Gilbert Sun News 03/26/2023

Police, re o cials show girls their jobs

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Sam Heivilin took aim and concentrated on pulling the trigger at the blue targets flying toward her while a train roared by noisily, blaring its horn.

The 16-year-old was participating in a simulated law-enforcement shooting exercise at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility. Sam and 30 other

girls in grades 9-12 got a glimpse into firefighting and police operations as part of the Aspire Academy.

“I has not disappointed,” said Sam, a student at Gilbert Christian Schools’ high school and whose dad is a retired Mesa cop. “I dreamed of being a firefighter so I wanted to get some hands-on experience and get to put on some bunker gear, maybe take a ride in the truck and climb a bunch of ladders. Just hands-on experience to get to see if that is

really what I wanted to do with my life.”

During the four-day overnight camp March 1619, the girls took part in hands-on activities such as conducting a traffic stop, investigating a crime scene, rappelling down buildings and climbing a 100-foot-tall fire truck ladder, doing them side-byside with women firefighters and cops from 19 law enforcement and fire agencies across the Valley, in-

see ASPIRE page 4

Gilbert girl, 7, family ‘in a ght of our lives’

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

At rst, the swelling on 7-year-old Kennedy Dunn’s posterior appeared innocuous but it quickly escalated into what will be a 60-week-long battle against a fast-growing and rare form of soft-tissue cancer.

e Gilbert girl rst noticed the growth around anksgiving. It was painless, but she was afraid to say anything about it until her parents Cory and Nicole Dunn noticed it right after Christmas and took her to a general pediatrician in January.

“She felt that bump and said she was not super worry about it,” Cory Dunn recalled about the doctor visit. “Told us to

see FIGHT page 6

Kennedy Dunn of Gilbert, just turned 7 last Thursday as she fights an aggressive form of cancer. (David Minton/GSN Sta Photographer)

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ASPIRE from page 1

cluding from Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Avondale, FBI, Border Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

“It’s nice to see women in those roles and that they are excelling,” Sam said.

This was the first time Gilbert’s 50-acre stateof-the-art joint training facility hosted the Aspire Academy. The academy is offered in the spring and fall and the next session takes place in Chandler. The program launched eight years ago, spearheaded by women in Mesa Police and fire departments.

“It’s a program we have to influence young girls who want to come out and potentially be law enforcement or firefighters,” Gilbert Officer Dani Covey said. “We have a chance first-hand to get to show them what the careers are like.”

Covey said she wanted to be a police officer since she was a kid.

“My dad was a police officer,” Covey said. “I actually drew a picture when I was in kindergarten that said, ‘when I grow up, I want to be a blue star just like my dad.’ He had blue stars on the side of his patrol car.”

Covey said many young girls don’t have that influence.

“They might think the career is completely different from what it is so we get to have them come out here and we give them first-hand experience of what it’s really like – a day in the shoes of a police office, a day in the shoes of firefighters.”

The program also is a good recruiting tool, especially for Gilbert Police, which has joined the national 30X30 Initiative, a pledge to increase the number of female police officers to 30% by the year 2030.

Research suggests that women officers use less force, are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits, see better outcomes for crime victims and are perceived by communities to being more honest and compassionate, according to the coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations pushing to advance women representation in policing.

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Currently, women make up 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the country, according to the Initiative. Women comprise 11.7% of the 373 full-time sworn officers on the Gilbert Police force, according to the department.

Police Chief Michael Soelberg at the council retreat in December talked about the initiative.

“By the year 2030, we need to show that

women are as capable as being police officers as men,” Soelberg said. “And in some instances they may be even better. And I think it’s important that we let our communities know that we always hire the most qualified people not just based on gender. But we definitely need more women.”

According to Covey, the seven different agencies participating in the upcoming police academy at the training facility comprises 25% women.

“When I got hired on I was the first female to have been hired for a little while,” said Covey, who’s been a police officer for almost a decade. “And now we are in every academy class.”

Covey said an open forum was held for the girls to ask questions and it ran the gamut.

“They wanted to know about the hiring process, they wanted to know what the academy is like, they wanted to know what were some of the scariest things we’ve seen, they wanted to know if there is sexism on the job,” she said. “They are asking some of the hard questions and we are able to have those really good conversations with them.”

Covey said choosing a career in law enforcement is empowering.

“It’s a great opportunity for me,” she said. “Every day is something different. It’s a job where you don’t know what you’re going to get one day after the other. It’s exciting, it’s a very physically demanding job. So, I think for somebody who wants to better themselves and push themselves it’s a really unique opportunity and for me I know I love helping people in crisis.

“I’m part of the Crisis Intervention Team. For me what better opportunity when somebody is having their worst day, they call us and what a privilege it is for me to get to re-

spond and help them and you really don’t get to do that in any other profession.”

Sarah Dutton, who’s been a Gilbert firefighter for 1 1/2 years, said the purpose of the academy is to show the girls they can do the jobs traditionally dominated by men.

“For me growing up, I didn’t know anyone in the fire service but especially I didn’t know any women,” she said.

“But being able to band together, we have so many different departments out here, coming together to collaborate on this and we are able to show these girls that if we can do it so can they. The biggest takeaway we are trying to teach them is they can do hard things they might not think they can but we show them that they can do it.”

She added that the girls gain confidence from completing their tasks and they also learn problem-solving and other life skills at the academy.

Maclayne Justus, a 17-year-old student at Perry High School, said she took the academy because of her dad Mark Justus, a deputy chief with Gilbert Fire and Rescue.

And, the Queen Creek resident said she recently earned her pilot’s license and was eyeing a career as a fire pilot.

“I’ve never seen this many girls,” Maclayne said. “I grew up around all this and I’ve only met two girls who were in the fire industry. So it’s very interesting.

“I think it’s very good to be around all these females. They are super strong, they are all independent and they are all confident.”

Despite having fun with the police stuff, Maclayne said she’s still leaning toward firefighting.

“I can’t be a police officer with what they deal with,” she said. “I heard lots of stories and it’s not a fit for me.”

Maclayne Justus lays down in the street playing the victim of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle as Gilbert Police Department Officer Sara Dunn and Valentina Burno pull over Laura Johnson during a simulated traffic stop at the Gilbert Aspire Academy at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

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FIGHT from page 1

keep an eye on it and don’t worry about it. If it gets larger let us know.”

e doctor suspected the lump was a deep bruise or a cyst but nonetheless recommended an ultrasound for Kennedy.

“We gave it two more weeks or so and noticed it was increasing in size,” Dunn said. “ at is when we went back and the doctor ordered an MRI and then they called us the next day, ‘you need to bring her in for a biopsy.’ at was the rst time to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.”

After a weekend stay, Kennedy was released from the hospital and the family went home and waited for the results.

“We waited and waited and on Wednesday they called,” the Gilbert dad said. “Obviously it was not the news we wanted.”

e parents were told to get Kennedy from school and bring her down immediately to the hospital for a CT scan with contrast. e March 1 scan con rmed the doctors’ suspicion that Kennedy had rhabdomyosarcoma, Stage 3, Class 3.

According to the American Cancer So-

ciety, about 400 to 500 new cases of rhabdomyosarcoma, or RMS, occur each year in the United States and is mostly diagnosed in children and teens. About 3% of all childhood cancers are RMS.

Kennedy was admitted and immediately went into surgery where a chemo port was implanted.

It “is a fairly rare form of cancer and

fairly fast-growing and aggressive,” Dunn said. “ ey laid out the treatment plan, which is longer than I have heard of anyone else goes through chemo.”

Dunn said his daughter was diagnosed with the more severe form of the cancer –alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and has a 50% chance of a relapse.

“ e doctor said if she relapsed, it’s re-

ally not a good situation,” he said. “If she relapses, it will be somewhere else in the body, in the lymph nodes or blood.”

Hence the oncologists prescribed an aggressive 60-week treatment regimen for Kennedy that began March 3.

At 12 weeks if the malignant tumor, the size of an egg, has shrunk surgeons will try to remove all of it and target radiation on the peri rectal area, Dunn said.

Afterwards, it will be another 28 weeks of aggressive injection chemotherapy, followed by 20 weeks of a milder dose of maintenance chemo in pill form, he added.

“ at will be hopefully sometime around the rst of next year when she goes on the milder dose,” he said. “And when we hope she can go to school and her hair should start growing back.”

Dunn said there was a 20% chance that Kennedy would not lose her hair with chemo but unfortunately her hair started falling out to where it was just patches. Last week, they decided to shave Kennedy’s head. Younger brother Tanner, 4,

see FIGHT page 7

The Dunn Family of Gilbert - Cory, Kennedy, Natalie, and Tanner - are all in together as Kennedy fights cancer. Her dad and brother shaved their heads as a show of solidarity with her as she undergoes extensive chemotherapy treatment. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

also asked for his head to be shaved.

“We’ve talked to him that Kennedy is sick and talked about her losing her hair and try to keep him aware,” Dunn said. “But at 4, he doesn’t grasp the full situation.”

Dunn said while the family is taking it one day at a time, Kennedy has a “pretty good positive attitude” as she deals with the side e ects of chemo such as lethargy and constipation.

Kennedy’s on a dosage of MiraLAX and senna for the constipation, which is causing severe stomach cramping.

“Five days ago, she was in tears, 50 times a day from cramping,” Dunn said. “We dialed it back down to where it’s probably 10 times a day. It’s going to take us a while to nd the right dosage of everything.”

Kennedy is also wrestling with a fragile immune system due to the cancer-killing drugs.

For a healthy person, the measurement of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps the body ght infection, is be-

tween 2,500 and 6,000 per microliters of blood. Kennedy’s absolute neutrophil count or ANC reading was 10 two weeks ago, according to Dunn.

She also caught an infection that spiked her temperature up to 101.6 and required a three-day hospital stay.

“We can’t have too many people come into the house,” Dunn said. “Her immune system is so compromised.”

e family celebrated Kennedy’s 7th birthday last ursday with relatives and school pals driving past her house.

Besides the physical demands, there’re also nancial ones for the family.

“Just the chemo for next week is $15,000,” Dunn said. “We’re looking at at least hundreds of thousands in treatment costs.”

For a family where both parents are teachers, the nancial hit is a pretty big one. And that’s where the Armer Foundation For Kids is stepping in to help.

e Phoenix nonpro t’s mission is to relieve some of the nancial burdens to families with children with extreme medical conditions, helping with copays, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket

expenses. e Dunns were approved for $5,000 in medical reimbursements.

Matt and Jennifer Armer, owners of an HVAC company, formed the charity in 2019, which is supported by corporate sponsors and fundraising events throughout the year.

e nonpro t helped 17 kids in 2022 and 19 so far this year, said Jennifer Armer, whose husband grew up with Type-1 diabetes.

“Our board determines the nancial amount and if we raise funds above and beyond that then we are able to help more,” she said. “ e largest nancial amount was $195,000 to send a family to Italy to get a speci c gene therapy only done there for two of their daughters. e lowest that we have ever raised for a child is $120.”

e group provides nancial help for children – newborns to 17 – with cancer, epilepsy, transplants, cerebral-palsy, HSL, perthes, MLD, and other life-altering illnesses.

“It’s greatly appreciated,” said Dunn of the help. His sister-in-law put them in touch with the nonpro t. A GoFund-

Me page also has been set up to help the family with medical expenses.

For now, one of the immediate issues facing the Dunns is how to juggle their teaching schedules this week as HUSD returns from spring break so at least one of the parents is at home with Kennedy.

Cory, a Gilbert native, has been teaching social studies for over a decade at Sossaman Middle School and Nicole teaches at Higley Virtual Academy, which requires her to be on site at Power Ranch Elementary.

“We have hoped that any day now we would wake up from this nightmare,” Nicole Dunn said. “But instead we begin the ght of our lives.”

How to help

For more information about the Armer Foundation for Kids and to donate to the nonpro t, go to armerfoundation.org.

The GoFundMe page for the Dunn Family is at gofundme. com/f/kennedys-journey-withrhabdomyosarcoma

Ejected residents want $1M from Gilbert

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Three residents escorted by police from a council meeting last September under the mayor’s order for silently holding signs have upped their demand to total $1 million from the Town of Gilbert for allegedly violating their free speech.

While Ryan Handelsman and Joanne Terry are seeking a total $250,000, Dr. Brandon Ry led a separate claim for $750,000.

All three rst led a joint claim in October, which was denied, asking for $1. ey also wanted Mayor Brigette Peterson and the Town to issue an o cial apology and Peterson to take remedial First Amendment training classes.

e amended claims just ask for money. A claim is a precursor to a lawsuit.

“Mayor Peterson used her position of power to violate our constitutional rights when she ordered the SWAT team to remove us from a council meeting for silently holding small signs in the back of the room,” Ry said in a released statement. “Due to the mayor’s arrogance and stubborn refusal to simply apologize, a completely avoidable legal claim is now moving forward.

“While we spend our money defending our First Amendment rights, the mayor will be spending taxpayer money defending her ego. Instead of apologizing, learning from her mistakes and being a leader, the mayor doubled down on dumb. Like a petulant child, the mayor retaliated by issuing public statements with patently false claims against me, in e ort to harm my reputation and neutralize the impact of my political opposition against her.”

Ry said because of Peterson’s actions, “a dollar and an apology have now turned into something much bigger and much worse.”

Town spokeswoman Jennifer Harrison last week said the claim, led March 20, was under review by the Town Attorney’s O ce.

Peterson did not respond to a request for comment.

Ry , Handelsman and Terry were in the back of a packed council meeting room in September silently holding signs that read, “Don’t Mesa My Gilbert” and “Stop Lying.”

Ry and Handelsman previously led ethics complaint against Peterson and Ry has been especially vocal with his criticism of the mayor’s leadership.

Peterson interrupted the meeting and asked o cers in the room to remove the three for “disruption” despite other audience members also displaying similar signs.

“Information that came to light after the Sept. 20, 2022 meeting has made it abundantly clear that the mayor knowingly and with speci c intent target the plainti s, used her position of power to retaliate against them by unjustly ejecting them from a pubic meeting,” said attorney Tim La Sota in the amended claim. “In doing so, the mayor violated their First Amendment rights.”

e attorney referenced the Aug. 23 meeting where Ry spoke critically of the mayor during public comments, saying “lots of people know the mayor struggles with the truth.”

At the Sept. 20 meeting, 50 “Stop Lying” signs “show up with essentially the same message,” La Sota said.

La Sota said Peterson’s treatment of his three clients was in stark contrast to how she treated a woman two months later who was vocally disruptive during

a council meeting.

La Sota pointed to the Nov. 15, 2022 council meeting when residents lled the room to protest against e Ranch, a proposed light-industrial zoning for 300 acres adjacent to their neighborhood.

At that meeting, Christine Dees stood up and began shouting at the mayor and council, saying they were ruining her neighborhood and demanding they

see

RESIDENTS

page 12

Three citizens ejected from a September Town Council meeting for silently holding signs of protest have filed a $250,000 claim against the town, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated. (GSN le photo)

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Gilbert church loses its bid for larger sign

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

AGilbert church’s request for a larger sign with electronic messaging to draw attention along Warner Road has been rejected.

Zoning Hearing O cer Mitesh Patel on March 16 denied Valor Christian Center’s request for a variance to Gilbert’s Land Development Code.

e church currently has a 5-foottall, 22-square-foot monument sign on Warner. It wanted to replace that with a 14-foot-high, 64-square-foot sign with electronic messaging on both sides.

“I want to move forward with an appeal,” the Rev. Scott Whitwam said last week. “We worked with the town as much as we could.

“It’s strange they’ve told us that if we

change our zoning, we can have (the bigger sign) but can’t with a variance.”

e church, located in a residential neighborhood on Warner, east of Higley Road, had led an application to rezone its 6.7-acre site from SF-8 zoning to Neighborhood Commercial and would have been able to erect the larger sign by right and therefore the variance is warranted, the church’s attorney had argued at the variance hearing March 8.

Church leaders halted the rezone case after learning that it would hamper approved plans to enlarge their building by 42,204 square feet because the new zoning classi cation would have capped the expansion to a maximum of 25,000 square feet.

But Patel didn’t buy the argument.

see SIGN page 13

move up the proposed zoning on the agenda.

“Kick me out, I don’t care,” Dees shouted. “It’s time to talk about the Ranch.”

She refused to listen to Peterson’s repeated direction to “please sit down” and continued shouting, prompting the vice mayor to call for a ve-minute recess.

According to La Sota, the long, protracted display of protest was so loud and disruptive, it crippled the council’s ability to conduct its business.

“Once the meeting resumed following the recess, this same Gilbert resident continued her overtly disruptive behavior, even challenging the mayor to ‘kick her out,’” La Sota said. “Still the mayor did not order the police to remove her.”

Eventually, the mayor had police remove Dees from the room.

La Sota argued that certain persons silently holding signs in the back of the room may have been a distraction to the mayor but it did not impede the council’s

ability to conduct the business at hand. He said Peterson could have ignored the trio but instead chose to stop the meeting to “become the disruption.”

“It is not appropriate to remove a person because of any type of expression that does not interrupt or halt the meeting itself,” La Sota said.

Peterson in a released statement on Sept. 24 claimed she could not read the signs or see who was holding them from 70-plus feet away. La Sota, however, disputed her statement, saying “the signs were readable by anyone on the dais.”

Peterson also noted that police notied those attending the meeting that they would be allowed to bring in signs but could not hold them up.

“My request for removal was due to the disruption and to preserve meeting decorum,” Peterson said at the time, announcing that the council would reinstate a practice to ban anyone “from demonstrating with signs” during a council meeting.

Ry ’s claim accused Peterson of publically making disparaging remarks, like calling him a “bully,” that hurt his dental practice. RESIDENTS from page 9

with the same classi cation, he added.

“ e applicant’s arguments are not on point,” Patel said in his ruling. “ e existence of municipal regulations are not special circumstances speci c to the subject property, but apply to all properties in the Town’s jurisdiction.”

And, Patel said, signage privileges available in other zoning classi cations are not considered when considering a variance.

“ e applicant has not pointed to any properties of the same classi cation in the same zoning district that enjoy privileges not available to the subject property,” said Patel.

He agreed with town sta that the church failed to meet any of the four criteria needed for a variance approval.

Patel said there are no special circumstances, including the property’s size, shape and surroundings that deprived the church of its use of its site.

He said the location of the main church, set back at a distance from Warner Road, was not because of the site’s features but instead due to the church’s decision to do a phased planned expansion.

He also discounted the church’s argument that the volume and speed of the vehicles on Warner made it di cult for drivers to see its current sign.

“Tra c on Warner Road, however, is not speci c to the subject site,” Patel said.

And strict application of the zoning ordinance on the church does not deprive it from any privileges enjoyed by properties

He said granting the variance to the church would constitute a special privilege not enjoyed by similarly situated properties.

Patel noted that town sta has identi ed at least nine houses of worship in residential zones and that the Land Development Code speci cally provides for signage for these non-residential uses.

Lastly, Patel said granting the church’s request would be “materially detrimental” to people living or working in the area.

“Not only is such a sign not permitted in a residential district, a sign of these dimensions and features is not permitted in any of the Town’s zoning districts, including the Town’s commercial districts,” Patel said.

Four residents spoke out against the church’s request at the variance hearing. Morrison Ranch’s Warner Groves neighborhood is across the street from Valor Christian.

According to sta , the church under its existing zoning is allowed to have up to four signs – three on Warner Road and one on Claiborne Avenue, its entrance – at a maximum height of 8 feet and 32 square feet of sign area each.

But the church opted not to do that, saying it was far more intrusive than its request.

e church, which hosts annual community events to bene t veterans and youth, has 30 calendar days to le its appeal to the Gilbert Board of Adjustments.

Valor Christian Church said its current sign is too small for passing motorists to notice. (GSN file photo)

SIGN from page 12

4 courts in Mesa, Gilbert move to new site

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER GSN Staff Writer

Four separate Justice Court rooms currently spread throughout Mesa and Gilbert are moving into a newly built courthouse at Baseline and Mesa roads over the next month.

The areas served by the Southeast Justice Center include parts of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe and tribal lands.

Of the four Justice Courts moving to the consolidated facility – West Mesa, North Mesa, East Mesa and Highland – three have occupied leased office space not designed for courtrooms on a “temporary” basis since 1991, Maricopa Justice Courts spokesman Scott Davis said.

And all of them were “outdated” and difficult to use for staff and court users, Davis said.

The Highland Justice Court on the

Gilbert Civic Center campus will be the first court to move.

Officials who toured the new $61 million courthouse last week expressed satisfaction with the combined facility, which was built as an addition to the existing Maricopa County Superior Court building at the location.

“I love how light and bright it is,” said Mesa Councilwoman Jenn Duff, whose district encompasses the new building. “It feels like a good space.”

Duff was among a delegation from Mesa City Council that included Mayor John Giles and District 2 Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury.

The courtrooms occupy the second floor, while Adult Probation and other services are on the ground floor

The Justice and Superior court buildings will share a soaring, glassy new entrance lobby, but they will hear mostly different types of cases.

Justice Courts, like Mesa Municipal Courts, handle small claims and mis-

Whether Mesa and Gilbert residents cited within the city or town go

see COURT page 15

demeanor cases such as traffic tickets, DUIs and driving without a license. State law also mandates that eviction cases be heard by county justice courts. Felonies go to the Maricopa Superior Court. Any court in Arizona can issue orders of protection aka restraining orders.

Mesa and Maricopa County officials inspected the new Justice Court facility last week during an official ribbon cutting. (Scott Shumaker/GSN Sta )

Mesnard pushes state to obey constitutional debt limit

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

The way Sen. J.D. Mesnard sees it, when the people who crafted the Arizona Constitution put in a $350,000 debt limit, they weren’t kidding.

And now the South Chandler Republican, whose district includes part of Gilbert, wants voters to reaffirm that and close some of the forms of creative financing that lawmakers have used for years to get around that – a move that effectively would forever kill forms of borrowing that lawmakers have used for years.

His SCR 1033 proposes to add some specific strings to that $350,000 debt limit so that lawmakers could no longer simply find more creative ways to borrow money during financial downturns.

That’s exactly what happened more than a decade ago when then-Gov. Jan

Brewer and state lawmakers, facing a $3 billion shortfall, agreed to sell off some state buildings and then lease them back until they owned them again.

Lawyers said it really wasn’t “borrowing’’ as the state could have theoretically stopped payments and let the lenders keep the buildings. But that was never a realistic option, as the list included everything from state prisons to where the House and Senate meet.

Also off limits would be a similar scheme now used to finance construction of new state buildings. Instead, the state would have to have the cash up front.

And gone would be the financial sleight-of-hand of putting off payment of one year’s obligations into the following fiscal year, a maneuver still being used, to comply with the constitutional requirement that the books be balanced each year on June 30.

That last provision, if approved by voters, would have immediate implications. It would mean that the $800 million “rollover’’ of state aid owed to public schools that began a decade ago – and still on the books – would have to be paid off, immediately.

Existing debts would be unaffected.

SCR 1033 would not impair the power of universities to float bonds

for projects, nor the ability of the state Department of Transportation to borrow money for road-construction projects as long as the debt was paid from future gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees.

But everything else above $350,000 would become illegal going forward.

All that still leaves the question of whether a debt ceiling set in 1912 is appropriate in 2024 and beyond, in perpetuity.

Mesnard conceded that Arizona is a lot bigger now than it was at the time of statehood, when only about 217,000 people lived here. The latest population figure is close to 7.5 million, a growth factor of close to 35.

Add to that the fact that what was $350,000 in 1912 calculates out to about $10.5 million now.

But Mesnard said he wants to go back to the original intent of the fram-

see MESNARD page 17

State Sen. J.D. Mesnard wants Arizona to follow the Arizona Constitution’s limit on debt that can be occurred by state government. (Capitol Media Services)

ers who he insisted had to know what they were talking about when they put in the $350,000 debt cap, with no allowance for either population growth or inflation.

The problem, he told Capitol Media Services, is that the constitutional provision has become “meaningless.’’

“Eventually, we’re going to wind up in a situation where people are going to be tempted to incur more debt to finance government,’’ Mesnard said.

Only thing is, state lawmakers would have fewer tools the next time the bottom drops out of the economy.

That’s what happened in 2009, when the state found a $3 billion gap between a $9 billion expense plan and anticipated revenues.

Lawmakers, at the behest of Brewer, cut spending by $1 billion and got voters to approve a temporary 1-cent sales tax to raise another $1 billion a year.

And the balance was made up by selling off a variety of state build-

ings to private investors in the form of “certificates of participation’’ and then making regular lease payments until the debt was paid off.

All that came with a price tag in the form of annual interest payments the state had to make well into the Ducey administration before it was all paid off. But it prevented the state from having to make even deeper cuts in spending.

That option to salvage the budget with borrowed money would be off the table the next time revenues tank. But Mesnard said that’s not a bad thing.

“In the moment, it could seem like this is the right thing to do,’’ he said.

“But what we’re sort of ignoring is all that debt we’ve incurred, someone is going to have to pay for,’’ Mesnard said. “So I would say, that’s the worst option, actually incurring debt that we’re kicking down the road.’’

SCR 1033 contains no exceptions other than what was put into the constitution in 1912: repel invasion, suppress insurrection or defend the state

in time of war.

And if the choice is even larger cuts in state services? Mesnard said that won’t be necessary if future legislators do better planning.

“It does create greater incentive to make sure you are a little bit restrained, especially if you’re seeing that on the horizon you’re going to have a downturn coming,’’ he said.

“I think it incentivizes responsibility,’’ Mesnard said, such as making regular deposits into the state’s “rainy day fund.’’

He acknowledged that fund is equal to just 10% of the state budget – far less than the 33% deficit the state faced in 2009. But Mesnard said that there are other options, like getting voters to approve a tax hike.

“But this idea of incurring ongoing debt on a one-time basis, that is the worst option,’’ he said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitzi Epstein had a different take on what Mesnard wants to do.

“This is nuts,’’ said the Tempe Democrat during floor debate on the mea-

sure. “This would mean, basically, that the state cannot take out any loans.’’

What it also does, she said, is ignore the financial reality that businesses understand: Sometimes borrowing makes sense.

“If we want government to run like a business, then we need to be able to take out loans,’’ she said.

And it’s not just business.

Most Arizonans, when purchasing a home, don’t wait until they have accumulated the cash. Instead they take out a mortgage, similar to how the state has constructed several new buildings.

Mesnard rejected the comparison.

“The average person also doesn’t have to buy a new home or homes every single year as the state does,’’ he said. And each new “mortgage,’’ Mesnard said, adds to the state debt.

The measure cleared the Republican-controlled Senate earlier this month on a party-line vote and awaits House action.

Approval there would send it to the 2024 ballot; the governor gets no say on such referrals.

Help for Chronic Foot Pain

Chronic foot or ankle pain interferes with active lifestyles, limiting mobility and independence. It makes even the most basic activities, like going to the market or walking the dog difficult. “I hate to hear that foot pain is keeping someone from their everyday activities,” says Dr. Kerry Zang of CiC Foot & Ankle. “It doesn’t matter if you are suffering from arthritis, an old injury, plantar fasciitis, really any type of foot pain, there are new therapies to help repair and restore tissue, ligaments and joints.”

Until recently, anti-inflammatory medication and steroid injections, like cortisone offered the best chance for relief. But, these options just reduced the symptoms. They did nothing to treat the problem actually causing the pain. “While cortisone stops the swelling and pain, it can also interfere with the healing process and further degeneration can occur,” explains Zang.

“Now, instead of just making the symptoms go away, we can deal with the underlying problem that is causing the pain. With regenerative medicine, we can help the body initiate its own healing response,” says Zang.

This form of treatment stimulates the body’s own natural healing process to repair chronically damaged tissue. “If a degenerative process has started, sometimes the body needs a little boost to encourage the regenerative process.” says Zang. “Regenerative medicine does that.”

“Don’t wait to get help. Delaying care can put you at risk for further damage,” says Zang. “However, if you have put off treatment, it’s not too late. Medicine is constantly changing, and you should never lose hope.”

Dr. Kerry Zang, DPM can be reached at CiC Foot & Ankle, 602-954-0777.

Pain, Burning, Numbness, Cramping

Your feet are crying out for help! It’s time to listen.

YES / NO

Does foot pain keep you from your favorite activities?

Do you have pain in the ball of your foot, heel or ankle?

Do you have uncomfortable aching, fatigue, cramping in your feet or calves when walking?

Is your neuropathy treatment not working?

Do your feet hurt when at rest?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions it’s time to call for HELP!

CUSD settles vaping suit, won’t discuss terms

BY KEN SAIN

GSN Sta Writer

The Chandler Uni ed School District has settled its lawsuit against Juul Labs Inc. and other vaping companies but o cials are not giving any details about it.

“Under advice of counsel, we cannot comment on the terms and conditions of the agreement between Chandler Uni ed School District and Juul Labs Inc. at this time,” said district spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll.

e district said in a follow-up statement that it could not disclose details because of a con dentiality clause in the agreement.

“While the District recognizes public policy favors disclosure of public records, the countervailing interests of con dentiality and the best interests of the state prevent disclosure of the settlement agreement,” the statement said.

“ e terms of the settlement agreement are con dential; the con dentiality terms

were carefully negotiated between the parties. Release of the settlement would entail a substantial disclosure of defendants’ condential commercial information.’”

e CUSD Governing Board approved the settlement without comment March 8 in connection with a lawsuit the district led on March 7, 2022.

It was one of hundreds led by school districts across the country against the tobacco company, seeking compensation because they had to deal with the fallout of a teen vaping epidemic.

In the lawsuits, districts claim they had to devote resources to monitoring and policing vaping in school. Many started education campaigns to warn students and parents of the dangers of vaping. Both Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts have led similar suits but have not settled yet.

e districts accused Juul and others of marketing directly to children.

e Wall Street Journal reported in December that Juul had agreed to settle more than 5,000 cases with 10,000 plainti s led

against them by school districts, local governments and individuals for about $1.7 billion.

e company had agreed in September to settle a multi-state investigation for $438.5 million.

Juul o ered fruit and candy avors, which proved popular with many teens. It is illegal for anyone younger than 18 to purchase e-cigarettes.

CUSD says it will use whatever money they get from the settlement to address vaping.

“We anticipate the settlement being used as compensatory redistribution by means of prevention, intervention and postvention programming to address the problems of youth nicotine and vaping addiction,” Ingersoll wrote.

e Palm Beach Post reported Palm Beach County School Board settled for more than $10 million over ve years. e Chicago Tribune reported District U-46 settled for $1.2 million.

ere are about 192,000 students in the

Palm Beach district and 35,000 in the U-46 district. CUSD has about 45,000 students.

In other news from the March 8 meeting, the district is placing orders to purchase more school buses. What’s di erent is they are 2025 buses.

Lana Berry, the district’s CFO, said they have to purchase them this early because of supply chain shortages that are slowing down delivery. She said the district is still waiting delivery of buses it bought 18 months ago.

e Governing Board approved spending more than $1.8 million to buy 10 2024 special education buses and $2.5 million to purchase 10 2025 general education buses.

“Our orders that we placed in May of 2021 are still not here,” Berry told the board. She said while they are waiting for delivery, the bus manufacturers could raise the price and give the district a take it or leave it demand, knowing there are other districts in need of buses.

“We’re really at … their mercy,” Berry said. “We really need the buses.”

Ready to do whatever it takes.

It’s hard to prepare for the words, “You have cancer.” And when you hear them, it feels like a million questions are racing through your mind. What’s next? Who do I call? Where do I go? We have answers for you. We’ve been training for this moment, so we can be there the second you need us. Let’s take on this diagnosis together.

We’re ready for cancer. Cancer isn’t ready for us.

World’s largest Easter pageant begins ursday

BY SRIANTHI PERERA GSN Contributor

The world’s largest annual Easter pageant begins a two-week run Wednesday, March 29, on the grounds of the Mesa Arizona Temple.

“Jesus the Christ” at the e Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple usually draws at least 100,000 people.

It entails more than 400 cast members (including a donkey and sheep), over 1,000 costumes and and upgraded sound and lighting system that requires the help of 45ton cranes to install.

ousands of volunteers form into committees for stage production, security and frontline work – including laying out over 9,000 chairs on the temple grounds.

“ e pageant generally is one of those treasures, I think, unique to the world in general, but speci c to our little Mesa community,” said Trevor Orme, who plays the shared role of Jesus. “And as big as it is, it surprises me how few people have either heard of it or, if they have, haven’t come to it.

“Just the experience of being there is one to remember,” he added.

e free, 70-minute outdoor musical dramatization highlights the key moments of the life of Jesus Christ from birth to resurrection as detailed in the King James version of the Bible.

Last year, after a hiatus of three years due to an extensive renovation of the Temple complex and the pandemic, a completely new version of the pageant was introduced.

e script and score were rewritten under the direction of Gilbert composer Rob Gardner while the London Symphony Orchestra recorded the soundtrack.

A backdrop of a large LED screen that helps simulate various scenes such as the owing sea and ferocious storms, sophisticated special e ects and the state-of-the-art sound and light technology are among the updates.

“I would hate to use word spectacle because it makes it trite, but it really is an experience,” said Ben Mason, who plays Peter the Apostle.

How does such a large production come together?

“I like to think of it as a puzzle,” said Jenee Prince, pageant director. “We’ll start with the edge pieces and get some of those scenes done and then all of the loose framework from there.”

e process begins as far back as August, when the community is invited to audition. By early December, actors are chosen and new costuming and repairs to costumes are underway.

Committees are formed for makeup, sound, props, stage crew, music, lighting, publicity and the other myriad aspects that must work to perfection to put on a production that parallels one on Broadway.

e rst rehearsal, when everyone meets for the rst time, takes place on a Saturday in March. For many days thereafter, the core cast meets and rehearses before the rst dress rehearsal.

“It comes together very, very quickly and that’s by having so many people in place to do di erent things,” Prince said. “So many

moving parts work separately together and we all coordinate and collaborate on what we do. People are constantly working to put their pieces into the puzzle.”

She added, “I think the biggest challenge for me is making sure that it feels and it looks right, that it represents the subject matter of the Savior’s life in the way that we want it to.

at’s the most important thing for me.”

e Easter pageant had a modest beginning in 1938 as a sunrise service on the Mesa Temple grounds. It was a conclusion for a statewide convention that evolved over the years to became an annual event and a beloved community tradition.

e cast and crew are not professional actors and they deem it a calling in the church. Everyone volunteers their time and service.

Prince was born and raised in Mesa and attended Westwood High School. She remembers seeing the pageant as a young girl, little dreaming that she would be directing it one day.

At college, she trained in the theater arts and cultivated a strong musical background. Today, she works as a ne arts director overseeing a cluster of schools.

In 2004, she was asked to be an assistant director for the show and transitioned to be

the director in 2012.

“I was so excited about it,” she said. “I love people and love gathering with people and especially in the community. I’ve lived in Mesa my whole life. I’m grateful to be a small part of such a big community event.”

To Prince, the position is not one of being in charge.

“I think of it as a big opportunity to link arms with so many like-minded people in the community,” she said.

A lawyer in Mesa, Orme has played roles in the pageant since he was 17, including Joseph in the Nativity scenes, a sepulcher angel, Adam and as the cruci ed Jesus Christ. Orme is not trained in theater or music, but is comfortable on stage, he said. at may have something to do with being chosen to play Jesus Christ. He shares the role with two others.

“Just being in the pageant itself means a lot,” he said. “Being able to play this particular role has increased meaning. I love doing this role because of how it makes me feel and for how I hope to help others feel.”

As Jesus, he’s on stage about 80 percent of the time. On the days he is not playing Jesus, he will be part of the greater multitude cast with his three small daughters.

A lawyer in Gilbert, Mason settled in the East Valley 12 years ago. With his theater background in school, he was chosen to play Jesus last year. “I’m incredibly humbled to get cast in that role and I just did the best I could,” he said.

Mesa Easter Pageant

When: 8 p.m. March 29-April 1; April 4-8.

Where: North lawn of the Mesa Arizona Temple, 101 S. Lesueur, Mesa.

Cost: Free

Parking: As parking is limited, attendees are encouraged to use Valley Metro Light Rail.

Details: mesatemple.org/easterprogram

During the free Easter pageant that begins Thursday at the Mesa .Arizona Temple, Mesa lawyer Trevor Orme, as Jesus, washes the feet of Gilbert attorney Ben Mason, portraying Peter. (David Minton/GSN)

Summer Kids Camp Preview

Nonpro t’s summer camp o ers girls mentorship

GSN NEWS STAFF

Girls Mentorship, an organization designed “to empower girls to be the best versions of themselves,” has scheduled summer camps with programs for girls ages 10-13.

Girls Mentorship notes that mentors are more needed than ever for young girls, noting surveys showing 7 in 10 girls don’t believe they are good enough and studies have found that the mental health of young girls took a hit during the pandemic.

“Our youths’ declining mental health poses a huge threat to the overall health of our communities and society,” said Mary Frances Foran, CEO/co-founder of Girls Mentorship.

“We wanted to build a support system that we so desperately needed as girls, and the reception in the community has been huge.”

Pursue More Summer Camp is an all-inclusive, high-spirited program designed to develop girls’ life skills through structured,

engaging activities and games, interactive discussions and journaling.

“Girls are introduced to self-awareness and learn how to cultivate respect, responsibility and empathy,” the nonprofit said in a release. “All activities are designed to challenge girls to step outside of their comfort zones and embrace their full potential.”

“At the end of each day, your daughter will have built meaningful relationships with herself and her peers while gaining valuable tools and skills that will benefit her far beyond camp,” said Girls Mentorship co-founder/ Chief People Officer Jill Petersen.

Pursue More Summer Camp is available in three different week-long sessions in June and July, with programming running from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. each day.

Pricing is $599 per week and single-day drop in is available for $125. Sibling discounts and extended care hours are available.

The camp will be at Rancho Solano Prep School in Scottsdale June 5-9, June 19-23 and

July 10-14.

Since launching Girls Mentorship in 2020, Foran and Petersen have created a variety of in-person and virtual workshops that support

their mission. In fall 2022, Girls Mentorship was awarded $20,000 for the work they are doing for tween girls.

Information: girlsmentorship.com.

4 high school juniors name Sister Cities reps

GSN NEWS STAFF

Following a rigorous four-month selection process, Gilbert Sister Cities has selected four high school juniors to serve as 2023 Youth Ambassadors.

Kyaira Carter, Jagoda Gliniak, Amara Manning and David Wang will represent the Town of Gilbert on a trip to Antrim-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland in July. ey will also serve as hosts for their counterparts from Northern Ireland this summer.

“ is year’s ambassadors excelled during our selection process,” said Lori Schuermann, Gilbert Sister Cities board member and chair of the Youth Ambassador pro-

gram.

She noted that applicants completed multiple essays, participated in group and individual interviews, interacted with Gilbert Sister Cities board members and members of the community at social events, visited local businesses to obtain donations for a silent auction, washed cars and participated in three skill-building clinics, presented by Gilbert business leaders.

“Kyaira, Jagoda, Amara and David will do a tremendous job representing Gilbert at home and abroad, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish throughout the next year as well as in their bright fu-

see REPS page 25

Pursue More Summer Camp for girls ages 10-13 offers an all-inclusive, high-spirited program designed to develop the life skills of young girls. (Courtesy of Girls Mentorship)

Slated to visit Antrim-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland as Gilbert ambassadors this summer are, from left: David Wang, Jagoda Gliniak, Amara Manning and Kyaira Carter. (Special to GSN)

tures,” Schuermann said.

Kyaira, who attends Higley High School, participates in the speech and debate club and National Honor Society at school. She competes on a club soccer team and works at a local secondhand clothing store. Once she graduates, Hyaira plans to study political science and attend law school.

Jagoda, who attends Gilbert Classical Academy, is a member of the Swim team, where she competed at the state meet in November 2022. She enjoys making art in her free time, and is enrolled in an AP art course at school.

Amara, who attends Higley High, is involved in the Best Buddies and Key clubs at her school, as well as club soccer. She works as a babysitter and volunteers her time helping at a local bakery where she makes and packages donuts. After high school, she plans to pursue a career in the medical eld.

David, who attends Gilbert Classical Academy, is involved in many activities, including National Honor Society, Student Senate, Wind Ensemble and the Swim and Dive team. Additionally, he volunteers at

Midwest Food Bank and the Arizona Museum of Natural History.

Before beginning the student exchange, Gilbert Sister Cities Youth Ambassadors participate in the Gilbert Global Village Festival and receive culture and protocol training for Northern Ireland.

After they return, they are involved in the Gilbert Days Parade, visit schools and youth programs to share information about the program and serve as mentors for the next group of candidates.

Gilbert Sister Cities will begin accepting applications for 2024 in the fall; any junior living in Gilbert or attending a Gilbert or Higley school is welcome to apply.

Established in 1998 as a community-supported nonpro t organization, Gilbert Sister Cities aims to “bring the world together through cultural, educational, trade and sports programs that promote international and intercultural knowledge and understanding.

Gilbert has two sister cities: Antrim-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland (1998) and Leshan, China (2002). As of this summer, it has sent over 60 high school students abroad. Information: gilbertsistercities.com.

QC vet opens Valley’s rst pet dental clinic

BY MARK MORAN GSN Sta Writer

When Dr. Graham Heuchert was a young veterinarian 20 years ago, x-raying a dog’s teeth was not even on the radar. In fact, there was no such thing as routine dental exams for dogs and cats.

“I would say the common mindset at that point was that we only do dentals on pets that have rotten teeth, where you can obviously see teeth falling out,” Heuchert recalled.

at has changed dramatically, and so have veterinary practices that address it.

Heuchert has opened e Pet Dental Clinic as part of rive Pet Healthcare on Queen Creek Road, the rst clinic of its kind in the Valley devoted to dog and cat teeth.

Now, veterinarians are focused on preventive care as much as xing problems after, according to Carrie Winckler, clinic manager and licensed veterinary technician for e Pet Dental Clinic.

“ e result of that has led to more of our pets needing more than preventative dental care, including oral surgery due to more advanced dental disease,” Winckler said.

Heuchert focuses on preventing problems through good oral hygiene.

“And even if we aren’t seeing problems, realizing that the sooner we start looking we are going to see that there are problems even if it’s not physical on the surface,” Heuchert said.

“Now, we’re doing dental x-rays. Puppies, kittens starting at a year of age. Whereas before, we were waiting until they were 9, ten or older and their teeth are rotten at that point so you just try to catch up and at that point, you have missed the boat,” he added.

e American Pet Products Associa-

tion reports United States animal lovers spent $124-billion on their animals in 2021, which included routine and specialty vet care.

“I feel pets are more part of the family now than they have been in the past,” Heuchert said. “ ey are valued members. So, people are willing to invest and put money into them for that.”

People willing to make that investment have driven up the cost of specialty vet care in the United States, too. Veterinary x-rays, for example, can range into the hundreds of dollars.

And pet exams are typically done under general anesthesia, another highpriced procedure.

But Heuchert said some of those costs can be avoided with preventive care, just like in human medicine.

“ e main thing we are dealing with

is periodontal disease and dogs and cats need regular cleaning along with dental x-rays, just like people need.”

Obviously, dogs and cats cannot complain of a toothache the way people can. Dogs tend to adapt the way they eat or may stop eating altogether when a tooth is damaged or hurts.

Cats present an even bigger challenge because their instincts lead them to hide pain. Both situations can be dangerous for the animal.

“Pets are programmed to eat for survival and if they are having issues with that, they unfortunately do not stop eating and alert their pet parent, they know they have to eat to live and so they swallow food whole or roll the food around in their mouth until it is softer and they can chew it,” Winckler said.

“Usually, our pet parents are unaware

of the infection and periodontal disease in the pets’ mouth because of this survival mode.”

e clinic is also equipped to take on major issues, Heuchert said, including surgeries and complicated extractions.

He said the eld of specialty animal medicine will continue to grow as more people understand the need for preventive care, and are willing to pay for it.

“Clients are becoming more educated that their pets need it,” Heuchert said.

“I still think is a lot of education that’s needed out there because I still see a lot of pet parents that come in that did not realize this is something they should be starting at a young age.”

e Pet Dental Clinic

8521 E. Queen Creek Road, Queen Creek, 480-281-0076

thepetdentalclinic.com

Dr. Graham Heuchert and Aurora Collins tend to Charlie. (Special to the Tribune)

Highland’s JJ Costantino embracing grind as new coach

BY CHASE BEARDSLEY GSN Contributing Writer

JJ Costantino might be new to head coaching but he’s no stranger to the game and what kind of connections it brings to people.

Costantino is taking over the Highland High School baseball team after former head coach Erik Kehoe and Highland parted ways. It’s his rst job as a head coach but Costantino has spent the past couple of years in Highland’s system as an assistant coach.

“I never previously had any, any head coaching experience at the time, but you know, I’ve been familiar with it being 10plus years in the mix,” Costantino said. “And then, you know, linked up with a couple other coaches that were on sta there and went from there. e last couple years as an assistant were really great. I enjoyed it every day.”

Costantino, although new to the team, quickly became familiar with the players. Enjoying season after season, he liked coaching, but he loved seeing and helping his players turn into more mature people along the way.

“You know, I just enjoy teaching and molding and watching these young men develop into adults and watching them succeed and watching it just all, come together and all the pieces t and it’s just great for me,” Costantino said.

Costantino isn’t from Arizona. In fact, the state is still somewhat foreign to him. It wasn’t too long ago that he was coaching in his home state of California near Los Angeles. e possibility of starting a new chapter though was too tempting to pass up.

“You know, my wife and I, we just kind of wanted to start a new chapter,” Costantino said. “You know, it was time to kind of, open the horizons and see what life can bring to us.

“So, a little bit of a challenge. Yes. But we were we were kind of ready for that. Our son was born here, too. So, he’s 2 now and that’s exciting. It’s just now we’ve made Arizona home for us, which is great.”

Costantino has always been around the sport so accepting coaching job after coaching job through the di erent states just helped him grow his love of the game more.

“I was a baseball guy since I can remember,” Costantino said.

“Here I am today. I was a player, I played college ball, I played some independent ball as well. Injury put me back.

“And then, immediately I was asked to be an assistant coach at a local high school in California. So, I jumped all over it kind of put my career to the side and focused on coaching and then, here we are.”

With all of this background in mind, it

makes sense why Highland chose Costantino as its next head coach especially in this time. Highland missed the playo s last season despite having a good record.

e team also lost quite a bit of players in the o -season. Costantino isn’t worried, though. His main goal is to build the team and their culture and reputation up – continuing an emphasis from last season.

“We just wanted to change the culture, build something special and ultimately put our name on the map,” Costantino said. “We were with that record last year, we were the best team I felt that did not make the playo s.”

On the eld Costantino isn’t worried about the seniors that left the team. He loves the core he has currently, especially o ensively.

“We have a couple of our impact returning guys,” Costantino said. “Caleb

Giles, who’s our shortstop. He’s the returning guy. Tyler Swayze: he’s our rst baseman. ey’re both seniors. Matt Snow: he’s a senior third baseman pitcher. Sergio Lopez: he’s one of our o ensive forces; he’s a junior out elder.”

Costantino has a challenging road in front of him. However, he’s faced challenges before. Always on his side though is his wife. Someone he attributes a lot of his success to.

“Well, my wife, she’s my rock,” Costantino said. “She’s unbelievable. She’s my biggest support system. Days are tough.

“I do a really good job of not bringing anything back home because that has nothing to do with them. But at the same time she’s always in the mix. She’s really into baseball as well.”

Adversity has always been part of Costantino’s long baseball career. Sports are rich with high highs and low lows. He made sure to mention that when talking about the sport he’s so passionate about.

“Man, I, I could write a book,” Costantino said. “It’s just so challenging. It’s so mentally draining, the highs are so high, the lows are so low. It’s a sport where you have to continue to work on it. In order to be good at it, you have to continue to work on it.”

Even beyond the struggle, the main thing Costantino wants is interconnection. He wants the team to work together and the excitement for that makes it all worth it to him.

“Man, we’re excited,” Costantino said. “I mean, it’s a great feeling knowing players want to play for you. Yeah, it’s really exciting for me. You know, we have a great relationship, which was, you know, my biggest goal ... you can see the excitement in these guys. And it just makes it worth it for me.”

Highland baseball coach JJ Costantino is embracing the grind that comes with leading a program at the state’s highest level. He feels like he is prepared, though, with great players and a support system behind him. (Courtesy Donna Mundy Photography)

Chandler chef inspires Ghost Ranch AZ

DAVID M. BROWN

GetOut Contributor

Celebrating artist Georgia O’Keeffe’s New Mexico ranch, the 5-year-old Ghost Ranch AZ in Tempe revolves around a menu inspired by Chandler Chef David Mora’s international experience.

Located at the northeast corner of Warner and Rural roads it serves o ers full platters, starters, sides, salads and desserts with a Southwest focus.

Among Mora’s dishes are starters such as the Shrimp Aquachile, with wild Mexican shrimp, jicama, avocado, onion, pickled onions and a not-too-spicy habanero mango sauce.

Also featured is Queso Fundido, including Schreiner’s choirzo and pico de gallo in hand-made tortillas. Entrées include the grilled rainbow trout; a warrior-sized 14-ounce tomahawk pork chop; and a house specialty, a chipotle-braised short rib ossobuco.

Among the sides is Rancho Papas, which combines heirloom ngerling potatoes, chimayo crema and cotija cheese.

e venue also o ers a select wine and beer menu, including the Provisioner ve-varietal red blend from Camp Verde as well as Arizona beers, and an extensive south-of-the border-focused cocktail menu.

“We’re very eclectic, using modern technique with inspired Southwest avors. It’s my focus: the land, the farm –where I came from,” said Mora.

Mora was born in Medellín, Colombia, when the area was rampant with drug cartel violence. His dad was a farmer.

“ e guerillas would come and say, ‘ is is what we will pay you for the land. Take it or we will take it,’” Mora recalled. His father knew it was time to leave.

So, at 13, the future chef moved to North Miami Beach with his parents and his sister. His mother and father helped run his aunt’s Colombian wood furniture store, a branch of her main Bogota facility.

At, 16, he started bussing at a North Miami Beach steakhouse and began experiencing the diversity of the U.S. food industry.

“One of my best friend’s dad was the chef, and I spent a lot of time in the back of the house watching the sta cook,” Mora said.

“I loved the environment, the adrenaline, the pace and avors. Within time I had learned almost every position in the front of the house, then I began to cook and I loved it. I was already determined and knew that being a chef was going to be my life.”

In 2009, he moved to Santa Fe, where he studied in a culinary arts program and learned about Southwest cuisine and the “delicious idiosyncrasies” of northern New Mexico dishes.

He worked in a variety of restaurants, including Max’s, with Chef Mark Connel, who cooked professionally in Italy and then the three-Michelin-starred French Laundry in Napa; Arroyo Vino; Las Campanas; and Tapas Kitchen for smallbites.

“Every chef I have worked with has been a mentor in some way and I have learned from them, the good and the bad,” he said, noting as an example Chef Connel, a friend and mentor who recently opened Parc Aspen in Colorado. Mora followed with stints in Arizona at Copa Café in Flagsta and Mariposa in Sedona.

“I learned more about indigenous ingredients of Arizona and high desert avors,” he recalled. “We enjoyed foraging lobster mushrooms in the Snowbowl area, wild herbs and fruit.” Today he continues to forage, hike and seek out hot springs in his free time.

His future wife, Colorado native Lisa Graf, also worked at the Arroyo Vino restaurant. ey decided to move to the Valley ve years ago as her parents were living in Mesa.

For a while, he worked at e Boulders Resort in Carefree and was sous chef at Palo Verde and chef de cuisine at the Spotted Donkey. ere he learned from Executive Chef Brian Archibald, now heading the Regional French kitchen at Francine in the Scottsdale Fashion Mall.

e pastry chef at Ghost Ranch AZ, Lisa specializes in savage tarts and freak shakes. Her daughter, Sevani, named for the entertainer, is a violinist and a clay artist apprentice at the Mesa Arts Center. David Chamberlin opened Ghost Ranch AZ about ve years ago and closed it for a year during the pandemic. His brother, Aaron Chamberlin, debuted the St. Francis in downtown Phoenix and the Tempe and Phoenix Public Market Cafés. He also owns Good ings Coming, also in Arizona.

Leading the Ghost Ranch house and kitchen sta of about 30 is Karmen Flores, the general manager.

Mora cooks because cooking is artistry and a way of caring for loved ones and restaurant guests.

“I think you will enjoy our old avors and spices, our amazing environment and how close and personal we are to our guests,” he said.

Ghost Ranch AZ is open Mon. 3–9 p.m.; Tues.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; and Sun.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Information: ghostranchaz. com.

Chandler chef David Mora and sta bring Colombia, Mexico and the American Southwest to the table at Ghost Ranch AZ in Tempe for lunch, brunch and dinner. (courtesy of ghost ranch)

King Crossword

ACROSS

1 Blunder

5 Sir’s partner

9 Witty one

12 Massage target

13 Lamb alias

14 “Evil Woman” gp.

15 Dairy aisle purchase

17 Zodiac feline

18 Indiana city

19 TV’s DeGeneres

21 Rejection

22 -- buddy

24 Bears’ hands

27 Candy-heart word

28 Ashen

31 “-- Believer”

32 Epoch

33 Actress Ruby

34 Attire

36 The whole enchilada

37 Barking mammal

38 Dark and gloomy

40 “I see”

41 “Shrek” princess

43 Scents

47 Adj. modifier

48 Canning jar feature

51 King, in Cannes

52 Tale teller

53 “Woe --!”

54 World Cup cheer

55 China (Pref.)

56 Legendary loch

DOWN

1 Stare stupidly

2 Twice cuatro

3 “Hmm, I guess so”

4 Criminals

5 Office note

6 “The Greatest”

7 Be sick

8 “This -- no sense!”

9 Built to last

10 Downwind

11 Thug

16 Punk-rock subgenre

20 Prune

22 Strapping

23 Track shape

24 Pot-bellied pet

25 Docs’ bloc

26 “Dunkirk” or “Platoon,”

e.g.

27 Faucet problem

29 Meadow

30 Snaky fish

35 Chignon

37 Sure winner

39 “Lady Love” singer Lou

40 Branch

41 Gambling game

42 Pedestal occupant

43 Sleek, in car lingo

44 Inspiration

45 $ dispensers

46 Females

49 Sundial numeral

50 Author Brown

In some cases, who you know is as important as what you know

Building professional relationships through networking can be a cornerstone of professional development.

ey provide tips, expert advice and camaraderie when you are tenured at a certain company, then can play a key role in opening doors for your next professional role.

Best of all, networking costs you nothing. e only investment is time, either by joining industry groups, being actively involved with online forums or professional websites, and attending meetings and conventions. e results will be friendships and connections that may unlock doors to opportunities you may never have even heard about before.

GOING ON-LINE

Networking forums and websites have made it easier than ever to make new connections. Sometimes, it’s smart to begin with your long-standing ones. Prior relationships can lead to introductions, since your friends, family and coworkers may already be connected to decision-makers, hiring managers or related professionals. Friend, follow, comment, endorse skills and write recommendations. ese professional courtesies might just lead to real-life partnership opportunities in the future.

IN-PERSON MEET UPS

It can be easy to rely too much on technology, since connecting with others is now such a streamlined experience. But sometimes there’s simply no substitute for person-to-person conversations. is kind of traditional relationship-building does more than put a name with a face. By catching up over lunch or co ee, you’re creating a conversational space to discuss things that go far beyond a speci c job opportunity. Open up about your goals and dreams, ideas you have to advance your role or the wider industry, or other long-range professional-development goals. When that perfect position comes open, these contacts will more likely to recommend you based on knowing more about how well you’d t.

JOIN THE CLUB

Attending a professional association or trade-group event can provide job seekers with early information about sta ng changes or new employment opportunities. Even joining an online forum can open the door to a wealth of information, including things like industry trends. Some of these groups and associations are focused on complete business sectors, while others might be job speci c. Either way, you’ll be have access to leaders, in uencers and fellow workers who move these industries forward. Some university alumni associations also create smaller professional subgroups so that graduates can advance their careers. Contact your alumni relations o ce.