Gilbert Sun News 092522

Gilbert Regional Park among many Oktoberfest venues next month.

Peterson, sign carriers clash over decorum

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Civility and the First Amendment clashed in last week’s Gilbert Town Council meeting after Mayor Brigette Peterson directed police to escort three res idents out of chambers for silently holding signs that read “Stop Lying” and “Don’t Mesa my Gilbert.”

“I don’t think it’s legal,” said Brandon Ryff the day after he was ushered out of the Sept. 20 meeting. “Prohibiting us from exercising our First Amendment rights.”

Ryff said he is contemplating legal action or recalling the mayor for overstepping her authority.

Peterson told the Gilbert Sun News that “due to an increasing number of disruptions during recent meetings, moving forward, there will also be a zero-tolerance policy which falls under the mayoral duties and re sponsibilities surrounding Council and spe cial meetings per Gilbert’s Municipal Code.”

Morrison Ranch residents had packed the meeting, some toting the signs, to show their continuing opposition to The Ranch, a light industrial project proposed on 311 acres

adjacent to the Elliot Groves neighborhood where Ryff lives.

Ryff said he could understand if he and the other two people were being disruptive by throwing things, yelling, shouting, block ing the audience’s view or interrupting the meeting.

But none of that happened.

“I felt like I had the right to express my political beliefs,” Ryff said. “And I had been denied along with Ryan (Handelsman) and the lady next to me quietly holding our signs

EV farm puts final touches on pumpkin party

BY MARK MORAN GSN Staff Writer

Hillbilly Bob’s Pig Races? Yes, Hillbilly Bob is a real guy, and they really do race pigs – which are said to enjoy the expe rience but like the Oreo cookies they get at the end even more.

The pigs, Swingin’ Lady Bugz, hayrides, a petting zoo, the Stunt masters dog show and a brand-new ropes course, are just of the few of the more high-profile attractions that Schnepf Farms is working frantically to ready for its 26th annual Pumpkin and Chili Party that starts next Saturday, Oct. 1.

The Flying Farmers ride is almost ready to take flight, too, as it joins other attractions like the classic Honeybee Adventure ride and a rock-climbing wall.

Some of the attractions harken to farm owner Mark Schnepf’s family legacy.

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State’s only table tennis venue opens in Gilbert.

Mark Schnepf stands on a path of one of the two corn mazes he’s prepared for Schnepf Farms’ annual Pumpkin & Chili Party, which begins Oct. 1 (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

GPS likely to increase program fees on Tuesday

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Gilbert Public School parents are going to have to dig deeper into their wallets to send their stu dents to district programs such as for preschool and summer camps.

The Governing Board is expected on Tuesday, Sept. 27, to approve fee in creases for its Community Education, which includes Advantage Preschools, VIK Club, a before- and after-school pro gram, and facilities rentals.

They would take effect for the 202324 school year. The last time these fees were increased was about five years ago.

“This is a self-funded program,” Su perintendent Shane McCord said at a recent work study. “Over X amount of years, they constantly have to look at what fees they charge and how does that keep up with inflationary rates, supplies, all those types of things.

Tuition for the four preschool programs – Advantage Preschools, Building Blocks, Toybox and Kindergarten Prep – are proposed to hike by 10% to 20%, according to Jared Ryan, Strategic Initiatives executive director.

“We have to analyze are we charging the right amount to ensure that we’re keeping up with what we need to make sure we’re still self-funded.”

Tuition for the four pre school programs – Advan tage Preschools, Building Blocks, Toybox and Kinder garten Prep – are proposed to hike by 10% to 20%, ac cording to Jared Ryan, Stra tegic Initiatives executive director.

VIK club is proposed to increase 10% to 20%, de pending on the time of day and how many days are se lected. For example, VIK PM is proposed to go up to $299 a month from $260 while VIK AM/PM’s month fee is anticipated to increase to $447.60 from $373.

“We know that that cost gets really steep, real ly quick and many of our families are working families that need before- and after-school care,” Ryan said.

Holiday and summer camps also ex

pected to rise by $10 a day and $6 a day, respectively.

“Unfortunately, every time we go fill up a tank of gas or every time we go eat a meal or any time we do just about anything else I think we all feel it,” Ryan said.

“We’ve really tried over the last cou ple years to prevent that from trickling down to our families and our commu nity because we know from the school side of things if we can keep things as financially accessible as possible that it just goes a long way to making sure that they can live with less stress in their lives.”

Ryan said Community Education hasn’t had to ask for increases for the last couple of years because it was for tunate to have received grant funding, which is starting to run out.

“We were prepared to come two years ago and have this discussion and

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CUSD board poised to adopt new state policies

BY KEN SAIN GSN Staff Writer

The Chandler Unified School Dis trict is catching up with recent changes in state law this month, updating its policies to reflect some ma jor shifts made by the state Legislature earlier this year.

“As you can see, our legislators have been pretty busy,” said Dr. Craig Gilbert, the district’s associate supervisor for Pre-K-12 educational services.

The changes were introduced at the Sept. 14 Governing Board meeting and are scheduled to be approved by that Board on Sept. 28.

The most controversial change by the Republican-controlled chambers deals with transgender athletes. The law re quires districts to separate sports into boys, girls, coed or mixed and assign athletes to those teams based on their biological sex. It also allows students and their parents the right to sue if they are harmed by a school knowingly vio

lating that.

While there was a lot of debate about the issue statewide and national, the Governing Board had little to say. They mostly listened to the changes being pro posed. That may change when it comes to actually voting for them to comply with state law at the Sept. 28 meeting.

But at its Sept. 13 meeting, Kyrene School District Governing Board mem bers had a lot to say about four of the laws, which also expand parental access to books in school libraries, require a minute or two of silence at the beginning of each school day and ban mandates for COVID or HPV vaccines for students.

Members condemned the laws and postponed a vote on the transgender policy in the hope that the district’s gen eral counsel can craft the policy in a way that distances them and Kyrene from en dorsing it.

The Kyrene board stressed, howev er, they would obey the new laws and unanimously approved the policies con forming to the library, silence and vac

cine measures. They also indicated they would not disobey the transgender poli cy but wanted to see if language could be adopted that would not conflict with its equity policy.

The Arizona Interscholastic Associa tion approved the first transgender ath lete to compete in a high school sport in 2014. While the issue generates head lines, it will have an impact on a small number of students. The AIA has grant ed only 16 waivers to transgender ath letes to compete since 2017.

Andi Young, who is co-chair of the Ar izona Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), said there was no need for this new law.

“It was a solution looking for a prob lem,” Young said. “At the time it was ap proved, I believe there were 10 transgen der kids competing, and none of them were the top in the state. And there were already rules in place about trans youth competing in sports. Our opponents like

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Gilbert golf course over damage

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Superstition Springs resident Roy Grinnell, who lives on a golf course property, has a David-and-Goli ath fight on his hands over his backyard fence.

The four-year resident and Arcis Golf, which manages Superstition Springs Golf Club, are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 5 over the damage he said the course’s sprinklers have caused his wrought iron fence.

“This summer is when it started com ing directly in,” Grinnell said of the water shot out of the golf course’s sprinklers. “There were times with over-spray with the wind. I understand that’s a nor mal-type circumstance but to have it aimed directly at a house like that is just kind of a new one for me.”

Damieamn Zimmer, the lawyer repre senting Arcis, declined to comment for this report.

Grinnell said he returned home from vacation in July and found his backyard wrought iron fence rusted.

“It’s not normally customary to aim sprinklers over 100 feet or 80 feet over to someone’s yard and hit the fence direct ly,” he said, adding he got a bid of $3,300 to repair the fence and that he “talked to someone at the golf course and they shrugged.”

Grinnell eventually forked over $50 and filed a small-claims lawsuit Aug. 2 in justice court, hoping to “get somebody off their hump to do something about it.”

Small claim damages are capped at $3,500 and are heard by a justice of the peace. No appeals or attorneys are al lowed in these cases.

Grinnell instead got a rude awak ening: Arcis Golf hired Phoenix-based Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, which boasts having over 80 lawyers and is one of the largest law firms in Arizona.

The firm denied that Arcis was negli gent in any manner for the watering and maintenance of the golf course.

And, in its correspondence pointed out to Grinnell that when he purchased his home, he agreed to the CC&Rs, which

releases the club owner from “all claims and causes of action” stemming from the operations and maintenance of the course.

The firm also was allowed to move the case to Municipal Court, which handles damage claims over $10,000 and allows for attorneys and appeals.

Grinnell balked at the transfer, but Zim mer told him: “My clients have a right to representation, and are exercising the right. “If you do not want this case to be handled in the civil division I request that you dismiss your suit.

“If I do not hear from you that you will be dismissing your complaint, I will an swer your complaint and will be seeking an award of attorney’s fees.”

Grinnell was stunned.

“I didn’t expect them to go to the 11th degree with me,” the commercial broker said. “I thought they would be reasonable and meet with me.”

Grinnell said the attorney on Sept. 7 proposed a settlement offer – Arcis would pay Grinnell $1,500 to settle the matter in its entirety in exchange that he sign a “re lease, confidentiality and non-disclosure of settlement” and forever drop his case.

Under the proposed agreement, Grin nell would have to give up “any and all past, present and future claims, demands,

obligations, actions, cause of action, wrongful death claims, survival claims, rights, damages, costs, losses of services,

expenses and compensation of any na ture” – basically all his legal rights when it comes to Arcis.

He was given one day to accept the of fer.

“I rejected the settlement,” Grinnell said. “The document they provided me was absurd. I can’t sign off on all these different things like wrongful death and all future damages.

“What happens if they ruin anoth er fence and I have no right to go after them?”

He said the offer essentially gave Arcis free rein “to do whatever they want to do with my property.”

Since his claim, Grinnell said the sprin klers have been adjusted to where they are no longer pointed at his fence.

“There’s no reasoning with these guys,” Grinnell said. They said, ‘Go hire an attor ney.’”

Grinnell said he can hire an attorney

Roy Grinnell says his Gilbert home’s wrought iron fence has been destroyed by the sprinklers from adjacent Superstition Springs Golf Club (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

and expert witnesses but that would end up costing him more than the initial $3,300 claim.

“Not once did they say, ‘let’s meet you out there and look at the property,’” he said. “They just decided to throw every thing they can. It’s ludicrous.”

Grinnell isn’t the only homeowner on the course with the same issue.

“I believe many of the residents in our position that live directly on the golf course have had water directly on their fence, which rusted away and corroded it and destroyed the fence,” said Fred Deacy, who’s lived in his home since 2015.

Deacy said he’s sent letters to the HOA to have the problem addressed because homeowners are fined for not doing up keep on their fences.

“The HOA doesn’t care that it’s a golf course that is doing the damage,” he said. “Last year I had to cut out sections of the fence and weld in new sections.”

He said because he is in the trade, it didn’t cost him as much to do but if it were anyone else, it would “cost thou sands of dollars.”

Gerry McPeek said he’s repaired his damaged fence several times.

“The first time was 10 years ago,” McPeek said. “I replaced the whole fence, probably (cost) $3,000.”

He said he’s never bothered trying to recover his damages because “they won’t do it.”

Inge McKeever said she’s spent money

FEES page

obviously some things have happened and we were fortunate to receive some grants,” he said. “So, really this has been pushed back a couple years because we’ve been able to utilize those funds to offset these costs.”

The biggest cost driving the need for the increases is attracting and retaining employees, he said.

“We all know the employees within our organization are experiencing those same increased costs in their lives,” Ryan said. “And, so for them to able to live and survive in our town and live in Gilbert … our rate of pay has had to increase to be able to attract and retain some of the best out there.”

over the years fixing her fence from the course’s sprinklers.

“My rail is old and rusted because of the water,” she said. “It’s been happening here through the years and I’ve been here for 15, 16 years.”

She said damaged fences aren’t the only things that come from living on a primo piece of real estate with a view of the golf course.

“I’ve had my big window broken with a ball and another one (hit) the side of the house,” she said. “It cost me a lot of mon ey but you learn to live with it. There’s nothing you can do.

“Some of the houses when you drive by you can see holes in the walls. I have in my house three or four holes in the walls and one time while in the pool I’ve had one ball pass by me. It did nothing to me but it can kill you. There’s no consider ation.”

McKeever, who admitted she did not read the CC&Rs when she bought her house, said she now has to deal with wa ter damage to her concrete patio and said it will be expensive to repair.

For now, Grinnell is trying to learn all he can about the legal system so he can fight his case in court.

“My thing is, hey, everybody messes up but the right thing to do is own up to it,” he said. “I was willing to do half the cost with them and move on but they were being ultra-aggressive. It’s a waste of the court’s time.”

He added that there are between 230 and 250 employees in the Community Education program.

“We’d like to be at 250,” he said. “Right now (we’re) in the 230s.”

He said staff tried to ensure that the requested fee increases are in line with actual operating costs.

“This isn’t a requested increase to generate more revenue in terms of prof it but rather just to maintain our same margin of profit,” Ryan said.

He said initially he thought there could be a blanket increase, which would have been easier, but staff in

delving into each of the programs found imbalances.

For instance, Building Blocks is pro posed to increase by 10% for a full day of pre-school day and 15% for extended day.

“The reason for that adjustment is what we realized is the time that stu dents would be with us, beyond the typical school day, until they were picked up sometimes 5:30, 6 p.m.,” Ryan said. “The rates that we were charging for that extended time wasn’t nearly enough to cover our costs of having staff there with those students.

“When your preschool students stay later into the day and are offered ex tended care, your staffing ratios have to be adjusted accordingly, which then ex penses go up.”

Ryan said in comparing the district’s proposed monthly pricing with sur rounding schoos districts and private organizations, it was lower.

For example, three days of extended hours with Building Blocks would cost $645 compared with $760 charged by Tutor Time and $1,086 by Crème de la Crème, according to Ryan.

“We tried to find a balance between each of those and understand how their billing and their cycles were working and we feel like we’re in a really good place,” he said.

“While there’s some sticker shock cer tainly for families – particularly when you have multiple students or multiple children overall – we’re in a really com petitive spot and actually below most of the people that that we compare to locally in terms of sister campuses and privates.”

Ryan noted that the 25% discount currently for GPS employees will con tinue after the increases are approved.

“For us to maintain the same level of service, there needs to be an increase or an adjustment to that fee that is paid,” he said. “The biggest thing is that we never want to have a waiting list. We al ways want to be able to serve every fam ily in our community that needs it, that wants it, that is asking for it.

“I think that the worst times we have is when we pick up a phone and we have had to say, particularly in the last cou

ple years, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have enough qualified trained adults there to be able to make sure that your kids have the ex perience they’re supposed to have.’”

Last week, registration for the VIK Club was closed at all 26 elementary school sites due to a staffing shortage, according to the district’s website.

Board President Lori Wood said be fore the latest $2 an hour pay raise, no one was applying for the program’s po sitions.

“You weren’t able to offer the pro gram,” she said. “We were really short on VIK or the summer program because we were not competitively paying our employees. They could go somewhere else not just in childcare but in any number of things to receive that kind of payment.”

Ryan backed Wood’s assessment and said, “You’re absolutely right. If the $2 an hour hadn’t occurred right now we would have far fewer students able to be in our programs.”

“There are specific examples of fam ilies who haven’t been able to stay (in the district), who had to go elsewhere because they had to have before- and after-school care,” he said. “Thankfully we were able to bring them back and thankfully we were able to get an em ployee in the room.”

Rental rates also are proposed to higher for district facilities, which in clude hiking the high school gymnasium fee to $52.50 an hour from $42, the high school stadium field to $100 from $53 and the auditorium to $80 from $63.

And, staff is proposing to increase the hourly utility charge for those facilities to $20 from $12, according to Ryan.

“One of the pieces that we’d like to propose that would be new for us is a differentiation between spring and summer months versus fall and winter months as our utilities are significantly different for a gymnasium or an audi torium in the summer than it is in the winter,” he said. “We’ve been a little be hind on adjusting those over the course of time.”

Again, staff looked at what others in the area were charging.

“As we look to see what other likekind facilities are being rented for, we

wanted to find where are we in terms of the low to the high and make sure that once again it wasn’t something that we were pricing out our community and it wasn’t something that we were also taking a loss every time somebody was turning up the ac in an auditorium.” Ryan said.

Board member Dr. Charles Santa Cruz asked if the proposed rental fee increas es will cover the cost of maintenance, “fertilizer and lighting and fencing and all of the things that could go in disre pair as we utilize these facilities.” Ryan said the increases would help.

“The revenue generated by us will not cover the two maintenance and grounds crew that are there full time, the fertilizer throughout the year, the water throughout the year, the upkeep and just the manpower alone,” Ryan said. “But we feel as though this increase will support the rental side of it and the rental proportion of that use.”

includes the funds for maintaining and repairing those facilities and any contri

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Ryan said there is financial support through the state for qualifying fami lies in need, specifically for the before and after-school summer and holiday camps.

“It’s difficult to raise rates,” Wood said. “I know it impacts our families and our community members who use our facilities.

“We’re trying to do all we can to make sure that we’re allowing these programs to be accessible to our students because it’s an important way to support our community members but also we have to pay the employees to come so that we have great employees there. So, this is where we’re at trying to figure out how to how to make that all work.”

Santa Cruz said initially when he saw the proposed increase, he was “struck

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Gilbert rescue slates events

Friends for Life, a registered non profit, no-kill shelter in Gilbert, has two big events on the calendar for next month.

From 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 1, the rescue will hold its Fall Micro chip-a-thon at the Subaru Superstore, 1050 S. Gilbert Road, Chandler, while on Oct. 29, it will host its 24th annual Barktoberfest 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at its shelter at 952 W. Melody Ave., Gilbert.

The microchipping event – spon sored by Subaru, Subaru Loves Pets and the ASPCA. – is open to both dogs

and cats and will include free DHPP vaccines on a first-come, first-served basis.

DHPP is the vaccine for canine distemper, which is highly conta gious and causes death in 50% of adult dogs and 80% of puppies. Ac cording to Friends for Life, those who do sur vive often have neuro logical conditions.

Barktoberfest is one of Friends for Life’s major fundraisers that prom ises food, fun and lots of activities for parents and their furbabies. Ad mission is free but some activities may require a donation to participate.

Festivities will include food trucks, shopping

from local vendors and purveyors, a dog wash, lure course, agility obstacle course, DogVinci – where pups step in safe paints and walk onto canvas – dog adoptions, raffle, costume contest, best trick contest, alumni parade and other activities.

The presenting sponsor is Dogs 24/7 of Chandler, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe. To join as a sponsor, mer chant, or donate an item for the raffle, contact bark@azfriends.org.

For up-to-date information on Bark toberfest visit Friends for Life Facebook page at facebook.com/AZfriendsforLife and click on the Events tab, or call 480497-8296.

Friends for Life focuses on rescuing stray animals from off the streets and the rural desert areas of Arizona com munities. It provides medical attention and care for the animals and actively seeks adoptive families. Information: info@azfriends.org.

Possum and Boat are two recent additions available for adoption at Friends for Life Rescue in Gilbert. (Courtesy Friends for Life)

to target our transgender youth to fire up their base and get their voters to the polls.”

Here are the other changes:

• Schools are prohibited from referring students to, or using any sexually ex plicit material except allowed in sex education classes. There is an exemp tion for material that has serious edu cational value.

• Parents may request and view any records that relate to their children. They also have a right to know what books their child has checked out of the library. And parents have the right to sue the district if any of their pa rental rights have been violated.

• Schools cannot insist on students get ting vaccinated against COVID-19 or any of its variants to attend classes.

• The law barring mandated shots to protect against the sexually trans mitted human papillomavirus has been on the books since 2007 but the Legislature this year added a ban on mandating COVID-19 vaccines.

At the time of its passage, Arizona joined 23 other states in banning HPV shots on grounds it encouraged students to engage in sexual activity. By 2018, the Centers for Disease Control report ed that more than 43 million teens and young adults had contracted some form of HPV, which can cause everything from genital warts to cancers.

• Districts cannot require young stu dents to wear a mask without paren tal consent.

• Parents can sue the district if they usurp the rights of parents in the up bringing, education, health care or mental health of their children. This is primarily directed at the teaching on controversial sensitive issues.

• The district must add a 9/11 educa tion day, where it gives age-appropri ate lessons about the terrorist attacks in 2001.

• Outside contractors who work as school psychologists no longer need to be licensed if their work is in the educational institution setting.

• Both parents of current and prospec tive students have the right to visit a school and tour the campus or moni tor a classroom.

• Increases the number of questions students must answer correctly on a civics test to graduate from 60 to 70.

• Schools must set aside one to two minutes each day for a moment of silence. Teachers cannot direct the students on what to mediate on. Stu dents should consult with their par ents on how best to use that time.

• Districts are modifying eligibility for waivers that allow a student to at tend a school in another district than where he lives if there are logistical reasons (distance, transportation, etc.) why they cannot go to a school in their district.

• Hazing is now a Class 1 misdemean or. If the victim dies, then it becomes a Class 4 felony. The major change is the definition of hazing.

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

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

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myself of daycare.”

He said when his two children were in daycare, the cost was $12,000 a year, “bare bones, almost nothing other than a snack and a loving person.”

He added that even with the pro posed increases, the district was still “below many of our competitors.”

“I cringe when we have to bring these types of things to you or to look at just because it is difficult exactly from what you guys said,” McCord said. “These fees do get passed on and if it doesn’t get passed on to the individual it gets passed on to them indirectly.

“If a club team’s renting a field they’re playing paying monthly for to belong to that club and if rates increase they’re going to get increased somewhere down the line. So it is sadly the cost of doing business.”

He said he wasn’t sure if the district should be looking at the fees every year and make needed adjustments or do it every couple of years.

Board member Sheila Uggetti sug gested the district looked at the fee structure annually so if there is an in crease needed, it wouldn’t be as drastic.

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

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

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

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

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

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COUNCIL from page 1

up in the air.”

Vice Mayor Aimee Yentes, who is tasked with calling the names of speak ers and laying out the protocol, admon ished the crowd a few times during the meeting to refrain from clapping in ap proval after speakers spoke out against The Ranch.

“We don’t actually allow clapping in the communications from citizens,” Yentes said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

“The purpose is we do try to retain de corum so that everybody has the ability and the time that we’re allotting to this portion of the agenda,” she continued, “and they can speak freely whether it’s in support of the majority opinion or not and so to create that kind of environ ment that’s why we do that.”

She also asked that people not to waive signs.

Less than 10 minute later, Peterson banged the gavel as audience members clapped for a speaker.

“That sign needs to go in the back of the room,” Peterson said, pointing. “The woman just raised a sign in the back row. The sign needs to go. That lady right there. We have asked for decorum. Please.”

Less than 30 minutes later, Peterson showed she meant business.

“Remove the people from the back of the room, please,” she instructed police. “Those three people holding up signs.”

As officers removed Ryff, Handelsman and the unidentified woman, audience members shouted their disapproval with one man saying, “That’s what Nazis would do.”

“We can just end public comment right now,” Peterson responded. “You can leave, too, sir if that’s what you think.

“We’re going back to the rules of deco rum in this meeting. We are trying to lis ten to everybody here this evening and you’re not giving them the opportunity and for us to hear from them.”

Ryff and Handelsman each filed sepa rate ethics violation complaints against Peterson in 2021 after public records requests showed she had shared the

conversations she had with Morrison Ranch residents with a developer pro posing more density for an apartment project in their community.

The developer co-chaired Peterson’s mayoral campaign and was one of her largest donors.

An outside attorney eventually found no violations but faulted Peterson for exercising poor judgment.

Prior to his removal, Handelsman ad dressed the council.

“I don’t believe there is any statute or code that prevents meeting attendees from silently holding signs,” he said. “I see rules that prohibit disorderly con duct like clapping or threats.

“I don’t see anything that would pro hibit silent displays of a sign so that seems to be a First Amendment free speech and it seems like you guys are attempting to silence us and violate our personal rights.”

According to Town code, it’s illegal to disrupt or interrupt any regular or spe cial council meeting and that any person violating this “shall be summarily eject ed from the meeting (and) any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not more than $50 and by imprisonment until payment of the fine.”

First Amendment experts note that council meetings are considered “limit ed public forums” and a governmental jurisdiction is allowed to enforce rea sonable time, place and manner restric tions as long as they are “content neu tral” and are “narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest.”

Ryff, a dentist, said he arrived late to the meeting at the Gilbert Public Safety

and Training Facility with no intention of speaking but just to observe.

In a statement to GSN, Peterson said: My request for removal was due to the disruption and to preserve meeting de corum, not due to what was on the sign, nor who was holding it, which from 70+ feet away I couldn’t tell anyway;...I val ue residents’ input and try to balance between providing residents their time to speak, following state laws regarding our ability to respond during the public comment portion of meetings and en suring decorum is maintained to allow for productive council meetings.

“The Town Council has historically prohibited anyone from demonstrating with signs during Town Council meet ings in order to maintain decorum and avoid disruption of the meetings and so moving forward this will be the norm.”

Ryff said, “As I was walking in, some body was handing out signs and handed one to me. “By the time I got here it was standing-room only, so I was standing in the back of the room.”

Ryff claimed that the mayor has no authority to order police officers to do anything. Nine officers stood guard in side the auditorium.

“We were not breaking any laws,” he said. “We were trying to exercise our Constitutional rights as Americans and concerned citizens. We were silent. We didn’t do anything but raise signs.

“I don’t know of anybody who was re moved from a council meeting for silent ly holding a sign. They can’t have certain rules of decorum for certain people at

Holding signs that got them ejected are Brandon Ryff and an unidentified woman against the wall while Ryan Handelsman is seated in front of Ryff. (Cecilia Chan/GSN Staff)

An angry Mayor Brigette Peterson directs police to escort the three sign-waivers out of the meeting room, (YouTube)

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

ComeJanuary, substitute teachers at Higley Unified School District are going to bring home fatter pay checks.

The Governing Board on Sept. 21 vot ed to raise the daily rate to $165 from $125 and the long-term rate to $185 from $145 to be more competitive.

“We are experiencing a shortage,” said Mum Martens, Human Resources execu tive director. “We are struggling across the board when it comes to areas and sometimes I feel like we’re consistent ly competing against one another and

every time I think we get ahead we fall back, so that’s discouraging at times.”

She cited sub rates at nearby but much larger school districts – Chandler Uni fied’s daily rate is $175 and has a longterm daily rate of $200, for example.

Martens said in conversations with a handful of people, potential subs have cited higher rates elsewhere.

“When talking with one of my col leagues at the Kyrene School District when they increased their sub rates last spring, they saw their fill rate go from the 60 percentile up to the 90 percen tile,” Martens said.

COUNCIL from page 10

certain times.”

He pointed to a presentation before the public comments where audience members were allowed to clap for town employees recognized for awards.

Ryff said he felt the mayor “way over stepped and made a huge mistake” in having him removed, although he acqui esced to the officer’s request in order to avoid disrupting the meeting.

“I am considering filing a lawsuit, ab solutely,” Ryff said, adding that he still needed to confer with attorneys before deciding if he wanted to go that route.

He also planned to contact the state Attorney General’s Office, Judicial Watch and the ACLU or file another ethics vio lation complaint.

“I may decide to spend that money on a recall effort rather than pursing (a case) through federal court,” Ryff said. “Residents are tired of her embarrass ing our town and they are tired of her antics. It’s 50-50 but something needs to be done.

“I think she is ignorant. She didn’t go to college and I don’t think she ever read anything about the Constitution. We have an uneducated person in a position

of power that just needs to be checked.”

Terri Naddy, a county island resident who has a beef with the town over an eminent domain action affecting her and her neighbors, last week filed an ethics violation complaint against Pe terson.

Naddy said because Council’s pri or requests of no applause, the people holding the signs at the meeting were complying with that.

“By definition, decorum is ‘behavior in keeping with good taste and propri ety,’” Naddy said. “Mayor Peterson had police remove a sign from a member of the public and then remove three people from the room under the guise of keep ing decorum.

“I feel that the mayor instructing offi cers to remove these three people was going too far. I also feel that this was re taliatory in nature as one of the people was Brandon Ryff, a gentleman who has called the mayor out on several other of her indiscretions.

“The mayor has a history of scolding the public audience as if they were her own children. I for one am tired of it.”

She said Monday and Friday class es are especially hard to fill, averaging a 70% fill rate compared to 80% other days.

She noted that over the course of the last few weeks, there have been six teacher resignations.

“Just like when we were in the heart of COVID when we had resignations during the year, it was a struggle for us to fill those positions,” Martens said.

Martens said HUSD retired teachers will be eligible for the $185 rate as well as those subs who work hard-to-fill days.

“I know subs are hard to find,” board member Jill Wilson said. “I’ve heard it from our teachers. They’re afraid to be sick because of this. They want to make sure they have a sub so I’d be glad to be voting on this tonight.”

Martens said the shortage was due to a combination of reasons.

“We currently have in our pool that

are identified and have said that they chose Higley to sub in – just over 200 individuals on a regular basis,” Martens said. “Approximately just over 100 of them actually take assignments.

“Anecdotally this year we’ve already had about three if not four conversa tions with subs who had traditionally subbed in our district say, ‘sorry, thank you but no thank you because I’m going to go down the street and make a little bit more money,’” Martens said, adding:

We’re trying to do our best just to get more people active in the pool but there is a component of people who just for some reason they sign up to sub but they don’t actually take any assignments.”

Board member Tiffany Shultz said even with the increase, HUSD will still be lower than four other districts and asked Martens if she felt that was enough to be competitive.

She said she would like to see HUSD be

ahead because she would hate to have to return in three months to approve an other increase. The last rate increase for subs was approved in April 2021.

“When we look at the districts that we’re really competing against, we are looking at Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Queen Creek,” Martens said. “Although Kyrene and Tempe have jumped fairly high, it’s not likely that our individuals are driving to those districts.”

Martens said given the economies of scale and budget size, the rates are eq uitable.

“I hope … we’re not here in three months but I will say when we jumped from the $100 to the $125 and I believe it was $125 to $145, we saw a significant increase in people taking our subs as well as appreciation for that jump and acknowledging it even though we were still below some of the surrounding dis tricts,” Martens said.

Board member Kristina Reese asked if any thought was given about approach ing bus drivers to sub in the classrooms.

“May be trying to get some of our bus drivers interested and certified in subbing,” Reese said. “That gives them something to do because their days are broken up. This might be an opportuni ty that we have a pool of people that we could potentially tap into.”

Martens said the district looked at different areas to address the shortage, including encouraging paraprofessional staff to get their sub certificates.

At one point, her staff talked to bus drivers but didn’t pursue it then because there was a bus driver shortage.

“But I do think that’s something that we could look to explore a little bit more to see whether or not individuals could qualify for their sub cert,” Martens said.

“My dad had an airplane. We had an airstrip here on the farm,” he said. “My mom flew as well.”

To honor what was once a big part of the Farm’s way of doing business, a car ousel ride with scaled down and freshly painted airplanes, each with a local farm family name emblazoned across the tail, sits in the middle of that gone but not forgotten 3,000-foot dirt airstrip.

It will run beneath strands of repli ca, vintage light bulbs that have to be checked one by one to be sure they are ready to twinkle on opening night.

The logistics behind the Pumpkin and Chili Party are almost as dizzying as the thrilling, 52-foot-high amusement ride called the Hyper Loop, which will take you up, turn you in all directions, includ ing upside down, and whip you around before bringing you gently to rest in front of one of the concessions stands on the farm.

You’re advised to eat the signature meat, veggie or succotash chili after you

“It’s the kind of ride that you gotta have a strong stomach if you’re gonna

ally suggest that you wait about 20 min utes between rides.”

It takes the 20 regular staff plus an

additional 150 seasonal folks thousands of hours to make the 50-acre “park” area in the middle of the farm ready for what Schnepf says will be about 100,000 visi tors next month.

“We start preparing for the Pumpkin and Chili Party in July when we plant the corn for the corn mazes. We have two gi ant corn mazes we do here on the farm,” Schnepf said.

One is about 4 acres. The other is 10. The smaller one is designed for visitors to pass through quickly.

The larger one is known as the celeb rity maze in which the likeness of a wellknown person is carved into the corn field. Past celebrities include Phoenix sports legends Luis Gonzalez and Steve Nash.

Others have included news icon Larry King and boxing champion Mohammed Ali, all of whom have been present when their likeness is unveiled.

“What we usually do is charter a he

Jaime Alaniz adds a fresh coat of paint to a hydraulic cylinder on The Honeybee Adventure ride as Schnepf Farms prepares for their annual Pumpkin & Chili Party. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

While corn mazes are an historic tradi tion in the fall, getting them carved into the corn is a decidedly modern and hightech process.

Schnepf hires a company to create the celebrity likeness with a computer pro gram which then assigns GPS coordinates in the cornfield.

“Then they come out when the corn is about 6 inches tall,” Schnepf said. “They use their handheld GPS system to spray the pattern into the corn so that the corn dies and the rest of the corn grows to be about 8 feet tall.”

Carving the corn mazes and tidying up the pathways that go through them … check that off the list.

Sprucing up and cleaning the restored, historic 1950’s era buildings that dot the farm, check.

Shining up the amusement rides and checking them for operational and safety issues, check.

Chili, pizza, Italian Ice and other festival food on order, check.

Putting out trash cans and getting the bathrooms cleaned and prepared – that’s just about done too.

There is also a new field of sunflow ers this year, designed to inspire self

ies among the partygoers, according to Schnepf.

And what would a fall festival be with out big, luscious, bright orange pumpkins peeking out from their thick green patch, waiting to be picked and carved into JackO-Lanterns for Halloween?

And … what about the light frost that settles on the pumpkin patch at night as temperatures dip, creating that chilly Au tumn vibe this time of year?

“This is a little bit of Schnepf Farms magic,” Schnepf said. “Not everyone knows this but in Arizona it’s so warm here in this area, you can grow pumpkins but they don’t turn orange until Novem ber because they need cold weather to turn orange.

“And so, we ship in our pumpkins from colder climates. We get them from Colo rado. We might get them from Utah. We don’t advertise that.”

The pumpkin patches on either side of the bumpy dirt road wending through the farm stand empty – save for the rogue weed patches still waiting for attention from the farmhands.

“We have this beautiful field of blackeyed peas that we plant and those pump kins magically appear each night in that

Open for business

field of black-eyed peas and people come out to the pumpkin patch and are able to get their pumpkins,” Schnepf said.

Warm Arizona weather isn’t the only challenge that Schnepf faces.

Like other events, The Pumpkin and Chili Party was devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutdown that ensued, a sluggish economy as things started to return to normal, and supply chain problems, which, Schnepf said, are still a problem today.

“We have lots of equipment here with the rides and things, so we have to make sure that we have extra parts for the rides,” he said. “When a ride goes down you want to make sure you’re able to re pair it in an hour or two instead of a day or two.”

For Schnepf, managing the supply chain problems, as is also the case with other businesses, comes down to look ing as far as possible into the future and predicting what he will or may need and hoping he guesses right, which can often be difficult when he’s operating vintage equipment on the farm.

“The train is particularly important to us,” Schnepf said. “People love taking the train ride around the farm and at night time it becomes the spooky train ride and we hire high school kids to dress up in costumes and scare people.”

The same holds true for the aging but spruced up Flying Farmers ride, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, carousel, the trac tors for the hayrides and dozens of other attractions designed to show families a good time.

Beyond the supply chain issues, Schnepf is feeling other effects of an econ omy that has now gone from stagnant to superheated.

“It’s becoming more difficult to staff an event like this because it’s a short-term event for a month,” Schnepf said. “As the economy gets better it’s harder to find employees so we employ young people.

“It might be their first-time job so we do a lot of training. But we’re always look ing for adults who want to have a part time job, a second job, a seasonal job, whatever the case may be because staff ing is super important,” he said.

So is timing.

The maze corn that workers planted

in July takes a lot of tending. It has to be watered at just the right time and dry by a certain time so that workers can get a tractor into the field to carve the mazes, the corn from which is eventually used to feed the farm animals.

Amid the crushing pace of growth in Queen Creek, this protected, little area of town on Schnepf Farms really has kept a slice of Arizona’s agricultural history alive and thriving.

“We’ve been doing this for so many years now,” Schnepf said, “people that came here as little kids are now all grown up and they’re bringing their little kids. We are into the third generation of people coming to the Pumpkin and Chili Party, and it’s truly a family tradition.”

Beneath hundreds of the farm’s peach tress (Schnepf is the largest peach pro ducer in the state) walking through this part of the 81-year-old farm is like step ping back in time, onto an old movie set.

“That’s what we’re going for,” Schnepf said. “Kind of a 1950’s farm experience.”

Even though The Pumpkin and Chili Party takes center stage in October, the rest of the activity on the working farm does not slow down.

Crops are being tended. Animals must be looked after and Schnepf Farms is also a wedding venue.

The farm has been re-zoned to agrit ainment; a designation designed to allow farming to take place while also serving as an entertainment venue with a nod to wards keeping Queen Creek’s agricultur al history alive.

“Doing the agritainment helps us pre serve the farm,” Schnepf said. “Because if it was just a farm, where we were just growing crops, we probably couldn’t stay in business.”

IF YOU GO

Pumpkin and Chili Party

When: Oct. 1-30. noon-9 p.m. Thursdays; noon-10 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Schnepf Farm: 24810 S Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek.

Tickets: $23.95, $15 for police, fire and active military.

Information: pumpkinandchiliparty.com or 480-987-3100.

Teri and Ryann Roberts recently cut the traditional ribbon to open their new business, Arizona Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AzOPT) & Kids Place at 746 W. Guadalupe Road at Cooper Road, Gilbert. Established in 2007, this is the pediatric therapy practice’s fourth location in the Valley. They advocate an open gym setting to maximize each child’s potential with a family-friendly facility dedicated exclusively to pediatrics, with services to children with developmental, neurological, and orthopedic diagnoses. Information: AZOPT.net. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Assistance League EV readies tea party

BY SARAH AUFFRET GSN Contributor

Ten new members of Assistance League of East Valley will model clothing at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, a fashion show and luncheon at noon Oct. 22 at Sunbird Golf Resort, 6210 S. Sunbird Ave., Chandler.

The fundraiser will help the organi zation provide new clothing for over 7,000 needy elementary school chil dren.

Enthusiasm for joining Assistance League grows as friends share their enjoyment in being part of the friendly volunteer group. Members have a good time as they pitch in at the upscale thrift shop, distribute goods to children and assault victims and provide schol arships for college students.

“It’s really fun to be out on the sales floor, helping people and talking with customers,” said Tricia Mauller of San

Tan Valley, who joined last month. “Everybody is so nice, laughing, having a good time. I love it.”

Lynn Stevens of Mesa said she enjoys working in the shoe section in the back

room, as well as helping in the front of the shop.

“The members are so friendly and helpful. I’m thankful to be part of an orga nization that helps so many people,” she said.

Each month Linda Ems of Chandler gathers items for the assault survivor kits each month, in addition to working on the sales floor. She’s a “regular,” one of the members who shows up every week.

The Tea Party will be a casual, fun event, with a silent auction, raffle and prizes for attendees who wear the best hats.

Fashions are from Judy Wear Bou tique in Sun Lakes. Auction items will include Gammage and Phoenix Suns tickets, a Camp Verde bunkhouse stay, Southwest Airlines gift card, décor items and designer purse and hat.

Tickets for the event are $50 and are available at the Thrift Shop, 2326 N. Alma School in Chandler, or at assis tanceleagueeastvalley.org. The shop is open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Reservations close Oct. 17.

Assistance League of East Valley provided clothing and supplies for over 7,300 elementary school children this year, in addition to supplying 338 homeless teens in Gilbert and Chandler with clothing, shoes, hygiene items, food, bus passes and academic support. Volunteers delivered over 3,800 assault survivor kits to local agencies, and they awarded 14 college scholarships this year.

HD SOUTH offers array of programs next month

GSN NEWS STAFF

HD SOUTH Home of the Gilbert Museum will offer a series of informative programs for people of all ages in July. Programs are led by artists, historians, storytellers, bota nists and scientists; experts in their field who share their knowledge and skills with our community.

Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum and located in the heart of the heritage district at Gilbert and Elliot roads, the building opened as Gilbert Elementary School in 1913. It is the oldest building in Gilbert and is the only one on the National Register of Histor ical Places.

Gilbert Museum is a repository of

Gilbert author Kathie McMahon, who is launching her new book in the “Mortimer and Me” book series based around Mor timer, a friendly moose, will lead a workshop next month at HD SOUTH Home of the Gilbert Museum. (GSN file photo)

artifacts chronicling the town’s rich history, featuring newly remodeled exhibits and interactive displays.

Many of the educational programs are free, while some come with a small charge to cover materials. Information: hdsouth.org/calendar. Unless other wise noted, registration is required at hdsouth.org and unless noted, there is a $5 fee for non-members.

Vintage cameras exhibit

Vintage cameras, and photography equipment from HD SOUTH’s private collection are on display through Oct. 22. Remember when film cameras used to be bulky, but filled with char acter? This exhibit is a remembrance of that time, and it aims to spread the love for old school photography to all who

view it. These artifacts have never been on display in one exhibit.

GVAL show, Oct. 15-Nov. 26.

Artwork created by members of the acclaimed Gilbert Visual Art League will showcase an assortment of media such as acrylic, pencil, oil and others. Show admission is included in the price of museum admission. Information: gval.org.

Spooktacular Car Show, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 22

The Desert Corvette Association’s 7th Annual Spooktacular Car Show will be held at HD SOUTH. The judged car show will feature all Chevy, Chevy-pow ered classics, hot rods and Corvettes.

Lynn Stevens of Mesa, left, and Linda Ems of Chandler are regular volunteers at the Assistance League of the East Valley’s Chandler Thrift Shop and are modeling hats at the group’s upcoming tea party. (Special to GSN)

SOUTH page

Judges will be seasoned and experi enced owners and builders and will be awarding a special President’s Trophy. There will also be a Trunk & Treat this year for the kids. Proceeds will ben efit HD SOUTH. Registration is $25 if postmarked by Oct. 18 or $30 the day of the show. To register, go to events at hdsouth.org. Octoparafest, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Phoenix Arizona Paranormal Society and HD SOUTH present Octo parafest, a free event that event will give attendees the opportunity to talk with paranormal teams from around Ari zona. Special presentations from guest speakers will take place throughout the day. This is an all-day event followed by two paranormal investigative tours of HD SOUTH later in the evening. Reg ister at events at hdsouth.org.

PROGRAMS

STEM Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-noon Oct. 1

Spend a Saturday morning at the museum conducting fun and exciting

science experiments. Local college pro fessors and teachers will lead partici pants through building planters out of plastic bottles. All supplies will be pro vided. Ages 6 and up. Free. The 918 Files. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 4

Gilbert author Jason Cvancara will hold an exclusive book signing of his recently released book, The 918 Files, which is centered in Gilbert and has many historical references dating back to the early days of Gilbert. Free.

Thursday Yoga With Marilynn, 7-8 p.m.

Join Marilynn Igleski, certified yoga instructor, every Thursday in October for an hour of yoga. Open to partici pants of all levels of yoga experience. Bring your own mat. Free. How to draw a cartoon animal, 10:30 a.m.,-noon Oct. 8

Children’s book illustrator James Koenig will lead a character cartooning workshop. Suggestions from the attendees will decide what animal and what occupation or activity that animal will be doing. Suitable for kids over 7

and adults. There will also be an oppor tunity to purchase one of his children’s or art books and have it signed. Free. Mortimer And Me Series Book Launch, 1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 8

Gilbert author Kathie McMahon is launching her new book in the “Mor timer and Me” book series. McMahon writes books for kids ages 6-12. Her current chapter book series, “Mortimer and Me”, focuses on 8-year-old Jimmy Robertson and his friend Mortimer, a friendly moose. Free.

Paint and Sip Night, 6:30-8 P.M. Oct. 11

Bring your own beverage and enjoy this interactive painting workshop. Ages 21 and up. Free.

Art Workshop With GVAL, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Oct. 15.

A member of the Gilbert Visual Arts League will lead participants through a workshop where they will learn new artistic techniques and make their own personal art projects. All supplies will be provided. Ages 10 and up. Free. How to build an insect,

10:30 a.m.-noon, Oct. 22.

Gilbert author Roberta Gibson will talk about her book then stay to help participants build an insect. Gibson is an entomologist and book lover. Her debut picture book How to Build an Insect (Millbrook Press) came out in 2021. Free.

Movie Night At The Museum, 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 25.

Each month HD SOUTH will show a different movie in the Neely Commu nity Room. Snack and refreshments will be available for purchase. This month’s movie will be The Incredibles. Ages 5 and up. Attendance limited to 50 people. Cost: $3.

Starlight Stitchers Embroidery Work shop, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Oct. 29.

The Starlight Stitchers will instruct participants on the basics of embroi dery, the history of the craft, and the variations in stitches through the years. Everyone will make their own book mark or ornament to take home. For adults and kids 5 and up. Free.

EV Hadassah Chapter plans numerous events

GSN NEWS STAFF

Devorah Hadassah is the East Valley chapter of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, a volunteer organization that “inspires a passion for and commit ment to the land, the people, and the future of Israel.”

For more information on attending itsr events, contact: Eliana Bar-Shalom at 860-377-7126 or email at ebar shalom.eb@gmail.com

The first Monday of each month is Out to Lunch, when members meet at a different restaurant. The second Wednesday is a Zoom book club meeting called Literary Ladies. Featured on Oct. 12 and 1:30 p.m. will be “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel while the Nov. 9 discussion will be around “The Perfume Thief” by Timothy Schof fert and Dec. 14 will look at “Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly.”

At 1:30 a.m. Nov. 16 at the East Valley Jewish Community Center in Chandler, Rabbi Deitsch of Chandler Chabad will speak on the Jewish view on abortion. Women are asked to bring food dona tions.

On the third Wednesday of the month, the group collects non-perishable food for Jewish Family & Children’s Services between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The next collection date is Oct. 19.

The group also sells for $2 each or a dozen for $21 greeting cards for all occasions. It also offers gift certificates at all in-person events.

In

480-898-6465

obits@timespublications.com

Deadline: Wednesday by 5pm for Sunday

InLovingMemoryof

I pray that I may Live to fish Until my dying day And when it comes To my last cast, I then most humbly pray When the Lord's Great landing net And peacefully asleep That in His mercy I be judged BIG ENOUGH TO KEEP! Love, Gram Lani (Gramps Keith is now with you in Heaven) Announcement

Saeed Azhar Baseer 6 pounds and 4 oz, 18 inches long, born on July 16, 2022 his parents are Bakari Najja Baseer And Klarissa Lotta’mae Chareese Parker W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233

Born in Christ April 16, 1991 Returned to God Sept. 26, 2007

Copenhagen enjoys a success in first year in Gilbert

BY ALISON STANTON GSN Contributor

WhenCopenhagen closed its Tempe location last October and moved to a new location in SanTan Village, CEO and President Jens Hansen was understandably a bit nervous.

The family-owned, full service furni ture business had called Tempe home for four decades, and Hansen hoped Co penhagen’s many loyal customers would continue to shop at the Gilbert show room.

As it turns out, Hansen had nothing to worry about.

“Moving from the Tempe location to Gilbert after 40 years is one of the best things we have ever done,” Hansen said.

State’s only table tennis venue opens in EV

GSN NEWS STAFF

TableTennis and More, the only venue in the state dedicated ex clusively for the sport, has opened its doors in Gilbert.

Owner Matthew Winkler, the state’s No. 1 table tennis player, relocated his club from Phoenix partly because “lots of my students were coming from Gil bert.”

Winkler also took into consideration that he and his wife had a baby this year, noting, “The neighborhoods in Gilbert are so much nicer than in Phoenix so I wanted to move my family for the nicer parks and better schools.”

For the uninitiated, table tennis is the correct name for the game as Ping Pong is a trademark.

Winkler, one of a handful of USA Ta

ble Tennis Association-certified nation al coaches in the country, has operated Table Tennis and More, or TT&M, since 2015 in a 1,800-square-foot building be hind his home in Phoenix. The club was started by his father, Len, in 1997.

Winkler’s new venue is 6,000 square feet and houses 10 tables, up from the four in his old digs.

“There’s not a lot of full-time clubs, we’re the only one in Arizona,” he said, noting that the other clubs in the state are using senior centers and community centers.

Although Winkler currently coach es about 25-30 students ranging in age from 7 to 80, he also wants Table Tennis and More to be a place for players of all skill levels.

Matthew Winkler, the state’s top table tennis champ, recently opened a Gilbert venue Arizona’s only place dedicated to the sport. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Officer furniture also can be found at Copenhagen in Gilbert. (Courtesy of Copenhagen)

Copenhagen’s SanTan Village location of fers curated sets or mix and match from an extensive collection of living room furni ture. (Courtesy of Copenhagen)

“The community has really embraced

While people who used to shop at the Tempe location are definitely coming to the Gilbert store, Hansen said he has been pleasantly surprised at the number of new customers who come in to check out the selection of modern European contemporary furniture.

“During the first grand opening month, 70 percent of sales were to new customers,” Hansen said. “The Gilbert community was definitely ready for Co penhagen.”

Although Copenhagen’s second loca tion in Scottsdale remains popular with customers, Hansen says they are also making their way into the new show room.

“Our Gilbert location really feels like it could be the flagship store. The Scott sdale store is a beautiful building, but Gilbert is right up there with it. It’s the same size as the Scottsdale store but it feels bigger and we have added some new sales people,” he said.

Speaking of his staff, Hansen said the team at the Gilbert location has had “nothing but smiles” since the store opened.

“I am very satisfied with the group we have working there. They are all Copen hagen-minded.”

Like many stores, Copenhagen was

impacted by supply chain issues; for tunately, Hansen noted, this situation seems to be mostly resolved.

“We were able to get through it by keeping in touch with our customers and letting them know about these un fortunate and unforeseeable delays,” he said, adding that thankfully, they are now fulfilling orders as normal.

Looking ahead, Hansen said Copenha gen is preparing to add some new prod ucts to their inventory, just in time for fall and winter.

“Our collection is ever evolving and there is always something new going on in our showrooms,” he said.

“Customers who visit us this month will find things are different next month, but the items I call our ‘bread and but ter’ products we will always carry.”

Hansen said he is definitely pleased with the decision to relocate to Gil bert from Tempe, and looks forward to serving his valued customers for many decades to come. “The last year went off like gangbusters. It has been really, really super,” he said. “We truly appreciate our customers very much, as well as all of the support that the Gilbert community has given us.”

Copenhagen is located at 2000 S. San tan Village Pkwy., Gilbert. Information: 480-838-3080 or copenhagenliving. com.

BE BALLOT READY

“I want people to have fun,” he said, adding that the venue is for “people who want to do it for exercise, people who want to play in a tournament and peo ple exercising to get better but not pay in tournaments.

“I eventually want to take a team to the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Open around the country and play.”

Winkler began playing the sport when he was 8 and won his first State Champi onship in 2009.

With nine more state championships and other titles he’s garnered, he took to coaching and running tournaments for the past 20 years.

The facility is opened six days a week and offers open play, group training, pri vate lessons, leagues and tournaments.

TT&M also sells professional equip ment such as tables, Ping Pong robots, paddles and blades with brand names like including Butterfly, Xiom, Donic and Gambler.

The business also stages corporate tournaments, birthday parties with a table-tennis theme, charity table tennis fundraisers or any other related events, bringing the tables, paddles, balls and table tennis knowledge.

Although pickleball has been growing in popularity with courts found through out Gilbert and the Valley, table tennis actually ranks No. 8 in the world with an estimated 300 million people playing it, according to Topend Sports.

To learn more: tabletennisandmore. com/phx/tabletennisandmore.

A note to readers

The Gilbert Sun News in August invited candidates for the governing board seats in Gilbert Public Schools and Higley Unified school districts to write two columns on a topic of their choice. This is the first round of columns from those who responded by the deadline. Late columns will be added on gilbertsunnews.com under the Election 2022 link with their questionnaires.

Evans: I believe in Putting Students First at GPS Humpherys: District public schools work for us all

BY COLLETTE EVANS GSN Guest Writer

Ibelieve in Put ting Students First. What does this mean? That the education of our children should always be Gilbert Public Schools’ top priority.

Strong schools are vital to our com munity, and in this important work of educating our children, people are our greatest asset. Parents should be heard. Teachers and staff should be supported. Administrators should be empowered to execute their vision.

And above all, when making every de cision, we should be asking, “Is this good for students?”– because our schools only exist to educate them. Without children to teach, we would have no teachers, buildings, or textbooks. In short, our whole community benefits when we Put Students First.

Putting Students First allows us to partner as parents and educators, working together for the best outcome for each student as we solicit and con sider feedback from all stakeholders.

It helps us draw the line between our job of educating children and the par ent’s responsibility of raising them, giv ing us a clear guideline of how to build consensus of what to teach and what

not to teach.

It reminds us that we are here for all students; that our stewardship extends to every child who walks through our doors.

Putting Students First ensures we hire and support excellent teachers and staff, recognizing their daily impact on our children. It encourages us to value our educators by compensating them well, protecting instructional time, and providing them with robust curricula and proper training.

Putting Students First helps us priori tize our spending, ensuring most of our funds go into the classroom.

In addition, it reminds us to contin ue building community trust, as we are mindful of our responsibility to be transparent and fiscally responsible to our families and taxpayers.

Putting Students First ensures every decision we make is good for students; that we utilize fair and transparent pro cesses that involve all stakeholders.

It helps us to ask the right questions. For example, “Will this program benefit our students? How will this policy im pact student learning? Are students ex hibiting learning growth with this cur riculum? Is this employee acting in the best interest of the students?”

BY JILL HUMPHERYS GSN Guest Writer

Iam running for another term on the Gilbert Pub lic Schools Govern ing Board because I believe in our pub lic schools. Here are six reasons why our district public schools are a unique cornerstone of our representative de mocracy:

Our school board is locally elected: School board members, elected by the community, set the vision for the district, hire and oversee the superintendent, and approve the budget, curriculum, and personnel decisions. Their focus is the students and student achievement. These elected officials live in the com munities they serve; therefore, it is easy for constituents to contact them to ex press their concerns.

Locally elected school boards mean local control: Just as education must be tailored to individual students, public education must be tailored to the com munity it serves. Examples include start times, school calendar, class offerings, and curriculum. Of course, there should be high expectations for each student!

Our schools do a lot of good things besides educating our children. They School board candidates speak on the issues

Teachers are certified: Teacher certifi cation means that not only are teachers content experts, but they also under stand pedagogy or the art and science

of teaching so students can learn. It is one thing to know a subject; it is anoth er thing altogether to know how to help a struggling student learn what they do not understand. That is why certifica tion is essential to teaching and learning.

Every student is welcomed: Public schools welcome every student and try to meet their needs. Whether a stu dent struggles with poverty or requires additional supports or needs an extra challenge or needs a free lunch, district public schools are there close and con venient to serve every student. Student achievement is our bottom line!

Public school districts are the clos est government entity to the taxpayer: School board members are responsible to see that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely in educating the students and supporting the families in the commu nity. Well-functioning boards focus on transparency and accountability for their decisions.

Democracy in action: Working togeth er to support our students helps us as a community develop the skills of com promising, finding common ground, and coming to consensus. This is a win-win for students, families, public education staff, and the community! It also helps us practice those skills essential for good democratic governance!

Remember that district public schools

Gilbert mom worries about inflation, eviction

BY TIFFANY ARELLANO GSN Guest Writer

Myhusband and I have four daughters, ages four to six teen. All six of us live in a small, three-bedroom apartment in Gilbert. And we’re worried that we’ll soon be homeless.

My husband and I are hardworking people. In fact, that’s how we met – work ing at Wendy’s as teenagers. Back then we never could have imagined that we’d be living in poverty, but that’s where we find ourselves.

My husband works over 50 hours a week as a maintenance supervisor. I’m eager to work, too. I desperately want to contribute to the household budget. I went to college to become a certified medical assistant, and have worked in medical offices ever since. But I’m immu nocompromised and multiple doctors have instructed me that I shouldn’t work because the pandemic is still looming.

Health risks aside, we’ve grown in creasingly desperate financially, so de spite this medical advice, I got a job at an OB/GYN’s office early this year. I caught

COVID almost immediately and had to miss a few days of my training peri od while I recovered. They fired me for missing the days and refuse to rehire me.

We have to get by on the bare mini mum of everything, and we’re drowning. We’ve fallen behind on rent. My hus band gets a discount on our rent since he works for the company that owns our apartment building, but he still doesn’t make enough to afford the discounted amount. We can’t afford to live here, but we also can’t afford to live anywhere else.

To make matters worse, our landlord recently raised our rent from $1,500 to $1,750 due to rising prices, and then to $2,000 because of late fees. Now, he’s threatening to evict us, and I’m worried that my husband will also lose his job, and our family’s only income stream. I don’t know where we would go with our four children.

My family is being battered by rising costs across the board. Prices for every thing -- gas, groceries, the phone bill -are way too high.

Food shopping is especially hard. We usually buy only what’s on sale, and pri oritize making sure our four kids are fed

before my husband and me. We do re ceive $130 per month from the state in nutritional assistance, which does help, but it’s not enough to cover everything we need as a family of six.

We’ve tried to apply to state programs to help make ends meet while we navi gate the pandemic, but they are taking too long.

As a result, even if we do get approved for assistance, it would probably come too late for us to avoid eviction. I also applied for disability assistance because of my health condition, but got turned down. I’m going to try again, but again, I’m worried the help will come after we’re already on the street. I don’t know what else to do.

I voted for Donald Trump for president in 2020, and I love my country. But let’s face it, there’s something wrong here. It shouldn’t be this hard for working fami lies like mine who genuinely need help. That’s why our elected officials at every level of government and across the polit ical spectrum need to come together and pass laws that throw a financial lifeline to working families.

Congress just passed the Inflation Re

It’s time to retire Andy Biggs and get reasonable

We don’t share a whole lot politically. One of us is a long-time Republican who helped to elect Andy Biggs in the 2016 election. The other is a Democraticleaning Independent who has voted for, contributed to, and worked for almost exclusively Democratic candidates.

The huge exception, the area we enthusiastically agree upon? It’s time to retire Andy Biggs. It’s time for the East Valley to elect a reasonable, moderate problem solver. We see that person to be Clint Smith, running as an Independent to unseat Andy Biggs.

All voters need to do is examine Biggs’ recent time in Congress to understand that he is bad for his constituents. Take his actions during the pandemic. Besides constantly calling for Dr. Fauci’s firing,

he pushed debunked ideas and voted against every single COVID relief bill.

Those bills provided East Valley churches, charter schools, restaurants, retailers, builders and even a golf course operator in Gilbert the means to stay afloat during the initial months of COVID-19’s economic meltdown.

They survived the pandemic, no thanks to Biggs.

Biggs even voted against a bill to help low-income families with baby formula during the recent shortage. The legislation received wide bi-partisan support, but Biggs was one of 9 House Republicans to vote no. He also opposed the PACT Act, twice, which will provide care for veterans exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of course, he always has an explanation, but what is striking is how often only a handful of his fellow

Republicans vote his way. This is true when he voted against bi-partisan measures to support Ukraine, condemn Russia, and strengthen the NATO alliance.

Biggs’ record is one of extreme partisanship, a politician who refuses to work across party lines to “advance the common good.” And what about Biggs’ role to overturn the 2020 election results? Andy Biggs asked AZ House Speaker Rusty Bowers to decertify Arizona’s presidential electors on the morning of January 6, 2021.

After Bower’s refused, Biggs then voted to exclude Arizona’s votes from the Electoral College count, effectively substituting his “...own will for the vote of every Arizona citizen” as a former Arizona Congressman noted. We’re not surprised that Biggs was identified by name as having sought a presidential

duction Act, which is a great start. It will go a long way towards lowering the costs of basics like utilities and healthcare in the long-run. But let’s be clear – we need more immediate help now.

Another round of stimulus checks is another simple policy that would help stop the bleeding. A stimulus check would help my family catch up on rent late fees and ease our eviction fears until we sort things out.

It’s also time to suspend the federal gas tax to give families like mine a break at the pump.

But ultimately, we also need to raise the federal minimum wage. Wages just aren’t keeping up with rising costs, and it isn’t right.

I don’t want my four daughters to face the intense money pressures tomorrow that their parents are facing today. Our children deserve better. So I’m calling on our lawmakers of all political parties to work together to start investing in work ing families.

Tiffany Arellano lives in Gilbert and is a member of WorkMoney, an organi zation whose mission is helping people earn more and pay less.

pardon for his unethical actions.

So why is Clint Smith the alternative voters in Congressional District 5 should vote for?

First, Clint Smith not a career politician. He is a small business owner in the East Valley, running his own law practice for over 35 years. He is running as an Independent, not beholden to party bosses. He will be what we want in Congress -- a problem solver, not the bomb thrower Biggs is.

Clint is conservative, but not blindly so. He looks to build coalitions to address issues affecting Arizonans, like the water crisis we face, a crisis Biggs is silent about. He affirms a woman’s right to make decisions on her reproductive health.

He wants a strong border, but unlike

Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed

Muscle cramping, difficulty walk ing, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podi atric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very sim ilar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.”

Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy

isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.”

It’s important to determine if PAD (pe ripheral artery disease) is causing the pain or making it worse. PAD is plaque in the arteries which causes poor circulation.

“Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your feet which they need to stay healthy,” explains Zang, “When your feet aren’t get ting an adequate supply, they start send ing signals.” Those signals include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or cramping. The good news is PAD is treatable in

an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.”

Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about find ing out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”

If your neuropathy medication is not working, your symptoms may be an indication of another condition.

Stiff Joints Interfere with Everyday Living

One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activi ty because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases.

Don’t wait for your feet to yell at you. If your feet hurt, they are talking to you. Our doctors can help tell you what they are saying.

Does foot pain prevent you from doing your favorite activity?

Do you have burning or tingling in your legs or feet?

Do you have leg or foot cramps with activity or at rest?

If you’ve answered “yes” any of these questions,

“People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle. “When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot.

“It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or stay ing home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.”

The goal is to protect your feet from the repetitive stress of everyday activities. “We have several treatment options to not only relieve foot pain but help im prove how your feet work. If we can help your feet function better, in many cases the need for surgery can be avoided or at the very least postponed,” says Schul man. “Patients are always happy to learn about ways to alleviate their symptoms.”

For golfers, a stiff big toe can make their game suffer.

Biggs, believes our DACA kids should remain here, with a chance to live the American dream. He understands that immigration policy needs real reform and will look for consensus rather than confrontation to score cheap political points. This is Clint Smith’s approach.

One thing is clear to both of us: given the demographics of the East Valley, a Democrat has no chance to beat Biggs. If you want to unseat Andy Biggs, the

only way is to vote for Independent Clint Smith. Go to his website.

And then, when you vote, cast it for Smith, our best chance to defeat the extremism that Andy Biggs personifies.

-John Webster and Mike McClellan (Gilbert residents Mike McCellan is a retired English teacher and John Webster is a military veteran and small business owner.)

HUMPHERYS from page

are the only schools with locally elected school board members, local control, certified teachers, a welcome for every student, closest to the taxpayer, and de mocracy-in-action skills!

Who does best when district public schools work well? Children. Children do best when district public schools are well run, are resourced with books and supplies, teachers are focused on stu dents and learning, and the community is working together to support the edu

cation of those children.

Do not take for granted the hard work involved in having a functioning district public school. It is a systemic effort that takes all levels of government and ev eryone in the community. The reward is that when students graduate, they are prepared to pursue their dreams, provide for their future families, partici pate in democracy, and give back to their community. Public education works!

EVANS from page 20

employ educators, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. They bring people together to socialize and connect. They help build our community by attract ing families and businesses looking for good schools.

But if we put our students first, these other benefits will naturally follow.

Putting Students First will provide the direction we need to become the premier district in the state. So join me in Putting Students First!.

BY ALLISON BROWN GetOut Staff Writer

It’stime to pull on the lederhosen, lace up the dirndl and throw back a pint because Oktoberfest season is just around the corner.

According to census data, more than 40 million Americans claim German an cestry — that’s roughly 16% of the U.S. population. And, while there aren’t any hard statistics on the subject, it’s safe to bet that at least a few million Americans also just love a good beer. Maybe that’s why the United States is the country ranked fourth for the most Oktoberfest celebrations, with Germany obviously taking first place.

Here are a few of the Oktoberfest

events happening across the state this year.

Downtown Chandler Oktoberfest Oct. 1

For the first time, Pedal Haus Brewery and SanTan Brewing Company are join ing together to host an epic Oktoberfest event in downtown Chandler Saturday, Oct. 1. Julian Wright, CEO and founder of Pedal Haus Brewery, said both of the Downtown Chandler companies decided to collaborate instead of competing.

The Downtown Chandler Oktoberfest will feature beer and food from both SanTan and Pedal Haus breweries plus

For the first time, Pedal Haus Brewery and SanTan Brewing Company are joining together to host an epic Oktoberfest event in downtown Chandler Saturday, Oct. 1. (Special to GetOut)

canned craft cocktails. The breweries will serve a range of beers including Ger man-style Oktoberfests. German fare, in cluding Bavarian-style soft pretzels and brats, will be served.

In addition to the food and drinks, there will be a variety of classic Oktober fest games and contests, including stein holding, wiener toss and sausage-eating contests. And, in keeping with the theme, a full lineup of live music is scheduled, in cluding a German polka band.

“We are stoked to be joining forces with our friends at SanTan to throw one of the best Oktoberfest events in the Valley this year,” Wright said. “I’ll be emceeing the stein holding and sausage-eating compe titions, so grab your friends and lederho sen, this is going to be a fun event.”

Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 3 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-656-1639, pedal hausbrewery.com, 3-11 p.m., $15-$25

Litchfield Park Oktoberfest at The Wigwam

Oct. 1

In partnership with the city of Litch field Park, The Wigwam is celebrat ing Oktoberfest with live music, lawn games, German-inspired cuisine and, of course, beer. Those who preorder tickets through Eventbrite will receive a com memorative Oktoberfest glass. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. This event is for ages 21 and older.

The Wigwam Front Lawn, 300 E. Wig wam Blvd., Litchfield Park, 866-9766894, wigwamarizona.com/events, 6-9 p.m., ticket price TBD

Flagstaff Oktoberfest

Oct 1

Flagstaff will host its 13th annual Ok toberfest this year, complete with drinks, food, live music, contests and even bounce houses for the kids. Beer will be aplenty, as will other typical Oktoberfest eats such as pretzels and bratwurst.

Beer may take the center stage, but Jennifer Grogan, event producer, said the contests are “hilarious,” which is why a side stage is set up for five events

throughout the day.

First up is the wiener man race, where people put on hot dog costumes and race to navigate through an obstacle course. New this year is the chicken dance con test. There is also a brat-eating contest, which Grogan said is both a “fan favorite and absolutely disgusting.” Then there is the traditional Bavarian stein contest for men and women, separately. In this con test, participants hold a liter of beer in a heavy-duty glass with their arms in front of them.

The last competition of the day is the frozen T-shirt contest. Grogan said T-shirts are folded, tied and frozen, and teams of two compete to try to be the first to get the shirt undone and on a body. She adds that, because this is the last competition of the day, participants are usually “feeling the alcohol… so it’s pretty funny.”

Wheeler Park, 212 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff, 928-606-7600, flagstaffokto berfest.com, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., $5-$7, kids under 12 free

Haus Murphy’s

All October

Haus Murphy is a German restaurant that offers beer, brats, pretzels and Polka year-round. But during October, it ramps up.

The restaurant has been serving Ger man food for 26 years, so while the Okto berfest fan favorites of soft pretzels and bratwursts are available, there is a whole menu of authentic German cuisine to try. Limited seating is available, and spots tend to fill up fast, so advance reserva tions are strongly recommended.

Haus Murphy’s, 5739 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale, 623-939-2480, hausmurphys. com, 5-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays throughout October

Four Peaks Oktoberfest

Oct. 7-9

The Four Peak Oktoberfest in Tempe is the largest in the state, drawing 75,000 to 100,000 people over the three-day pe

riod.

Food is provided by Denmark Foods, with the featured menu item being a Kilt Lifter Brat in partnership with Four Peaks. New this year, there will also be vegetarian empanadas.

The festival has a carnival with 15 to 20 rides and games. Live music will be played each night, including a perfor mance from a German polka band. There will also be classic Oktoberfest compe titions, such as stein holding, brat eat ing, a wiener dog race and a wiener dog fashion show — which features dog and owner in costume.

Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe, 60-.625-3493, fourpeak soktoberfest.com, various times Oct.7-9, $20, Sunday free

Gilbert Oktoberfest

Oct. 15

In its third year, the Gilbert Oktoberfest is ramping things up “100%,” according to event director Mike O’Donnell. He said there will be more beer, more food and

more entertainment.

The event is teaming with breweries in the East Valley, which will create some thing completely new.

“They’re creating a collaborative beer for this event, where each one of the brewmasters has been sitting togeth er and they all come up with their own recipe,” O’Donnell said. “We will have that available at every outlet at the event and it will only be available there at the event.”

In true Oktoberfest spirit, there will also be a brat-eating contest and stein holding contest. There’s also a kid’s zone and children can enter for free.

It will offer an authentic, immersive Volksfest experience and feature Bad fish: A Tribute to Sublime headlining the stage with modern day reggae, ska, hiphop and rock cool vibes to Oktoberfest with a live performance, accompanied by Manuela Horn, known as the ‘Queen of Oktoberfest’, and her band “The Okto

burlesques.” Guests will also be greeted at the entrance by an Oompah band, a German brass musical ensemble named for its characteristic rhythmical sound.

When it comes to this chicken salad, the thighs have it With JAN D’ATRI

GetOut Contributor

We have visited this subject many, many times during the life of this column: What can we do with chicken?

By now you know that I do prefer chicken thighs to breasts in just about every chicken rec ipe I make. I’m not sure how chicken thighs got sideways with American consumers. Too many calories? Not as healthy as breasts?

All I know is that the thighs have it when it comes to flavor, and that’s what’s most important to me.

(By the way, do you know why dark meat is dark and white meat is white? Well, the main dif ference between the two is that red muscle fi bers contain more capillaries for increased blood flow and oxygen to the area because those are the parts that move the most; the neck, wings and thighs. The darker, more reddish tint is pri marily due to a richly pigmented protein called myoglobin which helps to store oxygen in the muscle for quick use. The more myoglobin, the darker the meat.)

I may have gotten off on a tangent here, so let me bring it back to this amazing dish. This cur ried chicken salad is wonderful as a salad or a sandwich. With very few ingredients, this salad is bursting with flavor.

I love the combination of lime juice and maple syrup or honey. The curry gives it just enough of a twist to set it apart from your ordinary chicken salad. Got left-over chicken in the frig? Give it a new life with this sweet & savory salad!

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs, cooked and diced into cubes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

2 unpeeled crisp red apples, finely diced

1 ½ cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water

1 cup thinly sliced celery

½ cup chopped pecans

4 TBSP thinly sliced green onions

1 ½ cup mayonnaise (or less if preferred)

4 tsp lime juice

1 tsp curry powder

8 slices whole wheat bread, crust removed

“In anticipation of increased atten dance, we’re bringing back Gilbert Okto berfest with more cooling amenities, au thentic German beer and food catering, and activities for guests of all ages to en joy”, said David Horen, director of events at Forty8 Live!

Local breweries OHSO, Uncle Bears, Desert Monks, 12 West, 4 Silos and Fly ing Bassett will serve Bavarian beers all

day long, with German vendors provid ing bratwurst, pretzels and fresh catered meals to pair.. Children will have access to a free kid’s entertainment zone, as well as yard games like cornhole, Giant Jenga and Kong Pong.

“If it’s perfectly spiced sausages, streu sel and high-quality brews you’re crav ing, Gilbert Oktoberfest is the perfect place to stay close to home and get your fix,” said O’Donnell.

Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert, gilbertoktoberfest. com, 2-9 p.m., Tickets start at $18.

12 butter lettuce leaves

Directions:

Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of chicken thighs. In a skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Remove to a plate. When cool, cut into small cubes. Soak the cranberries in very hot water for 20 minutes, then drain and chop fine. In a bowl, combine chicken, apple, cranberries, celery, pe cans, and green onions in a bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice, and cur ry powder. Fold mayonnaise mixture into chicken mixture; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Slice crusts off the bread. Spread chicken mix ture and one piece of lettuce over one slice of bread and top with a second slice. Gently press down.

Cut sandwiches into quarters or cut out shapes with approximately 3-inch cookie cut ters. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 4 salads or sandwiches.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES

ON PAGE 30

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Oct. 21, 22 & 23 7am-3pm

Notice of Hearing

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on the 3rd day of May, 2022, an order was granted by the Superior Court of Ari z ona in Maricopa County, bearing case numbe r CV2022091867000, seeking to change the name of minor child from Sutton Marie Kimball to Sutton Marie Trembly The Court has fixed Friday, October 7, 2022 at 2:50 p.m. , via Microsoft Teams meeting (Dial In: +1 917-781-4590, ac cess code: 674991104) as the date for hearing of the Peti tion. All persons interested in the proposed change of name may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the pray er of the Petitioner should not be granted. Published: Eas t Valley Tribune, Sept. 11, 18, 25, Oct 2, 2022 / 49071

Notice of Creditors

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN A ND FOR THE COUNTY OF MARICOPA Case No.: PB2022

0 03842 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF INFORMAL APPOINT M ENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND INFORMA L PROBATE OF WILL In the Matter of the Estate of: GARY ALAN MATYAS, An Adult, Deceased.1. Allison Diane Schafer was appoin ted Personal Representative of this Estate on August 8, 2022. 2. All persons having claims against the Estate are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or the claims will be forever barred. 3. Claims must be presen ted by delivering or mailing a written statement of the claim to the Per sonal Representative, c/o Dawn M. Trott-Keller, Indigo Law PLLC, 23219 151st Pl SE, Monroe, WA 98272. 4. A copy of the Notice o f Appointment is attached to the copies of this document mailed to all k nown creditors. DATED this 13th day of September 2022

_________ Dawn M. Trott-Keller, #037505 Attorney for Petitioner

Published: East Valley Tribune/Gilbert Sun News Sept 18, 25, Oct 2 2022 / 49159