the drop of a hat the season could’ve been over. They played every game like it was going to be their last. This is just a great group of men that came out and fought.”

Highland sophomore Lainey Jones has emerged as one of the state’s top sprinters after her contribution to the Hawks’ second-place finish at state. (Zac BonDurant/GSN Contributor)

SPORTS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Perry wins nail biter for volleyball championship BY BRITTANY BOWYER GSN Contributing Writer

Perry boys’ volleyball was pushed to a decisive fifth set, but the Pumas managed to come out on top to win their first-ever state championship.

t wasn’t long ago that the future of high school sports in Arizona was still up in the air. Fast forward to May 15 and the gym inside of Skyline High School was near full capacity for the 6A volleyball championship between top-ranked Perry and No. 2 Sandra Day O’Connor. Students packed the stands, sporting smiles for all to see and created an electric atmosphere that made Saturday’s title game feel like a “normal” sporting event. The two had faced off earlier in the year, which Perry won with some ease, 3-1. However, the Pumas, who are the topranked team nationally, were forced to rally from a deficit to capture the program’s first-ever state title in the decisive fifth set over the Eagles. “That was the first fifth set I think maybe everybody on the team has played, because last year we got it taken, we had a couple starters then,” Perry head coach Ryan Tolman said. Perry jumped out to an early lead in the

King Crossword

ACROSS

1 Green shade 5 Police officer 8 Achy 12 Last writes? 13 Coach Parseghian 14 Bard’s river 15 Besides 17 Hatchling’s home 18 Bagel choice 19 Aquarium favorites 21 Weir 22 Mediocre 23 Fan’s cry 26 ‘60s war zone 28 Entrap 31 Coup d’ -33 “The Voice” network 35 “My Way” composer 36 Event location 38 “Eureka!” 40 Speck 41 Zwei follower

(Pablo Robles/ GSN Staff

first set before O’Connor rallied to narrowly beat the Pumas 25-22 to take a 1-0 lead in the match. Being down in a match was a rare occurrence for Perry, which had dominated all year long and into the playoffs. However, the Pumas answered right back with a win of their own in the second set after going on a 10-5 run to take the lead and win. O’Connor was able to build momentum in the third set, jumping out to an 18-10

lead over Perry. The Pumas began to make a late push, but it proved to not be enough as they fell to a 2-1 deficit in the match. Hoping to avoid defeat, Perry answered the call with a 25-17 victory over O’Connor to force the decisive fifth and final set of the match. Gehrig Tolman, a junior and the son of Perry’s head coach, came alive in the fourth set to help his team avoid elimination. He and senior Dalan Smith began to mesh on the offensive side of the net for

PUZZLE ANSWERS on page 20

43 Literary rep 45 Move fast 47 Wiped out 51 Teen fave 52 Oliver Twist’s request 54 Margarita garnish 55 Leading lady? 56 Buffalo’s lake 57 “A Room of -- Own” 58 Sailor 59 Grit

DOWN

1 May honorees 2 Bassoon’s kin 3 Round Table titles 4 Lieu 5 Neanderthal 6 Raw mineral 7 Medicare section 8 “Evil Ways” band

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Perry that eventually helped lead to the win. The fifth and final set of the match brought a new level of intensity in the gym. Both sides of the stands cheered as the two teams went back-and-forth for the state title. Perry found a rhythm and gained some breathing room with three straight points that forced O’Connor into a timeout to regroup. However, momentum had already shifted to Perry’s side. Knowing they were only seven points away from a victory after playing from behind more than once on the night, the Pumas buckled down and stayed focused. They were able to maintain the lead, clawing their way to a 15-12 victory in the fifth set to win the match and state championship. “It was kind of scary, I’m not going to lie,” Tolman said. “You know, when you really don’t ever get behind, I mean, we were tied five different times this year but never behind like that, I was super proud of how the guys just hung in there and fought.”

Sudoku

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TEMPOE, LLC dba WhyNotLeaseIt® is an independent service provider of the LEASE IT program and not an affiliate or licensee of Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC or its affiliates. Sears Home Appliance Showrooms may be independently operated by authorized franchisees of Sears Home Appliance Showrooms, LLC or by authorized dealers of Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC. The SEARS mark is a service mark of Sears Brands, LLC.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Gilbert Sun News

1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com

Deadlines

The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | GilbertSunNews.com

Obituaries Jeffrey Scott Botta Sr.

Jeffrey Botta, 57, born in Pittsburgh, PA to parents Joseph and Ann Bizup Botta, passed away May 09, 2021. Jeffrey was President of Botta’s Concrete Construction and CEO of Precision Reinforcing in Mesa, AZ. Complete obituary and Guest Book available at MyrtleBeachFH.com

Need help writing an obituary? We have articles that will help guide you through the process. Deadline for obituaries is Wednesday at 5pm for Sunday. All obituaries will be approved by our staff prior to being activated. Be aware there may be early deadlines around holidays.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR.

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Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com

Public Notices

AVAILABILITY OF ANNUAL RETURN The Annual Return, form 990-PF, of Dr. LLOYD AND KAY CHAPMAN CHARITABLE FUND is available at the address noted below, by any citizen who so requests within 180 days after publication of this notice of its availability. Dr. Lloyd and Kay Chapman Charitable Fund 2330 W. Ray Rd., Suite 1 Chandler, AZ 85224 Telephone: 480-926- 0672 The principal manager is Donald L. Chapman, Vice President

Notice of Public Scoping for an Environmental Assessment for Hunt Highway Improvement Project – Phase 5

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The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Pima Agency and the Gila River Indian Community (Community) are releasing this notice in support of an environmental assessment for the proposed Hunt Highway Improvement Project – Phase 5 (project) in District One of the Community. The project would include roadway improvements along portions of Hunt Highway and Arizona Farms Road. The project proponent, Pinal County Public Works Department, has submitted a right-of-way (ROW) application to the BIA for roadway improvements on Hunt Highway and Arizona Farms Road, which would constitute the final phase of the Hunt Highway Improvement Project. Primary project components would include acquiring approximately 19 acres of new permanent roadway ROW, realigning the western terminus of the existing Arizona Farms Road, widening approximately 4,200 feet of existing Hunt Highway to match the newly reconstructed roadway dimensions both north and south of the project area, and installing a new light-controlled intersection at Hunt Highway and the realigned Arizona Farms Road. Project construction is anticipated to begin in January 2022 to January 2023 and will be completed in approximately 8 months. No traffic detours would be required. Traffic delays would be short-term and temporary. The grant of easement for ROW, if approved by BIA, would formalize the alignments for both Hunt Highway and Arizona Farms Road within the Community. The purpose of the project is for Pinal County to complete the final phase of their planned improvements along the Hunt Highway corridor, through the widening of the existing Hunt Highway alignment and the realignment of Arizona Farms Road. Hunt Highway both north and south of the project area have been improved and widened to four lanes; however, the older roadway within the project area is only two lanes. The lane reduction in the project area presents a potential safety concern for existing vehicle traffic on Hunt Highway. The project would widen Hunt Highway through the project area to match the new roadway and lane configurations to both the north and south. Additionally, the Hunt Highway and Arizona Farms Road intersection currently presents line-of-sight safety concerns for drivers on Arizona Farms Road. The project would realign this traffic intersection and replace the stop-controlled intersection with a traffic light to improve traffic flow and safety. As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal agencies are required to consider the potential social and environmental impacts of proposed actions. This letter serves as the BIA’s invitation for comments, concerns, or suggestions regarding the proposed action. All comments received become part of the public record associated with this proposed action. Accordingly, your comments (including your name and address) will be available for review by any person that wishes to view the record. At your request, we will withhold your contact information to the extent allowed by the Freedom of Information Act. Please submit comments to: Cecilia Baker, Superintendent Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pima Agency P.O. Box 8 Sacaton, Arizona 85147 Telephone: (520) 562-3326 Email: Cecilia.Baker@bia.gov Published: East Valley Tribune May 9, 16, 23, 30, 2021 / 37928

Meetings/Events? Get Free notices in the Classifieds! Submit to ecota@timespublications.com

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Public Notices TO: Xavier Martinez, M.D. 2323 E. Flower #124-B Phoenix, AZ 85016 The State Medical Board of Ohio 30 E. Broad Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6127 In the Matter of: Xavier Martinez, M.D. Case No. 21-CRF-0045 On March 11, 2021, the State Medical Board of Ohio mailed a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Xavier Martinez, M.D. via certified mail, return receipt requested, at his last known address of record, 2323 E. Flower #124-B, Phoenix, AZ 85016. The Notice was returned to the Board from the postal service marked “return to sender, not deliverable as addressed, unable to forward.” The notice states that the State Medical Board of Ohio intends to consider disciplinary action against Dr. Martinez’s license to practice medicine and surgery in Ohio based on the Arizona Medical Board’s order which revoked his license in that state. The Arizona order was based upon his plea agreement to an amended charge of Attempted Sexual Abuse. In addition, the State Medical Board of Ohio found that Dr. Martinez was impaired and diverted medicines for patient use. Dr. Martinez is entitled to a hearing in this matter if such hearing is requested within thirty (30) days of the last date of publication of this notice. Dr. Martinez may appear at such hearing in person, by his attorney, or by such other representative permitted to practice before this agency, or he may present his position, arguments or contentions in writing. At the hearing, Dr. Martinez may present evidence and examine witnesses appearing for or against him. Please contact the undersigned to ascertain the last date of publication. Any questions or correspondence should be addressed to: Jackie Moore Case Control Office 30 E. Broad Street, 3rd Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6127 Jackie.Moore@med.ohio.gov Published: East Valley Tribune, May 16, 23, 30, 2021 / 38484

Watch for Garage Sales & Holiday Bazaars in Classifieds! You will find Garage Sales easy with their yellow background.

Only $27.50 includes up to 1 week online

Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa

To place an ad please call:

480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 23, 2021

Two great events at two great communities!

Stop by for a tour and pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers any day in May! Please RSVP to Sheri 480-800-7304, at least 24 hours in advance.

GET ENTERED TO WIN A SPA PACKAGE! Schedule a tour any day in the month of May to be entered into our spring raffle! tm

*We will be practicing social distancing, masks are required, and temp checks at the door.

We are giving away a $500 gift certificate to Aji Spa, located inside Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Resort. Reserve your tour today! 480.485.3000 *We will be practicing social distancing, masks are required, and temp checks at the door.

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