Gilbert Sun News 100922

County pound woes

despite reforms.

Eyes on local races as ballots hit Gilbert mailboxes

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Just a few days remain for the two Gilbert Council candidates to make their final pitch before early voting begins Wednes day, Oct. 12.

Former Councilman Bill Spence faces off against newcomer Bobbi Buchli after the two survived the Aug. 2 Primary that saw incum bent Yung Koprowski and challengers Jim Torgeson, and Chuck Bongiovanni win seats. Spence edged Buchli by 628 votes.

The runoff is one of several decisions of lo cal interest facing voters on a crowded ballot that includes a U.S. Senate seat, the governor and all state offices and legislative seats.

Locally besides council, Gilbert voters will be choosing two seats on the governing board of Gilbert Public Schools or Higley Uni fied, depending on where they live. Higley voters also must weigh in on a bond measure the district has put on the ballot.

That voters in the Primary booted incum bent Scott September could indicate an elec torate wanting a change in the status quo.

851 apartments, 238 homes proposed at Power, Williams Field

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Aproposal to build 851 apartment units, 238 duplexes and single-family homes and 104,670 square feet of retail at the northwest corner of Power and Williams Field roads will need more work if it wants approval from the town.

The master-planned Bella Storia project is proposed on 79.71 ag ricultural acres in Maricopa County but an application for annex ation into the Town of Gilbert is being processed.

Torgeson is a vocal critic of the council and sued the town over political signs last year and Bongiovanni didn’t take any donations for his self-funded campaign.

Change could come at the ballot box Nov. 8 as increasing frustration with the coun cil may prompt voters to pick the candidate seen as an outsider.

Spence, a retired Navy officer, was unani mously appointed by Council in March 2020 and served eight months but lost his election

Ace in the hole

Todd Kisicki of Mesa, left, and Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek have put Gilbert on the map with lovers of the hugely popular outdoor game called cornhole by opening Hole 9 Yards, apparently the nation’s first indoor venue for the game. It took a long time coming for Kisicki, who with his wife has had a business for several years supplying cornhole equipment to organizers of festivals and other outdoor gatherings.

Minton/GSN

Morrison Ranch residents keep the pressure on

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Acouple of Planning Commission members last week said they “struggled” with a proposed 311acre light-industrial project that would bring jobs to Gilbert but at the expense of nearby homeowners who don’t want it.

Developer IndiCap is proposing The Ranch project at the northwest corner of Power and Warner Roads adjacent to Morrison Ranch’s Elliot Groves neigh borhood.

“When I look at this it’s really a sub stantial proposal, probably the largest that I’ve seen in recent memory,” Com mission Anthony Bianchi said at the Oct. 5 meeting.

“It’s at the town’s eastern gateway, along two major arterials,” he said. “So when we do these major General Plan amendments they deserve scrutiny and they get scrutiny and for me it’s really looking at the short term gains versus the long term goals when we get into this.

“So I think with all that, this proposal would fundamentally change the look and feel especially in that eastern por tion of the Morrison Ranch planned de velopment. So I think as far as where I’m at currently that’s kind of why I am cur rently struggling with this proposal.”

The Ranch proposal includes 17 light-industrial buildings with 950 truck docks and two retail centers at the cor ners.

IndiCap is seeking a major General Plan Amendment and rezone on the land, which would increase light-industrial uses to 92% from the current 16.2%.

Commissioner Lesley Davis echoed Bianchi’s comments to some degree and was concerned with the truck traffic.

“There’re a lot of trucks coming in and out of there,” Davis said. “Putting that right next to residential is definite ly something to look at so I do think the applicant does needs to look at ways to design the site plan to better buffer the neighborhood. But I am struggling as well.”

Morrison Ranch residents packed the

meeting, spilling over into an overflow room.

Over 35 residents submitted cards in opposition to the project at the meet ing and those who spoke said that the project did not fit the Town’s vision for Morrison Ranch under the 2020 General Plan ratified by voters and that 4.1 mil lion square feet of light industrial is out of place in a residential neighborhood.

“I agree the General Plan does need to be a little flexible,” said Barbara Lucas. “My understanding though it should be compelling reasons to change, not op portunist reasons in order to develop something to make money.”

She said that since the approval of the 2020 General Plan, three pieces of land near Elliot Groves have been rezoned for industrial uses, encapsulating her neigh borhood on all sides except one.

She also said that people rely on the General Plan when they buy their homes, the biggest financial investment they are going to make.

“To put something the size of this im mediately adjacent to residences is going to devalue those residences,” Lucas said, adding:

“This enormous industrial park does not fit the General Plan design or intent. It does not fit the Morrison Ranch char

acter and if implemented is going to neg atively impact not only the value of the residents’ biggest financial investment,

their homes but the quality of their life.”

Patti Pomeroy said the developer is doing a good job of touting how wonder ful the project would be for the Town but ‘to me, that’s like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig. This is what these buildings are.”

She said residents she’s spoken with told her they planned to sell their homes if the project is approved.

“Who is going to want to buy into this neighborhood and at what price are they willing to buy into the neighborhood?” she asked. “Certainly not as much as oth er areas of Morrison Ranch.

“I don’t feel like the plan in any way enhances our homes, our neighborhood, our community. I don’t see the residents in our area working in a complex like this. I don’t feel it brings the kind of jobs that this area in particular is going to be looking for.”

The developer’s goal for The Ranch is

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One man’s opinion Edition #31

GILBERT BEHIND the Scenes

I would like to apologize to the voters in Gilbert. I made a horrible mistake because I donated the money to pay for Bill Spence’s ad, and then later found out he would be nothing but a stooge for the mayor!

You know the mayor who has had 9 ethics complaints filed against her,and at least one violation of the open meeting law, and now I am hearing that somebody is in the process of filing a civil rights action against her.

I will be voting for Bobbi Buchli and I suggest you do the same.

George Dottl, Taxpayer

Daniel Peyton uses posters as he speaks out against a proposed development next to the Morrison Ranch community during a Gilbert Planning Commission meeting Oct. 5. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Despite reforms, county pounds still under fire

of the East Valley Tribune

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BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is facing a critical over load of dogs and is taking steps to alleviate the overcrowding.

But a petition circulating online con tends the county is not doing enough to protect the canines who are there.

The shelters in Phoenix and Mesa were housing a combined 855 animals in 755 kennels, which meant some dogs were sharing space in one kennel. MCACC also has added 50 temporary kennel spaces outside the West shelter facility in Phoe nix with evaporative coolers to make dogs as comfortable as possible.

“The two shelters have been at critical capacity for months,” said Kim Powell, shelter spokeswoman.

To address this, the county is waiving adoption fees on most animals, holding free adoption events through the rest of the year and increasing efforts to reunite owners with lost pets.

MCACC also has an Assistance Pro gram, which helps owners with financial difficulties keep their pets with subsi dized shelter fees, spay/neuter surgery, licensing, and rabies vaccinations. Since July 1, the program has helped return 149 animals to their owners and steril ized 102 animals.

“We cannot address this from within the shelter system alone,” said shelter Director Michael Mendel. “We need sup port directly from the community where animal homelessness begins, which is why we do everything we can to partner with the community.”

But retired school teacher and animal advocate Lorena Bader is circulating a petition on change.org demanding the county change its practices at the two shelters.

Bader complains that MCACC fails to provide proper medical and behavior care to animals, harbors a hostile work environment that has resulted in low morale and a high-turnover of staff.

Bader criticizes the county for ending the animal behavior team, pointing to a deadly consequence in June because of that action.

A veterinarian employed at the shelter for nine years was mauled by a dog “ex hibiting signs of extreme kennel deterio ration,” according to Bader.

“As a result of the attack, both the vet who was attacked and another vet re signed immediately,” Bader said. “One of the vets had previously emailed HR about her safety concerns following the dissolution of the behavior team.”

The dog, Kronk, was taken to an office because “he was hyper-salivating, chas ing his tail, and self-harming in his ken nel,” according to Bader.

Shelters are advised to use alternatives to traditional care housing such as a fos ter care, or office foster care for animals

staying long term, according to the Asso ciation of Shelter Veterinarians,

“Since this incident, we have adjusted our practices to ensure staff safety,” Pow ell said. “We are always trying to balance our desire to find good outcomes for all dogs with our public safety responsibil ity.”

Jennifer Bryan, founder and president of Alone No more Dog rescue, is another critic of the county shelter. The nonprofit, formed in 2020, pulls the dogs with be havioral issues off the county’s e-list.

Bryan said there’s a night-and-day dif ference now that the behavioral team no longer exists.

“I’ve overloaded my entire rescue be cause they are not doing their job,” she said. “So right now, the dogs aren’t being worked with and they are being sched uled to be euthanized when it’s unneces sary.

“These dogs are scheduled to be eu thanized because there is no behavioral team any more. None of these dogs have the chance to be pulled out alive.”

According to Bryan, the owner-surren dered dogs on the kill list are actually the easiest to work with.

“If you put a dog in a shelter, it would be cowering in the corner scared of ran dom people because it’s lived with you

Tuna, an American Staffordshire terrier, and Alexis, a Brindle American pit bull terrier, share a kennel at the Maricopa County West Valley Animal Care Center in Phoenix. (David Minton/ GSN Staff Photographer)

A sign outside the Maricopa County East Valley Animal Care Center shows the capacity of the shelter in Mesa few weeks ago. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

A NOTE TO THE WOMEN OF GILBERT

Dear Gilbert Women

"[Bobbi] could return to traveling and spending time with her g randchildren." he said. "I would rather spend the next several months preparin g to take office in January."

A quote from Bill Spence From The Gilbert Independent article "One Last Council Seat To Decide "

A RESPONSE TO BILL SPENCE

Dear Bill

Thanks for putting me in my place and telling me what I'd rather be doing. If I have your permission, I think I'll stay in Gilbert and campaign. P.S., most women these days aren't barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen either, we are much, much more.

BOBBI BUCHLI TOWN COUNCIL

Approved and Paid For By

Buchli

Bobbi Buchli

A proud successful woman and your opponent for Gilbert Town Council

FIGHT LIKE A MOTHERFIGHT LIKE A MOTHER

Both Gilbert school boards have competitive races

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

As early voting begins this week, voters will be choosing from multiple candidates running for the two school boards in Gilbert.

Whoever gets elected Nov. 8 will deal with the on-going teacher and bus driv er shortages, maintaining student en rollment in light of the recently enact ed expansion of school vouchers and addressing learning loss from the pan demic.

Only voters living in the schools’ boundaries can cast ballots.

After navigating through the pandem ic’s challenges, fewer incumbents and more parents – upset by closed schools, mask mandates and wanting more pa rental control – are running for board seats.

In Gilbert Public Schools with over

33,000 students and 39 campuses in Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa, one of three incumbents is looking to return to office – Jill Humpherys, the longest serving board member who was elected in 2012.

Humpherys will do battle for one of the two four-year seats against Trina Jo nas, Chad Thompson and Collette Evans. Incumbents Dr. Charles Santa Cruz and Bill Parker opted not to run.

For the two-year seat, Ronda Page is a shoe-in after Jesse Brainard was kicked off the ballot for falling short of signa tures on nominating petitions.

Humpherys, whose five children all attended and graduated from a GPS campus, says her focus is on student achievement.

Her priorities for her next term in clude smaller class sizes, more students taking Advanced Placement classes and educate the whole child.

She’s also a big-time advocate for

public schools, testifying at the state Legislature and serving on the Arizona School Board Association Board of Di rectors from 2017-21.

Humpherys prides herself for having visited all 39 campuses regularly, her votes to increase teacher and staff pay and updates to technology and security during her tenure.

Evans, a longtime school volunteer, also has five children who’ve attended GPS schools.

She’s also served on several district committees, booster boards, override committees and helped out in class rooms.

Her “Putting Students First” campaign focuses on student achievement by en suring they have the resources to suc ceed, ensure that the district’s processes are transparent and fiscally responsible and retain and attract teachers and staff.

Jonas, a school volunteer, is the moth

er of three children attending district schools. She currently serves on the Dis trict Superintendent Site Council, is vice president of the Volunteer Network, and served on a number of district commit tees, including the A+ school rating and curriculum committee.

Jonas said she wants to increase trans parency, get more input from district stakeholders, expand parental consent and make sure that programs like criti cal race theory or CRT isn’t being taught in schools. CRT is a look at U.S. history through the lens of racism.

Jonas also wants to attract and retain teachers and be fiscally responsible.

Thompson, a father of four GPS stu dents, lists as his priorities parental choice, curriculum transparency, budget management and school choice.

He’s against critical race theory and

Ballot brings crucial bond test for Higley Unified

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Anew elementary school, security cameras and wireless enhance ments are just some of the proj ects on the books if voters approve a $77.2-million bond advanced by Higley Unified School District boundary.

And as early voting begins this week, supporters of the measure are emphasiz ing its importance.

“If this bond doesn’t pass and we lose that funding, it will affect our ability to upkeep our schools, it will affect our ability to do new projects to compete with charter schools,” said Caroline Lam oreaux, chairwoman of the political ac tion committee promoting the bond.

Lamoreaux said the PAC has been pushing the bond via social media and yard and street signs.

“Right now we are pushing out some testimonials from people in the district – teachers, students and parents – what our district offers and why it’s important

to support the district financially.”

The bond is divvyed up with 50% go ing to major projects, including $30 mil lion for the new elementary school; 25% for technology; 22% for major mainte nance and 3% for safety and security.

After last year’s failure at the ballot box the district commissioned a survey of its voters and used the feedback to de termine the spending categories for the new bond proposal.

Although voters last year rejected a $95-million bond – it failed by 1,124 votes – Lamoreaux is optimistic this time.

“This is a completely different bond, a completely different proposal from last year,” she said. “There’s no tax-rate increase. This (continues) the old bond that is expiring.”

The tax impact over the term of the bonds on an owner-occupied resi dence valued by the County Assessor at $250,000 is estimated to be $102.90 per year for 23 years, or $2,366.70 total cost,

Higley Unified’s proposed bond measure boney would be allocated in various areas, according to district administration. (HUSD)

BOND from page 6 according to the bond pamphlet.

Last year’s bond included funding to buy out one of two controversial mid dle-school leases that is costing HUSD $4.4 million each year for the payments. It has 31 more years of payments and has paid over $40 million to date.

According to the district, the lease was a sticking point with voters.

Also, this time there’s more transpar ency as the district website shows how much bond money each campus would receive and how it would be spent, Lam oreaux said, unlike the last bond where “the district was asking for an open check book, which no one was willing to do.”

For instance, Higley High would get the largest allotment at $9.6 million, which would go for LED lights, teacher laptops, roof and HVAC maintenance and Phase 2 of a campus-wide renovation.

The bond’s breakdown can be found at husd.org/bond2022.

Lamoreaux said she was “getting a lot of positive feedback” from people on the bond proposal, although Marty Bender is

not one of them.

“HUSD is already 11th worst out of 46 unified districts when comparing out standing debt vs. capacity,” said Bender, who also opposed the bond last year. “This bond would make us third worst, increase our debt-load by 98% and vast ly increase yearly interest cost to taxpay ers.”

He also questioned the need for a new elementary school, saying “district re ports show that our elementary popula tion has decreased 3% since 2019.”

Bender maintains the projected gains in students since COVID have not oc curred and that “borrowing to build a school that is not truly needed greatly adds to waste and sets us back financial ly.”

HUSD anticipated seeing a need for a new elementary campus in its northern boundary, which was expected to see growth in the next five to eight years.

Instead, Bender said projects such as the Higley High expansion “that max imizing capacity is a wiser and more

cost-effective way to meet a student in flux if there is one.”

Higley broke ground in September on a 24,000-square-foot, two-story build ing that includes 12 classrooms and an upstairs lecture hall the size of a dou ble-classroom.

If the bond passes, there are plans to do a phase 2 at the campus, which includes renovation of the gym into a “competi tion” facility.

“Phase 2 will be able to be completed by next fall if the bond is passed,” Lam oreaux said.

Four of the five Governing Board mem bers signed onto the ballot pamphlet in support, Jill Wilson, Amy Kaylor, Kristina Reese and Tiffany Shultz. Board member Michelle Anderson did not.

If the measure passes, HUSD antici pates selling bonds by 2027. When the bond is paid off in 20 years, the debt ser vice with interest was estimated at $110 million.

Higley voters approved bonds in 2006 and in 2013.

social emotional learning and compre hensive sex education in schools.

He also opposes policies that allow students to identify with the opposite of their birth gender and enables them to go the bathroom, change in locker rooms and shower with students of the opposite sex.

And, he wants to put an end to a “topheavy district structure and re-direct those funds to attract and retain excel lent teachers.”

Thompson is endorsed by Purple for Parents and The Arizona Free Enter prise Club.

Both conservative groups also gave their stamps of approval to Anna Van Hoek and Roy Morales for the Higley Unified School District Governing Board race.

HUSD has over 12,000 students at tending 16 schools in Gilbert and Queen Creek.

Also running for the two four-year seats are Amanda Wade and Brooke Garrett.

Incumbents Jill Wilson and Amy Kay lor opted to sit out the election.

Van Hoek is the mother of two chil dren and is a longtime parental rights advocate.

She’s for transparency in the budget and district spending and that funding is appropriately allocated.

She’s concerned with learning loss from the pandemic and believes that the district needs to make a “course correc tion” and return to teaching academics instead of focusing on social and polit ical issues.

Morales, a father of four children, believes in school choice and voices concerns with the growing acceptance of politically infused curriculum and polices, which includes “transformative social-emotional learning, critical race theory and comprehensive sex educa tion.”

Morales advocates removing them and any practices of diversity, equity and inclusion from the district.

He also would promote more access

to parents to review what their children is learning and overhaul the budget and get rid of spending that is not effective or contribute to the “optimization of student learning.”

Garrett is a former second-grade teacher and mom to five children, two of whom graduated from Higley High. She’s a longtime school volunteer and is a founding member of Uknighted King dom Booster, and currently serves as the Higley High Booster president.

She wants to see more options in pro gramming and services based on stu dent needs and dig into what is being done to help students catch up academ ically from the pandemic.

Wade, a former teacher, has two chil dren attending HUSD schools.

Her priorities include filling vital va cancies, recruiting and retaining quali fied staff and focus on “creating facilities that are prepared to adapt to our grow ing student population and ensuring we have the resources necessary to create the best learning environment.”

Prepare for Power

Judge orders Mesa man to stop filming police

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER GSN Staff Writer

A

Mesa judge has sentenced self-de scribed “guerilla journalist”

Christopher Ruff to at least five days in jail in connection his videotap ing of four police incidents and walking into a restricted area in Mesa’s City Plaza Building after being told not to.

The judge threatened to lock him up for up to six months if he doesn’t cease filming police in Mesa while on proba tion for three years.

In early 2021, the Mesa native start ed showing up at police scenes with a camera where officers were working. He recorded and livestreamed the activity with the avowed purpose of catching vi olations of his First Amendment rights and holding police accountable for fol lowing rules and procedures.

He has over 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and creators with this level of viewership make roughly $500 to $1,000 per video, based on a

survey of content creators last year by Business Insider.

But Ruff said, “This ain’t about money or clicks and views as believed by many.

There is real corruption happening here, and it goes much higher than just the police department.”

Ruff has frequently filmed in Mesa, but he travels to other Valley jurisdictions as well and is well-known to Gilbert police for his filming here.

He has racked up six filming-related court cases in Mesa, two of which were dismissed. The recent sentencing was for the other four cases.

Filming ban for three years

Ruff’s sentence includes 180 days of suspended jail time.

If the sentence sticks, this time will hang over Ruff’s head during his threeyear probation.

A condition of that probation is: “You shall not go to areas where the Mesa Police Department are conducting an in vestigation, and you shall not record any

Christopher Ruff of Mesa faces jail time for disobeying police orders not to film them during several incidents. (YouTube)

members of the Mesa Police Department while you are on probation.”

Ruff, 32, told the Gilbert Sun News he is appealing.

Ruff, who recently became a father, be lieves he’s being wrongly punished for exercising his constitutional rights.

“I am allowed to walk around and film things,” he said in court before sentenc

ing. “I am allowed to swear in front of a police officer in close proximity. It’s called the First Amendment, freedom of speech and protest.”

But Judge Raymond Schumacher ruled that Ruff went beyond protected First Amendment activity, which has been

to attract tenants such as aerospace and aviation industry, high-tech manufac turing, specialty manufacturing, semi conductor related users, medical and pharmaceutical companies, and electric vehicle component-related uses.

“We believe the request is proper and appropriate,” said land-use attorney Adam Baugh, who represents IndiCap.

The project would create employment opportunities for Gilbert, which has few er than 100,000 jobs for nearly 140,000 resident workers, according to Baugh. The project was anticipated to generate 3,000 jobs.

Baugh said the land as currently zoned has had no interest for 13 years and the proposed use would generate less traffic than under the current land designation – general commercial, light industrial and business park.

He went into detail why options such as commercial, business park or a pub lic amenity wouldn’t work for the oddly configured site and that industrial uses

made sense as the site was near an air port and two major freeways.

He also said the comment about three

properties being rezoned for industrial showed the need for it and that the Town had a 1.4% industrial vacancy.

Baugh said the developer has tried to mitigate residents’ concerns such as hav ing the buildings 212 to 265 feet away from homes, increasing the landscape setbacks on the western perimeter of the site and orienting building so that no truck loading or dock doors are facing houses.

The building heights would range from 42 to 55 feet with 65 feet for accessory structures such as satellites or materi al silos. Under the current zoning the height is capped at 75 feet.

And no 65-foot accessory structure would be allowed within 600 feet of the western property line shared with Elliot Groves, according to Baugh.

“Reason why that’s important is it’s clearly a point of contention,” said Baugh, who added that he took the residents’ comments to heart. “The ability to move it further east helps to address some of that concern.”

Attorney Adam Baugh, partner at Withey Morris PLC, speaks during a presentation about the proposed development next to Morrison Ranch. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Baugh, a Morrison Ranch resident, said he was excited when he was contact ed last year to work on the plan because of its economic potential for Gilbert. The project would bring substantial tax rev enues to the town and school districts, according to Baugh.

“To me, the opportunity to create jobs where people don’t have to travel, they can work in their own town to create economic investment, infrastructure,” he said. “Those are the things that build communities. I was thrilled about it.”

Baugh reiterated his comment from a recent neighborhood meeting that the developer is looking at tweaking the plan, especially along the property line facing Elliot Groves.

He anticipated having the changes at the Oct. 20 meeting when the Planning Commission is scheduled to make a rec ommendation to Town Council.

“We have some work to do particularly along the western edge,” he said.

Chairman Jan Simons said the area has always been envisioned as an employ

ment hub by the Town.

“I think that it’s very important that we remember this when we look at this with regards to what types of uses can go into this area,” he said.

Ticking off all the commercial in the area such as the Target center, San Tan Village and the incoming Fry’s market, Simons said, “I agree with the applicant that we got to look at the uses.”

Simon said he also agreed with a few of the residents’ comments that having big buildings up against residential could be

a cause for concern and noted that the developer has done a great job in regards to increasing the distance of buildings from the houses.

“There are a number of things going well,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s quite there yet.

“I definitely thing there are things that need to happen with regards to that western edge” and “that there’s definite ly room for improvement with regards to the layout of this site.”

Legendary Longbow course sold to Gilbert group for $8.9M

GSN NEWS STAFF

Mesa’s legendary Longbow Golf Club has been sold to a Gilbert owner-operator of three other daily-fee golf courses.

Daedalus Real Estate Advisors sold the 18-hole golf course at McDowell and Hig ley roads for $8.95 million to the Thomp son Golf Group, which said it will retain its Troon affiliation and related rewards programs. The deal included a down pay ment of $2,685,000 and two loans total ing just under $6.3 million, according to Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com.

Daedalus considers the 161.5-acre course and award-winning 2,996-squarefoot clubhouse/patio a centerpiece of its 330-acre mixed-use development. Built in 1997 and completely renovated six years later, the property also includes a 5,000-square-foot service garage.

Founded in 2020, Thompson Golf Group is also the owner/operator of Power Ranch Golf Club in Gilbert, Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club in Cave Creek, and Geneva Golf Club in Minnestota. It also manages the resident-owned Sunland Springs Golf Club in Mesa.

“We are very excited about the addi tion of Longbow Golf Club to the port folio. Longbow Golf Club has long been known for its excellent playing surfaces, amazing hospitality as well as its involve ment and advancement in all levels of the game of golf,” said Thompson Golf Managing Partner Ryan Thompson in a release.

“My team and I look forward to con tinuing these traditions, forging new ones, and welcoming all Longbow Golf Club customers to the Thompson Golf Group. I am also looking forward to building our relationship with Troon and offering our customers all that Troon and Thompson Golf bring to the game.”

The course was built by the McDon nell Douglas Aircraft company and was named to evoke a medieval archer’s distance and accuracy. The name also was adopted as the name of the Apache Longbow helicopter, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas in the plant later pur chased by Boeing across the street from Longbow Business Park and Golf Club.

Longbow Golf Club is the centerpiece of Daedalus’ Longbow Business Park, which incorporates office, light industri al, retail, hotel and residential uses.

The golf club also includes a large prac tice facility, private and group instruc tion facilities, a contemporary clubhouse with a spacious outdoor event patio and The Grille at Longbow Golf Club restau rant and bar.

It hosts the Fisher Bryan Golf Academy year round, plus the First Tee-Phoenix, as well as tournaments for the Junior Golf Association of Arizona, American Junior Golf Association, Arizona Golf As sociation, NCAA, USGA, and LPGA. The club has also sponsored multiple junior, collegiate, amateur and professional golf events, plus charity and community out ings.

Led by General Manager Bob McNich

ols, Longbow Golf Club Associates pur chased the existing golf club from the Boeing Company in 2001. McNichols commissioned original course architect Ken Kavanaugh to lead a total course renovation and expansion, which was completed in 2003.

Kavanaugh’s second edition of Long bow Golf Club exceeded the length, de

sign and playability of the course’s pre vious iteration and has been called “The Essence of Arizona Golf.”

The clubhouse and patio at Longbow Golf Club were recently honored as a “Top 50 Clubhouse in the U.S.” and a “Top 10 Golf Club Patio in the U.S.” by Club + Resort Business Magazine.

Authorized by Bill Spence I Paid for by Bill4Gilbert2020

to keep his seat against Laurin Hendrix.

Hendrix and Aimee Yentes, who are of ten on the losing end of 5-2 council votes did not seek re-election.

Spence and Buchli each said they’re strong supporters of public safety and small business and they’ve both tapped into the anti-apartment sentiment by declaring their opposition to more high-density apartments in Gilbert.

Buchli went a step further by saying she’s opposed to passenger rail of any kind coming to Gilbert.

Although Council hasn’t discussed bringing light rail to Gilbert, it did con template in April spending $288,760 on a study to look at two possible transit sta tions. Public backlash prompted Council to table the issue until new members take their seats in January.

Both Spend and Buchli were pretty much on equal footing when it came to their campaign war chests with Spence raising $21,755 and Buchli, $23,750, ac cording to their pre-primary reports. The third-quarter campaign report is due Oct. 15.

Spence touts endorsements from po lice and fire unions and from the West and Southeast Realtors Association.

The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce gave Spence a letter grade of “A” in repre senting the interests of the business com munity while handing Buchli a “C.”

Spence calls himself a common-sense conservative when it comes to the role of government and believes in data-driven decisions.

He says he’s for responsible growth and would oppose any increase to the town’s

BALLOT

FOR THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION

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secondary property tax rate. He’s also for streamlining town processes.

Buchli, an associ ate broker, is making her first foray into politics and has the backing of the Amer ican Free Enterprise Club, a conservative lobbying group, in which Yentes is vice president, and the LD 14 Republican Committee.

Buchli calls herself a fiscal conservative who believes town government isn’t lis tening to residents.

One of her top priories is to lure in “larger corporations and businesses” to bring more jobs to the town.

Frustration with Council has been growing since last year – most notably over the SanTan Adventure Park.

Dozens of residents attended meetings to voice their concerns with noise and traffic but Council approved the project

that comes with an outdoor track for gas-powered go-karts.

Also brewing are two on-going emi nent domain cases.

The first involves 24 homeowners who face losing parts of their backyards for pipe work. Those homeowners raised enough opposition that Council last year asked the consultant to go back and find more options, which it did in June.

Whether it chooses another option with less impact remained to be seen.

The second is the widening of Ocotillo Road, which called for acquiring portions of land from 46 property owners, most of them county residents.

The latest project riling up residents is The Ranch, a proposed 311-acre light in dustrial proposal adjacent to a neighbor hood in the master-planned community of Morrison Ranch.

Although not scheduled for a council vote until November, residents have been showing up at meetings to voice and show their opposition.

At the Sept. 28 meeting, the removal of three Morrison Ranch residents for hav ing signs further added fuel to the discon tent.

And since last year, there’s been grow ing dissatisfaction with council not tak ing action on a number of ethics violation complaints filed against Mayor Brigette Peterson and, most recently, against Sep tember, who was facing a possible misde meanor charge for tampering with polit ical signs.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Oct. 11: Last day to register. Go to elections. maricopa.gov.

Oct. 12: Mail ballots go out.

Oct. 28: Last day to request a mail ballot.

Nov. 1: Last day to mail your ballot.

Nov. 4: Last day to vote at an early voting location.

Nov. 8: Polls open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Information: elections.maricopa.gov, votingmatters.org.

Bobbi Buchli Bill Spence

widely interpreted to include the right to film in public, in the four cases he was charged for.

“In terms of the First Amendment, I think the prosecution is correct in their statements, Mr. Ruff, that the police, really their concern is, one, the safety of themselves and the safety of others, especially when they’re trying to do in vestigations,” he said before sentencing Ruff.

“The fact that you would’ve just shown up and recorded is one thing; the fact that you would retort and say the things you did is another. You escalated things. You escalated things, and you did it pur posefully and you did it intentionally,” the judge told Ruff.

While filming, Ruff sometimes engag es in heated debate with police officers when they command him to do some thing he believes is not required.

If he is told to move away after ar riving to film police, often to the other side of a street, Ruff tells the officer he doesn’t have to because he is far enough away and is not interfering with the in vestigation.

Belligerent tone

His arguments are based on his un derstanding of the law, but his tone fre quently devolves into insults and disre spect.

“You solicited a trespass you stupid (expletive),” Ruff yells in one video at an officer as he trespasses with six other auditors. “You solicited it. We watched you, you f—--- idiot.”

For that episode, Ruff received a 180day suspended jail sentence, and was order to take counseling and anger man agement classes.

In the same video, Ruff and others continue to badger the officer with in sults as he walks alone across an emp ty lot to his patrol vehicle. Some shine a light in the officer’s face when he turns to the crowd.

The judge referenced this video in particular in explaining his sentence.

“The video that I looked at, I looked at it several times, where you approached the officers and would yell in their fac es and say the things you did, especially when there was a group of people, and I

could see the officer walking away, and clearly the officer had concerns for his safety,” Schumacher said, adding:.

“Things were escalated, and Mr. Ruff, what I think is really clear … I think you believe that that is constitutionally pro tected speech, and I’m going to respect fully disagree with you.”

In another case, an officer testified that Ruff was too close as he was con ducting a traffic stop, which distracted his attention, and Ruff didn’t obey com mands to move away.

In a trespassing incident, Ruff walked part way up the stairs from the first floor of the City Plaza Building to the second without authorization.

Schumacher cited several factors for giving five days of jail with the prospect of more.

“It’s based upon your prior criminal history. It’s based upon the number of cases you’ve picked up in this court. It’s based upon the conduct that you contin ue to show and the disdain that you con tinue to show not only in this court but others,” he said.

A decade ago, Ruff pled guilty to armed robbery and finished a seven-year sen tence in 2017. He said he has been clean since then and started a local business.

Ruff said in his closing statement that jail was not appropriate for the case, and noted his partner was about to give birth.

But he also remained cantankerous in court, calling the judge and prosecutor “traitors to the Constitution.”

“You cannot criminalize (filming), but here we are in a joke municipal court and you just criminalized it and you’re about to sentence me, so have fun.”

I want you to change your behaviors –that’s the whole point of this Mr. Ruff,” Judge Schumacher said.

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to abide by the terms of probation if the ruling is upheld when asked by the Tri bune, saying it is illegal and “you’re ask ing the wrong questions.”

“I want to make real changes. I want caselaw in my name for Arizona. I want to help bring true freedom back to at least my state,” he said.

Andre Miller, pastor of the New Be ginnings Christian Church in Mesa, has served as a community liaison to the Mesa Police Department and knows Ruff.

“I don’t agree with all of his tactics,” Miller said, “He’s an antagonist at times. I don’t agree with that. But I also don’t agree that his rights should be taken away from him as a citizen. … Probation is to keep them in line from breaking laws, (but) I do not know that recording police officers is illegal.”

Still, Miller’s advice to Ruff is “don’t die on the sword for this. … Figure out what he needs to do legally. Make sure that he protects himself and he doesn’t find himself running afoul of the law or

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Christopher Ruff frequently films police actions in Mesa and posts them on social media. (YouTube)

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Night

“When you look at the residential area, my concern is on the deviations especial ly in the single story (residential) where you go from 15- to 10-foot depth separa tions,” said Commissioner Charles John son at the Oct. 5 study session.

“It seems like the developer is packing as many units in as possible and I call that love your neighbor whether you like him or not,” he continued. “I know that it’s economically good for the developer but I really don’t think it’s sound planning in terms of separations of units to create a better quality of life especially in this sin gle-family area.”

The developers The New Home Compa ny, and Davis Development, a multi-fam ily builder, are seeking a minor General Plan Amendment and rezone on the land owned by the Di Bella Family.

The developers also are seeking over a dozen deviations, including for building height, open space and building separa tion.

Planner Keith Newman said staff was not in support of a number of the re quested deviations, including reducing the building setbacks for the commercial buildings and reducing the amount of pri vate and common open space for one of the two proposed apartment complexes.

He added that staff supported the re quest to reduce the separation between the attached single-family units to 10 feet from the required 15 feet.

“It’s something we have supported with a lot of developments,” he said. “I think we would be OK with that devia tion.”

Newman also said that staff was highly concerned with the design of the com mercial portion of the project.

“We feel that it doesn’t meet the char acter that we are trying to create in the Santan Character area as there are a lot of drive-thrus along Williams Field Road and Power Road,” he said. “It looks like a typical, traditional, suburban shopping center and not something that kind of complies with or meets the vision of what we want to create in the Gateway Charac ter Area.”

He said that for the east side of the pro posed shopping center, staff would like to see buildings a bit closer to the streets, the drive-thru lanes hidden more and

maybe larger buildings with pedestrian access out to the streets.

Newman said staff also had some con cern with pedestrian accessibility, noting, however, that “some of their drawings and exhibits don’t do it justice yet as to what they are proposing as far as side walk connections.”

He said staff was working with the ap plicant to ensure that residential units along the roadways have direct pedestri an access to the street and that there are direct sidewalk connections from the res idential areas to the proposed commer cial development.

Newman said a virtual neighborhood

meeting held in January was attended by two property owners who voiced mini mal comments and who “seemed highly in favor of the project.”

Commissioner Anthony Bianchi said the General Plan amendment request seemed minor and reasonable but it would take a lot of convincing for him to support the rezone given the sheer vol ume of requested deviations.

Commissioner Lesley Davis said she agreed with Newman’s concern regarding pedestrian connectivity and she wanted to see a pedestrian connection from the residential units to the amenity area for the apartment complex proposed at the southwest corner of the property.

And with all the deviations requested, maintaining the required open space was important, which she said she was not yet seeing with the proposal.

Commission William Fay said he had no particular concern with the general commercial proposal but that the parcels for the attached single-family homes and for the apartments in the southwest cor ner seemed “packed in.”

He said if they were really drilling down into the deviations that night, it would be a “hard sell” for him to support the at tached single-family project as proposed.

Commissioner Brian Andersen said he agreed with staff’s stance on the devia tions and suggested that the angled park ing for one of the drives in the commer cial portion be at 90 degrees.

Chairman Jan Simon noted the large amount of parking lots in the project and asked if it was meeting the town’s open space requirement.

Newman said only the two apartment complexes fell short of the requirement –the complex in the northeast corner was .8% short while the one in the southwest corner was 8%.

“We’re fairly confident to get them to meet that but the parcel in the southwest corner is more of a struggle,” Newman said. “We had a meeting with the appli cant last week and are hopeful they will get close to 40% or meet it completely.”

Simon said he would like to see some work done to address that and that he shared his fellow commissioners’ con

The Bella Storia project at Power and Williams Field road would have 851 apartments and 258 duplexes and single-family houses if it gets approved by the town. (Town of Gilbert)

Staff had a number of concerns – and some Gilbert Planning Commission members did too – with the number of deviations the developer was seeking for the massive project. (Town of Gilbert)

Town staff was not impressed with the commercial portion of the Bella Storia project, shown in the foreground. (Town of Gilbert)

Food bank clients increase as store prices soar

BY SCIANNA GARCIA Cronkite News

As the line of cars awaiting grocer ies wrapped around the building, parking lot attendants used or ange cones to close the entrance to the food bank and keep the line from snarl ing traffic on busy Thomas Road. That sent recent arrivals circling the block until the lot reopened.

This is the new normal for St. Mary’s Food Bank in central Phoenix as the num ber of people in need has risen sharply along with inflation.

“Right now, we’re seeing over 900 families a day come to this one location, and we have hundreds (of distribution locations) across the Valley,” said Jerry Brown, director of media relations for St. Mary’s Food Bank. “The number of peo ple who are coming to the food bank is overwhelming, and it’s a number that we have not seen in our history.”

At the two main food banks in Phoenix and Surprise, St. Mary’s saw a daily aver age of 1,239 families in the first 12 days of September, the latest data available.

Brown said the influx is a direct ef fect of inflation, which has hit Phoenix particularly hard. In the Phoenix metro, food prices have increased 14.1% over

the past year, with food-at-home prices rising by 15.7%, according to the U.S. Bu reau of Labor Statistics.

“Once the pandemic subsided last year, so did the number of people who came,” Brown said. “We’ve been around for 55 years, and we have never served 150,000 families a month – until last month (Au gust).”

In the first two weeks of September, St. Mary’s already was trending 6% higher than in August.

People are allowed to come once a month for emergency food boxes that in clude such staples as vegetables, canned fruits, pasta, peanut butter, tomato sauc es, beans and rice. St. Mary’s has had to cut down on the number of items per box to ensure all items are available.

The emergency boxes are not meant to provide meals for an entire month, but families can come as needed for items donated by grocery stores, such as meat, cheese, eggs, ice cream and soft drinks.

Raymond Gonzalez, 56, said he’s been coming to St. Mary’s occasionally for about three years, but only when he finds himself in need.

“I work, and with rent and my medical bills, this really helps me when I come a

their whole life,” she said. “Those types of dogs are not adjusting to their environ ment. Those are the ones scheduled to be euthanized.”

According to county data, owners sur rendered 589 dogs in 2021.

Fewer euthanizations

Bryan further claimed that no one is left in the shelter who knows how to as sess the behavior of a dog.

“People are coming in and applying for jobs whether they have experience or not,” Bryan said. “And there’s no one up at the top that is qualified to train these people.”

She pointed to the dogs her nonprofit rescued from euthanasia.

“I have people who are new that are able to take them out,” she said. “Why is that? Why can’t their staff not work with them? Yet, we give them a little time and they are perfect.”

When asked for the numbers for dogs euthanized for behavioral issues when the behavioral team was in place com pared with after when the group was disbanded, Powell responded, “Our save rate has been over 95% for the entire time.”

According to the most recent data, the shelter’s August save rate was 95.76%. Of the 1,628 pets that entered the shel ter, 954 were adopted, 279 transferred to partner organizations and 171 re turned to owners that month.

For August, the 2022 year-to-date save rate was 95.96%, the county said.

Overall, the number of dogs eutha nized in the county shelter is a marked improvement from 2016, when 4,211 dogs were euthanized. In 2021, 537 were euthanized.

“That in itself is a good number but it doesn’t tell the story behind the scene,” Bader said. “They use that number to ba sically cover for everything else – you’re warehousing dogs that go crazy because they are stuck in cages days on end.”

And, Bryan claimed the county’s high save rate is due to the efforts of her non profit and about 10 other rescues.

“My rescue and other rescues if you look at our numbers have exponential ly increased because there are so many more dogs scheduled to be euthanized,”

Bryan said. “And we are doing our best to save them all.”

According to the county, the shelter in 2021 transferred 2,624 animals to part ner organizations, 3,634 in 2020 and 5,494 in 2019.

Year over year the county shelter’s save rate has been the same but “mov ing forward their save rate is going to be drastically different” because the non profit rescues are all full, Bryan predict ed.

John Doherty, who’s been fighting for reforms at the shelter since Rodrigo Sil va was the director, agreed that the non profits are doing all the heavy lifting.

“If not for the rescue units, those dogs would be put down constantly,” said Doherty, who started the Vets for Pets program.

Doherty, who said he is persona non grata at the county shelter but still has contacts there, insisted that botched sur geries are still going on.

He claimed that a dog recently bled out in a kennel after the sutures came undone. Bader also in her petition pro vided examples of dogs that died after their surgical procedures, including one who “internally bled out after surgery.”

“These claims are false,” Powell said. “Animals are receiving proper medical care from trained vets.”

County insists staffing is OK

The county also responded to criticism that the shelter is woefully understaffed and therefore unable to provide for all the care the animals need.

Powell said three veterinarians and nine veterinarian technicians are cur rently on staff. The county has job post ings for a chief veterinarian and a veterinarian, she said.

“There is a current job posting to at tract additional staff,” she said. “Our shel ter is not unique in this way. Many, if not all, local animal rescue organizations are struggling to find and hire veterinarians.”

Powell added that the department has worked with the Board of Supervisors to increase pay rates and with Human Re sources to target veterinary schools to recruit more people to work in the coun ty shelters.

“It is challenging, but our results for the past eight months tell the story,” Powell said. “We are finding positive outcomes for more than 95% of animals. This is despite the number of animals and lack of medical history when they enter the shelter.”

Powell noted that there are over 160 employees on staff, most of whom work with animals in some context.

And, there are a total of 405 volunteers at MCACC, she said.

A 2015 report by a county ad hoc task force recommended at the time the hir ing of six more veterinarians and six vet erinary technicians to supplement the then-current staffing of five veterinar ians and 14 vet techs. The report, how ever, pointed to industry standards of 13 vets and 45 vet techs for an operation the size of the county’s.

Other recommendations included measures to improve the overall medical treatment to animals and the quality of behavioral assessments such as provid ing more education and instituting an in-kennel enrichment program to help offset behavioral deterioration from be ing in a shelter environment, which was in progress, according to the report.

Some of the recommendations were not implemented because they were not practical financially or from a staffing standpoint, Powell said.

But “many of the task force’s recom mendations were implemented success fully,” she said. “That’s how we were able to improve our live release rate from less than 70% to the current live release rate of 95%-plus.”

Hostile work environment

The shelter has trouble retaining em ployees, said detractors, attributing that partly to a hostile work environment.

“There’re not enough people who want to work in that environment,” Bryan said. “It’s hostile. They feel upper manage ment is disrespectful to them.

“So they work for other shelters and rescues and everyone keeps abandon ing Maricopa County. They ran out vol unteers and ran out staff members and I know that personally because people come to us and want to work with us.”

The fiscal year 2021 county data showed a 61% turnover rate for animal control officers, 67% for shelter techni cians and 31% for animal health techni cians.

Notes from shelter employee exit inter views in late 2021 included comments of feeling unappreciated, a stressful envi ronment and burnout.

Powell said she can’t speak to the man agement under the previous director.

Volunteer Sarah Loman hands out treats to Hawkeye, an American Bulldog/Great Dane mix, at the Maricopa County West Valley Animal Care Center in Phoenix. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Editor’s Note: The Gilbert Sun News sent the two candidates in the runoff for a Town Coun cil seat a sec ond round of questions about current issues facing council. Candidate Bobbi Buchli did not respond. Candidates were also advised that their answers could be edited for length in print but run in their entirety at gil bertsunnews.com. The earlier question naires answered by both candidates also are at gilbertsunnews under the Election 2022 link on the home page.

What are two of the biggest needs for government help among small businesses in Gilbert and how would you address them?

1) Reduce regulations - We need to re view, revise, or eliminate, any bur densome processes that affect a business’s ability to startup, grow, and innovate to meet consumer de mands.

2) Reduce cost of doing business - En sure that business fees and taxes are predictable, fair, and at the lowest cost.

Every municipality, including Gil bert, is struggling with recruiting and retetaining police officers. Other than throwing money at this crisis, what else can Council do to help?

One of the benefits that we can offer our first responders is the ability to work, live, and raise a family in a safe community that respects and supports public safety. …I am also committed to addressing the increasing need for men tal health and wellness programs for our first responders.

Do you support encouraging afford able housing in Gilbert for those who work in lower-income jobs such as the service industry and for recent

grads in their entry-level jobs who want to stay in their hometown?

Arbitrarily building more high-den sity apartments will not solve the cur rent housing shortage and it is not in the long-term best interests of Gilbert. The fastest and more effective way to counter the effects of our current hous ing crisis is to ensure the prosperity of our local businesses and reduce the cost of everyday life in Gilbert. Finding ways to mitigate the impact of inflation will result higher employee wages and puts more housing within reach of more res idents.

If you had to reduce spending by town government, where would you cut and why?

We must address the effects of con struction inflation on our critical in frastructure projects. My first order of business will be to review and reprior itize, as appropriate, the projects iden tified in our Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). We need to make some hard de cisions to ensure that required projects are completed on time and for a fair and reasonable cost.

Do you support building Ocotillo Bridge as a “show stopper” or should the town opt for a more practical and less expansive span that still accomplishes the goal of connecting Ocoti llo Road?

The priority for any infrastructure project is to ensure that it serves a meaningful purpose and meets the de mands of our residents and community. Fashion follows functionality, and our primary focus and expenditure of funds needs to be on building a high-quality functional product in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Does Council have a “trust problem” with the general public? If so, what would you do to try and fix it?

I think that the onus is on the council to address the concerns of residents in a way that lets residents feel that they

“People leave jobs for many reasons,” Powell said. “Despite our increase in pay, some organizations pay more. Workers have many options for their skills in the current environment.”

She also discounted claims of a toxic work environment.

“We don’t agree with that assessment,” she said. “Some former staff members do not like that our leadership team now holds every staff member accountable, including for disparaging remarks made on social media.

“Current leadership has an open-door policy to talk with staff. Additionally, staff members are also recognized for their hard work in emails and during the morning meeting.”

Bader said she started the petition to bring awareness to the public and insist ed that county superiors have turned a deaf ear to the issue.

County slams critic

County spokesman Fields Moseley said that over the past five years, Bader has had multiple meetings, phone calls and a

significant volume of written correspon dence with high-level county officials.

Moseley painted Bader as a fired vol unteer determined on revenge, filing over 250 records requests since 2020 as a part of that effort.

“The points raised by Ms. Bader on change.org are not new,” he said. ““During these years, her ideas and opin ions about Animal Care and Control have not evolved, and the discussions have not been productive for the County or its res idents.

“The correspondence increased after she was dismissed as a volunteer in Au gust 2019 for trying to disrupt Animal Care operations and denigrating employ ees on a social media platform.”

He said Bader filed a notice of claim in December 2019 with the intent to sue for $300,000 but that never materialized.

He also said that supervisors contin ually support improvements at Animal Care and Control and in August approved $1.4 million to help the organization con nect pet owners with other services that might prevent them from surrendering

when

example, Gilbert-based Friends For Life Rescue held a

during which

Hill brought Kohana, who was scanned for chips

their dog or cat for financial reasons.

“Animal Care and Control has a diffi cult mission to treat and care for hun dreds of dogs and cats on any given day while making every attempt to adopt those animals into loving homes,” Mose ley said.

Due to the current overcrowding, MCACC is asking the public to exhaust every option before making an appoint ment to bring stray animals to its shel ters.

It has been proven that the quickest owned pet reunions begin with in-neigh borhood methods such as posted paper flyers and local social media pages, ac cording to shelter officials.

The county also recommends the following:

• Take found stray animal to a local vet erinarian for microchip scanning. If the pet is chipped this will begin the reunion process.

• Add the pet to MCACC›s Lost & Found interactive pet map at https://www. maricopa.gov/162/Lost-Found-Pet.

• If the pet is not chipped, call 602506-PETS to make a stray surrender appointment.

For those who want to help in person, consider volunteering to work direct

ly within the shelter with dedicated shelter teams.maricopa.gov/294/ Volunteer.

• If people have capacity in their homes to foster shelter animals, reach out to a reputable animal welfare organi zation or to the MCACC atmaricopa. gov/296/Foster.

• Donate to any local animal welfare or ganization that provides free or low cost spay/neuter, microchipping, and licensing activities to stop this issue where it starts.

New shelter offers hope

A big help for the overcrowding will be the new East Shelter currently under construction at Baseline Road and Lewis Drive in Mesa.

The Board of Supervisors in May 2021 voted to spend $36 million to build the shelter, expected to open in early 2024.

The new facility boasts 51,000 square feet of gross interior conditioned space with 369 kennels for dogs and 63 for cats, according to Powell.

The current East Valley shelter is 29,555 square feet while the West shel ter is 62,350 square feet, she said.

What to do with the current east shel ter when the new one opens hasn’t been determined yet, according to Powell.

cerns with the requested deviations.

“I feel it’s pretty rich on what they are requesting and I personally have an issue with the apartment in the southwest cor ner,” he said.

Simon said the complex looked “in stitution” and that the developer needs to do more work to address the concern with pedestrian connectivity.

Newman anticipated the project com ing back for formal review by the Com mission sometime in the first quarter of next year as the proposal was early in re view and staff was still working with the applicant on some of the concerns.

As proposed, the commercial develop

ment would be on 16.6 acres on the arte rial corner with anticipated tenants like specialty grocers, shops and restaurants.

For the multi-family component, three-story buildings are proposed for the two separate apartment complexes with one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from approximately 680 to 1,500 square feet.

The single-family attached and de tached portion is proposed on 30 acres at the north end of the development. The 238 lots would consist of cluster homes, alley duplexes and detached homes with floor plans ranging from 1,300 to 2,554 square feet.

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

have been heard and that their concerns are being addressed. Frequent, mean ingful, and transparent communication is key to healthy relationship between the town and Gilbert’s primary stake holders - the Residents of Gilbert. Do you think the Town is doing enough to save water? Would you be willing to call for a building moratori um in Gilbert should the water crisis deepen? And if so, at what point? If not, why not?

The town has a very robust water con servation program in effect, and we are already ahead of the requirements im posed by the Tier 2A water restrictions that go into effect in January. A building moratorium is a very complicated legal process that I would not support with out statewide analysis and discussion of our actual water situation. Give the current council a letter grade and explain your answer.

B, B, C, C, D, D, and one F. (In no particu lar order) I believe that everyone serves with the best of intentions and that ev eryone has an opportunity to improve in some facet of their lives. Regardless of how I grade the council, it is the res idents of Gilbert that issue our grades. I

am committed to working alongside the other councilmembers with the primary mission of ensuring transparency, integ rity, and service to the residents. Many in the community say they want Gilbert to retain its “small-town” feel. What can council do to ensure that when the town at build-out hits 330,000 residents?

I personally want to ensure the integ rity and “small-town” feel of the Heri tage district stays intact. Additionally, we need to be strategic in our zoning moving forward such that future devel opment falls within the intent of the vot er-approved General Plan.

Given that the town allocates far less land to multifamily on a percent age basis than any other East Valley municipality, where do you stand on such development in general?

There are other ways to generate rev enue that are independent of industrial or apartment developments. I will never support instituting a primary property tax. We must support strategic business growth and prosperity throughout the region, so that we can ensure the viabil ity our state-shared revenue and sales tax revenue streams.

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

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

problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

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

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

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

1. Finding the underlying cause

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

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

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

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

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

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

It’s completely painless!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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

Republicans fight each other over election rules

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Republicans are suing other Repub licans in Maricopa County over what’s required under state elec tion laws and rules.

The Arizona Republican Party and the Republican National Committee con tend in new legal papers that the county is not complying with requirements to have inspectors from both political par ties at polling places.

Similar requirements exist, the law suit says, for the boards that oversee processing of early ballots, vote adjudi cation boards and the boards that over see operations at county election head quarters.

What that resulted in, attorneys for the national party charge, is the county hiring 857 Democratic poll workers but only 712 Republicans. And 11 county voting centers in the 2022 primary had no Republican poll workers at all.

The party wants Superior Court Judge Daniel Kiley to issue orders to ensure that the county has more GOP poll work ers for the upcoming general election. And they want to be sure those poll workers come from lists created by the Republican Party.

In a joint statement, supervisor Chair man Bill Gates and Stephen Richer, the county recorder, called the lawsuit a “po litical stunt.’’

“We contact everyone on the list the parties provide us,’’ the two officials said. “The idea that a Republican record er and four Republican board members would try to keep Republicans out of elections is absurd.”

There was no denial by the county of the claim that some polling places came up short of Republican watchers. But the county Elections Department said it’s not because of the lack of efforts.

“Unfortunately, not all are willing or able to serve,’’ the agency said. And then there’s the problem of election workers

quitting at the last minute.

In those cases, according to the Elec tions Department, it follows the state Election Procedures Manual to ensure that election boards “still have a diversi ty of parties and affiliations.’’

Megan Gilbertson, spokeswoman for the County Recorder’s Office, pointed out that the legal requirement for di verse election boards does not necessar ily mean each major party gets someone at every site.

“Bipartisan could mean a Republican and an Independent, a Democrat and a Libertarian,’’ she said.

The lawsuit comes amid increasing hostility between the state party, whose top official, Kelli Ward, has backed the baseless claim that Donald Trump actu ally won the 2020 election.

The new lawsuit contains no claims about the 2020 vote. Instead, it picks up on the theme that Maricopa County is conducting its elections this year in ways that violate state laws, action that the party lawyers say “inevitably breeds distrust and doubts among the elector ate.’’

Lawyers for the GOP contend there is no reason the county cannot find qual ified Republicans to serve as election workers because there are more than 830,000 registered party adherents.

But they said the county has estab lished “onerous hours requirements’’ and created “unduly inhospitable work ing conditions’’ and then used that to say why they can’t find enough people who, while paid a nominal amount, essential ly are volunteers.

Gilbertson acknowledged there are requirements for many of the jobs that could deter some from agreeing to serve. But she said these cannot simply be waived.

“Each position has a certain amount of time that is needed, from the number of hours in the day to the number of weeks

required,’’ she said, adding state law says anyone working at a voting location on Election Day cannot leave.

She acknowledged the hours are long.

Check-in, Gilbertson said, is 5:30 a.m., a half hour before the polls open.

“They don’t leave until the last voter gets to cast their ballot, break down the voting location, and bring the memory cards and ballots back to the Elections Department,’’ she said.

Gilbertson said other election posi tions have different requirements, like picking up heavy boxes or being able to sit at a table for long periods of time.

The increasingly hostile situation over election issues has shown up in other – and less legal – ways: threats against those involved in the process.

Most recently, the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday arrested an Iowa man accused of sending threatening communications Maricopa County Su pervisor Clint Hickman. According to the indictment, Mark Rissi left a voicemail last year threatening to hang Hickman.

“This wasn’t protected speech,’’ Hick man said in response to the indictment. “This was a serious threat to me and my family.’’

The incident, he said, is not an aber ration, saying he and other supervisors received numerous threats during the past two years, as has Richer.

“And worst of all, county elections staff doing their job honorably are getting calls and emails threatening violence, calling them traitors,’’ Hickman said. “It’s despicable.’’

Rissi is separately charged with leav ing a phone message with Attorney Gen eral Mark Brnovich, also last year, saying that he knows the 2020 election was fraudulent and that he is aware of im ages of “conspirators’’ deleting election fraud data from the county’s computer system.

“Do your job ... or you will hang with those (expletive) in the end,’’ was the message. “We will see to it. Torches and pitchforks.’’

Brnovich said he was glad the Depart ment of Justice is taking such threats se riously.

few times a year,” he said.

To accommodate the crush of families in need, St. Mary’s has expanded its Mon day through Friday hours. During the pandemic, it began using delivery ser vices, such as DoorDash, to provide food to those without transportation. The ser vices now are being used for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Now that federal pandemic assistance has subsided, the food bank relies sole ly on donations of food from individuals and grocery stores, and on monetary do nations from the public. It’s in desperate need of both right now.

“St. Mary’s is buying a lot more food than they had this time last year, and that food is more expensive than it’s ever been,” Brown said.

St. Mary’s has yet to turn anyone away, he said, in part because the staff predicts what’s to come in upcoming weeks and months to make sure there’s enough for everyone.

Bonnie Harvey, who has volunteered at

of people in need, but she’s grateful to see people willing to lend a hand.

“It’s hard on people right now,” Harvey said. “But a lot of people have stepped up to volunteer since the pandemic, espe

Volunteers have begun to return after a steep dropoff during the pandemic, but St. Mary’s still struggles to keep up with the traffic.

Many volunteers are being asked to stay past the end of their shifts to fill va

In addition to volunteers, the food bank desperately needs food and mone tary donations. Every dollar donated pro vides seven meals, which breaks down to about 14 cents a pound, Brown said.

He said the No. 1 priority of the food bank is to be able to provide every per son a meal.

“One thing that’s really important to us is that we feed people so they don’t get sick,” he said. “If you don’t have money to feed yourself, you don’t have money to go to the doctor, either. We want to feed peo ple in a healthy way and to help them get through what’s a very difficult time for a lot of people.”

Although he hopes to see an economic shift, Brown said St. Mary’s Food Bank is bracing for continued hard times ahead.

“I think things have to turn around in the economy before they turn around here,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult summer, and it’s rolling into what looks to be a very difficult fall because the numbers have not abated in any way, they’ve only gone up.”

Audit slams Arizona’s healthcare program

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona’s healthcare program for low income is not doing a good job of investigating potential in cidents of fraud or abuse committed by providers or patients, the state Auditor General’s Office has concluded.

The new report finds that the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System has taken more than a year to initiate or complete preliminary investigation of more than half of potential fraud and abuse cases that were open in May when auditors looked at the agency’s records.

``Untimely fraud and abuse investiga tions could result in AHCCCS making un necessary payments,’’ AG Lindsey Perry wrote, adding there are such cases.

She pointed out that in the last fiscal year, AHCCCS reported that it either recovered or saved about $48.1 million in state and federal funds.

But Perry said if the agency doesn’t

investigate and resolve cases in a timely manner it ``potentially continues to pay thousands of dollars each year to pro vide healthcare coverage for a member who may have obtained this coverage fraudulently.’’

But that’s not the only problem.

``Untimely investigations could also delay efforts to recover fraudulent pay ments and make recovering improper payments more difficult,’’ the report states. ``Finally, AHCCCS risks compro mising its ability to gather evidence and follow leads that might become stale as cases age.’’

The problems, the report says, are not limited to patients.

Perry said AHCCCS had not completed a preliminary investigation of 87% of potential provider fraud or abuse to the Attorney General’s Office within three months, the time frame established in an agreement between the two agencies. In fact, nearly 60% had been open for lon ger than a year.

And she said AHCCCS has not re viewed the health plans, with which it contracts to provide direct services to patients once every three years as re quired. Perry said that goes to the ques tion of whether the agency is making ``incentive’’ payments to providers for performance without first determining that they are eligible.

AHCCCS, formed in 1982, is the state’s Medicaid program.

Unlike some Medicaid fee-for-service programs that operate in other states, AHCCCS makes regular payments to pro vider organizations that in turn, provide direct care to ``members.’’ About 2.4 mil lion Arizonans receive care under one of several AHCCCS programs, with 38% who are children.

Most of the estimated $21.4 billion cost is picked up by the federal govern ment, with the $2.7 billion in state costs making it the largest item in the budget.

AHCCCS said part of the problem was related to the COVID outbreak.

``Investigators were not able to con duct-in person visits to homes and schools as part of their investigations, which impacted their ability to verify the reported number of members living in the home and contributing to the house hold,’’ the report said,

The agency said those visits resumed in January.

That, however, still left the issues of staff turnover and an insufficient num ber of investigators. And while the agen cy said it is bringing new people on board, it said it can take a year to prop erly train them.

Perry, however, said AHCCCS needs to do more.

She said the agency needs to conduct a workload and cost analysis to evaluate whether its funding and staffing levels are sufficient for timely investigating fraud and abuse incidents. And if it is not, Lindsey said, AHCCCS should work with the Legislature to provide more funds.

2

Gilbert YA authors to talk vampires Friday

BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

novel with a twist.

‘Tis

the season to be scary and two pop ular Gilbert authors of young adult fic tion are teaming up with a counterpart in Ahwatukee this Friday to discuss one of the more – pardon the pun– immortal characters in the horror genre.

Vampires.

All three have written novels centered around bloodsuckers, and authors Suzanne Young and Kelly deVos will be moderating a discussion with Erin Jade Lange, who just published her sixth novel, “Mere Mortals.”

Both deVos and Young also will be discussing their forays into vampire fiction for the under-21 set during the free session at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClin tock Drive on the southwest corner of Guadalupe Road, Tempe.

Lange, the nom de plume used by Erin Helm, communications executive director for Kyrene School District and a former local television jour nalist, wrote what’s basically a coming-of-age

Because her two main teen vampires in “Mere Mortals” broke “vampire law,” they are suddenly converted into normal human beings who must navigate through the highs, lows and angst of high school life as they try to figure a way to get back to their previous supernatural state.

Young and deVos also have dabbled in young-vampire lore.

A Mesa native, deVos several months ago pub lished “Go Hunt Me,” praised as a “spine-tingling thriller” about seven horror movie buffs and recent high school grads who travel to a remote Romanian castle reputed to be owned by ances tors of the granddaddy of vampires – Count Dracula. Although there are no actual vampires in the book, it doesn’t take long after their arrival for their trip to become a deadly venture.

Vampires will take front and center stage in Young’s next novel, “In Nightfall.” Slated to be published next year, it has already been described as “’The Lost Boys’ meets ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” a movie and a TV series, respectively, that

100+ Women Who Care supports community clinics

BY ANGELA SIMS GSN Guest Writer

Approximately

11 percent of the total population of Arizona were uninsured in 2020, according to statista.com.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes, “Uninsured adults are less likely to receive preven tive services for chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease; and children without health insurance coverage are less likely to receive appropriate treatment for con ditions like asthma or critical preventive services such as dental care, immuniza tions, and well-child visits.”

Sonoran University’s Sage Foundation for Health (formerly SCNM Sage Founda tion) exists for the sole purpose of pro viding healthcare to underserved family and children in Maricopa County.

The Sage Foundation provides funding to six community clinics in Maricopa County.

The clinics are staffed by licensed physicians and third- and fourth-year medical students from Sonoran Univer sity of Health Sciences, a fully accredited university in Tempe that offers degree programs in naturopathic medicine and nutrition.

At the community clinics, physicians

Gilbert author Suzanne Young has written 22 novels, including two separate dystopian series that have been optioned for films. (Courtesy Suzanne Young)

Celebrating a check presentation by 100+ Women Who Care to Sonoran University’s Sage Foundation for Health are, from left: Katherine Katz, Kayte Nettles, Danica Cullins, Paul Mittman, Kim Tarnopolski, and Crissy Haidos. (Courtesy 100+ Women Who Care)

Buy one burrito, get one

involves thirsty immortals.

Young and deVos also have penned young adult novels with dystopian themes.

A Utica, New York, native and mother who moved to Arizona to escape its bone-chilling winters, Young authored the New York Times best-selling, sixnovel “The Program” series about young love in a futuristic society where a mem ory-erasing “program” is used to combat an international epidemic of teen sui cides.

A 22-year Gilbert resident and mom, deVos has written a two-novel set, “Day Zero” and “Day One,” about teens caught up in an apocalyptic society that emerges from an economic collapse.

DeVos also has written novels outside the horror-sci-fi orbit. Her “Fat Girl on a Plane” follows a teen fashion student before and after a major weight loss that she falsely believes will solve all her problems. It was named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest.

Explaining that she has “struggled

with the way the world treats people of size for a lot of my life,” she got the idea for the book “after I was asked to buy a second seat on a flight to Salt Lake City.”

Young’s prodigious output of 22 books includes an award-winning trio of novels with a dystopian edge about girls in a private school in the near future who rebel against men who want to con

trol and groom them.

The titles – “Girls with Sharp Sticks,” “Girls With Razor Hearts,” and “Girls with Rebel Souls” – should give you an idea that the heroines are no push

overs.

A creative writing major, Young said that when she moved to Arizona, “I was able to pursue my passion – teaching” and has taught English and creative writing for 17 years, the last 12 in Gil bert.

“I started my writing career in middle school where I would write murder mys teries starring my friends and pass them around the class,” Young said. “Even so, it wasn’t until decades later that one of my stories became a published novel. Still, I think the motivation to write has always been there. The real struggle is finding the motivation to continue in the face of rejection and failure. …. In the end, it’s about finding the resilience to keep putting your words out there and/ or finding a new way to tell your story.”

DeVos said she had always wanted to be an author but spent many years as a graphic designer and art director in the fashion and professional beauty indus tries.

Though she was supposed to write a contemporary young adult novel after “Fat Girl on a Plane,” she said, “it was 2015 and the social and political climate in this country made it difficult to focus on upbeat writing. I wanted to change

CLINICS from page 26

and students treat chronic and acute health conditions using both conven tional and alternative medicine, such as clinical nutrition, supplements, botan ical medicine, acupuncture, and home opathy, at little to no cost.

Sonoran University’s Sage Foundation steps up and fills the need for medical care when families who cannot afford health insurance may otherwise not

what I was doing. I wrote ‘Day Zero’ and ‘Day One’ which are near-future, qua si-dystopian, political thrillers for teen readers.”

DeVos describes herself as “a mas sive fan of horror fiction and films” – so much so she used zombies as the pri mary villains in “Eat Your Heart Out” – a novel about teens visiting a fat farm only to find it crawling with the undead.

She said Stephanie Meyer was her “single biggest influence” but not just because she wrote the phenomenally successful “Twilight” series.

“She was a suburban mom who turned her dream of being a published writer into a reality,” deVos said. “When I decided to focus on getting my first book published, I was also a mom with a small child at home. Meyer made me feel like I should give publishing a shot too.”

Besides the perseverance that Young says writers should have in large doses, deVos also advises would-be writers to “read as much as you can,” and that “one of the best ways to learn how to be a great writer is by reading the work of other writers you admire.”

Like deVos, Young also is excited about the chance to talk vampires and horror fiction Friday at Changing Hands Bookstore.

“Phoenix has a great cast of talented authors,” Young said, “and those inter ested in writing professionally should try to attend local events. We show up for each other and offer support—and trust me, after hours alone writing at the computer, that support means the world.”

Information: authorsuzanneyoung. com and kellydevos.com and erinjad elange.com

receive it.

Patients include families in impover ished school districts, domestic violence survivors, women and children experi encing homelessness, those living with HIV/AIDS, and others recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Students and physicians from Sonoran

Gilbert young adult book author Kelly deVos was inspired by “Twilight” series author Stephanie Meyers because she also was a young mother who realized her dream of becoming a pub lished author. (Courtesy Kelly deVos)

University provide nearly 9,000 patients visits each year for both primary care and specialized patient visits.

The students who cover these shifts get a unique opportunity to provide treatment and gain skills and experi ence in a community healthcare setting, working with a diverse patient popula tion.

They help their patients to restore their health, and to improve self-care through daily diet, exercise, and stress reduction treatment plans.

The life-changing, life-saving work the Sage Foundation provides is made pos sible thanks to generous support from the community.

Last month, the East Valley members of 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun donated $10,050 to the Sage Foun dation.

100+ Women Who Care comprises women who meet quarterly to learn about local charities and choose one charity to receive a donation of $100 from each of the members.

By pooling their money together, 100+

Women Who Care can make significant donations to Valley charities, making a noticeable impact for the nonprofit recipient each quarter.

This donation will help offset the high costs of lab tests, medical supplies, pharmacy items, and other necessary supplies to keep the community clinics running and ensure they can provide high quality healthcare to thousands of patients each year.

“The donation will go towards pro viding free care for underserved pop ulations in Maricopa County. We are incredibly grateful for the support 100+ Women Who Care has shown us,” said Kayte Nettles, director of development at the Sage Foundation.

Information on the Sage Foundation’s community clinics: sage.sonoran.edu.

100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun will hold their next quarterly giving circle in the East Valley at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Audi Gilbert. Members and guests are welcome. Visit 100wwcvalleyoft hesun.org for more information and to register.

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Gilbert man excited about 2-day Italian festival

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GSN Staff Writer

LastNovember, the Italian Associ ation of Arizona longed to attract Italophiles to its Pizza and Wine Festival as COVID-19 was slowing.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” said Frank Guzzo, the association’s executive director and a Gilbert resident.

“We wanted to test the waters with the Pizza and Wine Festival. It was one day, as we were still dealing with omicron. In hindsight, it could have been two.”

It was so successful, the partner to The Italian Festival of Arizona will reap pear this coming weekend as the Scotts dale Taste of Italy and Music Festival on the Scottsdale Canal.

and accordion player Cory Pesaturo.

Attendees can enjoy traditional dances, opera singers, live performances on two stages all day and a spaghetti eating con test for kids. Those with a sweet tooth can indulge in a variety of authentic gelato, cannoli and biscotti.

“In 2022, we planned our Italian fes tival to happen in Phoenix,” said Guzzo.

“We did that at (Phoenix’s) Heritage Square, and it was a huge success. We didn’t want to let go of Scottsdale, though. We really enjoy hosting an event in Scottsdale.

“Originally, we planned the Scotts dale Taste of Italy and Music Festival for November, but there wasn’t space avail able. So, we chose October and it’s now a two-day event. We thought, ‘Let’s make

Fund established for events and event development.

For the event, guests will see enter tainment on two stages, along with pizza, pasta and nonfood vendors.

“We’re doing our best to make it fun,” Guzzo said. “The food is lovely….For other vendors, we have Italian women’s purses.”

“We’ll have another gal who makes jewelry out of Italian coins. She’s going to be there with her products and jew elry.

“We have a variety of different things meant to get people engaged and intro duce to someone or something they haven’t seen before. We want them to be entertained for a few hours and enjoy the event. It’ll be busy. It’ll be fun.”

in between my songs, I try to balance the negative stereotype that Hollywood has told for many, many years. I talk about food, music, who inspired me, the great inventors and the great navigators and the great geniuses, the great painters, the renaissance. That’s something all Italians are very, very proud of.”

IF YOU GO

Scottsdale Taste of Italy and Music Festival

When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 15, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, October 16

Where: Scottsdale Canal, Scottsdale’s Southbridge Bridge to Solstice Park, 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale

Cost: $10 in advance; $20 day of $20.

Children under 12 are free to attend.

Info: 480-745-7020, italianassociation.org

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Jewish War Vets Post 619 to meet

Amember

of U.S. VETS will be the special guest at the Oct. 18 meeting of East Valley-wide Jewish War Veterans Post 619 in Sun Lakes, now gathering in the Sun Lakes Cottonwood Country Club Phoenix Room at 25630 Brentwood Drive.

Jennifer Gewarges will discuss a new housing project called Ashley Place that is opening Nov. 1.

i

a a n d h e r s i b l i n g s t o a n u m b e r o f l o c a t i o n s i n t h e United States and Germany as they grew up Following her school years, Patric ia settled in Scottsdale, AZ where she had a successful career with ITT Cannon, now L3 Harris.

S h e w a s p r e c e d e d i n d e a t h b y h e r s i s t e r s , B a r b a r a M u r r a y a n d A r l e n e E n g b r e t s o n o f C h e y e n n e , W Y , a n d h e r b r o t h e r s , W i l l a r d " B u d " M c D o n a l d a n d J o h n " J a c k " M c D o n a l d o f S c o t t s d a l e , A Z W h i l e w o r k i n g a n d f o l l o w i n g r e tirement, Patricia enjoyed traveling with friends and visiting family A private fu n e r a l m a s s w i l l b e s c h e d u l e d a t a l a t e r d a t e

Each of the project’s two houses pro vides a safe and sober environment for five women with children. The women receive treatment for sexual trauma, substance misuse, work re-entry coun seling, and assistance in receiving dis ability payments.

Ashley Place will support the female veterans working towards employ ment and permanent housing and is made possible by the Milanovich Trust in collaboration with the Habitat for Humanity.

To support this new venture, those attending JWV’s meeting are encour aged to bring hygiene products for the Ashley House women.

Gowarges earned her master’s degree in social work from Arizona State Uni versity. Before joining U.S. VETS, she worked at Southwest Key Programs, a nonprofit dedicated to reunifying and sheltering immigrant children and fam ilies escaping dangerous conditions in their countries of origin.

A social with free lox and bagels, coffee and doughnuts starts at 9:30 a.m. Ovt. 18 , followed by the speaker at 10 a.m. The public is invited. There is no charge.

To partake in the food, people must RSVP by 5 p.m. Oct. 16 to joytoyspar tonos@aol.com.

JWV Post 619, which meets the third Sunday of every month from September to June, boasts members who represent a wide range of religious affiliations and participates in philanthropic activities to help veterans of all faiths.

Indoor Gilbert venue elevates cornhole even higher

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA GSN Contributor

Twoweeks may not sound like a long time, but when Gilbert’s Hole 9 Yards owners had plans in place for a festive grand opening on Sept. 16, supply-chain issues delayed the permit ting process.

That scuttled a weekend when Amer ican Cornhole League pros from around the country planned to join local aficio nados of the game for a celebration.

More delays ensued, but the big day finally arrived Sept. 30, when Dr. Todd Kisicki of Mesa and Queen Creek resident Nic Feinstein opened the 20,000-squarefoot venue at 868 N. Gilbert Road, where players have 26 lanes to play or watch others while sipping a beer and grabbing a burger from Hole 9 Yards’ full kitchen and bar.

“We are excited that we are finally open after all the planning and prepa rations that have gone into the project,” Kisicki said.

Kisicki has been an enthusiastic fan of the sport, which began as an elevated form of the old bean bag tossing game and has elevated into a sport that could one day be an Olympics event.

As the owner of KB Kornhole Games, a cornhole-centric business that hosted hundreds of events throughout the Val ley since its inception in 2015, Kisicki is well known throughout the state as he’s hosted the Arizona State Cornhole Championships since 2016. Feinstein is an ACL-sanctioned pro who is a leader in the sport.

Last year’s state championships at Mesa’s Bell Bank Park was organized by Kisicki and became the largest state championship cornhole event in the na tion with an estimated 410 players, ages 8 to 80, competed in 15 different divi sions.

Now national director for the Ameri can Cornhole League, Kisicki didn’t start out aiming to be one of cornhole’s most enthusiastic advocates.

He earned his doctorate at Arizona State University in education technolo gy and taught there until he left to focus solely on his burgeoning KB Kornhole Games business with his wife of 16 years, Erin.

This summer, he often was jetting around the country and around the

world, hosting cornhole tournaments in Europe, Canada, as well as South Carolina and California and overseeing more than 300 ACL directors nationwide.

He and Feinstein hatched their idea for Hole 9 Yards (H9Y) in 2019 and their concept picked up momentum during the early days of the pandemic.

By the time they opened, they not only had added a bar and full-service restaurant to their plan but also a re tail section where people can buy cornhole gear and equipment.

They’re convinced they’re tapping into an activity that seems to have unlimited poten tial and will be making Hole 9 Yards available for league play at all skill levels, private gatherings and open-lane rentals.

When he and his wife sponsored their first commercial cornhole event on April 11, 2015, they figured their business would be strictly a part-time, weekend gig.

“I had no idea KB Kornhole Games would ever evolve to where it is today,” Kisicki said.

“While it was initially meant to be something we could do as a family, I quickly realized that starting and run ning a business required a lot of effort and sacrifice and not everyone was in a place in their lives to dedicate the time that was needed to make it successful,”

he said.

“So I ran with it, slowly growing it to a point to where it was consuming a lot of my extra time and eventually taking some of my concentration away from my full-time job.”

In December 2016, he recalled, “I de cided to gamble on myself and jump all into the business, leaving the industry that I had spent the first 15 years of my adult life behind.”

Erin Kisicki left her full-time career as a director of training in behavioral health services, on Sept. 2 so both husband and wife can focus efforts on growing Hole 9 Yards, the national and international business of cornhole, and their daughter, Kora.

“Erin started the KB Kornhole business with me in 2015 but with her full-time job, she wasn’t active in the day-to-day operations though she helped me run the events for the first two years,” explained Kisicki.

“After a while, her job, plus having a toddler, and then me dragging her to events every weekend, took its toll and she stepped back from KB so that we didn’t have to ship our daughter off to family every weekend.”

“Our daughter, Kora, is now 8 and wants me to give her a job at Hole 9 Yards,” he chuckled.

Kisicki partnered with Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek to lead the design, oversee the renovations and handle the busi ness’s social media and marketing. Fein stein will help spread the word of corn hole, H9Y and industry news affecting Arizona.

“I never really needed to market with KB Kornhole Games with most of my events coming from referrals, but now with a large venue and most time slots to fill, Nic fills a void with his strong skill

Tony Rodriguez and Clinton Timmons toss bags at Hole 9 Yards, a new indoor cornhole venue in Gilbert. (David Minton/ GSN Staff Photographer)

set that gives us a dedicated social media and marketing plan to attract new peo ple to the sport,” said Kisicki.

As national director for the American Cornhole League, international expan sion is Kisicki’s focal point. A goal of that expansion is prepping the way as a fu ture sport in the Olympics.

If that seems a reach, consider skate boarding, surfing, sport climbing and now breakdancing – all Olympic compet itive events.

It takes some doing to be included, said Kisicki.

“To be considered for involvement in the Olympics, a sport must be widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries and on four continents, and by women in no fewer than 40 countries and on three continents.

To see that cornhole is established in other countries is a major task for Kisic ki.

“One of my roles with the American Cornhole League is international de velopment, and working with cornhole leaders in other countries to develop

competitive cornhole in their countries,” he said.

“My role with the ACL is to help devel op the competitive side of the sport in these countries. There’s also the WCO –

the World Cornhole Organization – and they’re the ones who are responsible for getting the sport to the Olympics,” said Kisicki, currently a board member with the nonprofit WCO.

“Cornhole is a universal sport that any one can play,” said Kisicki. “The wonder ful part of the sport is that you can have young children, women, men and seniors all playing in the same event with no competitive advantage.”

Televising cornhole has already proved a successful draw. ESPN and their related channels began broadcasting cornhole tournaments in 2017, and in early Sep tember, CBS covered an ACL Pro Shootout Tournament during prime time.

Even with the success of competitive tournaments, Kisicki cleaves to the tag line he originated in 2015 for KB Korn hole: “Bringing people together, one kornhole at a time.”

He said he’s seen newcomers come to give the sport a try-out, then contin ue coming to events as they make new friends and become a part of a communi ty of enthusiasts.

The H9Y owners hope the 26 lanes at their H9Y Gilbert venue will expand that community with people of all ages and skill levels.

Information: Hole9Yards.com.

Players heave bags at Hole 9 Yards, a new indoor cornhole venue opened by a pair of the sport’s devotees, Dr. Todd Kisicki of Mesa and Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek.

GPS board candidates address some school issues

A note to readers

The Gilbert Sun News invited all the candidates for Gilbert Public Schools Governign Board to write two columns on topics of their choice so that voters could get to know them better. This is the second set of columns. Candidate answers to our questionnaires and the first column can be found under the Election 2022 tab on gilbertsunnews. com. Candidates who missed the deadline will have their essays added if they submit columns prior to Election Day.

EVANS: 10 ways GPS can compete with other schools Humpherys: Parents, teachers are partners

BY COLLETTE EVANS GSN Guest Writer

he past few years have been challeng ing for most of us, and our school com munity is no exception.

Student learning loss and teacher shortages in particular have been re cent stumbling blocks in our quest to achieve excellence.

But there is much we can do to con front these challenges and remain com petitive with surrounding schools and districts.

Here are just a few ideas:

1. Do exit surveys. When students leave our district it is imperative that we understand why. Some times there is nothing we can do (i.e. my student wants to play sports at a smaller school). But when we start to see patterns and common threads we need to address them.

2. Expand our accelerated elemen tary schools. We currently have 5 elementary schools that allow stu dents, with parent and teacher guid ance, to enroll in an advanced track. This early intervention will better prepare more students to take hon ors and AP classes at the secondary level.

3. Increase our website accessibility and visibility. Our website can be a

very effective marketing tool by be ing easier to navigate and by better communicating all the good pro grams GPS has to offer.

T4. Assess the effectiveness of our ele mentary curriculum. If it’s the best option, then we need to ensure we are teaching it with integrity. If not, we need to revisit it.

5. Ensure our policies are flexible enough to allow innovative solu tions for students and families.

Look for ways to say ‘yes’ when it benefits students.

6. Fully support the programs we cur rently have. For example, we need to ensure our special needs, gifted, and AP teachers are getting the nec essary certifications, training and support.

7. Expand our college and career-ready centers from our current two and encourage our students to take ad vantage of them. Does each of our students know they can get a fullride scholarship to any of our com munity colleges with a 3.25 GPA?

Are we encouraging our CTE stu dents to take a business course that will provide more opportunities for them?

8. Intentionally solicit positive feed back from our families to give to our teachers, letting them know we appreciate them and that they

BY JILL HUMPHERYS GSN Guest Writer

hen my son Na than was in the fourth grade, he was assigned to read a biography and give a speech on a famous person. After about two weeks, I learned that he was falling behind in his reading.

When I sat down to read the book Nathan had chosen, I discovered he had chosen the most boring biography ever written for children. I knew then that Nathan needed a different book. We went to the library, and he chose a book on Teddy Roosevelt, who led a very ad venturous life.

The teacher was concerned about changing books, but I knew that Nathan could not complete the assignment un less he had a more enjoyable book to read. The teacher and I worked togeth er in spite of our different opinions, and Nathan completed the project by giving a speech on Teddy Roosevelt.

When parents and teachers partner together, students do better.

The analogy I think of is taking your child to a medical doctor. If your child is sick, you take your child to the doc tor to get a diagnosis and treatment. You work with the doctor to help your child get better by adjusting as neces sary. Parents and teachers partner best

when there is respect, communication, collaboration, and support.

W• Respect. Respect means to hold in esteem or to honor someone. As sume that the person you are meet ing with has good intentions and the best interests of your student at heart. Your student’s teacher cares about their success just as you do.

• Communication. Whether commu nicating in person, by phone, email, or text, it is best to stick to the facts, refrain from giving your opinion, and listen carefully.

• Collaboration. Work to find com mon ground and to come to consen sus in addressing problems.

Realize that improvement may be in cremental. Celebrate successes.

• Support. Realize that the behav ior of the student may vary greatly from home to school. If concerns are raised about student behavior, follow through and address the con cerns with your student.

Teachers want and welcome parental engagement with their students, and parents want to be involved in their student’s education.

Because Nathan’s teacher and I worked together to address a concern, Nathan was successful in reading a bi ography and giving a speech.

When there is respect, communica tion, collaboration, and support be

EVANS from page 35 are making a difference in our chil dren’s lives.

9. Help protect instructional time by enforcing our cell phone policy. Decreasing cell phone usage in our schools can have a positive impact on students’ ability to focus and on their emotional and mental health.

10. Continue to encourage a welcom ing, friendly culture. The sincere question “How can I help you suc ceed?” goes along way. From par ents to teachers, from office staff to parents, from teachers to students. Let’s be there for each other. So, join me in my effort to Put Stu dents First. Together we can make Gil bert Public Schools the premier district in the state.

HUMPHERYS from page 35

cause parents and teachers are part ners in education, students are more engaged in their learning and more successful in school. Public education works!

Jurors get first compensation hike since 1970

BY CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERT M. BRUTINEL Arizona Supreme Court

Thebipartisan budget that was passed during the 2022 Arizona legislative session included multi ple spending priorities recommended and supported by the Arizona Judicial Council (AJC), the policy-making body that over sees the judicial system in our state.

Among them, the appropriation of 1.62M from the state’s General Fund to the Arizona Lengthy Trial and Digital Ev idence Fund to pay jurors who are sum monsed and selected to serve on a jury in the superior court—beginning on day one.

While it may not seem to have been the most crucial budget item to remain intact, citizens exercising their right to serve on a jury and Arizona’s judicial system won big.

Our courts understand how personal financial responsibilities impact an in dividual’s willingness to participate in

jury service, which is why juror pay and other consequential recommendations were made by the Supreme Court’s Task Force on Jury Data Collection, Practices, and Procedures, and were included in the 2022 AJC legislative slate.

Individuals can breathe a little easier now that they will be eligible for reim bursement of lost wages for amounts between $40 and $300 per day—it took effect Sept. 24.

Previously, jurors were paid $12 per day unless the trial exceeded five days, ac tivating additional pay from the Lengthy Trial Fund.

And whether employed or unemployed, self-employed, retired, or receiving in come from another source like Social Security, jurors in Superior Court will be paid. The amount is dependent on their actual earnings.

Aside from alleviating financial con cerns for jurors, Arizona’s judicial sys tem, litigants, and attorneys gain a more willing pool of potential jury participants

to help ensure a fair and efficient pro cess. That fundamental fairness includes placing decision-making in the hands of jurors who can truly be impartial and are representative of the communities in which they assemble.

Under leadership of the Arizona Su preme Court and the Arizona Judicial Council, our court system is committed to the continued advancement of promoting the jury improvement reforms outlined in the report issued by Task Force on Jury Data Collection, Practices, and Procedures and approved by the AJC on Oct. 21, 2021.

The full report includes 24 recommen dations for improving jury service, the jury summoning and selection process, and community outreach, education, and engagement.

The next time you participate in jury service we hope you walk away feeling ac complished because you exercised a right guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment.

Remember, it was fair because you were there.

amount

the plan for more information.

restrictions

Shae Veach’s journey from heart transplant to the gridiron

BY MADISON THACKER Cronkite News

Perry high school football player Shae Veach stepped onto the field for the first time in early Septem ber.

Two years ago, Veach was lying in a hospital bed awaiting the news that he would be getting a new heart.

“It’s a miracle that he’s actually out there running around,” said Shannon Veach, Shae’s mom.

Veach was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which affects the left ventricle’s function. Immediately after Veach was born, he underwent multiple heart surgeries. He kept having these surgeries until he was 5.

Growing up with HLHS, Veach’s phys ical activity was extremely limited. He played flag football and wrestled with his four older brothers, but his heart condition limited his chance of playing organized physical sports.

His family never treated him differ ently and always encouraged him to reach his goals. One of those was to play football for Perry, where he watched his brother play when he was little.

“We were in the stands watching and I always told my mom, ‘I’m gonna play here one day,’” Veach said. “And obvi ously she didn’t think I could because at the time, we didn’t think I’d have a new heart. She’d say, ‘Yeah you can do it.’ My parents never said I couldn’t do this be cause my heart always pushed me just as much as my older brothers.”

In August 2019, his heart started to fail. At just 14, Veach entered the trans plant list and waited for a new heart.

During this time, the Veach family continued to keep their faith and rally around Shae.

“Our faith really has been instrumen tal in just helping us now that God has taken Shae through this and blessed

made varsity as a receiver. My coach just pushed me to realize my work,” said Veach, a junior. “And sometimes I take breaks. I try not to, because I just don’t like to, but I push myself here at practice, try to participate in every thing.”

Veach works every single day on the field, making the best out of it, knowing that two years ago he was in a hospital bed.

To his teammates and coaches, Veach is an inspiration and an encourage ment.

him and continues to do that,” Shannon said.

A few weeks after the teenager went

on the list, Veach and his family got the news that he would be getting a new heart. Typically, the recovery from a heart transplant means a year in the hospital, according to Veach’s doctors.

Not for Veach.

“I was there for like a month. And after the transplant, I tied the re cord of getting out of the hospital,” Veach said.

Despite his rapid recov ery, Veach still had to rest and take it slow at home for five months after the surgery. Fast forward two years from his surgery and Veach is now living out his dream of playing football. He made Per ry’s varsity team despite never having played organized ball.

“It’s my first year in football, and I

“It’s very exciting. It’s very encour aging. It’s very powerful,” said Perry coach Joseph Ortiz. “To see someone that’s gone through what he’s gone through, and he’s been here every day, going through everything that everyone else has gone through at practice and all the conditioning and all the reps, it’s just cool to see.”

Veach has been defeating all odds since the day he was born, and he only plans on continuing that streak.

He suited up for the first time two weeks ago when Perry played Corona del Sol. It was the moment he, his family and teammates had all waited for.

Perry is currently 4-1 on the year heading into Friday’s matchup against Hamilton. The Pumas have already sur passed their win total from last season under Ortiz and the new staff.

They’re on the brink of a special sea son, but Veach’s presence makes it bet ter. Every day at practice or in a game, he continues to defy the odds.

“I’ve always pushed myself and feel like now with my new heart, our saying here (Perry) is to prove them wrong,” Veach said. “I feel like that really goes to me because I’ve been doubted my whole life. Like I’m the smallest on the team and I’m still working on getting bigger, but I’ll work my butt off out here and just try to prove them wrong.”

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Shae Veach dedicates this season to proving the doubters wrong after making the Perry High School football team as a receiver. (Photo by Rudy Aguado/Cronkite News)

Shae Veach continues to serve as an inspiration for his team and the community. His resolve will be on display Friday at Perry High School’s first home game of the season. (Photo by Rudy Aguado/Cronkite News)

ALA Gilbert’s Adam Damante carries Division I mentality

BY EDUARDO MORALES GSN Contributor Writer

American Leadership Academy

Gilbert North now has its sec ond Division I college athlete, as senior quarterback Adam Damante committed to Northern Arizona Uni versity over the summer. Damante has been continuously working for this op portunity since the age of 6 when he first began taking quarterback lessons. Throughout his high school career, he has been described as a fierce compet itor who likes to talk on the field, while having a good work ethic.

“He’s a guy who’s trying to master his craft. He works extremely hard, he watches a ton of film, [and] he works hard in the weight room,” said head football coach Randy Ricedorff. “Any body that wants to be competitive ap preciates that desire to want to be the best.”

Despite already receiving an offer from a Division I program, Damante is not taking his foot off of the gas ped al. Already through four games, he has thrown for over 1000 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and one interception. Da mante is also helping lead ALA Gilbert North’s football team to a 3-1 record.

When stepping onto the field, a switch goes off in Damante’s head and a differ ent mentality takes over. In the game Damante’s arm strength and athleticism are on full display as he throws the ball to receivers, or makes defenders miss with his mobility. However, another key to his game would be his mentality, and how he tries to dominate the opponent mentally.

“Play like it’s your last play almost. Give it your all, talk a little bit, get in people’s heads, and take them out of their game,” said Damante. “I just want to always give it my all on the field, and just [have] no regrets.”

However, despite being quite the talk er on the field, off the field he describes himself as more of a “laidback” type of person. According to Damante, his dad and those he met through football, taught him how to both talk and play correctly. He explained how he is able

to differentiate between getting in peo ple’s heads on the field and being a nice person off the field.

Ricedorff has also recognized that maturity and discipline off the field are important factors. He explains how there are current college quarterbacks making a lot of money by being polished in every facet of life, not just a quarter back. Ricedorff, along with the rest of the staff, is helping Damante analyze his life so he can be a polished person and quarterback by the time he begins play ing Division I college football.

“What we are working on now, is helping him develop leadership skills that he can take to that Division I lev el,” said Ricedorff. “It’s much more than being a good high school quarterback, we’re trying to prepare him for the next stages, and realize that everything he does is being monitored.”

This help seems to be working, as senior middle linebacker Zach Morton recognized an improvement with Da mante this year. Morton gave an exam ple of how in the team’s previous game Damante came over to the struggling defense and gave some words of en couragement, which helped the team get going.

“He has definitely been stepping up when it comes to chemistry and team bonding. He’s gotten a lot better at that,” said Morton. “I’d say he’s doing a good job being a good teammate.”

Damante has grown a lot since he first stood out to Ricedorff in just the sev enth grade. His fierce competitive edge, along with his hard work ethic has ele vated his status to Division I material.

His quick release time, pocket presence, athleticism, and arm have helped set him apart physically, but his mentality is perhaps his most important asset. The way he is able to carry himself with confidence and invade the mind of the opposing team is something not many people have at that young age.

Now he will look to take his talents to NAU the following year once he has graduated from high school.

“They took a chance on me and I’m grateful for it, I’m blessed,” said Daman te.

American Leadership Academy Gilbert North quarterback Adam Damante, a Northern Arizona commit, is a fierce competitor on the field and a self-describe laidback person off it. The balance has allowed him to become the school’s second Division I football commit. (JJ Digos/GSN Contributor)

Documentary looks at Tempe band from the 1990s

BY VINCENT ARRIETA GetOut Contributor

Unlessyou were there at the time, one might not realize how excit ing it was to be a music lover in Tempe in the 90s.

From the breakthrough of the Meat Puppets with their career-altering ap pearance on Nirvana’s Unplugged spe cial to Gin Blossoms’ jangle-pop bril liance, the national spotlight was shining brightly on the Valley’s musical riches.

One of the acts primed for breakout success has gone largely unnoticed – the Pistoleros.

Now, the band fronted by brothers Lawrence and Mark Zubia is finally get ting its due with a documentary chron icling the band’s extraordinary story called Pistoleros: Death, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll directed by Steven B. Esparza.

Filled with interviews from members of the band along with members of the Meat Puppets, Gin Blossoms, and other Tempe musical mainstays, the documen tary smartly focuses not specifically on the band’s rise and instead chronicles

the tumultuous relationship between brothers Lawrence and Mark, and how that relationship both made – and nearly broke – the band.

The documentary is scheduled to have its premiere with a sold-out screening

on Oct. 18 at the AMC Centerpoint the ater in Tempe with more screenings to follow. The film will then be available to rent on Vimeo the same day and is scheduled to arrive on DVD and stream ing platforms in early November.

Whereas many rockumentaries these days either glorify the story of bands whose trajectories are similar or simply repackage information widely known about a certain artist, Esparza and pro ducers Henry Eshelman and Jeff Freun dlich focus on the “madness” that comes when two artistic minds bound by blood are tested by drug addiction, codepen dency and mental illness.

Make no mistake, though. The Pistole ros story is a triumphant one, albeit with a twist of sadness.

While it is difficult to discuss and write about the documentary without spoiling its fragile narrative, the manner in which the brothers’ respective bat tles with themselves and one another is quite an enlightening one – especially Lawrence’s.

“The music is almost a gateway to fall ing in love with the story of these two brothers,” Freundlich said. “If you listen to the lyrics in the in the songs, you re alize whether it’s consciously or sub consciously, these guys are often singing

Opera gives insight into wounded soldiers’ lives

BY BRIDGETTE REDMAN GSN Contributor

WhenTess Altiveros was debat ing whether to take on a new project at the Seattle Opera, the conductor, Michael Sakir, told her, “This opera will change your life.”

She took the job — performing as the central character in a new opera, “The Falling and the Rising,” roles which she and Sakir will reprise for the Arizona Opera Friday, October 14, to Sunday, October 16, in Phoenix and Saturday, October 22, to Sunday, October 23, in

Tucson.

“I will never forget him saying that and it did change my life,” Altiveros said. “It changed my perspective. It changed my understanding and made me sit up and pay attention to the fact that I had my own prejudices that I needed to deal with.

“Mostly, it enabled a path for dia logue with a group of people that I have never been able to sit across the table with and certainly not make art with. It changed my view on myself as a citizen

The Pistoleros were primed for breakout success in the 90s and a key component of the Valley’s

“The Falling and the Rising” is a five-person opera based on the true stories of American military service members and veterans who have been wounded in the line of duty. (Ziggy Mack/Opera Memphis)

and my view on this world.”

“The Falling and the Rising” is a five-person opera based on the true stories of American military service members and veterans who have been wounded in the line of duty.

Conceived of by Army Staff Sgt. Ben Hilget, who was an opera singer before he enlisted, it took shape when he, Zach Redler and Jerre Dye visited the Wal ter Reed Medical Center to interview wounded soldiers.

“The Falling and the Rising” breaks ground in its goals and its staging. Pro jections play an important role in the production. It is filled with humor –there are traditional opera singing de liveries of such lines as “You’d better get your ass in gear.”

Hilget said the opera aptly captures the sacrifices that modern service members make. He said he and the oth er opera creators were immediately floored by the stories that they heard when they started interviewing people at Walter Reed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard, to date,

more powerful stories of resilience and strength,” Hilget said.

One of the first interviewees was a specialist who had been in a coma af ter being thrown from a Humvee. He dreamt a life that he didn’t have and even six months after he woke up, he was still trying to figure out what was

real and what was not.

“He gained the power of speech back through music therapy – he actually learned to sing before he could speak,” Hilget said. “He spoke with a profound wisdom for someone of his age and still in the middle of trauma.”

They spoke to so many peo ple in a three-day period that he said they could have written 10 operas.

Dennis Whitehead Darling had just finished serving as the inau gural McCleave Fellow in Di recting at Opera Memphis, a fel lowship designed to fostering the careers of directors of color, when he went to see Opera Memphis’ produc tion of the opera.

“It’s quite beautiful and poignant and painful and emotional and rich with beautiful themes of sacrifice and pain,” Darling said.

He is now directing the Arizona Op era production. As someone who con templated going into the military and whose father, uncle, brother and step sister all served, this opera touches on his ties.

He said he feels people get a better understanding of what it takes to serve in the military and the sacrifice, duty and honor involved.

“There are no live scenes of people being shot at, but it does deal with in jury and that sort of falling that the soldier goes through emotionally and physically,” Darling said.

“Then it’s about this wonderful tri umph of the rising of how they some how find this miraculous strength to overcome any sort of emotional or physical pain. It honors their sacrifice.”

Altiveros said the music and score are designed to attract civilians and soldiers. She describes it as accessible and melodic.

“It’s meant to help us appreciate and acknowledge the sacrifices that are made, the good parts and the bad parts about enlisting and the hardships of it,” Altiveros said.

While not traditionally a subject of

opera, the stories of sacrifice and injury translate well to the art form, Altiveros said.

“The stakes are so high — there is a risk of life and death and injury and things like that, but real human rela tionships are affected and in a very large way,”

Altiveros said.

“Anytime you can tell that story of human relationships on stage, it lends itself to opera. Opera can heighten that sense of emotion.”

She recently spoke with art produc ers who were concerned about whether this opera would be too heavy and trau matic for audiences who are stressed in a post-pandemic world. She was eager to allay those fears.

“It’s not that this does not address (traumatic) topics – the whole premise essentially is when a female soldier is hit in a roadside bombing, and they put her in a medically-induced coma. The entirety of the rest of the opera is her wandering through her subconscious and coming across these different sol diers’ stories,” Altiveros said.

“That is the background for these sto ries to happen, but it’s meant to leave you feeling uplifted. It’s not a downer.”

Altiveros said she cries in almost ev ery single rehearsal because she is so moved by the stories, and she is certain the audience will be moved too.

“But it’s not meant to traumatize,” Altiveros said. “It’s meant to leave you feeling really hopeful about and grate ful for the work that our soldiers are doing. It’s not meant to take you to a really, really dark place and then leave you there. I want to make sure people know that.”

IF YOU GO...

What:

“Rising and Falling” looks at both male and female sol diers who were wounded in combat. (Ziggy Mack/Opera Memphis)

about their firsthand experiences, quite frankly, with each other.

“Obviously, we don’t want spoilers, but, you know, love wins, right?”

In addition to highlighting the Zubia brothers’ literal brotherhood, the doc umentary spotlights the brotherhood between many of the other bands in the Tempe music scene.

One particularly heartfelt and bitter sweet stretch of the documentary de picts the Zubias and other talking about the late Gin Blossoms guitarist Doug Hopkins, whose death had a profound impact on not only his own band’s ca reer trajectory, but on the Zubia broth ers’ own struggles with mental health.

“Think about like the Haight-Ashbury scene in the 60s,” Freundlich says. “You had Janis Joplin living with the Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Ser vice living the same house, right? The Live Nudes’ [precursors to the Pistole ros] house was where all of these bands would party when they were done with their gigs.

“That’s the magic that happens when

all these creative people are coming to gether. They’re not competing with each other, but they’re trying to lift each other up and look what happened.”

That sense of camaraderie runs throughout the documentary, from the Zubia brothers themselves to their con nection with their Mexican American roots via playing in mariachi groups with their father as children.

“The brothers are Mexican American, our director is Mexican American, and our picture editor is Mexican American,” Freundlich says. “The story that Mark and Lawrence tell about playing in a ma riachi band with their father and then realizing that those chords worked for Van Morrison and The Doors, the Rolling Stones – our editor said ‘that is the ex perience of so many Mexican-American kids and teenagers that are embracing the culture of their family historical ly and then also assimilating fully into American culture.’

“For every Mexican-American kid or musician – that is going to resonate with them greatly.”

Home & Garden Show returns to Westworld

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff

Homeowners will find plenty of helpful displays and merchandise at the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show, the largest home show in the Southwest that is set to return to WestWorld of Scottsdale next weekend.

In addition to hundreds of home im provement vendors, holiday lighting, unique copper skillets and kitchen ac cessories and seminars by local pros, the Tiny Homes Street of Dreams exhib it shows off the creative bounds one can explore with a downsized home.

“It’s always just a super popular fea ture and people love coming to tour the homes and learn more about the rules and regulations, the area, how they can incorporate tiny living and even invest ments into tiny home businesses into their lives and their businesses,” said event coordinator Heather Fillipo.

Fillipo said she has seen a growing interest in these homes as more guests go in and out of the 15 tiny homes on display.

“Part of it is just the ease and porta bility and a lot of them are on wheels, so you can have vacation homes wher ever you like because they are small,” she said.

“Even if they aren’t on wheels, as long as the rules and regulations of the area allow it, you can kind of put them wher ever you’d like and I think that’s very appealing to people. The portable ones are also very appealing for businesses since we have many mobile businesses

The Maricopa Home & Garden Show is set to return to WestWorld of Scottsdale beginning Friday, Oct. 14 through Sunday and will feature over 900 vendors as well as 15 tiny homes on display. (Special to GSN)

popping up these days.”

The show will offer over 900 ven dors and could attract anywhere from 25,000 to 30,000 people over its threeday run from Oct. 14-16.

“We have several large features in ad dition to our tiny homes,” Fillipo said.

“We have our handmade headquarters where attendees can come in and make their craft to bring home with them. We have a lot of holiday-themed crafts. We have our Halloween-themed candles.

We have macramé cactus ornaments for your tree and we have nice paintings that you can do.”

The show also provides special edu cational opportunities for guests.

“We also have our seminar stage, which is always great for education about home improvement products and that sort of thing,” Fillipo said.

“One that I’m excited about is our cab inet painting seminar hosted by one of our vendors Spray-Net. They’re going to show everyone the ease and benefits of spray painting versus brush and roller painting of your cabinets and how that can be much more efficient and some times even more long-lasting.”

Fillipo also said the show offers is a good opportunity to look for holiday gifts or companies that can aid with home decorating for the holidays.

“We are coming up on the holidays

here and so we do have several vendors that are going to be great resources for that,” she said. “We’ve got Level 5 Light ing, which installs permanent holiday lighting, and you want to stop by and talk to them.

“We’ll also have vendors that offer great wreaths and garlands for the hol idays and then we have great local ar tisans offering nice gifts and stocking stuffers like candles, soaps, dog treats, jewelry, and tons of other items.”

Whether guests come away with gifts, pamphlets, business cards, or just newfound knowledge, Fillipo hopes that guests enjoy themselves and make some good connections.

“A lot of our attendees come with specific projects in mind, so we want to be able to provide them with a large number of options to get those projects done,” she said.

“We are always hoping that people walk away feeling like they had a good time but also feeling more knowledge able and that they’ve made good con nections that they will carry out into the future.”

IF YOU GO

Maricopa County Home & Garden Show

When:  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14Sunday, Oct. 16.

Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale 116601 N. Pima Road.

Cost: $8 daily for adults, kids ages 3-12 are $1. Children 2 and younger are free.

Info: mchomeshows.com

Blood Mary Shrimp Appetizer

Sincetransitioning to a new career as a cooking instructor at Sweet Ba sil Culinary Center, my recipe repertoire has expanded con siderably.

I have the advantage of working with three talented chefs who bring decades of experience to the table, and I’m always the one asking them to share their tips, tricks and prized recipes. Once in a while, I sneak a peek into their classes and if I’m lucky, I get to sample some of what was being taught in class that day.

That brings me this dish. I absolutely went nuts over it! I loved absolutely everything about it; the simplicity of the recipe, the flavors and the reac tion from folks when they bite into it.This Bloody Mary Shrimp Appetizer is the perfect addition to your holiday parties or any gathering. You won’t find a single person who doesn’t love it.

I wanted to share it with you now so you have perhaps a new dish for this year’s get-togethers!

By the way! Sweet Basil Culinary Center has moved to the La Mirada Shopping Center at the Northeast Corner of Pinnacle Peak and Pima Road, Scottsdale.

Come visit soon and let’s get cooking together!

For the tart shells:

24 wonton wrappers

2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the shrimp:

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 ½ cups celery ( 3-4 ribs), sliced thin

1 cup scallions, sliced thinly

For the sauce:

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup vodka

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Place wonton wrappers on a work surface and brush one side of each with melted butter.

Place one wrapper, butter side up, into each of the 24 mini muffin cups, pressing lightly. Place the muffin pans in the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Remove the tart shells from the pan.

3. Prepare the shrimp: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 table spoon salt and the Old Bay seasoning. Add the shrimp. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the shrimp stand in the hot water until cooked through ( the shrimp will be pink) about 5 min utes. Drain in a colander and cool to room tem perature.

4. Cut the shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with the celery and scallions.

5. Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, com bine the ketchup, vodka, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce.

6. Just before serving, stir the sauce into the shrimp mixture. Spoon 3 shrimp pieces with the vegetables and sauce into each wonton cup ( about a tablespoon per cup) and arrange on a platter.

Makes 24 wonton cup appetizers.

to the fullest

loved ones

easier

TUITION-FREE. "A"

Two Day Hiring Event

When: Friday, Oct. 14; 9am - 2pm

Oct. 15; 9am - 1pm

Where: CMC Steel Arizona

E Germann Rd.

AZ 85212

CMC Steel Arizona has proudly been making the steel that builds America since 2009.

tour our facility and learn about our openings and potentially receive an on-thespot offer! At CMC, we offer great benefits and provide all necessary training and certifications.

JOB

Building a Personal Brand

Employers no longer rely only on resumes, cover letters and background checks. Today, most hiring managers take to the internet and google their potential hires.

The site “We Work Remotely” reports that 80% of hiring managers consider it important for a candidate to have a personal website and 47% of companies say they won’t hire someone if they can’t find them online.

Your personal brand, according to Dr. Sean Gresh, a faculty member at Northeastern University, is your story. It is who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace and the way you express those values, he said. It helps you to “communicate a unique identity and clear value to potential employers.”

So what are the dos and don’ts of creating your online brand?

KEEP IT CLEAN

According to a Career Builder survey in 2018, 57% of hiring managers who search for information about candidates online have found content that caused them not to hire a person. CareerBuilder listed both what led employers not to hire a candidate and what made them more likely to hire a candidate.

What do you want to avoid? These things made hiring managers turn a person away, according to the survey:

• Candidate posted inappropriate or provocative photographs, videos or information.

• Candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs.

• Candidate made discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion, etc.

• Candidate was linked to criminal behavior.

• Candidate lied about qualifications.

• Candidate had poor communication skills.

• Candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee.

• Candidate’s screen name was unprofessional.

• Candidate shared confidential information from previous employers.

• Candidate lied about an absence.

• Candidate posted too frequently. That said, there were several factors that caused hiring managers to look more favorably on a candidate. Many are under your control.

WHAT DO THEY INCLUDE?

According to CareerBuilder’s survey:

• Background information supported a candidate’s professional qualifications.

• Candidate was creative.

• Candidate’s site conveyed a professional image.

• Candidate was well-rounded with a wide range of interests.

• Employer was able to get a good feel for the candidate’s personality.

• Candidate displayed great communication skills.

• Candidate received awards and accolades.

• Others posted great references about candidates.

• Candidate interacted with the company’s social media accounts.

• Candidate posted compelling video or other content.

• Candidate had a large number of followers or subscribers.

CREATING YOUR BRAND

Take control of creating a strong personal brand for yourself, which means knowing what it is and making a plan.

Capitol One suggests the following steps to create your personal brand:

1. Define who you are.

2. Understand your audience.

3. Decide what you want to be known for.

4. Prepare your elevator pitch.

Let those guide how you act online, what you put out there and how you promote yourself. Decide the best places to pitch yourself. Columbia University’s Career Center recommends focusing on a few professional social networks and not saturating the market.

Once you have established your brand, maintain it. Even after you get the job, managers may be monitoring you and making decisions about your future promotions.

Employment General

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting, Solu tion Specialist in Gilbert, AZ & various unanticip ated Deloitte office locations & client sites nation ally to create innovative and transformative solu tions that address supply chain needs 15% travel re quired nationally Telecommuting permitted To ap ply visit apply deloitte com Enter XBAL23FC0922GIL2733 in “Search jobs” field EOE, including disability/veterans

Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting, Solu tion Architect in Gilbert, AZ & various unanticip ated Deloitte office locations & client sites nation ally to manage information technology projects, in cluding advisory and implementation services of large scale data ecosystems, involving data manage ment, governance and the integration of structured and unstructured data to generate insights to help companies unlock the value of big information tech nology investments 15% travel required nationally Telecommuting permitted To apply visit apply deloitte com Enter XBAL23FC0922GIL125 in “Search jobs” field EOE, including disability/ veterans

Employment General

o a c h employees & mgrs through cmplx employee relation s i t u a t i o n s c o n t r i b u t i n g t o i n d i v i d u a l & t e a m p r f r m n c e & p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m M u s t b e l e g a l l y a u t h o r i z e d t o w o r k i n t h e U S w / o s p o n s o r s h i p T o a p p l y , p l e a s e s e n d y o u r r e s u m e w/references, by email to: paypaljobs@paypal com ; or by mail: ATTN: HR, Cube 10.3.561, PayPal, Inc.

H Q , 2 2 1 1 N o r t h F i r s t S t r e e t , S a n J o s e , C A 9 5 1 3 1 EOE, including disability/vets Ref Req # w/applica tion

SOFTWARE ENGINEER: Chandler, AZ & various unanticipated locations throughout US : Dvlp, create tech soln to data convs Dsgn & write data conv routines & code Prep new datasets frm raw data files usng imprt techniques Modfy extg datasets usng set, merge, sort, updt, func & condtn statements Prfm in dpndt cmplx analysis, suprt sevrl data convs. Extct, trnf, load data Prfrm unit test & fix issues Skills req d: SAS Enterprise Guide, Unix, Metadata, Putty, WinSCP, Oracle, & SQL Server Masters in Sci, Tech, or Engg (any) w/1 yr of exp in job offrd or rltd occup Mail resume: Sierra Business Solution LLC, 6909 W Ray Rd, Ste 15 137, Chandler, AZ 85226

Roofing

BEFORE THE ARIZONA POWER PLANT AND TRANSMISSION LINE SITING COMMITTEE

Docket No. L-21209A-22-0255-00210 Case No. 210

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF SUPERSTITION ENERGY STORAGE, LLC IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, SECTIONS 40- 360, et. seq., FOR TWO CERTIFICATES OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY AUTHORIZING THE SUPERSTITION 230-kV GENERATION INTERTIE PROJECT AND ASSOCIATED SUBSTATION WITHIN THE TOWN OF GILBERT, ARIZONA, LOCATED WITHIN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA

NOTICE OF HEARING

Notice of Hearing

his discretion, recess the hearing to a time and place to be announced during the hearing or to be determined after the recess. The date time and place at which the hearing will be resumed will be posted on the above-noted Project website and the Commission website. NOTE: NOTICE OF ANY RESUMED HEARING WILL BE GIVEN; HOWEVER, PUBLISHED NOTICE OF SUCH A RESUMED HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED.

No tour of the Project area is planned by the Chairman at this time. If the Chairman or Committee later decide to conduct a tour, a tour notice that includes a map and itinerary of any such tour will be available at the hearing and posted on the Project website at https://www. superstitionenergystorage.com and on the Commission website at: https://www.azcc.gov/ arizona-power-plant/meeting-schedule.

development of the area in which the Project are located that desires to become a party to the proceedings shall, not less than ten (10) days before the date set for the hearing, file a Notice of Intent to Become a Party with the Director of Utilities, Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 West Washington Street, Phoenix AZ 85007.

The Committee or the Chairman, at any time deemed appropriate, may make other person parties to the proceedings. Any person may make a limited appearance at a hearing by filing a statement in writing with the Director of Utilities, Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 West Washington Street, Phoenix AZ 85007, not less than five (5) days before the date set for the hearing. A person making a limited appearance will not be a party or have the right to present testimony or cross-examine witnesses.

i

NOTICE TO READERS:

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

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): T h e a d v e r t i s i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e s t a t ute does not prevent anyone from placing a n a d i n t h e y e l l o w p a g e s , o n b

c

W

w

p erly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the pub l i c b y i n c l u d i n g t h e w o r d s " n o t a l i c e n s e d c o n t r a c t o r " i n t h e a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the indi vidual or company.

Contractors who advertise and do not dis close their unlicensed status are not eli gible for the handyman s exception

by la

A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD before the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee (Committee) regarding the application of Superstition Energy Storage, LLC (Superstition or Applicant) for two Certificates of Environmental Compatibility to authorize the construction of the Superstition 230 kilovolt (kV) Generation Intertie Project and associated substation (Project). The Project consists of a proposed 230-kV alternating current generation intertie transmission line (Gen-Tie) and associated substation facilities, planned for construction in Gilbert, Arizona. The Project would connect an adjacent 90-megawatt (MW), 360-MW-hour battery energy storage system.

A general location map of the Project is attached as Exhibit A.

The hearing will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn; 86 Rockford Drive; Tempe, AZ 85281, on November 9, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. and will continue on as necessary on November 10, 2022, commencing at 9:00 a.m. If any revisions to the hearing schedule are required, they will be noticed on the Project website at https://www.superstitionenergystorage.com/ and on the Arizona Corporation Commission (“ACC”) website at https://www.azcc.gov/arizona-power-plant/ meeting-schedule.

PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE TAKEN IN A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION ON November 9, 2022, AT 5:30 P.M. VIA TELEPHONE, ZOOM OR IN PERSON AT THE HILTON GARDEN INN. PUBLIC COMMENT MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AT OTHER TIMES DURING THE HEARING AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL LOCAL AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES REGARDING COVID-19 WILL BE FOLLOWED DURING THE HEARING AND PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION. FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLIC ACCESS, ADDITIONAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS, AND REVISIONS TO THE HEARING SCHEDULE MAY OCCUR DUE TO PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS.

Maps of the Project site and detailed information about project facilities and technology are contained in the Application, which is available for inspection at the following locations:

• Arizona Corporation Commission Docket Control Center, Phoenix Office 1200 West Washington Street, Suite 108 Phoenix AZ 85007

• Town of Gilbert Southeast Regional Library 775 N Greenfield Road Gilbert, AZ 85234

• City of Mesa - Dobson Ranch Branch Library 2425 S Dobson Road Mesa AZ 85202

• The Project Website: https://www.superstitionenergystorage.com

The Applicant will make available final copies of the pre-filing conference, prehearing conference, and hearing transcripts on the Project website.

Each county, municipal government, and state agency interested in the Project that desire to be a party to the proceedings shall, not less than ten (10) days before the date set for the hearing file a Notice of Intent to Become a Party with the Director of Utilities Arizona Corporation Commission, 1200 West Washington Street, Phoenix AZ 85007.

This proceeding is governed by Arizona Revised Statutes (“A.R.S.”) §§ 40-360 to 40-360.13 and Arizona Administrative Code(“A.A.C.”) R143-201 to R14-3-220.

No substantive communication not in the public record may be made to any member of the Committee. The written decision of the Committee will be submitted to the Commission pursuant to A.R.S. § 40-360.07. Any person intending to be a party to the proceeding on the matter before the Commission must be a party to the proceeding before the Committee.

ORDERED this 30th day of September, 2022.

By: Paul A. Katz, Assistant Attorney General Chairman Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee 15 South 15 th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Paul.Katz@azag.gov

Published: East Valley Tribune, Mesa Tribune, Gilbert Sun News, Chandler Arizonan, Oct 9, 2022 / 49278

As

consumer, being aware of

law

check a business's

At least 24 hours in advance of the hearing information regarding online and telephone hearing access, as well as any additional details regarding COVID-19 safety protocols or other revisions to the hearing schedule will be noticed on the Project website at https://www.superstitionenergystorage.com. The Chairman may at

Any domestic non-profit corporation or association formed in whole or in part to promote conservation or natural beauty; to protect the environment, personal health or other biological values; to preserve historical sites; to promote consumer interests; to represent commercial and industrial groups; or to promote the orderly

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