SanTan Sun News - October 23, 2022

City, residents opposing county housing project

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

Chandler offi cials have been trying to figure out ways to bring affordable housing to the city for months. Now, there is a proposal to do just that and they’re opposing it.

They aren’t alone, either.

Homeowners are organizing to stop The Landings on Ocotillo project, in which developer Dominium Management would bring 518 affordably priced apartments to an area near Hamilton High School.

The developers, having faced similar opposition in other Valley cities, are marching forward.

They want to build the units on Ocotillo Road just east of the railroad tracks, not far from Arizona Avenue. They are proposing a 336-unit multifamily complex and a 182-unit senior living complex on about 25 acres. The price per month for a unit would likely be between 8%-to-12% lower than current market rates, they said.

City offi cials have made it clear they do not want the project in that location, which is part of their airport jobs corridor.

Residents upset about the project met Oct. 19 to learn more about the

Not what you think

No, this isn’t a scene from a blood-chilling horror story, but rather one from the satirical comedy-musical “Urinetown,” which the talented Basha Theatre Company will be presenting Oct. 27-29 at Basha High. To read the details, see page 50.

Records show CUSD school buses a safe way to ride

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

A Chandler Unifi ed School District bus carrying 56 students was traveling south on Higley Road in Gilbert in August when a Chevrolet van at Palmdale

Lane began making a left hand turn to go north on Higley.

According to the state Department of Public Safety report, the van did not have adequate space to complete the turn and it collided with the front of

Chandler doctor makes a mission of mercy to Ukraine

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

One trip was all it took for a Chandler doctor.

Dr. Andrew Villa said when you’re exposed to the harsh conditions in other nations, it’s almost impossible not to want to do all you can to help people.

Villa recently returned from a September trip to the war-torn nation. It is the fourth time he has been there. He’s also gone to Africa and Central America, the Philippines and others.

“Once you go, you understand,” Villa said after returning from Ukraine. “I mean, we have nothing to really complain about here. We have our own

issues, for sure.

“But, once you go to other parts of the world and see how other people live and the things that they tolerate, or don’t have access to … once you do it, it changes your heart.”

Villa said many of the doctors in Ukraine fled the country when Russia invaded in February. Most of those who didn’t are caring for the troops fighting to retake parts of their nation from Russia.

That leaves a lot of Ukrainian citizens who are not getting basic health care. He and others, including his wife Renee,

the CUSD bus. Three students and two adults reported minor injuries.

The Aug. 19 crash stands out because most of the incidents involving CUSD buses are very minor, and rarely include injuries, according to records obtained

Revving up

by the San Tan Sun News through a public records request.

National School Bus Safety Week was Oct. 17-21.

Ryan Maifield of Chandler gets his RC car set up before the next qualifying round at the third annual Kinwald Klassic RC competition that Hobby Action RC Raceway in Chandler held Oct. 15 to benefit the Arizona Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. The event is named in memory of Brian Kinwald of Tempe, multiple world champion in radio-controlled racing who died in 2019 at age 45 from complications of Crohn’s disease. “He contributed to the sport of RC racing and inspired many with his skill and determination in spite of his illness,” a spokeswoman said, adding that hundreds of competitors are registered for races. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

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Chandler residents could save big on conservation projects

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

Chandler residents who want to do their part to help conserve water got some good news with the last session of the state Legislature: It’s very likely they’ll be able to make upgrades to save water and get reimbursed the cost.

The city has had a program to help residents make smart water choices for years. Chandler offi cials estimate their program has saved 404 million gallons since 2017.

Now, the city could be getting even more money to help other residents convert grass lawns to desert landscaping, or installing smart water controllers.

State lawmakers approved $200 million for a water conservation grant fund. Cities and other municipalities can apply for some of that money to help residents make changes that save water.

“I think a lot of this will operate through existing programs that cities have already that have rebate programs,” said Lindsey Jones, senior program administrator for Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) of

Arizona, which will be administering the conservation fund. “It’d be basically granting it to the cities and they would grant it on to the homeowners.”

Chandler plans to be among the fi rst to apply.

“The new conservation grant ... is really exciting,” said Simone Kjolsrud, Chandler’s water resource advisor.

“We hope to take advantage of that. We would love to create some new conservation programs that just frankly, we wouldn’t have had enough funding to do in the past. So we’ve already got our shortlist of stuff.”

Gov. Doug Ducey has been pushing for a major investment in water infrastructure and was able to get a bill passed with the state having a large surplus. Democrats held out support until they could get the conservation grant fund added to the bill through a floor amendment.

The fi nal price tag for the water augmentation bill is about $1 billion. WIFA, which will oversee it, has been overseeing federal investments since 1989. In addition to the money the state is putting in, WIFA also received more than $100 million in base funding from the federal government.

That money is split to tackle three goals. The fi rst targets improving drinking water in disadvantaged areas. The second is replacing lead pipes, similar to the ones that contributed to the Flint, Mich. water crisis. The third is to reduce in drinking water what they call forever chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalky substances – man-made chemicals found in numerous everyday household products.

About $67 million of that federal money is forgivable, meaning Arizona will not have to pay it back.

The state money is being split into three funds. The Water Supply Development Fund helps rural communities primarily build out their infrastructure and secure water rights. The Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund seeks to fi nd a way to deliver water to the state from outside of Arizona. The Water Conservation Grant Fund is the third goal.

It is the one that will likely benefit Chandler residents the most. Rick Heumann, the chairman for the Chandler Chamber of Commerce this year said every resident should consider taking advantage of it.

Some of the programs the city offers residents include having someone consult on landscaping; the city’s Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is meant to showcase smart ways to do landscaping in the desert; offers a large landscaping water effi ciency program for larger water clients; and offers Water Wise workshops to all residents.

“The smart controller thing, I put one in about four or five months ago, it’s a great tool,” Heumann said. “It drives me nuts when you see people after it rains, and they’re watering their lawn the next morning. Smart controllers take all that into consideration.”

Chandler principal named one of nation’s distinguished

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

Andersen Elementary School Principal Kristin Kinghorn is not afraid to tackle big projects. In fact, she sought them out at the first two schools she has led.

“Go big or go home?” she asked with a smile. “I always say one of my core values is that I’m visionary. But I also believe that we can’t stay stagnant. The world is changing.

“We’re changing as humans, our kids have so much more than we ever had at that age. And so it would be against my core belief to not change.”

That willingness to adapt and to tackle really big projects is getting noticed. The National Association of Elementary School Principals awarded her one of its 41 Nation al Distinguished Principals for this year.

Kinghorn first became a principal at Desert Canyon Elementary in Scottsdale, which had lagging enrollment because of competition from charter schools.

She led the school to becoming a first-of-its-kind dual language Mandarin immersion class. She later moved to Andersen in 2018 and is leading the way as the school tries to become the first in the Chandler Unified School District that is sanctioned by the International Baccalau reate program at the primary level.

Chandler High School has been an IB school since 1982.

An IB program requires a commitment to high-quality, challenging, and inter national education. Kinghorn said the conversion to an IB school is going well.

“I have an amazing IB coordinator,” Kinghorn said. “So we have a teacher that we’ve taken out of the classroom who is very much into inquiry-based learning, very well versed in our state

standards and multitude of resources.

“She meets with the teachers and they come together and they are pulling up their plans of inquiry. They’re creating these transdisciplinary units that incorporate reading, writing math, our social sciences. The kids are starting to ask the questions, we’re bringing in more guest speakers, kindergarten just finished their whole first unit of inquiry on with their five senses.”

And they are encouraging students to apply critical thinking.

For example, they asked the children to debate the new VAI Resort being built in Glendale, which will include the Mattel Adventure Park amusement center and a massive lagoon with luxury hotels around it.

It’s expected to bring in about 1,800 jobs, but it is also being built in the middle of a drought that is impacting Arizona’s water supply.

“They saw that Glendale is building this big, huge, massive water park and how much water it’s going to take every single day,” Kinghorn said. “And so the teacher posed the question, is this a good thing or not a good thing?

The planned lagoon for the 60-acre project near State Farm Stadium would hold 36 acre feet of water, which is about 12 million gallons.

“It was great to hear that how the class started to divide. But it worked on their persuasive writing skills, their research skills, their collaboration, their critical thinking, all these different things. And they were so excited about it and that’s what school is. It’s so exciting to see that change.”

Some of the students argued the project would be good for the economy, bringing in tourists and their money.

Others said the state couldn’t afford to waste that much water and they should look for a different project that didn’t have a giant lagoon in the middle.

Kinghorn said just thinking through the different points of view was a win for all of the students.

“I really do believe that the job of the principal is to make sure that every child that walks through my doors, receives the best education possible,”

said Kinghorn, who is mother to two children.

“If I want my kids to be challenged and pushed and excited about school, and realizing their future potential, and what the world can give them, and prepare them for that, I want that for every kid that walks through this door. And I want my teachers to want that for every kid who walks through this door.”

Queen Creek teen’s overdose death probed

BY MARK MORAN Staff Writer

Queen Creek Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the apparent drug-overdose death of a 16-year-old boy at a local charter school.

Two other students were hospital ized the night of Oct. 3 in connection with the same incident. According to a statement from the Town, all three were students at Canyon State Academy, a school for at-risk students. Queen Creek Police would not confirm details of the death.

“That’s still under investigation,” Chief Randy Brice told the Tribune. “So, I can’t release any of that yet.”

Brice also would not comment on whether the QC Police, just more than half a year old, is responding to more drug overdose calls or whether over dose calls as a whole are up in the town. Such an upward trend would mirror similar trends state- and nationwide.

The school’s website says Canyon State “offers at-risk young men a least-restric

tive, staff-secure program to ensure pub lic safety while promoting a normalized high school experience for its students.

Canyon State has served this population for over a decade working with a dedicat ed, veteran management team. Serving this population is our core competency –and our passion.”

Police have not released details other than a statement the day after the student’s death. It said:

“QCPD and QCFMD responded to Canyon State Academy for reports of students having a medical emergency (initial call came in at approximately 10:40 p.m.). Three students were transported and unfortunately one died at the hospital.

“The individual who passed away is a 16 YO male. QCPD is investigating this as a possible overdose; the investigation is ongoing.”

A statement released by Canyon State the day after the student’s death said: “We are deeply saddened a student passed away last night at a local hospital after ingesting an unknown

substance. As a precautionary measure, roommates were taken to the hospital on a non-emergency basis and medically cleared.

“While the incident is under investiga tion, early sources suggest the substances were supplied by the deceased youth’s family,” the school’s statement said.

“The presence of illegal drugs within the community continues to be a threat for all youth, and any drug-related loss of life is tragic.”

The school had no further comment and would not confirm some media reports that said the student appeared to have gotten drugs from a family member.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that drug overdose deaths are up nationwide to a record 98,331 between April 2020 and April 2021. The increase in Arizona is equally alarming. Up 27.8%, the CDC reports that 2,743 people died of drug overdoses in Arizona.

“Fentanyl is the most common sub stance found in opioid overdose deaths

in Arizona – teens as young as 14 years old have overdosed and died,” says the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission in a section of its website dedicated to edu cating people about overdose deaths.

The prevalence of the synthetic opiate fentanyl is up dramatically in recent years. Fentanyl is thought to be between 50 and 100 times more powerful than heroin and is being sold as a counterfeit to Percocet, heroin and methamphetamine, the CDC says.

It is also being passed off by drug dealers as Xanax and other prescription medications.

“This is especially dangerous because people are often unaware that fentanyl has been added,” says the ACJC website.

“The high potency of fentanyl greatly increases risk of overdose, especially if a person who uses drugs is unaware that a powder or pill contains it.”

According to its website, Canyon State is operated by Rite of Passage, a Nevada-based provider of evidence-based therapeutic and educa tional programs for youth.

Andersen Elementary School Principal Kristin Kinghorn was one of 41 chosen as a Nation al Distinguished Principal of 2022. (CUSD)

Annual chuck wagon event coming to Tumbleweed Ranch

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler’s Tumbleweed Ranch will host the Chandler Chuck Wagon Cook-off November 11-12, offering a unique family-friendly event that features a Dutch oven cooking competition in which 1880s style chuck wagon teams cook five courses, meat, potatoes, beans, bread and dessert, over a wood fire.

The Ranch is an event space within Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S. McQueen Road.

While the main culinary competition is on Saturday, this year’s event has expanded into Nov. 11 with a sunset dinner.

People can watch the sun set over the chuck wagons and enjoy music from DJ Figueroa and a catered dinner by Chandler’s own West Alley BBQ. Appetizers and desserts will be prepared by the chuck wagon teams. Tickets are $45.

On Saturday, the Chuck Wagon Cookoff runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free parking, admission and activities. Meals are served at noon.

Meal tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance at the Pardners of Tumbleweed Ranch website.

Each wagon cooks 50 meals, and the tickets always sell out quickly. Judges will reward the best meals with cash prizes.

Tickets for both the Friday evening event and Saturday lunch are available at pardnersoftumbleweedranch.org.

The Chuck Wagon Cook-off is hosted by the nonprofit Pardners of

Tumbleweed Ranch, and the Chandler Museum. Funds raised help develop educational outreach opportunities at Tumbleweed Ranch.

“Think of the Old West chuck wagon as the fi rst food truck and the black iron pot, called a Dutch oven or camp oven, was the original slow cooker,” said Dave McDowell, President of the Pard-

ners of Tumbleweed Ranch. “The whole family will love the nostalgia of this event and the delicious comfort food prepared by some of the Southwest’s best chefs.”

Saturday’s activities include trick roping with Cowboy Steve, a Lil’ Rustlers kids’ game area and more.

“The Chandler Chuck Wagon Cook-off is one of the Valley’s most unique culinary events,” said Chandler Museum Administrator Jody Crago. “We have worked with Pardners of Tumbleweed Ranch for over a decade and it’s exciting to see how much the event has grown in popularity.”

For over ten years, this signature culinary event has provided attendees with the rare experience of the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of authentic 1880s chuck wagons. Teams from across the West compete using slow-cook, wood-fire methods from the time period.

The Pardners is a group of volunteers who help interpret Chandler’s agricultural heritage through programs and events, while also enhancing Tumbleweed Ranch’s amenities.

The Chandler Chuck Wagon Cook-Off gives people a chance to taste the vittles of the Old West. (File photo)

LANDINGS

from page 1

plans and coordinate their opposi tion. However, no one knew who or ganized the meeting and was leading the effort. They found out about it in a social media post.About 20 people arrived, but the meeting soon dis banded.

Many wanted to know more about the project, and said that they aren't upset because it's an affordable housing complex. They said their biggest worry is an increase in traffic.

"Even in the middle of the day, say 2 o'clock, the traffic is horrendous," Mary Ellen Ross said. "You can't move."

Residents said the proposed development would be near where Chandler Unified's bus depot. So in addition to all those buses coming and going each day, they would have to contend with more than 1,000 new residents living in those apartments.

The land in question is not city land, but is an unincorporated part of Maricopa County that is surrounded by city land. As such, the project’s fate currently rests with the county Board of Supervisors.

However, the developers initially said they planned to seek annexation by the city, and the county has encouraged them to follow through with that since they will be relying on city services for utilities.

The city’s stated opposition to the plan may have changed that.

“The location of the proposed multifamily development does not conform to the City’s General Plan, Airpark Area Plan and economic develop ment goals,” City Planning Manager David de la Torre said. “For this reason, the city communicated to Maricopa County and the developer that it does not support multi-family at the proposed location. The city met with the developer to discuss alternative sites in Chandler.

"However, the developer elected to proceed with its application to seek approval for developing the site through Maricopa County.”

Chandler is actively marketing the area surrounding the airport as an employment corridor, where officials want businesses that will bring jobs to the city. The city land near this proposed site is zoned for industrial use.

De la Torre said the city objects to a residential project built on the county island because the people who move in will likely object when industrial facilities are built next to them.

“Industrial operations need to be located in areas where they are free to run their operations without impacting residential areas,” de la Torre wrote.

“They don’t want to have neighbors complaining about their operations. If the subject site were to be changed from industrial to residential, it would make the surrounding properties less desirable to industrial developers due to their close proximity to residential.”

Rick Heumann, the chairman of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, said he suspects there is a lot of misinformation floating about in the community regarding this project.

Even though this is a county issue, he planned to meet with one of the lawyers representing the developers to find out the facts.

“I’m hearing things like – I’ll be real blunt – ‘It’s gonna be housing for illegal immigrants, or homeless housing,’ Heumann said. “I’m actually going to meet with the zoning attorney to see if it’s workforce housing.

“And honestly, if it’s pure workforce housing, that is something that’s desper ately needed in Chandler: It’s the teachers, it’s the McDonald’s shift manager, it’s people who work for the city who can’t afford to live in our city. Everything that is being built in our city is great, but a two-bedroom apartment in some of these places will cost over $2,000.”

A nearly identical project by the same developers was proposed for Surprise and ran into stiff opposition.

Surprise City Council approved the project. However, residents did not give up and have collected signatures to get a referendum to overturn the 4-3 council vote.

There, the developers said the housing would be affordable, with the price set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD publishes a fair market rent rate for each county annually.

HUD’s fair market rent rate for Maricopa County is $1,467 for a one-bedroom unit, $1,740 for two bedrooms and $2,386 for three.

According to Rent.com, the average rental price in Chandler is $1,660 for one bedroom (11.6% more than HUD’s fair market rent rate), $1,912 (8.9% more) for two bedrooms and $2,588 (7.8% more) for a three-bedroom unit.

Owen Metz, senior vice president and project partner for Dominium, gave the SanTan Sun News a statement about the Landings on Ocotillo project:

“We are proceeding with re-zoning in the county for a wonderful housing development in a location that has medium density residential across the street. We are committed to help solve

the housing crisis here in the Valley and provide much needed housing diversity to this part of the region.”

There will be a public hearing before the proposal goes to the county Planning and Zoning Commission. No date has been set yet, but Heumann said it will likely be in early December.

The land is owned by a Wyoming doctor and his wife, Shah and Hina Urvish. Dominium Apartments and the Housing Authority of Maricopa County are listed as the co-developers. Dominium, a Minnesota company, has been managing affordable housing apartments around the nation since 1972 and manages more than 38,000 units.

It operates a senior living facility in Mesa, and is building a Goodyear complex that is similar to its plans for Chandler. Neither of those projects faced the opposition the company experienced in Surprise.

Maricopa County Planner Daniel Johnson said his team is aware of the city’s opposition to the project.

“We will take that into consideration and will be reflected in my report to the Planning & Zoning Commission for their consideration,” he said.

Supervisor Jack Sellers office said Sellers is waiting for the planning office to vet the proposal.

“Supervisor Sellers is aware of the proposed development in Chandler,” wrote Diane Hilow, deputy administra tor for Sellers.

“As with all Planning and Zoning issues within District 1, the Supervisor will seek input from a city near any proposed development.

"In this particular case, the comments from Chandler will be an important part of the decision-making process,” she said.

“The proposal must first be vetted by the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission where proponents and those in opposition will have an opportunity to participate in a public hearing.”

The Landings on Ocotillo would bring a 336-unit multifamily complex and another senior complex with 182 units to 25 acres on Ocotillo Road near Arizona Avenue. (Special to SanTan)

Documents submitted to the county show the proposed layout of units in the complex. (Special to SanTan)

City urges water conservation by residents

BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

Now more than ever, water conservation is vital in Arizona.

Once the temperatures cool down for the fall, we might not think about saving water as much as we do in the summer. But, with current drought conditions, water should always be top of mind.

Due to a historic drought and over allocation, conditions on the Colorado River are worsening.

Chandler has been planning for drought and surface water shortages for decades and now, along with other cities in the Colorado River Basin, we are continuing to prepare for a future with less water.

This summer, the City of Chandler implemented Stage One of Chandler’s Drought Management Plan and will continue to monitor the drought situation.

How does Chandler Conserve Water?

Chandler has carefully planned its water usage for decades, and our water comes from multiple sources.

The Colorado River represents approximately one third of our water supply.

Even though the City can still meet the water needs of residents and businesses, everyone is urged to continue, or increase, their conservation efforts. It does help.

The average household in Chandler is using 20% less water today than 25 years ago.

As part of water management planning, the City of Chandler recycles 100% of the water that goes down the drain.

The City has invested in wastewater collections, water reclamation facilities, pumps and pipes that deliver reclaimed water for irrigation, fountains, lakes, industrial use and aquifer recharge.

This important component of our water supply reduces demand for surface water and conserves drinking water supplies.

Conservation tips

Residents use the most water outside their homes, up to 70 percent, watering lawns and plants.

There are several ways that you can conserve water outdoors.

Consider changing out high water use plants for low water use plants, or even remove the grass in your yard and transform your landscape to xeriscape with colorful desert plants.

You can also install a smart controller that will alter your watering based on weather conditions.

These simple actions can help you save money on your water bill and help preserve Chandler’s water supply.

And, the City of Chandler has a rebate program that that can help you recover

some of the cost.

Skip overseeding

One way to save a significant amount of water is to skip overseeding and not plant a winter lawn.

Letting your grass lawn go dormant this season will save you hundreds of dollars and thousands of gallons of water.

And, it might even be better for your grass overall. If you live in an HOA, the City of Chandler has reached out to associations, asking if they would allow residents to skip overseeding and also not overseed in common areas.

Ask your HOA if this is something that they are considering.

Schedule a Water-Wise Visit

Visit to evaluate your home’s water use effi ciency. The Water-Wise Site Visit includes an assessment of your indoor and outdoor water use.

The City of Chandler’s friendly team will offer practical tips and answer any questions that you may have. Residents can save about 40% on their water use after following the water conservation advice.

Free classes

The City’s water conservation team provides free classes every fall and spring that cover a variety of topics.

City officials post these signs near reclaimed water basins in case passersby get thirsty. (City of Chandler)

Classes are held at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center from 6-7:30 p.m.

Easy Irrigation Troubleshooting & Repair is scheduled for Nov. 8. Attendees will learn how to evaluate their drip systems and make quick fixes. Container Gardening, held on Nov. 15, will provide information about drought tolerant plants that will add interest to your garden.

Learn how you can conserve water, qualify for a rebate, sign up for classes, schedule a Water-Wise Site Visit and much more at chandleraz.gov/Water. Also, follow @cityofchandler on social media for more water conservation tips.

Chandler Girl Scout earns Gold Award

BY JUSTIN LIGGIN Contributor

As student body president at Hamilton High School, Girl Scout Megan Find er noticed that hardworking classmates often went unrecognized despite their big impact on the school’s community.

To earn the prestigious Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts, the Hamilton alumna came up with a project and an award of her own to uplift her fellow classmates.

“This project is important to me because I wanted to find a way to advocate for individuals who may not have a healthy school relationship, but still make a difference in their community,” she said.

She developed the Husky Shadow Award to recognize students who work behind the scenes to impact their school community.

To be selected for the award, seniors who fit the criteria are nominated by the security teams that work at the school and interact with students every day.

“These recipients may not be club presidents, team captains, star athletes or academic finalists, but rather students who are persistent and optimistic,” Megan explained. “This unique selection from behind-the-scenes staff members allows the process to become full circle.”

With the project being met with acclaim from classmates, students and staff, it has proven to be a big success and a way to recognize the everyday achievements of students on campus.

“Everyone has their own story and I learned how important it is to put everyone on the same level,” said Megan. “This project was a long process, but so worth it in the end!”

The Husky Shadow Award has since been extended to all six high schools in Chandler Unified School District.

In addition, Megan has also received numerous awards for her Gold Award project including the Sherry Cancino Hands of Service Award from the Chan dler Service Club, the Desert Financial Community Service Scholarship, and the Chandler Education Foundation Impact Scholarship.

“My classmates and parents who became aware of this award all unanimously agree that this award is needed, especially in such large district high schools,” Megan said.

“My peers and I are excited to see this program launch fully in the next few years across the district.”

A Girl Scout of 12 years, Megan feels empowered by the organization to make a difference in the lives of others while finding herself – and some lifelong friends – along the way.

“Girl Scouting has been the absolute best experience. I am happy to say I have kept my friends from my kindergarten and first grade troops in cluding my best friend. Having our moms as our troop leaders has made such a differ ence in my life. They continue to motivate us through all our projects and journeys,” she said.

Megan’s Gold Award also establishes her as a trailblazer in her community and a changemaker whose impact will be felt for years to come.

The Gold Award is not only the most prestigious award in the organization, but it also helps a Girl Scout distinguish herself in the college admissions pro cess, earn scholarships and even enter the military at a higher rank, all while leaving a legacy.

Chandler Girl Scout Megan Finder earned Scouting’s highest award for girls by developing a unique award program at Ham ilton High. (Special to SanTan)

Megan currently attends Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State Uni-

versity, where she is pursuing a bache lor’s degree in management and sports business, and plans to receive a master’s degree in sports law.

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

Honor flights bring bittersweet memories for veterans

BY RYAN KNAPPENBERGER AND EMILEE MIRANDA Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Arizona veteran

James Byram Price stood at attention and stared straight ahead at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the names of fallen soldiers etched onto the black marble of the wall, his reflection staring back.

He stood rigid, silent, before the wall. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, but there was no mistaking the emotion when he spoke, his voice wavering.

“I was one of the lucky ones to be able to come home, but we’re always still there with our brothers,” said Price, a Vietnam veteran.

Price was one of 30 Arizona veterans in Washington recently as part of another Arizona Honor Flight, a charity that flies World War II, Vietnam and Korean War veterans to visit their respective memorials around the capital.

For some, it was their first time visiting the city and the memorials; others had visited in years past. But at some point during the day, many were brought to tears as they stared at one of the memorials honoring their service. For many of the Vietnam vets in particular, it felt like the gratitude they did not get when they came home

from the war.

“I was just doing what I was told was the right thing to do,” Price said. “And now I’m getting that welcome and thank you and it brings me to tears.”

The day was not all tears. As they waited to visit the Vietnam memorial with their “guardians” – family mem bers and volunteers – the veterans joked like kids on a field trip, sing ing Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” and saying how they blasted it and other songs to scare the enemy.

After a few minutes, a woman in full camouflage approached and told the veterans she was there to honor them, a gesture that had many of the honorees once more wiping tears from their eyes, while others bowed their heads.

Each veteran received a commemorative gold pin that their guardians helped pin to hats or lanyards, or shirts right above the heart.

At the Wall, the veterans paid their respects, with some searching for the names of lost comrades. Some shared stories of their lost friends, while others got charcoal rubbings of colleagues’ names on a piece of paper to bring home. Others could only stand and stare.

BUSES from page 1

From Jan. 1, 2021, through August of this year, there were 16 incidents, most of them minor. The only one involving inju ries was the August collision in Gilbert.

In that case, two of the students reported minor cuts. A third had said they were injured, but paramedics could find no injury. The bus driver has bruising on the left knee. The driver of the van was also injured and taken to the hospital.

“School buses are like the safest place for a child to be the way they’re built, the visibility of the bus, the compaction of the seats and how they are made,” said Lana Berry, chief financial officer for the district.

Perhaps the most serious incident involving a CUSD bus happened in late August 2021, when a school bus driver with nine Hamilton High School students was pulled over by Chandler Police after he had been filmed by a parent talking into his smart watch.

Officers took him into custody and placed on administrative leave. That driver no longer works for CUSD.

“I don’t know the particulars, specifically, on each individual case that took place,” Berry said. “But there are certain rules. For example, you cannot be on a cell phone. You can’t be online, you’ll lose your [commercial] license.”

All CUSD bus drivers must have a commercial drivers license (CDL). The district, like most others around the Valley, is facing a shortage of bus drivers.

Berry said they will hire new drivers who do not have a CDL and pay them while they get the training to earn that license.

CUSD also bumped up the pay for drivers last spring to both attract and retain drivers.

“So they got 4% the year before we gave an $1 adjustment in the second quarter,” Berry said. “So honestly, it went up $3 plus an additional 4% since last fall.”

Berry said CUSD buses transport about 12,000 of its 45,000 students each day to and from schools. However, she said that’s just the start.

“At some point, almost every child touches our school buses, if it’s an extracurricular activity, if it’s a sporting event, if it’s a field trip.”

The district employs about 175 bus drivers.

Nationally, a report from Zutobi says

school-related bus crashes with deaths or injuries have fallen to their lowest level in a decade. Zutobi is a drivers education company.

It reported that accidents involving injuries or death plummeted 50% last year compared with 2019. The fact most schools were shut down for long stretches by the pandemic played a role in the decrease, according to the National Safety Council.

The website SchoolBusFleet.com said that more than 400,000 yellow school buses provide transportation service daily in the U.S. to more than 22 million ele mentary and secondary school students.

“School buses are the best option for transporting kids to school, safer than both walking or riding in a car,” the National Safety Council says, urg ing the adoption of lap-and-shoulder belt safety restraints “to make them even safer.”

Here are some examples of the minor incidents reported by CUSD to state police:

On Sept. 9, 2021 , a CUSD bus made contact with a railroad crossing gate. There was no damage or injuries.

On July 25 of this year, a bus driver was stopped at a red light and turned to speak to a student. His foot eased off the brake pedal and it tapped the bumper of the car in front of him. There was no damage to either vehicle or any injuries.

On May 6 of this year, a CUSD bus was making a left-hand turn when a second vehicle struck its student crossover mirror on Val Vista Drive. About 10 days later, another CUSD bus was waiting to make a left-hand turn when it was struck by the overhanging load of a second vehicle. In the first case there was no damage, according to the police report. In the second there were sever al cracks in the mirror.

On Feb. 1 of this year, a driver had trouble moving the large bus down a residential street. He had to squeeze between a parked car on one side and a garbage can on the other to pick up students. He made contact with the parked car.

“We try to do as much training as possible,” Berry said. “We try to work on that every year, but there are accidents that do happen. And there’s human decisions that get made. Un fortunately, sometimes there’s errors that happen. But for the most part, our kids have been very safe and rid ing a bus is a lot safer than in a regular vehicle.”

Chandler Unified's 35,000-square-foot school,bus depot has five vehicle lifts, 16 service bays, and a 1,400 square-foot parts department. (CUSD)

See HONOR on page12

DOCfrom page 1

tried to fi ll that need by volunteering to see patients for two weeks.

He was there as part of a Global Care Force team. That’s a new name for an organization that was founded as COVID Care Force in 2020. With the pandemic winding down, the doctors who joined forces to help battle the coronavirus are expanding their focus.

The group now wants to bring high-quality medical care to under-resourced communities.

Villa said many of the patients he cared for in Ukraine suffered from what you would expect in a nation at war.

“We did diabetes, hypertension, a lot of depression, PTSD, as you can imagine,” Villa said. “It’s pretty heartbreaking, the stories that you see and hear. What they’ve been through is crazy.”

Villa and others started at the border in Belarus and worked their way down from north to south until they reached Odessa next to the Black Sea.

“We went to areas that were badly affected by the war,” Villa said. “And there were other areas where life has gone on reasonably as normal.”

Many of the patients he saw had not had any medical care available for the past six months. Some needed their prescriptions refi lled. Many just needed mental health care to deal with the conflict.

“Depression, PTSD, they just need somebody to talk to,” Villa said. “One of the docs that came was from outside

Chandler physician Andrew Villa of New Horizons Women’s Care recently returned from a trip with the nonprofit Global Care Force to Ukraine, where he and other doctors provided medical care to people in areas where the ongoing war with Russia has created a shortage of doctors. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

of Albany, New York — family doctor, super awesome guy — and he brought a little meditation sheet, to teach you kind of how to meditate and relax, etc. And so we had it transcribed into Ukrainian and we handed that thing out and taught that hundreds of times.”

Villa said he was unsure if he should bring his wife on this trip.

“I tried to leave her at the Polish

border, because I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “We went there with body armor and helmets, just in case.

“We never wore them because we felt reasonably safe. She’s a musician by training, classical musician, but she served as my pharmacist, because when you go, it’s all-hands-on-deck.”

Villa, who specializes in women’s health when in Chandler, said they were

HONOR

entire community of your friends and

are working with the Maricopa County Elections Department to ensure a secure, transparent and accurate election.

BeBallotReady.Vote to learn more and choose how and where you want to vote in the General Election. And remember to text “JOIN” to 628-683 to track your

Across the National Mall, Jim Clark, one of two Korean War veterans on this trip, found himself emotionally exhausted from all the stops during the day, especially the fi nal one at the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

Tears welled in his eyes, even as he said, “I don’t have any tears left.”

This was not Clark’s fi rst visit to the memorial. He came years ago with his children, acting then as more of a tour guide, and unable to experience the memorial on a deeper level.

“I don’t think I had the emotions that I’m having this time,” Clark said. “But here I’m just like a big sponge and I’m so touched and fi lled with joy.”

The oldest member of the group, World War II veteran Ted Kuntz from Cottonwood, said he was overwhelmed, eyes glistening slightly.

While the rest of the group took pictures pointing at the Washington Monument, Ted’s son, Steve Kuntz, pushed him around in his wheelchair as he wordlessly pointed out battles and locations from the Pacific theater.

Honor flights have been flying na-

Chandler doctor Andrew Villa meets with patients in Ukraine during his two-week trip there in September. (Global Care Force)

well taken care of while working in Ukraine. They stayed at nice places and ate great food.

“I know for years people don’t like when you go to foreign countries and have an American passport,” Villa said. “It was great to have an American passport there. We zoomed through customs and they really are appreciative for what other countries are doing and the fact we show them that we care. I think they really appreciate it.”

tionally since 2005, with local “hubs” scattered across the country. Costs for the flights – or missions, as the organizers call them – are funded through donations to the hubs, with veterans making the trip at no cost to themselves.

The Arizona hub was organized in 2008 and the fi rst flight took off for Washington in 2009. This week’s flight was the 93rd from the Arizona hub, which claims to have sent more than 2,000 veterans to D.C.

This latest group flew in Tuesday and spent a whirlwind hitting all the memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery, the National Museum of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, before flying home Thursday. Throughout the day Wednesday, the veterans reminisced about old friends with new ones. Even as they enjoyed the moment, memories were never far away.

That was true for Price, standing over 6 feet tall in a black cowboy hat and black jacket with a patch reading “Indian” – a nickname he earned as the only Native American in his platoon.

“You never forget,” Price said. “It’s always there in the back of your mind one way or another.”

Corvette Club bringing annual charity car show to downtown

The Corvette Club of Arizona will be hosting its 22nd Annual “Chevys in the Park” Charity Car Show 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 30 at A.J. Chandler Park downtown. The club invites all owners of Chevy cars and trucks, or those vehicles that are powered by a Chevy engine, to participate.

The Corvette Club of Arizona will donate $10 from every registered car to Packages From Home, a nonprofit that provides personal care and support items to active U.S. military abroad and veterans. In the past 21 years the Corvette Club of Arizona has raised over $30,000 for this worthy charity.

Entries are judged by the participants and awards are presented for each class. There will also be special awards for Best Paint, Best Engine, Best Interior and overall l Best of Show.

Pre-registration for the show is $35 and the form must be received by Oct. 23. Day-of-show registration is 8-9:30 a.m. and costs $40. Entries are limited to the fi rst 150 cars/ Information and forms: Ron Gliot at 779-777-0857 or ShowChair@CorvetteClubofArizona.com.

The show is free to the public.

Golden Neighbors hosts bilingual outreach for residents Chandler’s Golden Neighbors pro-

gram is hosting a bilingual (English/ Spanish) outreach event with Chandler Fire and Chandler Police departments from 9-11 a.m. Nov. 1, at the Chandler Police Main Station, 250 E. Chicago St., Community Room.

Attendees will learn more about public safety programs and resources available for seniors from Offi cer Eva Zermeño and Fire Battalion Chief Carlos Vargas.

In addition, Neighborhood Programs Administrator Priscilla Quintana will discuss free resources available through the Neighborhood Resources Department.

A light breakfast will be provided. Interested attendees may RSVP to 480782-4362.

For more information about Golden Neighbors, contact Priscilla Quintana or Tawna Mower at neighborhood. programs@chandleraz.gov.

Sunbird Kare Bear Fair slated next month in Chandler

The Kare Bear Fair will offer something of interest to all ages when it is held 8 a.m.-noon Nov. 5 at the SunBird Ballroom, 6240 S. SunBird Blvd., Sun Lakes.

Some 40 vendors and a Kare Bears White Elephant Table will be part of the event. Coffee and rolls will be available and there is no admission fee.

The nonprofit pours all the money it

earns from the event into local charities.

Information: 480-861-7423.

Chandler honors veterans with two special events next month

The City of Chandler will honor and celebrate military veterans and their families with two special events next month.

On Nov. 4, active and retired military service members and their loved ones are invited to the second annual Military Appreciation Breakfast for a morning of fellowship, appreciation, and information gathering from community resources. This free event will be held at Chandler Community Center from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The City’s celebration culminates with the annual Veterans Day event, on Friday, Nov. 11, at the Field of Honor at Veterans Oasis Park, 4050 E. Chandler Heights Road.

“Chandler’s military history is made up of tales of extraordinary heroism, determination, and sacrifi ce,” said Deputy City Manager Andy Bass. “What better way for the residents of Chandler and the surrounding community to come together than the Field of Honor.”

Presented by the Military and Veterans Affairs Commission and Community Services Department, the civic event honors all who have served and contin-

ued to serve our country. The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with acknowledgements recognizing local heroes. Parking is available on-site in lots surrounding the park.

Sun Lakes Republicans slate speakers at November meeting

The Sun Lakes Republican Club will feature “The Principles We Hold Dear” with guest speakers Cindy Biggs and Keith DeGreen at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd., Sun Lakes. The public is invited.

Cindy Biggs, civics instructor and wife of Congressman Andy Biggs, will discuss Paul Revere.

Keith DeGreen, founder and CEO of DeGreen Capital Management in Scottsdale, will discuss America and its economic foundations. DeGreen hosts a personal fi nance show on NewsTalk 550 KFYI.

He served with the Marines in Vietnam, where he earned a Purple Heart and attained the rank of sergeant.

The Sun Lakes Republican Cowboy Christmas Dinner Dance will be held 5-9 p.m. Dec. 7 in Cottonwood Country Club’s ballroom. Tickets may be purchased for $35 at the November meeting, if space is still available. For more information, visit slgop.org or contact

See

Grand Canyon potable water pipeline

BY PALOMA GARCIA Cronkite News

On the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, water from Roaring Springs cascades down Bright Angel shale to the canyon floor below. This continuous spring provides drinking water to millions of visitors who come to the South Rim each year, pumped through a 6-inch aluminum pipe that’s buried beneath the North Kaibab Trail.

Built from 1965 through ’70, the Trans-Canyon Waterline is falling apart, and it has been for years.

This month, construction begins to replace parts of the failing line and build two water treatment plants. The project’s completion date is 2027, and planners expect minimal disruption to water supply or distribution.

The waterline is considered the backbone of Grand Canyon National Park’s water system. On average, it carries 190 million gallons of drinking water to more than 5 million visitors and 2,500 residents in the Cross Canyon Corridor and the South Rim area. But from

the beginning, it has been plagued by repeated failures.

The long-planned project comes on the heels of several weeks of conservation measures after a break in early September; those measures were lifted Sept. 27.

“Each break disrupts water delivery until repairs are completed,” Joëlle Baird with Grand Canyon National Park’s public affairs office said in an email. Those repairs can cost about $25,000 each, and water disruptions can last days or weeks.

“Many of these leak repairs require implementing strict park wide water conservation measures to avoid depleting stored water reserves and shutting the park to visitation,” Baird said.

The latest break triggered water conservation measures, including reduced hours at laundromats; visitors had to camp without water hookups; concessionaires switched to disposable dishes and cutlery, and low flow water practices were put in place.

The 6-inch waterline, which has

operated for more than 50 years, has outlived its projected life span by about 20 years.

Renowned Grand Canyon paint er Bruce Aiken knows this well. For 33 years, he and his family lived 5½ miles below the North Rim at Roaring Springs. As an employee of the National Park Service at the time, he made sure the pumphouse worked, and in his spare time, Aieken captured the wonder and grandeur of the Grand Canyon on his canvas.

“As soon as they (NPS) opened it, it hadn’t been operating for more than a couple months and a flood came down Bright Angel Canyon and ripped it all out,” Aiken recalled. “It had to be rebuilt again and finally reopened in 1970, and right away it started to break.”

The waterline runs from the pump house at Roaring Springs to Phantom Ranch, where it crosses the Colorado River beneath the suspended Silver Bridge.

“Then on up to Indian Garden, all via

a siphon, it was one big gravity-float siphon line, and we were delivering … maybe 400 gallons a minute 350 gallons a minute to Indian Gardens,” Aiken said.

Aiken remembers how frequently the aluminum pipe would fail.

“I want to remind you how expensive it is to make repairs on that because the tools have to be brought in by helicopter … in a sling load, including a giant welder,” Aiken said, adding that digging up the pipe creates a “huge trench in the middle of the trail.”

The upgrade will relocate the water intake from Roaring Springs to Phantom Ranch and replace 3 miles of pipe from Phantom Ranch to Indian Garden. Other improvements include upgrading the electrical line between the ranch and the garden, and a water treatment plant at the South Rim and a smaller plant at Phantom Ranch will be built.

All repairs will keep the pipeline’s function, engineering and overall design to maintain the pipeline’s historic nature and the significant role it plays in the Grand Canyon.

Monsters are descending on Majestic this Fall

First stop is the inaugural Majestic Monster Mash presented by Atomic Comics, an all-day festival at Majestic Tempe 7 on Saturday, Oct. 29. The Halloween festival will feature free activities for kids, including photo opportunities with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Ghostbusters cosplayers; a panel discussion on horror comics; and entertainment for the over-18 set after dark. Featured vendors include sponsor Atomic Comics, Imaginology, Underworld Subroxxa, Angel City Arts, Bloodbound Books and more.

Majestic Monster Mash kicks off at 10 am and continues until midnight. Special events and movie parties on Oct. 29 include Flick or Treat: Hotel Transylvania; Majestic Family Party: Ghostbusters; the Atomic Comics Horror Comic Panel; a screening of Matinee; Majestic Movie Party: Army of Darkness; Cinematery Presents: Frankenhooker; and the Spacetoonz Cinemix Video Dance Party.

Stay in the Majestic monster groove and reserve Saturday, Nov. 5 for Night of the Tiki,

a celebration of tiki and monster culture at Majestic Gilbert 8. The festival, presented by Majestic and Atomic Monster Magazine, will start at 4 pm with DJ El Dedo spinning his tunes, a Creepy Tiki photo booth, a Tiki bazaar featuring local vendors, and Captain David, the bartender from Phoenix’s Tiki-inspired The Captain’s Cabin, serving up specialty drinks at Majestic’s pop-up Tiki bar. At 7 pm, guests will be treated to a monstrously fun double-feature, Revenge of the Creature and Brides of Blood

Tickets to Majestic Monster Mash and Night of the Tiki are limited and on sale now at www.MajesticPHX. com. Majestic Tempe 7 is located

at 1140 E. Baseline Road, on the north side of Baseline between Rural and McClintock. Find Majestic Gilbert 8 at 5478 S Power Road, on the west side of Power south of Ray.

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‘Dark money’ initiative draws conservatives’ ire

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Back in 2014, the state’s largest electric company put $10.7 million into successful efforts to elect Re publicans Tom Forese and Doug Little to the panel that has life-or-death control of how much it can charge its customers.

Three years later, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved a 4.5% rate hike for Arizona Public Service.

The company didn’t disclose the funding until 2019. And it was able to do that because state laws allows donations to be funneled through other entities to run independent expenditure campaigns for or against candidates, with no requirement for disclosure.

All that would come to an end if voters approve Proposition 211, which is designed to unearth the ultimate source of all campaign dollars.

The measure is drawing fire from the business-oriented Arizona Free Enter prise Club which contends that this kind of disclosure would lead to harassment of donors.

“They want the names of private citizens so that they can dox, harass and cancel them in their communities,’’ said club President Scot Mussi. “And they intend to use their friends in Big Tech and the Corporate Media (which are

exempt from this initiative) to aid them in their quest.

That’s also the conclusion of Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy.

“This initiative is about bullying some citizens out of campaign involvement,’’ she said. “The desired effect is to scare contributors out of donating to campaigns, while their own donors’ virtue signal by touting their donations to woke causes.’’

But former Attorney General Terry Goddard, who crafted what is known as the Voters’ Right to Know Act, said that ignores existing Arizona law.

“Everybody in Arizona who gives $50 or more has to give a full disclosure,’’ he said, citing statutes which require public disclosure of anyone who makes direct donations to candidates or ballot measures. Goddard said if harassment is an issue, there already would be evidence of a problem.

“What our friends from the Free Enterprise Club are saying is, ‘Well, our friends are special and shouldn’t have to do that,’” he said.

Mussi, however, insists this is differ ent.

“You’re talking about private citizens giving to private organizations,’’ he said. And if that organization does give mon-

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Former Attorney General Terry Goddard discusses an initiative to force public disclosure of campaign donations earlier this year when backers filed an initiative measure. (Capitol Media Services)

See DARK MONEY on page26

Scottsdale lawmaker wants to pull funds from PBS

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

A Scottsdale legislator who also heads the House Appropriations Committee wants to pull all state funds from Arizona PBS over what he said is the station’s mishandling of the gubernatorial debate.

Republican Rep. John Kavanagh acknowledged that KAET-TV has the right to air what it wants. And that includes what station officials say is its obligation to provide equal time to Democrat Katie Hobbs after Republican Kari Lake was going to get 30 minutes of airtime.

But Kavanagh told Capitol Media Services last week that the station, which is part of the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University, has had an ongoing relationship with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission that arranges these debates.

“The rules for years were if a candidate refuses to debate, they don’t get time,’’ he said.

That was the case here, with the commission agreeing to provide a 30-minute interview for Lake with host Ted Simons after Hobbs refused to share the stage.

On Wednesday, though, the station decided on its own it would provide the same opportunity for Hobbs on its nightly Horizon show this coming week despite the fact the commission had rejected her request for separate

interviews. And Lake’s interview, originally scheduled for Wednesday, would immediately follow.

“It smacks of partisan politics,’’ Kavanagh said of the decision of Arizona PBS to allow Hobbs an opportunity despite her spurning commission rules.

“They’re reneging on a commitment they made to Clean Elections to go by the rules that promote Clean Elections debates,’’ Kavanagh said. “And that’s why it’s a problem.’’

He also said giving Hobbs an interview even after she refused to debate will encourage future candidates to do the same, without fear of forfeiting airtime on the Phoenix PBS affi liate.

Kavanagh was not the only Republican lashing out at the station for its decision.

“It just seems wrong,’’ Gov. Doug Ducey told KTAR talk show host Mike Broomhead on Thursday. “And I think PBS needs to fix it.’’

What that means, the governor said, is the station going back to its original arrangement with Clean Elections. That means either Hobbs shows up for an actual debate “or Kari Lake can have that time.’’

“They made a mistake here,’’ Ducey said of Arizona PBS. “They should just rip the Band-Aid off and fix it.’’

But Ducey press aide C.J. Karamargin said his boss would not comment on Kavanagh’s bid to defund the station.

The university, for its part, continues to defend its decision.

ASU Vice President Jay Thorne said it was the “custom and responsibility of Horizon as a news agency’’ to provide time to all candidates. And he said that decision to offer both of them time on the news show -- separate and apart from any commission-sponsored event -- did not violate any agreement Arizona PBS had with the commission.

“The failure of the candidates to come to an agreement on a debate format rendered it dead,’’ Thorne said. “And, lacking that forum, Arizona PBS and Horizon are advancing as they would under any other circumstance in providing time for each candidate.’’

That’s not exactly true.

In 2018, when Ducey refused to debate Secretary of State Ken Bennett ahead of the Republican gubernatorial primary, the station gave Bennett airtime on his own. And just this year former Nogales Mayor Marco Lopez, seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, got a half-hour interview with Simons after Hobbs refused to debate him.

Similar arrangements have been made in other races lower on the ticket.

“I’ve given you the comment I’m going to give you on that,’’ Thorne responded.

Whether there will be back-to-back appearances as proposed this coming Tuesday remains to be seen.

Less

Lake said Wednesday, after Arizona PBS announced its decision to give time to Hobbs, that she would appear on the air at the station only if allowed to actually debate her, as was the original arrangement.

“I will agree to appear with Katie Hobbs next Tuesday, on the stage, together,’’ Lake said.”And if she doesn’t appear with me, they should kick her out and say she can’t be on the airwaves of PBS.”

On Thursday, Lake press aide Ross Trumble said he won’t speculate on what the GOP nominee would do until the commission makes further comments.

But Tom Collins, the commission’s executive director, said the only thing being considered now is whether another station would give Lake time on her own, as was the arrangement with Arizona PBS after Hobbs backed out of the debate.

Eliminating state funding would have an effect.

The most recent figures show that just $488,652 of the station’s $20.2 million annual budget comes directly from ASU, with the largest share, about $7.3 million, in subscription and membership income. But the university provides nearly $2.1 million in “indirect administrative support,’’ which likely includes space and utilities in the Cronkite School in downtown Phoenix.

After the pandemic-related ban on evictions, court cases against tenants, generally related to nonpayment of rent have been steadily increasing in Maricopa County, especially over the last three months. (Maricopa County Justice Courts)

Evictions, judgments continue to rise in the county

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Rent in the Valley isn’t the only thing that’s seeing a steady increase.

The number of eviction cases in Maricopa County justice Courts also has been rising.

“Eviction filings continue to rise,” Maricopa County Justice Courts spokesman Scott Davis reported last week.

September marked the third consecutive month “where filings are higher than they have been since October 2008,” he said.

In October 2008, justice courts in Maricopa County took in 6,975 eviction cases. Last month, 6,685 eviction cases were fi led

But the big difference between then and now is the size of judgments filed against tenants who are evicted.

“So far in 2022 the average judgment against tenants just rose to $3,337. In 2008 it was $1,750,” Davis said. “As I usually point out, not only was the population different then, but so was the economy.”

But the difference in the size of judgments is not just a matter of a difference between 14 years. Soaring rents have had an additional impact.

“In 2019, the fi rst full year before the pandemic, the average judgment was $1,976,” Davis said. “Judges who hear eviction cases say a small portion of the increase is due to landlords catching up from the pandemic on past amounts due, but mostly it relates to the higher lease amounts that tenants pay.”

Rents have risen dramatically across the country and tenants in the Valley are among the hardest hit.

Rents in the Phoenix are more than 45% higher than they were last year, and increased on average by more than $700 in the past year, according to some reports.

Other reports say that between 2016

and 2021, average rent in the Valley soared by 80%.

That partly explains not only why many existing multifamily complexes across the region have been sold for twice what the seller paid for them within a matter of two to four years, but also explains a significant increase in the number of building permits that have been issued in the past year for new apartment projects.

Last week, Mayor Kate Gallego noted at the end of the City Council meeting that on Oct. 12 alone, Council approved zoning changes for projects with a total 2,187 new apartments.

A third trend in eviction cases involves a relatively new state law that requires justice courts to seal the details of an eviction case under certain circumstances.

David said that as of Oct. 6, sealed cases stood at 248 after the law went into effect only two weeks earlier.

“That is unprecedented and due directly to HB2485,” he said.

The new law requires that an eviction case be sealed when any of the following conditions are met:

A fi led case is dismissed before the judge rules, as when, for example, a tenant pays the rent or the landlord’s paperwork is found to be defi cient;

A tenant wins a favorable ruling;

After a judgment, the parties file a written agreement to set aside and seal the case.

Advocates who pushed for the law said unsealed cases that ended well for tenants can still come back to unfairly haunt them. They can hurt their future prospects for fi nding a new home and even harm their job prospects in an extensive background check.

There is no statute of limitations in the law, so even very old cases can be sealed if they meet the criteria set out in the law.

Despite reforms, county pounds still under fire

BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is facing a critical overload of dogs and is taking steps to alleviate the overcrowding.

But a petition circulating online contends the county is not doing enough to protect the canines who are there.

The shelters in Phoenix and Mesa were housing a combined 855 animals in 755 kennels, which meant some dogs were sharing space in one kennel. MCACC also has added 50 temporary kennel spaces outside the West shelter facility in Phoenix with evaporative coolers to make dogs as comfortable as possible.

“The two shelters have been at critical capacity for months,” said Kim Powell, shelter spokeswoman.

To address this, the county is waiving adoption fees on most animals, holding free adoption events through the rest of the year and increasing efforts to reunite owners with lost pets.

MCACC also has an Assistance Program, which helps owners with financial difficulties keep their pets with subsidized shelter fees, spay/neuter surgery, licensing, and rabies vaccinations. Since July 1, the program has helped return 149 animals to their owners and sterilized 102 animals.

“We cannot address this from within the shelter system alone,” said shelter Director Michael Mendel. “We need support directly from the community where animal homelessness begins, which is why we do everything we can to partner with the community.”

But retired school teacher and animal advocate Lorena Bader is circulating a petition on change.org demanding the county change its practices at the two shelters.

Bader complains that MCACC fails to

provide proper medical and behavior care to animals, harbors a hostile work environment that has resulted in low morale and a high-turnover of staff.

Bader criticizes the county for ending the animal behavior team, pointing to a deadly consequence in June because of that action.

A veterinarian employed at the shelter for nine years was mauled by a dog “exhibiting signs of extreme kennel deterioration,” according to Bader.

“As a result of the attack, both the vet who was attacked and another vet resigned immediately,” Bader

said. “One of the vets had previously emailed HR about her safety concerns following the dissolution of the behav ior team.”

The dog, Kronk, was taken to an office because “he was hyper-salivating, chasing his tail, and self-harming in his kennel,” according to Bader.

Shelters are advised to use alterna tives to traditional care housing such as a foster care, or office foster care for animals staying long term, ac cording to the Association of Shelter Veterinarians,

“Since this incident, we have adjusted our practices to ensure staff safety,” Powell said. “We are always trying to balance our desire to find good outcomes for all dogs with our public safety responsibility.”

Jennifer Bryan, founder and presi dent of Alone No more Dog rescue, is another critic of the county shelter. The nonprofit, formed in 2020, pulls the dogs with behavioral issues off the county’s e-list.

Bryan said there’s a night-and-day difference now that the behavioral team no longer exists.

“I’ve overloaded my entire rescue because they are not doing their job,” she said. “So right now, the dogs aren’t being worked with and they are being scheduled to be euthanized when it’s unnecessary.

“These dogs are scheduled to be euthanized because there is no behavioral team any more. None of these dogs have the chance to be pulled out alive.”

According to Bryan, the owner-surrendered dogs on the kill list are actually the easiest to work with.

“If you put a dog in a shelter, it would

be cowering in the corner scared of ran dom people because it’s lived with you their whole life,” she said. “Those types of dogs are not adjusting to their environment. Those are the ones scheduled to be euthanized.”

According to county data, owners surrendered 589 dogs in 2021.

Fewer euthanizations

Bryan further claimed that no one is left in the shelter who knows how to assess the behavior of a dog.

“People are coming in and applying for jobs whether they have experience or not,” Bryan said. “And there’s no one up at the top that is qualified to train these people.”

She pointed to the dogs her nonprofit rescued from euthanasia.

“I have people who are new that are able to take them out,” she said. “Why is that? Why can’t their staff not work with them? Yet, we give them a little time and they are perfect.”

When asked for the numbers for dogs euthanized for behavioral issues when the behavioral team was in place compared with after when the group was disbanded, Powell responded, “Our save rate has been over 95% for the entire time.”

According to the most recent data, the shelter’s August save rate was 95.76%. Of the 1,628 pets that en tered the shelter, 954 were adopted, 279 transferred to partner organiza tions and 171 returned to owners that month.

For August, the 2022 year-to-date save rate was 95.96%, the county said.

Tuna, an American Staffordshire terrier, and Alexis, a Brindle American pit bull terrier, share a kennel at the Maricopa County West Valley Animal Care Center in Phoenix. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

A sign outside the Maricopa County East Valley Animal Care Center shows the capacity of the shelter in Mesa few weeks ago. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Dawn Sanchez BC-HIS

SHELTER

Overall, the number of dogs euthanized in the county shelter is a marked improvement from 2016, when 4,211 dogs were euthanized. In 2021, 537 were euthanized.

“That in itself is a good number but it doesn’t tell the story behind the scene,” Bader said. “They use that number to basically cover for everything else –you’re warehousing dogs that go crazy because they are stuck in cages days on end.”

And, Bryan claimed the county’s high save rate is due to the efforts of her nonprofit and about 10 other rescues.

“My rescue and other rescues if you look at our numbers have exponentially increased because there are so many more dogs scheduled to be euthanized,” Bryan said. “And we are doing our best to save them all.”

According to the county, the shelter in 2021 transferred 2,624 animals to partner organizations, 3,634 in 2020 and 5,494 in 2019.

Year over year the county shelter’s save rate has been the same but “moving forward their save rate is going to be drastically different” because the nonprofit rescues are all full, Bryan predicted.

John Doherty, who’s been fighting for reforms at the shelter since Rodrigo Silva was the director, agreed that the nonprofits are doing all the heavy

lifting.

“If not for the rescue units, those dogs would be put down constantly,” said Doherty, who started the Vets for Pets program.

Doherty, who said he is persona non grata at the county shelter but still has contacts there, insisted that botched surgeries are still going on.

He claimed that a dog recently bled out in a kennel after the sutures came

undone. Bader also in her petition provided examples of dogs that died after their surgical procedures, includ ing one who “internally bled out after surgery.”

“These claims are false,” Powell said. “Animals are receiving proper medical care from trained vets.”

County insists staffing is OK

The county also responded to criti-

cism that the shelter is woefully understaffed and therefore unable to provide for all the care the animals need.

Powell said three veterinarians and nine veterinarian technicians are currently on staff. The county has job postings for a chief veterinarian and a veterinarian, she said.

“There is a current job posting to

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Volunteer Sarah Loman hands out treats to Hawkeye, an American Bulldog/Great Dane mix, at the Maricopa County West Valley Animal Care Center in Phoenix. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

See SHELTER on

attract additional staff,” she said. “Our shelter is not unique in this way. Many, if not all, local animal rescue organizations are struggling to fi nd and hire veterinarians.”

Powell added that the department has worked with the Board of Supervisors to increase pay rates and with Human Resources to target veterinary schools to recruit more people to work in the county shelters.

“It is challenging, but our results for the past eight months tell the story,” Powell said. “We are fi nding positive outcomes for more than 95% of animals. This is despite the number of animals and lack of medical history when they enter the shelter.”

Powell noted that there are over 160 employees on staff, most of whom work with animals in some context.

And, there are a total of 405 volunteers at MCACC, she said.

A 2015 report by a county ad hoc task force recommended at the time the hiring of six more veterinarians and six veterinary technicians to supplement the then-current staffing of five veterinarians and 14 vet techs. The report, however, pointed to industry standards of 13 vets and 45 vet techs for an operation the size of the county’s.

Other recommendations included measures to improve the overall medical treatment to animals and the quality of behavioral assessments such as providing more education and instituting an in-kennel enrichment program to help offset behavioral deterioration from being in a shelter environment, which was in progress, according to the report.

Some of the recommendations were not implemented because they were not practical fi nancially or from a staffing standpoint, Powell said.

But “many of the task force’s recommendations were implemented successfully,” she said. “That’s how we were able to improve our live release rate from less than 70% to the current live release rate of 95%-plus.”

Hostile work environment

The shelter has trouble retaining employees, said detractors, attributing that partly to a hostile work environment.

“There’re not enough people who want to work in that environment,” Bryan said. “It’s hostile. They feel upper management is disrespectful to them.

“So they work for other shelters and rescues and everyone keeps abandoning Maricopa County. They ran out volunteers and ran out staff members and I know that personally because people come to us and want to work with us.”

The fi scal year 2021 county data showed a 61% turnover rate for animal control offi cers, 67% for shelter technicians, 31% for animal health technicians.

Notes from shelter employee exit interviews in late 2021 included comments of feeling unappreciated, a

stressful environment and burnout.

Powell said she can’t speak to the management under the previous director.

“People leave jobs for many reasons,” Powell said. “Despite our increase in pay, some organizations pay more.

Workers have many options for their skills in the current environment.”

She also discounted claims of a toxic work environment.

“We don’t agree with that assessment,” she said. “Some former staff members do not like that our leadership team now holds every staff member accountable, including for disparaging remarks made on social media.

“Current leadership has an open-door policy to talk with staff. Additionally, staff members are also recognized for their hard work in emails and during the morning meeting.”

Bader said she started the petition to bring awareness to the public and insisted that county superiors have turned a deaf ear to the issue.

County slams critic

County spokesman Fields Moseley said that over the past five years, Bader has had multiple meetings, phone calls and a signifi cant volume of written correspondence with high-level county offi cials.

Moseley painted Bader as a fi red volunteer determined on revenge, fi ling over 250 records requests since 2020 as a part of that effort.

“The points raised by Ms. Bader on change.org are not new,” he said.

“During these years, her ideas and opinions about Animal Care and Control have not evolved, and the discussions have not been productive for the County or its residents.

“The correspondence increased after

she was dismissed as a volunteer in August 2019 for trying to disrupt Animal Care operations and denigrating employees on a social media platform.”

He said Bader filed a notice of claim

in December 2019 with the intent to sue for $300,000 but that never materialized.

Nonprofit rescues are trying to help the county alleviate crowding. Rescues also help when they can to provide other services. For example, Gilbert-based Friends For Life Rescue held a chip-a-thon last weekend, during which Infinity Hill brought Kohana, who was scanned for chips by Tina Sexton. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

SHELTER

He also said that supervisors continually support improvements at Animal Care and Control and in August approved $1.4 million to help the organization connect pet owners with other services that might prevent them from surrendering their dog or cat for fi nancial reasons.

“Animal Care and Control has a diffi cult mission to treat and care for hundreds of dogs and cats on any given day while making every attempt to adopt those animals into loving homes,” Moseley said.

Due to the current overcrowding, MCACC is asking the public to exhaust every option before making an appointment to bring stray animals to its shelters.

It has been proven that the quickest owned pet reunions begin with in-neighborhood methods such as posted paper flyers and local social media pages, according to shelter offi cials.

The county also recommends the following:

• Take found stray animal to a local veterinarian for microchip scanning. If the pet is chipped this will begin the reunion process.

• Add the pet to MCACC's Lost & Found interactive pet map at https://www. maricopa.gov/162/Lost-Found-Pet.

• If the pet is not chipped, call 602506-PETS to make a stray surrender appointment.

For those who want to help in person, consider volunteering to work directly within the shelter with dedicated shelter teams.maricopa.gov/294/Volunteer.

• If people have capacity in their homes to foster shelter animals, reach out to a reputable animal welfare organization or to the MCACC atmaricopa.gov/296/ Foster.

• Donate to any local animal welfare organization that provides free or low cost spay/neuter, microchipping, and licensing activities to stop this issue where it starts.

New shelter offers hope

A big help for the overcrowding will be the new East Shelter currently under construction at Baseline Road and Lewis Drive in Mesa.

The Board of Supervisors in May 2021 voted to spend $36 million to build the shelter, expected to open in early 2024.

The new facility boasts 51,000 square feet of gross interior conditioned space with 369 kennels for dogs and 63 for cats, according to Powell.

The current East Valley shelter is 29,555 square feet while the West shelter is 62,350 square feet, she said.

What to do with the current east shelter when the new one opens hasn’t been determined yet, according to Powell.

DARK

ey to a cause or candidate, that fact is disclosed -- though its original donors or not.

Mussi insisted it’s no different if the “private citizen’’ giving to an organization is a regulated utility which intends for the “private organization’’ to use the funds to affect an election.

Goddard also dismissed the possibility that public disclosure could be used to harass people over their small donations.

“We set the disclosure limit at $5,000,’’ he said.

“People who give $5,000 can take care of themselves,’’ Goddard continued. “I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is.’’

The law applies only to organizations that spend at least $50,000 on statewide campaigns or $25,000 on other campaigns.

He also said there’s a provision in the initiative that allows those who believe they or their family will be physically harmed if a donation becomes public to petition the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to request a waiver.

Then there’s the legal question.

Goddard acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court, in the landmark 2010 case of Citizens United, prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, labor unions and other organizations. But he said the justices did not bar disclosure requirements.

Mussi, however, cited a 2021 ruling by the nation’s high court that voided a California requirement that charities and nonprofit organizations operating in the state provide the attorney general’s offi ce with the names and addresses of their largest donors. He said that precedent applies to groups who are formed to influence elections, suggesting that if Proposition 211 is approved it will lead to litigation,

The initiative has gained its share of supporters.

One of them is Democrat Sandra

Kennedy, who was on the losing end of that 2014 vote for the Corporation Commission.

She fi nally got elected to the panel in 2018. By that time, Little had resigned to take a job in the Trump administration; Forese lost his reelection bid that year.

Kennedy then went on to get the commissioner to issue a subpoena of both APS and Pinnacle West Capital Corp., its parent, to disclose political spending.

“On the heels of their 2014 dark money spending, there was an enormous rate increase and confusing rate plans for APS customers to choose from, providing that dark money takes money out of people’s pockets,’’ she said. And Kennedy noted that when APS went public with its funding on commission races the company also disclosed other spending that year.

That included $50,000 to the Republican Governors Association, which helped Doug Ducey win his fi rst election, and $425,000 to the Republican Attorney Generals Association which, in turn, bought commercials to help elect Mark Brnovich.

Company offi cials said in 2019 they would not fund future campaigns.

The measure also has other backers.

“The League of Women Voters of Arizona believes democracy should be protected from distortion by undisclosed individuals and corporations buying media in election campaigns to persuade voters,’’ said organization president Pinny Sheoran in a statement of support.

The merits of the proposal aside, Mussi called the measure “incredibly confusing.’’

As crafted, it requires campaigns to trace the cash back to the original donors, even if the money has been run through multiple organizations.

“Compliance with this thing is going to be almost impossible,’’ he said.

“How do you comply, really, with that without either forcing every organization into entering into complicated agreements with each other, or forcing groups not to associate with each other at all?’’

Teens learn to ‘Aspire’ to public safety jobs

BY JOSH ORTEGA Staff Writer

The seventh annual Aspire Academy continued to give high school girls an opportunity to see what a career in public safety looks like.

The girls spent four days, three nights at the Mesa Public Safety Training Facility on N. 40th Street, experiencing some of what goes into a career as a first responder.

Mesa Fire & Medical Department

Deputy Chief Michelle Denton and Mesa Police Department Lt. Kim Scott started the program seven years ago to give high school girls a glimpse into the field before they enter it.

Scott said the mission lies in the name of the program.

“We’re trying to inspire them,” Scott said. “So, ‘aspire’ to do whatever it is you want to do.”

More than 30 girls from around the East Valley received hands-on instruction and learned how to use the same equip ment that police and fire use every day.

“If this is a career that they want to pursue, we wanted to let them know that they can,” Scott said.

Some of that instruction included trying their hand at Mesa Police’s VirTra firearm training simulator and strapping on Mesa Fire’s Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus/turnout gear.

“I think they get a different perspec tive,” Scott said, “That it is very difficult.”

Denton has spent 18 years as a firefighter and said the “humbling” experience helps give the girls a new appreciation for what police officers and firefighters endure.

But that experience also gives the girls a heaping dose of confidence in their ability to work in a male-dominated profession – something Denton said she learned the hard way.

“It’s always going to be challenging because it is a very male-dominated career in general,” Denton said. “But I think you know that getting into it.”

The girls got to sit in a Crown Victoria as a tactical driving instructor squealed the tires and whips the cruiser around the driving course and overcome any fear of heights as they rappelled down a seven-story tower.

But Scott, Denton and the rest of the academy staff also want to instill in them social awareness, confidence, conduct, professionalism, and teamwork that it takes to not only become a police offi cer or firefighter, but a good person.

Denton said the program encourages the girls to have self-confidence and ignore the naysayers that try to detract them from their goals.

“They have to believe in themselves,” Denton said. “They can’t listen to what other people tell them they can or cannot do.”

Scott said she also wants the girls to walk away with a sense of responsibility in their actions and that everything they do has consequences.

“The decisions that you make everyday matter,” Scott said. “Even if it seems

like a small decision; all those decisions matter.”

Scott has spent more than 20 years in law enforcement and said she had men tors growing up but none in public safety.

“We offer ourselves as mentors for these girls as they move on,” Scott said.

“It’s something I never had as a high school-aged kid.”

Denton said the first couple years of the program they had to recruit participants.

But program has grown in popularity over the years for both participants and the staff on site, with many students wanting to return and become instruc tors the following year.

In March 2020, Denton said they almost didn’t have an academy with talks of businesses shutting down due to the pandemic.

“We actually got that camp in right before everything in the country shut down,” Denton said. “A week later, we

would not have had it.”

With precautions in place including washing hands and wearing masks, Denton said nobody got sick.

This year the academy had 53 applicants but only accepted 40 and only 33 arrived on the first day. That’s something Denton said she’s come expect with the timing of the event.

The academy brought in personnel from 25 departments across the Valley as well as the FBI, ATF and Border Patrol on a variety of topics including wellness and nutrition, fire prevention, drug safe ty, social media, and human trafficking.

For Tempe Police Det. Natalie Barela, this year’s academy served as “validation” for why she chose this profession.

Barela has served with Tempe PD for more than seven years, including as the school resource officer at McClintock High School.

In 2017, Barela helped student Angeliese Khoury attend the course to show her own true potential.

Five years later, Khoury returned to the academy as a Uniform Crime Report coding specialist with Phoenix Police.

Khoury said the academy challenged her physically and mentally as well as opened her eyes to what she’s truly pas sionate about: helping the community.

“The only reason I found my love for

Quincy Webb and Hannah Kerber look to Mesa Police Department instructor Garrett Wiggins as they run a scenario in the VirTra firearm training simulator during Aspire Acad emy, a hands-on resident camp for high school girls that provides an opportunity for them to experience firefighting, emergency operations techniques and law enforcement operations at the Mesa Public Safety Training Facility. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Judge orders EV man to stop filming police

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Staff Writer

A Mesa judge has sentenced self-described “guerilla journalist” Christopher Ruff to at least five days in jail in connection his videotaping of four police incidents and walking into a restricted area in Mesa’s City Plaza Building after being told not to.

The judge two weeks ago also threatened to lock him up for up to six months if he doesn’t cease filming police in Mesa while on probation for three years.

In early 2021, the Mesa native started showing up at police scenes with a camera where officers were working. He recorded and livestreamed the activity with the avowed purpose of catching violations of his First Amendment rights and holding police accountable for following rules and procedures.

He has over 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and creators with this level of viewership make roughly $500 to $1,000 per video, based on a survey of content creators last year by Business Insider.

But Ruff said, “This ain’t about money or clicks and views as believed by many. There is real corruption happening here, and it goes much higher than just the police department.”

Ruff has frequently filmed in Mesa, but he travels to other Valley jurisdictions as well and is well-known to Gilbert police for his filming here.

He has racked up six filming-related court cases in Mesa, two of which were dismissed. The recent sentencing was for the other four cases.

Filming ban for three years

Ruff ’s sentence includes 180 days of suspended jail time.

If the sentence sticks, this time will hang over Ruff ’s head during his three-year probation.

A condition of that probation is: “You shall not go to areas where the Mesa Police Department are conducting an investigation, and you shall not record any members of the Mesa Police Department while you are on probation.”

Ruff, 32, told the SanTan Sun News he is appealing.

Ruff, who recently became a father, believes he’s being wrongly punished for exercising his constitutional rights.

“I am allowed to walk around and film things,” he said in court before sentencing. “I am allowed to swear in front of a police officer in close proximity. It’s called the First Amendment, freedom of speech and protest.”

But Judge Raymond Schumacher ruled that Ruff went beyond protected First Amendment activity, which has been widely interpreted to include the right to film in public, in the four cases he was charged for.

“In terms of the First Amendment, I think the prosecution is correct in their statements, Mr. Ruff, that the police, really their concern is, one, the safety of themselves

and the safety of others, especially when they’re trying to do investigations,” he said before sentencing Ruff.

“The fact that you would’ve just shown up and recorded is one thing; the fact that you would retort and say the things you did is another. You escalated things. You escalated things, and you did it purposefully and you did it intentionally,” the judge told Ruff.

While filming, Ruff sometimes engages in heated debate with police officers when they command him to do something he believes is not required.

If he is told to move away after arriving to film police, often to the other side of a street, Ruff tells the officer he doesn’t have to because he is far enough away and is not interfering with the investigation.

Belligerent tone

His arguments are based on his understanding of the law, but his tone frequently devolves into insults and disrespect.

“You solicited a trespass you stupid (expletive),” Ruff yells in one video at an officer as he trespasses with six other auditors. “You solicited it. We watched you, you f—-- idiot.”

For that episode, Ruff received a 180-day suspended jail sentence, and was order to take counseling and anger management classes.

In the same video, Ruff and others continue to badger the officer with insults as

1 Annual amount based on possible monthly or quarterly amounts. 2 Allowance amount does not carry over to the next quarter or the following year. All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Benefits, features and/or devices vary by plan/service area. Limitations, exclusions, and restrictions may apply. Contact the plan for more information. This information is not a complete description of benefits, which vary by individual plan. You must live in the plan’s service area. Call 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711) for more information. Cigna is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on contract renewal. © 2022 Cigna Some content provided under license. Y0036_23_786411_M

Christopher Ruff of Mesa faces jail time for disobeying police orders not to film them during several incidents. (YouTube)

See

State’s fire districts look to voters for help

BY HALEY SMILOW Cronkite News

Bryan Jeffries does not think onetenth of one penny is too much to ask for the benefit of fire districts across Arizona “that are in a complete crisis.”

“Revenues for funding our vital emer gency services have been cut drastically over the last decade, and so that funding needs to be made up for somehow,” said Jeffries, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona.

That “somehow” is Proposition 310, a ballot question that would raise the state sales tax from 5.6% to 5.7% for the next 20 years with the new revenue distributed to the 144 fire districts in the state.

Jeffries notes that the proposition would add just a penny in tax to every $10 in purchases. But critics say those pennies add up, with one opponent estimating that taxpayers would be hit with an additional $150 million a year.

“Taxpayers deserve better,” said Aimee Yentes, vice president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “There are going to be millions and millions of people in the state that do not benefit. They can’t even afford gas to get to work.

“Come back with a better solution that doesn’t punish people who aren’t going to benefit from this service,” Yentes said.

But supporters argue that the prop-

osition will benefit anyone traveling through a rural part of the state.

“You are traveling to Flagstaff,” said Scott Freitag, fire chief for the Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority.

“You’re going up the I-17. The last fire station that’s on the I-17 is the one in Black Canyon City. Between there and Flagstaff, there are no fire stations directly on the interstate, but you are traveling all through fire districts the entire way.”

The 144 fire districts that would benefit from the new tax currently serve about 1.5 million people in Arizona, mostly in rural areas of the state, according to the Arizona Fire District Association.

Unlike fire departments, which serve cities and are mostly funded by municipal governments, fire districts are independent of any city or county government and funded through local property taxes. And those often are not enough, they said.

“Districts are struggling,” said Darlene Packard, a Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority member, in a statement in support of the proposition. “85 to 95% of their revenue is based on property taxes.”

Money raised under the new tax would be divided between the districts under a formula that takes into account the size of each district, and guarantees

that no district gets more than 3% of the total in a year.

“The larger districts would get a larger portion of the money, and the smaller get a smaller portion, but it’s an equitable amount,” Jeffries said. “Every district would receive a very fair and ample boost to their budgets.”

There are no restrictions on how the money can be used, but supporters said firefighting equipment is likely to be the main use.

“A lot of the smaller districts were running fire engines from the 1980s or using SCBAs (self-contained breath ing apparatus) that are outdated and should no longer be used,” Freitag said.

Still, opponents like Cindy Biggs argue that not all fire districts need the support. Biggs, who serves as chair of the Gilbert County Island Fire District, said that in her district, “we do not need a second funding stream.”

“We certainly do not want all the residents in Arizona to subsidize our operations. A tax increase that everyone in the state must pay…is bad public policy,” she wrote in her statement in opposition to the proposition.

Yentes said fire districts have been us ing tax money “irresponsibly.” She called the proposed tax hike an “ill-convinced solution for a poorly defined problem,” saying the issue needs more study.

“Is this a $10 million problem? Is this

a $500 million problem? Is this a $200 million problem?” she asked.

But Jeffries and other supporters say that lives are stake. They point to emergency response times, which many say are too high for fire districts.

“9-1-1 emergency calls often take upwards of 30 minutes for a response,” Jeffries said in a statement. In a perfect world, he said, firefighters try to get to people in five minutes.

“In emergencies, minutes and seconds count,” Jeffries said. “Right now, response times are going up dramatically throughout the state of Arizona in our fire districts as a result of this lack of funding.”

That was echoed by Ivan Anderson, a firefighter with the Verde Valley Fire District, who said in a statement that call volumes have gone up while fire district budgets have been reduced.

“In the last five years, nearly, 2,000 people have died in vehicle crashes on Arizona’s rural roads,” he said in a statement. “Another 30,000 have been injured.”

Even if the money is needed, Yentes said, now is not the time to increase taxes. “Inflation is through the roof and right now is not a good time,” she said.

Jeffries rebuttal to Yentes is simple.

“Hold your breath for 10 minutes, and then when no one is there to provide you relief see how well you do,” he said.

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and reconstructive surgeon who hails from Salt Lake City. He offers expertise in

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and

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Surgeon/Body Improvement in Gilbert.

Fight likely over new area east-west link

BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

After months of looking for a compromise that will satisfy residents, Gilbert offi cials are back to their original plan to take land from 46 property owners for the widening of Ocotillo Road from 148th Street to Greenfi eld Road.

But they’ll have a fight on their hands. Gilbert staff sat down last week with the affected homeowners to explain why it needed 130 feet of right-ofway – 65 feet on each side of Ocotillo Road from its center. This will allow the town to upgrade the two-lane roadway into four travel lanes and a center-turn lane.

“The Town of Gilbert is following all the rules and we’re doing it by the books,” said Town Engineer David Fabiano. “We’re not here to hurt or harm anybody.”

Nine of the properties are in Gilbert’s jurisdiction and 37 are in Maricopa County.

Fabiano said Ocotillo Road has been planned as a minor arterial for a couple of decades and without the improvement, congestion will only get worse.

Although Ocotillo Road currently dead -ends at Greenfi eld and at Higley roads, Gilbert plans to rectify that with a 545-foot-long bridge with four travel lanes.

The “signature bridge” over the future phase of Gilbert Regional Park will not only provide direct access to the public amenity but a straight east-west travel corridor between Queen Creek and Chandler.

About 4,200 cars per day now travel on Ocotillo but the Maricopa Association of Governments has projected that to increase to 22,000 cars per day by 2050, according to Fabiano.

What’s driving the design is not the trees and sidewalks but everything under the roadway, such as public utilities and water pipelines, according to Assistant Town Manager Leah Rhineheimer.

She said staff explored in depth, trying to keep the rights-of-way to 55 feet on both sides of the road as residents wanted but it was not possible due to the easements the public utilities required. According to Fabiano, the town’s three-decade-old standards for a minor arterial is a 65-foot right-ofway for each half of a road.

Fabiano explained that SRP on the south side of Ocotillo required a 10-foot easement, which would have increased the right-of-way to 75 feet

and the water district on the north side needed a 20-foot easement, which would have meant an 85-foot right-ofway.

The water district, however, has agreed to reduce its easement to 14 feet and have it inside the 65-foot rightof way. SRP agreed to keep its 10-foot easement also inside the 65-foot rightof-way, leaving the town with 51 feet on the north side and 55 feet on the south, Fabiano said.

“It’s not ideal but it’s something we can work with,” he said, adding that both utilities indicated that if the rights-of-way aren’t kept at 65 feet than they would not be interested.

“They didn’t have to do it,” Rhineheimer noted. “They did it at the Town of Gilbert’s request.”

Fabiano and Rhineheimer also said that a right-of-way of less than 65 feet would compromise the ability of residents to see the road as they back out of their driveways.

As it is, there are already way too many conflict points on Ocotillo Road with seven intersections and 21 driveways, which “creates and causes a lot of challenges,” Fabiano said.

Fabiano said appraisals on the remaining 36 properties are expected to resume shortly.

Ten properties were appraised before Council in June directed staff to look for options with less impact. Two appraisals have closed and two are in the process, according to Fabiano.

The Town anticipated it would take 2.5 years to complete the appraisals and widen Ocotillo Road.

But it may take longer as some of the residents are gearing up for a showdown in court.

“Yes, we have already retained an attorney,” said Stephanie Robertson, who stands to lose 20 feet across the front of her property.

“Initially, when we bought 20 years ago, we were told about the 10-foot easement and that the road would be widened to 55 feet,” she said. “Then Gilbert comes along six months ago

and tells us it would be a 65-foot road.”

Fabiano said the 55-foot standard is Maricopa County’s. He blamed the county for not informing county island residents that Ocotillo Road was in Gilbert’s planning area and would fall under the Town’s standards.

“We are losing six 50-year-old producing pecan trees that front our property as well as a 40-foot-tall Aleppo pine,” Robertson said.

Robertson also said residents have been left in the dark about the project both by Gilbert and the county, which is taking the lead in acquiring the properties.

“We are the ones affected but we have no clue what, when or how,” she said. “We are beyond frustrated and angry. The town has not been transparent or honest about anything.”

Robertson said she won’t be able to sell her property because “sales fall out of escrow when people fi nd out about the road widening.”

Terri Naddy, who’s been the spokeswoman for her neighbors with town staff and at council meetings, said she is planning to retain a lawyer.

She advocated for a three-lane roadway with a center-turn lane and disputed much of the town’s information on the project, including the need for a 65-foot right-of-way.

She said she’s provided a number of examples to the town where it deviated from its standard and went with a 55foot easement.

Although the Town will compensate property owners for their loss, Naddy said, “It’s not the point. It doesn’t matter. It’s not a monetary thing for me.”

She said many of her neighbors’ homes are on 1-acre lots and if Gilbert takes part of their land, they will have less than an acre, which will forever reduce their property value.

“They cannot have my property,” said Naddy, who will lose over 4,000 square feet of land. “I will not sell it to them. They will have to take it from me via eminent domain.”

A four-lane bridge spanning Gilbert Regional Park will connect Ocotillo Road under the town’s plan, giving emergency vehicles quicker access and Queen Creek residents a new route west through the Southeast Valley. (Town of Gilbert)

Chandler • Gilbert • Mesa

ASPIRE from page

data research and things like that was through this academy,” Khoury said.

Now, Khoury attends Arizona State University, where she’s studying to earn her bachelor’s in criminology and criminal justice.

Khoury said she realized that police work means more than just the physical when she realized the critical work behind the scenes.

Though the physical differences make police work male dominated, Khoury

FILMING

from page 28

he walks alone across an empty lot to his patrol vehicle. Some shine a light in the officer’s face when he turns to the crowd.

The judge referenced this video in par ticular in explaining his sentence.

“ The video that I looked at, I looked at it several times, where you approached the officers and would yell in their faces and say the things you did, especially when there was a group of people, and I could see the officer walking away, and clearly the officer had concerns for his safety,” Schumacher said, adding:.

“Things were escalated, and Mr. Ruff, what I think is really clear … I think you believe that that is constitutionally pro tected speech, and I’m going to respectfully disagree with you.”

In another case, an officer testified

said mentally she can do the same work as the men and her only barrier re mained in her own mind.

“You’re only setting limits on your own mind,” Khoury said. “No one else is setting them.”

Now, that realization looks to continue this year with the next group of girls.

Gizzelle Sells, a junior at McClintock High School in Tempe, said she originally wanted to be a real estate agent but will now consider a career in public safety.

“They look really cool and I want to be them,” Gizzelle said.

Gizzelle said she initially didn’t want

that Ruff was too close as he was conducting a traffic stop, which distracted his attention, and Ruff didn’t obey commands to move away.

In a trespassing incident, Ruff walked part way up the stairs from the first floor of the City Plaza Building to the second without authorization.

Schumacher cited several factors for giving five days of jail with the prospect of more.

“It’s based upon your prior criminal history. It’s based upon the number of cases you’ve picked up in this court. It’s based upon the conduct that you continue to show and the disdain that you continue to show not only in this court but others,” he said.

A decade ago, Ruff pled guilty to armed robbery and finished a seven-year sentence in 2017. He said he has been clean since then and started a

to attend but recommends any girl who’s interested to do so, regardless of their peers.

“I didn’t want to do it unless someone else is going to do it,” Sells said. “So, I just took a leap of faith and did it.”

Jazz Kraus, a sophomore at Ameri can Leadership Academy Ironwood in Queen Creek, said she wanted to learn about becoming a firefighter and others should revel in opportunities like this, regardless of the fear.

“I would say if you had the opportunity for anything, even though you were scared to do it, I would still go because

local business.

Ruff said in his closing statement that jail was not appropriate for the case, and noted his partner was about to give birth.

But he also remained cantankerous in court, calling the judge and prosecutor “traitors to the Constitution.”

“You cannot criminalize (filming), but here we are in a joke municipal court and you just criminalized it and you’re about to sentence me, so have fun.”

“I do not want to impose that jail time. I want you to change your behaviors – that’s the whole point of this Mr. Ruff,” Judge Schumacher said.

Ruff wouldn’t say whether he plans to abide by the terms of probation if the ruling is upheld when asked by the Tribune, saying it is illegal and “you’re asking the wrong questions.”

“I want to make real changes. I want

this has been a turnout,” Jazz said.

Quincy Webb, a sophomore at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, said she has learned some stuff about the career from her stepdad, who works at the Gilbert Fire Department, and she now sees the ladies as role models and forces to be reckoned with.

“You don’t want to mess with them,” Quincy said. “They’re cool.”

She added that said she learned that teens shouldn’t let fear hold them back from their dreams

“If you want to do something, try it out,” she said.

caselaw in my name for Arizona. I want to help bring true freedom back to at least my state,” he said.

Andre Miller, pastor of the New Beginnings Christian Church in Mesa, has served as a community liaison to the Mesa Police Department and knows Ruff.

“I don’t agree with all of his tactics,” Miller said, “He’s an antagonist at times. I don’t agree with that. But I also don’t agree that his rights should be taken away from him as a citizen. … Probation is to keep them in line from breaking laws, (but) I do not know that recording police officers is illegal.”

Still, Miller’s advice to Ruff is “don’t die on the sword for this. … Figure out what he needs to do legally. Make sure that he protects himself and he doesn’t find himself running afoul of the law or his probation.”

Backing out of purchase contract not without risk

BY PATRICK MACQUEEN STSN Guest Writer

In separate articles recently published by CNBC and the Phoenix Business Journal, both reported that the number of homebuyers backing out of real estate contracts increased to record-setting levels in the last three months.

According to the articles, 21.6% of buyers in the Phoenix-area market called o their real estate deals in August, which was the sixth highest rate out of the top 50 U.S. markets. Our fi rm has seen a steady uptick in calls regarding contract cancellations over the last several months.

Backing out of a real estate contract is not without risk.

If a buyer backs out of a contract without a valid reason, the buyer may be required to forfeit their earnest money or (lots) more. Indeed, under the contract utilized by most buyers and sellers in Arizona, there are two primary remedies available to a seller when a buyer improperly cancels a real estate contract.

The seller can keep the buyer’s earnest money. Alternatively, the seller can sue the buyer for breach of contract. In such a scenario, the seller could seek much more in money damages than the amount of the earnest money. And, in many cases, a court may order the buyer to pay the seller’s legal fees, as well.

Therefore, it is imperative for buyers to carefully consider their rationale for canceling a real estate contract and consider the risks associated with an improper cancellation.

As a reminder, if a seller gets cold feet and decides to back out of a real estate deal, the buyer also has two primary remedies.

In such a situation, a buyer may seek money damages from the seller, which may include the price to be paid for similar real estate, moving expenses, and a number of other items. Additionally, the buyer has the ability to seek an order of specific performance from a court. Such an order would require that the seller convey the property to the buyer.

In short, there are various reasons for the uptick in those canceling their real estate contracts. These days, many of the cancellations relate to a buyer finding a home they like more, or someone getting cold feet because of economic concerns.

Both of these reasons could very well be improper depending on the terms of your existing real estate contract. No

matter the reason, backing out of a real estate contract, whether for a valid or an invalid reason, can be a nightmare for the parties. And, if done improperly or untimely, a cancellation can be quite costly.

If you are a seller and a buyer has provided you with what seems to be an improper cancellation, it is best to seek legal guidance on your next steps. Similarly, if you are a buyer and your seller wants to back out of your real estate deal, a discussion with a real estate attorney may be very benefi cial.

In both circumstances, the timing of seeking legal guidance is usually critical, as title companies, the counter-party, real estate agents, and even third-party buyers, may all be a ected by your next move.

Ahwatukee resident Patrick MacQueen has formed a new law firm called Medalist Legal. Reach him at pmacqueen@medalistlegal.com

Chandler real estate lawyer forms his own firm

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A Chandler lawyer considered one of the Valley’s top real estate attorneys has launched his own fi rm.

Benjamin Gottlieb, formerly a partner at MacQueen & Gottlieb, has formed his own boutique real estate fi rm and will continue to handle real estate and commercial litigation, real estate transactions, business law, estate planning, probate law and administration.

Gottlieb, 37, has racked up list of accomplishments during his 12-year career. He has been named to the Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for the past six years, a designation given to no more than 2.5 percent of the attorneys in any practice area, listed among the state’s top 100 lawyers 2020-22, and cited in several other top-lawyer lists by various local business media.

Gottlieb and Patrick MacQueen had partnered for six years and developed

the top-ranked real estate fi rm in Arizona for the past four years, but decided this year to form their own law fi rms.

“I’ve enjoyed the challenge and hard work that comes with working at a top-tier real estate fi rm,” Gottlieb said. “The big trials, the complex real estate transactions, the appellate cases with everything on the line – that’s what gets my juices flowing.”

Gottlieb said his fi rm will continue its focus on building close relationships with its clients and delivering superior legal solutions and outcomes to clients.

The fi rm will take a collaborative, results-oriented approach. Technology will also be part of the mix, as will bringing on superior talent.

“We will continue to use state-ofthe-art technology to help solve legal problems faster,” Gottlieb said. “And by combining legal talent that has decades of successful experience in the law with

its high-caliber collaborative approach and top-of-the-line technology, Gottlieb Law will continue to deliver superior legal services and outcomes for its clients.”

Gottlieb said he looks forward to working with people he enjoys, which creates a desirable work atmosphere.

“I’m confident that this commitment, combined with focusing on staying abreast of real estate law developments, will enable the firm to remain a top-tier real estate firm for years to come.”

Gottlieb earned his bachelor’s degree in fi nance from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, with high honors and his Juris Doctor from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where he was a Pedrick Scholar and served as the managing editor of the Arizona State Law Journal.

In the latter capacity, Benjamin was the recipient of the Outstanding

Managing Editor award. He is an Arizona Department of Real Estate-approved instructor of continuing education courses on real estate law to Realtors.

Chandler attorney Benjamin Gottlieb has formed his own real estate law firm. (File photo)

Chandler business recreates TV game show experiences

BY KEN SAIN

Managing Editor

It’s not unusual for someone to come up to the staff at Game Show Battle Rooms after competing against their friends and ask the same question.

“People come in all the time and they say, ‘When is it going to air? I can’t wait to be on [TV],’” said Jennifer Jewett, who runs the Chandler location.

Sorry, you won’t be on TV.

But it’s easy to see why some patrons might believe that. Game Show Battle Rooms tries to recreate the TV game show experience, with sound, lights, professional emcees and hosts.

The company started seven years ago in Minnesota. It opened its first Arizona location in West Chandler on Oct. 14.

Here’s how it works:

Groups of 18 or fewer can book a time in one of the two battle rooms. It costs about $35 for the 90-minute show. After a brief introduction they enter one of the battle rooms and are split into two teams where they will compete in three games. Points are given for winning each round. At the end of the three games, one team gets to pose with the championship trophy.

The company has other locations in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Dallas, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. They also offer a virtual game room for

people who live outside those cities.

The games are different depending which room you book. You probably have not heard of the games, but if

you’ve seen TV game shows they should be recognizable as distant cousins. Because of licensing rules, no one at Game Show Battle Rooms will say the names

Chandler restaurant cited by national media as ‘exciting’

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

The restaurant with the most buzz in Chandler is not a fancy place.

Thaily’s is small, only seven tables for inside dining. It’s located inside an older building in the city’s Galveston neighborhood.

As is usually the case, looks can be deceiving. If you want dinner at the restaurant, reservations are required. On Oct. 5, they were booked through the end of the month.

Having the New York Times declare a restaurant are one of the 50 places in America they are most excited about right now can do that for an eatery.

What makes Thaily’s stand out is they are likely the only Cambodian-Arabic fusion restaurant in the world.

“Based on the articles that have been written about us, it was brought to my attention that we are the only one,” said Lee Kambar, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Thai. “Which is kind of cool.”

That fusion came about because of their marriage. Thai is Cambodian and Lee Iranian.

“I just like to experiment,” Thai said. “Arabic foods use turmeric spice a lot, so I just wondered how turmeric would taste in this broth, or this soup. And I

like to watch old, old traditional cooking videos, of grandmas cooking in Iraq, or Cambodia. Then I started cooking those dishes myself at home.”

It had long been a dream to own their own restaurant and the pandemic gave them reason to pursue it. They opened in the spring of 2021 and in about a year they’ve earned national, if not interna

tional, attention.

Lee said they had no idea a Times food critic was eating at their restaurant.

“She contacted us a couple of weeks after the fact,” Lee said. “And you know, pretty much stated that she came to see our restaurant and she loved our food and she feels that she has got

to write about us because everybody needs to know about it.”

An editor called a little later, wanting to send a photographer. Lee and Thai said they thought it might just be a regular feature and they had no idea they were going to be included in a top 50 list.

When it published life began to change. They had to start accepting reservations only for dinner and are now considering plans to expand. They say are looking to open a second restaurant, either in Chandler or Gilbert.

Thaily’s was named after one daughter. The second restaurant would be named after their other daughter, Leelah’s.

For anyone unfamiliar with Cambodian or Arabic food, it will look familiar. Thailand is a neighbor of Cambodia and many of the dishes on Thaily’s menu would look at home on a Thai restaurant’s menu.

The highlight of the Arabic side of the menu are gyros, which Lee admits is originally Greek.

“The original gyros in Greece were made out of pork, not lamb or beef,” Lee said. “The way that I make it leans toward the Iraqi style, because beside

For more community news

of the more famous games. Survey Battles sure looks a lot like

Connor Wareing is one of the hosts at Chandler’s new Game Show Battle Rooms, which lets patrons compete against each other. (Ken Sain/SanTan Sun News)

See GAME SHOW on page38

Lee and Thai Kambar own Thaily’s Restaurant, which serves a fusion of Khmer and Arabic food. Thaily’s is one of four restaurants in Arizona named as the ‘‘50 places in America we’re most excited about right now’’ by the New York Times, (David Minton/Staff Photogra pher)

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SanTan

BY GERI KOEPPEL

Contributor

Ever since it opened its brewpub in downtown Chandler in September 2007, SanTan Brewing Company has continued to grow.

Its latest addition is a 2,000-square foot patio that joins its retail shop, tasting room and production facility on Warner Road just east of Arizona Avenue, where it hosts live music and other public and private events.

The idea for the al fresco area at SanTan Gardens was sparked by the earlier days of the pandemic when people were concerned about keeping six feet apart, said SanTan Brewing Company founder/brewer Anthony Canecchia of Gilbert.

“It evolved from “a place for people to socially distance to a genuine events center that can hold upwards of 250 people,” he said.

Originally, the outdoor area was only around 10 by 10 feet, but they removed a door and windows to open up the space. Then they got the idea to add a stage for live music.

“It kept snowballing,” Canecchia said. “The catering department came over and asked, ‘When are we going to be able to use this for events?’”

SanTan Gardens began testing the waters over the summer with gatherings such as psychedelic jam sessions on Saturdays and “Whiskey Wednesdays”

featuring live music and specials on whiskey cocktails and bottles.

Events ramped up in September with “Beer, Bourbon, BBQ + Band,” featuring a pig roast; a roster of live music and other happenings is ongoing.

Canecchia said SanTan Brewing Company built some large events in downtown Chandler over the years, but they became overwhelming.

“The last one we did was Oktoberfest 2019, and we looked at each other

and said, ‘It was successful, it was great, I think we’re done.’ It takes so much energy and months and months of planning.

See GARDENS on

SanTan Gardens’ patio is open daily except for private parties, and often hosts live bands and special public events. (Geri Koeppel/Contributor)

“When we said, ‘Let’s start doing events at Warner,’ it was, ‘Yes, they’re intimate, they’re manageable,’” he remarked.

SanTan Gardens events are “mellower; there’s not a lot of pomp and circumstance,” Canecchia noted, and they don’t run past 10 p.m.

Upcoming activities include A Grateful Dead Halloween and a comedy series with headliners such as Harland Williams, Jamie Kennedy and Jay Mohr.

SanTan Brewing Company’s tasting room and SanTan Gardens is generally open 3-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday for retail sales, tastings and tours, and all special events are listed on the website.

There’s no kitchen, but food trucks are present at some special events.

The patio and tasting room also are available to rent for private parties such as weddings, reunions and more. In the tasting room, barrels stacked eight high against the 25-foot ceilings make for a fun backdrop, and the patio can be dressed up with centerpieces, flowers and other decor.

The website lists blackout dates when it’s closed to the public.

SanTan Brewing Company has expanded exponentially since its start as a small brewpub on historic San Marcos Square, which was one of the early brewpubs in the Valley.

Canecchia originally was a home

brewer and worked at Four Peaks Brewing Company in Tempe as its fi rst employee starting in 1996.

After the brewpub launched, it helped revitalize a then-sleepy downtown Chandler. Its craft beer made onsite along with a menu of comfort food favorites with a Southwestern twist — including meats smoked on hickory and oak out back — drew lines of people waiting for tables.

However, the Great Recession soon hit, and the brewery “scrambled and started distributing our beers,” to other restaurants and retailers, Canecchia said.

A year later, they signed to a major distributor, and before long, they outgrew their production capacity at the brewpub and opened the bigger facility on Warner Road in 2010.

The company also got its Series 1 license in 2015, which “allows us to produce any type of alcohol you can think of,” Canecchia said.

Back then, few breweries were making other alcohol, but now, “it’s becoming very popular for people to diversify beyond beer,” he noted.

The brewery makes a variety of styles, including IPAs, lagers, stouts, wheat beers and more, and SanTan Spirits distills vodka, gin, whiskey, bitters, canned cocktails and other occasional special releases, such as coffee liqueur or brandy.

A wall in the tasting room displays the copious number of awards it has received.

In addition to its retail/tasting room and live entertainment, a major focus at

SanTan Gardens is education. Tours at the production facility started in 2019; they cost $15 and can be booked online.

The tours, which last an hour or more, discuss the company’s history and the nuts and bolts of making beer and spirits, with explanations about the ingredients, the distilling, the canning and more.

The Warner location produces 98 percent of the company’s beer in its 50-barrel brewing system and all of its spirits in a specially designed artesian pot still.

SanTan Brewing Company is now the state’s largest independent brewer and distiller. It brews about 50,000 barrels of beer — roughly 16.5 million cans — and more than 10,000 cases of whiskey.

Yanina Santos of Mesa, who took a tour on Sept. 24, said “I think I have a new appreciation for beer and what goes into it than I had before.”

Her husband, Isaac Santos, said, “It was pretty cool learning the history of it and learning that the main owner designed the still and all that.” He added, “They make a great caramel whiskey, which is the big takeaway.”

If you go

What: SanTan Gardens

Where: 495 E. Warner Road, Chandler. Hours: 3-8 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Contact: 480-534-7041; santanbrewing. com/santan-gardens

Family Feud. That’s the one game that is played in both rooms. The other games are What’s the Cost? (think Price is Right), Spin & Solve (Wheel of Fortune), Match Up and Time Rush.

Match Up is a word play game where you fi ll in the blank of a sentence and hope your teammates come up with the same word. Time Rush challenges the teams in a series of skill competitions, such as stacking three cups after pulling away two cards that separated them in less than a minute.

While the games are fun, Jewett said the key to the experience is the interaction between contestants and hosts. She should know, she’s been on three actual TV game shows.

“The interaction between the host and the contestant is so important because you create a connection that has a lifetime memory with laughs, and a relationship that people love,” she

said. “So that’s what we do here is we create a bond between the host and our customers, our guests.”

Jewett said they hired some stand-up

comedians and actors to play the role of hosts and emcees. Liz Frisius is one of them.

“We’ll talk with the audience, we get

their take, their feel, bring the energy up and realize that life’s not about tragedy,” Frisius said. “Life is about connecting and enjoying yourself and fi nding the beauty in the moment and fi nding the hilarity in the moment.”

Jewett said the most popular of their games is Survey Battles. To get the answers for their questions they ask online and ask groups as they compete.

In addition to being a recreation activity for friends and/or family, Jewett said they also do team-building events for companies. She said they can handle large groups of up to 32 per room if they book in advance.

Just don’t expect the competition to be broadcast on TV.

6909 W. Ray Road,

480-624-8099

Unique activewear store opens at mall

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Fabletics, a Los Angeles activewear brand, has opened a store in Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler.

Fabletics stores sell size-inclusive apparel, including the brand’s iconic activewear as well as newer categories including loungewear, tennis, swim and its sister brand, Yitty.

Yitty is a new shapewear brand founded by activist Lizzo that champions body normativity and self-love.

Though Fabletics is mainly an online retailer, its Chandler Fashion Center store encompasses 2,589 square feet, providing the opportunity to touch, feel and engage with the brand.

The store includes a legging wall and a dedicated bra wall with an enhanced fi nder digital tool to assist guests.

The shop also boasts a feature wall with size-inclusive mannequins, YITTY branded wallpaper, digital display screens and custom lighting.

The brand’s proprietary technology links online and in-store activity for VIP members and store associates.

Without leaving the fi tting room, customers can use the store’s OmniShop feature to request a different size or color, check stock, and receive styling tips.

Touch screens with a simple style quiz are displayed throughout the

stores to support customers when deciding which styles best suit their needs and preferences.

iPod-based POS systems, powered by Omnisuite, allow Fabletics associates to help customers access Fabletics.com and member account profi les, retrieve the product saved in their online carts and arrange for free shipping directly to the customer’s doorstep.

Customers can also receive their orders same day with an option that allows them to buy online and pick up at the store.

The Chandler store will also showcase a fitness boutique as part of the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Hydrow, the immersive at-home rowing machine. Sales associates can offer in-store demos to members and guests, providing insight into the workout.

The Fabletics store is located on the fi rst floor next to Forever 21.

Founded in 2013, Fabletics is the largest digitally native activewear brand in the world. Driven by a VIP membership program serving over 2 million members and powered by analysis from its Fashion OS tech platform, Fabletics claims to have “evolved activewear beyond the gym into every walk of life, guided by its foundational belief that everyone and every body deserves to look and feel their best.”

the meat and pita bread, nothing else is Greek. I’m using recipes that I grew up on as a child.”

While it will take a reservation and a wait to get dinner at Thaily’s, there are still some openings for lunch. If you come at the right time, you can skip the reservations and wait to taste their mix of Cambodian and Arabic foods.

While the dishes may look similar, what the New York Times and oth-

ers have loved is it’s a new experience.

“There’s a similarity between all South Asian dishes, but the fact that she puts my spices on it, that gives it a whole different spin and a whole different taste,” Lee said.

E. Chandler Blvd. 480-927-3865

Thai and Lee Kambar work up some of their original dishes in the kitchen at Thaily’s Restaurant (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Hamilton volleyball the hunted in quest for three-peat

BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor

Hamilton’s girls’ volleyball team is embracing the pressure that comes with winning back-to-back state titles.

The Huskies are in the midst of yet another successful season, as they currently sit at No. 4 heading into its match against Perry. Their lone loss of the season came in a fall break match against Xavier. It was a game that longtime head coach Sharon Vanis said was uncharacteristic for her team.

But getting every opponent’s best is something they’ve become familiar with this season. Every team is gunning for the Huskies. Every team wants to dethrone them from the top of the 6A Conference.

But the pressure is something Hamilton has come to embrace.

“We’re a huge target,” Vanis said. “It doesn’t matter we graduated nine seniors. We’re Hamilton and they want to beat us. We’re happy with where we are at, but we’ve still got quite a way to go.

“If you would’ve told me at the beginning of the season we would be where we are I wouldn’t have believed you. They come in every day and work hard.”

Hamilton’s back-to-back state titles came with rosters littered with talent. One of the most notable players from those teams was Jordan Middleton, an outside hitter that was pursued by most major Division I college volleyball programs.

Middleton decided on USC and is already making an impact for the Trojans. Much like she did at Hamilton leading the Huskies to two state titles in her four years.

With the departure of Middleton and other key seniors — nine in total — came the expectation that Hamilton

would experience a slight rebuild. The Huskies has one returning full-time starter this year in Melia Barlow. Neomi Beach and Lauren Mullings saw considerable playing time but for the most part from off the bench.

That, however, was a motivating factor the three senior captains. They didn’t listen to the outside noise that they wouldn’t be good enough to sus tain the program’s success. They got to work instead.

“We’re not bothered by anything like

that,” Barlow said. “We have a really young team, and we lost a bunch of players. But we came back with strong young ones, and they have a great mentality.

“We’re just focusing on building our team, building our bond and things like that.”

Barlow, Beach and Mullings, the three senior captains, have all grown as leaders for the program and all lead in their own way.

Barlow stepped up and has become one of the team’s top setters in her now four years with the program. Mullings has become more vocal this year and helps motivate the younger girls on the team.

Beach has, in a way, taken on Middleton’s former role as the athletic outside hitter that can put away any ball in her vicinity.

“Jordan was like my big sister,” Beach said. “I learned so much from her. No matter how hard life and volleyball gets to push through. Get those kills, get those passes served, aces, everything.

“It took a lot of hard work with coach pushing me.”

With nine graduating seniors last year and only five on the roster this season, Hamilton has had to rely on several young players to fill voids at various positions.

Lucky for them, a talented freshman class made its way into the program.

Mikayla Haner and Nia Curry have stepped up in major ways for the Huskies. The two freshmen have combined

for 331 kills this season and are behind only Beach with 464. They adjusted well to the speed from eighth grade volleyball last year to varsity this season, but there were still opportunities for the three captains to take them under their wing and show them the ropes to make them comfortable.

“Sometimes you have to pull them aside and tell them, ‘You got it, it’s not a big deal,’ if they mess up,” Mullings said. “It’s intimidating coming in as a freshman in front of the whole gym. They’re so mature for their age so they come in hard. We’re still playing teams with four years on them but talking to them has really helped.”

Now in her 18th season leading Hamilton’s volleyball program, Vanis says it’s hard to believe how fast it has gone.

Each team presents its own unique challenge for her as a coach. But that’s what keeps her on her toes. She, like her players, know the pressure that comes with chasing a third championship in a row. She knows her team still has talented opponents in the final two weeks of the season.

But she’s confident in her players.

“I think because people know what we lost, they feel like this is their year to get us,” Vanis said. “These girls have pride in being Hamilton Huskies. They know what the expectations are in this program.

“We’ve got a long road ahead of us with some tough opponents coming in. But we’re putting ourselves in the best position.”

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

From left: Hamilton volleyball seniors Lauren Mullings, Neomi Beach, Ally Adair, Melia Barlow and Moorea Neimeier and head coach Sharon Vanis are on a mission to repeat as 6A Conference champions for the third straight year. (Dave Minton/Arizona Staff)

Vanis said even while losing several top seniors last year, her team has been impressive so far this season. The girls all come to play on a daily basis and have worked hard to be in the conversation as a title contender yet again. (Dave Minton/Arizona Staff)

Long-closed Cholla Trail finally reopens in Phoenix

BY AUTRIYA MANESHNI Cronkite News

Braden Cearley enjoys the stren uous hike up Camelback Mountain, where the reward at the top is a 360-degree view of the nation’s fifth largest city and its suburbs sprawled out below.

“When you start on the bottom, it’s a lot of scenic rocks and stereotypical desert stuff,” Cearley said. “But once you get about three quarters of the way, the trail starts going high enough up on the ridge where you can then see over the city of Phoenix.”

The 20-year-old from St. Louis is one of many Valley visitors and residents who welcomed the Sept. 30 reopening of the Cholla Trail on Camelback’s eastern ridge, which shut down in 2020 after a 300-pound boulder crushed a hiker’s legs. The trailhead has been moved away from homes, restrooms and drink ing fountains have been added, and the trail has been made safer.

During the closure, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department made major improvements to the trail, including relocating the trailhead from Cholla Lane to Invergordon Road in Paradise Valley, which becomes 64th Street in Phoenix.

Camelback Mountain rises where Phoenix touches Scottsdale and Para dise Valley. Its summit sits at 2,704 feet above sea level and is Phoenix’s highest peak. The Cholla Trail improvements recognize the community’s regard for this Valley landmark, which has a rich history of working to preserve and to protect it from development – including a 1950s plan to put a restaurant at the top.

Adam Waltz with Phoenix Parks and Recreation said the improvements to Cholla Trail help to create the safest atmosphere possible for hikers.

“You have a lot of people hiking, they may have headphones in walking down from the trail and now you have cars in the mix. We just want to make sure that everybody is safe,” he said.

The city has also removed unstable boulders around the trail and installed trail posts and signs to guide hikers.

Before Camelback Mountain became a popular hiking destination, the Hohokam people considered the mountain a sacred place. A cave on the mountain’s north side is believed to have been used by the Hohokam as a religious and ceremonial place. Echo Canyon Trail leads hikers past the religious site today.

During the 1950s and ’60s, private investors bought up land around the mountain to construct houses, and there was talk about building a swimming pool and restaurant at the summit. In that time period, Phoenix’s population had grown from 100,000 to 400,000, and interest in living on Camelback was high.

Hikers and residents who loved its beauty voiced their concerns to the city. They worried that as more private homes went up, public access would be

restricted.

The mountain, though, was outside city limits.

“If Barry Goldwater had not stepped in decades ago, it would be covered in homes, each one trying to top the next home,” historian Marshall Shore said.

The longtime senator and Republican icon made it his mission to protect Camelback Mountain. In 1965, Goldwater chaired the Preservation of Camelback Mountain Foundation, which raised money to keep development off of the mountain.

Goldwater didn’t interfere with the private properties that were already built, but he did want to save the remaining open areas, specifically the summit.

The foundation’s goal was to raise $300,000 (about $2.8 million today) to buy land on the mountain to ensure public access. Goldwater treated this like an election campaign by getting the community and his closest allies to donate anywhere from 25 cents to $25,000. Nearby schools held canned food drives which added more money to the donation pile.

Finally, in 1969, Goldwater and the community’s efforts were answered by a federal grant. The grant, combined with the foundation’s donations, was enough to buy the higher elevations of the mountain.

A year later, Phoenix built Echo Park and started building a hiking trail to the summit.

“We all know that nothing is forever and things change,” Shore said. “ But hopefully, those limited amounts of public beauty that are so accessible continue to stay that way.”

In December 2018, the Phoenix City Council voted to declare Camelback Mountain a preserve. The declaration was the result of efforts between the

Phoenix Mountains Preservation Coun cil, the Parks and Recreation Department and other community members.

“From time to time, there have been people that wanted to have a cable car up Camelback Mountain to a restaurant or something,” said Libby Goff, secretary of the Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council. “If we don’t have Camelback Mountain designated as a preserve, then we don’t have a lot of ground to stand on in trying to prevent that kind of thing from happening.”

The council, founded in 1970, works to protect the natural beauty of Phoenix’s multiple mountain park areas and their access to the public.

Goff said making sure Phoenix’s landmarks stay untouched is a daily task, but one that’s ultimately rewarding.

“I am a native of Phoenix, and I’ve been hiking since I was a kid,” Goff said. “I realized, I’m enjoying hiking on trails several times a week. I want to make sure that this is around for many years to come.”

Camelback Mountain has four trails, but the best known are Echo Canyon and Cholla, which reach the summit.

“You weren’t like a true Phoenician until you did at least Cholla, if not Echo,” Shore said.

Echo Canyon, with its steep roughly 1.2 mile hike to the summit, is considered more challenging than Cholla. Hikers gain about 1,280 feet in elevation as they navigate large boulders most of the way to the top.

Cholla Trail is a 1.42 mile hike and gains about 1,250 feet in elevation. Both Cholla and Echo Canyon take two to three hours to complete.

Cholla might sound like an easier trail because it’s less steep, but it comes with its own set of difficulties.

“You’ve got that east exposure, and particularly in the beginning part of the

day,” said Jes Dobbs, owner of apparel brand Camelback Culture. “So I think one of the bigger dangers of Cholla is people thinking that it looks easy, but not preparing with that hydration and getting quickly dehydrated.”

Despite the dangers, both trails offer glimpses of wildlife, including Harris’s antelope squirrels, quail, road runners, hawks, chuckwallas and the occasional rattlesnake.

For many, Camelback Mountain is more than just a hike; it’s a community. For Dobbs, the mountain was inspira tion.

“In summer of 2017, I was looking at the mountain and this graphic came into my head,” said Dobbs, who used to be an interior designer. “I made the first shirt by hand.” The image featured the mountain’s silhouette and looked similar to the Superman logo.

Dobbs intended the shirt to be a one-off, but others saw the unique design and wanted their own. That’s how Camelback Culture began.

The shirts became something of a uniform for avid Camelback hik ers, who started to connect through Dobbs’ apparel. After making hundreds of shirts, Dobbs expanded the com munity by creating a social media page for hikers.

“I figured it would help create a real community vibe, more universally, so that people would just be able to claim sort of more of a home ownership for it,” Dobbs said. “I really felt that it would help keep it (Camelback Mountain) nicer so that we can kind of all become guardians of it.”

Dobbs knew some homeowners near the Cholla trailhead didn’t want the trail to reopen, complaining of trespassing, trash and crime. So she took on the role of activist, pushing the city to be more transparent with the public and talking about how vital the mountain is for the hiking community.

“You do not park yourself on a natural resource that should be open to the public, and then get upset that they want to access it,” Dobbs said. “I harassed the city, and anybody I could on my social media to open it because it belongs to the people, and keeping it closed is not the solution.”

When the trail reopened Sept. 30, Dobbs was there early in the morning handing bottles of cold water to hikers. She said people need to hike responsibly, which will help ensure the trail doesn’t close again.

“We want people to be smart and make smart choices. And those smart choices also help protect our first responders” Dobbs said. “If you drink enough water and pre-hydrate, then the rescuers don’t have to trek up the mountain 500 times over.”

Dobbs said people often credit her for building the hiking community at Camelback, but she said she simply “held up the mirror” for community members to find each other, and to cherish the natural wonder of the mountain.

Hikers gather at the new trailhead of the 1.42-mile Cholla Trail , which recently reopened after a two-year shutdown. It is part of Camelback Mountain, the highest peak in Phoenix at 2,704 feet above sea level. (Emily Mai/Cronkite News)

Chandler girl named ‘kid reporter’ for national outfit

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

A Chandler girl is wading into journalism.

Zoya Siddiqui, a 7th grader at Arizona College Prep, was selected in September to be a “kid reporter” by Scholastic Kids Press.

“I get to report on current events, breaking news and local news,” Zoya said. “I’m really grateful that I’ve been given this opportunity, and yeah, I think I could see myself doing this in the future.”

Zoya is supposed to pitch her own stories, do the reporting, then write them for Scholastic Kid Press’s website, which is available to 25 million children nationally. She gets to do that for a year.

Scholastic, a publishing company, has been running the Kid Reporter program for the past two decades. Their reporters have covered local, national and international news.

They’ve also interviewed top newsmakers, including former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Mike Pence, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Daily Show host Trevor Noah.

Zoya is already at work reporting on

her first story, a feature on a Tempe nonprofit, the Welcome to America Project, which delivers furniture and other household supplies to refugees who have just arrived in this country.

Select stories that our published online are used in a magazine, Zoya said.

Zoya said she is interested in pursuing journalism as a possible career, but she also loves animals and may choose something in that field as well.

Her interest in words does not surprise Zoya’s mother, Shaheen Siddiqui.

“I’m super inspired by her actually,” Shaheen said. “I think she read about 100 books last year.”

Zoya won the spelling bee at Hancock Elementary School last year and advanced to the regional competition. She also had a story of hers published in a book by a New York Times best-selling children’s author. She also

started her own virtual book club during the pandemic.

“A friend of mine actually gave her an idea to do it, and she took the idea and ran with it,” Shaheen said.

As part of the book club Zoya jump-started her interest in journalism by interviewing one of the authors for a podcast.

“I recently read a book that featured a South Asian protagonist,” Zoya said. It was really exciting for me to see myself in a book for the first time. Honestly, I never liked reading that much before, but seeing this was really cool. So I got together with some friends and I start ed it during the pandemic, so it was virtual. We interviewed the authors, and then we’ve had numerous authors come on to talk to us.”

Zoya said her book club has grown beyond just her friends to include people from as far away as Chicago.

Children’s author Kelly Yang asked students to share their pandemic stories for her “New From Here” work.

Zoya submitted her experience, “Hope through the Screen,” and it was included in the stories published online.

So why journalism?

“I think because it’s important for everyone to stay educated, informed about what’s going on around them?” Zoya said. “Especially kids.”

Chandler teacher turns 100K run into class project

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

B right Beginnings School teacher John Mahnke recalls a time he went back home.

“I graduated from college in 1992 and by 1997. I was not exercising very much,” the Chandler school physical education teacher said. “And I remember going home, and my dad’s like, ‘Boy, you kind of let yourself go a little bit.’

“I was living by myself, single guy, who never looked in the mirror. This is my comb, this is my brush. I was eating Wendy’s, Burger King, everything you could think of. I got on a scale and it said 325 pounds.”

Mahnke decided to make a change. He started out walking, and eventu ally began running. At the end of this month, he plans on competing in a 100K race.

And since he’s a physical education teacher, Mahnke decided to turn the event into a class lesson.

“Sometimes you need motivation other than just you getting out of bed, going for a run because you want to do it,” Mahnke said. “And so, I thought if I tell the kids, I’m going to do it. I got to do it. I can’t back out now. When I started talking to them about doing it, I couldn’t believe how excited most of

them were.”

Their excitement led to a class project: To help motivate their teacher, his students would try and complete about 100K themselves. That’s more than 60 miles. How they do it is up to them –walking, running, biking or swimming.

“Crazy,” fifth-grader Tyler Bronner said when asked what he thought when

his teacher told him about his race. “I thought it was pretty cool.”

Tyler completed his 60 miles by walking, running and biking. He said it took him three-and-a-half weeks. Javier Marin said he also completed his 60 miles by walking and running in four weeks. He said he plans to keep exercising.

“Because it gets my energy out,” Javier said. “And it’s like, it gets me fit.”

“As a physical education teacher my overall objective of school for K through six is to get kids active for the sake of being active, not because some referee or their parents tell them they have to,” Mahnke said.

“Javi and Tyler are very active kids. But we have some kids who I would have thought, because I told them you don’t have to do this, they wouldn’t. And they’re turning their mileage in, and their parents are emailing me: ‘I can’t believe he wanted to go for a walk after dinner today.’”

Third-grader Jilayn Doughty is halfway through her 60 miles. She said she’s mostly swimming and running in her backyard.

“It’ll take about another month,” Jilayn said. It took her five weeks to complete the first 30 miles.

This is not the first long-distance race for Mahnke. He’s competed in marathons and once ran in a 50-mile race in Wisconsin. It was not a fun experience.

“Raining sideways off of Lake Michigan,” he said. “Maybe 45 degrees, freezing. It was so cold at every aid station they had chicken noodle soup for you

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Arizona College Prep 7th grader Zoya Siddiqui has been selected to join the award-win ning Scholastic Kids Press program, an international team of 29 Kid Reporters that re ports “news for kids, by kids.” (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Bright Beginnings teacher John Mahnke challenged his students – including, from left, Javier Marin, Tyler Bronner, Giovanni Marin, Jilayn Doughty and Sloan Doughty – to try to run, walk, bike and/or swim 100K by Oct. 29 to match the his 100K run. (David Minton/ Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Ed Robson library branch offers free programs

BY SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Maricopa County Library, Ed Rob son Branch offers a broad range of free programs for people of all ages. For a complete list of offerings visit mcldaz.org/edrobson. People can register for programs there or can call 602-652-3000.

Ed Robson Library is located at 9330 E. Riggs Rd. Sun Lakes, and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

NOVEMBER EVENTS

Disguise a Turkey

10-11 a.m. Nov. 1

Create a disguise for a turkey and hide it in the library! Supplies will be available all month.

Card Making

10-11 a.m. Nov. 2

Create one-of-a-kind greeting cards. Supplies will be provided to design and assemble cards for all occasions.

Zentangles

10 a.m.-noon Nov. 10

Bring out your inner artist with the Zentangle method. This is an easy-tolearn, relaxing method of drawing lines and patterns to create abstract art.

Book Tasting

10-11 a.m. Nov. 15

Visit the library to “taste” different books in new genres. Displays will be set up with books ranging from toddlers-adults in different genres.

Let the BIG Games Begin! 10-11 a.m. Nov. 16

Celebrate National Gaming Month

with classic board games blown up to giant size.

Writing Your Own History: Family and Food Workshop

10-11 a.m. Nov. 17

In this writing workshop, Duane Roen will host a discussion of the roles of food in family experiences.

Calligraphy 10-11 a.m. Nov. 29

Learn about the art of writing by hand and practice with calligraphy pens.

Rotarians honor member, push to eradicate polio

BY DR. HONORA NORTON Guest Writer

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes named Dick Meyer the October 2022 Rotarian of the month.

A Rotarian since 1988, he served as club president at his Nebraska Kearney Noon Rotary Club and was active in RI District 5630’s Youth Exchange Program.

He joined RCSL in November 2021 and has served on golf and membership committees. Dick is a former University of Nebraska—Kearney EDAD associate professor and chair emeritus. He earned his education doctorate and master’s degrees at University of Nebraska.

Over his years in education, Dick received many distinguished honors of excellence. Dick’s hometown is Hebron, Nebraska, and lives in Gilbert with wife Sheila.

Sun Lakes Rotary continues to support local non-profits by donating $300 to Amanda Hope to purchase fleece

100K RUN from page 42

to drink. I got to the finish and I’ve never been shaking so bad because you’re frozen. They just hauled you into a tent and throw blankets on you, and I’m like, ‘No, never ever, ever, ever again.’”

The 100K race on Oct. 29 in the Fountain Hills area is actually the shorter race. The organizers, Aravaipa Running, are also staging a 100-mile race. There is also a 31K race for those looking for something less challenging.

One of the top goals at Bright Be ginnings is to teach their students to have good character. As such, students are on the honor system for reporting their miles. Not every student is par

to be used to make 20 blankets for children with cancer. The club is collecting candy and getting ready to bling out their cars to be at Amanda Hope’s Trunk or Treat Oct. 28.

RCSL supports Rotary International’s PolioPlus campaign. Sun Lakes Rotarian Peter Meade, a Sun Lakes resident, said it would be great to see this deadly disease vanish from the face of the planet. Un fortunately, that hasn’t happened yet.

Polio is still surfacing here and there. In recent memory it has always in the middle east or parts of Africa. This summer though, it made an appearance in, of all places, New York! Proving that Polio is relentless and if given the opportunity to spread, it will.

Since 1988, there has been a 99.98% reduction in polio cases worldwide. Rotary International has been a key player in making this happen. This year, Rotarians again have an opportunity to keep it moving in the right direction.

Polio Plus Rotary teams and resources

ticipating and Mahnke is keeping track of how they are doing in the school’s hallway.

He gave each student a cutout boy or girl that represented them, asked them to color it, and it advances when they do. Mahnke says he’s getting enough emails from parents that he knows his students are actually doing the distances they report.

“I’m going to trust that you’re gonna write down the miles that you did and we’re all going to take you for what you say,” he told his students. “So it’s going to build trustworthiness and responsi bility. Some parents have said, they go for a three-mile bike ride every day. We kind of incorporate that into it as well with the character building.”

are being utilized to deliver lifesaving care, medicine, and treatment to those who need it most. This year RCSL is again going to use the Polio Plus Virtual Board where donors can purchase squares for $10 each.

The squares will be randomly assigned, and a random number genera

tor will be used live/zoom meeting to determine the winners. For every 100 squares sold, there will be a winner who will have $1,000 donated in their name to PolioPlus.

For more information about RCSL programs and membership: sunlakes rotary.com.

Bright Beginnings teacher John Mahnke is keeping track of how his students are doing by giving them cutout and having them color it. Each time they complete a segment of their effort to run, walk, swim or bike 100K, the cutout advances. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

DICK MEYER

PETER MEADE

480-613-3439:

480-613-3439: 1/2 pg, 4.9”W x 10”H

Stay Connected

Sun Lakes Rotary’s successful dictionary project

BY GARY WHITING Guest Writer

with everyone that matters most to you.

Clarendale senior living keeps you in touch with everyone that matters most to you.

Clarendale senior living keeps you in touch with everyone that matters most to you.

It’s the lifestyle you love—only better. Clarendale is a community focused on “connected living.” You simply can’t beat the convenient location. You’ll have a maintenance-free residence with exceptional senior living services and amenities and still stay close and connected to all your neighbors, friends and family.

Stay Connected

It’s the lifestyle you love—only better. Clarendale is a community focused on “connected living.” You simply can’t beat the convenient location. You’ll have a maintenance-free residence with exceptional senior living services and amenities and still stay close and connected to all your neighbors, friends and family.

In the summer of 2002, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Rotarian Dwight Grotewold visited the Rotary Club of Logan, Utah and learned about their elementary school project called “A Dictionary for 3rd Graders.”

defi nitions. It contains sections on world geography, civics, multiplication tables, science, the water cycle, planets, the Constitution, Bill of Rights, presidents and even has illustrations for sign language and braille.

And when the students see the longest word in the English language, which contains 1,909 letters, the fun starts.

Clarendale senior living keeps you in touch with everyone that matters most to you.

Stay Connected

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO LEARN MORE. CALL 480-571-2407.

As a former K-12 teacher and recently retired vice president of admissions for the University of Colorado, Dwight introduced this project to the club board and members for implementation in 2003-04.

As a part of the presentation, we ask the teacher and students to write us a short letter on how they like their dictionary after a couple months.

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERIENCE

Clarendale senior living keeps you in touch with everyone that matters most to you.

It’s the lifestyle you love—only better. Clarendale is a community focused on “connected living.” You simply can’t beat the convenient location. You’ll have a maintenance-free residence with exceptional senior living services and amenities and still stay close and connected to all your neighbors, friends and family.

It’s the lifestyle you love—only better. Clarendale is a community focused on “connected living.” You simply can’t beat the convenient location. You’ll have a maintenance-free residence with exceptional senior living services and amenities and still stay close and connected to all your neighbors, friends and family.

TO LEARN MORE. CALL 480-571-2407.

Their letters will make you proud of why you are part of this outstanding annual education project.

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERIENCE

web ClarendaleOfChandler.com 5900 S. Gilbert Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85249

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

The “RCSL 3rd Grade Dictionary Project” fundraising was immediately started and in club’s fi rst year, over 5,000 dictionaries were distributed to 3rd graders in the Chandler Unifi ed School District, Gila River Indian Community schools, private schools, and Title 9 programs in the immediate Chandler/Gilbert area along with the Gilbert Unifi ed School District for just the fi rst year.

As the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes begins its 19th year, members are reminded of the great experiences of the past this project has provided for the students, the local communities, the 135 Arizona Rotary clubs and members along with friends of Rotary.

To name a couple of highlights that have occurred:

It’s the lifestyle you love—only better. Clarendale is a community focused on “connected living.” You simply can’t beat the convenient location. You’ll have a maintenance-free residence with exceptional senior living services and amenities and still stay close and connected to all your neighbors, friends and family.

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERIENCE

TO LEARN MORE. CALL 480-571-2407.

web ClarendaleOfChandler.com

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERIENCE

TO LEARN MORE. CALL 480-571-2407.

5900 S. Gilbert Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85249

TO LEARN MORE. CALL 480-571-2407.

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

web ClarendaleOfChandler.com

web ClarendaleOfChandler.com

Past distribution required each Rotarian and a friend to attend a dictionary preparation “pizza” party, then personally contact each school, set up a day of distribution that would allow them to provide each student with their own dictionary with the classroom teacher involvement - which usually takes place in the gym, lunchroom, or outside with some schools.

• In 2007, Gov. Janet Napolitano was so enthusiastic about this Rotary project that she personally participated in one Mesa school presentation.

web ClarendaleOfChandler.com

5900 S. Gilbert Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85249

Sun Lakes Rotarians and others believed that this project would help each student become better spellers, readers, thinkers, and speakers.

• In 2010, Dwight Grotewold and PDG Gary Whiting (the President of the Rotary Gift of Life-Arizona Foundation that provided 309 lifesaving heart surgeries for needy children with congenital heart defects) obtained additional outside funding to provide some 70,000 dictionaries across Arizona via the Arizona Rotary clubs and assisted by other interested groups.

5900 S. Gilbert Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85249

5900 S. Gilbert Rd. | Chandler, AZ 85249

And the teachers have constantly been the No. 1 supporter as they use the dictionary for class projects and take-home assignments.

The Student’s Dictionary and Gazetteer is more than just words and

RCSL celebrates its 19th consecutive year of an outstanding and life changing educational project.

Information: sunlakesrotary.com. Gary Whiting is a past president of the Sun Lakes Rotary Club.

Last fall, Rotarians Dave and Joan Anciaux and Chuck and Sandi Hawkins celebrate the completion of the preparation of the dictionaries for delivery to 35+ CUSD schools. (File photo)

89-year-old artist inspires her hospice team

BY SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Avinell MacDonald isn’t kidding when she says “it’s never too late to try something new.”

She was 60 years old when her husband asked if there was anything in life she wanted to do, but hadn’t tried. Avinell chose two things: play the piano and take up painting. Before she knew it, he’d bought her a piano and paint supplies. She learned to play a few tunes before giving the piano to her granddaughter, but has never put down the paintbrush in nearly three decades. “I didn’t think I had any talent,” the Hospice of the Valley patient confesses, “but my husband had faith in me, so I kept going. I bought some books and taught myself to mix colors and suddenly, I just took off.”

Her determination ignited something in hospice chaplain Ken Collins, who is quite possibly her biggest groupie. At 63, he decided to give painting a try.

“Avinell is one incredible artist and one incredible person!” Ken says. “The beauty of her paintings is only matched by the beauty of her inspiring life. She’s my biggest encourager and has unleashed in me a long-held passion.”

The two enjoy sharing their latest projects and discussing color and technique. “I never dreamed what I was doing would get him so excited,” Avinell laughs. “He’s got talent and if he pursues it, he’s gonna be a lot better than I am someday!”

The 89-year-old loves sharing the framed collection that fi lls her Chandler bedroom studio. Her hospice care team, which includes Ken, nurse Cheryl Adams and social worker Susan Dabreo, enjoy watching the creative process unfold, as Avinell transforms a blank canvas into a beautiful landscape, floral arrangement or family portrait.

Right now, she’s painting a mountain scene from one of her favorite photo-

graphs. “I used the same colors of the photo, but it doesn’t suit me, so I’m going to change them,” she quips. “Don’t know what I’ll end up with, but when I fi nish, I hope I like it.”

“We always say that hospice care includes making the most of life, enhancing it with what you love,” Ken says. “With Avinell, that means nurturing her artistic side too.”

Her fan club can’t wait to see what

she paints next.

“They all encourage me, especially when I mess up. They’re just so kind and generous and don’t make me feel old,” she jokes. “I’ll be 90 in a few months, and look at me. I’m still at it!”

Lin Sue Flood is Community Engagement Director at Hospice of the Valley. To learn about programs and services, visit hov.org or call (602) 530-6900. View: www.hov.org. Email: info@hov.org.

Avinell MacDonald and her protégé, chaplain Ken Collins, who is part of Hospice of Valley’s East Clinical Office. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Sun

BY SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Jewish War Veterans Post 619 of Sun Lakes extended a helping hand to U. S. Vets, which is opening a new housing project, Ashley Place, Nov. 1.

The project, consisting of two houses holding five women each, will provide a safe and sober living environment where women with children can receive treatment for sexual trauma, substance misuse, work re-entry counseling, and assistance in receiving disability pay ments.

Ashley Place will support the female veterans working towards employment and permanent housing. The Milanovich Trust in collaboration with the Habitat for Humanity helped the group with Ashley Place.

Post 619 members also donated sham poo, conditioner, body soap, razors, shav ing lotion, hair and dental products, facial cleanser and lotions to Ashley Place.

Post member Gabe Forsberg who

works for many nonprofit veterans groups, also presented U. S. Vets with nearly half a truckload of personal items and exercise and therapy equip

helps homeless shelter

who are in transitional housing, for over the past two months, knowing that I would distribute the donations appro priately,” Forsberg said.

Forsberg added that PVA state Director Peter Quinn felt that donating the items to Ashley Place “would be the best use at this time.”

In keeping with its mission, JWV uses its funds raised from the group’s annual Poppy Drive to help veterans of all faiths through financial and personal support at transitional facilities. JWV volunteers will be at Fry’s and Mesa Market Place in November to raise money for veterans in need.

ment on behalf of The Arizona Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“PVA has been collecting items for unhoused women veterans and those

JWV Post 619, which meets the third Sunday of every month from September-May, boasts a wide range of religious affiliations and participates in philanthropic activities.

Information: Commander Chuck Wolin 602-300-5913 or cjsunlakes@msn. com.

Chandler author joins others on panel

BY SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler author Laurie Fagen is joining three other published authors to speak about their books 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Changing Hands bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe.

Fagen, who graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in radio and television, has written three crime fiction novels set in Chandler.

She will discuss “Dead Air,” the second novel in her “Behind the Mic Mysteries” about a young radio reporter who covers the crime beat, helps Chandler Police solve cold cases and writes campy murder mystery podcasts.

Jan Kelly, a native Arizonan with a masters degree in fine arts who taught at ASU for 30 years, will talk about “Elder Brother’s Maze,” the first book in

his Arizona Series. The ancient desert O’odham people’s creation stories parallel the path a young Guy Thornton takes as a down-on-his-luck Arabian horse trainer fresh out of prison, attempting to emerge from the “maze” he has made of his life.

Judith Clayton Van, also with an ASU master’s degree in creative writing, taught English there for 23 years, was a literary artist with the Arizona Commission on the Arts

She is releasing “Faster Horses,” a coming-of-age story from the perspective of 4-year-old Annie Butler who is raised by her grandparents on their Oregon horse ranch while her mother travels the country as a famous trick rider in professional rodeo, collecting world championship belt buckles and

boyfriends. Clayton Van grew up on a horse ranch.

Karen Randau, with a degree in journalism from the University of Texas, has published 12 books in three series, all mystery and suspense.

Her latest is “Into the Fog,” the first book of the Peach Blossom Romantic Suspense Series, where MJ Goodrich hopes to find peace when she agrees to help her mother manage Peach Blossom Orchard. Josh Rivers has artistic desires but he’s stuck running the failing auto shop he inherited.

When women close to them disappear, MJ and Josh set aside their insecurities to rescue the women before it’s too late.

The four will speak and take questions after their 90-minute discussion and will be available to meet the audi-

ence and sign their books until 7:30 p.m.

For details, call 480-730-0205 or visitchanginghands.com/tempe.

BY SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Vocal Connection, a women-centric a cappella chorus, is actively seeking new members for all voice parts to join the chorus.

Singers are invited to attend a guest night Nov. 7 from 7-9 p.m. at Seton Catholic Preparatory, 1150 N. Dobson Road, Chandler. Guests will be invited to sing, but they are also welcomed to just listen on their first visit.

Singers do not need to be able to read music to join, though formally trained singers are also welcome. Directors and leaders can help any woman of average singing ability find a part that fits her voice range.

Vocal training and music education are valuable components of members’ many benefits.

Vocal Connection Chorus is one of hundreds of Sweet Adeline’s Interna tional choruses that make up a world-

wide organization of women who sing four-part a cappella and barbershop harmony.

Founded in 1945, Sweet Adeline’s International is a women’s singing organization committed to elevating women singers worldwide through education, performance, and compe tition in barbershop harmony and a cappella music.

It is one of the world’s largest singing organizations for women, with

over 20,000 members in over 500 choruses and 900 quartets across the globe.

Vocal Connection Chorus performs regularly throughout the community, offering its talent for entertainment at civic events and charitable functions, in addition to promoting harmony and friendship among women.

Information: GuestInfo@vocalcon nection.org, vocalconnection.org and sweetadelines.com.

Jennifer Gerwarges, program director of U. S. Vets-Phoenix, accepts a $2,000 check from Jewish War Veterans, Post 619 Commander Chuck Wolin and Program Chair Owen Fabert. (Courtesy Post 619)

LAURIE FAGEN

about growth and change

RABBI IRWIN WIENER Columnist

There is no question that change is difficult, nearly impossible at times. We humans are creatures of habit. What is more we seem to constantly refer to the past as though it was something magical.

Our past is glamorized for any number of reasons; not least of which is we were, of course, younger. Things were new and exciting, and in most cases, being younger meant we were also healthier.

Our past reminds us of a time when life was not yet revealed. As we get older, our dreams tend to fade into the reality that this is now. We come to grips with the realization that some of our earlier ambitions will forever go unfulfilled.

What is true for an individual is often true for a community.

One of the chapters in Scripture illustrates this point; the People of Israel have been escorted out of Egypt by

God. They have witnessed firsthand the ten plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians that eventually freed them from their captivity.

While in the desert on their journey to freedom, to a new land, and a new beginning, they were protected by God with a “pillar of cloud” during the day and a “pillar of fire” at night. (Exodus 13:21-22)

That generation had witnessed God’s presence in the most intimate way imaginable: from the Exodus to Mt. Sinai and beyond. Despite all that they had witnessed, the Israelites’ yearnings for life as they once knew it in the slavery of Egypt overpower them. The People yearn to return to their familiar, safe miserable lifestyle. (Numbers 14:4)

When the opportunity for change confronts the Israelites, a change that will only enhance their lives and national standing, they romanticize their past, as unbearable as it was, and they object to the change.

So after having witnessed the most amazing experiences one could possibly imagine, the Israelites complain bitterly to Moses saying: “Were there no graves in Egypt that we were taken to die in

the desert? What have you done to us by taking us out of Egypt?”

At this point in the narrative one should feel sorry for God. No matter what God does not seem to matter. (Exodus 14:11)

Some of us can identify with the reluctance to make changes. The unknown can be daunting. It is easier for most of us to travel the familiar route through life. Slavery may be lousy, but at least our next meal was guaranteed.

Honestly, with all our 21st century sensibilities, are we any different? We know how hard it is to change because we see it in ourselves. Bad habits and destructive behavior constantly repeat themselves.

Is it not ironic that, for example, moving is considered one of the most stressful things a person or family can do, especially in later life? Scripture – in its subtle way is teaching us this most difficult lesson, and it is experienced by our own generation today.

Even here, in our little corner of the world, we see change-taking place right before us. Our understanding of our lives has changed dramatically. Some of

our friends have left us either through death or because of the need to move on. What was necessary yesterday does not seem necessary today.

The one constant, however, is that we are a vital link in the chain of continuity. For that reason alone, we need to cherish and maintain that which we inherited.

As we get older, perhaps we should remember that change is necessary for continuation, not stagnation. If we stayed the same – well, there certainly would be no excitement or anticipation. So, now, more than ever, we need to adjust our thinking to accommodate all the change we can absorb.

That is the lesson of growth and evolution Scripture endeavors to translate for us. And for sure, it is the path we should be involved with as the years progress.

We connect because of comfort, and we expand those relationships because, as Scripture reminds us through various exchanges, there is no future without change.

Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D., is the spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Sun Lakes theater group slates hilarious farce

GETOUT STAFF

Most women may not see much humor in menopausal episodes, but authors Michael and Susan Parker managed to put a twist on them that the Sun Lakes Community Theatre promises in its production of “Sex Please We’re Sixty.”

Opening Nov. 8 in Cottonwood’s San Tan Ballroom and playing through Nov. 12, this farce centers on the wacky escapades of Bud “The Stud” Davis, an ailing but boisterous pleasure seeker who is convinced that the entire success of his neighbor’s bed and breakfast is strictly due to his Casanova type charm.

Based on the return rate of some of her clients, Mrs. Stancliff begrudgingly thinks he might just be right. But when Bud shows his philander ing side, guests Charmaine, Hillary, Victoria and even hostess Mrs. Stancliff decide revenge is in order and Bud has got to be taught a lesson.

“The results are uproarious and accidentally catch poor Henry Mitchell, Mrs. Stancliffs’ wistful suitor in the cross-fire,” a spokeswoman for the

theater company said. “Laughs abound in this fast-paced two-act show and tickets will be going fast so don’t delay if you haven’t bought yours yet.”

For tickets, go to slctinfo.com or call 480-382-6290 for more information.

The production contains adult themes and may not be appropriate for all ages.

Meanwhile, the theater company reports that during recent shows at both Sun Lakes Country Club and Cottonwood’s Saguaro Room, sold out crowds loved its improv group, The ImproVables.

“Audience participation was tremendous with lots of suggestions for scene

settings, relationships and wacky set-ups,” a spokeswoman said.

“From World’s Worst biker gang members to hilarious hitch-hikers with weird quirks, the crowd was entertained by the antics of the comedic troupe as they ad libbed and improvised every scenario they were given.”

The ImproVables leader, Phyllis Novy warmed the crowds up with light-hearted banter and witty comebacks.

Novy has been with The ImproVables since its inception and continues to draw new talent into the group by holding workshops to seek out people interested in this enter taining form of theatre.

Currently, The ImproVables boasts 20 members, although not all participate in every show. The troupe is available for hire for private functions, social get-togethers, service clubs, and any planned function that desires unique and funny entertainment. Every show is different and each one is original.

Information: 602-481-6564.

Basha High thespians presenting popular satirical musical

GETOUT STAFF

A one-time Broadway hit that scored three Tony Awards and numerous other accolades when it debuted in 2001 will be presented next weekend at Basha High School.

The Basha Theatre Company will present “Urinetown,” a 2001 satirical comedy musical, at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 through Oct. 29 and the school auditorium 5990 S. Val Vista Drive, Chandler. Tickets are $5 in advance at the school bookstore or $10 at the door.

That ticket price is a steal not only because of the talent that has been assembled for the production.

“I love the satirical nature of the show,” said Ellen Wamsley, who plays Little Sally and is a member of the Basha High School International Thes pian Society. “It addresses the ideas of conservatism, populism, capitalism, and climate change, among others.

“There is a variety of musical styles within the show and I hope that the audience recognizes the play on songs from other well-known musicals. The cast moves throughout the auditorium during the show which can be challenging to rehearse when we are not in the auditorium.”

The play centers around a dystopian city recovering from a 20-year drought. A terrible water shortage has made a basic human need impossible. A megacorporation has put a ban on

private toilets, and citizens are required to use public toilets and pay. If anyone breaks the rules, they are sent to “Urinetown” and never return. One day, one of these citizens decides enough is enough and plans a revolution to free the city from the harsh regime.”

“Urinetown” has reached over 3.4 million audience members during over 20,000 performances in more than 3,600 licensed productions in 34 countries.

She added, “The cast and crew are

also pretty large, which is a wonderful problem to have. The cast auditioned for the show at the beginning of the school year and began rehearsing three times a week in August. One of the biggest challenges with the show is the 2-week break the school district has in the beginning of October. The students have nine days after they return to school before the show opens.”

“I think the students have related very well to the various messages in the script. Urinetown opened on Broadway

over 20 years ago and the issues it addresses are still ongoing. The students really seem to enjoy working on the show.”

The cast includes: Aiden Raley, Clara Newton, Cal Renio, Kendall Paul, Kei Henriquez, Aaron Redman, Taylor Martinez, Vina Chen, AJ Henriquez, Hannah Redman, Avery Larsen, Maya Huestiss, Kennedy Dabrowski, Evan Kienholz, Tem Sthapit, Sophia Preciado, Stella Chavez, Hannah Tuttle, Jadyn Brian, Skye Bunker, Kate Dulgarian, Evie Gagnon, Benji Goins, Sadie Hartman, McKenna Keyes, Belle Krystele, Kylie Lenio, Willow Roesler, Grace Schneider, and AJ Strickland and Gunner Pennypool.

The crew includes Desiree Lewis, Heather Jaurigui. Abigail Diehl, Riley Milne, Alex Spotten, Avy Posilippo, Jocelyn Sario, Ysabella Arriaza, Megan Anthony, Miley Baldauf, Eg Barron, Emma Best, Savannah Bluhm, Saman tha Caruso, BK Chandler, Banjo Con ley, Ottoman Finkel, Finley Gonzalez, Julianne Garrett, Andrea Giguiere, Basil Hess, Kevin Husted, Jacob Jau rigui, Miles Jeeves, Spencer Johnson, Atlas Lee, Toby Loss, Gabi Medina, Carli Olsen, Jaden Parent, Sam Qian, Hannah Roberts, Alana Rankin, Pearl Schwartz, Sophia Smith, Aly Sepich, Erin Stratton, Cy Stepenenko, Brian Walker, Sophie Walker, Sam Wesler and Nebi Zenebe.

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Senior Clara Newton as Penelope Pennywise lectures other characters during a scene that the Basha Theatre Company members rehearse for the upcoming presentation of “Urinetown.” (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

Newest ImproVables member Mark Wentz leaps into action. (Courtesy The ImproVables)

Help change a life

Help make a real difference. Instead of giving spare change to people who are panhandling, donate to the ChangeUp program to support programs and services that directly assist people experiencing homelessness.

Text “ChangeUp” to 44-321 to donate, or visit chandleraz.gov/ChangeUp.

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Results, not headlines. That’s my goal. I know many politicians seek attention these days, usually by doing or saying things that get them the limelight. I prefer to focus on finding practical solutions to address real problems—like putting money back in your pocket to help offset historic inflation—so we can make Arizona the best it can be for my family and yours. If that resonates with you, I ask for your vote!

the largest income and property tax cuts in state history, reducing taxes for all Arizonans to help offset inflation’s impact

Authored the bill giving teachers a 20% pay raise and increasing classroom resources for kids

budget funding for stronger border security

Arizona’s “Back the Blue” initiative to support our police and first responders