BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer
The military has always held a special place in Queen Creek resident Derek Zeigler’s heart.
“I left for boot camp 10 days after high school – went into the Marine Corps,” he said.
“The military is a really important part of my life and it’s a really important part of many peoples’ lives. It’s something that people are remembered for long after they are gone.”
Like all pilots, flight student Natalie Schatton, 25, goes through various preflight steps before taking off at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.
A student at the University of North Dakota’s UND Aerospace Flight Training Center there, the Arizona State University graduate is in an accelerated commercial pilot program and dreams of becoming a pilot for American Airlines.
Fast forward a little more than a decade and Zeigler founded the Queen Creek Veterans Memorial Foundation to raise about $350,000 to erect a memorial for fallen soldiers in downtown Queen Creek near Ellsworth Road and Civic Parkway on land he said the town has agreed to donate when the foundation raises the money.
“The importance behind it is creating a local place here in Queen Creek that is a place for people to gather and remember those who served and those who died for us,” Zeigler said.
“And Queen Creek is a very patriotic place and I felt like it was something that we need. It is a place where people can gather with a unified reason for being there.”
He said the monument is designed to combine that patriotism with Queen Creek’s natural beauty.
Zeigler said every municipality seems to eventually get a memorial and Queen Creek’s rapid growth makes it a perfect place to add one.
Members of the Queen Creek High School Class of 2023 on May 25 began a new chapter in their lives with the traditional tossing of their mortarboards during commencement exercises at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. For a look at both Queen Creek Unified high schools’ newly minted alumni and a photo essay from the Queen Creek High ceremony, turn to page 15. ( (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)
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“Queen Creek is growing at a crazy pace, so I felt like it was really important to have that here,” he added.
A 13-year military veteran now in the Air Force Reserve Command as part of the refueling team on a C-130 aircraft, Zeigler looks back on the time he and his buddies went from Marine boot camp in San Diego to various military training schools after graduation.
Zeigler learned how to teach American allies who were in Afghanistan how to use American-made weaponry. He wound up making a career out of it before he was deployed himself several years later.
Three of his buddies, on the other hand, were not as fortunate.
They were deployed to Afghanistan not long after they went their separate ways following their time in San Diego.
“They died fighting the war within six or seven months of us graduating boot camp,” Zeigler said. “These were young guys. We were 18, 19 years old. They had fiancées or wives. They were just starting their lives and they didn’t even make it a year into the military before they were killed in action.
“That has really stuck with me. Those were just three people that I personally knew. Through history, how many people like that, people with families, and kids and all that who died for something they truly loved and believed in?”
Zeigler said the memories of his friends and the thoughts of those he did not know who died in service to the country motivated him to start the foundation and draw up plans for the memorial downtown.
Queen Creek was home to three military veterans who died in service to the country, according to the Gold Star Family Registry, which keeps track of fallen soldiers from all over the country.
The Registry website says it is the first comprehensive database of the United States’ fallen soldiers ever developed.
“The Registry not only affords family members the opportunity to publicly remember their loved one, but serves as a historical log of our Nation’s true Heroes,” it said.
“By providing educational resources and personal accounts, the Registry ensures that future generations may know who these brave Americans were—not only how they died, but, more importantly, how they lived.”
The information in the Registry is compiled from several different public sources including the Department of Defense and the National Archives.
Adhering to Department of Defense guidelines for families who receive the ‘Gold Star Pin,’ the Registry only includes the names of soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefield and lists details of the ones who were from Queen Creek.
Born on Feb. 1, 1985, Robert Nathaniel Martens was 20 when he died as a member of the Navy during the Operation Iraqi Freedom Conflict on Sept. 6, 2005. He was based at Camp LeJeune, N.C.
Born on Jan. 25, 1950, Private Wesley Wayne Davis was in the Army and died in the Vietnam War on Sept. 28, 1970. The
Gold Star Registry does not list where he was stationed.
Army Private First Class Simon Rosalino Molina was born on Dec. 14, 1942 and died in 1967 a month shy of his 25th birthday. He too died in Vietnam, though the Registry does not list where he was stationed.
While Queen Creek’s fallen warriors will be honored by the memorial, Zeigler said it is designed to honor all military veterans who have died in service to the United States – like his three boot camp buddies who were in the military “for the right reasons.”
“They wanted to serve. They wanted to protect our rights and our freedoms,” Zei-
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gler said. “That’s the most impactful thing and I think the thing people need to think about on Memorial Day is the families and the kids these [guys] left behind for something they believed in so vehemently and were so passionate about.
“These guys gave it all up so we could continue to be the country that we are and I think that’s what resonates with me on Memorial Day.”
Zeigler said the foundation has faced fundraising challenges – which he chalks up to the pandemic, the supply chain challenges that followed and difficulty raising cash by relying on individual contributions while inflation soars.
“Our initial plan was grassroots funding,” he said, “but you can only get so far with $15 and $20 donations.”
Zeigler said the foundation is considering seeking other sources of private funding, largely because the memorial will feel more significant if it is paid for by citizens
who choose to show their dedication to the armed forces and the veterans.
Still, going to town officials is not out of the question if the foundation can get close to its goal.
“They want us to get most of the way to the finish line,” he added.
Once built, the town would assume maintenance and upkeep responsibilities for the memorial, but getting it funded and built is Zeigler’s first priority.
San Tan Memorial Gardens at Schnepf Farms is hosting the 7th annual Memorial Day service Monday, May 29, from 9-10 a.m. It is a free event and open to the public and will feature light refreshments and limited seating.
“The event is growing each year and we look forward to this year’s program with you,” a press release from Schnepf Farms said. “Feel free to bring a lawn chair, picnic blanket, or even a neighbor!”
To donate to the Queen Creek Veterans Memorial Foundation: qcvmf.com
from page 1
“I am in love with the training program,” she said. “It’s a rigorous school, but it’s definitely worth it.”
But before taking off for solo flights all over Arizona and practicing maneuvers, Schatton has something most pilots don’t: a small device on the back of her arm that measures her blood sugar and communicates with her mobile phone.
It’s a contiguous glucose monitor made by Dexcom in West Mesa that automatically checks blood sugar every five minutes. If her levels start trending higher or lower than desired, an alert pops up on her phone, and she has snacks and juice available to bring her blood sugar higher.
For Schatton, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 10, the technology lets her pursue her dream of flying for a major commercial airline – just like her dad, who flies for American Airlines.
This career path has only recently opened for pilots like her.
No passengers, just students
their ability to fly.
So dreamers like Schotten were barred from the airlines.
But that changed in 2020, when the FAA changed its policy and began issuing firstand second medical certificates to pilots who submitted CGM data and met other requirements.
Pilots had been pushing the agency and the American Diabetes Association filed suit.
One factor leading to the FAA’s change of heart was the rise of continuous glucose monitors.
In the past, the only way to check blood sugar was with a finger prick to get a drop of blood to apply to a glucose meter – an effective but inconvenient process.
Contiguous glucose monitors allow diabetics to closely monitor their blood sugar in real time, making it easier to keep their levels consistently in target ranges,
Until 2020, the FAA restricted insulin-dependent diabetic pilots to working as flight instructors but not fly paying passengers.
tendant for United.
Schotten grew up believing diabetes would keep her from commercial airlines, especially since she also has many friends in aviation and her mom was a flight at-
Insulin-treated diabetes is a disqualifying condition for FAA certification because the agency is concerned that pilots could experience a debilitating drop in blood sugar mid-air that might impact
More importantly, they compile and share reams of data on those levels.
That was key for the FAA’s change of heart, as pilots who lobbied for the opportunity to fly commercially submitted years
PILOT from page 6
of monitor data to to open the door for special medical certificate issuances.
A study of pilots using the monitors for over 20,000 flight hours found that their glucose levels stayed above “red” ranges 99.86% of the time, and researchers did not record any incidents of pilot incapacitation over those years and thousands of hours.
They also found that out-of-range readings declined from 5.7% to 1.2% between 2013 and 2019.
The first CGM was released in 1999, after which the devices rapidly improved and are now mass produced by several medical device companies.
The market leader is Dexcom, which selected Mesa six years ago to be its U.S. manufacturing and global distribution hub.
Schatton’s Dexcom monitors are almost certainly made in Mesa, where 15 million units are made annually.
The company has gone from 500 employees in Mesa three years ago to 2,000 today.
“It’s one of our fastest growing locations in the world,” said Barry Regan, vice president of global operations for Dexcom. “It’s important for me to say how incredibly important Mesa is for the future.”
Regan said the sky’s the limit for Dexcom’s growth, as more people with diabetes see the value in the devices for managing their health and access grows.
Last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expanded coverage of CGMs to include certain people with Type 2 diabetes as well as Type 1.
Globally, only 1% of people with diabetes use a CGM, according to Regan. Dexcom has been doubling its production every two-and-a-half years, he said.
Natalie Schatton, a student at University of North Dakota Aerospace at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, can keep learning to fly and fulfill her dream of becoming a commercial airlines pilot even though she has Type 1 diabetes because of a device invented by Dexcom of Mesa. (David Minton/ Tribune Staff Photographer)
The first U.S. pilot with Type 1 diabetes to receive a first-class medical certificate was another local flyer, Scottsdale resident Pietro Marsala.
Marsala, 32, received his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis while in flight school in North Phoenix in 2012.
That meant he faced the prospect of missing out on his dream right when he seemed close to achieving it.
“That was probably the most crushing day in my life,” he said.
After graduation from flight school, Marsala worked as a flight instructor with his third-class medical certification.
He said that as he spent thousands of hours in the sky teaching others how to fly, the absurdity of the old rules around diabetes and flying became apparent to him.
Marsala contacted the FAA and started a dialogue with the agency’s medical staff, advocating for special allowances for diabetic pilots and submitting data from his CGM for study.
He said he’d dreamed of flying for American Airlines since he was a young boy but
that the motivation to change the rules morphed at some point from fulfilling his personal dream to something larger.
“I’m out to prove a point that this can be done safely,” he said. “I want others with diabetes to see this and not just the ones that want to become pilots.”
“I wanted people, especially kids with diabetes, to not grow up and have that limitation simply because they take insulin.”
Finally, Marsala received his ground-breaking first-class certification, but just before the pandemic shut down the airline industry. In 2021, however, he landed a job with regional carrier American Eagle.
He discloses his status to the captain when he flies and lets them know he’ll be checking his blood sugar on his phone periodically.
In February, he was offered a job with American Airlines, his dream job. He continues to fly with American Eagle while he awaits his onboarding for the new job.
In March Dexcom honored Marsala by naming one of its production lines in Mesa “Pietro.”
There’s a huge banner greeting workers in the factory with Marsala’s picture that says “every CGM that goes through these doors will change a life.”
Regan said Dexcom wanted to honor Marsala to remind workers, many of whom have come from non-medical industries, that “we’re not making consumer products. … You’re making a life saving medical device.”
One would-be pilot who heard Marsala’s story was Schatton. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sustainability, but she said she didn’t see herself making a career in the field.
She read an article about Marsala and it “really caught me.” She started researching the FAA’s updated rules, and found out she could fly for the airlines.
“I jumped right in,” she said.
Schatton said obtaining the medical certification required extra hoops that slowed down her training, but she’s aiming to complete the program in December or early next year.
Schatton said she plans ahead of time before every flight, wakes up and eats when she needs to have her target glucose levels while flying.
She hasn’t had any medical incidents.
Schatton said her routine is “just part of my life now” and “muscle memory,” having had the condition since she was 10.
Marsala said that if Schatton is in training, she’s gotten her medical certification and he would tell her “the hard part is done. … Now focus on your training and keeping yourself healthy and the rest will fall into place.
“You’ll be where you desire to be in a very short time, especially with the amount of movement that’s happening within the industry right now.”
Queen Creek is seeking vendors for a slate of events coming up this year and next, including Founder’s Day, the Trunk or Treat festival and Spring into QC.
“While the summer heat is just approaching, the Town is preparing for an exciting lineup of fall events,” officials said in a release. “Residents, businesses and organizations are invited to participate in the fun by hosting a booth, sponsoring or volunteering.”
Founder’s Day celebrates Queen
BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff WriterQueen Creek has received
$87.5-million to extend the SR 24 freeway to include an interchange at Ironwood Road.
The interchange would become a key access point for what the town is billing as its technology corridor and the closest freeway interchange to the new, $5.5-bil-
Creek’s heritage and anniversary and is scheduled to be held on Sept. 16 at Founders’ Park, from 5-9 p.m.
“This popular home-town event will include fun activities, great food, music, live entertainment and the exciting Battle of the Badge,” the release said.
The Battle of the Badge centers on good natured and physically challenging competitive events between police and fire department personnel with the winner claiming bragging rights for the town’s emergency response departments for the year. Vendor applications are due Aug. 10.
The Trunk or Treat festival is sched-
uled for Oct. 21. Severe weather canceled last year’s event and logistics prohibited organizers and sponsors from rescheduling it.
“Trunk or Treat provides a safe and unique way for families to enjoy an evening of Halloween fun in a festival atmosphere,” the town said.
Trunk or Treat will be held in Town Center on Ellsworth Road north of Ocotillo Road from 5-9 p.m. Vendor, carnival booth and trunk host applications are due Sept. 7.
Spring Into QC will be held at Mansel Carter Oasis Park located at 19535 E. Appleby Road from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
March 24.
Vendor and entertainment group applications are due Feb. 15.
Vendor fees vary based on booth type. A discount is available for businesses and organizations that register for all three events – the deadline for the multievent discount is July 26.
All booth spaces are 10’x10’ and vendors are responsible for their own supplies and equipment, the town said.
Information:: QueenCreekAZ.gov/ RecRegistration. or 480-358-3718. Volunteer opportunities: QueenCreekAZ. gov/Volunteer
lion LGES battery plan scheduled to break ground this year and eventually employ thousands.
Town officials in a release hailed Queen Creek’s legislative delegation for securing the funding in the state spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
According to the state, the money can be used for “all necessary expenses from the current project status until completion.”
Pinal County will also receive money
from the state for road improvement projects and the town is required to work with the county before deciding how to spend the appropriation.
“This significant level of investment acknowledges the importance the SR24 provides for the economic development corridor within the Town and facilitating further connection to our regional transportation system for Pinal County, all while enhancing the value of the State
Trust Lands in the area,” the town said.
“The funding will be utilized in collaboration with Pinal County and for the construction of a traffic interchange at Ironwood Road.”
Pinal County is slated to receive $5.5-million to reconstruct Coolidge Avenue between Christensen and Clemans roads, and $9.24-million for engineering and design of the West Pinal Parkway EastWest Corridor.
For decades Chandler Unified School District had to manage huge growth as this part of the East Valley transformed from farms to suburbs. Now, it has a different challenge.
The state’s second-largest school district may have reached its apex and is now going to have to manage a slow decline in enrollment.
It may not be the second largest for long. Tucson Unified only needs about 100 students to overtake CUSD’s enrollment.
The CUSD Governing Board approved a revised budget for the current fiscal year May 10. The state allows districts to make revisions by May 15 once it gets data.
That data show CUSD had about 400 fewer students this year than the previous school year.
Heather Caviar, the district’s finance director, told the Governing Board that the drop of 393 students would have meant a revenue loss of $235,026 to this year’s budget.
But most of that loss was offset by a revenue gain to Group B Weight, which rewards with money for students in gifted programs who score highly on exams. The overall revenue loss was $12,113. For now, the remainder of the revenue
Mesa, AZ - When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with anti-depressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.
The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness and numbness.
loss caused by overall enrollment decline is being offset by increases in federal and state grants and other revenue. Chief Financial Officer Lana Berry said the district does not rely on one-time funding for ongoing operations.
The district expects enrollment to continue to decline, and since most of the district’s operating cost comprises salaries and benefits, fewer employees may be on the horizon for CUSD in the future.
“We know that we are in a community that has a low birth rate,” Berry said.
“We are almost built out here, and we know that our homes have gone up in value and it’s harder for a brand-new family who’s starting out with little children to be able to afford homes. That has made an impact on our elementary school-aged kids.
“And then fourth, we know that there are a number of competitors, being charters and private schools, within our boundaries.”
A demographer who is currently working on a deeper picture of the problems that Berry outlined has already told Tempe Union and Kyrene governing boards the same thing.
Rick Brammer of Applied Economics told both boards that the impact on enrollment caused by soaring housing costs is
As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.
The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “BandAid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.
Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brand new facility that sheds light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.
Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:
1. Finding the underlying cause 2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage
(above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)
3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition
Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-ofthe-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:
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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.
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THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!
Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.
The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less them 95% nerve damage, there is hope!
Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.
Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until June 30th, 2023. Call (480) 2743157 to make an appointment.
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far greater than competition from charters and other districts. Low birth rates have only compounded the problem, he said.
The district expects an update from Brammer soon and Brammer told the Kyrene board last month he was finalizing his report.
Still, Berry says the district has been preparing for enrollment decline and has a plan.
She said the district hopes to manage downsizing as enrollment falls without layoffs.
“We try to make sure that we always are sticking to our staffing model,” Berry said.
Each year a number of teachers and staff retire, and the district traditionally hires replacements. Berry said one option in managing enrollment decline’s impact on operating costs would be hiring fewer people than the number who are retiring.
“We’re being financially transparent with what we’re doing as we move forward, but also that we are financially responsible for our school district based on staffing needs and we reduce those when the number of our students reduce.”
She said the district wants to stick to current teacher-pupil ratios.
“We know that we’re declining at a very small percentage, but ultimately, we reduce based off of that,” Berry said. “We still try to keep our class sizes at … 23 and a half to one.”
The district can’t do much about low birth rates or high home prices.
However, it is stepping up efforts to change the trajectory of competition with charter and private schools.
Last year CUSD ramped up its marketing to try and attract more students to public education.
“It’s too early to gauge results,” said Stephanie Ingersoll, the district’s executive director of marketing and community relations. “I will say that we’re only 40 kindergarteners short right now of where we were last year, and that’s due in part of having kindergarten readiness testing available.”
Other revisions in the 2022-23 budget involved inflation, including increased costs for substitute teachers, custodial supplies, student transportation for field trips and maintenance of the district’s vehicle fleet.
The district also revised funding for
student mental and emotional health, which was increased because of contracts with the Hope Institute and Lighthouse Wellhealth.
Berry said the increase in marketing isn’t just about attracting new families to CUSD, but also convincing current families to keep their children in district schools.
Berry pointed to a number of programs that CUSD has added are more appealing to parents, including gifted academies, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, dual language immersion schools, and other programs.
Ingersoll said the district is already seeing results of that in real time. Last year Andersen announced it would pursue being the district’s first IB program for elementary schools.
She said this year 64 students enrolled for kindergarten at Andersen, a large increase over previous years that officials attribute to the announcement.
Many of the federal funds the district received to address the learning gap caused by the COVID pandemic will expire after September 2024. Berry plans to present the 2023-24 fiscal year budget to the Governing Board in June.
Total grads: 461
Senior class president: Dakota Jarrett.
Junior Achievement 18 Under 18 Award: Isabella Serrano.
Taylor Garza Scholarship: Ethan Fuhrman.
Buckhorn Elks Scholarship: Jeremiah Poirier.
GPA: 4.675
Parents: Jacquelyn and Walter Fergueson University: University of Georgia.
Major: Psychology.
Career plan: Forensic psychologist.
Awards: Principal’s List all four years of high school; Superiored at International Thespian Society’s state competition in a duet, 10th-12th grade; First place duet at the Musical Theatre Competition of America.
Extracurriculars on campus: QCHS Thespian Troupe 6152.
Extracurriculars off campus: Voice lessons at Centerstage Academy.
Total value of scholarships: $35,520,593
Commitments to higher education: 239
Senior ambassadors: Jaxon Ballingham, Gavin Candell, Mackenzie Chownyk, Alexis Dellamonica, Harrison Hansen, Jace Hawkins, Reese Lee, Davey Morales, Mattie Richards, and Elle Robinson.
Student body president: Felisha-Isabel Vallejo, president; Raegan Richardson, vice president; Alana Donlon, secretary; Leila Skousen, treasurer; Kylee Prince, social media coordinator.
Top 5%: Samuel Burns, Abigail Craig, Madison Dawson, Alana Donlon, Kolten Ford, David Francoeur, Lindsey Gifford, Bryson Kerr, Catherine Littlewood, Ava Lopez, Marina Macias, Mykial Miller, Chevy Pearson, Cody Rhoton, Diego Rivera, Tyler Santos, Danika Sears, Natalie Snyder, Anneli Sorensen, Brenley Stegenga, Felisha-Isabel Vallejo and Susan Wirthlin.
U.S. Armed Forces Recognitions: Army: William Carlin, Nevaeh-Sky Flores, Estrella Garcia and Nevan Snyder; Army National Guard: Levianna Johnson; Navy: Amanda Olson, Kaeliegh Siders, Reed Eisenbraun, Devin Salinas and Michael Atilano. Marines: Justin Cox, Daniel Peregi and Logan Rowley.
Semper Fidelis Awards: Kolten Ford and Catherine Littlewood, Distinguished Athlete Award; Alana Donlon, Scholastic Excellence; Collin McConnell, Musical Excellence.
QC Schools Education Foundation Scholarships: David Francoeur, Sumi Le, Anneli Sorenson, Jade Berry, Lucas Halls, Mykial Miller, Ashley Rosen, Dakota Jarrett, Lindsey Gifford, Bryson Kerr, Felisha-0Isabel Ramos Vallejo, Alana Donlon, Tyler Santos, Susan Wirthlin and Viann VanderWall.
Neely Foundation Scholarship: Nathan Hunt.
Kiwanis Club Scholarship: Isabella Serrano, Jensen Silver and Anneli Sorenson.
BannerHealth Scholarship: Sam Burns, Naijae Gaidry, Emma Dion, Rylee Neal. Linda Carr Scholarship: Jayla Ryan. Kash Jackson Scholarship: Ashlee Lee.
Hunter Vindiola Scholarship: Davey Morales, Griffin Schureman.
Nathan Martens Scholarship: Kaylyn Baez, Ethan Wilson.
GPA: 4.615
Parents: Angela and Charles Green.
University: Brigham Young University. Career plan: Applied mathematics. Awards: Brigham Young University Award
Extracurriculars on campus: National Honor Society; Link Crew; QCHS Thespian Troupe 6152.
Extracurriculars off campus: Works at Crumbl cookie part-time
As Queen Creek High School seniors graduated last Thursday, excitement and pride dominated Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. There were some pre-ceremony preparations, such as grads like 1) Kiley Cooper helping Bailey Cooper with her mortarboard and 2) Jennifer Dominguez taking a selfie with Samantha Medrano Garcia. 3) Alyssa Neal came prepared with a fan as she and her classmates prepared for The Walk. On the arena floor, some grads like 4) Gema Enamorado looked for friends while others like 5) Jade Berry were thrilled to see themselves on the arena screens. 6) Ashlee Allen blew a kiss to a spectator as the ceremony began. Afterward, it was all smiles and joy as seniors like 7) Diego Gomez and 8) Ivan Arevalo (covered in dollar bills) showed off the diplomas they earned after four years of hard work.
Total Grads: 188.
Total value of scholarships: $6.9 million.
Class officers: President Luke Crowther, Vice President Aliese Winters, Historian Autumn Boley, Secretary Taylor Peters, and Treasurer Natalee Geeso
Military bound: Sadee Wade, Navy; Lucas Fish and Gavin Wilson, Air Force. University commitments: 74 for four-year universities; 44 committed to two-year colleges.
Top 5%: Abigail Heitert, Quan Vu, Kevin Pham, Autumn Boley, Lilian Darby, Brianne Szabo, Natalee Geeso, Clara Childs and Dante’ Debbs.
Parents: Jeffrey and Catherine Heitert. University: University of Arizona.
Major: Bio-informatics.
Career: Bio-informatics.
Extracurriculars on campus: Swim Team, Sophomore/Junior Spanish Honors Society Extracurriculars off campus: Employed at Safeway
Awards: Varsity Swim Letter, Principal’s List all four years.
Parents: Hani and Nadia Geeso. University: Arizona State. Career: Physician.
Extracurriculars on campus: Class of 2023, FCA.
Extracurriculars off campus: Organized church events, spend quality time with family & Friends
Awards: Academic letter, CTE Department Award, History Department Award, Principal’s List
According to a recent study, 1 in 3 high school students have had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness – an increase of 40% from 2009 – and a staggering 22% of high school students have seriously considered attempting suicide.
To help combat these alarming statistics, the U & Improved Leadership Foundation is offering up to 18 full scholarships to their U The Teen Leader program Aug. 4-6 in Scottsdale. The class normally costs $2,495.
The program helps teens become confident, caring and ambitious leaders in both their own lives and their communities.
Nominations can be submitted at uandimprovedfoundation.org/nominate by June 10.
“We have been honored to see first-hand the literal life-saving effects this program has on our teens,” said Jodi Low, Founder and CEO of U & Improved Leadership
Foundation.
“In the age of social media, bullying, drugs, school shootings and the incredible pressure on our youth from their peers these kids need our help now more than ever.”
The program comprises a two-and-ahalf-day hands-on training experience “that challenges each teen to look inward, connect with others and become confident leaders of not only their own life, but their future and their community,” the foundation said.
“The program uses challenging processes that build character and teach confidence, teamwork, compassion, trust, honesty and the importance of asking for and accepting help from others,” it said. “The training delivery method is unique in that students practice these new life skills so they can immediately apply them when they return home.”
“To see the changes these teens go through in such a short amount of time is
truly remarkable,” said Low. “We are so grateful to the many generous donors and sponsors who make this
possible for those who don’t have the financial means to attend this program on their own.”
It dawned on Isaiah Jackson in the middle of a tennis match that he really had control over his own fate.
“I lost the first set of my singles match and I was going into the second set pretty unmotivated,” recalled Isaiah, a who graduated last week from Eastmark High School in the Queen Creek Unified School District.
“I had to get my mind together. I came back, won the tie breaker
and eventually that point helped our tennis team take the win.”
For Isaiah, it was a turning point.
“I’ve applied that to my life in many ways as a leader – especially in the Black community.”
The vice-president of the Black Student Union at Eastmark, Isaiah has worked hard to help the organization gain some traction, which he characterizes as currently a bit disorganized.
He has been trying to grow it by recruiting younger students and coming up with fundraising ideas. He looks back on that tennis match
as a point when he had to decide to fight against the odds or give in.
He looks at helping to lead the Black Student Union as “being a mentor.”
“I consider myself a good role model. I try to push them to be better than me and help people around me because I know some people didn’t have it as good as I did and they need help and someone to look up to.”
Isaiah sports a 3.8 weighted GPA and while he plans to pursue a com-
see JACKSON page 18
Isaiah Jackson was one of Eastmark’s 188 graduates last week. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Writer)
San Tan Valley local farmer and gardener Mark Rhine welcomed over 70 guests to his 3 ½-acre organic farm and gardens to sample the fresh, pesticide-free food he has been providing chefs across the Valley.
Located at 40792 N. Rattlesnake Road, Rhine operated produce to communities and chefs across the Valley since 2009.
As guests arrived, they entered through the shady area of a grove where over 250 banana trees provide shade for the gardens and bananas for his market.
Sweet scents from the semi-tropical garden drifted along a dazzling array of pink, red, white and ruby blossoms that danced in the breeze.
The purpose of the event was to thank supporters and introduce new guests to the benefits of membership with Rogue Rhino Gardens.
curried yogurt.
Pork chops with blood orange marmalade sizzled on the grill as main courses replaced the appetizers. The Rhiba Rhapsody salad mix, dressed with fresh strawberries and edible flowers, was a highlight, featuring some of the best produce from the gardens.
They also enjoyed smashed potatoes with I’itoi onions; braised beef short ribs from Heartquist Hollow made the perfect pairing with Lions Mane Mushrooms, also grown at the gardens; fried chicken from Sixth Day Farms and a colorful and fresh beet, carrot and fennel medley; buttermilk biscuits with Citron Jam and Honey Butter and more. A strawberry shortcake and lemon-goat ricotta topped the meal.
TLC Catering partnered with Rhine to create stunning dishes for the event. Peo-
Members will be able to access fresh, locally grown produce as well as order other locally produced foods such as grass fed beef and hormone free chicken. Members will also be able to attend special events, specialty classes and workshops.
ple from San Tan Valley, Queen Creek, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Florence, and Phoenix enjoyed appetizers and refreshments as they sampled halibut ceviche, grilled artichoke with saffron meyer lemon custard, and fava bean falafel with
The Spring Fling Garden Party was a fundraiser for the gardens and a highlight for many residents in the area.
“We had such a wonderful evening enjoying the amazing setting. Rhiba Farms is such a unique asset in our commu-
puter science degree at Arizona State University’s Ira Fulton School of Engineering in the fall, he has societal interests and ambitions, too.
He said he wants to inspire people younger than him, no matter their race. He also has ambitions of creating a tech company after he has his degree.
“His vision is to create a business that offers genuine value to the world by working hard,” said his mom, Janice Edwards-Jackson.
She characterizes her son as a driven and dedicated individual with a passion for becoming a self-made entrepreneur.
“He wants to inspire people in underserved and marginalized communities and being committed to being successful,” she said.
sic,” Isaiah said. “But you can achieve success through being an engineer, a doctor. There are many other ways young, Black people can succeed in this world.
“A lot of Black people are pushed into the stereotypes that they can only succeed in sports and things in that area,” he said.
“I’m trying to change that perception. There are a lot of really smart Black people who never get to show their potential because they are always clowned on or being made fun of because they think they’re smart and want to study, and not play sports.”
In addition to academics and tennis, Isaiah is also an accomplished pianist. He started playing when he was 7 at family gatherings and continues today, turning to it at especially stressful times.
which he realizes he will have to do more of as he advances his career, especially if he plans to be an advocate for others.
He comes from a line of a few good role models. He is the grandson of the late Dr. John L. Edwards, Sr., the first full-time African-American professor at ASU, and is the nephew of John Edwards, Jr., who taught Isaiah engineering, robotics and programming skills.
“I always looked up to him,” Isaiah said of his grandfather. “He’s really the guy who got me started in engineering. He showed me how to fly drones, too.
“He started me down the whole technology track. Unfortunately, he has passed away but I always keep going for him. He was one of the big motivators in my life and told me ‘You can achieve success.’”
Student Union even though he is not what you would expect to see at the Black Student Union, Isaiah mused.
“He’s a white guy,” Jackson chuckled. “We’re like ‘why is a white guy at the Black student union?’ But once you get to know him, he’s an amazing guy. The way he talks, the way he speaks. He really connects with all the community members. He’s just a great guy.”
Frank taught Isaiah that Black people did not have to be athletes or musicians to succeed and that Black excellence has been demonstrated in a variety of fields. That’s what got Isaiah thinking about teaching others that lesson.
“I should try to inspire others to do this,” Jackson said.
“A lot of Black people think you can only achieve success through sports and mu-
“I want to create a company that can help inspire people, all people, it doesn’t have to just be Black people, that they can succeed,” he said. “I want to show that hard work can pay off in the end.” JACKSON
GARDEN from page 17
nity,” said Suzy Irwin of San Tan Valley. “This garden party is one of my favorite events that I have been to here. I really look forward to more events.”
Small farmers are continually facing increasing challenges in today’s marketplace. Drought, climate change, urban sprawl, the rising cost of gasoline and land and difficult zoning regulations are all having drastic impacts on farms across the country.
Increasing competition from foreign countries is also flooding markets with cheaper produce, often laden with chemicals.
Local communities are the first to feel the impact, as more and more small farms go out of business.
Rhine, however, is using creative thinking and is determined to beat the odds.
He recently started a new venture in order to combine his love of farming and educating the community.
He calls it “Rogue Rhino Gardens & Private Buyers Club.”
As members, every purchase directly supports the gardens as well as other local growers and directly benefits local communities.
Members can choose to pick up their weekly GardenBox of fresh produce from the gardens, or at a weekly drop location around the Valley.
“The basic idea behind Rogue Rhino
“I find it very therapeutic and calming and entertaining,” Jackson said. Music has not, however, quelled his nerves when it comes to public speaking,
Jackson also points to another mentor at Eastmark High whom he credits with helping shape him, too.
Frank Norris filled in to help at the Black
Gardens is to help protect local markets as well as local communities access to fresh, local food,” he said. “When you shop at the grocery store, unless you are a very knowledge shopper, you don’t really know where your produce is coming from, or what kind of chemicals it may contain. You might be able to select organic produce, but do you really know it is organic?”
“Our goal with Rogue Rhino Gardens is that you can actually come and meet me, see where and how your produce is being grown and see how I am treating my animals and my gardens,” Rhine explained.
“When a person becomes a member,
they see and experience first hand the difference in taste and quality. They also know for sure that I am a local grower and live in the same community.”
Rhine has also designed a series of educational workshops and classes. His “Community Food Education Series” is held onsite and offers important educational classes for the community.
“Basic food education is really important, especially as food prices continue to climb,” he stated. “People deserve to have access to classes which teach them how to be self-sufficient. It’s really just common sense, but people have forgotten that.”
In April, Rogue Rhino Gardens started hosting canning and cooking classes, which were both well received. Additional classes are planned for fall.
Upcoming events include a Garden Tour & Banana Tree Workshop on Saturday, June 3, at 9 a.m. Guests will learn everything they need to know about growing bananas in the desert. The tour and workshop is $5 for the public and free for members.
Fresh produce, eggs, honey, and many other items can be purchased online at RogueRhino.club and members can order GardenBoxes as well as other locally sourced products.
Or visit them at the following locations: Rhiba Farms & Rogue Rhino Market, 40792 N Rattlesnake Road, San Tan Valley; Saturdays, 7-11 a.m.; Gilbert Farmers Market, 222 N. Ash Street, Gilbert, also 7-11 a.m., Saturdays.
Information: roguerhino.club
When Queen Creek residents Tim and Vanessa Shively bought the Slumber Shack business, they were just thinking about making some money outside of their day jobs, hers as a teacher and his with a nonprofit.
“I bought the company because I thought it would be a fun way to supplement my income nights and weekends,” Vanessa said. “Well, the company has evolved and I could no longer work full time.”
The business consists of two modified travel trailers used for birthday parties or neighborhood events and high-end camping trips for people who want to get into nature but have a comfortable place to sleep at the end of the day – also known as “glamping,” short for “glamorous camping.”
Slumber Shack has gone to another level.
“We actually had to move,” said Vanessa. “We had to buy another home that had a double RV garage so this is more of a sustainable business for us. These trailers are a big investment for us and now that it’s on our property we can balance our lives and the business more efficiently.”
The Shivelys bought the business for about $70,000 and then remodeled the trailers to reflect their style, keeping it based in Queen Creek.
While they knew it was a big investment, Tim Shively had no idea how much this business would take on a life of its own.
“The intent was to get out of that 9-5 routine that a lot of us fall into,” he said. “We tried to create a different path.”
Now they are just trying to keep up.
When they first bought the business, the Shivelys stored the trailers 20 minutes from where they lived, which added a whole different dimension to planning and logistics.
For example, if they were preparing for a birthday party, they had to remember to bring everything they needed when they left their house to go prepare the trailers and try to cram it all in their vehicles.
That becomes quite a task when prepping
two trailers for one weekend.
“One sleeps 10. One sleeps seven,” Tim Shively said. “You have 17 sheet sets and pillow cases and blankets and then you had to pack the décor for the week, so you had to take like 15 pink pillows.”
They did not have the trailers hooked to electricity when they were stored at the old location, he said, which meant dragging a generator along to hook them up to air conditioning to cool them down prior to using them.
So, it was time to make the move.
“We talked to other business owners who would say ‘until you invest everything into it, you can’t reap the full benefits of it,’” he said.
“Having them at home has helped with that work-life balance,” he said. “Two of our boys still live at home and actually help us on the weekends. There are times I need them to go pick up one of the diesel trucks we use to haul these things because I can’t get to it.”
About those diesel trucks. Storing the trailers at their new home in the full-scale RV garages has definitely saved transport and planning time and helped with the logistics, but it has not made much of a dent in the fuel and maintenance costs that come with the trucks and the trailers.
So they try to be strategic with their service area.
“We are primarily trying to focus this in the East Valley,” Tim said. “From the hauling them and opening and closing them as often as we do, we do a lot of maintenance behind the scenes so we like to keep them as close to where we are based as possible.”
“Every time something breaks, it’s like $1,000,” Vanessa added.
Overnight birthday or block parties start at $495 and three-day, two-night camping trips at $595. The company delivers the trailer to the location and picks it up afterwards.
The customer is required to get their own approved camp site. Tim said they will travel to Canyon Lake in addition to stateapproved camp sites nearby.
The couple custom-decorates for each event.
“The Shack comes fully equipped with karaoke and a smart TV and games, and decorated based on the theme of your party,” Vanessa said. “For glamping trips it’s really nice because we just want to help people get outside.
“We do all the hard work: Tow the camper, set it up, give you a tour and show you how everything works so that you are comfortable to stay in the RV. Then when you are done with your trip, we meet you, pick it up and take the mess away.”
While the Slumber Shack is available for
different events, one in particular stands out to the Shivelys since having taken the business to the next level a little over a year ago.
A single father approached them about making his daughter’s 10th birthday a special occasion.
He called the Shivelys and asked “what can you do for her?”
“He was at a loss but you could see that he loves her so much he wanted to make it special,” Vanessa said. “The little girl was just so excited and it was really memorable for her. The way that she looked at her dad when she realized everything that he had done for her made it all worth it for us.
“It brings us a lot of joy to take that stress away from people.”
The Shivelys say those are the types of stories that make the business more than just a profitable investment, but also proves its mettle as a positive small business in Queen Creek.
Despite the fuel and maintenance costs, uprooting their family and logistics challenges, the Shivelys are optimistic about the future.
“We’re busy,” Tim chuckled. “We’re always dragging two, 30-foot trailers through the East Valley.”
Information: theslumbershack.com, 480-599-0421.
Arizona’s senior senator has received quite an education, and not all of it has come in the classroom.
Kyrsten Sinema can boast of earning a B.A. from Brigham Young University at 18 and no fewer than four advanced degrees from Arizona State University.
But, like many who run for public office, her real political education came from the “School of Hard Knocks.”
In 2002, Sinema mounted a campaign for the State House, running as an Independent affiliated with the Arizona Green Party. She finished dead last in a field of five candidates, attracting 8 percent of the vote.
In 2004, as a newly-minted Democrat, she won election as a state representative for Arizona’s 15th District. During her
three terms in the House, Sinema rose through the party ranks, eventually becoming Assistant Minority Leader.
Some other lessons were learned along the way.
In 2006, Sinema offered a harsh, profanity laced assessment of “new feminism,” saying “These women who act like staying at home, leeching off their husbands or boyfriends, and just cashing the checks is some sort of feminism…That’s bulls** What are we really talking about here?”
Facing a firestorm of criticism, Sinema apologized and served up an I-was-justkidding rhetorical defense.
Kyrsten did a pretty good job herself in climbing the political ladder. Six years in the House, followed by a less than one year in the State Senate, as she resigned that office to successfully run for Congress in the newly constituted 9th District.
Fast-forward 11 years. Sinema is now gearing up to run for a second term in the U.S. Senate and the political climate in Arizona reflects the seasonal change: it’s getting hotter.
So, like another Arizonan who served in the Senate before her, she is opting for an “unconventionally conventional path,” metaphorically saddling up a rhetorical race horse named “Maverick.”
Meet the “new” Kyrsten Sinema…who wouldn’t mind at all if you call her “McCain 2.0.”
That was clear when she was invited to “Face the Nation” on CBS from the McCain Institute’s “Sedona Forum” in early May. Margaret Brennan, the CBS interviewer, who like Sinema, was a guest speaker at the Forum, began the broadcast by invoking McCain’s memory and his “straight talk.”
Brennan’s fulsome praise for the late Senator afforded Sinema the chance to talk straightaway about following her version of the McCain model of Senate stewardship.
Invoking memories of McCain’s last Senate floor speech, Sinema said, “He spoke about the importance of getting rid of the uninspiring activities you see now of partisanship and restoring the inspiring activity of working together.”
Actually, Sinema’s new “inspiration” was born out of necessity. Acting on a tip that a long-rumored challenge for the 2024 Democrat nomination would come to fruition from Rep. Ruben Gallego, Sinema opted for some early December drama as 2022 was drawing to a close. She announced she had become a registered
see HAYWORTH page 21
Steve Clawson’s voice was a gift from heaven and it took him far both in geography and his radio career. He started as a reporter at WTRX in Flint, Michigan, an AM sports station with all the power of a hair dryer. Then, 34 years ago, he moved west to work at KTAR.
Steve spent 14 years there as a reporter, anchor, a producer and the most decent human being in the newsroom. Later, he worked at KFYI, Fox 10 and with the Skyview Networks.
KTAR was where we met. It was where we passed thousands of hours, me at the microphone jabbering and Steve in my ear as the producer. To the extent that the show did not stink, Clawson made it so. He was one of those rare souls who made you better every day. Steve taught me about radio and how, as he told me often, “to keep the needle moving.”
He was the voice of reason when I was too inflammatory and the voice of the listener when the show felt too slow. A night owl, he scanned the news during reruns of Sportscenter until I awakened at 4 a.m.
“Between the two of us,” he always joked, “we’ve got the clock covered.”
After radio, Steve joined me at a downtown Phoenix ad agency, using his endless contacts to help clients make news.
Rarely did I stick my head in his office and find him without a bottle of Coke in one hand and a raft of stats about the latest linebacker signed by his beloved University of Michigan Wolverines.
Steve’s voice, delivery and joyous grin made your name sound like an announcement. He’d sing-song it, grinning: “Dayyyvvvvid Lei-booo-wittzzzz.”
I hear him when I close my eyes. Which is why I can barely comprehend that Steve died last week at just 64.
Steve’s passing feels like the end of an era in Valley journalism. He was never un-
fair, always thorough, ever professional.
In 1992, KTAR sent to him Los Angeles to cover the Rodney King riots and Steve did legendary work inside the chaos.
Twice named Associated Press Reporter of the Year, he wove stories in sound about the Northridge earthquake, the Oklahoma City bombing and the O.J. Simpson not guilty verdict. In 2001, we flew to New York for shows about the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series win over the New York Yankees.
If Steve slept more than a couple hours a night on that trip, he hid it damn well. His enthusiasm for news was boundless, as was his positivity. Our former colleague Diana Fronterhouse nailed Steve perfectly in a Facebook tribute.
“He had HOPE,” Diana wrote. ”In an industry that’s filled with jaded, hard-bitten realists, Steve always had this air of positivity and wanting to build something better for all of us.”
Steve loved Seinfeld, which he quoted at every possible opportunity. Steve also loved betting football, McRib sandwiches, and the occasional practical joke.
In 1994, he got then-Suns owner Jerry Colangelo to play along with a world-class April Fool’s gag, announcing that henceforth all Suns broadcasts would be “pay per listen.” KTAR even set up a special phone number for would-be subscribers.
Once they called, they were told the promo was a prank.
Steve had a laugh that made everyone laugh with him. I can picture him in heaven right now, cracking up with friends old and new about Seinfeld’s “Junior Mint episode” and Michigan’s chances of making it three in a row against Ohio State this season.
All his years in news represent just a piece of Steve’s legacy. A consummate reporter, he was a far better human being. Godspeed, buddy. You will be loved and missed forever.
Independent in Arizona.
Her announcement beat Gallego’s entry into the Senate race by more than a month and side-stepped the need to beat him in a bruising primary.
But it sets the stage for a three-way General Election race in 2024.
Sinema’s campaign calculus? That she can attract Arizona’s fastest growing group of voters—her “fellow” Independents, who trail GOP voters by a mere 10,000 registrations—and keep the Democrats still devoted to her from that party’s registered base, faces a deficit of 175,000 registrants less than the top two voter affiliations.
Add the “Open Border” Republicans— who claim to be conservative, but feel most comfortable spouting pieties about
“God’s Children” while gladly shifting entitlement costs to American taxpayers and depressing wages for American workers— and Sinema believes that would comprise her winning coalition.
Unlike her first run for public office as an Independent two decades ago, the “Green” with which Sinema now identifies is campaign cash.
Her latest fundraising totals reveal a war chest of $10 million. Among her donors: Ken Mehlman, campaign manager for Bush-Cheney 2004 and former chairman of the RNC now employed by the Wall Street firm, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. That’s why, in the style of John McCain, Sinema talks about “bipartisan solutions” to the border mess.
It could work for her, too – unless Arizona voters are properly educated.
Catherine Littlewood felt empty without the ability to compete in her various track & field events throughout the season.
She was recovering from Jones fracture in her hand, one that required surgery to repair after visits with multiple doctors.
The injury, which went unfixed the first half of track season, kept her out of events.
Once she finally had surgery, it was only nine weeks out of the divisional and new Open Division state track meet, which pins the best of the best against each other for a true state championship.
It was a process, but Littlewood knew she had time to come back and qualify. Even if it was only a couple of weeks.
“The only way possible to do this was God’s work,” Littlewood said. “Have faith and all the support from my teammates, the
support from my family, the support from my coach, all the support motivated me.
“All the effort paid off.”
It took seven weeks for her to be cleared
by doctors to participate in track. That left her with only two weeks to train.
She placed second in the 400-meter dash at the Division I meet, held May 4 and 6 at
Red Mountain High School. She went on later to place third in the 100 hurdles and long jumped 20-feet to win the title.
Her marks, despite having only two weeks of training, allowed her to qualify for the Open meet. She finished third in the 400 yet again, behind only Campo Verde’s Lea Spindell and Highland’s Laney Jones.
Littlewood also placed fourth in the 100 hurdles at the Open meet and was alongside Kylee Blair, Corie Shull, and Erin Mabry, Queen Creek’s 4x100 relay team that finished fourth.
But where she really shined yet again was the long jump. Just a week after hitting the 20-foot mark, she jumped 20 feet, 7 inches to set a new state record in the event.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been that motivated in my life,” Littlewood said. “The entire rehab process, I just wanted to be with my team. I definitely grew in my spirituality and
see TRACK page 24
The Arizona state championships for 5A boys volleyball was hosted by Skyline High School on Saturday afternoon, where the Casteel Colts went on to win the match in three sets against Ironwood.
The first set started out with the Eagles gaining the first two points of the match. But with some early mistakes, the Eagles allowed a 5-1 run by the Colts.
Casteel maintained a great run with Brady Hirst and team captain Tommy Forese as the stars of the show. Forese is one of the 10 seniors on Casteel’s Varsity team. These 10 seniors; Blake Ross, Parker Blurth, Daniel O’Neill, Logan Thomas, Jake Martin, Adam Wilson, Josh Mahon, Kyan Steines, Broc Dewitt, and Forese have been in and out of the same team since middle school, where they also won
a championship at the junior high level.
This same group of seniors was also on the team during the 2021 Championship season for Casteel, and in the following season where they faced a disappointing loss in the semifinals to Gilbert.
Coach Ryan Meyn said the familiarity of the team helped with their success all season.
“When we clicked, we looked really unstoppable,” Meyn said. “Our familiarity with each other as a team, some of them played club with each other, so they’re all close friends, and they just work really well together.”
Ironwood kept a competitive edge in the first set, trailing behind the Colts, who held a tight lead 10-9, but soon were able to run away with it. Casteel took the first set 25-16 and carried the momentum to the second where the Colts won 25-17.
Sensing the championship was one more set away, Casteel kept its attack going.
The Colts went on to win 25-18 behind a raucous crowd, getting redemption for last season and winning their second title in three years.
“It’s nice winning the state champion-
ship after losing last year in the semis,” senior Tyler Forese said. “This year we worked really hard in the weight room and just stuck to the process with the coaching staff.”
TRACK from page 23
faith. It produced the results I had today.” Littlewood helped set the standard for the Bulldogs at the Open meet.
Nicole Ripperdan went on to shine in the 800, placing fourth, while Viann Vanderwall placed fourth in the high jump and Chloe Bingham eighth. Vanderwall also placed second in the triple jump while Jade Berry placed second in javelin.
The placement of all of its athletes on the girls’ side gave the Bulldogs a slight advantage over Highland heading into the 4x400, the final race of the meet. The Bulldogs did not have a team for the event, leaving the door open for the Hawks to place fifth or better to take the lead and state championship.
They placed third, taking home the state championship with the Queen Creek girls as the runner-up.
“I was not expecting that,” Littlewood said of her long jump record. “I jumped 20 last week and that was after the 400. So, I thought, ‘What more do I have in me?’ I had my coach who really hyped me up and after I broke the state record he started crying.”
Queen Creek as a whole was well repre-
Catherine Littlewood, who dealt with a Jones fracture nine weeks before the Open meet, had surgery and managed to return to set a new state record in long jump and place top four in other events. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)
sented at the Open meet.
Eastmark’s Bryson Nielsen, who runs in Division III, placed fourth behind Division I runners in the 1600. He also placed third in the 3200.
American Leadership Academy Queen Creek’s Kawai King entered the hurdles
with a chip on his shoulder to win the title and show how much the athletics at his school continue to improve.
Along with the performances from Queen Creek athletes, multiple records were broken by those from elsewhere.
Mountain Pointe’s Jayden Davis broke the 400 record for the third time this season. The first came at Arcadia, where other records fell in the process. He broke it again in the Division II meet, which helped lift the Pride to the championship.
At the Open meet, he ran the 400 in 46.25, a top 10 time in the nation.
Red Mountain’s Tyler Matthews had perhaps one of the best performances on the day.
Matthews set a new state record in the 1600 with a time of 4:12.11. He followed up that performance a couple of hours later by running the 800 in 1:48.72, the fastest time in the nation this season. He was also part of Red Mountain’s 4x400 team that clinched the state title.
Williams Field’s Saira Prince, the top hurdler in the state, was disqualified from the 110 hurdles after she false started during prelims on Friday. She came back and set a new record that night in the 300 hurdles.
On Saturday, she blew away the competition again, capping off her high school career and the state meet with a time of 40.9.
He won the 110 hurdles preliminaries on the first day of the meet and came back the next day to win state in the finals. His time of 14.11 narrowly beat Gilbert’s Vance Nilsson, who finished in 14.2. King also ran the 300 hurdles, placing sixth.
“I’m happy I won,” King said. “I had to bring my ‘A’ game every single race. Running fast times, running fast marks to get the good lane and show everyone I’m the best out here.”
“I was not going to let that finish me,” Prince said of her disqualification in the 100. “It’s just unbelievable right now. I’m so excited I was able to accomplish it. Reaching 40 was definitely an accomplishment.”
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an you guess what vegetable, up until a few years ago, was relegated to simply being steamed or cut up into flowerets for a crudités platter?
You got it -- cauliflower. But since we now turn to cauliflower to replace rice, chips or any number of our favorite dishes, cauliflower is a wall flower no more.
Take for example this delicious cauliflower pizza crust. Wow!! So yummy, especially when topped with butternut squash and pesto.
Cauliflower pizza crust
Ingredients for two 9-inch pies
• 1 head of cauliflower – about 3-4 cups once processed
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash and dry head of cauliflower. Cut off florets and discard all stems. In a food processor or with a cheese grater, “rice” the florets to a fine, powdery consistency.
In a microwave safe bowl, microwave cauliflower for about 4 minutes until steamed. Spread cauliflower on cheese cloth or clean kitchen towel.
When cooled, wrap up cloth and wring out liquid from cauliflower. (Wring out as much as you can. This is an important step to making sure the crust is crisp and not soggy.)
Butternut squash and pesto pizza on cauliflower crust
Ingredients:
• 1 recipe for cauliflower crust
• 1large sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups butternut squash, diced (1large squash)
Directions:
Bake cauliflower crusts for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, carefully remove hard skin from butternut squash and cut in ½ inch cubes.
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes or more
• Optional, 1 tablespoon flour
• Cheese cloth or clean kitchen towel
• Parchment paper coated with olive oil
In a bowl, combine cauliflower, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and optional flour.
Mix thoroughly with a spoon or by hand. Place parchment paper on 2 baking sheets and brush with olive oil. Form two 9-inch crusts, placing each on separate baking sheets. Use pizza pans or pizza stone if available.
Bake approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.
Add toppings of choice and return to oven for another 5-6 minutes or until toppings are cooked and bubbly. Slice pizza into wedges and serve.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey, date molasses or brown sugar.
• 1 cup pesto
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded gourmet cheese (Gruyere, Smoked Gouda, etc)
Over medium heat, sauté the onion in olive oil. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until onions are golden and have softened. Add squash, salt, honey, date molasses or brown sugar and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring gently until squash is cooked but still slightly firm.
Spoon the pesto sauce onto the crusts, then layer with the squash and finish with the cheeses. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until cheese has melted
