Town buildings reopen tomorrow
Packing pivots in pandemic
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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
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Sunday, May 31, 2020
Different scenarios for next school year in Gilbert BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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Gilbert Public Schools task force is developing a plan for what the academic year will look like in August with COVID-19 still in the picture. Higley Unified also is doing the same thing. The GPS plan includes three scenarios ranging from everyone back in the classroom to full online teaching, which was implemented for the fourth quarter of the school year that ended this month.
“I’m grateful that we are looking at all possibilities and the ability to switch back and forth between those possibilities,” said Governing Board member Reed Carr at last week’s meeting. “I certainly don’t want to state the following in terms of saying that I have closed my mind to all possibilities but I certainly hope that we could be back in the classroom,” he continued. “I know in the large, large majority of conversations that I’ve had with teachers – and surprisingly students, too – they are all looking forward to being back in person and have expressed
Town getting $29M for pandemic relief
that desire.” Carr added it must be done so safely and within guidelines and taking data as it comes in to make wise decisions. “My preference is that we try to include as many students to attend in-person as possible, taking into consideration that some may be uncomfortable or have underlying concerns” Carr said. “We need to meet their needs, too.” Scenario A is a “normal” return to school, Scenario B is a hybrid where some students
see SCHOOL page 6
From hell to heaven
GSN NEWS STAFF
SPORTS........................ 17 Gilbert school teams starting practice.
COMMUNITY........................................13 BUSINESS............................................. 16
SPORTS........................................17 CLASSIFIED.......................................... 18 PUZZLE....................................... 19
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ilbert is set to receive $29.2 million from the state in federal pandemic aid, according to Town Manager Patrick Banger. Banger was asked if the town’s money freed up by the COVID funds could be used to help local small businesses hurt by the pandemic-related closings and restrictions. “I don’t have an answer for that yet,” he said. “I have not seen whatever the government is providing to us in writing.” Both Mesa and Phoenix are helping struggling businesses in their cities with grants from part of the same Coronavirus Aid Recovery Economic Security Act funds that Gilbert is getting. Those cities, as well as Tucson and Maricopa and Pima counties received their CARES
see BANGER page 10
Gilbert mom and nurse Lindsey Helbert had a fun time with some major TV celebrities on a cooking show, but that was after serving for two weeks in a New York hospital with COVID-19 patients. See her story on page 11. (Special to GSN)
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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
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NEWS
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Town municipal buildings reopening tomorrow BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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and-sanitizers, counter shields and safety protocols will greet the public when officials unlock Gilbert Civic Center municipal buildings tomorrow, June 1, as part of the town’s Phase 2 re-opening plan. Just like the state, Gilbert is relaxing restrictions related to the coronavirus in measured steps. The town began closing buildings, and canceling programs and events in early March. “It’s important to note that only a small portion of our workforce, roughly 25 percent, will return onsite while the majority of those currently working from home will continue working remotely,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Harrison. Up to 40 percent of the town’s workforce is expected to come back onsite in Phase 3, the date for which has not been determined. Harrison said staff has been working to develop recommended physical distancing and safety protocols for the Phase 2 re-opening in accordance with CDC guidelines. Pexiglass or “sneeze guards” will be installed at all front counter areas, hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout lobby areas, and signs detailing cleaning protocols and physical distancing will be clearly posted, Harrison said. Town staff will be required to wear a mask when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Some examples might be when interacting with the public in a lobby or at a service counter, in a hallway or common area, Harrison added. The town also is limiting the number of people in the Council Chambers beginning with this Tuesday’s meeting.
“Council meetings will re-open to the public at one-third capacity or 60 people in the audience,” she said. “It is our intent to ensure that our elected officials, visitors and staff are able to maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet from one another during Council meetings.” While other municipal buildings closed, the Municipal Court facility remained opened for mandatory types of cases like those who are incustody and those who require an Order of Protection of Protective Order, according to Harrison. The court has mitigation strategies in place to begin full in-person proceedings on Monday – including a requirement that everyone, with a few exceptions, who enters the building will have to wear a mask. Masks will not be provided to the public with the exception of critical participants such as victims, jurors, witnesses and those seeking protective orders, according to the court’s website. And, the court is requiring everyone entering the building to submit to a brief health-screening survey. Harrison said people entering the town’s other buildings won’t be required to wear a mask. “We do not have the authority to require visitors to wear masks but recommendations for employee mask protocols in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained are still being finalized,” she said. The court building is governed by the state Supreme Court, which issued an administrative order April 24 requiring, among many things, that all courts require court employees and the public to wear at least cloth masks while in a court facility, Harrison added. The court also is scheduling its
docket to have no more than 25 people and limiting the number of people in its courtrooms to allow for social distancing. No more than 10 people, including court staff, will be allowed in large courtrooms and no more than five people in the smallest courtrooms. Harrison said during the past two months of the shutdown, innovation and technology have allowed the town to continue providing all core services to residents. “While our municipal buildings were closed to the public many of our employees successfully transitioned to a remote-work setting,” she said. She said a town survey completed about a month ago found a majority of employees adapted well to remote work. Of the 72 percent of employees working remotely, 86 percent rated their experience as “great or good” with 66 percent of saying that their productivity has improved since making the transition, according to Harrison. Gilbert earlier this month re-opened its playgrounds, parks and recreation facilities. On June 8, the town plans to re-open the classrooms for programs at the Community Center and at the Southeast Regional Library. The splash pads continue to remain closed while the town develops protocols that would allow for their re-opening. And, the senior center will remain closed for the time being due to the vulnerable population it serves, according to Town Manager Patrick Banger. Although the City of Chandler recently announced that nine of its employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Gilbert officials said no town employee has been diagnosed.
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NEWS
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Ex-resident charged with Hawaii quarantine violation GSN NEWS STAFF
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former Gilbert resident made international headlines earlier this month after she was arrested in Hawaii for violating the state’s mandatory 14-day-quarantine rule and unsworn falsification to authority. Alyza “Lyza” Alder, 18, made her $2,000 bail and faces a June 17 court
appearance after she was arrested May 20 at a fast food restaurant in Laie, where she found employment. “Our understanding is that she is an intended resident of the state,” said Krishna Jayaram, special assistant to the attorney general in Hawaii. Newspapers and social media around the world reported the arrest – one of several involving quarantine violations
that have been filed against visitors to Hawaii in recent weeks. According to social media posts, Alder is a Highland High School graduate. Her mother lives in Gilbert. In one of Alder’s posts, she says she has a nursing assistance license and has been working in the medical industry along with other part-time jobs that include offering spray tans out of her home.
A message was left on a phone purportedly belonging to her but she did not respond and shortly after, she closed off her social media accounts. Alder arrived on O‘ahu on May 6 and allegedly began posting photos of herself swimming off beaches in Lā‘ie and Hau‘ula between May 8 and May 20, ac-
see ALDER page 9
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SCHOOLS
NEWS
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
from page 1
may be in the classroom while others could do remote learning and Scenario C called for full online instruction, according to Barbara Newman, executive director of curriculum. “We miss our students. We want to be back with them,” Newman said. “And, so while the normal has not been clearly defined for us we want to be sure we are committed to being back with our kids.” That said, Newman added, “we might have students that online instruction is an option for them and the best option for them or their families and so we want to be ready with all three scenarios and all three ways to help service our kids. “Schools are responsible for meeting the needs of all students, including the distinctive needs of students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities and English-language learners.” Newman said reopening the schools will need modifications based on guidance from national and state health officials. State Superintendent of Public Education Kathy Hoffman told some superintendents at a meeting earlier this week that she would release the guidelines May 30, past Gilbert Sun News’s deadline. Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Andi Fourlis told her Governing Board that Hoffman and Gov. Doug Ducey told her and other superintendents that they would be “guidelines not suggestions” – and, apparently, not requirements. “Those are not mandates,” Fourlis told her board. “I was sitting next to the superintendent from the Navajo Nation. He has a very different problem to solve than we do. So, we have to the statewide plan has to be nimble. Every school district can jump in to that planning and so there will be guidelines. “I’m just incredibly impressed with the resources that they are using and the highly regarded agencies that are coming together and sharing what best practices can look like in this particular environment,” Fourlis said.
Dr. Shane McCord
The GPS task force includes a number of subcommittees – such as academics, employees, remote learning/ technology and programs – in order to come up with a comprehensive plan to address the needs of students and staff, Newman said. The subcommittees, which include representation from all stakeholder groups – including district leadership, social workers, teachers, parents and community members – began working last week. The district also will be doing a survey with parents for their feedback, Newman said. “We want to offer some sort of fluidity so we are able to move if we have to from one scenario to the next,”
Reed Carr
Newman said. “So, if something occurs outside of our control we want to make sure we are ready for our kids.” There will be an implementation plan for all three scenarios. The task force will officially present the plan to the Governing Board at its last meeting in June, she added. “There also will be an implementation plan for the short-term, getting our kids back to learning in August of 2020 and also a long-term plan because what this has showed us these last couple of months is we need to be sure we have some school preparedness plan in place,” Newman said. “It’s really important that we can continue to serve the needs of our kids regardless of what else is going on in
the world and we are committed to do that through this.” Board member Jill Humpherys pointed out it usually takes a year for the board to do a study such as this and then another year to implement it well. “We have to do it in four weeks,” she said. “We are condensing two years of board work down to four weeks so please, people need to be patient with us and be flexible with us and help us to do the best we can under the circumstances.” Higley Unified is taking somewhat of the same approach, according to a statement that Superintendent Mike Thomason posted on the district website. “While it is our hope that we return to our regularly scheduled educational programs next year, please know that we have already begun preparing for a variety of school settings for the 2020-2021 school year,” he said. He said various task force committees are being formed “that will involve stakeholders from all levels and identify options for returning to school in line with directives from federal and state officials.” “The district will be surveying employees and parents for input,” Thomason wrote, adding the district is “developing various options that could incorporate online learning as needed.” He also said that Higley Unified is planning a “slow and controlled opening” and for now is postponing out-of-state and overnight travel and large group events.” “Our goal is to move forward responsibly, carefully and cautiously,” he said.
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
COVID-19 cloud hangs over the next school year BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor
P
erhaps the most significant announcement Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman will ever make was expected this weekend as she rolls out guidelines for reopening schools this August. But those guidelines, which Hoffman promised May 30 – past the Gilbert Sun News deadline – are only the beginning for districts as they peer into a murky future that’s only about eight weeks away. East Valley districts are following pretty much the same approach as Gilbert Public Schools and Higley Unified are taking – planning different scenarios with a wary eye on the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence later this year. Gilbert officials’ plans mirror the thinking of their neighboring districts in planning for a school year fraught with uncertainty created by the virus. For example, Tempe Union Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil told his Governing Board, “We also need to be prepared in the event it is necessary for the district office to close schools again in the fall sometime should there be a concern of a second COVID-19 outbreak.” President Trump has said schools should reopen. Gov. Doug Ducey last week said school will reopen, adding, “Parents and teachers and superintendents must be prepared.” That is easier said than done as administrators see a myriad of complex – and expensive – issues that will impact students, teachers, themselves and parents. The issues are staggering in their complexity and breadth. They affect how students will get to and from school, how they will sit and move around inside them, how they will eat and play. Field trips and extracurriculars activities – from sports to choral to band – also await scrutiny. Officials also must assess what Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Andi Fourlis called in a recent public discussion “learning loss” among students over
the last three months of distance learning as well as the continuing “digital divide” between students with internet access and those without. Even the impact of closures on students’ mental health is an issue, given the prolonged alarm over the virus and their long separation from classmates and campus life. School officials also will confront financial issues since they receive millions of dollars from sales tax revenue, which has plummeted as a result of business closures. The guidelines coming from Hoffman will be just that – guidelines. Fourlis told the MPS Governing Board last week that during a meeting with Hoffman and Ducey, the governor was “very very clear to say Arizona has guidelines...These are not mandates.” “I was sitting next to the superintendent from the Navajo nation. He has a very different problem to solve than we do, so that statewide plan has to be nimble,” said Fourlis, one of 89 school officials statewide who helped Hoffman craft the guidelines Although the Trump Administration had shelved a 62-page set of guidelines created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reopening the country, the document was leaked. It contained 19 specific recommendations – not rules - for reopening schools that AASA, The Superintendents Association, urged school districts should follow. Those recommendations include spacing desk 6 feet apart, canceling field trips and limited extracurricular activities, repeated emphasis on washing hands and related hygiene practices, canceling most work gatherings, staggering the use of cafeterias and other gathering places like playgrounds so they can be disinfected after every use, staggering arrival and dropoff times and even locations, assigning supplies like crayons and pens to individual students and restricting visits from parents or other nonessential people.
see PREPARE page 8
NEWS
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NEWS
PREPARE from page 7
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
School officials are exmaining every inch of space on all their campuses, trying to assess if libraries and multipurpose rooms might have to be converted into classrooms so desks can be kept social distant from each other. Districts also will be examining the most efficient and effective way to achieve a high and frequent level of disinfecting – posing another new expense. But even as that all goes on, school officials have an even bigger worry: who will even come to school if campuses reopen? The question involves both teachers and students. Some districts are surveying teaching staff to see who plans to return to the classroom when school begins. While available data suggests the spread of the virus among children may be low, the data is mixed on the frequency of child-to-adult transfers. Even without children, however, interactions among school staff could pose a concern for at least some school employees, particularly those who are older. GPS is surveying its teachers. Higley officials could not be reached. Chandler Unified spokesman Terry Locke said that
judging by the number of teachers who have signed contracts for 2020-21, staffing won’t be a problem. Then there are worries about how many parents might not want to send their children to school – a prospect with major financial implications because the bulk of school districts’ state funding is based on enrollment. Those concerns run the gamut: Some may have elderly family members in the household and might fear their child will inadvertently infect them. Some parents of special-needs children might fear for their kids’ safety. Then there are parents who may fear that a second wave of the virus will force another round of closures and decide to simply hold off sending their kids back until they see what happens. GPS also is surveying parents, as is Chandler Unified. The Arizona Board of Education acknowledge those concerns by establishing a new way for districts to expand their online learning programs to all grades so that students whose parents opt for distance learning will count in the state’s reimbursement formula.
The state board contracted with Rio Solado Community College to evaluate written descriptions of online educational programs. Board Education Executive Director Alicia Williams said districts that have approved online programs for some grades will have to seek certification to extend that distant learning to other grades. Districts also are assessing how they will handle transportation. While some states have talked about staggering start times so fewer children are on a bus, there is no agreement nationally on whether this will be necessary. However, there is agreement among bus transportation professionals additional sanitizing measures will be needed. During a webinar last month on the subject, Mike Martin, executive director/ CEO of the National Association of Pupil Transportation said that because the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, there is no set best practice available. His organization also asked its members to “work with their school leadership to issue a statement to parents about cleanliness on their school buses.” In that same webinar, Charlie Hood,
executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation and Services, said the industry has developed a two-step cleaning process followed by a disinfecting process. But he stressed the need for districts to reassure parents that buses are safe. Hood also said that buses are not designed for social distancing. Hence, he said, school districts will have to determine how to protect both students and drivers and that in the short-run, drivers may have to be equipped with protective clothing to enhance their safety. To help districts meet some of those costs associated with the pandemic, Congress allotted $30.6 billion of its $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act for school districts. Arizona’s share is $275 million and most districts have already been advised as to what they can expect and it is unclear how much Higley and GPS are expecting. Chandler Unified expects close to $4 million. But there’s a national controversy over that money after U.S. Education Secretary
BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
recommended modifications made to ensure the safety of children and staff from COVID-19. Some of the program’s adjustments include social distancing, curbside dropoff and pick-up and a maximum of 220 campers within each location with nine students to a room. All employees must do a temperature check before shift and wear masks throughout the day while parents need to take the temperature of their children each morning and verify via screening questions. Additionally, a nurse or health assistance is assigned to each campus and all field trips are virtual with children remaining on the campuses. Ryan said the hours also were adjusted from the normal 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. to 7 a.m.-4 p.m. in order to minimize the number of staff needed on site.
Deep cleaning and sanitation will take place every evening and cleaning in general will be throughout the day. He said effort is being made to ensure interaction is limited among students and staff. A student assigned to a group of nine will stay with that group and the same instructor through the summer, he added. If any student or staff member were to become sick, the area they were in is locked down and sanitized and immediate notification is sent to families, according to Ryan, who added they have come up with responses to various scenarios that may arise. “In all honesty, I think it’s a great first step toward the potential re-opening of our schools,” Ryan said. “I think we are learning a tremendous amount, however, on a smaller scale what our responses are going to be, what our
support and communication are going to be for our families. “And so I think it has really helped us take that fist step toward re-introducing all our students to our campuses and staff members to our campuses and discovering best practices along the way.” The district also is combining the summer camps with elementary summer school. Students are able to complete up to three online school courses while participating in the camps before and after assigned coursework. There will be a facilitator assigned to a small group to support students though their coursework. Parents wanted their kids to have access to summer school but they also needed day care, so this was a solution for them, Ryan told the board.
see PREPARE page 9
GPS summer camps open with restrictions
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ilbert Public Schools’ annual summer camp program kicked off last Tuesday at five high school campuses with children arriving to find safety protocols in place. Summer camp includes three programs – the Very Important Kids program for children entering first grade through sixth grade in the fall; the Building Blocks preschool program and The Zone program for 11-14 year olds. “We had students back on our campuses today, which was exciting for us,” Jared Ryan, Community Education director told the Governing Board last week. “We opened the campuses knowing the numbers would be smaller than normal years.” Ryan briefed the board on CDC-
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
PREPARE from page 8
NEWS
9
ALDER from page 5
Betsy Devos advised that private schools – those that charge tuition – share in that money. Moreover, her department advised, private schools’ share should be based on the total number of all its students while public schools’ share must be based on the number of students who come from families at or below the poverty line. Private schools within each district must request that money from the district. Furthermore, “schools must notify the private schools, but many privates have already reached out because it’s a much larger sum than in the past,” said Dr. Mark Joraanstad, executive director of the Arizona School Administrators. Chandler Unified expects to be diverting 10 percent of whatever it gets to private schools, Locke said. Joraanstad has urged all Arizona superintendents to write to their congressional representatives and ask that Congress step in to blunt Devos. “It appears the House is considering putting further guidance language on their intent,” he told GSN. “Whether the Senate would do so is more questionable. However, some senators have expressed concern over abandoning the poverty standard that has a history going back to the mid 1960’s.”
The backlash against Devos’ plan, however, is growing among both Democrats and Republicans. Indiana’s Republican state superintendent of education already has declared she state will ignore Devos’ directive. Republican Sen. Alexander Lamar, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, has publicly expressed concern about her interpretation of the CARES Act. “My sense was that the money should have been distributed in the same way we distribute Title I money,” Alexander told reporters last week. “I think that’s what most of Congress was expecting.” According to the website politico,com, “DeVos defended her interpretation of the law” and that she said, “it’s our interpretation that it is meant literally for all students and that includes students, no matter where they’re learning.” Last week, The Hill reported that DeVos hardened her resolve and accused state education leaders of having a “reflex to share as little as possible with students and teachers outside of their control.” And on friday, she said she is issuing a rule to make her guidance mandatory and “resolve any issues in plenty of time for the next school year.”
cording to the governor’s office in Hawaii. A citizen notified authorities that Alder was allegedly in violation of emergency rules, prompting special agents from the Attorney General’s Office Investigation Division to take Alder into custody. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority also assisted law enforcement on this case. Investigators say while Alder still should have been under quarantine, she took employment at the restaurant. “We are asking everyone – returning residents and visitors – to abide by our state’s 14-day self-quarantine order,” said State Attorney General Clare Connors in the release, adding: “The 14-day self-quarantine rules protect everyone’s health and safety. As we’ve said before, if you come to Hawaii with the expectation that you can ignore the self-quarantine order, you very likely will be reported, arrested and end up in jail facing hefty fines. All of us must do our part to protect ourselves, our families, friends and guests.” Island residents are keen on keeping an eye on visitors who flout the order. There’s even a Facebook group called Hawaii Quarantine Kapu Breakers that tracks and reports violators to law enforcement. According to Hawaii’s Department of Health there were 643 COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths as of May 26.
GSN NEWS STAFF
ant now than ever,” said Robert Ouimette, center co-director. “The impact of COVID-19 certainly threw us a curveball, but JFCS remains steadfast in its commitment to continuing all care services as well as health and family programs that are so important to our community,” he added. The agency works with vulnerable populations. The center offers physicals, wellness exams and immunizations as well as behavioral care services that includes individual and group therapy. Featuring state-of-the art equipment and an enhanced large play therapy area, the center has a community-based team
including therapists, clinicians, child case managers, youth and family specialists and family support partners. “Our new site is perfect for serving the needs of foster youth who require regularly scheduled medical and behavioral check-ups,” said co-director Jean Kerr. “Group home kids tend to move around a lot,” she explained. “Offering one dedicated place for all their medical needs means we can get to know them on a whole new level.” For residents who are a part of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), JFCS offers integrated care. “Financial access to care, transportation and gaps in knowledge about how to properly care for themselves are no longer
Alyza Alder posted photos on social media showing her enjoying the beach - and violating Hawaii’s quarantine laws. (Special to GSN)
Alyza Alder
Healthcare agency touts Gilbert location
J
ewish Family & Children’s Service has expanded its services and opened the JFCS East Valley Healthcare Center in Gilbert. By relocating its behavioral health services from Mesa to a new 30,000-squarefoot building at 880 N. Colorado St., the nonprofit said it can now offer behavioral health and primary medical care services in one location. That will provide “the most effective approach to caring for people with multiple healthcare needs,” the organization said in a release. “The work we do at JFCS is more import-
a barrier to quality care,” the agency said. “Combining primary and behavioral care means a well-rounded, effective approach to treating the whole person, regardless of social or economic circumstances.” Major funding for the JFCS East Valley Healthcare Center expansion was provided by Valerie and Herschel Richter, Thunderbirds Charities, The Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation and The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation. Jewish Family & Children’s Service is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization provides behavioral health, healthcare and social services to all ages, faiths and backgrounds. Information: jfcsaz.org.
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NEWS
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
BANGER from page 1
funds directly from the federal government because their populations exceed 500,000. Banger said it was up to Town Council to decide how to spend Gilbert’s share, which, like other smaller Arizona counties and municipalities is based in population. The state received over $1.9 billion in CARES Act funds. The town’s allocation computes to about $114.80 per resident. Banger briefly discussed the CARES Act funding last week during a virtual “Speaker Series” hosted by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce. He also talked about the steps the town is taking to reopen buildings, amenities and programs up to the public. During the shut-down, the town was still able to provide core functions such as water, police and fire and building inspections, Banger said. He said the town also can help local businesses as they reopen by bringing public awareness that it is safe and clean to eat in restaurants in the Heritage District and the Santan District.
Mayor Jenn Daniels was one of nine mayors Gov. Doug Ducey had invited to attend his press conference last week to announce the new funding. (Special to GSN)
“The important thing we can do is help create an approach that people feel safe to return to establishments,” he said. Chamber President/CEO Kathy Tilque agreed, calling consumer confidence a major concern in town.
When asked if any businesses in town closed permanently due to COVID-19, both Tilque and Banger said they were unaware of any. Tilque added that this has been a wait-and-see time for businesses that are hoping for stimulus monies before deciding what to do. She said they may hear of businesses closings after this month. Banger said the pandemic forced the town to think outside the box and develop innovative ways to conduct business without interruption. Some of those methods – such as virtual building inspections – will continue for the future. Mayor Jenn Daniels and several other mayors accompanied Gov. Doug Ducey in announcing the disbursements
for municipalities and nonprofits last Wednesday. His office also issued a news release that quoted Daniels saying: “The Town of Gilbert is working hard for our community as we face personal and financial hardship in these uncertain times. My thanks to Governor Ducey for ensuring that AZCares Funds lift all Arizona communities directly and with a focus on a safe and strong Arizona future.” Ducey’s plan includes $441 million in direct and flexible funding to cities, towns and counties that did not receive direct funding. Most of the rest, he said, will be set aside for future needs of the state, including the possibility of replenishing the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund if it runs dry. All CARES funding must be spent by Dec. 31 In addition, local governments, tribal communities, schools and more will be eligible for expedited reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Manage-
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After 2 hellish weeks, Gilbert nurse pivots to TV cook BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
N
urse Lindsey Helbert may know her way around a hospital but when it comes to her kitchen, the Gilbert mom could use a few pointers. “I like to cook,” she said. “We try to be inventive and used to barbecue a lot and try a lot of new recipes.” Nowadays she uses a meal subscription service but wants to get back to cooking. Helbert was recently featured on the NBC streaming service Peacock’s “The AtHome Variety Show” alongside actress Amy Poehler and Top Chef’s Season 10 winner Kristen Kish in a taped video chat. The trio played a game of “What the Fridge?” which raised money for the New York City food rescue organization City Harvest. How Hebert landed on the show relates to three hellish weeks she spent last month working in a Big Apple hospital where death from COVID-19 became a daily occurrence. Both Helbert and Kish used what was in their refrigerators to make a penne pasta dish with sausage and a carbonarastyle sauce minus the pecorino while Poehler provided the commentary. Helbert’s refrigerator contained eggs, plant-based patties, unsweetened almond milk, sour cream, baby spinach and zucchini. Her one-pot dish required substitutions, including garlic for onions and the non-meat patties for sausages. Helbert said she didn’t go out and restock her refrigerator for the taping. “I was in San Diego when they called me to do this,” she recalled. “I’d taken the kids out there to play in the water and a couple of days before San Diego I had completely cleaned out my fridge and so I wiped it out and cleaned it.” She has three sons and her husband has three sons and a daughter. Her husband, who was not feeling well, stayed at home. With the family away, he decided to eat vegan and added alternative groceries to the sparsely stocked fridge, according to Helbert. Helbert said she was picked after the show’s producer saw local media
everything around us being closed, and a lack of delivery drivers working,” she said. “We live on snack bars... thankful to have them, but this made me cry.” And gone were the simple personal protective equipment and “cute comfort masks.” “When going into a room I wear shoe covers, a thick sterile gown tied in the back, a plastic contact gown, three pairs of gloves, a scrub cap, goggles and an N95 mask covered by a surgical mask,” she said. “I never thought I’d be nursing and see drops Nurse Lindsey Helbert posed with two doctors while she was in a New York hospital tending to its avalanche of COVID-19 patients. (Special to GSN) of water going down the goggles, which are an inch interview her before her deployment in front of my face from the heat my to New York to help care for COVID-19 face is producing. My face is burning and itching so much from wearing these patients. She left Arizona for the then-epicenter masks 18 hours a day. I. Am. Hot. Those of the pandemic on April 6, landing in a words don’t even do it justice.” The hardest challenge for Helbert was nearly empty airport and encountering trying to get through the day without streets devoid of people and cars. As of May 26, the coronavirus losing a patient. “They are dying so fast,” she wrote. claimed the lives of 29,193 New Yorkers and infected 365,405, according to “They can be stable/walkie talkie one the Centers for Disease Control and morning and gone by the time you leave for the day. Sometimes if we’re able we Prevention. Helbert, a labor and delivery nurse at can get our phones and FaceTime their Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, families if they’re going downhill quickly went from caring for newborns to caring ... giving them some sort of ability to say good bye. for the dying. “I’m so grateful to be a nurse and I “I was assigned at Harlem Hospital and it was 100-percent COVID patients,” she wouldn’t change it for the world but this said. “It was really challenging watching process is refining me in ways I never people die left and right, and not having thought possible.” What Helbert experienced changed all the supplies to do your job. It was a her outlook of the respiratory disease. pretty rough two weeks.” In her initial post on COVID-19 in Helbert posted updates for family and friends on her Facebook page during her February she wrote, “Stop believing the time in New York, saying she missed the media’s drama. Wash your hands and convenience of walking to a cafeteria for stay calm people. The flu is definitely coffee and oatmeal an hour into her shift. still the bigger problem.” On the day before she left New York, Instead, she found there was no access to food while she worked unless she she posted: “This reality you can’t see was lucky enough to have brought some truly is unimaginable ... unless you’re seeing it with your own eyes. My answer snacks to throw in her bag. Hot food in general was hard to come to the question ‘is it really as bad as the by before and after work given “basically news makes it out to be?’ Yes, it’s really
bad, if bad is even the right word. “Honestly, I wondered the same thing until I got here to NYC and saw it for myself. The look of panic in their eyes as they slowly stop being able to breathe. It’s something I’ll never forget.” Helbert said she started developing symptoms before her 21-day stint was to end and was tested for COVID-19. “Thank God I was negative,” she said. “I went home and quarantined in Phoenix before coming home to my family.” The taping was a welcome to Helbert, who watches Top Chef along with other cooking shows, which she said calms her. Days before the video chat, she said she racked her brain trying to figure out who the host and chef will be. She didn’t find out until the day of the taping. “It surprised me who I was cooking with and hanging out with,” said Helbert, who is a natural in front of the camera. “It was thrilling.” Helbert said she never made the pasta dish before and was surprised with it. “Oh my God, it was so good,” she said. “I was kind of worried it being egg yolky that it might be weird. It was actually good that I ate the whole thing.” Since then, she has made the recipe for her family, who also enjoyed the dish. Helbert noted while the public saw a 12-minute clip, the taping actually ran well over an hour and included a dessert. “We also made mud cake,” she said. “I’ve tried to make mud cake before but it never turned out very well. The one we made was amazing.” Helbert said she’s learned a few tips from Kish. “I think the best thing I picked up is you can use what you have at home and don’t have to go to the store,” she said. “I think overall the experience helped me to see it doesn’t have to be beautiful and difficult. It can be easily creative and extremely yummy.” As for her humanitarian trip to New York, Helbert said it was a great experience and she was gratified she had the opportunity to help. “I’d love to help again in New York where needed,” she said. “I’m grateful too that it seems to be coming down a bit.”
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NEWS
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Goat Yoga now has real and virtual field trips BY ANNIKA TOMLIN GSN Staff Writer
M
otivating kids to do homework has been a challenge during the pandemic, so Gilbert’s Arizona Goat Yoga helped by offering virtual tours for classes to meet yoga goats, alpacas and chickens. “I have three kids of my own and I see how hard it is now that school is online to get motivated to really do it,” said Arizona Goat Yoga owner April Gould. “I was trying to think of a way that we might be able to help and so we decided to do virtual field trips and that has been so much fun.” Gould takes teachers and students around the Gilbert farm to show them the daily lives of its 58 goats, 19 of whom are babies, two alpacas and six chickens. Goat Yoga expects to reopen June 6 for in-person field trips, though Gould said the online versions will continue because they have become a hit in and of themselves. Her first two online sessions next month are already full – as are the first two in-person field trips. “We are so excited,” said Gould. “It’s already full, so we will be adding more and taking all precautions and recommendations from the CDC. “We will also be continuing virtual goat yoga classes, Zoom field trips/birthday parties, alpaca meetings and ‘Goat Grams’... so there is still plenty to do for those who are not ready to go out or anyone out of state who can’t attend a class.” The pandemic kept the farm from hosting goat yoga, during which baby goat parade in rainbow tutus, prance around at guests’ feet and run across their backs. “It’s really sad right now that we’re not able to do goat yoga because we have so many babies who need lots of love and attention and human interaction,” Gould said. “It’s unfortunate for them that they’re not getting a lot of human interaction from hundreds of in-person people.”
Now that it is reopening to visitors, Goat Yoga will be following anti-virus-spread guildelines but still providing kids a fun time. (Goat Yoga)
“During a field trip I just walk around and show the animals and talk about them and then there’s a lot of Q&A,” Gould said. “I get questions as simple as, ‘What is their name?’ A lot of questions are super cute.” According to Gould, some teachers asked their students to research the animals first and then they discuss what they’ve learned with the class. This makes the experience both fun and educational. “The kids were coming back with all these facts about alpacas that I didn’t even know, which is pretty neat,” Gould said. Gould said the virtual field trips, which were free for teachers, were well received. “The best thing for me is seeing the kids having fun and it being so different for them,” Gould said. “As soon as we get on, all I hear is, ‘Aww.’ I just love the excitement of the kids.” “Since it’s virtual it’s fantastic because you can do it anywhere,” Gould said. “Kids can get to see not only the goats and alpacas and things like that, but they also get to see another place in the United States of what life is like right now in Gilbert.” Besides the teachers’ free field trips, guests can visit virtually for 10 minutes
for $35; have a customizable goat gram for $35 or a 30-minute “alpacalypse” conference call for $75. The conference call brings alpacas Kip or Napoleon to Kids have been enthralled by the online “field trips” instituted by Goat Yoga in virtual business meetings Gilbert, which is continuing them even while reopening for real tours on June 6. (Goat Yoge) for 30 meetings. “I’ve been getting a lot of lowed to do right now. requests for birthday parties, which is a “It’s been really tough on us, but also whole new level,” Gould said. “I’m excited really hard on the animals. I know that for that because, apparently, virtual birth- sounds funny, but the goats are getting day parties are going to be kind of the really depressed. They’re not used to just thing for right now.” grazing and being bored.” Gould is anxiously awaiting her first The animals are still playing, sleeping, goat breakup gram customer. The goat eating and nursing throughout the day as comes online with a sign that reads, “We if they were still doing goat yoga without can still be frieeeends.” an audience. “I’m super excited for it when that day As for continuing the online trips, she comes,” Gould said. “Let a goat break up said, “I think it’s just become a new creand do all the dirty work. It makes the let ative thing and maybe keeping it on going down a lot easier that way.” for the people out of state or out of the Aside from the fun, Gould and her team country.I think it would be so neat to have had a tough time through the pandemic. a virtual tour or field trip to see some“For us, like many small businesses, it where different and this kind of opened really hurts,” Gould said. “Our whole busi- up a door for new ideas in that aspect.” ness is based on a lot of people in close Information: 480-269-4144, goatyoga. gatherings, everything that we’re not al- com, owner@goatyoga.com
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COMMUNITY
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
HIGLEY HAPPENINGS BY MICHELLE REESE GSN Guest Writer
Williams Field High senior earns associate degree
While navigating academics and band activities at Williams Field High School, 2020 graduate John Decker also completed an associate degree through Chandler-Gilbert Community College. John hopes the step ahead will help him attain his goal to attend medical school more quickly. During John’s sophomore year, he met with Chandler-Gilbert Community College counselors to plan out how to attain 60 credits. On top of dual enrollment classes at the high school, John also needed 17 credits at the community college, which he took over the summers, as well as during senior year. The hardest part of doing both, he said, was the scheduling. “You constantly have to make sacri-
fices to your schedule in order to fit in all of your college classes, whether that meant taking summer break to do more classes or any free time that you may John Decker have.” In addition to high school and college classes, John was involved in marching band the past four years, as well as winter winds the last five years. He also performed with the drumline, the symphonic band and the jazz band.
Cooley counselor lauded by Anti-Defmation League
The Arizona Anti-Defamation League recently named Cooley Middle School
counselor Shannon Alexander the Arizona Anti-Defamation League Coordinator of the Year. Cooley is a designated “No Place For Hate” School and Alexander leaders the club’s activities. Cooley, Williams Field High, and Sossaman Middle School are all part of the “No Place for Hate” movement, aimed at bullying prevention.
Gateway Pointe Elementary is awarded a Little Library
A new Little Library will be built on the Gateway Pointe campus later this year, thanks to a grant from the Impact Library Program. The organization selected Gateway Pointe to receive a free little library to promote reading and community sharing. Only one out of 100 groups or individuals are selected for the free library book-sharing box. Gateway Pointe media specialist teacher Trisha Wright nominated the
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school, saying, “We plan to have our library box in the front of campus for students and the community to share in our love for reading.” The Impact Library Program will also donate 100 new books from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Higley continues free meals through June 30
Higley Unified School District is scheduled to offer free meals June 30 to anyone 18 or younger. There are no income or residency requirements. Individuals must be present at pick-up. Distribution will take place Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when there is not a holiday. Times and locations are: Cortina Elementary, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Higley Traditional Academy, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Higley High, Noon to 6 p.m. Multiple days’ worth of meals will be distributed. Friday’s service will include Friday, Saturday, and Sunday meals.
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BUSINESS
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
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Pandemic impacts shipping business in different ways GSN NEWS STAFF
I
n an age of social distancing when an email just won’t do it, Susan Haws runs the kind of business people look for. Owner of Star Mail at 1496 N. Higley Road, Gilbert, since 2015, the Mesa woman runs a retail pack-and-ship business that provides a wide range of others services – such as fingerprinting, document shredding and notarization, laminating and binding – as well as retail for things like gift wrap. But because Star Mail ships both domestically and internationally, it’s that service that a pandemic makes especially useful if they want to extend a token of love, friendship or congratulations to someone they can’t give in person because of travel restrictions or COVID-19 concerns in general. “With graduation and wedding season upon us, more of us are helping people celebrate from a distance,” said Haws. Of course, the pandemic also has posed challenges for Haws as it has for almost all businesses. “Like every small business this has been a hard time but we have worked together as a team and have been grateful that we were able to remain open,” she said. “We require social distancing of customers,” Haws added.” If there are too many people for social distancing people have had to wait outside or come back in a little while. We have considered putting marks on the floor but have not done it yet as customers have been
Susan Haws, owner of Star Mail in Gilbert, said masks worn by all employees are just one of a number of measures she is taking to protect customers and her workers from COVID-19. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer)
compliant.” She said some have called ahead and requested curbside delivery for things like picking up mail or sending a parcel, adding “We request customers and staff to monitor their health and if they have symptoms of COVID-19, to reschedule.” As for her staff of four, masks and gloves are the order of the day, Haws said. “We regularly wash hands and sanitize surfaces,” she added. “We are lucky and all staff remain healthy.” Haws said that now that more people are turning to sending a little love instead of bringing it, there are some things they should keep in mind.
For example, if you’re sending gift cards, put an extra stamp on the envelope and mark “please hand stamp” on it. “Gift cards are inflexible and could cause the machinery to shred your envelope and many other people’s mail behind yours,” Haws explained. “Then when the postal workers sort through the ripped pieces of mail, they have no means of telling which envelope the gift card came from. So, the card pieces in the plastic bag with the apology note on it that arrives will not contain a gift card.” Haws also advised people to think about what they’re sending, warning that fun gifts that are cheap when they’re given in person can be expensive
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if they’re shipped. “The smaller lighter package costs less to ship,” she said, “or choose something that fits in a flat rate priority box as this way the weight is no longer a concern.” “Size does matter in packages,” Haws continued. “It costs more. It takes up more space in vehicles and airplanes. So, the art your child painted for Aunt Mabel will cost significantly less to ship if it is rolled than if it is framed.” Some everyday items have restrictions, need special labeling or are not shippable without special licenses, Haws advised, “so make sure you let the Post Office or shipping store know the contents of your package. No shipping nail polish. Who knew?” For those who do plan to travel, Haws said they might want to ship those gifts anyway since they lighten luggage – and could lower baggage fees. “I shipped a fragile wedding gift ahead of my flight to attend a friend’s wedding,” Haws said. “I was so glad.” That said, she added, “While we would like to ship everything for everyone, sometimes taking things with you is just worth the extra effort. I advised a customer planning an international trip to take any medications and supplements with her even if it might be an extra fee or time at the airport. “Especially in these uncertain times, you don’t want your meds delayed in customs.” Information: starmailaz.com, starmailaz@gmail.com or 480-830-7827.
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Sports & Recreation
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GPS outlines plans for athletics to return June 1 BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor
G
ilbert Public Schools outlined its four-phase approach to allow district athletic programs to begin summer workouts on Monday, June 1. The four phases, referred to as “levels” by district Athletic Director Stephen McDowell, emphasizes the safety of both athletes and coaches as they begin returning to campus. “This is a project that the other athletic directors and myself have been working on for about three weeks now,” McDowell told the governing board Tuesday night. “Since we started this process a lot of new information has come out so this has been a very flexible document and it will continue to be flexible based on the latest data and information we get from Arizona Department of Health, the CDC and other sports organizations around the country as they go on through this same process to start up athletics again.” McDowell presented the plan to the district governing board during its bi-weekly meeting on May 26. Students who are sick or those who are at a higher risk of severe illness are encouraged to stay home. The district will also provide COVID-19 waivers for all athletes. Gilbert Public School’s first phase will focus on individual strength training and conditioning, limiting the number of athletes on a field or court to 30, though that number can be reduced. All must practice social distancing as contact is not permitted during the first phase. Athletes are not able to share water or other personal equipment. Teams are allowed to workout in the school weight room, but they cannot have partners and equipment must be disinfected before and after use. For athletes to properly acclimate to program workouts in a safe manner, they are only allowed two hours of physical activity per day. The first phase also prohibits locker room access.
Desert Ridge football coach Jeremy Hathcock said he will likely split players into smaller groups than the 30 that was recommended by Gilbert Public Schools in its guidelines for summer workouts to begin. (Zach Alvira/GSN Staff)
“We will probably resort to a lot of reps with light weight,” Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock said. “The good thing with us is we have two coaches with the 30 kids, so we can split them up into groups of 15 and have them do something different and away from each other.” Gilbert schools will remain in the first phase for a minimum of two weeks. However, McDowell said it is possible for the first phase to be extended. “The only one we put a timeline on is level one because that is a chance for kids to get acclimated,” McDowell said. “Progression after that will depend on how well we follow guidelines in level one and it will also depend upon the social norm as far as social distancing.” The second phase allows for small group training to be introduced with the use of balls and as many as 50 participants. Physical contact should still be avoided. McDowell said there is no specific timeframe for Gilbert schools to move to the third phase. He said it will depend on the effectiveness of the first two phases and the status of the pandemic in the state. Once in the third phase, Gilbert sports
programs are allowed to introduce controlled scrimmages. Physical contact will still be minimized but the limitations on the number of athletes participating will be lifted. District officials recommend for programs to avoid travel that requires an overnight stay, meaning football programs who conduct camps up north or out of state will likely be prohibited from doing so this summer. “We typically go up to NAU later than most teams,” said Gilbert football coach Derek Zellner, who still hopes to take his team up north on July 27. “We stay in dorms so there’s an opportunity to spread them out. But if it turns out we can’t do that we will figure out something down here.” The fourth phase of Gilbert’s plan introduces a full return-to-play scenario. Games and tournaments are allowed to proceed without limitations aside from athletes still not able to share water. Should spectators be allowed to attend games and tournaments, it is recommended they socially distance. Gilbert’s guidelines fall in line with the three-phase recommendations released by the AIA’s Sports Medicine Advisory
Committee on May 28. The AIA recommends daily health checks and symptom questionnaires for athletes and coaches. These are to be tracked by the athletes as well as their point of contact. The AIA calls for groups to be limited to 10 individuals in the first phase but as many as 50 in the second. Through the first two phases, AIA officials recommend workout groups to remain the same. Other recommendations include athletes avoiding high fives and fist bumps. They also recommend the use of face coverings when possible. “Everyone wants to be smart in what we are doing and ease back into the process,” Zellner said. “I think what is being asked of us is fair and falls within common sense guidelines. We just have to be as smart as we can with social distancing and small groups.” Other schools and districts have also announced plans for athletics to return. Valley Christian High School released its own guidelines and opened its campus to students and athletes on May 26. Kerry Taylor, the new head football coach at San Tan Charter in Gilbert, announced his program would begin in-person workouts on Monday. New Eastmark head baseball coach Shane Hilstrom said he received the go-ahead from school Athletic Director Kraig Leuschner to begin hosting camps for a small group of players. Tempe Union High School District Athletic Director Bruce Kipper said he hopes for a mid-June start date. Mesa Public Schools Athletic Director Steve Hogan said guidelines have been drafted and are awaiting approval from district leadership. “This is a step in the right direction,” Hathcock said. “The good thing with these levels and phases, we are going to know at which point we are safe and when we aren’t. We still may not have a sports season, but this is a way to show us if this will work out or not.”
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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
Obituaries Carmen John Del Vecchio
Obituaries Ethel F Peters “Sauter
Ethel F Peters “Sauter” went home to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to her husband Jim on April 8 2020, Mesa Arizona, due to complications from COVID19. She was “Nana” to so many - kind, selfless, giving and greeted everyone with her beautiful smile. She was an amazing mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Wonderful wife of 63 years to James E Peters, who preceded her in death on Dec 7, 2015. Together they raised four loving daughters, LuAnn McArdell (Mike), Lani Grone (Scott), Lori Ribar (Brad) and Lynn Meadows; eleven grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. Services are pending. To see obituary or leave an on-line message to the family, please visit www.mariposagardens.com
Richard Fleming
Richard W. Fleming, 90, of Mesa, AZ, died May 14, 2020 at Arbor Rose Memory Care Center in Mesa, AZ. Richard William, son of Robert F. and Esther L. (Hanthorn) Fleming, was born Dec. 29, 1929 in St Paul, MN. He grew up in St Paul, graduated from Washington High School and married Shirley M Dollinger on Aug. 6, 1949. From that marriage came three children. After his divorce he met and married Wilberta J (Rose) Keene on Aug. 23, 1986, in Boulder, CO. From that marriage came three step-children. He was a true entrepreneur dealing with grocery stores, restaurants and other business opportunities. His Christian faith was most important. He loved people and always greeted everyone with his vivacious smile. Richard was proceeded in death by parents Robert and Esther; brothers Bob (Marge), Vern (Connie) and Don(Joyce); son Michael R. He is survived by wife Wilberta of Mesa, AZ; daughters; LuAnn (Steve) Brunes of Belmond, IA and Christine (John) Borquez of Thornton, CO., Nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Step-daughters; Jeri (Vernon) Alvarez of TN, Susan (Ronn) Kling of Warrenton, VA and Step-son Tom (Dee) Keene of Mesa, AZ and numerous step-grandchildren, and step-greatgrandchildren.
Judith “Judy” Ann Byrd Holder
79, of Apache Junction, AZ passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at Mesa, AZ Born December 25, 1940 at Rensselaer, Indiana, she was the daughter of the late Joe W. and Pauline (Frohreich) Byrd. She was a 1958 graduate of Otterbein (Indiana) High School and was a life-long Lutheran. She was a charter member of Epiphany of Christ Lutheran Church of Apache Junction, and was President of the church council and sang in the choir. On April 4, 1958 she married Robert D. Holder near Otterbein, and he survives. In 1968, they moved to Apache Junction, where they have since resided. Judy enjoyed working in her garden, southern gospel music, reading, and her pets. She was active in many civic and professional organizations. Judy was an Independent Insurance Agent, having owned her own agency, Judy Holder Insurance, Inc., the last eighteen years of her career. As of January 1, 2020, she sold the business to A and H Insurance of Reno, NV, and had planned to transition to retirement. Surviving along with her husband, Robert is her daughter, Kelley J. Kimble of Apache Junction, and two sons, Timothy Holder of Carlsbad, New Mexico and Michael Holder of Otterbein, Indiana. Also surviving is a granddaughter, Sara (Wayne) Ballard of Carlsbad, New Mexico; a great-granddaughter, Ashley Gorman of Sullivan, Missouri; her sister, Joline Brummet of Otterbein; her brother in law, Gene Holder of Mesa; her uncle, Richard Frohreich of Columbus, Mississippi. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her sister Janet Sue Martin. Services will be Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 2 pm, at Mountain View Funeral Home in Mesa. Burial and additional services will be held at a future date at Pond Grove Cemetery near Otterbein, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in Judy's honor to a local charity of your choice in Apache Junction, Arizona.
H E A D STO N E S
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480-969-0788 75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233
www.everlastingmonumentco.com info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com
Make your choice Everlasting
Sun City Center, FL - Carmen John Del Vecchio, 86, husband of Barb Adelman of Aston Gardens, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at the AdventHealth Connerton facility in Land O'Lakes, FL. Carmen was born in Coral, Pennsylvania on February 4, 1934, to his mother Mary and father Carmine, both of Italy. He was the fourth of four children. His two sisters Irma and Carmel, and brother Ralph all preceded him in death. Carmen's first wife, Patty Jane (Work) Del Vecchio, also preceded him in death on April 12, 2015, after 60 wonderful years of marriage. Carmen served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1959, as an X-ray Technician, in both the USA and Europe. Undaunted by significant challenge, Carmen worked for the United States Postal Service while helping his wife Pat raise 3 children and also attending night school at the University of Detroit while receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Following his graduation he spent his entire professional career with Ford Motor Credit Company, where he achieved significant corporate success as a Branch Manager. His career progression resulted in various relocations including residence in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Carmen was a man of great character who never met a stranger. He befriended every person he met, enriching their lives the same way he enriched those of his family. Carmen loved airplanes and flying and could sit by an airport for hours, amused by the artistry and mechanics of flight. His love of flying was so immense that he obtained his private pilot's license in the 1970's and flew as often as he could for many years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter Judy and Jeff Koepkey of Treasure Island, FL; daughter Diane and David Smeltzer of Saint Pete Beach, FL; and son David and Gail Del Vecchio of North Augusta, SC; grandchildren Matt and Ashley Koepkey; Kyle and Samantha Koepkey; Taylor Smeltzer; Cole and Shauna McKie; Jessica Del Vecchio; and Shelby Del Vecchio; and great grandchildren Allison, Brooklyn, and Caden Koepkey. The family wishes to thank the incredibly kind and compassionate staff at St Joseph's Hospital of Riverview and AdventHealth Connerton. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society, Mass Intentions, or the charity of your choice. Sign the Guestbook at: obituaries.EastValleyTribune.com
Employ ment
Employment General Molly Maid is in need of FT House Cleaners. Duties include mopping, sweeping floors, cleaning & disinfecting kitchens & restrooms, cleaning & disinfecting countertops & other interior surfaces & emptying trash. Daily travel to client job sites in & around the Greater East Valley is required. Car provided. Send resumes to Jennifer mollymaideastvalley@ mollymaid.com.
HIRING? People are looking at the Classifieds Every day! Email Your Job Post to: class@times publications.com or Call
480-898-6465
Employment General Database Developer at TruWest Credit Union (Tempe, AZ): Admin, test, & implt cmp DB, applying knwl of DB mng sys Req. MS in Com Tech, Com Sys Tech, Info Sys or cly rel, & 12 mon exp. Add’l duties, reqmts, travel req avail upon request. Send resume to Nikki at nmbadje@truwest.org, ref Job#SK01.
Now hiring temp sanitizing day porters for various valley locations. The available positions are full time and part time, starting at $15.00/hr. If interested please apply in person at ACE Building Maintenance 7020 N 55th Ave Glendale, AZ 85301 (623) 937-3727 Now hiring janitors for office cleaning in various valley locations. Please apply in person at ACE Building Maintenance 7020 N 55th Ave Glendale, AZ 85301. Se solita personal para limpieza de Oficina en varias localidades del valle. Favor de aplicar en persona a ACE Building Maintenance 7020 N 55th Ave Glendale, AZ 85301.
19 AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | MAY 27, 2020
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020 32
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PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN WARNING! Y
PP HAguidelines Our clinic is taking every precaution and we follow strict CDC UR O H to ensure that our patients, clinic and staff are SAFE! OLD WORLD ITALY IN AHWATUKEE, AZ 6pm 3-
Fig. 2 Mesa, AZ — The most common method determinedEafter neurological y Day veardetailed your doctor will recommend to treat your and vascular evaluation. As long as you chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with have not sustained at least 95% nerve prescription drugs that may temporarily damage there is hope! reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are and neuropathy severity examination primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure to determine the extent of the nerve E.may Warner drugs. 4855 These drugs cause you toRd, Phoenix, AZ 85044 • 480-855-9990 damage as a public service to you and/or feel uncomfortable and have a variety of Open 6 days a week, Closed Mondays • Tue to Thur 2pm-10pm • Fri-Sat 12pm-10 pm • Sun 12pm-9pm your family and friends. This neuropathy/ harmful side effects. examination will consist of We invite you to experience the tastepainofseverity authentic Chronic pain and/or peripheral a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive Italian cuisine made from fresh seasonal ingredients. neuropathy is a result of damage to NOTE: Once you have sustained 95% peripheral vascular testing, and a the nerves often causing weakness, nerve loss, there is likely nothing that we detailed analysis of the findings of your pain, numbness, tingling, and the can do for you. most debilitating balance problems. 3) How much treatment will your neuropathy. This damage is commonly caused by a condition require? lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which causes the nerves The treatment that is provided at Aspen to begin to degenerate due to lack of Medical has three main goals. nutrient flow. 1) Increase blood flow
Thank You Ahwatukee for Nominating Us
Best New Restaurant!
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2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves 3) Decrease brain-based pain The treatment to increase blood flow, stimulate small nerve fibers and get you back to health is our new $50,000.00 SANEXAS UNIT! As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms. The main problem is that your doctor has told you to just live with the problem or try the drugs which you don’t like taking because they make you feel uncomfortable. There is now a facility right here in Mesa that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects. (See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined. 1) What is the underlying cause? 2) How much nerve damage has been sustained.
In addition, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostics like the TM Flow diagnostic unit to accurately determine the increase in blood flow and a small skin biopsy to accurately determine the increase in small nerve fibers! The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both low-frequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling. During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy. THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT SANEXAS IS COVERED BY MEDICARE AND MOST INSURANCE! Depending on your coverage, your treatment could be little to no cost to you! The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be
Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until June 30, 2020. Call 480274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated. Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-274-3157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.
480-274-3157 PUZZLEANSWERS ANSWERSon onpage page309 PUZZLE
1425 S. Greenfield Rd., Ste. 101 Mesa, AZ 85206
20
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
Gilbert Sun News
1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com
Deadlines
Classifieds: Thursday 11am for Sunday Life Events: Thursday 10am for Sunday
The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | GilbertSunNews.com Employment General Part-time financial secretary 6-10 hours/week. 510 years of experience required with church management and Microsoft Office software. Timely accurate data entry and weekly/monthly reports required. Pass background check pre-hiring. Resume with strong work experience, education, references must be received NLT 6-12-2020 by Personnel Committee, Crossroads Southern Baptist Church, 2001 South Starr Road, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.
MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.GilbertSunNews.com
OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. FIND THE BEST TALENT. EASILY POST JOBS. COMPETITIVE PRICING AND EXPOSURE More info: 480-898-6465 or email jobposting@evtrib.com
Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com
J BS.EASTVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM
Announce
ments Childcare Providers LAS SENDAS HOME CHILD CARE Las Sendas Mom, Newborn & Up, 16 Yr Exp, CPR Certified, Homemade meals and healthy snacks, Loving, safe envir., No pool, Flexible schedule, Early childhood, development activities offered. Many References Call Lina 480-3248466
Merch andise Miscellaneous For Sale Moving! For Sale! Household items exercise equipment, keyboard, organ, plus more. Call 480-984-5038
Wanted to Buy Cash 4 Diabetic Strips! Best Prices in Town. Sealed and Unexpired. 480-652-1317 Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846
Real Estate
For Rent Commerical/ Industrial/Retail Outdoor commercial/personal Storage Yards for lease. Secure, gated 24 hour access, and much more. Call 480-926-5957 for details
WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO SERVE YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS
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ALMA SCH & MAIN UTILITIES INCLUDED Bad Credit OK. No Deposit Close to Lightrail $650 (602) 339-1555
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BRAND NEW NEVER LIVED IN 2 BED / 2 BATH HOMES $58,900 Financing Available Also Available Affordable Homes Between $5K - $15K 55+ Mobile Home Park in Great Chandler Loc. Call Kim 480-233-2035
THE LINKS ESTATES
Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details.
Air Conditioning/Heating
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SHARE WITH THE WORLD!
Apartments
Bob B AC, LLC
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If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed
We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not
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(Over 40 Years Experience)
Gawthorp & Associates Realty 40667 N Wedge Dr • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140
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www.GilbertSunNews.com
21
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
Drywall
Garage/Doors
JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING
GARAGE DOOR SERVICE
Cleaning Services
House Painting, Drywall, Reliable, Dependable, Honest!
RESIDENTIAL & SMALL BUSINESS CLEANING SPECIALISTS SINCE 2007
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C O N C RETE & M A S O N RY BLOCKWALL CONCRETE
• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel
ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932
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PAVER • CONCRETE REMOVAL • HARDSCAPE BONDED & INSURED • ROC#321648 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE ESTIMATES • 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE RESIDENTIAL CALL JOHN: 480.797.2985 COMMERCIAL
HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING Move a wall; turn a door into a window. From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all. Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more. All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years' experience. Call Ron Wolfgang Office 480-820-8515 Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934
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“No JobSmall Too Man!” Small Man!”
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“No Job Too Work Since 1999 Quality le,Small 2010, 2011 Affordab Man!” 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2012, 2013, “No Job 2010, 2011 2014 2014 2012,92013, Too Small Man!” 199 e Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Sinc k Wor QualityContractor 2014 Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Notle, a Licensed Affordab 2010, 2011
Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038
Call Bruce at 602.670.7038
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not aBruce Licensed at Contractor Call 602.670.7038
2010, 2011
2012, 2013, 2012, 2013, 2014 2014
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Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949 Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! Painting Flooring • Electrical Ask me about FREE water testing! Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Marks the Spot for ALL Plumbing • Decks Drywall • Carpentry • Tile • More! Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Your Handyman Needs! Decks • Tile • More! Painting • Flooring • Electrical
CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM rk Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Wo 1999 Since rk Wo y alit Qu e, abl Afford
Not a licensed contractor
Not a licensed contractor.
DESERT ROCK
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Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610
josedominguez0224@gmail.com
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Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor
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Home Improvement
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One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.
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22
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
Landscape/Maintenance
Painting
RAMIRO MEDINA LANDSCAPING ➧ LANDSCAPING ➧ TREE TRIMMING & REMOVAL ➧ IRRIGATION ➧ YARD CLEAN-UP ➧ GRAVEL
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Roofing
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Painting
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Specializing in
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23
GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020
Roofing
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
480-706-1453
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
Public Notices
Public Notices
AT&T Mobility, LLC is proposing to construct a 39foot overall height small cell telecommunications structure off Chestnut Street, Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona (N33° 23’ 57.6”; W111° 47’ 6”). AT&T Mobility, LLC invites comments from any interested party on the impact the proposed undertaking may have on any districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering, or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. Comments may be sent to Environmental Corporation of America, ATTN: Megan Gomez, 1375 Union Hill Industrial Court, Suite A, Alpharetta, GA 30004 or via email to publicnotice@eca-usa.com. Ms. Gomez can be reached at (770) 667-2040 x 405 during normal business hours. Comments must be received within 30 days of the date of this notice. W1305/HMF
Scrambler: Rolling in Dough
1. O O I C S E K _ _ _ _ _ _ _
This is to give notice that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under 24 CFR Part 50 has determined that the following proposed action, FHA #123-35570, has the potential to be located in a 100-year flood zone, if approved for the proposed issuance of mortgage insurance under the Section 221 d4 Mortgage Insurance Program for new construction.As such, HUD will be identifying and evaluating practicable alternatives to locating the proposed action in the floodplain and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Section 2(a)(4) of Executive Order 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands.
According to FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) #04013C2737M, dated November 4, 2015, the majority of the subject property is located in Shaded Zone X, designated as an area within the 500-year flood zone. A small portion of the northern edge of the site (0.064 acres) and the adjacent public roadways are in Zone AH, designated as an area within the 100-year flood zone with flood depths of one (1) to three (3) feet (usually areas of ponding) with a base flood elevation (BFE) of 1,218 feet NAVD 88. The proposed occupied structures will be elevated greater than one (1) foot above the BFE, per HUD guidelines, at 1,219 feet NAVD88, to ensure the protection of lives and property.
2. I B T U S I S C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3. N O E V _ _ _ _
Floodplains in their natural state provide beneficial functions for water resources, such as providing natural moderation of floods, water quality maintenance, and groundwater recharge, all of which may be affected by the proposed activity. However, the on-site 100-year floodplain is not in its natural state as it falls within an area that has been almost completely urbanized. The proposed action would result in a total of 0.104 acres of impacts within a 100-year floodplain; 0.064 acres of impact to the entire on-site floodplain due to grading and paving activities for the construction of landscaped areas, sidewalks, and curb and gutter associated with the Nevada at Commonwealth Apartments, and 0.40 acres of impact to the off-site adjacent floodplain due to the construction of new asphalt parking spaces along Nevada Street and Commonwealth Avenue. The proposed action will not negatively impact archaeological, historic, or recreational resources.
4. O F R U L _ _ _ _ _
5. A Y R E B K _ _ _ _ _ _
6. R A S G U _ _ _ _ _
7. C R E P E I _ _ _ _ _ _
THE MAN WHO STOPS ADVERTISING TO SAVE MONEY IS THE MAN WHO STOPS THE CLOCK TO SAVE TIME. - UNKNOWN
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CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
480.898.6465
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To: All interested Government Agencies, Groups and Individuals
The subject property consists of 5.591 acres of vacant land designated as Assessor Parcel Number 303-11-001K. The proposed action under consideration for mortgage insurance, which is to be known as Nevada at Commonwealth Apartments, consists of a 208-unit multifamily apartment complex consisting of three (3) apartment structures, one (1) clubhouse structure, landscaped areas, asphalt parking areas, an internal roadway, and asphalt onstreet parking areas along Nevada Street and Commonwealth Avenue.The proposed action is to be located at the southeast corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Nevada Street in Chandler, Maricopa County, Arizona (Latitude, 33.302921, Longitude, 111.836072).
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Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a 100-Year Flood Zone
There are three primary purposes for this notice. Firs t, people who may be affected by activities in floodplains and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplain, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate impacts. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplains can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk. Written comments must be received by HUD at the following address on or before June 15, 2020: U.S. Department of HUD, Denver Multifamily Hub, 1670 Broadway Street, Denver, Colorado 80202-4801, Attention: Tim Sovold. Envelopes without a complete return address will not be opened. Additionally, all contact information must appear on the letter itself. Mr. Sovold can be reached by telephone at (303) 839-2617. A full description of the proposed action may be viewed at the above address from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday by contacting Mr. Sovold. Published: East Valley Tribune May 31, 2020 / 30817
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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MAY 31, 2020