Queen Creek Tribune 09/03/2023

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

South Chandler residents Gene and Taryn Lower said they did everything they could to save their 16-year-old son, Ryder.

“That’s the hardest thing,” Gene said. “We don’t blame ourselves or each other. We do know that we tried everything.”

Ryder, a junior at Arizona College Prep High School, died by suicide on Aug. 11. It is the second straight year that a Chandler Unified School District student died by suicide in the opening weeks of the school year.

Taryn and Gene said they have sought help

for their son for two years, seeing different doctors and reaching out for help. They also helped Ryder change schools.

Ryder was an excellent athlete, his parents said. Any sport he tried, he was instantly good at. He settled on lacrosse as his favorite and was starting to earn interest by college recruiters.

His parents said Ryder, who had good grades, was interested in attending college in the eastern United States, where most of the top college lacrosse programs are.

Ryder also had no problem speaking before big crowds. He was diagnosed with type-

EVIT superintendent beams as enrollment soars

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Staff Writer

At a time when many East Valley school superintendents confront continuing enrollment declines, Dr. Chad Wilson confronts a very different kind of challenge: Planning for the continuing increase in the number of high school juniors and seniors who are flocking to the East Valley Institute of Technology, where he has been superintendent since 2019.

With few exceptions, including Queen Creek Unified and Higley Unified, demographers have painted a gloomy outlook for student enrollment in the region’s districts — including some of Arizona’s largest public school systems.

But students — and even adults looking for a career change — keep on coming to EVIT and its more than three dozen career and technical education programs.

This year alone, EVIT is counting 5,741 stu-

dents, mostly juniors and seniors who split their school day between their high school and one of EVIT’s two Mesa campuses.

That’s nearly a 20% increase over EVIT’s 2022-23 student count — and well above the 3,828 students who were on campus when Wilson was named superintendent by the EVIT Governing Board.

Indeed, so many students are attending its

South Chandler resident and Arizona College Prep junior Ryder Lower, 16, died by suicide Aug. 11. (Lower Family/Submitted)

primary campus on Main Street near Dobson Road that a parking problem looms in the not-so-distant future.

“We’re going to run short on parking before we run out on classroom space,” Wilson said.

“We’re going to have to do something,” he continued. “We’ll be able to kind of figure out a way to get through this year but at some point we’re going to have to look at additional parking space but also ways in which students can get on and off campus in downtown Mesa.”

EVIT draws its high school students from 11 districts as far south as J.O. Combs in Pinal County and as far north as Cave Creek.

Many of those districts also have CTE programs, though none have the variety EVIT offers.

Its biggest feeder districts are the three biggest school systems in the East Valley.

Mesa Public Schools has 1,134 juniors and seniors taking EVIT classes either in the morning or afternoon, Chandler Unified has 817 and Gilbert Public Schools

sends 779, according to EVIT.

But other East Valley districts have a fair share of their students trekking either to downtown Mesa or EVIT’s other campus on Power Road next to ASU’s Polytechnic campus.

Tempe Union sends 528 students to EVIT, Queen Creek Unified’s 306 students exceed the 284 who come from Higley Unified and the 240 who come from Scottsdale Unified.

And in all cases, those numbers are increasing for what Wilson sees as three main reasons.

One reason is EVIT’s shift in marketing to students by focusing on junior high and middle schools rather than high school sophomores.

Wilson said it wasn’t too long after his appointment that he realized that by “by the time a student is finishing their sophomore year… their kind of game plan to get through high school has already been created and it’s really hard to change.”

“So, our thought process was to get into younger grades,” he said, “and start talking about career development, CTE

in general.”

Perhaps an even bigger reason is a rethinking about the future among many high school students — particularly as the cost of a college or university education continues hitting new heights.

“As a state and as a country, I think we have begun to shift our thinking around the idea that college is great but college isn’t necessarily the only career pathway,” Wilson explained.

“I think that more people are beginning to have that realization and realize that you can make a great income and have a quality of life through some of the programs that we offer.”

Ironically, the pandemic reinforced that thinking, Wilson believes, citing COVID-19 as the third driver of EVIT’s growing enrollment.

At the same COVID-19 and virtual learning hammered public school enrollment,

Wilson believes it showed many kids the importance of various essential services that produced the everyday heroes of the pandemic.

“I think what people began to realize is the work that we do, the programs we offer, in many ways form the backbone of our country — it’s the backbone of the American dream,” Wilson said.

“I think when you see the health sector,

see EVIT page 5

Veterinary assistant courses are among the five most popular at EVIT. (EVIT/Submitted)

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from page 1

1 diabetes when he was 8, and soon after became an ambassador for a diabetes support group, speaking to scores of people at a time about living with the disease.

“I remember I gave him a shot in the hospital, and I mean I just jammed that needle in, thinking that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Taryn said. “I had no idea.

“At 8 years old, he was like, ‘Mom, that’s it! You don’t get to do this anymore. He came out of the hospital… and started giving himself insulin and never let anybody else do it.”

The trouble for Ryder started after he entered high school but eventually the Lowers had to admit their son to inpatient care.

Once that ended, he had intensive outpatient care that were about three hours for four days a week.

At home, no topic was off the table.

Gene and Taryn said they spoke to their son about suicide and let him know he could tell them anything.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide is the second highest cause of death for people 10 to 24 years of age.

Statistics are only available through 2021, when it reached a high of 10.7 suicides per 100,000 people in that age group. It was at 7.8 per 100,000 in 2001.

That same upward trend in the same age group has been reported for Arizona by the state Department of Health Services.

To address the mental and emotional challenges that often can lead a teenager to contemplate suicide, the Chandler Unified School District hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Hope Institute on Aug. 30, on the campus of Perry High School.

The Ohio-based center is expanding and this is its first joint venture with a school district in the United States.

The Hope Institute is a short-term care facility. Its goal is to get students in need in quickly and address their needs in the short-term. The institute will work with a student for no longer than six weeks.

Once the student’s short-term needs are met, then CUSD plans to help families get care through longer term agencies, such as Southwest Behavioral Health or Lighthouse Wellness.

The Hope Institute will be available to all CUSD students and the district will help families obtain state funds to pay for treatment.

Brenda Vargas, the district’s director of counseling and social services, told the CUSD Governing Board that 395 district students had considered suicide between July 2022 and January 2023.

That came after three students took their lives in May 2022 and another one followed soon after the last school year started.

The district hopes The Hope Institute will turn that tide.

The Lower family said they want to some good to come from their son’s death.

First, at least 30 people benefited in some way from his organs and tissues.

The family also wants to raise awareness about the rise in teen suicide and has an idea on where to start that emerged as Taryn thought: “I wish those that are close to him, or whomever, friends, girlfriends, whoever, maybe would sometimes have the courage to say something. And that is what we are missing.”

“I think you kind of gave me a light bulb,” Gene said, speaking generally about what families might consider.

“Maybe the suggestion is not for parents to sit down with their kids and discuss it, but to sit down with a group of parents and say, ‘You’re with your kid, your best friend’s, close friend, you have

a group of people together and maybe make a pact between the parents with the kids, saying, ‘If you see something here, something, anything, don’t be afraid to speak up.’”

Taryn said Ryder did not have a wide circle of friends and they are certainly not blaming them, saying his best friend is hurting right now.

But in general, they feel teens spend too much time on their phones and it’s too easy to escape to the virtual world when they might encounter something awkward or difficult in the real world.

They want those teens to feel safe coming forward and saying, “Your son’s not doing well right now. He’s going through a bad breakup.”

Perhaps the best way to deal with this rise in teen suicides is to make sure all teens feel safe coming forward when they see an issue, the Lowers said.

Gene and Taryn are trying to recover. They recently dropped their daughter, Skye, off in Florida to start college.

“We’re trying to make life as normal for her for her new start,” Gene said.

Recovery will take time. The family’s dog, Rocky, would wait by the door at night for Ryder to come home, usually from lacrosse practice.

“I’ve been noticing, my wife goes to bed before me, I’ll go to bed and he will just lay right where he is now waiting for him.”

Gene and Taryn Lower posed with children Ryder and Skye. (Lower Family/Submitted)

‘Friends’ donate to Horseshoe Park

BY ANGELA ASKEY

Roots N Boots Queen Creek Committee Member

During its August meeting, the Friends of Horseshoe Park Board of Directors voted to purchase three, 10-stall temporary barns for the town of Queen Creek’s Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre. The total cost of the purchase will be $75,000 and will increase the total number of stalls from 320 to 350.

As the number of events being held at the center continues to increase, the new stalls will help to alleviate the stall short-

age experienced over the past years. According to David Solum, center general manager, the park has had to turn away over 100 stall requests each year for the last two years. Already, the existing stalls are sold out for upcoming events such as the Arizona Cutting Horse Association in October, November, January and February; Art of the Cowgirl in January and Cowboy Mounted Shooters in February. Other events like the Southern Arizona Quarter Horse Show and Arizona Western Dressage had to limit stalls which in turn limited participants.

Analysis by the American Quarter

Horse Association and American Horse Council shows that the increase in stalls will add over $26,000 in additional revenue each year for the center with an estimated total economic impact to the Queen Creek community being $594,608 (not including Arizona state, Maricopa County or town of Queen Creek taxes).

A recent analysis of the economic impact of HPEC shows that event attendees bring more than 11,000 horses to the park annually. With about 80 total equestrian-related events being held each year at HPEC, the analysis indicates these events contribute $40,282,831 to

the overall estimated direct economic impact benefiting the town of Queen Creek and its residents.

Friends of Horseshoe Park support the center as a focal point of Queen Creek’s rural heritage and promotes it as an economic driver and source of pride for our community. To date for 2023, the Friends have donated $132,785 to the center for fencing around the south overflow lot, support for the asphalt along the Paseo and additional horse panels. Additionally, there is one project still under development that will be revealed later this year.

the first responders, the industrial trades, the mechanics, the plumbers, the HVAC industry — all those industries had to still keep America running. And I think that created a sense of an awareness that maybe wasn’t there before.”

Three of the five programs that draw the most students at EVIT support that theory. While cosmetology is tops with 816 students, the next three highest enrollment numbers are in medical assistant with 646, automotive technology with 412 and welding with 367. Rounding out that top-five list is veterinary assistant with 305.

As he looks to a future of continuing enrollment increases, Wilson and his team, along with the EVIT board, are strategizing how the two campuses will accommodate the influx while also meeting the needs of tomorrow’s economy.

Partly that includes looking at future labor demands and offering courses that will satisfy them.

For example, Wilson said, “In our welding program, one of the things we knew was going to be needed here in the valley was with all the semiconductor work and business that is coming.

EVIT also has partnered with the Superstition Fire and Medical Rescue Department to start a firefighting training program that will help smaller rural fire departments.

Wilson said he’s also looking at ways to get more out of the downtown Mesa complex by extending program offerings in the late afternoon, since the high school programs usually end by 2:30 p.m.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t run another high school program from, say 3:30 to 5:30,” he said.

more adults of all ages who need a twoyear degree in a more technical field.

With the first such associates program due to start in January, Wilson feels such programs will attract “individuals that are wanting to up-skill or individuals that are underemployed and want to get employed at a higher opportunity. That’s what that programming will be for.”

The rest are scattered across a diverse and broad array of programs like digital-related fields, early childhood education, interior design and culinary arts, to name a few.

“We knew that orbital welding was going to be a component that was needed in that industry, and we didn’t offer orbital welding. When we realized that that was going to be a needed aspect of workforce development within the Valley, we brought orbital welding into our welding program.”

“If we look at it that way, then all of a sudden we’ve added another thirds of space because we’ll be utilizing space with more hours than we historically have had.”

Buoyed by legislation signed by former Gov. Doug Ducey, EVIT also is planning to soon start offering associate degrees in some programs, creating the potential for

Wilson said he and the board are also mindful of the consequences of growth, asking themselves, “If we grew 1,000 students on the high school side and another 1,000 in the same year on the adult side, will our system be able to handle it?”

He’s confident EVIT will, especially on the adult side.

“As we roll into the next year,” he said, “that’s when we’re going to really start seeing our adult education numbers increase as well.” EVIT from page 3

Higley students’ test scores beat state averages

BY CECILIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer

When it comes to math, English and science skills, Higley Unified School District students on average are more proficient than their peers in the state.

And students in grades third, fourth, sixth and eighth in 2022-23 showed improvement in Arizona’s Academic Standards Assessment, or AASA, in English compared to the previous school year. The exceptions were fifth and seventh graders.

“In both of those grades the state also saw decline in proficiency so we pretty much mirror the state in terms of our performance,” Marcus Berkshire, director of assessment and student information, told the HUSD Governing Board Aug. 23.

“But you can see consistently our schools outperformed the state average.”

In the math portion of the AASA, only

grade 6 dropped its score from the prior year.

HUSD “outperformed the state pretty consistently across the board again increases in proficiency in all grade levels except for sixth grade,” Berkshire added.

“Again, we mirrored what happened at the state level in terms of those increases and decreases.”

HUSD’s test scores in AASA for both English and math were generally lower the district’s pre-COVID-19 results.

HUSD also outperformed the state average in the ACT Aspire tests of proficiency in English, reading, science and math given to all ninth graders.

Those results show how ready they are to reach the benchmark on the ACT tests in their junior year, according to Berkshire.

“Basically, what you are seeing here is 62% of our kids are predicted at benchmark,” he said. “These are good numbers looking forward to these kids as 11th graders.”

This year’s ACT average scores for HUSD

11th graders also were higher than the state’s averages.

However, in three subject areas with benchmarks, HUSD fell short in math, science and reading but surpassed in English.

Berkshire said that the cut scores for proficiency are lower than the benchmark scores that ACT puts out “because not all our kids are going to college.”

According to ACT, benchmarks are scores on subject-area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher — or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher — in corresponding courses in their freshman year in college.

“So, we are very close in most of those subject areas, including English, where we are above that benchmark level,” Berkshire said, calling that “truly a testament to our students and our staff.”

He added that three students this year earned perfect scores of 36.

The state calculates the scores from ACT and three other standardized tests to determine its annual A-F letter grades for individual schools. The grades are expected to be released no later than Nov. 1.

HUSD also did well in the state’s AZSCI test, given to fifth, eighth and 11th graders.

“Here again we are consistently above the state’s,” Berkshire said.

HUSD also shined when it came to its graduation rate of 96% in 2022, said Berkshire, citing the Arizona Auditor General.

“That puts us as the highest graduation rate of any district in Maricopa County,” he said.

He said only three districts, all smaller than Higley Unified, boasted higher graduation rates. They are Hayden-Winkelman Unified in Gila County, Duncan Unified in Greenlee County and Thatcher Unified in Graham County

Berkshire said HUSD’s dropout rate of 1% also was “huge” compared with the state’s average of 5%.

“These numbers are amazing, they are so good,” Board President Tiffany Shultz said. “It’s a testament to our teachers and our students. I’m super excited to see these numbers.”

Board member Anna Van Hoek said al-

though HUSD’s scores were higher than the state’s, for her they didn’t match with the graduation rate.

She questioned the seeming disparity between graduation and proficiency rates.

“Our numbers are higher but at 60%, if you equated that to a grade, it’s still a ‘D,’” she said. “So how is our graduation rate so high when we are only at 60% in those areas?

“Is everything kind of watered down to push these kids through to increase our graduation rates?”

Berkshire said that state tests are “very rigorous.”

“It is very hard to equate a standardized test a child takes one time a year to a collection of evidence that goes into a student’s grade,” he explained.

“There are a lot of factors that could impact besides the rigor of the test on that student’s one day of taking the class. They could have had a cold, been sniffing the entire time, headache and just weren’t able to engage in the test like we know they could.

“They could have gotten off the bus that morning tripped and fell, lots of different things that could have happened to impact their scores on that test,” he continued, adding:

“What the state test results do is give us a snapshot of where our kids are. They allow us at a district level to look at trends and identify maybe we have some gaps in our curriculum and in our instruction that we could address.

Board member Amanda Wade, a former teacher, agreed that standardized tests put pressure on students.

“The kids feel the weight of it,” she said. “There is a weight of stress.”

She said it’s often hard to persuade students that the state tests are just like any other they take in school.

“I think it’s important to keep in mind when we look at these tests and why there is such a big difference is because of the nature of standardized tests,” Wade said.

“All of us in education, who are not profiting off of these tests, recognize that these tests are not a measure of intelligence or capabilities, which is why our graduation rate tends to be what it is in comparison with these numbers.”

Healing Field remembers a terrible loss

BY TRIBUNE STAFF

The annual Valley tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks will return this week to Tempe Town Lake.

The 22nd annual Tempe Healing Field will be erected starting at 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, and volunteers are needed to install flags for each of the 2,977 people who died and to remove and store the flags the following Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The Tempe Healing Field has been sponsored by the Tempe Exchange Club for the last 21 years and chairman Nick Bastian has said in the past that it not only memorializes the victims, but also is an effort to rekindle the unity that existed in the wake of the tragedy.

“Some of the emotion that I’ve seen and felt, you really can’t describe it,” Bastian said. “We just want to make sure that people don’t ever forget what happened that day.”

Some of that the Tempe Exchange Club seeks to rekindle is demonstrated by the volunteers who show up for set-up and tear-down. No sign-up is necessary and volunteers just should show up at 6 a.m. Saturday and the following Tuesday. If they have any questions, they can call; Bastian at 602-803-6425.

The Tempe Healing Field offers more than a stirring site of hundreds of flags, each bearing the name of a 9/11 victim. There is no admission for those who want to stroll through Tempe Beach Park to reflect on those names.

There also are a number of patriotic and other events through the course of the memorial.

Sunday will start at 7:30 a.m. with the 5K Tunnel to Towers Run/Walk, though people must register at tempehealingfield.org.

At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the free Freedom Concert will be presented. On. Sept. 11 beginning at 5:46

a.m., each victim’s name will be read aloud. The time is when the first plane hit the first tower in New York City.

At 7 p.m. Monday, a candlelight vigil will conclude the formal memorial tribute.

In 2001, Bastian was living in Mesa and working as a residential Realtor when he woke up to a surreal moment on TV.

Like millions of Americans on that Tuesday morning, Bastian watched United Airlines Flight 175 crash into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Bastian said that moment still lives with him to this day and why he wants to remind people what happened, not just on that day, but in the days following, especially for those not born at the time — like his three teenage sons.

“It really just felt like our country came together as Americans,” Bastian said. “And that’s something that I’ll certainly never forget and I hope other people don’t.”

For the past 20 years, Bastian said people from all over the world have attended the Healing Fields memorial.

“If you have a loved one that was lost that day, we can actually show you where that person’s flag is,” Bastian said.

Past events have shown flags fill the crescent-shaped grass field at the heart of the Tempe Beach Park. That area primarily commemorates the victims inside the Twin Towers.

Smaller areas around the large field commemorates victims inside the Pentagon and inside the airliner that was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Bastian said he’s served as the chair for the Healing Fields Committee for the past three years and it’s the Tempe Exchange Club’s biggest event of the year.

The sobering display of flags commemorating the 2,977 people who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks will return to Tempe Beach Park next weekend as the Tempe Healing Field is erected by the Tempe Exchange Club. (File photo)

Senior community honors its first resident

BY TRIBUNE STAFF

Asenior living community in Gilbert recently saluted its first resident, recalling that “she danced her way through the doors five years ago” and apparently hasn’t stopped.

Watermark Morrison Ranch senior living resident Dee Hostetler spent most of her life dancing or teaching others to dance — and frequently danced on stage at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center.

“I started dancing when I was 5 years old, living in Michigan,” she recalled.

“From there, I danced with studios,

taught dance, entertained for private parties, military bases, you name it. We even had our own television show.”

As a professional dancer, Hostetler had a chance to perform in Las Vegas as an opening act but said, “I didn’t do it.”

“My parents were here and I had lost my brother so I never did make that move,” Hostetler said, adding that she did travel to Hawaii to perform a fiveweek show.

“When my husband retired, we moved into a senior neighborhood and I started a senior tap-dancing group,” she said.

A resident of the Seville Golf and Country Club, she attracted a huge number of students to her classes over the 10 years she taught.

“We ended up with 33 dancers who would perform for senior living communities,” Hostetler recalled.

After her husband passed away in 2015, she sold her house and became the first resident at Morrison Ranch on Aug. 6, 2018.

“I love it. I wouldn’t even think of moving anywhere else. The care has been great. The community is awesome,” she said.

To mark her fifth anniversary, Morrison Ranch community life director Rebecca Mitchell and sales director Stacie Arnold surprised her with a party and with the gift of a seat bearing her name at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center.

Dubbed “Rockin’ at the Ranch,” the party included a bluegrass band and line dancing, a pie-eating contest and barbecue.

And, of course, Hostetler wasn’t about to be a wallflower: She danced to her favorite song, Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 hit “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”

Watermark Morrison Ranch senior living community saluted its first resident, who moved in in 2018, with a party and special gift. (David Minton/Staff)

Parents rip change in math CTA curriculum

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

Afew Chandler Traditional Academy parents are unhappy with a change in math curriculum at Chandler Unified School District.

For two consecutive governing board meetings, parents have spoken up about the district’s switch from Saxon Math to My Math at CTA schools, saying they feel their children are getting an inferior education.

District officials said they made the switch only after being notified that the publisher of Saxon Math decided not to publish it anymore. The publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, reversed that decision and is still publishing the series.

“Math does not always come easy to every student and with Saxon Math, my child, along with students in her class, were thriving,” Natalie Cordova said. “At the end of the year more than half of the class expressed that math was their favorite subject.

“Unfortunately, the decision has been

made for this year that the math curriculum is being changed from Saxon to McGraw Hill, also known at My Math. McGraw Hill is not suited for a CTA program and does not follow the students all the way to sixth grade,” she continued.

“The new program was brought about due to the district being misled, that Saxon was being discontinued. Saxon has not been discontinued.”

Aarthi D’Costa said the publisher decided to keep supporting the series because of pressure from top charter and private schools.

“Your competitors, like BASIS and homeschoolers, kept up with the publisher,” D’Costa told the board. “In their official statement in May 2023, the publisher has stated that the program will continue, and Saxon Math is not going to be discontinued, but rather they will extend the curriculum indefinitely.

“The newly introduced curriculum that is called ‘My Math’ is a watered down version of ‘Singapore Math’ and does not afford children the same mastery and practice of mathematical concepts as Saxon, thus making CTA lose its edge.”

Saxon Math was developed by John Saxon during the 1980s.

It is currently written by Stephen Hake. It is among the most popular homeschooling math programs and is praised for introducing new concepts while it also reviews previously taught material.

The district released the following statement:

“Chandler Traditional Academy (CTA) classes transitioned from Saxon Math to My Math during the 20232024 school year. In the Spring of 2022, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the vendor for Saxon Math, notified Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Curriculum and Instruction Department of the discontinuation in publishing of the Saxon Math resources for schools beginning January 2024. CTA teachers, principals and site councils collaborated and provided feedback.

“‘My Math’ was unanimously chosen as the resource to take the place of Saxon Math. The ‘My Math’ resource provides the acceleration of the Arizo-

na State Standards of Mathematics and aligns with sixth to eighth grade standards. CUSD is committed to utilizing resources that maintain our ability to provide rigor and high-quality instruction for all students.”

D’Costa said many parents are not happy with the new math program and are now investing in other ways to make sure their children don’t fall behind.

“Parents should not have to supplement a CTA curriculum to meet district standards,” she said. “This is what we expect CUSD to provide our children and why we enrolled in a CTA program to begin with.”

Cordova read some texts she received from other parents to the governing board.

“This one says, ‘math was just oh, so bad tonight,’” she said. “‘She finished all of it today so we don’t have to stress the rest of the week. It’s seriously so terrible.’”

Another text she read:

“My girls and myself are so upset and confused with all of this and why it changed. This is so unfortunate.”

Combs presents ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

BY TRIBUNE STAFF

Combs Curtain Call will present Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Combs Performing Art Center on Tuesday, Sept. 19, Wednesday, Sept. 20, and Thursday, Sept. 21.

During the event, the organization will be selling bottled water, roses and pins.

To purchase adult ($7) or student ($4) tickets in advance, visit etix. com. Veterans can visit vettix.com to order free tickets.

Student Alina Gerasimova said the costumes are impressive for the show.

“Take my word that the costumes for this show are going to be abso -

lutely beautiful,” said the costume designer.

“It’s one of our department’s priorities that everything is designed and constructed by students, and we have been hard at work since the summer.”

Gerasimova also serves as makeup designer.

“It’s easy for makeup and hair to get lost in the process until close to performance, but I’m making sure that doesn’t happen for this production,” she said.

“The makeup and hair are crucial to portray the magic and I can’t wait for you to see the end result my crew has been working on.”

Gerasimova said, although Shakespeare’s comedies are often over-

shadowed by the dramatic tragedies everyone has to read in English class, there are plenty of unexpected turns.

“If you dive deeper, his portfolio is filled with unexpected jokes, love and passion that paved the way for modern media,” she said. “A little bit of Shakespeare is all around you.”

She called “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” “incredibly funny, charming and heartfelt.”

“I absolutely love the vision that our production team created and believe that this show will be comprehensive and visually stunning for the audience,” she said.

“The course of true love never did run smooth. William Shakespeare’s timeless classic of love, faeries and

dreams comes to the stage of the Combs Performing Arts Center. When young lovers run away to the woods, they find themselves the unwitting victims of faeries’ feuds. Magic, comedy and true love make this one of Shakespeare’s most enduring plays.”

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, to Thursday, Sept. 21

WHERE: Combs Performing Arts Center, 2505 E. Germann Road, San Tan Valley COST: Tickets start at $4; free for veterans INFO: etix.comI

Underground Burger fetes 1st anniversary

BY HALEY BEYER Tribune Contributing Writer

What started as a speakeasystyle concept in Washington has now become Queen Creek’s local burger joint.

Family-owned Underground Burger was founded by Brian and Tanya Poag but is now run by daughter and son-inlaw, Madison and Tanner Bouma.

Just celebrating its year anniversary, Underground Burger continues to serve the area with its quality hamburgers, fries and shakes.

Underground Burger features its namesake, which comes in double and plain; waffle or crinkle cut fries; milkshakes (chocolate, vanilla, peach and strawberry), drinks and sauces (Underground Burger sauce, ranch, barbecue, tartar and burger spread and ketchup).

Known best for their burger, of course, they follow a simple recipe: one-third pound high-quality angus beef, served on a gourmet brioche bun with homemade spread.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of

the food,” Madison said.

“It is fresh, never frozen. We hand prep everything every day. We cut the produce fresh that morning and there is a strict structured procedure for every single burger and fry to be cooked the exact same way. This way, every customer that comes in experiences the same quality meal every time.”

She has her favorites, too — sort of.

“I can’t pick a favorite menu item,” Madison said.

“I pick everything. But I do love the chocolate shake, waffle fries and anything with the Underground Burger spread.”

For the ease of ordering, Underground Burger has an app. Although this does cut down on human connection, it doesn’t stop the couple from bonding with their customers.

“We love it in Queen Creek,” she said. “This restaurant is our responsibility to keep up with and we have committed to the community.”

Madison’s goal to provide customers with delicious, hot and fresh food. She wants everyone who comes in to love the

burger they purchase and feel like it was worth the money.

Though this is primarily a take-out location with only outdoor seating available, the couple hope to expand the patio and add an indoor dining room.

In the food and beverage industry since she was 15, Madison said she feels very comfortable in her role of managing and owning the restaurant.

Tanner isn’t quite as experienced, but she said they make a good team. Hailing from Washington, they were looking for the chance to move to Queen Creek.

“We wanted to move down here but obviously needed jobs,” Madison said.

“So, we all started brainstorming some ideas and came up with opening the restaurant here with Tanner and I managing it.”

Formerly serving as an employee, Madison said she understands her staff and management’s needs. This fosters a team approach at Underground Burger.

“My favorite part about running Underground Burger is the people,” she

said.

“It’s fun to meet new people or catch up with our regulars. Certain parts of ordering require me to take customers’ phone numbers. Sometimes I’ll use that as a conversation starter. It is cool to see where people are from based on their zip code.

“It’s a unique way to bond and make connections with customers.”

She and Tanner do their best to keep the lines of communication open, so holding a job there a fun and light. The two work together almost every day all day.

“I love working with my husband and having him there with me to run the restaurant,” she said.

Burger 21258 E. Rittenhouse Road, Suite 101, Queen Creek 480-590-8720

Family-owned Underground Burger was founded by Brian and Tanya Poag, and is now owned by their daughter and son-in-law, Madison and Tanner Bouma. (Submitted)

What’s the deal with Phoenix Mayor Gallego?

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

History recalls that Theodore Roosevelt championed a “Square Deal,” Franklin Roosevelt campaigned for a “New Deal,” and Harry Truman proclaimed the need for a “Fair Deal.”

These days, such “deal making” is no longer the sole province of Presidents.

Though she may never reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego is hurriedly working to ensure her constituents experience a “Raw Deal.”

Gallego is the vice chairman of an international organization’s steering committee intent on banning meat and dairy products from your dinner table, removing your car from your garage and reducing the articles of clothing in your closet —

only allowing the purchase of three garments annually — all by the year 2030.

The organization is called “C40 Cities,” and any similarity to the “All America Cities” program is purely coincidental.

Instead, C40 Cities — especially the 14 in the United States — want to impose a new form of “city limits” not geopolitical in nature, but financial, attitudinal and undoubtedly unconstitutional.

Gallego and the other C40 Mayors have other mandates to impose on you and yours.

In fact, you might say “the sky’s the limit.” Literally.

She and the C40 Committee want your feet to remain firmly on the ground. That’s why the new C40 initiative, called “Cities Race to Zero,” also has the goal of limiting each of us to one round-trip flight, called a

see HAYWORTH page 14

A ranking no Arizonan should be proud of

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

Normally when someone takes potshots at Arizona, my reaction is to defend our home state. You probably get it a lot, too — o ut-of-state friends and business folk who act like living in Arizona in 2024 must be like acting out the movie “Tombstone,” only with hotter temperatures and fewer mustaches.

I love life in the Valley, and I’m always ready to defend the state. But when I read last week’s Forbes Advisors report accusing Arizona of having the most confrontational drivers in America, well, my reaction was as

follows:

Sounds about right to me.

To compile the analysis, Forbes surveyed 10,000 drivers across all 50 states. Arizona “ranked second worst for the percentage of drivers who have been forced off the road (22.5%) and tied with Oklahoma for having the third highest percentage of drivers who have been tailgated (70.5%).”

About one-third of Arizona drivers “reported that another driver has exited their vehicle to yell at or fight with them, the fifth highest amount in the nation.” And, “Arizona ranks sixth worst for both the percentage of drivers who experience road rage very frequently in their home state (31.5%) and the percentage of drivers who have been yelled at, insulted,

cursed at or threatened by another driver (81%).”

Allow me to offer a hypothesis about why these statistics feel so accurate.

I see it as a combination of mass migration, abundant weapons, traffic congestion and having a lot of

dumb people.

With 100,000 people moving here annually, Arizona is inevitably one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. Most estimates I’ve seen indicate about seven out of 10 Arizo -

see LEIBOWITZ page 16

AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

A World Cup win, a kiss and a scandal

BY JUDY BLUHM Tribune Columnist

The kiss of disaster. A World Cup Championship, a celebration, an unwanted kiss and then all hell broke loose. Spain is in the spotlight, and we can’t seem to look away. In a thrilling display of talent, Spain’s women’s soccer team won its first World Cup, beating the Lionesses of England. But it’s that creepy kiss that Spanish soccer federation president, Luis Rubiales, planted on star player Jenni Hermoso that has created a firestorm. Defiant and claiming that the kiss was “mutual” might not be the best strategy when it appears the recipient of said kiss was uncomfortable. Rubiales went on to call anyone who thought he was out of line “idiots” and “false feminists.” A brazen move. Apologize. Sincerely. Make

HAYWORTH from page 13

“short-haul,” every three years. How short is a short-haul flight? Under 932 miles.

That means you could enjoy a round-trip from Sky Harbor to Shreveport, Louisiana and still have 13 miles to spare!

The conservative website Red Voice Media sounded the Red Alert concerning the environmental alarmism that undergirds Mayor Gallego’s mission, and the overarching extremism evident in the organization’s goals (search under redvoicemedia.com).

Phoenix residents may see very little of this in the mayor’s demeanor. Observers credit Gallego with an almost contagious congeniality, but her public conduct stands in stark

amends!

Now the whole affair has blown up so that Spain’s entire women’s soccer team and 11 coaches have quit. And in an even more bizarre twist, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has stood by Rubiales and has threatened to sue Jenni Hermoso. Meanwhile FIFA (International Federation of Football) has suspended Rubiales. Spain’s Prime Minister is also getting involved.

This story just gets weirder. There are supporters of Rubiales who were having body language consultants, lip readers and psychologists analyze the video of the infamous kiss. Oh, come on, evidently this man has a long and well-known history of sexism, chauvinism and just plain bad behavior. This was a pattern, not just a one-off moment of exuberance.

Mr. Rubiales’s mother barricaded herself inside a Catholic church

contrast to the harshness of the public policy change that she champions. Ultimately, this has nothing to do with congeniality — and everything to do with control.

Most obvious is the control Gallego wants to exercise over the everyday lives of her fellow Phoenicians, but who controls the financing for this global group of would-be controllers?

Short answer: The “usual suspects.

Billionaire and ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who failed to move from the top job in the Big Apple to an even bigger job in Washington, DC, is designated as a “strategic funder” for C40 Cities. His “Bloomberg Philanthropies” organization allows him to continue his own efforts at curtailing individ -

on a hunger strike. All because she feels that folks are being mean to her boy. She is waiting for Ms. Hermoso to apologize to her son. Dear woman, please eat! Police, physicians and priests had to intervene. The Queen has offered support. And just like that, a furor in Spain has erupted. Women are taking to the streets with “#MeToo” signs, priests are praying, football federation coaches and executives are angry, and the government is investigating.

This is the kiss-gate story of the sports world. Spain’s government has launched an inquiry into the “obscene behaviors” displayed by Rubiales which have “undermined the dignity of Spain.” Well, I guess when you are at the final World Cup game being televised around the world and sitting in the presence of the Queen of Spain, cheering is good. But when the championship is clinched, it is considered boor-

ual freedoms.

Recall that he was able to do so in NYC when he was mayor, as he prohibited the sale of the 64-ounce soda fountain drink.

Thankfully, when it came to abolishing the Second Amendment, Bloomberg bit off more than he could chew.

But now he’s “reimagined” his approach, apparently at ease with a form of global governance usurping our Constitution, more than happy to use the cover of “climate change” to change the political climate.

And, for the huge checks he writes to C40 Cities, Bloomberg is even addressed as “Mr. President,” since he’s now president of the board of directors.

Speaking of presidents, Bill Clinton maintains his involvement as

ish behavior to “act like a madman by forcing kisses, carrying players around the field like sacks and touching players inappropriately.” Yep, that happened.

One small act can lead to destruction. Actions have consequences. Before Spain can put all of this behind them, they need to keep their eye on the ball. Like in football. Yet it seems so many women players have quit, that no one can keep their eye on anything except the scandal. So, the saga continues. A championship. A kiss. Armageddon. A hunger strike. Mutiny of an entire team. Investigations. Suspensions. Firing. Protests. A crack in the foundation of women’s sports in Spain. Rebuilding comes next. Time to start over. Comenzar de nuevo.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Contact Judy at judy@judybluhm.com or at aroundthebluhmintown.com.

the founding partner of C40 Cities. In 2006 he combined the 20 cities involved as part of the Clinton Climate Initiative with then-London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s C20 organization, and in so doing, C40 Cities was established. The membership roster of C40 now includes 96 municipalities.

Last but not least, the longtime patron of virtually every leftist cause — George Soros — and his Open Society Foundations are C40 “Major Funders” in order to slam shut your personal freedoms.

Don’t expect Bloomberg, the Clintons, Soros — or Mayor Gallego for that matter — to adhere to the any of the goals embraced by the “Cities Race to Zero” campaign.

For the Elite, it’s a permanent “Exceptional Deal.”

RECOGNIZING WOMEN LEADERS

7:30-9:30 A.M. SEPTEMBER 20

MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

From city hall and the statehouse (and Senate) to corporate offices and boardrooms, women are making a remarkable difference in our community.

On September 20, join us as we recognize women leaders at the PHX East Valley Partnership’s annual Statespersons’ Event.

Keynote Speaker

Anna Maria Chávez, president and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation and one of the world’s top experts on women’s leadership

Panel Discussion: Propelling More Women into Leadership Roles

Moderator: Stacy Derstine, APS

Panelists:

• Toni Broberg, state president, Arizona and New Mexico, AT&T

• Jenn Daniels, CEO, Horizon Strategies

• Rosa Inchausti, city manager, City of Tempe

• Dr. Tammy Robinson, president, Mesa Community College

• Sarah Watts, president/CEO, Gilbert Chamber of Commerce

RSVP

Ticket packages of 10 are $1,000 and individual tickets are $100. For more information, visit www.phxeastvalley.com or contact Jessica Hubbard at 480-532-0641 or jhubbard@phxeastvalley.com.

Presenting Sponsor Supporting Sponsors

LEIBOWITZ from page 13

nans come here from someplace else.

That’s a lot of conflicting driving styles often among folks who are heavily armed.

According to a CBS News report based on data compiled by the Rand Corporation, in Arizona “an estimated 46.3% of adults have guns at home.” Translation: The guy you’re brake checking because he cut you off has a one in two chance of being armed. He’s also likely aggravated by the Valley’s road congestion, which according to data compiled by Mon -

eyGeek ranks up there with Illinois and Pennsylvania, while admittedly not being nearly as bad as states like New Jersey and California where folks own a lot fewer guns.

Then there’s the dummy factor. I could bore you with Arizona’s woeful education results or the state’s middling average SAT scores.

Instead, how about we level with one another? It’s 111 degrees outside as I write this. Despite Arizona’s summers, more than seven million people call this state home. That’s just about the definition of insanity.

Not convinced? Soon, on the sec-

ond Sunday in September, sizable numbers of our neighbors will put on red jerseys to root for the Arizona Cardinals who last won a title in 1947. That’s a 76-year championship drought.

Last season, the Cardinals averaged 65,203 fans per game, which represents a full slate of sellouts at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Either Arizonans are incredibly desperate for entertainment, or collectively we’re not too bright.

Kidding and cheap shots aside, Arizona has a serious road rage problem.

In the early morning hours of

How to get a letter published E-mail:

christina@timeslocalmedia.com

Aug. 15, 18-year-old Brittany Gutierrez-Bugarin was shot dead by a confrontational driver on Interstate 10 near 83rd Avenue in Tolleson. The teenager loved animals, her job at PetSmart, her mom and her two sisters.

“We lived together and did everything together,” Esmeralda, her mother, told 12 News. “She was a very lovely girl. Wherever she went, she shined.”

Number one in road rage leads to far too many broken hearts. For all the good qualities Arizona possesses, this ranking generates absolutely no pride at all.

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.

Eastmark flag football embracing lofty expectations

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

Head Coach Nick Garces and the rest of his Eastmark girls’ flag football team know the expectations surrounding the program in the inaugural season.

The Firebirds were undefeated last year as a club, playing against many Chandler schools and other spread out across the Valley. They fell in the playoffs, an early exit for a team that many believed could challenge Hamilton or Casteel — two of the longest running programs in the state — for the league championship.

Instead, they fell short. Garces thought after the loss the girls would shift their focus to their main sport, which for many is softball. Instead, he was surprised to learn the day after their season came to an end last spring, his girls were in contact with one another to organize a 7-on-7 game.

He said they told him they missed flag football already.

“They didn’t even know what to do,” Garces said. “They just wanted to play football.”

That type of mindset has allowed the sport to explode in recent years in Arizona and across the country. Several states have sanctioned it as an official sport, equipped with a state playoff tournament and title game.

Arizona was well on track to do that last year when the AIA announced it was considered an “emerging sport,” which put flag football on the association’s radar to gauge interest and make it an official sport in another year or so.

But the level of interest was far more widespread than the AIA had imagined. So, it was fast tracked. Fifty-nine teams signed up to play this fall. They concluded their first full week of the season on Thursday.

“I’m really excited,” Eastmark senior wide receiver Taylor Ehmke said. “I’m hoping I can get a scholarship and I’m hoping we can make it to state.”

Ehmke is one of several senior leaders on Eastmark’s roster this season. She, along with fellow wide receiver and senior Braelyn Schiermeyer, both had well over 700 yards receiving last year and multiple touchdowns.

Garces said whenever the ball is in their hands, they have a chance to score. Luckily, they have a good quarterback in Mai Kalama that can get the ball to them with ease.

Those three are just part of what makes Eastmark’s flag team an easy pick to win the 5A championship in the first season. The Firebirds were ranked the preseason No. 1 team, just ahead of Millennium who they played to open the year last Tuesday. Eastmark won 28-27.

On defense, the team is led by a skilled group of linebackers.

Though it comes as no surprise Eastmark was ranked as high as it was this season.

The Firebirds graduated just one senior and lost another player to transfer.

All they had to do was reload with young talent. And they did that with ease.

“Last year we were super good at games because we didn’t want to lose. We had the mentality of winning,” Schiermeyer said. “Freshmen help me sometimes and it brings up my spirits because we can lean on those underclassmen.”

Garces has been coaching football for the better part of two decades. Most of which occurred in southern California, but he’s spent the last five in the East Valley.

He was asked to take on the job as head flag coach at Eastmark when his daughter joined the program last season. He reluctantly accepted, knowing it would be hard to juggle his job at the school as a teacher and linebackers coach at Red Mountain, where he has helped develop several players who have gone on to the next level.

But, Garces has made it work thanks to Red Mountain Head Coach Kyle Enders. Garces spends the first hour and a half after school with his girls at Eastmark. Then, he swaps out his hat and shirt for those with Red Mountain logos and races down Power

Road to get to his boys. It’s a tall task, but he makes it work.

It’s something he’s willing to do because of his love for both. Where football used to be the top of his list, now it shares that spot with flag football.

“These girls make it easy to be out here at 2:30 in 115-degree heat,” Garces said. “If there’s a close second or ‘1A,’ ‘1B,’ this is it right here. I didn’t think I would like it this much.”

Eastmark isn’t afraid of the pressure that comes with the No. 1 ranking.

Ehmke said she feels she performs best under pressure. Schiermeyer and the rest of their teammates agree.

The sour taste in their mouths from last season has allowed them to come back even better this year. They want to make history as the first team to win the 5A Conference championship in flag football.

Most importantly, they want to become the first girls’ program at Eastmark to hoist up a trophy.

“I would love that,” Ehmke said. “It would be such a cool title, to be able to tell people, ‘Yeah, I was a champion for girls’ flag football.’ It would be so cool.”

Eastmark flag football Head Coach Nick Garces said coaching the Firebirds in their first sanctioned AIA season has been a blessing. A long time tackle football coach, flag has quickly become a new love of his. (Dave Minton/Staff)

Eastmark senior wide receiver Taylor Ehmke hopes to create more history this season as the Firebirds are the top-ranked team in the 5A Conference and among the favorites to win the first-ever 5A title in flag football. (Dave Minton/Staff)

Pentatonix singer calls latest tour

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Executive Editor

The last year has been a whirlwind for the a cappella act Pentatonix. Bass singer Matt Sallee has been there for the ride.

Pentatonix recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Grammy nomination, and headed out on a world tour. The jaunt comes to Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Saturday, Sept. 9.

“So much has happened so quickly,” Sallee said. “The walk of fame

PENTATONIX from page 18

was really awesome. It was super humbling to be nominated for a Grammy this year and to be able to tour the world. We don’t take that for granted.”

Since emerging in 2011, the threetime Grammy Award-nominated vocal quintet has sold 10 million albums worldwide.

Pentatonix — Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Sallee — has performed at a number of high-profile venues and events, including The White House, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Hollywood Bowl.

It had back-to-back No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart: gold-certified “Pentatonix” (2015) and platinum-certified “A Pentatonix Christmas” (2016).

They were the first a cappella act to win best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella at the Grammy awards in 2015. Two years later, they earned the best country duo/group performance prize for their duet with Dolly Parton on her song “Jolene.”

He heard about the recent Grammy nomination — best traditional pop vocal album for the 2021 holiday collection “Evergreen” — on his way to an appointment.

“It was surreal,” he said. “I was on my way to the dermatologist, and I had to take a second. I was late to my appointment, and she was OK with it. I’m just grateful for the work we put in. It’s a blessing.”

Recently, Pentatonix unveiled dates for a holiday tour, which

doesn’t hit the Valley. In conjunction with it, Pentatonix will release its 12th overall full-length and seventh holiday album, “The Greatest Christmas Hits,” this fall.

The 23-track album includes eight new songs, including a holiday original. The Delaware native called the Christmas season and tours “magical.”

“Christmastime is my favorite time of the year,” Sallee said. “The tour is going to be amazing. It’s cool to be able to tour. Our shows have become traditions for lots of families who come every year. It’s really, really nice to be able to do those shows together for our friends and families. It’s always really special.”

A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Sallee called the latest Pentatonix tour fun for himself and the audience.

“We started this tour in Asia and Europe,” he said. “We actually changed some things up, added some things to the setlist like older songs, and songs from (2021’s) ‘The Lucky Ones.’ We never got to tour that record due to the circumstances of the world. We have some surprises with instruments we’ve been using. It’s an epic night — so much fun.”

Pentatonix w/Lauren Alaina

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8

WHERE: Talking Stick Resort

Amphitheatre

2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix

COST: Tickets start at $29.50

INFO: livenation.com

Rock legends come together to fete careers

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes and guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen have reasons to celebrate.

Hughes — the former bassist and singer of Deep Purple — will fete the 50th anniversary of the band’s album “Burn” and Malmsteen will recall his 40 years of music on Monday, Sept. 4, at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe.

“It was 50 years ago, in the summer of 1973, that the ‘Burn’ album by Deep Purple was written at Clearwell castle in Gloucestershire, U.K.,” Hughes said. “It was recorded in October in Montreux, Switzerland.

“We all became one in this centuries-old castle in the U.K. countryside. It felt like Deep were a new band, with Da-

page 21

Yngwie Malmsteen performs Monday, Sept. 4, at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe. (Yngwie Malmsteen/Submitted)

Glenn Hughes fronted Deep Purple. He’ll play their hits at the Marquee Theatre on Monday, Sept. 4. (Eric Duvet/Contributor)

vid (Coverdale) and I as new members, we couldn’t wait to start working on new song. The atmosphere was electric, in such amazing surroundings.”

Hughes is calling from Sunset Sound in Hollywood where he was recording the new Black Country Communion album.

He’s looking forward to playing Deep Purple material at the Marquee, with his band, guitarist Soren Andersen, drummer Ash Sheehan and keyboardist Ed Roth.

“To visit those songs again, after so long, makes you realize Deep Purple was an important part of rock history,” he said.

“It’s a pleasure to do this.”

Hughes doesn’t consider himself in that category.

“Unless someone tells me that or I read about it, I don’t feel it,” he said. “That’s not the kind of guy I am. We sold a lot of records and played to many people. The 1970s had some of the greatest music for rock fans — you get Led Zeppelin, Purple, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd. I’m one of the lucky ones.”

He does acknowledge that he’s had a “long career with lots of incredible moments.”

“I use the word ‘lucky,’” he added. “A lot of my friends aren’t still here — they’ve retired, disappeared or are dead. That’s the way it is. At this point in my life, I do look back with gratitude.”

Songwriting has kept Hughes passionate. The 50-year LA resident called the task his “everything.”

“I’m a singer and a bassist, too,” he said. “The songs that I write are what keeps me grounded.”

Yngwie Malmsteen

Born in Sweden, Malmsteen promised “complete mayhem” when it’s his turn to hit the stage.

“I’m going to be giving 200% as always,” he said. “It’s going to be really interesting to be back out. Glenn and I played together in the very early ’80s. We do our own thing. He does his thing and I do my thing (in concert).”

Malmsteen originally had no interest in music, but that changed on Sept. 18,

1970, when the 7-year-old saw Jimi Hendrix blast the audience with feedback and sacrificed his guitar in flames.

Malmsteen’s career has spanned over 40 years with over 21 albums to his name. Drawing influence from classical composers such as Bach, Paganini and Vivaldi, Malmsteen is responsible for birthing the neo-classical genre to the world of rock. His latest album is 2021’s “Parabellum.” He was matter of fact about the effort.

“Recording it really wasn’t any different from other albums,” he said. “I do it the same way. I go in the studio and I compose music and I record it. I play all the instruments and all the vocals are mine. I play everything. It’s something I’ve done since the very, very beginning.”

Malmsteen hails from a musical family. He considers himself “very lucky” to have taken over his uncle’s recording studio.

“I’ve always been working more like a painter than a rock musician,” he said. “I finish the whole painting. That’s just how I am. I hear everything in my head — all the notes, all the lyrics, everything’s finished. I even hear the production.”

“Parabellum” was the first album in a long time he recorded straight through.

“The last few years, I would go record, tour, record something, go on tour,” he said. “This was a very concentrated, very perfect album in a lot of ways. Everything is exactly like I wanted. I had so much time. Time is a dangerous thing, by the way. If you have too much time, it would be bad, too. You have to learn how to pace yourself.”

“Parabellum” is a result of Malmsteen’s passion for music.

“I am the sort of person who lives in the moment,” he said.

“I wanted this album to have a joyous, spontaneous atmosphere. This must never sound as if it’s been rehearsed so much that it becomes routine.”

Yngwie Malmsteen and Glenn Hughes

WHEN: 6:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4

WHERE: Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe COST: Tickets start at $32 INFO: luckymanonline.com

to clean water runs deep

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

Arizona’s water is our future

I may have to confess something here. I love chocolate chip cookies when they’re the soft, chewy, sinkyour-teeth-into-type.

But that’s not the confession.

I would really love chocolate chip cookies even more… without the chocolate chips. I know that sounds crazy, but I’m absolutely nuts about the actual batter. So when I make up a batch of chocolate chips for friends or family, I steal a couple of spoonfuls of the batter before I put the chips in.

I bake up the “naked” ones, and then gobble them up right out of the oven. (Confessions are so freeing!)

The one exception I have is this recipe for whole wheat chocolate chips. It was sent to me by Arizona resident Wendy Putler. She shared with me the story of how one day she and her mom got into a conversation about who makes the best chocolate chip cookies.

Learn more epcor.com

Wendy’s mom declared that she makes the best ones. Wendy begged to differ and told her mom that she

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour

• 1 ½ cup whole-wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups butter

• 1 ½ cups brown sugar

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted

• 1 ½ lbs Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 4 cups rolled oats (not instant)

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour,

actually made better cookies than her mom. Once they compared recipes, they discovered that the recipe was identical. They had both found it in a 1964 Boston Globe newspaper, I’m not sure who won battle/chocolate chip, but I think you and I came out the winners here with a recipe we can really sink out teeth into.

whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add the combined dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. With a spatula, stir in oats, walnuts and chocolate chips, mixing to combine.

Roll cookies into approximately 1 ½ inch balls. Freeze the dough until hardened. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper.

Arrange cookie balls, leaving about 1 inch in between. (Do not flatten cookies.) Bake for about 9-11 minutes. When cool, store in a well sealed container or ziplock bag. (Dough can be frozen and baked up later.)

CHOCOLATE CHIP DELIGHTS