Queen Creek Tribune 08/06/2023

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Contributing Writer

lanning conservatively for at least 600 new students in its schools this year, and assuming a 2.9% inflation rate, the Queen Creek Unified School District governing board passed a budget approaching $113 million for the 2023-3024

school year, $16 million less than last year’s spending plan.

The $112,785,296 budget includes a previously approved 15%, maintenance and operations budget override, which is responsible for more than $14 million in this year’s budget.

It would cover salaries, academic programs, an already up and running class-

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Contributing Writer

Queen Creek consultant has proposed plans to transform Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre from a seasonal venue into a year-round operation, capable of hosting events without being deterred by the seasonal heat.

“What does that require? Climate control,” said Brian Dygert, 4D Production LLC, principal. “Everybody in the country has the same components. It’s just a different season. Ours is heat. So, what do we need? Air conditioning.”

room size reduction strategy.

“The M&O override is a huge chunk of our budget at $14 million,” explained the district’s chief financial officer Jessica Johnston at the July 11 school board meeting when the spending plan was unanimously approved.

A draft horse team pulls its “rig” through one of the covered arenas at Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Center. (4D, Brian Dygert/Submitted)

“And is really critical to continuing to the academic programming that we have in place and to help continue offering competitive salaries to our staff,” she continued.

Thanks to a recent board approved increase of 2%, a starting teacher in the Queen Creek district will earn an annual salary of $53,000, which allows the district to remain competitive in hiring and retaining teachers. Other districts also increased their beginning teacher pay, too, thanks to a funding windfall from the state last year.

The state boosted Queen Creek’s per pupil allowance this year to $4,914, up $139 over last year. The district also got a 2% state increase for transportation costs. With the inflation increase and enrollment growth, the overall base level support from the state for QCUSD is $92,849.128.

Beyond its general operating budget, the governing board will take a third shot at asking taxpayers to help pay for the needs of the district’s K-12 class-

room and infrastructure needs, but if history is any indicator, the board faces steep odds.

Bond initiatives, one for $286 million in 2021 and the other for $198 million in 2022, were roundly defeated by voters, leaving Queen Creek in the unenviable position of ranking among the fastest growing school districts in the state, drastically in need of the infrastructure and resources to keep up with that expansion, but lacking the support of Queen Creek voters, who made it clear in consecutive elections they have no appetite for raising taxes, even to pay for school improvements and growth.

The board voted to try again, and in June approved putting a $98-million bond measure on the ballot this November to cover the costs of a suite of capital improvements, upgrades for security, technology and infrastructure — including air conditioning at some schools — as well as new buses and additional classroom space.

Despite its lack of success at the ballot box, Queen Creek has been successful in securing money from the state for ad-

WHY SETTLE FOR ORDINARY?

ditional school buildings and land.

The State Facilities Oversight Board allocated a total of $70 million to the Queen Creek district for land purchases and new school buildings, which exceeded the district’s requests thanks to some on-site visits and recommendations from specialists on the SFOB.

Here is how that money breaks down:  The SFOB approved $59.1-million dollars for new school buildings, expansions and additions, including the biggest ticket item — $27.8 million to build a new elementary school. And the facilities board approved another $11.2 million to buy 11.4 acres for the elementary school, known now only as Elementary No. 10 until the governing board goes through the process of coming up with an official name for it.

At 90,000 square feet and capable of serving 1,100 students, Elementary No. 10 is believed to be the biggest primary school funded by the state, and is thought to be slated for construction in the Eastmark area, according to one board member.

“We are so excited to be building

the elementary school,” Johnston said. “With the construction of new schools comes the need to develop the infrastructure necessary to support the additional traffic and use of our site.”

In addition to Elementary No. 10, the state also allocated $10.1 million for a combined 33,000 additional square feet at Gateway Polytechnic Academy, a K-6 school, and Schnepf Elementary, which together will accommodate an additional 365 students in all.

More than $21 million is targeted for 65,000 square feet of new space at the Eastmark and Crismon high school buildings. That space will be developed for junior high students who take classes in those buildings. The expansion will accommodate an additional 650 students and is fully funded by the state.

According to district figures, Queen Creek schools currently serve 14,800 students at 14 elementary, junior high and high schools.

That does not consider the charter schools, private academies and homeschooled students who live in the district but do not attend public schools.

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

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Times Media acquires SoCal publications

BY TRIBUNE STAFF

Times Media Group President Steve Strickbine has acquired Picket Fence Media’s award-winning Southern California brands.

Times Media Group publishes the Queen Creek Tribune, among numerous other weekly newspapers and monthly magazines in the Phoenix, Tucson and Southern California markets.

Picket Fence Media publishes the weekly San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and the bi-weekly Capistrano Dispatch (covering San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo).

The group joins Times Media Group’s other Southern California community news properties, including the Pasadena Weekly, LA Downtown News, The Argonaut in Santa Monica and the Ventura County Reporter, among others.

“We are very excited to expand our footprint into these thriving communities, providing news and information to read-

ers as well as opportunities for advertisers with the same high standards of excellence Norb Garrett and his team have established over the past 17 years,” Strickbine said.

Media executive and entrepreneur Garrett founded Picket Fence in 2006.

The company consists of the newspapers, websites, social media channels, custom magazine publishing and e-newsletters.

Last year, The Dana Point Times earned the prestigious CNPA California Journalism Award for General Excellence for weekly newspapers.

PFM has been at the forefront of great journalism in the SoCal area for most of its history, having earned nearly 100 editorial awards since the San Clemente Times, its original newspaper, launched in 2006.

PFM’s media products cover the desirable coastal and historic South Orange County communities of San Clemente, Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo.

“Steve and I share the same belief in

THROWBACK REPLICA JERSEY

the power and importance of original, hyper-local community journalism,” said Garrett, who along with his wife and general manager, Alyssa, have operated PFM since its launch.

“By merging our businesses together and leveraging the deep resources of Times Media Group, I believe we’ve secured a bright future for The San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and The Capistrano Dispatch. I believe we’ve found the perfect match for Picket Fence Media’s brand ambitions.”

Times Media Group will continue to operate the Picket Fence Media publications from PFM’s address in Capistrano Beach.

Times Media Group, founded in 1997 by Strickbine, owns and operates more than 35 publications throughout Arizona and Southern California, including more than 25 weekly community newspapers and companion websites.

TMG also owns and operates AZ Integrated Media, a media distribution and custom publishing company.

Speakers: Library materials ‘sexualize’ kids

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

Chandler Public Library Manager Rachelle Kuzyk says she raised two boys and, like most parents, was not looking forward to having “the talk” with them.

“That can be a really awkward conversation to have with your kids,” Kuzyk said. But it was even more awkward to see five people speak out at the July 20 Chandler City Council meeting against some of the books and a program aimed at helping facilitate that discussion.

One parent called on council to “stop the sexualization of our children.”

One of the books they pointed to was the illustrated “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender and Sexual Health,” by Robie H. Harris.

“It’s kind of a foundational sex education book that… the library has had it for years,” Kuzyk said. “I would assume almost every public library has a copy of it.”

Carly Morgan, a Queen Creek resident who was among the five speakers noted that the cover calls the book suitable for children 10 and older.

She said the book describes sex, shows images of people engaging in sex, discusses masturbation, homosexuality and shows images of naked bodies.

Kuzyk said it’s a great book for parents to use when it’s time to have the talk about sex with their children.

“I think that’s a parental decision, from family to family, as to when you think that your child is ready for the talk,” she said.

“Some families may choose to have that conversation at the age of 10 years old. Others may choose to have it later.”

Another book that came under fire was “The Language of Seabirds” by Will Taylor. There are no illustrations in this story of two 12-year-old boys who are attracted to one another during a brief summer vacation.

“The main language of the seabirds is secrets,” said Cindy Barnes. “There’s no reason any book (that) has to do with anti-police or being secret with adults needs to be given to children under 18.”

Speakers also attacked Chandler Public Library’s writer-in-residence program.

Ocotillo resident Lois Shugarr objected to some of the books either written or suggested by the current author-in-residence, Mesa writer Sharon Skinner, and wanted to know if parents had any say in what books or games are on the library’s shelves.

The author-in-residence program is mostly for aspiring writers. It allows an established author to have a one-on-one session with them for insights into writing and the publishing world.

“It’s a great program,” said Chris McGinley, the branch manager of the Basha Library, the home of the writer-in-residence program. “Between the two authors, we’ve done a total of 168 appointments. In terms of scale, or just comparative to some of our other adult services programs, it is something that has been consistently attended and utilized.”

Shugarr objected to some of the books that Skinner listed on her personal website as good reads.

McGinley said those suggestions did not appear on any of the city’s web pages.

One of the recommendations was “Charles Manson’s Creepy Crawl: The Many Lives of America’s Most Infamous Family” by Jeffrey Melnick.

The book discusses the cultural impact Manson and his family had on the nation. It is not available at the Chandler Public Library.

Another book Shugarr cited was “Say the Right Thing: How to Talk about Identity, Diversity, and Justice.” The Chandler Library has two copies of that book.

Shugarr also pointed to Skinner’s own work, which is mostly fantasy fiction, and cited “Collars & Curses” and Skinner’s Healer’s Trilogy. The trilogy is about a young woman who can speak to animals. “Collars & Curses” is about a werewolf and witch.

The writer-in-residence program is funded by a mini-grant from Arizona State Library, which chooses the author with input from the libraries.

“Just the reviews that we’ve received on this program, it is one of our great programs,” McGinley said. “It’s real good luck for the library and the writers themselves, they love to do it.”

Kuzyk said some of the statements made by the five speakers were incorrect. Parents do not need a minor child to enter the children’s library. She said they don’t allow parents to use the computers in the children’s area for safety reasons.

She said the complaint about digital games was also misguided.

Kuzyk said the library’s recently opened Book & Board Lounge contains more than 150 board games but only a few hand-held digital games and few video games.

“I think that librarians do a good job of remaining neutral when it comes to the selection of material,” Kuzyk said. “Our own personal feelings don’t enter the equation.

“It’s simply that we are an access point for the information and it really is the consumer of the information that decides what’s appropriate for them.”

Queen Creek resident Carly Morgan was one of five people to speak against the Chandler Public Library at the July 20 city council meeting, objecting to the sexual health book, “It’s Perfectly Normal.” (City of Chandler/Submitted)

These books were attacked by critics of Chandler Public Library. (City of Chandler/Submitted)

Road fatalities continue grim rise in state

BY CECELIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer

The number of people dying in vehicle crashes in Arizona increased for the third straight year in 2022 with about three fatalities a day, according to the latest state report.

The 1,294 traffic fatalities across the state last year represented an increase of 8.6% over 2021, the Arizona Department of Transportation said.

Its annual Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, released last week, faulted speed as the continuing leading factor in fatal and serious crashes, causing 426 deaths and 20,069 injuries during 2022.

“We are seeing an increase in both traffic and fatal collisions,” said Maj. Jason Leonard, chief of staff of the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Division.

“Most of these collisions are preventable if drivers do two things — avoid distractions and remain focused on the task of driving and be patient and drive within the law, especially relating to speed, passing and distracted driving.”

Overall, the 2022 traffic fatality total is the second-highest ever recorded in Arizona and only slightly behind the record 1,301 deaths recorded in 2006.

Maricopa County saw 660 fatal vehicle crashes in 2022, compared with 603 in 2021.

Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Queen Creek each followed the state and county lead with more fatal crashes than in 2021.

For 2022, Phoenix reported 282 fatal crashes and 301 deaths; Chandler, 19 fatal crashes and 20 deaths; Mesa, 53 crashes and 55 deaths; Gilbert, 18 crashes and 19 deaths; Scottsdale, 16 crashes and 16 deaths and Queen Creek, four crashes and four deaths.

In 2021, Phoenix had 278 fatal crashes and 294 deaths; Chandler, 15 crashes and 16 deaths; Mesa, 43 crashes and 45 deaths; Gilbert, 15 crashes and 15 deaths; Scottsdale, 14 crashes and 14 deaths and Queen Creek with two crashes and two deaths.

Crashes with injuries in 2022 also went up for four of the East Valley communities from the previous year. Overall, injuries from crashes totaled 52,411 during 2022, a slight increase from 2021.

Chandler had 1,225 injury crashes, up from 942; Mesa, 1,996 up from 1,824; Gilbert, 569 up from 544 and Queen Creek, 131 up from 100.

However, the other two saw drops with Phoenix having 10,668 injury crashes in 2022 compared with 10,879 in 2021 and Scottsdale, 1,126 from a high of 1,207.

The state agency reported that inappropriate speed and speeding accounted for a greater share of deaths and injuries.

Alcohol also played a role in the crashes.

Five of the communities saw an increase in alcohol-related crashes and while Phoenix saw a 10% drop to 1,297, it saw an increase of people killed in these sorts of crashes.

Booze-fueled crashes claimed 51 lives in Phoenix compared with 49 in 2021, according to the report.

Among DUI-related crashes, Chandler and Gilbert similarly each saw five deaths compared with three the year prior; Scottsdale, five deaths, up from one and Queen Creek, one death compared with none in 2021.

Mesa, however, saw its alcohol-related crash deaths dropped to eight from the 11 reported in 2021.

Overall, alcohol-related crashes resulting in fatalities — 223 — saw a slight decline during 2022 in the state.

And when it comes to the number of injuries caused by drunken drivers, Chandler, Mesa and Queen Creek saw

an uptick while Gilbert, Phoenix and Scottsdale saw a slight decrease.

Injuries in crashes related to alcohol decreased slightly for the state with 3,538 such crashes in 2022 compared with 3,617 in 2021.

The report also looked at pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist deaths, which all went up last year. The data did not drill down to individual communities.

During 2022, there were 302 pedestrian deaths in the state, a 16.2% increase from 260 in 2021. For the same year 48 bicyclists died in crashes compared with 45 in 21, the report said, adding that bicycle-related fatalities have risen each year since 2018.

There also were 228 motorcyclist deaths in crashes, a 36.5% increase from 167 during 2021. The report stated that in 42% of the deaths in which authorities could determine helmet use involved riders and passengers who weren’t wearing helmets.

Although the total number crashes

in Arizona for 2022 dropped 1.25% to 119,991 from 121,506 in 2021, the total fatality increased by 8.5% to 1,294 from 1,192.

Injuries from all crashes totaled 35,878 in 2022.

The report also said that the peak month for all crashes was generally in March and for fatal crashes the peak month was in October.

Also, the peak day for all crashes are Fridays and the peak day for fatal crashes, Saturday with the peak hour for fatal crashes occurring between 7 to 8 p.m.

Motorcycle crashes occurred more frequently between the hours of 4 to 5 p.m.; pedestrian involved crashes, 7 to 8 p.m. and bicycle crashes, 4 to 5 p.m. The peak hour for alcohol-related crashes was 2 to 3 a.m.

According to the report, children 14 and younger accounted for 42 fatalities and 2,789 injuries from vehicle crashes last year.

Also, vehicle crashes resulted in $21.3 billion in economic losses in Arizona.

Queen Creek Library holds tradition tightly

BY MARY GOLDMEER Tribune Staff Writer

Homi K. Bhabha says people can let go and be a true version of themselves in third spaces. Free physical third spaces are dwindling in this digital age, but places like parks, volunteer groups and libraries are options open to everyone.

The Queen Creek Library had a busy summer season, bringing community members together while school was out. Dance parties, storytimes, writing workshops and small shows provided an introduction to the library beyond books. This fall, the programs continue.

Teens can come together to learn how to code or talk about their favorite animes and mangas. Adults can utilize career counseling centers to apply for jobs, adjust their resumes, practice interviewing skills and access veteran resources.

There are book clubs targeted toward

Beyond books, the Queen Creek Library offers an array of programs and events for people of all ages. (Queen Creek Library/Submitted)

every generation and special events are updated on the library website monthly. With all of these activities, “libraries aren’t really quiet anymore,” said Queen Creek Library Manager Jenn Lopez. There are quiet study room spaces that provide the traditional whispering environment that is often expected.

Queen Creek Library organizes family-oriented events and services beyond

storytime, “because we’re not just books, I think we have something for everyone,” Lopez said.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Lopez and her team host “Toddler Time,” where parents and kids under 5 read, sing and play together.

“It’s great to see moms interacting with each other and their kids, first-time moms get all these new tips and get access to a whole community,” she said.

All of the libraries in the Maricopa Library District are, “set up more like a bookstore and easy to browse and it’s less overwhelming for people,” Lopez said.

To check out books, access online services and reserve a spot for events with limited space, sign up for a library card. Library cards are free for all Maricopa County residents. Those who live outside of the county can enjoy services but must pay $50 each year to access reserved materials.

Digital services are available to Mar-

icopa County Library card holders. Free online courses, downloadable songs, e-books, research help and digital media like documentaries, audiobooks, newspapers and magazines are all easily accessible online, too.

Upcoming events

Everything Bagel Book Club for Adults

6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9 Teen Manga Book Club

3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16

Read It and Weep: Romance Book Club

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24 Code Club!

6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28

Queen Creek Library 21802 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek 602-652-3000, mcldaz.org

9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Dygert said, in addition to adding climate control, the plan will require expanding the facility to attain maximum horse stall and RV capacity. He said that would allow Horseshoe Park to host two events at once or one large event without concerns over climate.

This fiscal year, Horseshoe Park hosted 148,329 people, 11,839 horses 77 events over the 186 days it was used. The park spent $2,104,018 to generate $1,103,373 in 2022, which is more than two and half times what it generated a decade ago. Figures show the facility generates about $42 million in related revenue over the course of the year.

Theoretically, maximizing the animal space and adding climate control roughly double the potential usage days.

But the astronomical expense of adding air conditioning, not to mention being saddled with a $1.28 million deficit, leaves some councilmembers with not much appetite to spend more on the town-owned park, outside of

routine maintenance costs that any facility incurs.

Councilmember Travis Padilla, while making clear that he enjoys the facility and the events that happen there, from monster truck rallies to rodeos, wondered aloud whether all of the town’s 70,000 residents should be on the hook for supporting it and any future investments.

“Why are we losing so much money?” Padilla said his constituents ask him. “Why do we spend money on that?”

“What about those who don’t attend Horseshoe Park? Or own a hotel or own a restaurant? They say, ‘why are we paying for this?’ If we can just think about those people for a minute.”

Padilla said many people who will never attend an event there are subsidizing the park. Padilla asked aloud whether government support of Horseshoe Park is a harbinger of increased government involvement in recreational activities.

“How big does government grow? How fast does it grow, and how quick-

ly does it grow out of control?” he said. “Supporting hobbies is just not something I can do.”

While saying Horseshoe Park adds to the quality of life and speaks to the roots of Queen Creek, Mayor Julia Wheatley also expressed concern over the deficit. She said despite the town’s rapid growth and the park representing one way it can cling to its history, she, too, expressed concern over the gap between spending and revenue.

“I struggle with that gap,” Wheatley said. “And although it’s closing it’s not closing as rapidly as I would like.”

Like Wheatley, Vice Mayor Jeff Brown and others said they are supportive of the venue but want to see the park generate more revenue without having to make large investments for now. Brown was concerned specifically about the cost of climate controlling the multi-acre facility.

“In terms of dollars when you start talking about air-conditioned facilities, I know those will run millions of dollars,” Brown said.

Brown also expressed concern over potential “mission creep” if the facility is remade and does not represent what it once did to the town, which was purchased by Queen Creek prior to any of the current council members were elected, and opened in 2009.

4D’s five-year strategic plan will outline short- and mid-term strategies for increasing revenues, while managing expenses.

The plan will also identify additional capital investments that the town may consider, cost recovery levels, event production opportunities, and additional revenue streams to support growth and forward movement.

4D lists the following as part of its short- to mid-term strategy (one to five years) for Horseshoe Park:

• Implement updated industry comparable rates and fees (in progress).

Institute a new process for facility support services — i.e., event set-up, custodial services. Assess vendor rates and update/include as appropriate in

contract terms. Issue request for proposal (RFP) for food, beverage and alcohol services.

• Master site plan outlining locations of potential future, phased capital improvements. Issue RFP for a full-service restaurant to align with the location of the Chapman Auto Group (main arena). New digital marquee along Riggs Road with a formal marquee sponsorship program. A more formal facility sponsorship program.

• Enhanced marketing strategy, brand awareness and professional relationship development. Temporary and flexible facility infrastructure — additional barn stalls, RV pedestals and RV check-in office to accommodate growth of existing events and for attracting new events to be developed at HPEC.

• A formal independent economic impact analysis should be studied continually on a five-year cycle to direct decisions on the long-term planning, capital and operational demands. As HPEC attracts more event producers, the destination tourism impact of economics is measurable as a key component to any municipality.

• A revised booking policy; prioritization of the annual booking program.

• Explore a parking program that would allow HPEC to control parking and the fees associated with event parking.

“It is important to note that the United States equine industry is a very diverse, unique and impactful industry, and the equine and rodeo industry is seeing positive activity at the event level,” Dygert wrote in his outline of the five-year strategic plan.

“HPEC has an opportunity to capitalize on this momentum as the industry, in terms of event production, is returning to almost equal levels compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic) and the potential for continued growth is tremendous.”

The complete five-year strategic plan for Horseshoe Park will be presented to the town council later.

HORSESHOE

Summer vacation no day at the beach for Biden

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf led America to victory in “Desert Storm,” the 100hour ground war that drove invading Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in 1991.

But “Stormin’ Norman” saved a rhetorical barrage for a particular place on the Potomac known as the “Swamp.”

Thirty summers ago, in July 1993, Schwarzkopf forcefully — and humorously — disavowed any political ambitions in a convention speech to the Video Software Dealers Association.

“I’ve been stationed in Washington, D.C., five times, and every time I’ve been there, it’s worse than before… we all know Congress is the world’s largest adult day care center.”

The late general wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last American to designate the District of Columbia as “Deserving of Criticism.”

In fact, two elected officials who are also at eternal rest — President John F. Kennedy and Rep. Jennifer Dunn — offered comic descriptions of the place.

JFK called Washington “a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.” Dunn, a Republican from the State of Washington, described the “other” Washington as “the world’s only workfree drug zone.”

Somewhere between Schwarzkopf cracking wise and Dunn’s clever revision of a sign of her times, heralding a “drug free school zone,” there exists the reality upon which their cynical humor was based.

For a substantial portion of our history, Washington’s business calendar mirrored the academic calendar for public schools… at least, as it used to be.

In other words, out on Memorial Day,

back after Labor Day.

The advent of air conditioning changed that.

AC not only grew the population here in Arizona, it also grew a larger federal government in Washington.

Environmental alarmists may still insist that “climate change” will eventually bring global demise, but it was the interior “climate change” that helped alter our national destiny.

The Capitol was air conditioned in 1928. A Christmas Eve fire a year later at the White House brought “Christmas in July” by 1930 with the installation of central AC at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Yet despite that technological innovation, Official Washington still maintains a tradition of long summer breaks.

As you read these words, the Supreme Court is adjourned until the first Monday in October; members of Congress are in the midst of an extended “District Work Period,” and the 46th President has spent almost a full year of his term — at least 360 days — unencumbered by visitor logs or an official business schedule.

Certainly time away from Washington does not always equate with “fun in the sun,” but recent beach photos of Joe Biden may evoke memories of the motion picture “Weekend at Bernie’s” among Americans of a certain generation… or suggest a senior version of “Beach Blanket Bingo” to baby boomers. And just as movies still provide a form of escape for many of us, yet another week at the Delaware shore was meant to offer a similar escape for a beachcomber named Biden.

But troubling evidence is mounting… and it may soon expose the Chief Executive to genuine political and legal jeopardy.

Before taking its August break, the House Oversight Committee heard testimony from Devon Archer, a longtime

friend and business associate of Hunter Biden.

Archer testified that while vice president, Joe Biden participated in his son’s business dinners with foreign clients — either in person or via speakerphone — more than 20 times.

If true, that means Joe Biden was untruthful… to put it diplomatically. The elder Biden claimed repeatedly during the 2020 Campaign that “I have never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings.”

During a campaign stop in Iowa in 2019, Ol’ Joe added, “Here’s what I know. Trump should be investigated.”

Since a “series of unfortunate events”

put Biden in the White House, his Justice Department has done more than investigate Donald Trump. The DOJ has indicted the 45th president on multiple charges.

And each indictment seems to be timed for announcement whenever scandalous news is reported about the Biden Bunch.

GOP House members are getting an earful from constituents during this time at home. Personal experience validates the claim that the “District Work Period” is no euphemism… and that their supporters are clamoring for an “impeachment inquiry” to begin.

After all, it’s not exactly a vacation… and certainly not a day at the beach.

AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Start of school is stressful for everyone

BY JUDY BLUHM Tribune Columnist

Summer is over. OK, so we might have a few more

months to swelter, but the kids are back in school. Remember the good old days, when school started back in session after Labor Day? Not anymore. The yellow buses are running, the crosswalks are busy, and the par-

ents are revving up their engines to do the drop-off and pick-up routine. Backpacks are stuffed and lunches are packed. Vacations have come to a screeching halt.

This has been one long, hot summer. In Arizona, the inferno called

blurted out, “the only good thing is that I will never have another first day of school in my life.” Yes, very true. Hang in there, honey. It gets better.

My friend’s teenage daughter woke up on the first day of school

Sports venues’ names may change, but loyalties don’t

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

My love-hate relationship with Sun Devil Stadium began in 1995, when I scored free tickets to an Arizona Cardinals home game. This was a September afternoon matchup. The thermometer hovered near triple digits. That was the day I learned that you didn’t want to sit “on the sunny side” of Sun Devil Stadium ever. Full stop.

I began reminiscing about Sun Devil surely the most accurately named event venue in all America the day Arizona State University sent out a flowery press release touting “one of the most dynamic naming rights deals in college athletics.”

Henceforth, Sun Devil Stadium

will be called Mountain America Stadium. You know, after Mountain America Credit Union, headquartered in Sandy, Utah, and with eight branches in the Valley.

This deal raises two big questions for me.

One, must we call A Mountain “Mountain A” from now on? And two, will this name actually catch on with students, alums and fans?

As a creature of habit, I’m a late adopter when it comes to new names for old places. Around the same time as I learned about Sun Devil’s broiling sun, I began attending Suns games at the old America West Arena downtown.

In 2005, that building was renamed US Airways Center. Then the new names kept coming: Talking Stick Resort Arena, PHX Arena, Phoenix Suns Arena, then Footprint Center,

after a Gilbert-based company I had to look up to write this piece.

Footprint, according to its website, is “focused on changing the world.” In addition to being modest, they “design, develop and manufacture plantbased fiber solutions. Our first goal is to eliminate single-use plastics that harm consumers and the planet.”

Sounds awesome, so long as they don’t manufacture those crappy paper straws. Then I stand opposed.

Regardless, I have yet to utter the phrase “Footprint Center,” despite having attended multiple games and concerts there of late. Somewhere during that streak of naming rights deals, I simply started calling it “the Suns arena.”

There was no ill intent in my rejecting the brand name; it’s simply what the building is in my head.

Just like the stadium on the West side where the Cardinals play has always been “Cardinals stadium,” never University of Phoenix Stadium or State Farm Stadium.

The same goes for the baseball stadium downtown. When it opened, I called it Bank One Ballpark, or, as a joke, Bob. Eventually, I started calling it “the baseball stadium,” even after the name changed to Chase Field.

People’s tendency to ignore new names makes me wonder if naming

rights deals are worth the expense. Predictably, Twitter uh, I mean X was almost universally opposed to the new name, with most posts unfit to print. @brookskcbsradio captured the general mood, writing: “First Sparky gets demoted in stature and now this. Frank Kush is probably rolling over in his grave.”

I was less angry about the deal than I was resigned. History is cheap anymore, but for those of us who cherish good memories, they remain alive regardless.

I covered Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium, saw the Cowboys beat the Steelers and saw Diana Ross sing “Take Me Higher” before flying out of the stadium by helicopter.

Sun Devil was where ASU’s football team famously shut out topranked Nebraska 19-0 on the 1996 night the gridiron was christened Frank Kush Field. It’s where I saw the Rolling Stones and U2, and where I left heartbroken in 1999, when Tennessee whipped my beloved Florida State Seminoles 23-16 for a national championship.

The moral to this story? You can always buy a new name, but you can’t buy hearts and minds.

That’s an eternal truth, along with never sit on the sunny side at Mountain America. 

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

Pop-up boutique’s ethics reflected in products

BY HALEY BEYER Tribune Contributing Writer

For some, spirituality is an aspect of life. For others, it is life.

The way humans move through the world says a lot about their connection to themselves, others, the planet and the universe.

Because of this, the Queen Creek mother-daughter team of Julie Neri and Allison Neri-Garza created a spot where consumers can learn about the energies around them through quality products.

The Happy Cosmos opened about a year and a half ago — first as a spiritual wellness shop featuring incense, crystals, ritual kits, tarot cards and flower essences. The duo longed to sell their favorite things, so The Happy Cosmos’ inventory now includes clothing, jewelry, bags, hats, beauty items and kitchen supplies.

“Being an ethical brand that focuses on a sustainable and cruelty-free lifestyle was a non-negotiable for us,”

store. Neri’s style is sophisticated, while Neri-Garza shares bohemian fashions.

“My favorite item in the store are the harem pants,” Neri said.

“They have a full hippie vibe, fun colors and patterns, and they look good on everyone. They are also ethically sourced from Thailand.”

Neri said.

“We have always been that way and wanted it reflected in our store. We only buy from vendors who believe in an eco-friendly lifestyle and promote a good message.”

They’ll bring their goods to the indoor farmers market at Legacy Park, 6321 S. Ellsworth Road, Mesa, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays Aug. 13, Aug. 20 and Aug. 27.

Neri-Garza — an integrative healing arts practitioner with an emphasis in spiritual guidance and life

coaching — said The Happy Cosmos’ products are ethically sourced.

“The herbs and shells are cultivated naturally,” said Neri-Garza, a 2011 Williams Field High School graduate.

“We get our crystals from a connection in Canada who collects them, puts them in a rock tumbler and can guarantee their authenticity. And the feathers in our kits are gathered — never plucked — on a farm and sent to us.”

The mother and daughter parlayed their feelings into two vibes in the

“And I would have to go with the overalls,” Neri-Garza added. “The tie-dye ones are my favorite. I live by them, and I love getting other people to see how great they are because everyone who gets some falls in love.”

Neri-Garza said they want people to open their minds and give them the tools to step into their spirituality. Understanding it is key. The store’s inclusive nature activates openness and acceptance.

“It is also important that we teach everyone how to respect the culture and religion behind these rituals,”

The Happy Cosmos opened about a year and a half ago — first as a spiritual wellness shop featuring incense, crystals, ritual kits, tarot cards and flower essences. (The Happy Cosmos/ Submitted)

The Queen Creek mother-daughter team of Julie Neri and Allison Neri-Garza created The Happy Cosmos. (The Happy Cosmos/Submitted)

Allison Neri-Garza’s style is bohemian chic at The Happy Cosmos. (The Happy Cosmos/Submitted)

‘Kendra’ teaches children not to bully

BY HALEY BEYER Tribune Contributing Writer

Author Clever Jenny is using her writing to make a difference.

On Aug. 15, the Queen Creek resident will release “Kendra and Her Hippo Stompers Save the Day,” which challenges dynamics in kids’ lives, opening discussion on the topic of kindness and the importance of friendship to help prevent bullying.

“I was motivated to write about bullying because we can make a difference if we all work together,” said Clever Jenny, who would not reveal her real name.

“The impact bullying has on a child can last a lifetime. Children often don’t realize how name calling or excluding makes the person receiving this behavior feel. Teaching empathy to children could change the way they treat those around them.

“I’m passionate about this topic and seek to do my part to stand up against bullying.”

“Kendra and Her Hippo Stompers Save the Day” is about a school-aged girl, excited about her attire and eager to make friends.

Kendra was created to teach children to be true to themselves and that recognizing differences is a good thing. The book took about a year to write, but she felt it come to life when it was paired with the illustrations by Cheryl Crouthamel.

“One talent that I lack entirely is artistic ability,” she said with a laugh. “I knew from the beginning of the process that I would entrust the fate of my story into the hands of an artist. I admire the talent of artists, especially picture book illustrators.

“I developed an even deeper connection with my characters because not only could I feel them in my heart, but I could see them.”

But every journey comes with challenges — for Clever Jenny, it was sharing her writing with others.

Sharing her work with others made her feel vulnerable, but she is happy with her choice now.

“Becoming an author was one of the bravest decisions in my life,” Clever Jenny said.

Now that the book has been published and is soon to be distributed, Clever Jenny’s next focus is community engagement. The lessons of the book cannot be heard and learned if the book remains unread.

“Every day moving forward, I hope my story will find its way into the hands of little readers,” she said.

“Literature holds excellent lessons. Children can learn through stories. Kendra endures experiences that may be familiar to some readers.”

“Kendra” shows children how to respect others and gives adults the chance to challenge the dynamics seen on playgrounds, in classrooms, on sports teams.

This book starts dialogue about anti-bullying, how to prevent it, how to handle it if it does occur and why it’s important to be kind.

“Stories lead to remembrance and curiosity,” Clever Jenny said.

“Books don’t only enrich a child’s imagination. I am drawn to creating literature that helps foster a deeper understanding of humanity and our respect for each other’s experiences. Picture books can help children understand important concepts.”

Educators interested in an author visit or book-signing event can fill out the contact form at cleverjenny.com.

“Kendra and Her Hippo Stompers Save the Day” is available for preor-

Clever Jenny’s book, “Kendra and her Hippo Stompers Save the Day,” opens discussion about kindness and the importance of friendship to help prevent bullying. (Clever Jenny/Submitted)

der at Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Amazon, among other sellers.

BOUTIQUE

from page 14

Neri-Garza said.

It’s not all about the products though. The ladies’ goal is to educate and create a safe space for others to experiment and openly express themselves. This happens daily but it is amplified during markets or popups.

“I love meeting new people and making them feel comfortable enough to be curious about their spirituality,” Neri-Garza said.

“I love to hear people’s journeys and trading experiences with them. Even if people come by and don’t buy anything, I still love to make a connection with them and I love our

“Kendra and Her Hippo Stompers Save the Day”

32 pages; $9.99

Releases Tuesday, Aug. 15; available at Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Amazon

recurring customers, too, because it is nice to hear the impact our items made on them.”

Neri added, “I love to watch people get excited about finding a unique piece that no one else has and cannot be bought anywhere else.”

The Happy Cosmos at the Indoor Farmers Market

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays Aug. 13, Aug. 20 and Aug. 27

WHERE: Legacy Park, 6321 S. Ellsworth Road, Mesa

COST: Free admission INFO: elitesportsaz.com, shopthecosmos.com, Instagram: @thehappycosmos

New print and design shop opens in QC

BY TRIBUNE STAFF

Minuteman Press in Queen Creek hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 18 with Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce staff, local business owners, Minuteman Press owners and staff, and Queen Creek Councilmember Travis Padilla.

Minuteman Press is located at 22375 S. Scotland Court, Suite 103, near Ocotillo and Crismon roads. They offer traditional printing, such as flyers, postcards and brochures, promotional products for businesses,

and wide format printing.

Their Simple Business Builders line offers custom printed products. They offer businesses direct mail and USPS direct mail to reach target markets, starting from postcard creation, design and production to cost-effective mailing services.

With conservation and sustainability, we all have the power to make a positive impact on our environment. Together we can create an impactful conservation legacy that will benefit many generations to come.

“We are super excited to be in Queen Creek,” said Brian Crowe, Queen Creek Minuteman Press owner.

“It’s one of the fastest-growing towns in the country. I believe there is no better place to start a business.”

Info: az213.minutemanpress.com

We’re committed to providing clean water while building and maintaining infrastructure that will provide plentiful resources for Arizona long into the future.

Learn more at epcor.com

Minuteman Press in Queen Creek hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 18 with Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce staff, local business owners, Minuteman Press owners and staff, and Queen Creek Councilmember Travis Padilla. (Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce/Submitted)

Mental health stigmas remain among HS athletes

BY DAVID BERNAUER Cronkite News

The Arizona sun beat down on the pavement in May, hot enough to make any walking person uncomfortable. Summertime was on the horizon. Before the thermometer reached scalding temperatures, the Readinger residence hosted a graduation party.

Addi Readinger appeared set to begin the next stage of her life after her senior year at Millennium High School in Goodyear. Some guests quietly noted she looked thinner. They likely chalked it up to the cardio required to compete in track and field, cross country, basketball and soccer.

Gold and black graduation decorations adorned the house, and the smell of food permeated the air.

Guests munched on hot dogs, hamburgers, mac ‘n’ cheese and chips. Readinger ate none of it.

She always had been the center of attention on her track teams, winning just about everything, and to her discomfort, today was no different.

“Everybody was like, ‘What’s your next step? What are you gonna do?’” Readinger said. “I had a graduation party and didn’t graduate. I was so ashamed that I didn’t tell anybody.”

Nor did they know the former 3.8 GPA student taking honors and AP classes had only attended school about once a week, and only for a portion of the day.

“I don’t think they would even believe me,” she said.

As a result of a dizzying amount of external pressures, Readinger developed an eating disorder. In about a month, she dropped from 136 pounds to 102 pounds.

As conversations surrounding mental health of high school student-athletes continue, many stigmas remain. Athletes face more pressure from peers, coaches and parents, yet some still hesitate to reach out when struggling. (Dave Minton/Staff)

Nearly half of Americans struggle with a mental illness for some period of time before they reach adulthood, and young athletes are no exception.

Athlete adolescents are reporting “higher levels of negative emotional states” than their non-athlete counterparts, according to a 2015 study from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

“Keeping up with (your) mental health is something that you really have to rely on, especially when it comes to school and doing sports,” said Malakai Dotstry, a former track and field athlete and football player at Youngker High School in Buckeye.

“Because if your mental health is not right, you’re not going to do your work at your best.”

Competing with a group or team is generally seen as a positive for self-

worth, but stress is present over individual performance, playing time, dealing with aches and sprains and bruises, or pleasing teammates, coaches and parents. These factors can compound themselves with the normal stressors for teenagers, like turning in school assignments on time, working a job after school or making time for friends.

Readinger had a busy schedule balancing all her sports and extracurricular activities. From freshman to junior year, a typical day included waking up at 5:30 for practice, attending school during the day, more practice in the evening, work from 6 to 10 at night, finally catching some sleep around midnight, then rinse and repeat.

Despite how hectic this could seem for anyone, let alone a teenag -

er, Readinger managed to make it all work. She had the friends she grew up with and her church group for support and was succeeding academically and athletically. Everything was going well. But midway through her junior year, her family moved to Arizona and Readinger no longer had her support systems in place.

As a result, life took a turn for the worse.

The 2010s marked the advent of the social media age. The ability to connect with anyone in the world was available at the push of a button. A time so unimaginable even 20 years before, it will likely go down as one of the major eras (and maybe errors) in human history.

Social media usage has been linked

to higher rates of depression, anxiety and lower self esteem. Seeing images of a projected perfect life can make one’s perception of their own seem not as exciting and their bodies not fit enough in comparison.

“For any teenager, social media plays at least 50% of the cause for their mental health struggles,” said Rajani Rastogi, who worked as a social worker at Hamilton High School in Chandler for almost nine years. “Their self-esteem suffers because of what other people are doing and saying online.”

Social media usage also contributes to a lack of sleep in teenagers, which can ultimately lead to mental health disorders.

Of course, it is possible for students to seek help from someone like a school counselor or social worker. But even with all the resources available, it doesn’t mean they have the familiarity with these resources to feel comfortable reaching out. Going into a vulnerable state and telling them everything going on can be hard because they don’t know the person.

“I think maybe some athletes feel like, ‘Oh, I can handle things on my own.’ They feel more tough, or they rely upon the coach and their team,” Rastogi said. “It depends on everyone’s comfort level.”

It’s important for coaches to foster an environment where athletes feel comfortable enough to come forward with their problems. Through 21 years of coaching, Keiko Yoshimine has seen everything from a winless season to a runner-up for a Coach of the Year award. Yoshimine and Kristin Hoffner, who is a principal lecturer at ASU teaching sports psychology, were head coach and assistant coach, respectively, of the girls varsity basketball team at Paradise Valley from 2004 to 2012.

They were a bad team at first. Routine losses of 30 points or more and a 1-47 record across two seasons highlighted their struggles. Often, players would come to Yoshimine and Hoffner complaining about not only the

mental stress of losing so often and by so much, but bullying from classmates who had seen the scores.

Some players had other issues outside of basketball which would affect their performance on the court. Namely, there was an incident where one girl had been cutting and another who had been suffering from an eating disorder and passed out during practice.

“It was always about keeping the lines of communication open,” Yoshimine said. “There were a few kids that have had to have sit-downs with parents and talk about what we’ve been seeing or what we think is happening. You’re trying to give that kid support.”

Yoshimine and Hoffner weren’t experts on the mental health of teens, just a pair of high school basketball coaches in their mid-20s. Sometimes if an athlete wasn’t showing up to school, they would personally pick them up at their homes, drive them to school, go to their day jobs and come back to the school later to run practice. Despite all the effort, there was only so much they could do from the sidelines.

The teenage years come with inherent stress and anxiety, and while social media can affect teenagers in positive ways, it can also be detrimental to their mental health. Lack of sleep can also impact not only cognitive ability and physical performance but also lead to psychiatric illnesses. A reluctance to use available resources can exacerbate an athlete’s depression, anxiety or other mental health ailments.

Awareness of athlete mental health has changed. Gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Michael Phelps have been praised for coming forward about their mental health issues. But at the same time, the stigmas persist.

“It takes you a while to figure out that you’re even feeling that way and realize it’s a problem, and at that point, you’re probably too embarrassed because you’ve been telling people for so long it wasn’t a problem,” Readinger said.

Expires 8/31/23.

Riki Rachtman recalls tumultuous life in new one-man show

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Executive Editor

Former “Headbangers Ball” host Riki Rachtman was nervous when he booked his first one-man show, “One Foot in the Gutter.”

“When I thought of this show, I heard, ‘You’re going to do what? Who’s going to go?’” he said.

Now, he couldn’t be prouder of his show, which is selling out in the United States and Australia. A tour had been a long-standing dream.

“I always wanted to try it,” Rachtman said about the multimedia show that traces his childhood and career.

“I tried it on Sept. 11 in North Carolina. It was a pretty big venue, and it sold out. It was the most fun I’ve ever done.”

Apparently, promoters thought the same. He was offered four more dates, which led to another 16, and then four in Australia. Rachtman has two “One Foot in the Gutter” shows in Arizona — Tucson on Aug. 8 and Tempe on Aug. 9.

“This is the first time heading to the West Coast, and I have a show in Hollywood,” he said.

“Some of the people I talk about will be at the show. Phoenix is really important to me, too, as I’ve had my club, The Cathouse, in Tempe. My radio show was on KUPD for 20 years. There are good people all over Arizona.”

In the two-hour show, Rachtman intersperses stories about the Hollywood scene, The Cathouse and “Headbangers Ball” with photos and videos.

“I talk about growing up in Hollywood, overcoming getting arrested and being flat broke after being on television, and working my way back,” he said.

“It’s weird for me to say this, but this show is hilarious. All the reviews say the show is hilarious. It’s very, very flattering. I talk about all of my jobs I’ve had — and I’ve had a lot of jobs. This is the one

I’m most proud of.”

Rachtman was arrested in 1997 on suspicion of battery after punching another radio DJ, Douglas Steckler, in LA. He subsequently lost his job, went bankrupt and took a job selling cars because no one would hire him, he said.

“It was really tough,” he said. “It was quite a ways after MTV. I was doing radio. When you’re sort of a public figure, everyone expects you to be doing well, and then when you have to get a regular job, it’s tough.

“I did spend a couple years selling cars. You always hear ‘never give up’ and ‘just keep on working.’ I never stopped.”

He looks back fondly on “Headbangers Ball,” an MTV show that debuted on April 18, 1987, to play heavy metal videos. But he does have some regrets.

“It was incredible,” he said. “But when I look back at it now, what I am a little bummed about it, I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have. I had all these great things happening. It was temporary, and I should have appreciated it. I got to hang out with all these people.”

“Headbangers Ball” was canceled in 1995, with the advent of alt-rock, grunge, pop-punk and rap music. In March 2021, Rachtman’s “The Ball” debuted.

In June, he brought “One Foot in the Gutter” overseas to Australia — a country that didn’t even get MTV. The gigs were sold out.

“I walked out and asked the audience if they got ‘Headbangers Ball.’ They said, ‘No.’ So I asked why they were there,” he recalled.

“They said they heard all the stories about The Cathouse. One guy said he saw pictures in magazines of his favorite bands; I was in all the photos. He wondered, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’”

One of his favorite gigs was at The Machine Shop Concert Lounge in Flint, Michigan, which is known for its ener-

getic shows.

“It was so loud, and people were so into it,” he said. “The place was rowdy. It was great. We all walked off the stage and thought, ‘This is amazing.’ The way they run that club and everybody who works there is amazing. The owner, Kevin (Zink), his reputation speaks for itself.”

Rachtman does alter his shows to reflect the city in which he’s performing. He discusses the bands he’s watched there, for example. In Tempe, he’ll talk about The Cathouse.

“I’ve traveled so many places that I have stories for each gig,” he said. “Every show presents itself differently. I keep, basically, the same format because of all the multimedia stuff. But the beginning and end are different. I don’t know where I’m going to go with each show.”

When he’s not on the road, he and his wife run apparel and coffee companies, both monikered Cathouse.

“We love doing Cathouse Coffee,” he

said. “For the past year, most of my efforts have been put toward the show. There has been a lot of tweaking. The Hollywood show is the proving ground. I haven’t checked lately, but I’m sure by now it’s sold out. Every time I get onstage, it’s an adventure. I love it. This is more rewarding for me than anything I’ve ever done.”

Riki Rachtman:

“One Foot in the Gutter”

WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8

WHERE: The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson

COST: Tickets start at $25

INFO: luckymanonline.com

WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9

WHERE: Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe

COST: Tickets start at $25

INFO: luckymanonline.com

Former “Headbangers Ball” host Riki Rachtman is bringing his one-man show, “One Foot in the Gutter,” to the Marquee Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 9. (Mintypics/Submitted)

Music is taking Terri Nunn of Berlin’s breath away

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Executive Editor

For Terri Nunn of Berlin, playing Cruel World in Pasadena for the second time was a dream come true.

Sharing the stage with bands like Echo & the Bunnymen, Siouxsie, Iggy Pop and Billy Idol, the May festival near the Rose Bowl brought back memories.

“It was out of nowhere and fantastic,” she said. “I felt the same way the year before. The combination of bands for me is my dream come true. I love goth music. There were a lot of goth bands and, of course, new wave bands from the ’80s. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

She also made new memories with her 18-year-old daughter, Natalie.

“My daughter came with me and wanted to meet Billy Idol,” she said “I have some history with Billy Idol. There was a moment when I was 18 and, at the premiere of my one and only movie that I ever made, he sat down next to me. He looks all Billy Idol-ish. He says, ‘I’m in a band called Generation X.’ I said, ‘Wow, that would be so cool to make music all the time.’ His response? ‘Well, Terri, maybe you want to try that because that movie is (crap).’”

Nunn admits she laughed and thought the exchange was “hilarious.”

“It wasn’t a great movie,” she added, still laughing about the film “Thank God It’s Friday.”

“After the (Cruel World) show, I brought my daughter over and we connected. I said, ‘My daughter would love to get a picture with you.’ She did, and she started to cry. She thanked him for taking a picture with her. I said to him, ‘Dude, she’s 18. You still got it.’”

Berlin will share a stage this summer with Boy George & Culture Club and Howard Jones on “The Letting It Go Show” jaunt. It comes to Talking Stick Amphitheatre in Phoenix on Friday, Aug. 18. It’s also a gig she’s looking forward to.

“They are iconic bands,” Nunn said.

“I know it’ll be great — the whole night. I love doing multiband shows anyway, and I love going to them as well. I like getting turned on to new bands, plus the show lasts a while.”

Nunn is thrilled to play the shows with fellow original members bassist John Crawford and keyboard player David Diamond. Last year, Berlin celebrated 45 years in music, scoring hits like “Take My Breath Away,” “The Metro” and “No More Words.”

“That’s how long this band has been around,” Nunn said

“It’s still exciting for me that the original three of us who started the band are in the band again. When I picked up the mantle again in the late ’90s, John wasn’t in music anymore. He had a different life.”

Instead, Crawford, who was married with three children at the time, was taking science programs into schools. Nunn didn’t expect to ever perform with him again.

“Then, Richard Blade produced ‘Bands Reunited,’” she said about the DJ. “It was the first time I had seen John in seven years. We reconnected, and when he was getting a divorce, he called me because I had been through divorce. It was hard, a whole family thing. He rejoined the band, and David Diamond was playing with us. Now they’re both in the band.

“It’s really a reunion in a way for me. It’s like it’s full circle. How much longer we’re going to do this, I’m not sure, but we’re ending it together, too.”

There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, however. Berlin picked up steam once again with the release of “Top Gun: Maverick.” It recalled “Take My Breath Away,” which played a pivotal role in the original film. Before “Top Gun: Maverick,” Berlin had 3 million listeners on Spotify.

“It jumped to over 6 million in a month,” she said with a laugh. “They did put the music of my song in there over the last scene, when they’re rah-rahing that they won. It was really beautiful. It segued into Lady Gaga’s song at the very end.”

She’s touched that she is cited as an influence by the likes of Lady Gaga, Shirley Manson, Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus.

“I’m appreciative, my God,” she said “I know how much I appreciated the women who came before me. By what they did, it gave me a future. It made me see what was possible.

“You could have a life like that. You could make music and be a positive force in the world.”

She counts among her idols Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks and Carly Simon.

“Ann Wilson and I just did a podcast, a show where she and I were the panel,” she said. “It was a dream come true for me, to be there with her. I was 15 and ‘Dreamboat Annie’ came out, oh my God. That was life-changing for me. Carly Simon, what a strong woman she is. She was a songwriter, and she was

sexy — everything I wanted to be. We need those examples out there.”

Nunn is flattered that she gets to share her love of music with Natalie, whom she said isn’t too fond of Berlin.

“I took her to see Billie Eilish,” she said. “When I was a kid, we didn’t do that with our parents. Nowadays, I like a lot of the bands she’s listening to and a lot of the bands that I’m playing with.

“The music these days isn’t that different. Electronic music is here to stay.”

Boy George & Culture Club w/Howard Jones and Berlin

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18

WHERE: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix

COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: livenation.com

Terri Nunn said that the reunion of the original three Berlin bandmembers is “full circle.” The group is performing at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Friday, Aug. 18. (Louis Rodiger/Submitted)

Meatballs, marinara or meat sauce and mounds of garlicky, crusty bread all bubbling away together in a hearty casserole. That pretty much describes the dish that I picture hungry kids, time-crunched parents and anyone who loves meatball sub sandwiches diving right into.

With

JAN D’ATRI

GetOut Contributor

Like meatballs? Cheese? Well, dig into this casserole

I put this meatball sub casserole in the “good-better” category. It’s pretty darn good if you buy your favorite store-bought meatballs and jar of pasta sauce.

It’s even better when you make the meatballs and sauce homemade.

Either way, it’ll take you just minutes to prepare, a few more minutes to cook and dinner is on the table before you know it!

Variations of this recipe have been circulating on line, and somehow it landed in my own cyber lap. It seemed like a no-brainer, and indeed it was.

I love making homemade meatballs, but I found a

Ingredients:

• 1 (26 oz) bag of frozen meatballs (yield, approx. 52 meatballs) Amount can be doubled if desired

• 1 (24 oz) jar of marinara or meat sauce (I used Rao’s Tomato Basil Sauce)

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 cup shredded Italian Blend or Pizza Blend cheese

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 fresh baguette, sliced

• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium to large saucepan, combine the pasta sauce and frozen meatballs. Cook over medium heat until warmed completely through, about 10-15 minutes, stirring so meatballs don’t

bag of turkey meatballs and decided to give it a try. Yummy! I’ve even double the number of meatballs while still using one jar of pasta sauce and it just made it, well, even meatier!

The casserole of meatballs is surrounded by slices of fresh bread that has been brushed with a garlic and olive oil combo, and that just completes the de-constructed meatball sub sandwich.

Everyone needs dishes they can pull together in no time, and this one is just right for the meatball and cheese lovers in the family. 

stick to pan.

While meatballs are cooking, cut baguette into approximately 12 slices (enough to go around the edge of your baking dish.) Combine garlic and olive oil and brush over slices of bread.

Place meatballs in the center of a 9x12 baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella, Italian blend cheese and parmesan over top of meatballs.

Line the pan all the way around with bread slices, (standing up) pressing them slightly into the meatball mixture. If desired, sprinkle the bread lightly with any remaining cheese.

Bake for about 2o minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and bread has toasted to a golden brown.

Serve as a side or as a main dish with vegetables or a salad. Casserole can be made ahead and heated in the oven when ready to serve.