QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 11, 2022

3 Arizona counties may sue feds over QC water deal

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Queen Creek Town Council has given final approval to the transfer of a $27-million purchase of Colorado River water from GSC Farm in Cibola that could provide 2,033-acre feet of water a year – enough to meet the average annual water consumption by more than 7,100 households.

But in addition to federal and geographical hurdles, the town may find the so-called Greenstone deal mired in a new threat – a lawsuit by three Arizona counties against the federal Bureau of Reclamation for signing off on it.

Mohave County Supervisor Travis Lingenfelter told the Queen Creek Tribune that his county, as well as La Paz and Yuma counties, are poised to join forces and sue the bureau over its “finding of no significant impact” in a

In 11 months, QC Police answered 25K service calls

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

With nearly a year under its belt, the Queen Creek Police Department has responded to nearly 25,000 total service calls ranging from traffic stops and noise complaints to violent crimes and human trafficking cases.

That is up from between 6,000 and 7,000 annual calls prior to the department’s formation, when Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies patrolled the town and were stretched to keep up.

“But you see, we have more proactive calls than we have reactive calls,” Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Bryce told the town Economic Development Commission recently.

Proactive policing involves getting out in front of crimes to prevent them before they happen, and working with the community to reduce criminal activity as opposed to reactive policing, which occurs when officers respond to a crime that has already happened, according to the National Institute of Justice.

“Proactive policing strategies hold great promise to prevent

Let it rain

review of the deal.

“It’s not only a transfer of water, but a transfer of wealth,” said Lingenfelter. “This is like a reverse Robin Hood scenario where they are taking from the poor and giving to the rich. We already don’t have water to spare. It’s still like the wild, wild west out here and the Legislature has done a terrible job or protecting rural people.”

That seemed to be the motto of Queen Creek residents on Nov. 4 when steady rains left the town’s annual Christmas parade soggy but unbowed. Scores of people turned out anyway for the celebration, including the Queen Creek Tribune, which provided a photo booth for spectators and participants to capture the moment. Some of those photos can be seen on page 14. (Quinton Kendall/ Tribune Contributor)

Millions at stake for schools in special session stalemate

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Lame duck Gov. Doug Ducey said last week that he won’t call a special legislative session to deal with problems with school funding before his term ends this month until he gets a promise that lawmakers will deal with some issues on his own agenda.

And that could scuttle any chance of giving schools an immediate assurance they won’t have to cut more than a billion dollars from their spending plans by July 1.

Hanging in the balance is tens of millions of dollars that East Valley school districts won’t be able to spend in the last quarter of the current school year even though they have the money – including an estimated $14.4 million for Queen Creek Unified School District.

The governor acknowledged on Dec. 5 that he had agreed to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol to waive the “aggregate expenditure limit’’ if he could be shown that the votes were there. Such a move requires 20 of the 30 senators and 40 of the 60 representatives. Lawmakers from both parties who sup-

port the waiver said last week they have the votes.

But Ducey, whose term is up at the end of the month, said that’s not enough.

“There are things in addition to the AEL that I’d like to see get done,’’ he said. The governor would not elaborate.

But Daniel Ruiz, his chief of staff, said providing even more state funds in vouchers for students to pay for private and parochial schools is “certainly a priority that’s been discussed.’’ So, too, he said, are issues ranging from border security to changes in election laws.

And that could scuttle any chance of quick resolution of the issue.

That would leave other East Valley districts in the lurch come spring, including Higley with $16 million it can’t spend, Gilbert Public Schools with $39.9 million, Chandler Unified with $54.4 million and Mesa Public Schools with $73.8 million in funds they have but can’t touch.

The problem is a constitutional cap, approved by voters in 1980, of how much can be spent each year on K-12 education. Adjusted for inflation and student growth,

State Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, said that Gov. Doug Ducey has so far failed to call a special legislative session to prevent big cuts in school spending despite a promise by his staff to do so. (Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services)

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from page 3

that limit now is $6.4 billion.

Lawmakers approved a major infusion of new funds for the current school year. Based on that, schools prepared budgets totaling nearly $7.8 billion.

Without a waiver by March 1, schools would have to reduce their annual spending by nearly 18%. More to the point, they would have to make those cuts in just a three-month period, a move that several school officials said would lead to layoffs and school closures.

Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, who chairs the House Education Committee, said lawmakers who voted for the budget were assured that Ducey would support a special session by the end of this year. That would end the uncertainty, especially with a new crop of lawmakers taking office in January who had nothing to do with the approved budget and nothing to do with the bipartisan deal that made it possible.

Ducey, who has repeatedly touted his role in increasing K-12 funding, said Monday that bringing lawmakers to the Capitol between now and the end of the year is not that simple.

“We’re not going to do a special session

unless we can get it done,’’ he said. And Ruiz said that means adding things to the agenda that the governor and Republican lawmakers want.

“That’s not the deal,’’ said Sen. Sean Bowie, D-Phoenix, one of the bipartisan group of lawmakers who hammered out the budget deal.

“The deal was we would pass this budget which he signed and celebrated after we passed it and we would get the special session on the AEL,’’ he said.

What changed, Bowie said, is that the November election didn’t turn out the way that Ducey wanted.

“I’m sure he would like to do other things, too, especially since he’s going to have a Democratic successor,’’ he said.

Ducey, constitutionally precluded from seeking a third term, had backed fellow Republican Kari Lake. In fact, he said she was a better choice to continue his priorities like vouchers and tax cuts.

Lake, however, lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs who will have the ability to veto the priorities of the Legislature which remains narrowly in Republican hands. But Bowie said that’s irrelevant to what Ducey offered Democrats last spring.

“The deal was we pass the budget, we

provided the votes for the budget that it needed to get across the finish line,’’ Bowie said. Ducey needed those Democratic votes as several GOP lawmakers refused to support the $15.6 billion state spending plan.

At least part of the reason schools are up against the spending cap is that budget immediately added $526 million to base education funding for K-12 schools, an 8.8% increase. And it provides a $50 million infusion in “opportunity’’’ funds, dollars earmarked to help students who come from low-income households.

Complicating matters is the cap is based on prior year enrollment. And that dropped due to COVID.

Ruiz said it’s not just his boss who wants to discuss more than school spending. He said some members of the Republican-controlled Legislature say they want other items added to the agenda if there’s going to be a special session.

It’s not just election and border issues.

There also are lawmakers who want the governor to reconsider his veto earlier this year of a measure which would have allowed Maricopa County residents to decide whether to extend the half-cent sales tax which funds transportation projects. Absent legislative authorization for a vote, the levy ends in 2025.

And then there are vouchers. Formally known as “empowerment scholarship accounts,’’ they provide state dollars for private and parochial school tuition and costs.

Originally started more than a decade ago to help students with special needs, GOP lawmakers voted this year to make them available to any of the 1.1 million students in public schools.

Now, however, some supporters say the vouchers, which average around $7,000, are insufficient to entice parents to put their children in private schools because they often don’t cover the cost. So they want to pursue an increase now, one that long-time voucher supporter Ducey likely would sign -- but one that could easily meet a different fate under Gov. Hobbs.

Bowie said the push now by GOP lawmakers for something that wasn’t on the table when the deal was cut is no surprise.

“They kind of view it as their last opportunity to get some policy goals of theirs passed that they haven’t been able to,’’ he said. “They intentionally want to hold the AEL hostage in exchange for that.’’ 

and reduce crime and potentially improve relations between officers and the communities they serve,” the institute says.

There are four types of proactive policing: Place-based, which focuses on reversing crime trends that are often centralized in a small geographic area, such as what Queen Creek is experiencing now at the local Home Depot.

“They get shopliftings three, four times a day,” Bryce said. “It’s the mecca of shoplifting on the west side. All the Mesa bad guys come in there and go back to Mesa. Never a dull moment up there.”

Another aspect of proactive policing involves indentifying problems and addressing the causes of certain types of crime. An example would include adding additional lighting to known high crime areas, like a street corner or parking.

Person-focused proactive policing centers repeat offenders. “Examples include focused deterrence and stop, question and frisk operations,” according to the NIJ.

Community-based proactive policing is exactly what is sounds like: using resources within the community to identify crime and notify police. Those can include neighborhood watch groups, for example, or video camera footage that residents can provide to police as evidence.

Bryce indicated that community-based proactive policing can include educating residents.

“It’s kind of funny in one sense, but people still feel like they live in Mayberry,” Bryce said, adding that “96% of all our property crime is because people left their car unlocked, their door unlocked, their garage door open, their side gate open.”

“Think about that,” Bryce said. “We could almost eradicate property crime here if people would just lock their stuff up. People leave guns, car keys, laptops, and this time of year Christmas presents, large dollar items just sitting in their front seat and they’re surprised when somebody steals it at night.”

Of the 25,000 service calls that the department responded to, 6,000 have been traffic stops and a third of those resulted in citations, according to the department’s data.

“We are very proactive when it comes to traffic,” Bryce said. “I think we need to triple what we are doing, and we are requesting more staff to do that. You can imagine my resources are stretched very thin. We look at where can we make the

best impact while still trying to still manage all the traffic.

“Ironwood and 24th is the new bane of my existence,” he said. “People cannot drive that intersection without crashing into each other. It’s driving me crazy. I’m waiting for Meridian now that we got that open to be my next problem.”

Among those traffic stops are “lots of DUIs,” Bryce said.

In the first year, the department reported 121 DUIs, but, according to Bryce, that number appears relatively low and probably an under-reported figure because the department simply does not have enough staff to devote more than two full-time officers to tracking DUIs.

“When I start adding more staff, I guarantee you we are going to triple, quadruple the number of DUIs,” Bryce said. “That’s what kind of a DUI problem we have at night here and it’s an important

safety thing that we are working on.”

The department recently received two grants totaling $132,377 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to focus on reducing DUIs in Queen Creek.

“Our DUI enforcement continues to be one of our top five arrests in the town so we are very active in DUI enforcement,” Bryce told the Tribune.

The money enabled the department to deploy a more robust traffic task force with more equipment used to test for intoxicated driving, hand-held radar guns and a specially equipped police vehicle.

Queen Creek also continues to focus on other dangerous crimes.

“To be frank, there are a lot of bad sex crimes that we have here.” Bryce said. “It is a variety of things. Some are cases that happened ten years ago and they get disclosed. But 40% of my investigations case load are sex crimes.”

Bryce said the department has been working closely with the Queen Creek Unified School District to educate students about the prevalence and dangers of predators and has launched various public awareness campaigns to educate the general public, too.

Bryce said the department has also worked with the school district to change the perception of police or the reaction parents and the public have when there are police cars at the schools.

Oftentimes police are there for no other reason than to interact causally with students.

That drew hearty support at the meeting from Queen Creek Unified Superintendent Dr. Perry Berry, who told Bryce at the meeting:

“I don’t want to jinx you but I haven’t heard anything negative about the attention you are giving the schools and everything that you are doing.”

The department recently hired a new officer to foster engagement with schools and the public in general, trying to change what the chief said has become an overly scrutinized and negative perception of the police.

It has also launched a program to train officers in the safest and most effective way for police to interact with autistic kids and patients with dementia, and is making effective use of technology to tackle one of Queen Creek’s vexing and most persistent problems – missing persons.

“Missing persons is ridiculous here,” Bryce said. “We have more runaways, more missing people than I have ever seen in my jurisdiction. It’s really, really, busy with that.”

Bryce offered no reason for the missing persons/runaway problem, but did say the department will continue to make it an area of focus.

In its first year of existence, the Queen Creek Police Deparment has grown to 88 total staffers, with 74 sworn police officers and 14 support staff.

“It’s been a labor of love,” Bryce said. “We’re rocking.’ We’re doing lots of things. It’s like dog years. Everybody says ‘we’ve been doing this forever.’ No, it’s only been 11 months.”

Calls involving suspicious persons lead the list of the 10 most frequent types of calls Queen Creek Police have received since the department’s formation in January. (Queen Creek Police)

Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Bryce said he expects more DUI arrests as he adds more manpower. (Queen Creek Police)

Meta boosts QC Unified robotics program

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has donated $55,000 to Queen Creek Unified to boost the robotics programs the district’s two junior high schools.

“This will help grow our programs and bring new students into the realm of technology and engineering,” said junior high robotics teacher Michael Larson. “Thank you, Meta, for investing in the education of the Queen Creek community!”

Larson said Meta’s donation will “help build future tech leaders.”

The robotics program is a part of the curriculum that focuses heavily on bolstering the schools’ science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM courses for students.

While Queen Creek schools have gotten a lot of attention for double digit student growth, they are becoming known for other things, too.

Robotics programs have gotten a reputation of punching above their weight, according to outgoing Governing Board President Ken Brague, and the school will continue to build on that.

“We ended up having an incredible robotics program because we have engineering parents, volunteers who come in and build these things up because of their interests,” Brague said.

“It’s another part of the community that benefits these kids. We have had amazing outcomes for our robotics teams.”

Brague said the kids are so well educated in robotics at the junior high school level that the district is allowing them to “play up” at annual statewide robotics

competitions.

“It’s usually a high school competition but we sent a middle high school robotics team and they did phenomenally well at state,” he said. “There are third graders doing coding with robots.

“We are teaching robotics and coding from early elementary school years all the way up to more advanced things in high schools.”

Brague, attending his final meeting as a member of the Queen Creek school board, credited the town’s focus on building partnerships and cultivating relationships with businesses coming to town for the Meta donation.

“Queen Creek is heavily involved in community outreach and getting to know our

neighbors,” Brague said. “We have all of these industries coming into town … there are so many different opportunities and I really like to get partnerships with the surrounding area so that our students can be interns, shadow professionals, have those professionals come and speak and see what different opportunities are out there.”

Brague has said that partnerships are key to the schools’ success and even though he will no longer be part of the governing board, he intends to continue helping pursues those partnerships on behalf of students.

He hopes to cultivate relationships by joining The Queen Creek Schools Education Foundation, which, according to its

website, “partners with the community and businesses to promote excellence through leadership in education.”

Queen Creek Unified Superintendent Dr. Perry Berry reiterated the importance of the schools’ partnerships with companies such as Meta.

“This generous donation will create unique opportunities for our students and we are thankful for their partnership,” Berry said.

“In Queen Creek, we realize partnerships work in both ways and we work to instill a sense of community and student leadership in our student population.”

The Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce recently held a business and education summit to address what it said is a lack of work-ready students graduating high school.

According to Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence, a STEM-based education curriculum can change that.

“Too many Arizona students are graduating high school unprepared for college and the workforce,” the center’s website says. “STEM learning in out-of-school time programs enables Arizona youth to develop the critical thinking, communications, and problem-solving skills to participate in the increasingly competitive global economy.”

The district will use the money to buy classroom robotics kits for students, and to develop interactive engineering opportunities at all of the district’s junior high schools.

“Our robotics programs need it,” Brague said. “We recognize how important the sciences are and STEM is and one thing we wanted to focus on is real life science and robotics is real life.

“I think you cannot fail exposing these kids to more and more things, like robotics.” 

The state Department of Education has championed a relationship involving families, students, schools and private industry. (Arizona DOE)

ASU building delivers ‘wow’ factor to Mesa

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

The City of Mesa and Arizona State University’s $100 million Media and Immersive eXperience Center building in downtown Mesa is nearing the end of its first semester of hosting students in film, media arts and emerging technology after opening in August.

ASU said 700 students currently use the facilities at the MIX Center, and beginning this fall, college students could be seen stepping off light rail or crossing 1st Street between the new building and the Mesa Convention Center parking lot to reach the building.

Nancy Hormann, president of the Downtown Mesa Association, said local property owners are noticing students going to and from the building, but so far there hasn’t been a huge influx of customers to local businesses.

Hormann is expecting more direct impacts as the volume of students using the MIX Center increases in coming semesters – one of the big homes and promises by city officials when they approved spending more than $60 million to get it built.

“We have seen a small increase in a younger clientele base that’s been coming into our facility here at 12 West Brewing,” Chuck Fowler, manager of Main Street’s 12 West Brewing told the Tribune.

“We believe that foot traffic business will continue to increase as the students get more settled into the neighborhood and as all the residential projects begin to fill up with tenants,” he added.

The ASU at Mesa City Center project does not include student housing, but there are currently about 900 residential units under construction downtown and 400 units have been completed in recent years.

“Our later night life has always seen slower growth; however with more food and beverage businesses staying open later and as the students begin to take notice, I’m confident we will become a bustling destination spot for them,” Fowler said.

One of the biggest gains for downtown so far, Hormann said, has been in changing perceptions of the neighborhood.

She said the MIX Center has added to the area’s “cool factor” and that her asso-

PHX East Valley Partnership members were wowed this month by the state-of-the-art theater in the new Arizona State University Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center in downtown Mesa that is the home of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School and part of the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

ciation has received an increasing number of inquiries from people and businesses interested in moving to downtown.

The city of Mesa spent $64 million on the building’s design and construction, and ASU put another $33 million into the interior and technology.

The university has a 99-year lease with the city for $100,000 per year, and ASU is responsible for all operating costs as well as other conditions.

The full payoff of the MIX Center has yet to be seen, but one thing is clear: the building shows well to visitors, and the millions put into its design and technology have delivered a building with several show-stopping features.

When MIX Director Jake Pinholster was showing the building this month to members of the PHX East Valley Partnership, a coalition of regional leaders who advocate for the East Valley, someone let out an audible “wow” as they entered the MIX Center’s 261-seat Large Screening Theater.

As tour-goers walked through the theater doors, down an aisle and then out

into the open theater space, outside noise evaporated and speech became crisp as the walls absorbed sound, thanks to world-class insulation throughout the building, Pinholster said.

The theater’s height takes up two floors, and vertical light bars glowing on the walls emphasize the volume of the 5,000-square-foot theater.

The scale and polish of the theater was unexpected.

The entire building is packed with features that are difficult for the untrained eye to see.

Pinholster pointed out small air vents in the floor of the theater for heating and cooling. HVAC is a critical part of the building, as filmmaking spaces need AC that is effective but silent.

Consequently, the architect’s paid a lot of attention to how air moves through the building, Pinholster said.

The large theater is not fully operational yet because the MIX Center is still waiting for digital projection equipment to arrive, slowed due to supply chain issues, he said.

When the theater is ready to screen films, Pinholster said ASU plans to host

movie-showings on the weekends open to the public. Films will include classics, niche documentaries and student work.

But already the MIX Center is hosting public events. Next weekend, on Dec. 2 and 3, the MIX Center will host the Mesa International Film Center in two smaller theaters and classrooms in the building.

The MIX Center is well-suited to events as many elements of the building are customizable. Pinholster paused on the tour to show off a “pocket door” –basically an entire wall – in a classroom that can be opened to create a breezeway through the first floor of the buildings.

Pinholster envisions the building as a community asset, which is consistent with ASU’s philosophy of expanding “access” to education, as well as the partnership between the city and ASU.

Anybody can take a class at the MIX Center, Pinholster said, and he said the facility was designed to not be its own school, but serve as a resource for people in a variety of disciplines and programs.

Community members not affiliated with ASU will be able to reserve the professional-quality production spaces when not in use by students.

The facilities include four soundstages with all the equipment of a professional studio, including make up rooms, lighting, cameras and “elephant doors” for moving large sets from on site workshops to the studio.

Pinholster said Mayor John Giles was scheduled to film his state of the city address last week.

Walking onto one of the sound stages

felt like being transported to a Hollywood set, as the black walls, robust insulation and lighting signaled tour goers were entering a special space focused on making movie magic.

Pinholster boasts that the MIX Center has more resources in one building for creating films, virtual worlds and mixed reality arts than any other school.

“This is quite a place. It blows your mind,” EVP Vice President Mike Hutchinson said after the tour.

Before taking the tour, EVP heard an update from Mesa’s Downtown Development Manager Jeff McVay on redevelopment in the historic city center and how the MIX Center fits into the city’s vision to reinvigorate it.

The theory for bringing ASU to Mesa, McVay explained is that attractive entrepreneurial hubs, or Innovation Districts, need an “anchor institution,” usually either a university or a teaching hospital.

McVay said that ASU’s satellite campus in Phoenix helped ignite a revitalization in that city’s downton district, and they are looking for a similar transformation in downtown Mesa.

The ASU presence, which includes a collaboration on a business incubator in the old library next to the City Council Chambers, came together after Mesa voters rejected a plan to tax themselves to put a larger ASU campus downtown in 2016.

Change did not come to downtown overnight when ASU’s scaled down presence launched this fall, but downtown business leaders think the MIX Center has helped awaken a sleeping giant.

Student Choice. Student Voice.

The new ASU MIX Center in Mesa has a huge outdoor movie screen for showing students’ work to the public. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

“We are unified up and down the river,” Lingenfelter said. “Transfers like this take away the ability of our people to grow. From a human standpoint the ability of rural people to grow and prosper is just as important as it is for urban people.”

The water would be routed from Lake Mead into the Central Arizona Project at Lake Havasu, where it will begin its circuitous journey through the series of dams and concrete canals to Queen Creek.

“One of the town’s strategic objectives is to acquire long-term water resources “and be a designated assured water supplier,” Jessica Platt, town financial services manager, told the council last week.

The bureau’s finding of no significant impact cleared the way for the council approval.

Council’s action means that water can be legally off loaded from the CAP system into huge, earthen storage basins. It then percolates down to Queen Creek’s existing aquifer, the same way the Egyptians used to filter and store their water, according to Paul Gardner, town utilities director

“The philosophy is to stretch the groundwater out to maybe 200 years or 300, where it almost becomes sustainable

... to where that aquifer just becomes what we would consider the storage facility and water treatment plant for us,” he said.

The transaction started back in 2018 when Queen Creek began talking with GSC Farm about selling a portion of its water rights. After public hearings, challenges

is finally coming full circle.

“We are nearing completion of that transaction,” Platt said. “We are hoping to get this completed as soon as possible.”

The town will purchase the water rights from GSC Farm with a loan from what is known as the Water Infrastructure Financing Authority of Arizona at a rate of 4% as opposed to a rate of 5% or higher, which is what Platt said the town would pay on the open market.

The state uses the interest paid on loans like these to help smaller markets who are struggling with water infrastructure costs.

Vice Mayor Jeff Brown encouraged his fellow council members to approve the final details of the deal, given that the possibility of more interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.

“Interest rates aren’t getting any lower and water’s not getting any less expensive,” Brown said, thanking his colleagues for their approval of the deal. “We will be able to lock in a lower interest rate. Thank you to all of my fellow council members for that.”

But Lingenfelter said deals like this could set a bad precedent for similar deals in the future.

Two weeks after it got final federal ap

proval for the Greenstone deal, Queen Creek spent $30-million on half a million-acre feet of water stored in the underground Harquahala aquifers west of Phoenix, adding still more reserves to its underground supply.

“We are going to continue to be aggressive,” Gardner said then. The Harquahala basin is one of three that was protected by state law in the 1990s, restricting that water from being sold or moved until urban areas, like suburban Phoenix, needed it.

Gardner last fall told the Tribune that Queen Creek’s water purchases and its transfer from rural to urban places is “really nothing new.”

“Arizona has always moved the water to where the people are – never the other way around,” he said.

Lingenfelter remains resolved and said the counties will file their lawsuit against the Bureau of Reclamation “very soon.”

He does not, however, seem to be operating under any illusion that the sale will be averted or overturned and thinks the odds are stacked against rural people.

“Water flows, towards money,” he said. “Everyone knows that.”

Platt said the town’s share of the Greenstone water will start arriving in February. 

WARNING!

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 antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

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

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

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

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

1. Finding the underlying cause

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

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

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

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

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

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

It’s completely painless!

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New Valley housing data may cheer home sellers

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

Abig silver lining for Valley home sellers could be emerging in the dark cloud hanging over the Valley housing market.

The Cromford Report, the Valley’s leading analyst of the local housing market, reported on two trends that may ultimately spell encouraging news for sellers – and dismal news for buyers.

On the one hand, it said, the weakening in the housing market in the last three months appears to be slowing down, suggesting “the overall deterioration for sellers is starting to decelerate,” the Cromford Report said.

And despite a significant decline in demand, it noted, building permits issued for new single-family homes Maricopa and Pinal counties have plummeted –setting up a return next year to the same dearth in inventory that helped propel the soaring home prices of the last two years.

up more than 30% over this time last year. 2022 will be by far the strongest year ever for multi-family unit permits.

While square foot price continues a downward drift, the report said, it has not occurred “at any alarming rate,” the report stated, adding that the current price is $274 compared to $279 in September – a 1% decline but still above the square foot price of 2021.

“Although the lack of demand causes concern,” it noted, “the shortage of supply goes a long way to counter-balance this and downward pressure on prices is fairly light.”

At the same time, the Valley’s 17 housing submarkets – including Queen Creek – are showing encouraging trends for sellers.

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“The single-family building permit counts have collapsed, with only 1,149 being issued in October 2022 for Maricopa and Pinal counties,” it said. “This is the lowest monthly total since February 2015. It is also down 53% from October 2021.”

Noting that “the single-family permit count year-to-date is 24,442 which is lower than all years from 1996 to 2006,” it warned:

“With such a drop in building plans, we are setting ourselves up for a shortage of supply next year should interest rates drop and demand for purchased single-family homes recover.”

That doesn’t mean building has slowed –it’s just not in the single-family home arena.

“The situation is completely different with multifamily permits in Maricopa and Pinal,” the Cromford Report said. “The construction of multifamily units is accelerating and we now have 15,925 units year-to-date as of October 2022. This is

“There are numerous signs that the situation is starting to improve gradually over the last two weeks,” it said, counting Phoenix and all East Valley communities among those where inventory is falling –thus counteracting any impact a decline in demand might have on prices.

“Those who think the housing market is a bursting bubble are obviously wrong,” the Cromford Report said. “In a bubble we have a stampede of sellers trying to get out. You could be forgiven for thinking a bubble was bursting in June, but there is no evidence to support that conclusion today. We have a tired and low-volume market, but supply and demand are both very weak.

“If new supply stays as low as it is now, it would not take a large increase in demand to go back to a balanced market.”

It also predicted supply would continue to drop into next year, noting, “we have fewer than 7,000 listings under contract across all areas and types and we really should be well over 9,000 in a normal market.”

“There has been relatively little discussion about the weakness of housing supply,” it said. “When we look at new listings arriving into the ARMLS database, we see a startling drop off in all the numbers.” 

Christmas in the air – and so was rain

Umbrellas and other rain gear were the order of the day at Queen Creek’s Christmas celebration Dec. 4, but the smiles of young and old alike showed that no one was going to let the weather dampen their spirits. At the Queen Creek Tribune photo both, Times Local Media advertising rep Gordon Wood and his wife Rae dressed as The Grinch and Cindylou and hammed it up with parade goers. (Special to the Tribune)

New QC vet clinic offers state-of-the-art pet care

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

The new ARISE Veterinary Center has opened in Queen Creek, bringing pet owners round-the-clock emergency medical services in a sparkling, new 33,000-square-foot, state of the art critical care hospital and specialty clinic on the southeast corner of Rittenhouse and Ellsworth roads.

“We’re calling it our flagship hospital,” said Marketing Manager Nicole Martin. “We’re excited to be part of the Queen Creek community and really provide patient care.”

Half of the two-story building’s first floor is dedicated to emergency care, including an advanced 128-slice computed tomography machine, ultrasound, endoscope and radiography equipment.

And on the other is a top-tier MRI machine, a ventilator, and advanced life-saving technology. There are 34 exam rooms and five dedicated surgery suites.

“The design, the thought behind it – all of it. It’s exciting because it was really just a dirt lot,” Martin said.

“It’s going to be for dog and cat patients only,” said Martin, adding that “ARISE” stands for Arizona Regional, Intensive Care, Specialty & Emergency.

It is the first multi-specialty hospital in Arizona built from the ground up by National Veterinary Associates, a private, for-profit company that describes itself as “a leading global veterinary community of more than 1,400 veterinary hospitals and pet resorts united in the love of animals and the people who love them.”

The pet business has become big business as adoptions have risen and people are investing in their dogs and cats like never before.

“Americans spent $124-billion on their pets last year alone, and about a third of that was on veterinary care,” said Dr. David Haworth, a veterinarian who founded Vidium Animal Health, which

has developed a cancer test for dogs and is associated with the Translational Genomic Institute in Phoenix.

“Many families are willing to spend whatever it takes to get the best care for their pets and clinics like ARISE provide a level of care just not available at general practices,” he said.

There are 22 specialties recognized by

the American Veterinary Medical Association an 10 of them will be treated by veterinarians at ARISE, including cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, and oncology.

“You wouldn’t want to take a human family member to a family practitioner for abdominal surgery, and many pet parents don’t want general practitioners

to perform surgery on their pet when they have the option of a specialist,” Haworth said.

This makes ARISE better positioned to treat sick dogs and cats that need special medical attention, and able do so much more effectively than the family veterinarian, who can avoid spending thousands of dollars on specialty equipment that they would rarely use.

“They can send those pets with complicated conditions to specialists, so they can be efficient with their time, skill level and equipment needs,” Haworth said. “Emergency and specialty practices are really the wave of the future, just like they were in human medicine several decades ago.”

Moreover, getting treatment can be faster at ARISE than at many veterinarian offices.

Martin said, however, that ARISE is not trying to replace the family vet, but work with them.

“If you have a preferred family vet, we want you to call them first because you have built a relationship with them,” she said.

“If they are not available and can’t see you, or booked up for two weeks, and can’t see you, or it’s an urgent care situation, you can bring your pet to ARISE.”

The dogs and cats are referred to as “patients,” the veterinary doctors as “providers” and the exam rooms as “surgical suites,” not terms that have historically been associated with neighborhood vet clinics.

“We definitely used Mayo as our inspiration as to how we wanted this hospital to be built and our culture is very similar to Mayo culture,” said ARISE Medical Director and Chief Veterinarian Dr. Brandi Mattison.

“At Mayo Hospital, the central factor is always the patient, and how can the different specialties and disciplines come

ARISE Veterinary Center in Queen Creek offers state-of-the-art technology and equipment to treat ailing pets. (Special to the Tribune)

together to consult for that one patient if they are needing the experience of multiple specialties, and we wanted that all to be available in one hospital,” Mattison said.

The ARISE clinic also has been designed to take the needs of the veterinarians into account, too.

A recent report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association said “more than three decades of data shows that veterinarians are up to 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than members of the general population.”

The report cites the specific conditions that specialty providers at ARISE will likely encounter at work.

“Vets who worked in clinical positions and specialized in treating small and

companion animals, such as dogs and cats, had especially high rates of suicide, perhaps in part due to the emotional demands involved in that line of work,” the report read.

Mattison said ARISE had the dire statistics and the veterinarians themselves in mind during the design phase for the clinic.

“In an effort to really aid us to take care of ourselves in order to provide patient care, we really wanted the environment to be one that was compatible and had areas of being able to remove yourself from stress for a little while,” he said.

“We have a ton of windows and we have patios that are dedicated to our staff,” Mattison said.

“We have the capabilities to really provide a high level of medical care for pets,” Martin said.

Information: arisevetcenter.com 

HAVE BUSINESS NEWS?

ARISE’s Queen Creek facility is its flagship treatment center. (Courtesy of ARISE)

Sinema amnesty bill a not-so-merry ‘gift’ for America

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

Ex-FCC Chairman

Newton H. Minow famously called television “a vast wasteland” in the early 1960’s. But during that decade, the networks consistently aired programs with a singular holiday theme during one special week in December and the practice continued through the rest of the 20th century.

Not just Christmas specials for the kids, featuring Charlie Brown, Rudolph, and Frosty…nor those aimed more at an older demographic, with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Perry Como.

Regularly scheduled prime time shows— regardless of genre—all featured one episode each year with a Christmas theme. Not so with “The Invaders.”

Producer Quinn Martin’s science-fiction series about an alien race from outer space taking over Earth just didn’t lend itself to silver bells, sleigh rides, or “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.”

But now, a long-form Christmas “reality series” may be in production.

The theme is not science fiction, but political science, and it’s airing on C-SPAN 2, the “home channel” of the United States Senate.

With apologies to the late Quinn Martin, call it “The New Invaders: A Christmas Gift.”

Starring in this production is our own Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona). Though her costume designer may hope otherwise, Sinema will probably not challenge Senate decorum by wearing a daringly-styled suit befitting a provocative “Santa’s Helper.”

But make no mistake: Arizona’s senior senator is actively involved as a “political

provocateur.”

She has teamed up with a “co-star,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and together they hope to turn “The World’s Greatest Deliberative Body” into a rapid-delivery gift fulfillment center.

Like a pair of over-caffeinated elves surrounded by empty Red Bull cans, they are hurriedly cobbling together controversial legislation that heretofore has been unable to clear the Senate.

In the spirit of Senators Past (and also “passed”), it’s another pass at amnesty for illegal aliens.

And this time, amid the holiday rush and a rash of Republican Senate retirements, it could very well succeed.

Regular readers may recall that in April there was a prediction in this space of such an occurrence prior to the conclusion of this Congress. But of the quartet of Senators mentioned then, only Tillis

remains. He’s now been joined by Sinema, who’s feeling political heat back home.

Leftist activists found their ardor cooling for Kyrsten when she opposed ending the filibuster.

With widespread speculation that Sinema could face a spirited challenge in the next Democratic primary, Kyrsten has opted to strut her thigh-high boots along a path once shuffled by the wing tips of Dennis DeConcini and the late John McCain.

In August, there was her “high stakes horse trading,” insisting on language in the wildly misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act” that shielded well-heeled investors from a “carried interest” tax increase.

The language was added, Sinema voted “aye,” and her advocacy carried another kind of interest from the investment com-

The rich aren’t interesting – until they are poor

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

e grew up poor. I was the first son of married teenagers who lived in a three-room apartment in New York. My brother and I shared the bedroom and bunk beds until I was 12 and he was 9.

Our parents slept in the living room on a fold-out couch from Levitz. Our mother ironed patches over the knees of the jeans we bought at Sears not because that was the style, but because we couldn’t afford anything better.

Finally, about the time I hit my teenage years, we made it to lower middle class. I even got a couple pairs of Levi’s and Pro Keds as proof.

Fast forward 40-odd years. I’m not poor anymore. Yet I still find myself not trusting

– or much liking – the rich. Maybe it’s envy.

Or maybe F. Scott Fitzgerald was correct in his story “The Rich Boy,” which begins, “‘’Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.’’

WTo which I’ll add, “in ways that can be annoying as hell.”

This is precisely why I’ve enjoyed watching Elon Musk, the world’s richest human, struggle as his latest toy –Twitter – falls apart around him. It’s also why I studiously avoid news coverage of the British Royal Family, especially Californians-come-lately Prince Harry and his wife, former TV actress Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.

Musk reminds me of a few fabulously wealthy folks I have worked for in my day job as a communications consultant.

A brilliant engineer who used his brain to make billions as the mind behind SpaceX and Tesla, Musk has confused his scientific genius and astonishing knack

for making money with the ability to run the world’s most unruly social media cesspool.

Perhaps you’re familiar with the Peter Principle, a management concept that theorizes that workers rise in a hierarchy until they reach their level of incompetence – and there they stay.

Musk seems right about there with Twitter, doddering about as the self-proclaimed “chief Twit,” while his toy hemorrhages users, followers and cash.

Meanwhile, Musk’s every move – and his 10 kids, silly memes, and personal bottom line, currently estimated by Forbes at $185 billion – churn out daily headlines that I work hard to ignore. At least with Musk, there are indisputable accomplishments in the tech and business worlds.

The Royals? If they’ve done much since they lost that war to George Washington, John Adam and Thomas Jefferson, et al, 245 years ago, I must have missed it.

Prince Harry and Meghan seem especially loathsome, given that both whine constantly about problems that are so far beyond “first world,” they’re not even of this galaxy.

Yet somehow a good number of folks seem fascinated: Netflix is releasing a tell-all documentary on the pair as I write this, and Meghan’s podcast won a People’s Choice Award this week. People magazine – nope, not a subscriber – breathlessly reported on the couple “having a glamorous night out in New York City” this week in a story I passed on, along with everything else Sussex-related.

Disliking the rich may not be a popular stance. Newspapers are full of “news” about bajillion-dollar home purchases, massive sports salaries, and profligate spending.

Personally, I find the rich uninteresting

munity—one that bolstered her campaign war chest to the tune of $1.5 million.

It’s now time for Kyrsten to get back to her grassroots on the Left and lavish attention on a long-held priority.

Of course, amnesty also has boosters who claim to be conservative, like Tillis. Namely, it’s the “anything for money” crowd willing to sacrifice our collective national security – and what’s left of any middle-class financial security – all the while shouting “It’s the free market at work!”

Nope. It’s a “market distortion” that floods the workplace with cheap labor and depresses wages for the law-abiding.

But Sinema’s sole focus is political, since the bill will bolster Joe Biden’s efforts to erase the southern border, and will result in millions of “cheap votes” for the Left, helping Democrats achieve their dream of one-party political dominance.

Sinema and Tillis claim that their Amnesty is only for “Dreamers,” but it will be a nightmare to enforce.

Krysten’s Christmas gift to you? America as a “vast wasteland.”

Editor’s note: This column was written before Sen. Sinema announced last week that she has chanegd her registration to independent.

until precisely the moment they aren’t so rich anymore.

One story I did read this week was about one of the wealthiest fellows in Arizona, Ernie Garcia III. Garcia’s personal bottom line dropped 98 percent this year as his company, Carvana, teeters near bankruptcy. Ernie the Third dropped from being worth about $7 billion to less than $120 million.

That I find fascinating. And sad. Though now-multi-millionaire Ernie will probably make out just fine. Rich folks, I learned a long time ago, always do. 

Queen

Perry alum Brock Purdy takes over at QB for 49ers

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

It’s no secret Brock Purdy has thrived as an underdog throughout his football career.

He was overlooked at Perry High School until he was given a shot and led the Pumas to the championship game as a senior. He was overlooked by most universities until the conclusion of his high school career.

Even when he did sign with Iowa State, he was far down the depth chart. But he’s stayed patient and has made the most of every opportunity that has come his way, including being the last pick in last year’s NFL Draft., though San Francisco media labeled him “Mr. Irrelevant.”

Today, Dec. 11, Purdy makes his first NFL start for the San Francisco 49ers. “Mr. Irrelevant” is irrelevant no more.

“It’s inspiring because it applies to life, period,” said Shawn Purdy, Brock’s father. “We knew the draft process was going to be like the recruiting process. We’re just grateful Brock is the kind of person that won’t give up and he’ll continue to do his best with his God given talent.

“It’s very inspiring to see him stay the course. He’s always believed in himself.”

Brock saw action this season as a rookie in the 49ers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in October. It brought back memories of the moment Shawn and his wife, Carrie, saw Brock’s name as the starter for Iowa State for the first time.

It’s hard for him to find words to describe the emotions they will be feeling when he is announced as the starter on the Jumbotron before kickoff Sunday. More than likely, those same emotions from before will be turned up a notch.

“We were blubbering idiots in college,” Shawn said. “We started crying at the Iowa State game when they announced who the starter was. So, I imagine we’ll all be a mess.”

Brock came in last week after starter

Jimmy Garoppolo left the game with a foot injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said postgame he would likely miss the rest of the season. But reports Wednesday said he has a slim shot of coming back late in the postseason.

But the 49ers, who currently lead the division, still have to get there. And they’ll rely on Brock to do it.

Brock finished 25-of-37 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the win over the Dolphins last week. He had some butterflies initially, but once he rolled out and felt contact for the first time, he settled down.

“I feel like there was the whole butterfly feeling like, ‘Alright man, we’re going in. Let’s do this,’” Brock said. “It wasn’t like I was shaking and like, ‘Oh shoot, what do I do? What’s my read?’ None of that. Every single week I act like I’m the starter, prepare like I’m the starter. My name was called, coach (Brian) Griese said, ‘Let’s roll,’ and I went out there thinking what I have to do on the first play.

“Once I got hit, I think it was on a roll out, it felt good to be like, ‘Alright, I got some contact in, now let’s roll and settle down a little bit.’”

In three years at the varsity level for Per-

ry Brock threw for 8,932 yards and 107 touchdowns.

Despite his numerous accolades as a high school player, including being named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017, Brock

wasn’t recruited until after his senior season. Then, the floodgates opened.

Alabama, Texas A&M and Iowa State, among others, pursued him. Once he signed with the Cyclones, he thought he would once again have to wait his turn, but injuries gave him a chance early on to take over as the starter.

He never gave up the starting job as he broke numerous records at Iowa State and led the Cyclones to a win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl in 2021.

Just like in college, former Perry coach Preston Jones thought Brock would have a year to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. If he hasn’t adjusted already, he will have to do so on the fly Sunday.

“It’s amazing. It’s just cool to see it happen to a guy that is such a great person,” Jones said. “I never experienced having someone that talented and that good. Just me being protective... I’m confident he’ll do the same thing he did in high school and college.”

Brock’s first start won’t just be against any other quarterback or team in the league. It comes against Tom Brady, one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time. Shawn said he and Carrie had planned to either attend Brock’s game against the Dolphins last week or Sunday against the Buccaneers. Shawn grew up a Dan Marino fan. Brock wears No. 13 because of him. They chose the Bucs to see Brady in action. It just so happens they will be watching their son play against him.

“It’s funny how in the past we would say jokingly, ‘Man, can you imagine if you end up playing against Tom Brady?’” Shawn said. “And now it’s really happening.”

“I played four years as a starter in college so in terms of 11-on-11 and speed and that kinda stuff, seeing the game, I’ve had that kind of experience,” Brock said.

(File Photo)

“To get in and play and now starting next week and what not, it’s something I’ve always looked forward to and I’ve honestly told myself it’s going to happen. Here we are.” 

Purdy played three seasons at the varsity level at Perry. He led the Pumas to the semifinals as a junior and the championship his senior season. He has always bet on himself to be ready for any opportunity that comes his way in football. Sunday will be no different.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, an East Valley native who played at Perry in Gilbert, is making his first NFL start as a rookie Sunday against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Courtesy Terrell Lloyd/49ers.com)

QC director, thespians help power ‘Les Misérables’

BY KATY SPRINGER GetOut Contributor

It’s been seen by more than 70 million people, performed in more than 40 countries and in 22 languages, and its music is some of the most celebrated in theatrical history.

Now, Places! Productions will bring the epic musical to the East Valley with its staging of “Les Misérables School Edition,” which features a number of Queen Creek teens and is directed by a local resident.

Producing a show of such magnitude and fame is no small undertaking – but Places! has assembled exactly the right cast to pull it off.

The group of 50 youth, including seven Queen Creek actors, will perform Dec. 17-20 at East Valley High School, located at 7420 E. Main St. in Mesa, with a second run planned Jan. 20-22, 2023, at the Mesa Arts Center.

“Les Mis” focuses on the tumultuous world of Jean Valjean, a former convict who spends a lifetime seeking redemption.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France and the aftermath of the French Revolution, this timeless story of intertwined destinies reveals the power of compassion and the quiet evil of indifference to human suffering.

Indeed, all of the passion and drama of the original Broadway production is replicated in the student version – especially with a cast like this one.

Despite its deep storyline and weighty themes, the performers, most of whom are in high school, pull it off with a maturity and talent that bely their youth.

“I think audiences will be amazed by the emotion and voices of these young performers. I hope they will be moved by the message of this powerful piece,” said Allison Houston of Queen Creek, director and music director of “Les Mis” and founding artistic director of Places!

Tim Mills of Chandler, the show’s assistant director, agrees.

“This is probably the most talented cast we’ve ever assembled, and we’ve had some very talented casts in the past,” he said.

Mady King, 13, plays Cosette, a role she shares with Isabelle Etchamendy, also of Queen Creek. She has worked hard to develop her character.

“The hardest part in the show for me was finding how to portray Cosette and learning how to be very proper like her,” said Mady. “I had to learn how to stand and act in a very proper way.”

Preston South, a Queen Creek 13-yearold, plays Feuilly, one of the students who is involved in the revolution.

When asked what challenged him most, he said, “I have had one line I continue to forget but finally figured it out.”

Preston’s younger sister, Audra, plays the role of Gavroche. She, too, has been

hard at work.

“The hardest part is probably remembering all the harmonies in the songs,” she said.

The songs are a big reason for “Les Mis’” worldwide fame.

With music by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, the score includes beloved ballads like “On My Own” and “Bring Him Home” as well as high-impact ensemble numbers including “At the End of the Day” and “One Day More.”

Added Mady, “I think the audience will love ‘One Day More’ because it’s such an exciting and amazing song, and the harmonies sound amazing.”

Houston said the directing team and cast have taken great pains with every aspect of this production, from the set design and costuming to the choreography and character development.

“We have spent a lot of time going back to the source material, the masterpiece that is Victor Hugo›s novel,” she said. “We›ve discussed the characters in depth, including their stories not in the musical, and have a wonderful dramaturg, Kasey Ray.

“Many of the details you see in the costumes, props, set and staging are from the book.”

Added Lily Saba, the show’s choreographer, “We really wanted it to look natural so the dances blend in rather than everyone just breaking out in a dance.”

“Even our most experienced actors are so willing to learn and interested in any direction we provide,” said Mills. “There is an uncommon amount of heart and dedication in this group. They all want to cre-

The Queen Creek cast members in Places! Productions’ “Les Miserables” includes, from left, Mara Chiles, Isabelle Etchamendy, Mady King, Taylor McNeill, Preston South, Audra South,and Rigley Kirkpatrick. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

ate the best possible product and will do whatever it takes.”

Amid the hard work of learning their parts, the cast is having plenty of fun, too.

“I am enjoying the time I get to spend time with the other wonderful people doing the show with me,” said Preston.

Audra agrees.

“I really like getting to be on stage with all my friends,” she said.

As opening day draws near, the cast and directing team are eager to open the show and wow audiences.

“I love the fact that all the singing requires such intense acting, and I love pairing those two together,” said Mady.

Audra feels the same.

“I think the audience will like all the emotion and expression that is in the show,” she said.

The directing team is overwhelmed with pride at what this cast has accomplished.

“I am extremely proud of these kids,” said Saba. “This show is not easy and deals with some really hard topics, and they are handling it with such grace. I end up in tears every time I hear them sing.”

“This cast is incredibly talented, hard-

working, and most importantly, kind and supportive,” said Houston. “They have been amazing at balancing this heavy material with having fun in the rehearsal process. They are a huge age range, and it has been amazing seeing the young learn from the old and the old learn from

the young.”

“Les Misérables School Edition” is specially adapted and licensed through Music Theatre International and Cameron Mackintosh (Overseas) LTD. It is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

Tickets for “Les Mis” are $15 and can be purchased at placesproductionsaz. com. The run includes both matinee and evening performances at East Valley High School and at the Mesa Arts Center.

Discounts are available for teachers, seniors, veterans, first responders and students. Group discounts are also available.

Queen Creek performers

Mara Chiles, 17, Madame Thénardier

Isabelle Etchamendy, 15, Cosette

Rigley Kirkpatrick, 13, Gavroche

Mady King, 13, Cosette

Taylor McNeill, 11, Gavroche’s Gang

Audra South, 11, Gavroche

Preston South, 13, Feuilly/Brujon

If You Go...

What: Les Misérables School Edition Presented by Places! Productions When: Dec. 17-20: East Valley High School, 7420 E. Main St. Jan. 20-22: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. Info: placesproductionsaz.com

Mady King of Queen Creek, playing Cosette, consoles a distraught Ayden Iwan of Mesa, playing Marius in Places! Productions’ “Les Misérables.” (David Minton/ Tribune Staff Photographer)

With JAN D’ATRI

GetOut Columnist

Apple pie ravioli will tempt any taste bud

Start up a conversation about holiday pies and you’ll find that people are passionate and opinionated about their seasonal favorites.

When it comes to pumpkin pie in particular, well, there’s just a lot of opining about the filling, the crust, the topping and the temperature pumpkin pie should be served.

To be perfectly honest, I’ve tried to love pumpkin pie all of my life. I’ve tried it extra-sweet, creamy, cold, whipped cream-topped soft crust, crispy crust and every variation in between. What’s wrong with me?

To this day I find pumpkin pie rather…boring and obligatory. So while I’m waiting for the pumpkin pie recipes from you that will surely change my mind (please!) I’m offering up a pie of a different sort. Delicious, beautifully-presented miniature fruit pie that reflects my Italian heritage; the apple pie ravioli. After all, this is the time of year we do things a little more special, a little more glittery, a little more

Ingredients:

• 4 refrigerated pie dough (2 packages)

• 6-8 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and cut into pieces - can use up to 8 apples)

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (more if needed for sweetness)

• 1/3 cup flour

Directions:

In a medium pot on low heat, cook apples, brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and lemon juice until apples are softened (about 15 minutes - make sure you don’t over-cook apples so they turn to sauce).

After apples are cooked, roll out dough, one package at a time, and cut into approximately 2” squares.

Place about a tablespoon of apple mixture in

memorable.

These apple pie ravioli look like you’ve spent time at a culinary institute, but they’re actually quite simple, beginning with store-bought refrigerated pie dough.

The filling is the same as in a delicious homemade apple pie, and with some dough cutouts and a little sprinkle of decorative sugar, you have gorgeous, individual holiday mini pies that wow. This year, make your holiday dessert table a little extra yummy and extra beautiful with apple pie ravioli!.

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1/2 large lemon, juiced

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tbsp milk

• decorative sugar for sprinkling on top

the center of one square of dough and cover with another square. Pinch around the edges to seal.

If you have a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel, run along the edges to finish.

Brush lightly with egg mixture (egg yolk and milk mixed together) and sprinkle decorative sugar over top. Use leftover dough to make flowers, roses, or leaves.

Bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, or until apple pie ravioli are golden-brown. 

David Archuleta to perform at Chandler Center for Arts

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor

David Archuleta has become known for his holiday tours. But when “David Archuleta: The More the Merrier Christmas Tour” comes to Arizona for two shows, the “American Idol” runner-up promises it will be more intimate.

“That’ll be interesting to see how that goes,” Archuleta says.

“I’m playing with the idea of just being me on stage. Usually, it’s a more of a grandiose kind of Christmas show experience.”

He’s playing Tucson for the first time on Dec. 22 at the Rialto Theatre, and the Chandler Center for the Arts on Dec.23.

“Being in a different place of life, instead of making it all big and epic and massive Christmas songs, I wanted it to feel more nostalgic,” he says.

“I want it to be like we’re reminiscing around the family room, just talking to each other. I want to reflect on the good times. I’m looking back on the wonder of Christmas from an adult perspective this time.”

Christmas is special for Archuleta. From spending time singing carols with his family as a youngster to performing for them, he enjoys the holiday season.

“I feel like the Christmas tours that I’ve done have been a highlight,” he says about his holiday memories.

“My family comes to the shows and it’s fun to create a magical world for people to step into. For me, the shows get me into gear for Christmas Day. I’ve had time to really savor the Christmas spirit and magic. It’s like I’m celebrating it almost every night.”

Archuleta became a star when he was 16. In 2008, more than 30 million TV viewers watched him place second in season seven of “American Idol.”

Soon after, Archuleta’s single “Crush” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the track sold 166,000 downloads in its first week in the United States and subsequently more than 1.92 million digital copies to reach double platinum.

Three months later, his self-titled album went gold, selling more than 750,000 copies in the United States and more than 900,000 copies worldwide.

The Nashville resident is spending 2023

reflecting on his life. Recently, he publicly said he’s gay and he’s taking a break from the Church of Latter-day Saints.

“I think I’m going to do a little more self-discovery,” he says.

“I need to get some inspiration to create more music. I need to explore cultures, tour, make new friends and visit other parts of the world. I need to pull from some sort of inspiration. I’ve been in a drought with creativity for the last year.”

Still, Archuleta is excited about coming to Arizona.

“It’s a great place,” he says. “It’s the neighbor of where I grew up in Utah. I’ve been able to go there a lot and make friends there. They’ve got some great restaurants in Arizona. It’ll be fun to go back.”

If You Go...

What: The More the Merrier Christmas Tour

Where: The Rialto Theater, 318 E. Congress St., Tucson

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22

Cost: Tickets start at $59.90 Info: rialtotheatre.com

Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23

Cost:Tickets start at $39.90 Info: chandlercenter.org, davidarchuleta.com

David Archuleta will be performing at the Chandler Center for the Arts on Dec. 23. (File photo)