Queen Creek Tribune 06-05-22 by Times Media Group

Ocotillo Bridge creates turmoil / P. 10

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

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Varsity football summer camp / P. 22

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Council approves 186-unit condo development BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

NEWS..................... 6 Queen Creek nation’s third fastest growing community.

COMMUNITY...... 18 Queen Creek’s “flour child’ pens book.

BUSINESS............ 20 He walked Queen Creek’s Gangplank.

COMMUNITY.........................18 BUSINESS...............................20 SPORTS....................................22 GET OUT..................................23 CLASSIFIEDS.........................24

Sunday, june 5, 2022

ueen Creek Town Council approved a 186-unit residential condominium development despite some passionate opposition from a self-described conservationist who expressed concern about its impact on water supply and traffic. The vote cleared another hurdle for Mayberry on Rittenhouse, located near the southeast corner of Sossaman and Ritten-

house roads, by rezoning the 16-acre parcel to a Medium Density Residential zone. “We need to not build buildings to house corpses of people who have died from thirst,” Mary Metzger said. “And that’s what we’re doing.” Metzger had voiced her opposition at a neighborhood meeting last Sept. 13, about “losing our small town.” Metzger, who said she has consider herself a conservationist since the 1950s, indirectly referred to recent federal government

reductions of Colorado River water releases from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Those reductions have prompted Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale to trigger the first phase of their water alert systems, though the actions do not mandate any reductions in water consumption by their customers. “We do not have enough water to sustain the population that we have,” Metzger said.

see DEVELOPMENT page 8

QC Botanical Gardens transform agriculture

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

ustin Rohrer remembers Sept. 11, 2001, a little differently from most Americans. It’s the day he bought his first home in Gilbert and embarked on his personal journey of farming. Now, he works as the executive director of the Queen Creek Botanical Gardens, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the “world’s first all-edible botanical garden.” Lonnie McCleve is the founding director and a cancer survivor who credits his recovery to plant-based diet that were as to their natural state as possible.

see GARDEN page 3

Queen Creek Botanical Garden co-founder and Executive Director Justin Rohner sees his Onewheel as the “ultimate gardening tool” for making his way around the expansive property. (Josh Ortega/Tribune Staff)

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GARDEN from page 1

“We’re cultivating life and humanity in a beautiful way,” he said. “You can eat the grass too; it’s just more of a survival food.” The gardens currently sit on approximately 10 acres of privately donated land and is home to a variety of beautiful, themed, all-edible gardens. Officially opened to the public in February 2021, the gardens now offer tours, education opportunities, plant sales and “agritainment” to its visitors. Rohner has studied microclimates since 2001 and earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Arizona State University and a master’s in performance psychology from the University of Santa Monica. One of the key ideas he’s studying is growing food in partial sunlight because most seed packets require that plants be grown at full sun. He said Arizona sits at a climate zone 9B that has subspaces exhibiting a different trait than a full-sun environment. “When you understand microclimates,

The Queen Creek Botanical Garden sits on approximately 9.8 acres with thousands of different species of edible plants. (Josh Ortega/Tribune Staff ) any traditional yard could grow things, all the way to 11, which would be like Florida and tropical,” Rohner said. “We can go down to basically a 7 almost a 6, which would be things like an Oregon.” The production garden, which utilizes no-till and organic farming principles, is harvested seasonally and distributed to the community through community sup-

ported agricultural programs and local charities. The gardens have cost more than $3 million and requires nearly a few dozen volunteers, along with five paid staff, to make it possible to feed to local community. Plans are currently underway to complete an education center, restaurant,

washroom for fruits and vegetables, ferris wheel, petting zoo, rooftop garden, and Mediterranean, Vietnamese, and Italian-themed gardens. On top of living by the Golden Rule, Rohner said the gardens focus on bring people together as a sanctuary from all the chaos of the world. “We focus on what we’re for, not what we’re against, and so people can truly come here and feel uplifted,” he said. He said he invites people of all walks of life to come check out the gardens and start questioning where they’re food comes from. According to the ASU School of Sustainability, fresh food travels between 1,250 and 1,500 miles from farm to table. He said his staff works to question the current system and envision of growing food better and smarter for people and the environment. “People can really cultivate something of value and of service to humanity by coming and being a part of what we’re doing here,” he said. The gardens are at 25002 S. 206th St., Information: qcgardens.org.

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NEWS

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Queen Creek tourism website launches 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 Main number: 480-898-6500 | Fax: 480-898-562 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@TimesLocalMedia.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@TimesLocalMedia.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 sinsalaco@TimesLocalMedia.com Advertising Sales Executive: Jane Meyer | 480-898-5633 | jane@TimesLocalMedia.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com Managing Editor: Cecilia Chan | 480-898-5613 |cchan@TimesLocalMedia.com Reporters: Josh Ortega | 480-898-5610 | jortega@TimesLocalMedia.com Ken Sain | 928-420-5341 | ksain@TimesLocalMedia.com Photographer: Dave Minton | dminton@TimesLocalMedia.com Design: Veronica Thurman | vthurman@TimesLocalMedia.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@TimesLocalMedia.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 customercare@TimesLocalMedia.com Sports Editor: Zach Alvira | 480-898-5630 | zalvira@TimesLocalMedia.com

Queen Creek Tribune is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

he Town of Queen Creek has launched its own tourism website. Economic Development Director for the Town of Queen Creek Doreen Cott last week unveiled a “soft launch” of the website to Town Council. “You can have the best product in the world,” Doreen Cott said. “If people don’t know about it, then what’s the good?” Council discussed this new strategic marketing opportunity centered around Bell Bank Park, the newest regional attraction that opened in Mesa in January. “Council wanted to make sure that we were strategically positioned to capture visitors from Bell Bank Park,” Cott said. Cott said the town will partner with Visit Mesa to have each other’s websites linked and create strategies to promote site traffic. Visit Mesa conducted a study of more than 6,000 people and found the Queen Creek Marketplace a top point of interest in the East Valley. “They’ve been working closely again with Bell Bank Park and conducting studies on visitors,” she said. The new website details businesses throughout the town based on five categories: eat, play, shop, stay, and events. For example, Cott said visitors will be able to view restaurants in town by alphabetical order but they will not always appear in any order. “We wanted it to automatically populate randomly so not one particular restaurant is always coming to the top over another,” she said. The same idea applies to the shopping page where a visitor can see what various strip malls offer across town. “We focus on not all of the tenants in the center but the anchor tenants,” she said. There are other opportunities at Bell

The town’s new website aims to tell out-of-towners about a variety of offerings worth a visit. (Town of Queen Creek)

Bank Park to utilize itsr LED messaging board and the Internet Protocol TV that cost $5,000 per month. The package would include a minimum 30 seconds per hour, 10 hours per day, and seven days per week, according to the presentation. This also includes one during the Legacy Sports Tournament with marketing throughout the event. The town has also investigated a more traditional marketing: a 10-‘x30’ billboard near the intersection of South Ellsworth and East Williams Field roads. Estimates put the billboard’s cost at around $4,500 per a four-week period and totaling approximately $60,000 per year. Cott said this option would remain difficult to measure return on investment but it would promote the town in that location. “We’ve also evaluated print advertising and maybe some local magazines,” she said. “Again, difficult to measure that return on investment.” Vice Mayor Jeff Brown raised concerns about the costs of such an initiative and how much work it would take to offset the costs with any tourism-related tax reve-

nue it might generate. “I don’t know that I would be interested to pursue either of those options,” he said. “They seem fairly expensive with a twoand-a-half percent sales tax.” Brown brought up the idea of geotargeting, a type of advertising that uses location data to reach consumers with messaging appropriate to their localation and behavior. Councilwoman Julia Wheatley asked if there’s a possibility of putting a link to the Queen Creek site directly on the Bell Bank Park website. “I know they’re trying to keep it very simple because there are a lot of folks that probably want to be directly linked,” Cott said. She said Visit Mesa is the town’s destination marketing organization and a preferred method that prominently displays their links. Wheatley also brought up the idea of a map for people to gain a better sense of businesses in a geographic space. “I want to be able to click on the map, see where I’m at and see the closest to my proximity,” she said.

Know anything interesting going on in Queen Creek? Send your news to pmaryniak@timespublications.com

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NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Town capital project director helping QC grow up stages throughout the building process: preliminary concept, design, bid, construction and post-construction. According to ClearGov.com, the department has 14 active and five proposed high-profile projects that citizens have asked about. Currently, the town has more than 40 projects underway. Lipinski said other departments come to him with their ideas before a budget cycle begins and his staff looks 5-10 years ahead at what the master plan says they need. “They come to us and we start to build what those projects look like,” he said. The town defines a capital project as any project over $25,000 with a useful life of more than one year. Some examples include new road construction and widening; water and sewer lines; water and sewer treatment facilities; parks; and municipal building such as police and fire stations. He said his department takes the technical expertise other departments need in their facilities and focuses on the design and construction of the project. “I can pick their brain and then come back to them with a design and a building that works for them,” Lipinski said.

One of the biggest projects currently underway includes the 85-acre Frontier Family Park with an estimated cost of $120 million, including the $63 million aquatic and multi-generational center. Lipinski spoke at the Economic Development Commission meeting on May 25 and gave updates on the north-south roadway construction connecting to State Route 24. He said the Meridian Road construction managed by Pinal County that connects Germann Road to SR-24 should be completed this month. The Meridian Road construction managed by the town that connects Queen Creek to Germann Road is expected to be completed in September. Lipinski said that the Signal Butte Road project managed by the City of Mesa and connecting Germann Road to SR-24 should be done by the end of this year. Transportation projects for FY 202223 total more than $160 million and that includes constructing traffic signals, medians and sidewalks, according to town documents. “We’re just formalizing the process so everyone knows how to get from point A to point B,” Lipinski said.

Queen Creek added more than 5,000 residents between 2020 and last year, according to the Census Bureau, making it the fastest growing municipality in the nation with an 8.9% growth rate. (Tom Sanfilippo/InsideOut Aerial)

its population rose from 60,942 in 2020 to 66,346 last year, according to the Census Bureau. Buckeye’s growth rate of 8.6% was fourth-highest in the country, right behind Queen Creek. The Census said close to half of the 795 U.S. cities with 50,000 people or more lost population last year, but none of the 20 Arizona cities on the list posted a loss. Flagstaff saw the smallest percentage growth, adding 29 residents to bring its population to 76,989. When asked what was driving the growth of their cities, officials across the board pointed to quality of life issues. “We’re investing in our public safety,

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

e’s the new kid on the block building the blocks. Dave Lipinski last October took the reins of Queen Creek’s Capital Improvements Program Department and it’s no small job. He oversees a staff of 19 employees charged with executing an infrastructure program that totals $531 million in spending in the fiscal year beginning July 1. “What we hope to bring is uniformity in project delivery,” he said. Lipinksi brings a wealth of knowledge he learned serving as a city engineer for the City of Scottsdale for the past 10 years. Now, he heads a department created last year to respond to Queen Creek’s own rapid growth – a job he said brings its own unique challenges compared to Scottsdale. He said it involves the difference between retrofitting what’s already built versus building new and large infrastructure. Previously, the town held CIP positions across various departments but wanted to create a more centralized system to allow individual departments to focus on other daily tasks.

Dave Lipinski oversees a budget of $531 million and 19 employees. (Special to the Tribune) “It’s just a part of Queen Creek responding to the growth and realizing they can be more efficient in project delivery,” he said. Lipinski said his staff comprises the “design and construction department” for the town’s other departments and brings technical expertise to what needs to go into any project. Projects progress through multiple

QC among nation’s fastest growing places BY DAISY GONZALEZ-PEREZ Cronkite News

ASHINGTON – Arizona had five of the 15 fastest-growing municipalities in the U.S. last year and Queen Creek ranked third in the country . Census data released late last month show Queen Creek, Buckeye, Casa Grande, Maricopa City and Goodyear all grew at rates ranging from 5.4% to 8.9% between July 2020 and 2021. The report also said Goodyear and Buckeye were among the six cities nationwide that topped 100,000 residents last year, with populations hitting 101,733 and 101,315 respectively. Queen Creek registered the highest of those increases in Arizona with 8.9% as

see CENSUS page 8

NEWS

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Gun sales poised to surge in Arizona BY NEETISH BASNET Cronkite News

un sales in Arizona have surged in recent years and experts say they could jump again, sparked by reports of multiple mass shootings around the U.S. FBI data shows that there were more than 4.3 million background checks on gun purchases in the state over the last

decade, and one-third of those have come in just the last two years. The 61,899 firearms background checks conducted last month were the most for any April since at least 1999, according to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. While gun-rights and gun-control advocates agree on virtually nothing, they believe that recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas,

have the potential to boost sales again. “It’s driven by insecurity and chaos and uncertainty, by the fear of gun restrictions or gun bans being passed,” said Jennifer Carlson, a sociologist at the University of Arizona who is currently working on a book about the politics of guns. “Generally, yes, we do see spikes [on gun sales] after mass shootings.” An official with the Arizona Citizens

by Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, to get a roll-call vote on his SB 1546. It was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee but Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, who chairs that panel, never agreed to even give it a hearing. So Quezada used a procedural motion to waive the requirement for a

committee hearing and demand the measure be brought immediately to the full Senate for a vote. But it had to survive a vote to waive the rules. And none of the Republicans who control the Senate agreed to support that move, shutting down any chance of debate. Federal law requires licensed fire-

Defense League agreed, but for a different reason. “The increase in firearm sales are a natural consequence of people taking responsibility for their own security,” said Charles Heller, co-founder of the group. Their comments come as the nation is reeling from two high-profile mass

see GUNS page 11

State Senate GOP kills gun background check bid BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

enate Republicans quashed a bid May 31 to force a vote on legislation to forbid people from buying weapons unless they first have a background check. The party-line vote came on a bid

arms dealers to run a background check on would-be buyers before completing a purchase. But none of that covers person-to-person sales. More to the point, that exception applies to sales made at gun shows, where individuals can bring their

see CHECKS page 16

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DEVELOPMENT from page 1

The developers said at the Sept. 13 meeting that Queen Creek has an “assured” 100-year water supply, according to town documents. J.W. Jennings told Town Council that he has several projects underway in Mexico for bringing water north of the border. Jennings, CEO of Green Star, a local energy and water company, said he has six patents on creating clean energy and clean water. He didn’t go into much detail but offered to give a presentation to Council on his plan to create water and power for the entire town. “We can create water probably within nine months,” he said. The development will have 186 one and two-bedroom homes ranging in size from 752 to 1,376 square feet of livable space. Mesa developer Property Design Develop LLC plans to build 82 one-bedroom and 104 two-bedroom units with a total 342 parking spaces, according to town documents. The developer’s presentation to the Planning Commission last month called the complex a “boutique-home living community” that includes a large clubhouse, “a lush landscape/open-space plan, and resort lifestyle amenities that contribute to a high-quality use that compliments and enhances the surrounding area.” “Mayberry On Rittenhouse will provide generous building setbacks and landscape buffers along its shared

CENSUS from page 6

earlier this year we launched the Queen Creek Police Department as well as opening two new permanent fire stations,” said Queen Creek Town Manager John Kross. “Beyond prioritizing transportation and public safety, we are furthering the quality of life through our wash trail system and expanding parks and recreation opportunities,” said Kross, adding that the city is also focused on attracting more largescale employers to provide jobs for residents. Phoenix, not surprisingly, added the largest number of residents in the state last year, but the extra 13,224 residents

Mayberry on Rittenhouse will be located near the southeast corner of Sossaman and Rittenhouse roads. (vizzda.com) boundaries with single family residential land uses to the east, south, and west, which is larger than what is required per the Town of Queen Creek Zoning Ordinance,” the developer said. Stating the development’s high-end character blends in with the “existing fabric of the town’s approved neighborhoods,” the developer also said: “Mayberry on Rittenhouse will contribute to the Town’s economy in many ways. The additional residences will support the Town’s local businesses, and therefore, the Town’s economy, which is a major element of the Economic Development Strategic Plan. The proposed open space amenities will provide a higher quality lifestyle that will increase the value of neighborhoods in the area, which will indirectly contribute

amounted to a growth rate of 0.8%. But of the 10 biggest cities in the country, only Phoenix and San Antonio saw population gains. All the others lost residents, led by New York City’s loss of 305,465. “It’s no accident Phoenix is growing rapidly, attracting global corporations, startups, and legacy companies,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “The quality of life here is exceptional and combines with smart policies and a welcoming business operating environment to deliver a diverse ecosystem of opportunities in which workers can obtain high-quality jobs and families can thrive,” her statement said. Municipal officials said the qualities that

to neighborhood stability and a sustainable economy.” “Ultimately, this proposal will increase property assessments,” it added. Metzger also brought up another issue of traffic, stating she finds it “extremely problematic in that intersection,” where Rittenhouse Road snakes across Sossaman Road. “There’s a blind curve,” she said. “My mom has already been clobbered in that intersection.” She said an accident in the area left passengers trapped in their vehicle for several hours due to the 45-degree angle of a ditch in the area. This opposition proved to no avail as Council voted 4-2 to approve the action, with Council members Julia Wheatley and Vice Mayor Jeff Brown voting

have attracted new residents have also attracted new businesses. “We are excited for the businesses that have chosen Casa Grande as their base,” said Renée Louzon-Benn, executive director at the chamber of commerce in Casa Grande, which grew by 6.2% last year, to 57,699 residents. That was the seventh-biggest percentage increase in the country. Louzon-Benn pointed to electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid motors, which established a plant within the city last year, and Kohler Co., which is scheduled to open a plant in Casa Grande. Best known for its plumbing products, Kohler also makes furniture, cabinetry and tile.

against it. Councilwoman Emilena Turley said she appreciated that the applicant has worked with staff, made concessions and worked with the neighbors throughout the project. She noted most neighbors are now in support of the project when they weren’t before and that the developers followed the town’s process. “I appreciate that and that’ll be the reason I support it,” Turley said. In other action, Council also approved more than $30 million in authorizations for new contract negotiations. Turley requested to have some items removed from the consent agenda for further discussion because of fiscal responsibility concerns, including a $36,000 Tourism Partnership Contract with Visit Mesa. Councilman Leah Martineau also wanted some items discussed further, including $36,000 membership dues with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns for Fiscal Year 2023. “I just don’t feel it appropriate for towns and cities to be funding lobbyists,” Martineau said. Turley also brought up concerns about funding $65,000 to purchase arena sand for equine events at Horseshoe Park. “I’d rather see us pull resources to truly find more solutions to make the park more sustainable,” Turley said. Council put 12 items up to this discussion and still approved the measures 4-2 with Turley and Martineau voting no on spending proposals totaling $1.7 million.

Growth comes with its challenges. Louzon-Benn said the planned widening of Interstate 10, currently just two lanes in each direction between Casa Grande and Chandler, should help both residents and businesses in the area. Realtor Steve Larson, a longtime Buckeye resident, said the city is “growing exponentially, one of these days we are going to be a major city in Maricopa County.” That optimism is backed up by a report from the city that projects Buckeye could triple to as many as 305,000 by the year 2040. Larson said that for those looking to

see CENSUS page 15

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Homeowners fume over Ocotillo Road widening BY CECILIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer

ric and Terri Naddy enjoy a rural lifestyle on nearly 2.5 acres, raising 60 quails, chickens, three dogs and two desert tortoises. They planned on putting in a barn and an above-ground pool to farm fish. But earlier this month, the couple learned their way of life may soon be gone as Gilbert moves forward with taking part of their land and that of 45 of their neighbors in southeast Gilbert for a road-widening project. Most of the other properties in the area are 1 acre in size and some homeowners have horses. Completing the bridge would offer Queen Creek motorists an additional eastwest route across the Southeast Valley. Gilbert Town Council in January unanimously approved eminent domain proceedings on the properties bordering Ocotillo Road on the north and south sides from Greenfield to Val Vista roads. Nine of the properties are in Gilbert’s jurisdiction and 37, including the Naddys’ land, are under the jurisdiction of Maricopa County. None of the property owners were notified of the town’s intentions until after Council’s vote. The project, already included in the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2022-31, calls for widening twolane Ocotillo into four traffic lanes with a center turn lane, bike lanes, sidewalks and streetlights. The Town set aside $2.9 million to buy the properties. Although Ocotillo Road currently dead ends at Greenfield and Higley roads, Gilbert plans to rectify that with a 545-footlong bridge with four travel lanes that will improve emergency response to some neighborhoods. The connected roadway would also provide a straight east-west travel corridor between Queen Creek and Chandler. Ocotillo currently is separated by a number of natural barriers, such as the Queen Creek Canal, East Maricopa Floodway and a Roosevelt Water Conservation District canal. The overall budget for the project was

Terri and Eric Naddy stand to lose a substantial portion of their property as Maricopa County and the Town of Gilbert widen E. Ocotillo Road between S. Val Vista Drive and S. Greenfield Road. (David Minton/

Tribune Staff Photographer)

This proposed bridge design, called the Palo Verde concept, was the most popular among five designs residents were asked to weigh in on. (Town of Gilbert)

The Desert Falls design for the proposed Ocotillo Bridge over Gilbert Regional Park incorporates the best of the elements from three previous renderings. (Town of Gilbert)

$67 million with the construction portion at $54 million, according to the Town. Construction was anticipated to begin in the fall/winter of 2023. The Town also plans to widen Ocotillo Road from Greenfield to Val Vista roads – a plan opposed by homeowners who will lose portions of their land for the project. If the owners refuse to sell at the assessed value, eminent domain will be used. According to the Town, the widening of the roadway is a critical piece of infrastructure to provide the connection in the southern part of Gilbert and has been identified in past general plans and transportation master plans. The project is approaching 60% design, with anticipated design completion occurring later this year. The town has pared down the aesthetic design for the planned Ocotillo Bridge across Gilbert Regional Park to two from four and is again asking the public for its input. Residents can comment until June 14 on the two options – the Palo Verde concept and a new design Desert Falls, which incorporates the best of the elements from three previous renderings. Some 3,490 people in a survey weighed in on the original four concepts, which were designed around a desert oasis theme that resulted from public outreach. Rich Robertson, a county resident who lives on Ocotillo Road, told the Gibert Town Council last month that officials are taking more land than originally proposed. “The road expansion is not new to us,” Robertson said. “I knew it when we bought our house nearly 20 years ago that this was planned as a minor arterial. I saw the Gilbert transportation plan at that time, laid it out. The Ocotillo Bridge was part of that plan nearly 20 years ago. “The easement on my property was platted for that highway in 1985 so it’s not a surprise. But what was a surprise was the additional 10 feet,” he continued. “In the intervening 40 years, if you will, since my easement was platted Maricopa County’s issued building permits for pools and

see BRIDGE page 11

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BRIDGE from page 10

walls and out-buildings and houses. Gilbert and the county have platted subdivisions based on that 55 feet and now it’s changed. “And I think that 10 feet is where most of the damage will be. That’s where most of the expense for Gilbert taxpayers going to come from in taking out those walls, those out-buildings, those swimming pools that were built with the expectation of 55 feet.” Ellen West said the stakes already placed in her backyard, which backs up to Ocotillo, will reduce its size by half and result in “having a wall about 15 feet from my back door.” Her husband, Ray West, said the couple purchased their property on 154th Street over 20 years ago to escape the city and “now the city has moved into us.” He said when he purchased his property the address originally was in Chandler but Gilbert later took it over and that the Town also took 2,200 square feet, an easement the couple owned east of their home, from them without compensation for a road.

Eric Naddy said the proposed five lanes, sidewalks and horse trail total 89 feet and asked why the Town wanted 130 feet. “Decoration, landscaping?” he said. “We don’t want it.” The irony, he said, is that the Town wants to put in a horse trail but will be taking land away from people who own horses in order to do so. “We are not going to take horses down a five-lane road,” Naddy said. “It’s a bad idea.” As it stands, the Naddys will lose 4,800 square feet of land – or 12 feet from their block wall facing Ocotillo Road for 400 feet, said Eric Naddy. They also will lose a mature tree and a shed her mother put in, said Terri Naddy, who purchased the property with her mom, Susan, in 1997, when the closest grocery store was 9 miles away and people had to drive past at least two dairy farms to reach the home. “I am not one to lay down and roll over and play dead,” said Terri Naddy upon learning of the Town’s plans. “We bought in a rural community and want to keep it that way.”

GUNS from page 7

shootings in just the past two weeks, the latest in 214 mass shooting incidents in the U.S. so far this year that have resulted in 242 deaths and 926 injuries, according to the Gun Violence Archive. It reported three mass shootings so far this year in Arizona that killed three and injured 16. The gun debate intensified after a gunman who reportedly touted white supremacist theories walked into a supermarket in Buffalo and opened fire on Black shoppers on May 14. Nine shopper and a security guard, ranging in age from 32 to 86, were killed in that attack. Ten days later, an 18-year-old gunman, who officials said bought two AR15-style rifles on his birthday, entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde where he killed 19 students and two teachers before he was shot and killed by police. The recent shootings led to the usual offerings of “thoughts and prayers” and brought a new round of now-familiar debates.

The Republican Party of Arizona tweeted two weeks ago that America needs to “join together … and overcome these senseless tragedies,” but said the nation has not “even scratched the surface of mental health in America.” The same day, Arizona House Democrats accused GOP leaders in the Legislature of “pure cowardice” for refusing to hold hearings on 13 gun violence prevention bills that have been stalled in the Legislature, and urged leadership to “finally show courage” on the measures. But that could be a tough sell in Arizona, a state that “respects” Americans’ gun rights, according to the National Rifle Association. The gun-control group Giffords, meanwhile, gives Arizona an F on its annual gun law scorecard and ranks it 42nd among states for gun safety. “If more guns meant that we were safer, we would be the safest country in the world,” said Missy Paschke-Wood, a volunteer leader with Moms Demand Action in Arizona. “And, we’re not.”

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NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Valley housing market cooling fast, analyst says BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

leading analyst of the Valley’s housing market says the latest home sale data shows the market is cooling at an “astonishing and widespread” rate. The Cromford Report two weeks ago observed that “buyers’ disadvantage in negotiations has dropped dramatically.” “This is because there is much less competition from other buyers,” it noted. “Many of these have dropped out due to the eye-popping increase in mortgage rates. There are also many more homes to choose from compared with a couple of months ago.” But last week, the Cromford Report struck an even louder alarm, expressing surprise “at how quickly the market is cooling,” declaring: “We are not having a good year, despite the incredible strength of the first quarter.” It cited a variety of factors behind that

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umes are in swift decline; more asking prices are being lowered: listing cancellations and expirations are starting to rise.” A big reason for the Cromford Report’s observations is its market index, which bases short-term forecasts of how balanced the market is in 17 Valley municipalities by analyzing the trends in pending, active and sold listings compared with historical data over the previous four years. Values below 100 indicate a buyer’s market, while values above 100 indicate a seller’s market. A value of 100 indicates a balanced market. It noted that outside of active-adult communities like Sun Lakes and Sun City West, “the decline in CMI values is still accelerating” with double-digit declines in the high 20-percent range. The overall Cromford Market Index stood at 272 on June 1 – far below the 406 it registered on April 25 and the 385 on May 1. The largest declines have been seen in Avondale, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Cave Creek and Chandler. Mesa declined 26%, from 415 to 309. Still, the lowest index marker was 166, in Buckeye, so the market still remains titled toward sellers, it noted. “We admit to being surprised at how quickly the market is cooling, the Cromford Report said. “We expected a downward trend but did not anticipate it would be so dramatic. The softening trend is now very well established and momentum is

strong.” The Cromford Report said “cash buyers remain active, but these are a much smaller part of the total demand and cannot compensate for the loss of financed buyers.” It also said, “Every leading indicator is pointing to a sharp slowdown in the Greater Phoenix housing market. Supply has increased very quickly over the last two months while demand is much weaker than it was in March.” It also suggested it may not be long before prices begin to weaken, though it warned, “Prices are much slower to react to a change in the market, especially closed sale prices. “However, prices for homes under contract react one to two months earlier than closed prices,” it said and if that occurs sooner “would expect to see weakness in asking prices. This is now starting to appear as sellers gradually lose confidence. “Some sellers will be in denial for many months yet, and will risk over-pricing their home in current market conditions,” it said. “Others will be more reactive and make sure their asking pricing is competitive.” It also produced data suggesting the average per-square-foot price “has not managed to break through $365 and is now showing signs of retreating below $360. The maximum was $364.81 achieved on April 27. This is probably going to be the top.” At the same time, the Cromford Report said “closed prices are still blissfully unaware of the change in market conditions. The sale price per square foot remains higher (at around $305) than the list price (around $300).” “The remarkable speed of the change in the market is reflected in the fact that the Cromford Market Index has dropped over 100 points in the last month,” it added. And it warned, “The Greater Phoenix market continues to provide plenty of reasons to be worried. Another domino is wobbling and looks like it might be getting ready to fall – the listing success rate.” “At the moment we are just under 90%,

see MARKET page 16

NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Would Buffalo massacre be Joining the Trib team a forbidden class topic? BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

here’s little doubt but that the shooting earlier this month by a white teen at a Buffalo supermarket was racially motivated. What remains unclear, however, is whether legislation set for Senate debate would preclude students in Arizona public schools from being told that the shooter targeted the victims specifically because they were Black. “I’m not sure whether or not that would be an appropriate conversation in those classrooms,’’ Rep. Michelle Udall said during debate on HB 1412. But the Mesa Republican said she believes there is enough wiggle room in the language of her bill to allow for discussion within limits. “This language says that they may not promote to advocate for, or blame or judgment of race or ethnicity,’’ she said. “I would hope that a teacher would not be in the classroom promoting or advocating that students judge based on race, as was done in that shooting.’’ “I’m pretty sure that teachers know how to teach about race and about race relations without placing blame or without saying that one race is morally superior to another,’’ she said. “And if you can’t do that, you really shouldn’t be teaching.’’ Rep. Jennifer Jermaine, D-Chandler, said it’s not that simple. She questioned how it is possible to teach history accurately without crossing a line that actu-

ally could result in a teacher losing state certification. “Our history is full of systems that have been based on one race thinking they are above others,’’ said Jermaine said she sees it through the eyes of being a descendant of someone who survived the system of Indian boarding schools that resulted in the death and abuse of many Native American children. “The entire system is built on race and sex and targeting of minority populations,’’ she said. Rep. Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe, acknowledged the language in SB 1412 does specifically say that both teachers and guest lecturers can discuss prior instances of racial hatred or discrimination, including slavery, Indian removal, Japanese-American internment and the Holocaust. But she said none of that matters with the curbs in the measure. “We can’t ask our children to recognize a problem and we can’t ask them to recognize badness if we don’t teach them something is bad,’’ Epstein said. And she specifically questioned how a survivor of the Nazi death camps speaking to students could convey his experience without saying that he was targeted because he was Jewish. At the heart of the debate is whether SB 1412 is simply a safeguard against – what Udall says – students not being indoctrinated to see everything through the lens of racism or – as some Democrats

see RACE page 14

Kashton Keehner has joined the Queen Creek Tribune team as a carrier. The son of Bobbie and Chad Keehner, Kashton, who turns 12 on June 21, is heading into 7th grade at American Leadership Academy. He delivers the Tribune to about 250 homes in the Hasting Farms community and “is thrilled to have the responsibility and opportunity to have his first job delivering newspapers,” his father said. “He takes his job with a great sense of pride. Each time he is passing out newspapers, he does it with care and a big smile,” Chad Keehner added. Kashton got hooked on the gig after helping a friend deliver the Tribune and now he looks at the job not just as a chance to make some money but as an opportunity for personal growth, his dad added. People interested in joining Kashton as a Trib Team member can email aaron@timespublications.com.

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NEWS

RACE from page 13

see it – a bid by the Republican majority to sanitize the nation’s often-checkered history of race relations. On the surface, what is now awaiting Senate action is relatively simple. It prohibits teachers from promoting or advocating the concept that blame or judgment can be ascribed based on race or ethnicity. It also would ban teaching that any race or ethnic group is morally or intellectually superior to another, that individuals bear responsibility for actions of others of the same race, and that any race or ethnicity is inherently oppressive, whether conscious or unconscious. House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding, D-Laveen, however, worried that the law could be used to squelch legitimate discussion. Consider, he said, a discussion of the Fair Housing Act, the 1968 federal law designed to prevent discrimination in the ability of people being able to buy and rent homes and apartment. “A student might ask, ‘Why?’ or ‘How,’ ‘’ he said. And that’s when you start to

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

have a deeper discussion of why a federal law was needed in the first place. Udall, however, insisted that facts can be told without putting a racial spin on it. Her example of where lessons cross the line goes to an essay used in a seventh grade English class in Chandler entitled “Black Men in Public Places,’’ told from that person’s point of view. It deals with a 6-foot-2-inch Black man walking at night in a military style jacket with his hands in his pockets. “A woman out walking was frightened and sought to put distance between them,’’ she said. “He attributes to that that she was racist,’’ Udall said. “I think that’s absurd.’’ Udall said she is a woman who walks or runs at night. “If there’s a big guy near me, I’m going to run from him,’’ she said. “I’m going to distance myself because you have to be careful when you’re walking alone at night.’’ Still, in an interview, Udall acknowledged that this is not a race-neutral society. Consider traffic stops.

“You do see minorities are stopped more often and, in more minor situations, are stopped or ticketed or charged,’’ she said. “But I don’t think that’s just white police officers actually.’’ And that, Udall said, proves her point that not everything can be seen as a racist act. “It’s not the color of the police officers’ skin that’s a problem,’’ she said. “It’s their actions that are a problem.’’ Some of the concern by foes appears to have less to do with what SB 1412 would prohibit than what would be the effect. It starts with the fact that any parent or even student can file a complaint that automatically triggers an investigation at the school district level but with the potential of it making its way to the state Board of Education where a teacher could lose his or her state certification. And Rep. Domingo DeGrazia, D-Tucson, said he can envision situations where some legislators get constituents “riled up’’ over issues and “make more noise.’’ “So what you’re going to see is an avalanche of complaints based on ‘feels,’”

he said. And it’s not just teachers that could get into trouble. Schools that allow prohibited behavior are subject to fines of $5,000 a day, all of which Rep. Andres Cano, D-Tucson, said will “subject our public school educators to intimidation, to harassment.’’ And Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley said that will have an effect on what students are taught. “I’m just worried that it’s going to create a situation in classrooms where teachers are just afraid of teaching anything,’’ she said, saying just the threats of deciding wrong – including loss of license – will have a “chilling effect.’’ But Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that’s not the fault of SB 1412. “If there’s a chilling effect on teachers, it’s not because of what the bill says,’’ he said. “It’s because of how the bill is being misrepresented,’’ Kavanagh continued, saying all it precludes is advocacy or promotion of “seven vile, racist actions,’’ like some people being inherently superior because of their race.

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NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

CENSUS from page 8

move to the area, the housing “market is back to normal” – for now. COVID-19 made it difficult for home builders and sellers, but with the pandemic waning the possibility of rising interest rates could create challenges for homebuyers again. “For people making the move, we have gotten spoiled with low interest rates,” he said. But growth comes with its benefits, too. “I was born and raised here and started in the chamber of commerce in 1988. The

biggest want … from our citizens was grocery stores.” Kupcik said. “Before we used to drive east to Goodyear or further.” Now, she noted, Buckeye has two Fry’s, a Walmart and an Aldi. Kross said the population growth is proof that cities’ investments are paying off. “All of these investments and plans, along with the diversity of housing, continue to make Queen Creek a desirable place to live, and we’re seeing that continue through the recent Census numbers,” he said.

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NEWS

CHECKS from page 7

collection of weapons to sell to those in attendance. Quezada called that an unacceptable “loophole’’ given the number of mass shootings. A series of surveys have shown strong support for universal background checks. Most recently that included a poll from Morning Consult and Politico, conducted one day after the killing of 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Tex. which found 81% said they want to make private gun sales and sales at gun shows subject to background checks. Petersen said the restriction would stop law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves. “Criminals do not follow laws,’’ he said. “It takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun.’’ Sen. Rebecca Rios, D-Phoenix, called that “utter nonsense.’’ “There was an entire parking lot of police officers that didn’t even ap-

MARKET from page 12

a very strong number. However, if we look at the last five weeks, a clear weakening trend has started.” It gave a chilling reminder of the precrash market in 2005, when “a similar trend developed between June and July.” “By the end of 2005 we were down to just 63% - meaning that 1 in 3 homes listed failed to sell. We cannot say this will happen in 2022,” it said. Cromford Report also said a similar downward trend started last summer “but

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

proach the building because of the type of firearm this guy had,’’ he said. She said there were dozens of “good guys’’ with guns standing outside the Texas school and that didn’t stop the killing. “Bring something that will work,’’ said Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, in opposition to what Quezada wanted. He cited the number of shootings in Chicago which have some of the strictest gun laws in the country. But Quezada said Republicans appear ready to blame anything -- and everything -- other than access to guns, calling them “regurgitated gun lobby talking points.’’ “I was especially troubled by one specific diversion tactic that we saw members cling to for dear life last week,’’ he said. “That was this latest mass shooting, and mass shootings in general, are happening because God has been taken out of our schools or because we don’t pray enough in schools, and because our nation

has drifted too far from its Christian founding.’’ That refers to comments by Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray, R-Sun City, who said that mass shootings occur because children can’t pray in school. Rios said foes of additional gun regulations always seem to have a litany of reasons there are mass shootings, like video games and mental illness. “Fact of the matter is, every other country in the world suffers with people that have mental illness,’’ Rios said. “Every other country in the world has video games. Every other country in the world has religion or lack thereof,’’ she continued. “Those are all red herrings.’’ But Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said what is lost in all this is that the Texas shooter purchased his firearms from licensed gun dealers. He called the argument that requiring universal background checks “a myth and a smokescreen.’’

frenetic buying by investors, particularly large investors, pulled the nose of the airplane back up and we ended 2021 with a strong success rate of just over 90%. This does not look as likely in 2022.” “2006 was a full-scale bubble burst,” it said. “People now talk of the 2008 crash, but that was only when Wall Street woke up and entered a full-on panic. The real estate market was in dire straits as early as the middle of 2006 and 2007 was truly dreadful. “The problem that we faced in 2006 was

compounded by all the foreclosures that piled up in 2007. This was largely because so many homeowners had little or no equity in 2006 so by 2007 they had negative equity and no reason to avoid foreclosure. At the moment, we have a more positive situation with a much higher percentage of homeowners having significant equity. “They should be motivated to protect rather than abandon that equity,” it continued. “That gives us a reason to be less worried, but extreme vigilance is the order of the day. Those who refinanced and took

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Borrelli also pointed out that SB 1546 would apply not only to sales at gun shows. It also would prohibit him from giving a weapon to a former stepson as the exception for relatives would not apply unless the sale were first run through a licensed gun dealer to conduct a background check on the recipient. “It’s just more government interaction,’’ he said. Sen. Lela Alston, D-Phoenix, pointed out that the Quezada bill was not the only one denied a hearing. She said the Republican-controlled Senate also refused to consider SB 1538 which would have made it a crime to fail to do things a reasonable person would do to prevent a minor from accessing a firearm. While GOP lawmakers have refused to consider new gun restrictions, they have voted for measures to protect gun rights, like allowing people to drive onto school campuses without having to first unload a firearm.

a little too much cash out over the last two years are more exposed than most. Our primary leading indicator is telling that us that the cooling trend is getting even more powerful. …At some point we would expect the nose-dive to decelerate and reach an equilibrium, but we seem to be a long way from that point at the moment.” And for sellers, the Cromford Report had a word of caution: “It remains easy to sell a home at the moment but if this cooling trend stays in place, selling will start to get much more difficult by August.”

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

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COMMUNITY

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Community QueenCreekTribune.com

@QCTribune

Emma Zimmerman and her father Jeff restarted the historic Hayden Flour Mill in Queen Creek more than 10 years ago. (thesourdoughpodcast.com)

Queen Creek ‘flour child’s’ book celebrates grains BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

ust call her a flour child. Emma Zimmerman entered the flour business a little more than 10 years ago and is finally harvesting success with the completion of her first cookbook. The 37-year-old mother of three just spent two-and-a-half years putting together 80 different recipes made from 10 different grains that the Hayden Flour Mill produces in Queen Creek. She said people often visit the mill but don’t know what to make with the grains. “I really wanted to answer that question,” she said. “Here’s something for everyone.”

For more Community News visit QueenCreekTribune.com

It’s all found in her cookbook “The Miller’s Daughter: Unusual Flours & Heritage Grains, Stories and Recipes from Hayden Flour Mills.” It also tells the story of how her and her father Jeff restarted the historic Hayden Flour Mill in 2011 with the help of Sossaman Farms. The original mill operated in Tempe from 1874 to 1998 and on Aug. 13, 2011, that history began again 30 miles away from the historic original mill. “We were very inspired by that story so it’s kind of our homage to that part of Arizona history,” she said. It all started when she quit her PhD program in Canada and returned home teaching evening cadaver labs at a com-

�ee FLOUR page 19

Arizona Goat Yoga April Gould, left, and Sarah Williams owners get their animals ready for an appearance on “America’s Got Talent.” (Courtesy of Arizona Goat Yoga)

EV yoga goats get big national TV spotlight

BY SAMANTHA MORRIS Tribune Staff Writer

oat Yoga has taken the world by storm and last week its Gilbert pioneers brought their animals to the stage of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Going into the competition, Arizona Goat Yoga co-founder April Gould had no set expectations – given that all animals can be very unpredictable. “We have the most amazingly talented goats in the entire world, but they still are farm animals,” chuckled Gould. “So we weren’t quite sure exactly what they were going to do. I spent months and months training them, but with the lights and the audience, it was still a gamble.” Their first live TV appearance aired May 31 and while Gould said they had a

successful showing, their performance was edited into the program’s “flops” portion. Despite that, Gould and the goats have been cleared for the show’s second round. “We did an obstacle course and they didn’t show any of that,” said Gould. Right before the show, all the judges went to meet the goats. And when judge Sofia Vergara picked up Gould’s star goat, Minnie, it fell asleep in her arms. “I was getting a little bit nervous,” said Gould. “The goat was asleep and it was the only one that does every trick.” Two minutes before the show, Gould managed to awaken Minnie. Gould’s goats and alpacas participated in the obstacle course.

�ee GOAT page 19

COMMUNITY

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Auxier Elementary teacher honored by Rotary

each student must have a motivating educational environment where they can meet their full potential through growing physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

The Rotary Club’s education committee’s selection process included a review of several parent testimonials in support of Merrill. “Our family has been affected by Mr.

Merrill’s amazing abilities and his passion to challenge each student to be the best one can be,” a parent wrote. “We have seen a complete transformation in our child and trust Mr. Merrill to shape our child’s education. Mr. Merrill is a voice for his students and advocates for their inclusion in school activities; and Mr. Merrill is the embodiment of this award, his spirit lights up the lives of every child he works with.” In May 2018, the first award was presented to Sandy Lundberg, the principal of the then-newly opened Casteel High School and an active member of the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, “in which she provided the same energy to the Club endeavors as she did to her profession” a club spokeswoman explained. “Her passion for children and community shone through whatever she did. Due to Sandy’s untimely passing, the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes proudly sponsors and has named the award the Sandy Lundberg Educator of the Year Award.” QC

It’s been seven years since goat yoga first came to Arizona. Gould, along with her longtime friend Sarah Williams, realized one day that they could combine their two passions into a business. Gould fashions herself as the “Goat Whisperer” and Williams teaches paddleboard yoga. When Williams experienced a slowdown in business during winter, she and Gould came together to find a new spin on the workout. Even though it’s their first time on

“America’s Got Talent,” Gould and Williams are no strangers to TV. They have appeared on many television shows over the years, often giving their goats a spotlight. Gould and Williams have both competed together on shows like “The Amazing Race,” sporting their goat yoga shirts. And when Gould trained for American Ninja Warrior, her goats assisted, doing pushups or squats with their balance to the test as well.

But it was winning with their goats on the Nickelodeon animal show, “Unleashed,” that inspired the two women’s confidence and motivation to seek recognition on one of the biggest talent shows in the world. “We were like ‘Hey, we won that show so what’s the biggest talent show in the world?’ America’s Got Talent,” said Gould. If you want to meet Arizona’s own AGT goats in person, go online to schedule a Goat Yoga class at goatyoga.com. QC

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

he Rotary Club of Sun Lakes has named Sawyer Merrill, a special education teacher at Chandler Unified’s Auxier Elementary School in Queen Creek, Educator of the Year. Merrill received the club’s 2023 Sandy Lundberg Educator of the Year Award, which was established in 2017 to demonstrate the club’s continuing commitment to the Chandler Unified School District’s educational objectives and “the educators who work so diligently and professionally to achieve those objectives.” Merrill graduated from California Lutheran University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and sports medicine with an emphasis in education in 2010. He received his cross-categorical K-12 teaching certificate from Rio Salado University in 2011. With over 10 years of teaching special education, Merrill’s philosophy of education is that all children are unique, and

FLOUR from page 18

munity college and help her dad with his “glorified bread-baking hobby.” “Basically, it was a bread hobby that really took off,” she said. He started experimenting with basic ingredients – flour, yeast, water, salt – and a small tabletop mill and eventually graduated to a larger room-size mill and struck a deal with Phoenix chef Chris Bianco. Now, the family devotes itself to making flours from some of the world’s oldest varieties of wheat and selling it to

GOAT from page 18

Gould said the network showed a funny impromptu performance with the goats after they had already finished their routine. “They did a really good job, I mean we made it through to the next round.” Gould still loves “America’s Got Talent” and appreciates the opportunity to move on to the next round, whenever that is scheduled to take place next.

Flanked by Chandler Unified Superintendent Frank Narducci on his right and Sun Lakes Rotary Club President Jon Lyons, Auxier Elementary special ed teacher Sawyer Merrill holds a blow-up of the check representing his award for being named the club’s Teacher of the Year. *(Special to SanTan Sun News)

more than 500 stores, including Whole Foods. Ten year later, she said she never could have predicted that she would remain as involved as she has with the mill while balancing every life change that’s taken place simultaneously. “As each new season arose, the mill quietly followed me into the developing chapter with its challenges and demands,” she writes in the book. In an interview last year with Bristol Farms, she said, “Hiring a fantastic team that believes in the mission. That’s been key in reaching work/life

balance.” The book features recipes for breakfast, main courses and sweets including chickpea cookies, pink polenta with crispy pancetta, sprouted barley salad, farro crust tart, white sonora berry salad. The 10 grains featured in the cookbook include corn, barley, rye, chickpeas, and her personal favorite is Emmer Farro Flour. According to their website, Italians named the ancient grain after the Pharaohs of Egypt with one of the very first crops domesticated more than 10,000 years ago.

This is grain goes into the Chocolate-Flecked Farro Banana Bread that’s one of her favorites that she makes for her family a lot. “It has chocolate in it,” she said. “So, it’s a crowd pleaser.” She said there’s plenty of options for readers to find something that they could enjoy making a part of their family’s palettes. “There’s something for everyone,” she said. “And hopefully really enjoy them and really notice that big flavor difference in using heritage grains.” https://haydenflourmills.com/ QC

BUSINESS

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QC inventors can walk the Gangplank to creativity BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

very Thursday, Queen Creek creatives can walk the Gangplank. Starting at 6 p.m., anyone can see what happens in the collaborative workspace at 22240 South Ellsworth Road. Since 2015, the 2,100-square-foot business incubator has offered a seat and the Wi-Fi password to all Queen Creek community members who wish to collaborate on ideas. Lisa Dalton found it helpful for her own business ventures and now helps run Gangplank’s daily operations. “It’s people exploring ideas and how to make things happen and our doors always open,” Dalton said. Dalton said she became a “Gangplanker” five years ago when she wanted to create custom stamps for her

Gangplank coworking space sits in a 2,100-square-foot home located at 22240 South Ellsworth Road. (Courtesy of Lisa Dalton) brick-making business. After a quick Google search, she

stepped aboard, met “the gang” and quickly learned about the 3D printing

machines that could help her business. “Now, I actually have a 3D printing company,” she said. “So, it’s pretty wonderful.” The cooperative community has a large group of people that work remotely at the location but welcomes everyone to their “working think tank.” The organization also offers a variety of equipment to foster entrepreneurial creativity including laser engravers, soldering materials, and other wood and metal working tools. She said some of their more unique ideas in recent memory include member Guy Parrillo’s 3D printed an 8-foottall Hulkbuster costume. Weighing 60 pounds, it was made from 40 foam floor mats and one Popeye’s chicken mashed potato container (with lid), three quarts

see GANGPLANK page 21

A mother’s love spurs all-natural health products BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

renda Rea just wanted to cure her children’s dry skin. Now, the mother of five runs a thriving business with her husband and two youngest children that’s making people flock to the Queen Creek Olive Mill. In 1997, the family packed up and moved to Arizona with the knowledge that olive trees grew abundantly here. At the time, she experimented with all-natural remedies in her Tempe kitchen and stumbled upon the fact that olive oil was a great moisturizer. “Personally, I’m very concerned about trying to stay more natural,” she said. “I just realized it was a great natural product.” At the time, she said all-natural prod-

Berenda Rae and her daughter Joey Ray run Olivespa at the Queen Creek Olive Mill. ( Josh Ortega/Tirbune Staff)

ucts didn’t really exist and she decided to experiment with olive oil for her five children and family friends. “We moved to Arizona because we knew that olive trees grew here,” she said. “And we came with the idea of making olive oil.” Brenda was born in Canada and met her husband Perry, a first-generation American whose parents are from Italy. While her husband went to work every day to make the Olive Mill successful, she stayed home and raised their five children and developed her line of beauty products. But the business remained small until all her children eventually grew up and left the house. One of the first products she developed

see OLIVE page 21

BUSINESS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JUNE 5, 2022

Gangplank members designed Dan G. to walk around on his own and recognize faces.

Guy Parrillo’s Hulk is one of the more eye-catching Gangplank creations. (Gangplank)

GANGPLANK from page 20

that keeps Gangplank afloat but people can help in other ways. For Lisa Dalton, that means opening the location in the morning, giving tours to visitors throughout the day and providing instruction on the equipment. “I give back a lot because I you probably get the most,” she said. She said she feels “extremely fortunate” that she’s allowed to run her business out of the coworking space and help out others at the same time. “I love the fact that I get to support my town and make products here and tell people that we’re here and we’re growing and we’re making cool stuff,” she said.

(Courtesy of Lisa Dalton)

of latex paint, 1.5 gallons of contact cement. And it took 200 hours to put together it drywall stilts, shoulder harness PVC inner support frame and a board for fans, lights and sound effects. You can check out Dan G., the facial recognition robot dog that members continue to work on. “Our plan is to actually happen be like a free range roaming the space robot dog,” she said. Dalton said the most difficult concept strangers have grasping about the community remains the zero cost for people to utilize the space.

OLIVE from page 20

for her family and friends was a lip balm. She can remember taking John to soccer practice and she would just sit in the car and label my lip balms. “I kept it pretty small because being mom was my first priority—always has been,” she said. “I would drop anything for any of my kids and I think they all know that.” In November 2019, Joey Rea officially started as the Olivespa director, but as the middle child of the Rea family, she’s worked in some capacity there her whole life.

“Most good things in life cost money and there’s some sort of catch,” she said. “I just want to assure people that there really isn’t one.” The Town of Queen Creek entered into a request-for-proposal (RFP) with the nonprofit to use the space for various entrepreneurial services. Councilwoman Julia Wheatley said at the Economic Development Commission meeting on May 25 that the town will look at renewing the RFP or choosing a different contractor. “Hopefully we don’t but we could want to do something else for the RFP,” she said. Donations remain the primary method

“We both have a passion for natural skin care,” she said. “We get along really well because we view things the same way and that’s made it easier.” She said the hardest part of working with her kids is you must wear two hats: mom and boss. “It’s a hard thing to do,” she said. “But you have to make an effort to separate the two.” Brenda said Joey has returned several times to help with the store and has officially taken the reins from her now. “She’s basically running the day-to-day for me,” she said. Joey graduated with a bachelors in

French from the University of Arizona in 2014 and she studied Western Herbalism from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts from 2015 to 2017. She said growing up they had trouble adapting to the dry Arizona climate and her mom used olive oil on them that had more of the original “culinary” odor to it. “My dad kind of like nudged her to try to make it smell a little bit better than olive oil,” she said. She said even before her mom knew of the benefits of olive oil on their skin, she started to experiment with the scents from essential oils. Some of the scents they have now in-

This represents their idea of “social capital” and the space profits of members giving their time, talent and relationships by engaging with other members and in their city. Dalton said the logo can look make it look slightly off-putting but the pirate theme reflects their motto of disrupting the status quo by “engaging the larger business, creative, entrepreneurial, governmental, and technical communities together” and create better communities. “We would really encourage folks that are curious or interested to just come on in,” she said. “We’re an open-door place, so we’d love to have them.”

clude lavender rose, orange blossom, and peppermint lavender and vanilla, as well as unscented. Joey said she’s felt like Olivespa is something she and her siblings have never felt compelled to do but can easily return to after they’ve spread their wings for a bit. “It’s always been something that I’ve felt I would do in my life,” she said. She said it’s something that her and mom “I do feel like Olivespa, for me has always been something my mom and I have bonded on,” she said. “So, it’s been a big part of our relationship.” Information: olivespa.com

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GBAC tournament kicks off summer football BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

igh school football programs from all over the East Valley and state have begun the transition from spring to summer, with team workouts on a near daily basis and various 7-on-7 and big man tournaments. These events, typically held at various high schools, have exploded in popularity in recent years with local colleges jumping on board to host high school programs. The summer circuit of tournaments helps teams prepare for the full season in the fall. It builds team chemistry. It allows quarterbacks and receivers to work on timing and defenses to play fast and quickly recognize an opposing offense. The COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on all the tournaments in 2020 and most last year. But they’re now back in full swing. And it started in Mesa on Memorial Day weekend with the Gotta Believe Athletic Club’s annual high school championships. “From a high school perspective running this tournament with the guys we have involved, it’s the best,” Mesa coach and founder of Gotta Believe Athletic Club Chad DeGrenier said. “IT’s been nice to see the competition, the sportsmanship, all those things that kinda got lost but hopefully it’s all coming back to center.” DeGrenier is in his 12th year hosting the camp. In previous years, it was held at Fear Farm in the West Valley or Scottsdale. This year, however, he aimed to show off the upgrades to Mesa’s athletic facilities. Some pool play games were played on Mesa’s new turf field. The big man competition was held on the football team’s practice field just behind the east bleachers. Other games took place on the baseball fields. There were more than 40

The tournament, held at Mesa High School, featured more than 40 teams from across the Valley. Each team played a minimum of four games, which included pool play with a chance to move on to the championship. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)

Queen Creek head football coach Ty Detmer said the start of summer 7s and big man competitions allows his players to finally compete against other teams while helping them identify areas of improvement before the season. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)

schools involved. “You come out of spring ball and you’re kind of tired of practicing against yourself,” American Leadership Academy – Queen Creek coach Ty Detmer said. “It’s good to get out with other teams and see what the new look is because everyone

changes from year to year. It’s an opportunity to get the boys out, compete and see what you’ve got to work on from there.” ALA – Queen Creek was one of the Open Division teams from last season involved in the tournament. Hamilton, an Open Division semifinalist last year and runner-up the year before, brought two teams to the GBAC tournament. The maroon squad, its varsity team, went 5-1 on the day, advancing deep into the final bracket before losing to Northwest Christian. The results, however, aren’t at the forefront of the minds of coaches during tournaments of this caliber. They want their players to enjoy the competition. “We just work on what we do schematically,” Hamilton coach Mike Zdebski said. “Win, lose or draw, we just use this as an opportunity to work on what we are going to do in the season schematically. We just want to get better.” Basha, a team on the rise the last two seasons, returns all its key starters from last year’s Open Division team. While

some of them were absent from Saturday’s tournament, the Bears still managed to run the table and go a perfect 7-0 on the day to win the tournament title. Junior quarterback Demond Williams looked to be in midseason form with his deep ball and overall pocket awareness. He knows it will become more challenging when facing a full defense. But nonetheless, he was happy to get a chance to throw against other teams for the first time this summer. “It’s really about building our team chemistry,” Williams said. “I feel like that’s something we lacked last year. We’re a family this year, we all have the same mindset and the same goal.” Like others, Basha plans to take part in other tournaments this summer, most notably at the two biggest universities in the state. Mountain Pointe is one of those that will take part, beginning with Arizona on June 6 and Arizona State on June 9. The Pride will also attend Higley’s 7s passing league beginning June 14 and Flight Club on June 25 in Maricopa, a mega-tournament hosted by Arizona Varsity’s Chilly. “We started late because we wanted to let out track guys get finished,” Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer said. “We are still auditioning some guys for a part so it’s nice to get this first one under our belt. Now we will go back to the drawing board to get guys in the right position and we’ll get our work in with 7-on-7.” DeGrenier said he will continue to host the GBAC tournament for as long as teams continue signing up to compete. He enjoys providing an outlet for high school teams to get geared up for the season. And they appreciate him for doing it. “I love doing this,” DeGrenier said. “I can go home and say we had a great tournament with great teams and had great refs. At the end of the day, kids got better. That’s why we do this tournament.”

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Try this Argentinian approach to barbecued steak

emorial Day BBQing was the kick-off to summertime! But America is not the only one that loves BBQ. Argentinean asado is akin to the American barbecue: an outdoor cookout replete with salty slowcooked meats, delicious red wine and a roaring wood fire. Considered the national dish of Argentina, asado is both a social event and a traditional method for cooking beef, pork and lamb. For asado, the main course is all about the meat. Flanken steak is one of the most popular cuts of meat for asado, which is found in Southwestern and Asian markets as well as most grocery stores. Other favorites for the asado grill are chorizo, beef ribs and even grilled provolone. Never marinated or heavily seasoned with dry rubs, asado meat is seasoned only with salt which

Ingredients: (Makes about 1 ½ cups) 2 lbs. Skirt Steak 1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley ¼ cup (packed) fresh cilantro 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 3/4 cup olive oil

is rubbed into every nook and cranny, coating it entirely. Well -marbled cuts like the skirt or hanger steak are popular choices as well as beef tenderloin or the tri-tip. I had a hankering for skirt steak, so I fired up the grill and prepared the slather that would make this BBQ the best. While Americans love their marinades and rubs for grilled meats versus simply salting it, we have embraced the classic accompaniment to the Argentine asado: chimichurri sauce. This bright blend of herbs, oil and vinegar makes it the perfect paring for grilled meats, chicken and even shrimp. It’s the beginning of a long, hot summer and grills will be used aplenty! I think, you’ll enjoy this skirt steak with chimichurri sauce recipe year round as a go-to finishing sauce.

Directions: Heat Grill. Salt and pepper Skirt Steak on both sides. Grill steak for 3-4 minutes on each side (or less for medium rare.) Make sauce. Combine all ingredients in a food processor (except vinegar and oil) and pulse until roughly chopped. Add vinegar and oil and pulse until combined. Thin with a little water if necessary. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature. (Can be made one day ahead) Notes: I found the perfect cut of asado beef called beef flanken style short ribs as well as and a cured longaniza (similar to chorizo) at Food City.

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