Queen Creek Tribune 05/14/2023

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

The Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission last week recommended Town Council approval of the rezone of 2 acres at the northwest corner of 206th street and Riggs Road so it can become part of the 12-acre Pecan Lake Entertainment Center.

The $16-million, locally-owned and family-focused venue, between Fat Cat’s and Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre, would adjoin the botanical garden already on the site.

Tim Campbell, president, and CEO of Pecan Lakes Entertainment, has said, “Having more entertainment options for families close to home, especially outdoor focused activities, is a priority of this community.” He and his business partners are all long time Queen Creek residents.

The venue would include signature restaurant options, karaoke, escape rooms, a three-story 80-element ropes course with varying degrees of difficulty, mini-golf, an electric go cart track, axe-throwing and a giant simulated surfing attraction called the Flowrider.

“There are four local Queen Creek families that are working to create this project. All of us have seen a lot of change in this town over the last 15 years as we have each raised and continue to raise our children here,” Campbell said.

“We believe that families want wholesome places to go to spend quality time together. Queen Creek is growing fast in large part because so many people want to raise their families here.”

QC couple’s nonprofit honors their late daughter

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

ueen Creek High School grad Taylor Garza was a small-town girl with big dreams after receiving her diploma in 2015.

Up next was a degree in criminal justice from Arizona State University and then a career with the U.S. Justice Department. With big plans on the horizon and her high school diploma in hand for all of 11 days, the

On Mother’s Day, Mary and Jim Fisk’s thoughts turn to her daughter Stephanie Garza, who died along with her daughter and two young sons in a horrendous accident eight years ago. (David Minton/ Tribune Staff Photographer)

Dave & Buster’s ready to entertain Queen Creek

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Moving to Queen Creek is a sort of homecoming for Steve King, the incoming general manager of the new Dallas-based Dave & Buster’s entertainment venue that will open tomorrow, May 15, in town.

King started with the chain six years ago working in the Scottsdale and Tempe locations and is looking forward to being back after working for Dave & Buster’s in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I don’t have to worry about snow and jackets so I can probably get rid of a lot of my winter gear,” he joked.

He isn’t joking when he says “I’m excited to get back to the Phoenix market” –especially at the new 19,000-square-foot venue in Queen Creek Marketplace at 21000 S. Ellsworth Loop Road.

With arcade games, food, drinks and a 40-foot-high-definition TV, Dave & Busters is celebrating its new location by offering the first 100 people who attend

the grand opening at 5:30 p.m. Monday passes for unlimited free play this Friday.

The venue has been hiring 175 people for just about every type of job in the new

location, King said.

“Front and back-of-house positions are available, including servers, bartenders, hosts, line cooks, game techs, and more,”

King said.

Dave & Buster’s offers high-performing employees a chance to advance in the company quickly, King said. Over 30% of the company’s current management team was promoted from within.

The Queen Creek location is the fourth Dave & Buster’s in the Valley and King said opening it is in line with the growth the town is seeing.

Company executives agree.

“Queen Creek has experienced substantial growth over the past few years which makes it a perfect candidate for a new Dave & Buster’s,” said Kelly Valdez, local store marketing manager at Dave & Buster’s.

“New, young residents who have moved to Queen Creek want an entertainment and restaurant destination that is right in their backyard without having to travel to a nearby city,” Valdez said.

“Residents would previously have to travel over 20 miles to visit one of our

see BUSTERS page 5

Steve King is the general manager of the new Dave & Buster’s that opens May 15 in Queen Creek. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Queen Creek Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Queen Creek

CONTACT INFORMATION

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Gifted QC sixth-graders build a Ferris wheel

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Working with 6,000 parts and pieces, a basic instruction book, curiosity, talent and a little bit of basic instruction from an invested teacher, the Desert Mountain Elementary school’s gifted and talented KNEX team has just completed a project that might have left some heads spinning.

Under Dr. Seth Kessler, the sixth grade engineering students created a working, 6-foot tall Ferris wheel as part of their gifted and talented curriculum this year.

For Kessler, teaching and overseeing projects like this is all about keeping his students engaged,

Kessler is the district’s leader of the gifted and talented program who teaches those students at Desert Mountain Elementary.

“Those students who qualify at the 97th percentile score are able to come to a session once a week,” he added. “Gifted students typically require fewer repetitions for mastery.

“This is a way for them to get some different types of instruction rather than repeats. This is for our high ability, high achieving students.”

During that 2 ½ hour weekly session, the kids, who are identified starting in second grade and take part in the program through sixth grade, participate in an enrichment project aimed at developing their cognitive strengths.

The ferris wheel was this year’s project, and the kids were confronted with the requirements and limitations it presented.

They had to design the Ferris wheel and determine how it would operate based on scientific principles they were learning in class.

“So, we looked at some of the science behind it,” Kessler said. “We looked at weights and loads, centrifugal force and basically what’s going to happen to it as it spins.

“They studied different makes that people have done around the world,” he said. “So, we looked at the Eye of London. The kids did a small report and then they had to create their own.”

Kessler said the project also taught them life skills and challenged them to come up with an organizational leadership model.

And they had only 10 weeks to do it while meeting just once a week for a few hours at a time.

“One of the biggest limitations was time. So, they had to break off into working teams and strategize,” Kessler said. “It’s not going to be ‘who is bossing people around?’ There was a lot of collaborative work, which was the goal.”

Kessler said gifted students often must challenge themselves to work collaboratively because they tend to work alone or want to be the one in charge.

Neither tendency is conducive to good team work, which is what this project required, he said.

“And this was a good opportunity for that give and take,” he added.

Kessler said the project also focused on risk taking, problem solving and error analysis skills the kids worked on through the year.

“All of a sudden pieces and big sections weren’t … going together,” he said. “And of course, we talked about ‘that’s the real world. You’ve got great plans but sometimes things don’t pan out. You don’t just give up. What’s your next step? What’s your plan?”

Kessler is already looking forward to

next year’s team, for which 19 students have qualified and are enrolled, though he has not said yet what the students will be working on.

He added a bigger group provides even more learning opportunities for the kids to work with other students.

Kessler said that gives him yet another chance to present a life lesson on top of the engineering instruction: “At least be able to work with others. You don’t have to absolutely be best friends with them, but it is important to at least be able to be friendly and functional.”

Kessler said success depends largely on how well students can work with each other, and introducing that concept to the youngest kids also is key to the success of the district’s gifted program.

“Even the oldest students are only 12 years old,” he said. “But it’s good to start those foundations so as they move into the older grades and robotics and things like that, the collaborative structure is highly important for those students to understand.”

“It’s not how smart are you,” Kessler said. “It’s how are you smart?” 

With their Ferris wheel behind them, Dr. Seth Kessler stands with members of the KNEX engineering team at Desert Mountain Elementary School who built it. They include, from left, Lucy Olson, Brandon, LaRusso, Collin Schreiber, Talin Miller and Jennifer Lazaroaia. (Courtesy of Dr. Seth Kessler)

BUSTERS

from page 3

Greater Phoenix-area locations. Queen Creek is growing at an impressive rate and this larger community is in need of more entertainment options than what is currently available in Queen Creek.”

Valdez said the company made the decision as well on the performance potential and the track record of their existing Valley locations.

“We decided to build a location in Queen Creek after seeing the success of our other three Greater Phoenix area locations and how much Queen Creek is growing,” Valdez added.

Added King: “I only see it expanding further East and growing our opportunities there.”

Dave & Busters will be competing head-to-head with the other big entertainment venue in town, Fat Cats, which offers eight movie screens, 20 bowling lanes, arcade games, glow in the dark mini golf, a bar and restaurant.

Dave & Buster’s sprawling venue will offer an assortment of games as well as food, beverage and a chance to watch live sporting events. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Valdez said the Dave & Buster’s marketing team did extensive research on nearby businesses in town before deciding on opening a new location in Queen Creek.

She said the chain’s focus sets it apart from other entertainment venues like Fat Cat’s and the newly announced Pecan Lake Entertainment Center, a locally owned agritainment themed venue that will feature mostly outdoor attractions

area, sports fans need a game watching destination.”

In her State of the Town address earlier this year, Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley singled out the opening of Dave & Buster’s as a highlight for the town’s growing business community.

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Coppell, Texas, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc., has 200 venues in North America through two brands: Dave & Buster’s and Main Event. The latter has East Valley locations, though not currently in Queen Creek.

Dave & Buster’s has 152 venues in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada and offers guests the opportunity to “Eat, Drink, Play and Watch,” all in one location.

and high-end food choices.

“Dave & Buster’s differentiates itself from other entertainment venues in the area by catering to sports watchers,” Valdez said. “With major league football, baseball, and basketball and college sports all within the greater Phoenix

Each offers a full menu of entrées and appetizers, a complete selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and an extensive assortment of entertainment attractions centered around games and watching live sports and other televised events.

Main Event operates 52 centers in 17 states across the country and offers stateof-the-art bowling, laser tag, hundreds of arcade games, and virtual reality. 

Joseph Lever checks out the Quickshot arcade game while training at the new Dave and Buster’s. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

While the commission was supportive of the plan, some residents spoke out against it.

Commission chair David Gillette directed speakers to stay focused on the issues at hand, cautioning, “This isn’t an HOA debate. This is a rezoning item.”

Carrie Weber, a resident of the adjacent Pecan Lake neighborhood, claimed she had been harassed by the project developers because of her opposition, and suggested the center would have a negative impact on neighbors.

She said homeowners like her would “live with the impact of the PLEC daily, with all the traffic noise, crime and associated reduction in home values.

“For people who live within 1,200 feet, there is substantial opposition to the PLEC. It is also apparent there is no great outcry from the greater community of Queen Creek for this amusement park,” she said.

Troy Kastorff, who also lives in the Pecan Lake neighborhood and adjacent to the proposed entertainment venue, criticized the project as well.

“Imagine you build a million-dollar

house in a French pavilion style community, and what goes up next to you is Golfland Sunsplash or Castles & Coasters, etc. That’s what we are faced with,” Kastorff said.

Kastorff said while farmer’s markets and gift shops are currently allowed but not planned for the proposed venue, he wants to work with developers to be sure it stays that way.

He noted that Schnepf Farms and The Olive Mill now include restaurants and other high-traffic venues and that a hotel is on the horizon.

“That is a total change to what we were told,” he continued. “This is not an HOA comment. This is a citizen comment as a resident of that community.”

There were also several comments made about Horseshoe Park not adhering to the 10 p.m. noise ordinance, even from a few people who supported the project overall. Those speakers listed that as a concern about Pecan Lake.

Campbell said project developers took public input on the project and made several changes based on what they heard from people who live nearby.

He said the commission “appreciated our working with the nearby residents to

lessen the impact through several neighborhood meetings.”

“We have made several modifications to the plan to help with the noise and traffic concerns.”

Critics of Pecan Lake were outnumbered by supporters who spoke in favor of the rezone and the project itself.

Pecan Lake resident Adrianne Browning said she is excited by the options the venue will bring to the town, explaining that her kids enjoy outdoor entertainment activities.

“I love the healthy habits coming in from the botanical gardens,” she said, “but most of all the outdoor playfulness. We are excited for the Flowrider, the rope climbing. Just being active.”

Kevin Peterson said he came to Queen Creek 25 years ago visualizing what Queen Creek would grow up to be and has raised seven kids here.

He said he is excited about what the town has become and supports the proposed entertainment venue.

“I now have 18 grandchildren that are now really excited about living in the Pecan Lakes project and being able to walk to all these wonderful facilities,” he said.

Jeremy Wright, a 15-year Queen Creek resident who also lives in the area, said there is a constant battle with his five kids spending too much time on video games and that the venue can help alleviate that struggle.

“This would be a great option in the outdoor activities being physical and maintaining their health,” he said.

“This is our forever house,” Pecan Lake

resident Chance Howard said. “As a parent I know we are going to be spending hours and hours with our kids there. This is our forever community.”

Gillette said the commission takes the information it has and makes an unbiased decision based on what is in the best interest of the whole town.

“We’ve tons of development and you can’t stop it,” he said. “The only thing we can do is to encourage the developer to work with the town to come up with the best solution for whatever project that they are proposing.

“We don’t just take into account residents from one side or the other,” Gillette said.

“We don’t just take into account residents who are adjacent to these projects. We take into account residents that make up our full community because our full community, they are the ones that are going to be experiencing the amenities.

PECAN LAKE page 9

The commission also recommended Town Council rezone 16.5 acres at the northeast corner of Sossamon and Rittenhouse roads, outlined in red, for a 166-lot single family townhome development. (Town of Queen Creek)

East Valley kids home pitches huge hotel plan

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

For nearly 70 years, Sunshine Acres Children’s Home has provided longterm homes for children in need on its 110-acre campus in Mesa.

Supported primarily by private donors, the orphanage – which often calls itself “The Miracle in the Desert” – is eyeing a move that could be a landmark in its history and give it greater financial independence.

In a plan submitted to the Mesa Planning Department, Sunshine Acres proposes to turn a 36-acre strip along the southern edge of its property into a 250room resort hotel and waterpark with a 30,0000 square foot conference center, 21,000 square feet of retail space and four full-service restaurants.

To the east of the resort there would be another 125-room limited service hotel, and east of that, a 220-room dormitory and training facilities for students of the CAE flight school, which operates at the nearby Falcon Field.

The land now is mostly undeveloped desert. A small part of the site currently has a baseball field and parking lot on it.

The land would be developed for Sunshine Acres by Mesa-based Power Hotel Group, which currently operates Sheraton Mesa Hotel at Wrigleyville West, Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix Gilbert, Best Western Legacy Inn and Suites and Marriott Courtyard Mesa at Wrigleyville West, according to the LinkedIn profile of PHG Director Kevin Thorpe.

Documents submitted to the city say that Sunshine Acres would retain ownership of the land under a long-term ground lease with Power Hotel Group and receive rent revenue from the developer.

“This arrangement is critical to helping Sunshine Acres and their ongoing mission to provide housing, training and resourc-

es for homeless children,” project documents state.

“It will significantly lessen their dependence on fundraising and grants.”

The proposed hotels, convention center and CAE dorms would be a maximum of four stories tall.

The concept for the large waterpark attached to the larger 250-room hotel envisions many amenities, including a lagoon with beach entry, a lazy river and pool bar.

The children’s home campus was established in 1954 by Rev. Jim and Vera Dingman, who bought a former boarding school on 125-acres of land for $29,500 with the help of the Mesa Optimist Club.

Sunshine Acres’ website states that the home does not receive government funds for the direct care of the children.

Instead, the Christian organization relies primarily on donations from individuals and businesses, its thrift shop and fundraisers like the annual Shootout for Sunshine golf tournament held at the nearby Longbow Golf Club.

Sunshine Acres reports that it has helped raise over 2,000 children since its opening.

The kids live in large single-family homes, 10 to a house with “house parents,” and the organization provides numerous enrichment programs.

According to the most recently available 990 form filed with the IRS, Sunshine Acres reported $6 million in revenue in 2020, including $5 million from private contributions and $440,000 in government grants.

The proposed resort and convention center and other projects along Longbow Parkway are currently in the pre-submittal phase, with developers submitting project

plans and meeting with city staff ahead of a formal submission.

The land is currently zoned for single-family homes, so Power Hotel Group will seek a zone change to Limited Commercial with a Planned Area Development overlay.

The project narrative states the CAE dormitory will require a Council Use Permit for part of the site that is underneath a Falcon Field overflight zone.

CAE Phoenix is a major flight training school that provides cadet programs for American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Aeromexico. It operates over 80 aircraft in the Phoenix metro area.

According to the project narrative, the dorm and training space on Sunshine Acres would allow the school to consolidate its Phoenix-area facilities and living accommodations into a single location.

The plans also include a new thrift and boutique store on the property for processing and selling donated goods, as well as selling items created by Sunshine Acres residents. 

Sunshine Acres in Mesa would lease 36 acres of its 110-acre campus, which includes a farm, living quarters for dozens of children, a chapel and other facilities. (Facebook)

ANGELS from page 1

family headed out on a road trip to Corpus Christi, Texas to celebrate Taylor’s graduation.

But the future, which had seemed so bright and promising one minute, was cut incredibly short in an instant for Taylor, her mother and two siblings.

“They blew a tire and the car rolled over several times and four of them didn’t make it out,” said Mary Fisk, Taylor’s grandmother.

The tragedy along a non-descript, rural stretch of Texas interstate that June claimed Mary’s daughter Stephanie, granddaughter Taylor and two grandsons.

“We lost all four of them in less than five minutes,” Fisk said. “There were six of them in the car. Our son-in-law and the youngest child survived the accident. It was very traumatic for all of us, especially our son-in-law and youngest granddaughter.”

Jim and Mary Fisk’s daughter Stephanie was 39, Taylor was 18, and brothers P.J. and Jesse were 14 and 11.

“We’re almost eight years now,” Mary Fisk said. “Obviously it’s very difficult. Not a day passes that we don’t think of them and we know that will never go away. We try to live each day doing things we know they would enjoy and continue with their memories.”

Out of the ashes of that immense tragedy, the Fisks started a non-profit called Stephanie’s Angels in 2018 to keep the memory of their daughter and grandchildren alive through several causes.

“It is dedicated to improving the community and individual’s quality of life through various ways, including cooperation with established community programs, and empowering volunteers to become involved in charitable acts,” the

LEFT: Jim and Mary Fisk’s nonprofit, Stephanie’s Angels, annually award a scholarship named after their late daughter to a graduating Queen Creek High School senior. This year, the couple congratulated Ethan Fuhrman on winning the award, which he’ll be using as he attends Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. (Special to the Tribune) RIGHT: The Fisks’ daughter Stephanie Garza died in the accident along with her just-graduated daughter and two young sons. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Stephanie’s Angels website reads.

“We wanted to do something to turn our tragedy into doing something good in Stephanie’s memory and the children’s memory,” Mary Fisk explained. “We keep their memories alive by helping others.”

Stephanie’s Angels held its annual golf tournament this weekend to raise money for those causes.

More than 100 people registered last year for the event, which pays for everything the charity does, including sponsoring a scholarship.

“It’s called the Taylor Garza Memorial Scholarship,” Mary Fisk said.

The $5,000 scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from Queen Creek High School, which Taylor attended.

Stephanie’s Angels is also focused on two other key areas.

One involves donating child car seats to the Banner Gateway Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where two of the Fisks’ granddaughters were patients, including one who survived the 2015 accident.

“The youngest one was in a car seat, and

that’s one reason we do the car seat giveaway,” Mary Fisk said. “She was in a wonderful, expensive car seat my daughter insisted upon. It saved her life. Car seats are very important to us.”

Stephanie’s Angels will also hold a shoe drive in the fall for schools serving low-income areas in Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek.

“We provide new shoes. We have given out probably 200 pairs of shoes to those kids,” Mary Fisk said. “It’s something that we really enjoy doing.”

Fisk said the nonprofit is also involved in its year-round Hugging Pillow project for kids who are struggling with emotional issues

“Those are pillows that we send out at no charge to children and teenagers experiencing grief, trauma or illness,” Mary Fisk said. “It’s an age-appropriate pillow with a book and a stuffed animal. If it’s a teenager, there’s something a little more age-appropriate for them.”

Mary Fisk said Stephanie also loved to sew and so she keeps her daughter’s mem-

ory alive by taking on projects of her own.

“I do have some sewing projects that I sell in a farmer’s market,” Mary Fisk said. “I try to do that in her memory because she loved to sew. She had a home-based business which was sewing.”

Mary Fisk said all of Stephanie’s Angels’ activities revolve around helping other people, especially kids, to keep the memories of her family alive.

She believes Stephanie would want it.

“Our daughter was very much about kindness,” Mary Fisk said. “She always said ‘I don’t care if my children don’t get the best grades in school, I want them to be kind individuals. I want them to help others.’

“So, we kind of went from there and we are keeping that alive. The kids were all very kind. They always went out of their way to help others. So, we want to keep that alive for them.”

All of the money Stephanie’s Angels raises is devoted entirely to the charity, Fisk said.

Information: stephaniesangels.org 

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

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

“These cases are tough because you have people that are opposed and you have people that are for. I don’t even like to say there are winners and there are losers,” he continued.

The Pecan Lakes Entertainment Center proposal now goes next to town council for final approval June 7.

The commission also recommended rezoning 16.5 acres at the northeast corner of Sossamon and Rittenhouse roads from General Commercial to Medium Density Residential for a 166-lot single family townhome development.

Developer Greg Davis of iPlan Consulting, said Circle K gave up on developing the property and approached him.

He said Circle K told him “We have some constraints on being able to develop this as a commercial property.”

He noted that Sossamon Road is a dead end to the north, which is something he said most commercial developers shy

away from. He said Circle K told him the parcel would be better developed as a residential area.

The commission also approved rezoning 2.91 acres at the northeast corner of Ellsworth Road and Hunt Highway for a Cobblestone Carwash and Gravity Coffee location despite some slight opposition.

The project is being developed by Jesse Macias at M3 Design. 

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

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

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

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

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage

(above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

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

Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-ofthe-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

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

It’s completely painless!

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

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

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

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

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until May 31st, 2023. Call (480) 2743157 to make an appointment.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (480) 274-3157...NOW!!

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

PECAN LAKE from page 6

Pecan Lake Entertainment Center won approval of its rezoning request. This rendering shows a concept for the facility. (Courtesy Tim Campbell, Pecan Lake Entertainment)

State budget passes over voucher opposition

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers approved a $17.8 billion spending plan last week after Republican lawmakers beat back efforts by Democrats to curb ever-expanding universal vouchers.

Curbing vouchers that wasn’t part of the deal GOP leaders negotiated with Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson, sought to impose an immediate pause to enrolling more students in the program until lawmakers could get a better handle on costs.

She pointed out that the price tag just this school year to allow students to get tax dollars to attend private or parochial schools at taxpayer expenses, regardless of financial need, already has more than doubled the original $200 million estimate.

And that doesn’t include another $176 million that finances the original program started in 2011 to serve students with special needs.

Even Hobbs in her own budget released in January predicted that universal vouch-

ers, unless repealed, would consume $1 billion in state funds a year within a decade.

That pause, however, went down to defeat on a party-line vote as Rep. David Livingston, R-Peoria, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said that would run afoul of Hobbs having agreed to the continued expansion.

But despite the party-line support for limits, several Democrats agreed to support the budget anyway.

Backers said that ensured the package contained other priorities they wanted, like adding $300 million to K-12 schools.

That didn’t impress Rep. Athena Salman.

The Tempe Democrat pointed out that is just a one-time infusion. She said that the exploding costs of universal vouchers, formally known as “empowerment scholarship accounts,’’ will make it more difficult in future years for public schools to get additional cash.

Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Scottsdale, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said, “We had a deal with the governor.”

“Some of them may have buyer’s remorse,’’ Kavanagh said, referring to Dem-

GRAND OPENING

ocrats who opposed the spending plan. “But this is a good bipartisan budget.’’

One point of contention is that Hobbs asked for -- and Democratic lawmakers supported -- a new and permanent child tax credit that would give low-income parents $100 per year for each child.

There is a tax cut in the spending plan to which the governor agreed. Only thing is, it is an income tax credit of $250 a year per child for up to three children.

And it’s for one-year only.

get it approved.

Those votes, coupled with divided support from Senate Democrats earlier in the day, were sufficient to send a budget to Hobbs, who praised lawmakers for ratifying the deal she cut with the GOP leaders and promised to sign it.

“Not everybody got what they wanted,’’ the governor said.

She said the deal made “historic investments’’ in affordable housing, road and bridge construction, and expanded health care for the children of the working poor.

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More significant from the Democratic perspective is that, as a credit, it is available only to those who actually owe and paid at least $1 in state income taxes in 2019, 2020 or 2021. And that means no tax relief for the neediest Arizonans.

One of those Democrats who was convinced there was enough worthwhile in the package to support it was Rep. Analise Ortiz.

She told colleagues she did a lot of talking during the campaign with residents of her district that includes the Maryvale section of Phoenix and part of Glendale.

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In an effort to sweeten the deal, House Speaker Ben Toma of Peoria agreed with Minority Leader Andres Cano of Tucson – who voted for the final package – to create a special study committee “to provide clarity and ensure that the governance and administration of empowerment scholarship accounts is appropriately designed to manage a growing and com-

There is nothing that ensures any changes actually will be made to the program or limits imposed after the report is issued at

Still, there was enough in the package to add the votes of 16 of the 28 Democrats to all 31 Republicans for the main spending plan. A separate bill to fund K-12 education –and the vouchers – fared less well with just 12 Democratic votes, but still enough to

“The people who sent me here were asking most often for relief from the housing affordability crisis that impacts Arizonans in every part of the state, of all ages and demographics,’’ she said.

“There is no portion of the state that is not touched by the rising cost of rent and mortgages,’’ Ortiz said. “There is a humanitarian crisis as seniors on fixed incomes are living in their cars and as people continue to die on our streets.’’

What got her “yes’’ vote, she said, was a $150 million deposit into the Housing Trust Fund to help finance affordable housing and even eviction-prevention programs, more, she said, than has been

Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, pictured here in a photo from earlier this year, pushed for a one-year child tax credit and made sure Gov. Katie Hobbs can’t take credit for it when checks go out. (Capitol Media Services)

added over the past 10 years combined.

And there is another $60 million into a new emergency fund which can immediately go to finance homeless shelters.

Rep. Cesar Aguilar, D-Phoenix, also agreed to go along. “Democrats seem to be in the same boat as if we had a Republican governor,’’ Aguilar said.

And that, he said, includes Hobbs’ agreement to not just leave last year’s universal voucher plan in place but to allow it to grow without caps.

“What is the point of holding the governorship,’’ Aguilar asked. “Why did we all work to get Gov. Hobbs in office and we are still short?’’ he said, saying what was adopted was “not a Democratic budget but a Republican budget.’’

Rep. Mariana Sandoval, D-Goodyear, however, was unwilling to accept the arguments by some of her Democratic colleagues that there was enough good in the package to allow them to swallow the bad.

“We as a caucus were given crumbs,’’ she said.

Yet at the same time, Sandoval said, the spending plan is packed dollars for other priorities, like $15.3 million for capital projects for the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo.

That is part of what Salman called $633 million in “pet projects’’ handed out by GOP leaders to lawmakers who agreed to support the package.

Salman said these are things like road and bridge construction and improvement which are not priorities in the Arizona Department of Transportation FiveYear Plan but “some of which jumped the line because they had an ‘in’ with a certain member.’’

Still, the central point of contention was the decision to leave intact the universal voucher plan and the complaints by Democrats that the ever-increasing price tag will leave the state with less money for other priorities including public education.

But Rep. Justin Heap, R-Mesa, said that has to be examined in the context of what he said has been nearly a doubling of state dollars in public education since 2013.

“And what have we gotten for our investment?’’ he asked.

Heap also decried the “constant stream of attacks’’ on the voucher program. He said it has to be seen not as an attack on the program but “an attack on the students, on the kids and the families that

rely on the ESA program to put their kids into schools.’’

“Why?’’ Heap said. “Because they had the audacity to take their children out of a government school and put them into a better program.’’

In the Senate, Minority Leader Mitzi Epstein of Tempe said she, too, believed that she and others were forced to vote for the Hobbs-negotiated package, saying that was the price Democrats had to pay to get their priorities included.

“I did not want and do not want to vote ‘yes’ on these budget bills,’’ she said. “But in order to keep the funding for K-12 and to keep the funding for housing and to establish a homelessness fund, I had to vote ‘yes.’

Epstein’s contention that whether a better deal might be negotiated is speculative at best.

Senate President Pro-Tem T.J. Shope said it always was clear that Republicans would not get the budget that might other wise be enacted with a Republican as the state’s chief executive. And the Coolidge Republican said they were prepared to negotiate.

But he said GOP leaders also made it clear to the governor from the start that some issues were non-negotiable. And that specifically included continuation of the universal vouchers that were enacted just last year.

Sen. Priya Sundareshan of Tucson de cried a tax break that the conservative Ar izona Freedom Caucus got inserted into the package that Hobbs approved.

Only those who have paid some taxes in the past three years will be entitled to get a one-time $250 credit for each child, up to $750.

“That means that the most vulnerable, the most needy families will not actual ly receive the benefits of this tax rebate,’’ Sundareshan said.

But Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, one of the architects of the plan, defended it.

“Arizona families are being crushed right now,’’ he said, with rising costs of food and fuel. “Our job is to do all we can to support Arizona families and Arizona citizens to the best of our ability.’’

Republicans inserted language to en sure that the governor gets no credit when the funds go out.

They added language which states that any communications about the rebate cannot be sent from the governor’s office, be put on the governor’s letterhead, or contain any reference at all to the governor’s office. 

Colleges try to fill gap in veterinarian positions

BY SARAH MIN HELLER Cronkite News

Veterinarians and students dashed around and huddled over exam tables, as caged dogs and cats awaited or recovered from treatment at Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine

“I like making an impact on animals, as well as the people who care for them,” said Jazmine Kim, who plans to graduate in 2024. “The opportunities that I’ve had here are ones that I will carry with me forever.”

Kim, 32, was a vet tech before starting at Midwestern. She planned to work with wildlife, but found she enjoys dogs and cats. And because Arizona has made veterinary school affordable through a new loan repayment program, she is planning to practice veterinary medicine in Arizona for at least four years.

Kim is helping to bolster the shortfall of veterinarians in Arizona and the United States.

There has been a recent decline in veterinarians and vet technicians nationally, said Stephanie Nichols-Young, president of the Animal Defense League of Arizona.

Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 19% from 2021 to 2031, compared to 5% for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s in large part because new veterinarians are needed to replace ones who are retiring or leaving the occupation.

The American Animal Hospital Association estimates about 2,000 veterinarians retire each year in the U.S., while others leave the often-demanding field, and only about 2,600 veterinarians graduate annually.

To help fill the gap, Arizona’s Legislature passed SB 1271 in 2022, creating the Arizona Veterinary Loan Assistance Program. It includes up to $100,000 of student loan reimbursement for veterinarians who obtain a degree after Jan. 1, 2023, and work in Arizona for at least four years.

Two years must be at a municipal, county, or nonprofit shelter, or in an agricultural practice designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as having a shortage of vets.

The Arizona Humane Society, which pushed for the legislation, said, “Animal lives have been at risk because Arizona doesn’t have enough veterinarians to

Midwestern University’s mobile veterinary clinic sits outside the university’s Animal Health Institute. The pop-up has the ability to move locations. (Izabella Hernandez/Cronkite News)

provide lifesaving services at public shelters and private clinics — in both urban and rural areas.

“This has negatively affected pet owners, ranchers, private veterinary practices, and animal shelters and rescues across the state.”

Compounding the problem for decades was the fact that Arizona had no official veterinary schools. There are only about 32 accredited ones nationwide, according to the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.

In 2012, Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine started a four-year program and expects 125 vets to graduate this May.

In 2020, the University of Arizona created a College of Veterinary Medicine and started a three-year program, enrolling 110 veterinary students out of about 518 applicants.

The two schools will graduate a combined total of about 230 veterinarians this year, and they continue to get more applications than they can accommodate.

Midwestern alone said it gets more than 1,400 applicants annually.

At Midwestern — a private college with a main campus in Downers Grove, Illinois — students learn early on how to neuter an animal, which covers many surgery basics, according to Dr. Rachael Kreisler, associate professor of shelter medicine and epidemiology at the school.

“Our students are our primary surgeons for our cases,” said Kreisler. “We’re out here, trying to help the community.”

Midwestern works with nonprofits such as St. Vincent de Paul, the Humane Society and some tribal entities, including the Na-

vajo Nation, Kreisler said.

They schedule patients’ pets for students to learn and practice their skills in the college’s seven-year-old mobile surgery clinic and a pop-up clinic for non-surgery cases introduced in 2019.

It also has the Companion Animal Clinic building where people can have their pets treated.

UArizona has a three-year, year-round course, said Dr. Nellie Goetz, associate professor of practice at its College of Veterinary Medicine. A doctor of veterinary medicine degree typically takes four years with summer breaks.

“The design of the vet school being three years was intended to address the vet shortage,” Goetz said. “They’re done a little earlier, so they’re not spending as much time in school, and also … they’re not spending as much money on school.”

There is no teaching hospital for students on campus.

“We’re sending the students out to general-practice clinics where they see things that they’re going to see every single day once they graduate from vet school,” said Goetz, adding that rather than a curriculum full of lecture classes, UArizona students engage in active learning and check their knowledge with a team of classmates.

“They stick in those teams throughout the entirety of their school education until they get to their clinical year,” Goetz said. “

The school also has been trying to teach students about the overall challenges of veterinary medicine and running a practice.

A 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found veterinarians in the U.S. at increased risk for

suicide — a trend that has spanned over three decades.

Factors cited in the study included long hours, work overload, difficult practice management responsibilities, poor worklife balance and access to euthanasia used for animals.

UArizona isn’t ignoring issues of worklife imbalance, Goetz said.

Both Midwestern and UArizona encourage veterinary students to nurture their mental health.

UArizona students get mental health breaks, a gym, counselors, learning specialists and mental health specialists. Midwestern has free counseling and a mental health hotline, and the school works with a chapter of Not One More Vet, a mental wellness organization for veterinarians.

“The school is very forward-thinking about those kinds of things,” said Goetz, “and really making sure they’re paying attention to what the students are feeling and thinking and what they’re going through.”

One side effect in Arizona of having fewer vets is an inability to offer adequate basic community services like trap-neuter-return to help lower the feral and stray cat population.

When cats with microchips get trapped, their owners are contacted and asked for permission to neuter them, said Kelsey Dickerson of the Arizona Humane Society. Because Arizona’s loan repayment program is new, it isn’t yet clear how effective the program will be.

Other states have repayment programs that encourage rural veterinary practice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a national Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.

Dr. Steven Hansen, president and CEO of the Arizona Humane Society, said veterinarians are able to apply for Arizona’s loan repayment program after they get a state veterinary license.

They must practice for four years in the state, after which they will receive the loan repayment funds, Hansen said.

Veterinary student debt averaged $157,146 in 2020, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Veterinarians’ median pay was $100,370 per year in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

CUSD pleased with audit of 2021-22 finances

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

Lana Berry, the chief financial officer for Chandler Unified School District, said the audit of last school year’s finances was the most encouraging she has seen in her time with the district.

The independent audit found only seven areas of concern out of the 400 areas that were examined.

And the district was aware of one of those areas but doesn’t care about it.

“This is our best kind of audit, in a sense of the number of findings, we only had seven,” Berry said at the April 26 governing board meeting. “But there’s a lot of work that goes into that.”

The audit was performed by Heinfeld Meech and company representative Jennifer Shields was at the meeting to discuss the findings.

Here are the seven areas of concern:

• Student attendance tracking: This is the one the district willingly doesn’t follow. The state wants to give credit only for students who attend an entire class period while the district credits them as “present” if they stay at least half the class period.

• “Parents want to know if their students have been in attendance, usually for that period, and not get a phone call every time that they’ve missed a couple of minutes of that class,” Berry said. “And so we figure if they’ve been there for at least half of the class, they came back from a doctor’s appointment, or a dentist appointment, or had to step out for an appointment of some form, they get credit and that’s how we code it.”

• Board management procedures: The audit found a case where the cash receipts of a fundraiser were not approved by the governing board. That has been fixed for this fiscal year.

• Accounting records: There was a wrong code on a battery for a cleaning tool. The district said it has reconfigured its workflow process so that won’t happen again.

• The district was charged $140 in late

fees for credit cards. The district has switched from credit cards to procurement cards, which have a very low limit, usually $250.

• Berry said the district made the payment on time, but the bank had switched addresses. The check was returned and had to be sent to the new address. She said the bank agreed to waive late fees on two of the three bills.

• The audit found that students enrolled in Arizona Online Instruction Programs in grades 7 and 8 were only required to be in session for 1,000 hours. They are required to be in session for 1,068 hours. The district says it will revise its policies to the state standard.

• Student attendance reporting, part 2: The audit found that of the seven Arizona Online Instruction students reviewed, the district did not retain an intended full-time equivalency enrollment statement. Again, this is referencing the students who were 68 hours short. The district says this has been fixed.

• Student attendance reporting, part 3: In one case a student’s enrollment date did not match. Berry said in this case, a parent enrolled her child, but the child did not begin attending classes until five days later. This was a bookkeeping error.

Berry conceded the most serious concern was that online students received 68 fewer hours than the state mandates.

“The requirement for full funding is 890 hours, but the statute … says 1,068,” Berry said. “So again, it did not impact our funding source, but ultimately it didn’t meet the statutory requirement. “We’re still working through that piece.”

“There were a few minor instances of non-compliance,” Shields told the board. “Most of them are in the area of student attendance. And then there’s just a smattering of other things.

“Maybe one of the transactions was miscoded or something like that. But nothing of significance that would have risen to a level of a material weakness or a significant deficiency.” 

Former QC teacher pens book for teachers

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

After years in the classroom, Jamie Sears now focuses on helping elementary school teachers survive the pressures and challenges of education today.

“Our community is struggling more than ever,” Sears said of teachers. “They love their students and they have a huge heart for the work they do. But, the world of education is changing.”

To help them, the Queen Creek mother of five created the Not So Wimpy Writing Masterclass and Not So Wimpy Math Masterclass, which give teachers in grades 2-5 new strategies for teaching those two fundamental subjects to their students.

She has developed a broad curriculum as well for helping teachers get across to students the basics of grammar, spelling, vocabulary and other related subjects.

She also recently wrote “ How to Love Teaching Again: Work Smarter, Beat Burnout, and Watch Your Students Thrive,” which continues her mission of helping teachers survive and thrive.

Sears estimates that she has helped thousands of elementary school teachers through her Facebook groups and YouTube channel with more than 150 videos.

Her new book shares true stories from the teachers in her Facebook communities on the front lines.

In it, educators share strategies to help teachers define success, increase productivity, work fewer hours, set boundaries, and become more effective and less burdened classroom leaders.

“I miss my students, but I feel beyond blessed to help teachers every day,” Sears said. “I feel like I have the best job in the whole world!”

Ironically, Sears didn’t start out as

a teacher.

She graduated from Northern Arizona University, where she studied political science with an emphasis in the American legal system.

She then worked for the Arizona State Senate and Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the state Supreme Court.

But, then she decided to get certified as an elementary school teacher, specifically aiming for third grade.

“Teaching third grade seemed to truly be my calling,” she said. “The kids are somewhat independent, but still think that school is cool. They also laugh at all of my ridiculous jokes.”

Sears said the profession has struggled in recent years as teachers work over 60 hours a week, taking on more responsibilities, and funding their own classrooms.

She believes even third graders are old enough to be held accountable and to take responsibility for their learning and that if

teachers develop methods of helping their students develop that approach to study, their own lives will be less stressful and more rewarding.

“I do not believe that kids were made to sit in seats,” Sears said. “They need to get up and move around.”

She champions individualized learning and small group instruction to meet each student’s particular needs.

The profession these days has been burdened by too many standardized tests that don’t measure student growth, low pay and the unrealistic expectation, she contends.

“Sadly, these are things that teachers cannot control,” Sears said. “These are the things that non-educators need to start thinking about.”

“In Arizona, you can make more money bartending or working in management at a fast-food restaurant than a veteran teacher earns,” she said.

Some experts have cited the lack of “a living wage” as a major factor driving thousands to leave the profession faster than new teachers can be trained.

She said teachers also pay a “hefty price” for the emotional cost to be in the classroom that includes worry about their safety and the safety of their students, stress about things like test scores and behavior, and guilt about being a good teacher and a good parent.

“They love their students and they have a huge heart for the work they do,” Sears said. “But the world of education is changing.”

According to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, some colleges have actually closed their education schools due to low enrollment.

The last decade saw a significant decline in the number of degrees and certificates conferred in high-need specialties, such as a 4% decrease in special education, 27% decrease in science and mathematics education, and 44% decrease in foreign language education, with 2018–19 seeing fewer than 90,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred in education.

Sears said she hopes her book helps teachers redefine their notion of success.

“A good teacher doesn’t have to work 60 hours per week, a good teacher doesn’t have to have students who score high on every test, a good teacher doesn’t have to say yes to every request,” Sears said.

“I know I can’t fix everything for them, but I felt that I needed to do something to help them to rethink their role, set boundaries, and decrease some of the chaos in their classroom.”

Information: notsowimpyteacher.com. For more info, visit www.notsowimpyteacher.com.

Book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target. 

Queen Creek mother of five Jamie Sears has developed a broad curriculum to help elementary school teachers deal with the pressures of education today. (Courtesy of Jamie Sears)

Council salutes 17 students

The Queen Creek Town Council honored 17 school students for being helpful and considerate of others while also demonstrating good citizenship, service, and integrity. Some of them are included here with council members. Those who were honored and the school they attend were: Levi Abril, Auxier; Jazmyne Aidoo, Sossaman Middle; Bode Chambers, Queen Creek Virtual High School; Hayden Cockrell, Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary; Samantha Evangelista, Benjamin Franklin Charter - Crismon Campus; Anel Garcia, Queen Creek Junior High; Alex Gentilozzi, Queen Creek High; Holden Granillo, Casteel High; Quinn Johnson, Schnepf Elementary; Blaine Martin, Queen Creek Virtual Elementary; Easton Mattis, Frances Brandon Pickett Elementary; Scarlett Parker, Queen Creek Elementary; Makayla Portillo, Jack Barnes Elementary; Kendall Prete, Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary; Amira Roberts, Desert Mountain; Maverick Taylor, Benjamin Franklin Charter-Power Campus; and Mackenzie Woodward,

Newell Barney Junior High. (Town of Queen Creek)

Each student received a gift card to a local ice cream shop, thanks to the generous donations from Bahama Bucks, Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt.

For more information about the Star Students program, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/StarStudents. 

TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT

New home, apartment communities open in QC

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Tri Pointe Homes has opened Sentinel at Oro Ridge, a 52-singlefamily home neighborhood in the Oro Ridge planned community in Queen Creek.

Also opened is the Acero Queen Creek apartment complex at 588 S. Ellsworth Loop Road and it already has a waiting list for the least expensive units.

The Sentinel and Oro Ridge, located at N. Thompson Road and N. Mountain Vista Boulevard, has three different elevations and homes will range from 2,665 to 3,124 square feet with four to five bedrooms, two to three baths and three-car garages.

Floor plans range in starting price from $580,000 to $615,500 and all models are

one story. The base price for all the plans is below Queen Creek’s median home price of $660,000.

“We built these homes to align with

modern homebuyers in the East Valley who desire more design options, personalized floor plans, cutting-edge technology, and premium features, all in an unbeatable location with breathtaking views,” said James Attwood, Tri Pointe Homes Arizona Division president.

Attwood said Tri Pointe’s decision to continue developing in Queen Creek was based on the company’s recent success there and its exploding growth.

He also said the builder is trying to predict future housing needs in one of the state’s most rapidly growing municipalities.

“Market research is extremely important to better meet the needs of our homebuyers,” Attwood said. “Growth has been spurred by land availability and the city’s improved infrastructure.

“Combined with its recreational opportunities and plentiful amenities, Queen Creek delivers a high quality of life.”

The Oro Ridge planned community includes a trail system, playgrounds, and pocket parks.

The homes are close to popular shopping and dining destinations in downtown Queen Creek and offer easy access to the Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport as well as the freeway system

Rents at the Acero apartments range from $1,575 per month for a one-bedroom unit to $2,840 per month for one with three bedrooms.

The complex’s website shows there are only a few of the multibedroom apart-

ments still available and a waiting list for studios, for which no price is listed.

Reflecting a national problem, Queen Creek faces an affordable housing shortage, driven by inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and other economic factors.

The median home price continues to increase and apartment rents are on the rise, too, with the average two-bedroom in town going for more than $2,000 a month.

Queen Creek Town Council has directed staff to study ways to address to the housing shortages and report back with a plan based on the council’s suggestion of focusing high density housing complexes in three areas.

Those areas include along the freeway corridor, near job centers and Town Center.

According to town figures, Queen Creek issued 900 multi-family housing permits in the last fiscal year and the numbers are also setting a brisk pace in the single-family home sector as builders are working to keep up.

“For the month of March, we saw 138 new single-family building permits,” Queen Creek Development Services Director Brett Burningham said during the most recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

“That number was remarkably high and it looks like this month continues that trend,” he added.

The percentage of land zoned for multifamily development is substantially lower in Queen Creek than in neighboring municipalities, although the town has been focusing on that issue.

The Planning and Zoning Commission appears set to rezone 16.5 acres at the northeast corner of Sossamon and Rittenhouse roads from General Commercial to Medium Density Residential for a 166-lot single family townhome development at its next meeting.

It delayed that action at its last meeting due to the absence of several commissioners.

The town is recruiting employers to town to increase its tax base and create employment, which also has put more of a focus on housing options. 

The Lowell plan in the Sentinel at Oro Ridge neighborhood developed by Tri Pointe starts at $580,000. (Tri Pointe Homes)

Navy uses drag queen as a recruitment influencer

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

Don’t blame Dale Carnegie. After all, he never emphasized the “flu” in influence.

Instead, he imbued Americans with selfconfidence and helped them overcome the (still) widespread fear of public speaking. That’s why the eponymously named “Dale Carnegie Course” remains popular today, almost seven decades following his death.

Also still popular is his best-selling book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” which he wrote in 1936.

But so-called “progress” now seems at odds with the enduringly popular principles of Dale Carnegie.

The advent of ironically misnamed “social media” has eliminated many in-person encounters.

The Internet Age now shortens the narrative, sharpens the imperative and reduces the mission statement to two words: influence people.

As a result, internet advertising has spawned “clickbait,” inspired super-short

videos of five, ten, or fifteen seconds duration and created the “influencer.”

Our friends at Grand Canyon University educate us on the basics, found in an article posted to that institution’s Performing Arts and Digital Arts Blog almost one year ago.

GCU scholars say a “social media influencer is someone who has a reputation of authority or expertise in a particular area and uses that authority to engage with large numbers of social media followers.”

The Antelope Academicians sum it up simply: “Essentially, a social influencer is a 21st Century advertising guru.”

Accordingly, Grand Canyon now offers a bachelor of arts in social media to better prepare students interested in pursuing this new profession.

Today’s social media students, and others that may follow, could very well spend time studying a pair of recent real-life advertising incidents. And the lessons provided from these marketing missteps will reinforce what not to do.

This space recently chronicled the self-inflicted actions that knocked Bud Light from its perch as America’s top-selling beer brand. That column categorized the advertising ailment as “woke fever,” but

a more descriptive diagnosis now emerges: “influencer influenza.”

Simply stated, the ill-fated decision to feature self-described transsexual Dylan Mulvaney as a new “brand ambassador” made faithful Bud Light drinkers sick… and the brand may never recover.

While Mulvaney has made a mint—and attracted internet followers—with misogynistic “performance art,” portraying a ditzy adolescent who recently celebrated a year of “girlhood,” that online fame didn’t translate into long lines of new beer drinkers clamoring for cases of Bud Light.

It seems that today’s “cultural contagion” has spread to all sectors of our society, including an institution critical to protecting our national survival: the United States Navy.

The Navy has proven that it is “out to sea”—or more fittingly, “out to lunch”— by feasting on the latest leftist psychobabble.

The Navy’s goal is to attract “the most talented and diverse workforce.” That’s why the Pentagon marketing geniuses actually preceded Bud Light into rough waters by charting a course for “Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE).” From last October through this March, five new “Digital Am-

bassadors” set sail on the internet, led by Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley.

Previous press accounts inform us that Yeoman Kelley identifies as “nonbinary,” and performs as a drag queen who goes by the stage name, “Harpy Daniels.”

Ironically, news of the Navy’s “DIE initiative” coincided with the 12th anniversary of Osama Bin Laden’s “elimination,” courtesy of Navy SEAL Team Six. Rob O’Neill, a SEAL who shot Bin Laden twice, did a double-take when he read about the recent recruiting “innovation.”

Some of O’Neill’s tweeted comments are not suitable for this family publication, but three sentences accurately reflect his alarm and concern:

“The US Navy is now using an enlisted sailor drag queen as a recruiter. I’m done. China is going to destroy us.”

Increasing international tensions and our own institutional delusions sadly lend credence to O’Neill’s assessment. Should it come to fruition, our freedoms will die, as will many of us.

And Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” will be replaced by another book: “Quotations from Chairman Mao.” 

Some Mother’s Day advice on electric vehicles

BY NORMA FARIS HUBELE AFN Guest Writer

Hey Mom, can I take the Ferrari out for a spin?”

Few parents are going to fall for this one. We know our kids don’t have the experience or maturity to control the high horsepower of a sports car.

Teens ages 16-19 have a fatal crash rate almost three times as high as older, more experienced drivers. In a Ferrari, our kids would be more likely passengers than drivers. The car would drive them!

But we might trip up on this one: “Hey Mom, how about buying an electric vehicle that will protect me and the environment?”

On the surface, an EV sounds safe. Early hybrids and EVs earned a reputation for being reliable and simplistic. Add in the safety inherent in a larger vehicle, like a pickup or SUV, and you have what sounds to be a perfect first car for your teen. Add to this background the fact that your kids have likely seen the flashy ads for a new breed of EVs.

Take the GMC Hummer EV pickup for example. The “supertruck” can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, just a fraction

slower than the 2022 Ferrari F8 Spider. And, the truck’s cleverly branded Watts to Freedom mode (yes, the abbreviation really is WTF), isn’t lost on your kids.

However, this isn’t the first generation EV.

The Hummer weighs over 9,000 pounds — nearly 6,000 more than the Ferrari. In fact, the Hummer’s electric battery weighs more than a whole Honda Civic LX. How is it possible to rocket launch such a behemoth? In a word, torque.

Torque is the measure of force that causes an object to rotate. Electric motors deliver full torque to a vehicle’s wheels directly and instantly. Internal combustion engines take longer to reach maximum

torque, and that force has to travel through other moving parts, like the transmission. It used to be that EVs could only maintain that acceleration for the first several thousand revolutions per minute. In other words, gas-powered engines had higher top speeds. But that’s changing as newer EVs pick up the pace.

The Tesla Model S Plaid can now top 200 mph.

Car buffs and safety experts are using the same words to describe the drag racing capability of these new EVs: “absurd,” “insane,” and “extreme.” see HUBELE page 19

They see little practical use for this sudden acceleration, and so does GMC if you read the tiny disclaimer on their ads: “Professional driver on closed course.”

The downside of putting a beast like this on the road is obvious. There’ll be drivers who take unnecessary risks, a phenomenon known as the Gladiator Effect. And there will be pedestrians and other drivers who have no time to escape injury.

Then there’s the matter of stopping power. Simple physics dictates that an average car traveling 60 miles an hour travels 88 feet per second. But it takes nearly a football field length — 270 feet — for the same car to stop.

That includes the time it takes for a driver to recognize the situation and to apply the brakes. Heavier vehicles like many

new EVs are even slower to stop due to momentum.

That means drivers of EVs must have good judgment and act responsibly at all times. Not traits that are normally associated with teenagers.

You, as the parent, know your child best. If they have a need for speed or are prone to distraction, I recommend that you think twice before buying them a new EV.

Don’t be seduced by the recently created federal tax credits. An internal combustion engine vehicle or hybrid that’s large enough to protect them and has the latest safety features would be a better choice.

If you are still leaning toward the EV and think they can handle it, then be sure to teach them that these supertrucks and SUVs are very different from the traditional cars they likely used in driver’s education.

Share Your Thoughts:

Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@ timeslocalmedia.com

Protect Your Legacy

These new vehicles are quick off the line, but slow to stop. They have big blind spots, so it’s vital to check all mirrors before changing lanes.

And features like the vehicle’s height creates a little-known blind spot in the front of the vehicle. Caution your teens about the power they have to inflict harm on smaller vehicles and vulnerable road users (children in driveways, pedestrians, cyclists).

Indeed, it’ll be even more important than ever for your kids to practice the basics. Stay alert, control their speed, maintain a safe distance from other cars, and have an escape route to protect themselves and others from harm.

Drive like they are controlling a lethal weapon.

In short, remind them of the adage they’ve probably heard repeated many times in the movies: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Ahwatukee resident and Chandler business owner Norma Faris Hubele is professor emerita of Arizona State University and creator of TheAutoProfessor.com, a website that helps families make safer car choices using the search tool called Auto Grades. Her book, “Backseat Driver, The Role of Data in Great Car Safety Debates” is available at Amazon.

How to get a letter published

E-mail: pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com

Queen Creek Tribune welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. Queen Creek Tribune will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. Queen Creek Tribune will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not Queen Creek Tribune, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

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Former Easy Valley quarterback now at ASU

BY NICK HOGAN Cronkite News

It is impossible to study the recent history of high school football in Arizona without coming across Jacob Conover’s fingerprints.

The 6-foot, 213-pound quarterback won three consecutive state championships while playing at Chandler High School.

And in the 2017 Arizona Division 1 State Championship, as a junior, he outdueled former Perry High School star and current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in shootout style. The two sides combined for 91 total points in a thriller that added another jewel to Chandler’s trophy case.

Conover threw for 462 yards and four touchdowns in that showdown. However, that didn’t mark the end of his impact in the Valley.

And after transferring from Brigham Young to Arizona State, he is reunited with former coach Shaun Aguano and hoping to rekindle that success.

Aguano was a member of former ASU coach Herm Edwards’ staff and served as interim head coach when Edwards was dismissed. when Kenny Dillingham was hired, he announced that Aguano would remain on his staff.

Aguano helped build Chandler into an Arizona high school football power and Conover thrived there. Aguano’s presence in Tempe helped draw Conover back.

“It definitely played a role,” Conover said. “Having someone that has seen me play and is confident in my abilities is a huge factor.”

Aguano’s coaching record of 88-19 with four state championships makes for a strong resume. And Conover’s high school feats and Aguano’s success there are intertwined.

“I think opportunities present themselves in the right moments, you know having coach Aguano here and just the right people around me,” Conover said. “I felt really comfortable and confident that this

was the place to be.”

school football have led to some friendly smack-talk between teammates. The

guet a chance to reflect on the pair’s

“I talked to him a couple of years ago after we played up at BYU, so we’ve talked here and there and just super excited to be in the same room together,”

ter-day Saints in Asuncion, Paraguay.

Conover announced his commitment to Arizona State via his Twitter account in December.

He sees some similarities between BYU coach Kalani Sitake and Dillingham that make the transition easier.

“One of the biggest things is that they are both player coaches,” he said. “You know, they give the players a lot of control in how they run the team and how things go. It is really healthy for us as individuals to get that responsibility as young men. It’s been really awesome.”

Fellow Sun Devils quarterback and former Marana High School signal caller Trenton Bourguet faced Conover in a seven-on-seven league game years before their paths crossed as college teammates.

The connections to Arizona high

said.

Bourguet enters the summer as the only quarterback on the roster who played in a game for the Sun Devils in 2022. He tallied 11 passing touchdowns and threw for nearly 1,500 yards on 204 passing attempts.

Like Conover, former Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne is a notable transfer who has entered his name in the quarterback battle. It was only a few months ago that Pyne and Conover were standing on opposite sidelines in a battle between BYU and Notre Dame in Las Vegas.

Pyne joins Bourguet and Conover in a battle with several underclassmen for playing time.

That group includes freshman Jaden Rashada, who joined Arizona State after originally signing with Florida. Like Con-

over, Rashada was a four-star recruit with a plethora of impressive offers.

“We’re all just in there getting better,” Rashada said. “Everybody is learning, you know, so that’s pretty important.”

Needless to say, Conover has his work cut out for him. Earning playing time as a quarterback at a Power Five program can be difficult. It’s especially challenging when competing with the program’s returning starter, a fellow transfer who led one of college football’s biggest brands to an 8-2 record in 10 starts last season and a highly sought-after recruit with seemingly sky-high potential.

Conover has embraced the challenge and said he is just focusing on “personal improvements” during the offseason. And he said nothing was settled during spring ball.

“You know, I think spring was just a showcase,” he said. “They haven’t named a starter at all, so everyone’s just going to put their head down and go to work.”

Heading into the summer, Conover was all smiles and welcoming the possibilities.

“It’s great to be back here,” he said. “There’s some change, but I’m loving the transition.” 

Former Chandler High School quarterback Jacob Conover hopes his decision to transfer from BYU to Arizona will prove fruitful. (Courtesy of BYU)

MAhwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoenix

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Columnist

This savory dish is a festival of flavor

elted cheese over steamed vegetables has always been a popular side dish. But when I came across an old Iowa Farmer’s Almanac recipe for roasted vegetables served in a cheese crust, it turned everything upside down for me and became one of my favorite ways to enjoy seasonal produce.

The instructions were as follows: “Roast over a hot fire, one handful each of four or five vegetables in season. Make a crust of cheese and cornmeal. Use crust as a plate to serve vegetables in.”

I need no excuse to channel my inner farm girl, so I went right to the task of figuring out what kind of heat would equal a “hot fire” and which vegetables would taste best snuggled in a cornmeal and cheese crust.

Whether you take my vegetable suggestions, or choose your own combination, you’re going to end up with a delicious festival of flavor in a savory cheese crust.

Ingredients - Crust:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg

• 1⁄3 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients - filling

• 1 cup broccoli flowerets

Directions:

Vegetables:

Combine vegetables in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to completely coat vegetables. Spread vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees, turning often, until vegetables are browned and thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Crust:

Reduce oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter an approximately 10-inch tart or pie pan.

In a bowl, whisk egg until frothy. Whisk in milk and oil. In another bowl, combine cornmeal, cheddar, parmesan, sugar and salt. Stir into egg mixture until well blended. Press crust mixture over bottom and halfway up the

• 1 cup cauliflower flowerets

• 1 cup baby carrots (mini’s are best)

• ½ red onion, cut in large chunks

• 1 cup small white mushrooms cut in half

• 1 cup zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick

• 3-4 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin, then sliced in half

• 1 ½ cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese

• 2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

sides of pan.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. (If crust bubbles during cooking process, poke down with fork or skewer. You may have to do several times.)

Assembly:

Sprinkle ½ cup cheddar cheese over crust. Pour half of the vegetables over top. Sprinkle another ½ cup cheddar cheese over vegetables.

Pour in remaining vegetables and finish with ½ cup cheddar cheese and two tablespoons of parmesan. Slice the tomato slices in half and place them in scallop design around the edges of the tart. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden on top.

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