Scottsdale Progress - 04-26-2020 by Times Media Group

Klapp, Korte lead race for cash / P. 4

DC Ranch feels misled by city / P. 8

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

NEIGHBORS .......... 16 Scottsdale school joins mask-making drive.

BUSINESS .................21 Local companies pitch in for pandemic relief.

FOOD ............................25 Old Town gets new Mexican restaurant.

NEIGHBORS ..........................................16 BUSINESS ............................................... 21 OPINION ................................................ 23 FOOD ........................................................25 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................27

Sunday, April 26, 2020

COVID-19 pitched Cactus League a strike-out BY JIM WALSH AND WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Staff

or more than 70 years, the Cactus League has been a powerful symbol of Arizona, turning into a big business and a major draw for the tourism industry.

But when Major League Baseball suddenly cancelled this season’s final week of games to help stop the spread of COVID-19, it became a symbol of Arizona’s community and economic losses in the virus’ wake. That cost will be steep in several ways. Scottsdale Charros Executive Director

SUSD likely to Queen for a day adopt ‘no harm’ online grades

Dennis Robbins said the organization is still trying to figure out how severely the cancellation will affect its fundraising, but he is expecting at least a 40 percent loss of net revenue. The Charros organization, which hosts

see CACTUS page 6

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

he Scottsdale Unified School District is poised to reverse course on its grading policy for at-home learning that had drawn criticism from some parents for being too onerous on students on families. For Noelle Smetana, an SUSD parent and music teacher in a neighboring district, the move to online learning has been a struggle. She juggles between providing instruction to her students while helping her young son navigate the new learning landscape. Smetana, whose son is an SUSD second

see GRADING page 12

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Developers, outsiders help fuel Scottsdale campaigns An edition of the East Valley Tribune Scottsdale Progress is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Scottsdale. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of Scottsdale Progress, please visit www.Scottsdale.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Scottsdale Progress 4301 N 75th St., Suite 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@scottsdale.org TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@scottsdale.org Advertising Office Manager Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@scottsdale.org Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@scottsdale.org NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@scottsdale.org Managing Editor Wayne Schutsky | 480-898-6533 | wschutsky@scottsdale.org Staff Writers Kristine Cannon | 480-898-9657 | kcannon@scottsdale.org Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@scottsdale.org Photographers Pablo Robles | Probles@scottsdale.org Design Veronica Thurman | vthurman@scottsdale.org Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@scottsdale.org Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@scottsdale.org Marketing Director Lynette Carrington | 480-898-5621 Scottsdale Progress is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegatedmedia.com.

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ver $311,000 flowed into Scottsdale’s City Council and mayoral election campaigns during the first three months of this year – including a significant amount from outside the city. But those donations were not distributed evenly as just six of the 14 candidates took in about 80 percent of the contributions, according to first quarter campaign finance reports filed with the city. Council members Suzanne Klapp and Virginia Korte continue to lead all other mayoral candidates in fundraising and have amassed sizeable war chests ahead of the August primary. Korte took in over $95,000 in the first quarter of the year, closing the gap with Klapp, who raised around $105,000 at the end of 2019 before she even officially announced in the election. Korte’s campaign entered April with $103,000 cash on hand. Klapp, who raised $43,200 in quarter one, has $132,000 cash on hand. Those funds, mostly gathered before the coronavirus pandemic hit, could be a serious advantage for the candidates as fundraising becomes more difficult due to social distancing guidelines. Former Councilman David Ortega’s mayoral campaign also has substantial funds after bringing in $43,204 in early 2020. But unlike Klapp and Korte, most of those funds came from Ortega himself in loans totalling $31,450 to his campaign. Former Councilman Bob Littlefield rounded out the field and brought in $12,652 in the first quarter, including around $4,400 in loans he made to his own campaign. Former Councilwoman Lisa Borowsky did not raise any money as of March 31, according to her report. There was a similar divide in fundraising totals among the City Council candidates. The campaigns for Tammy Caputi, Bill Crawford and John Little each brought in at least $20,000; no other candidate exceeded $14,000 during the first quarter of the year. Caputi’s $24,380 led the field, followed closely by Little ($22,975) and Crawford ($20,600). Betty Janik had the next highest fund-

Councilmember Virginia Korte’s campaign for mayor brought in over $95,000 in contributions in the first quarter of 2020, more than any other candidate in that time span. (Photo by Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

raising total in the quarter at $13,462. The rest of the City Council campaigns raised under $10,000 in the quarter: Councilman Guy Phillips, $9,638; Tom Durham, $8,965; Kevin Maxwell, $7,754; Michael Auerbach, $6,205; and Becca Linnig, $2,950.

Development dollars

The future of development in Scottsdale is likely to be a hot-button issue throughout the election season in the wake of the Southbridge Two debate and the 2018 Proposition 420 movement. Development is also playing a big role in candidate campaign coffers. In the first quarter, over 40 percent of the contributions to the Korte and Klapp campaigns came from individuals or organizations with ties to the development or real estate industries. Korte received contributions of $12,900 from GoDaddy and YAM Properties founder Bob Parson and his wife Renee Parsons and $6,450 each from Adam Mays of AR Mays Construction, David Hovey of Optima Inc. Klapp, who received large sums from many of those same donors in the fourth quarter of 2019, took in significant contributions in early 2020 from Walt Brown of Diversified Partners CRE ($2,500); Francis Najafi of Pivotal Group ($2,000); Irene Clary of Catclar Investments; and $1,000 each from Danny Gabriel of ColRich, Ken

Gatt of Gatt Real Estate Advisors; Jay Schneider of Frontera Development, Gerald Ayoub of Five Star Development, and the Arizona Multihousing Association’s PAC. The only other mayoral candidate with ties to the development community is Borowsky. She and her father are behind the massive Spring Creek Ranch development near Cottonwood. Ortega, an architect, took in $2,000 from individuals with ties to construction. Development and real estate also showed up in a big way in the City Council race. About 66 percent of donations to Caputi’s campaign came from those with ties to development, construction or real estate. Caputi owns a light and electrical distribution company that works with commercial developments. About 32 percent of Crawford’s donations and 25 percent of Little’s donations also came from people with ties to development or real estate. Some candidates with smaller fundraising totals also took in development dollars. They comprised about 92 percent of contributions to Linnig, a real estate agent, and 74 percent of donations to Maxwell, a technology analyst for State Farm. Somewhat surprisingly, Phillips also received significant contributions from de-

see FINANCES page 15

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

CACTUS from front

San Francisco Giants Spring Training games at Scottsdale Stadium, uses proceeds from its efforts to provide annual grants to local non-profits, students and schools, including Scottsdale Unified School District, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale and Family Promise of Greater Phoenix. “You’re just cruising along with your season and things are going well, and then all of a sudden the abrupt end, and so at that point, we just knew it wasn’t going to be good for our fundraising efforts, and we’re going to have to make some adjustments,” Robbins said. Robbins said the loss of revenue was compounded by the fact that the Charros spent a significant amount of money this year to expand the Charro Lodge as part of the Scottsdale Stadium renovation. “We had spent some extra money that we normally hadn’t in anticipation of getting ready for that,” Robbins said. According to the Charros’ contract with the city, the organization is obligated to pay $2.7 million towards the $50.6-million renovation over the course of 20 years. Now, the organization has to issue refunds to individuals and businesses that preordered ticket packages at the Lodge for cancelled games. Other charitable organizations around the Valley are feeling similar hits. The Mesa Hohokams, one of the league’s most venerable charities, reported it will have at least $200,000 less to award in grants to charitable organizations after raising a record $501,000 a season ago.

The early cancellation of Cactus League play will have a significant impact on City of Scottsdale’s tax revenues and the amount of money raised by the Scottsdale Charros, which use proceeds from hosting Cactus League play at Scottsdale Stadium to support schools and local nonprofits. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

The HoHoKams serve as baseball ambassadors at Mesa’s two spring ball stadiums – Sloan Park, spring home of the Chicago Cubs and at Hohokam Park, spring home of the Oakland Athletics. The Cubs drew 250,893 in 2019 – an average of 13,939 fans – once again serving as the league’s most popular team and clear meal ticket. The Tempe Diablos, also a longstanding civic group, performs similar duties at Tempe Diablo Stadium during Los Angeles Angels home games. The heads of the organizations said the shorter season will impact contributions to local charities. Robbins said the Charros, which provided 47 grants last year, will have to cut back on its donations after the Giants completed only 10 of 16 games in 2020. “We’ll definitely be giving out less

money,” Robbins said. “I don’t know if that’s going to be a reduction by number of entities we give to or dollars.” But Robbins said the Charros will still be able to draw from some reserves to help out charities in need through The Charro Foundation, their nonprofit arm. “We have our Charro Foundation that we’ve putting money in like sort of a rainy day fund…and this is definitely a rainy day,” Robbins said. “So we want to make sure that people can still count on us, and that’s why we’re here.” According to its tax forms, The Charro Foundation had total assets of nearly $4.7 million as of June 2018. The HoHoKams contributed $501,000 to charities after the 2019 season. Diablos President Bill Ottinger said his group landed in a similar position. The Diablos also lost one of their additional fundraisers, the annual Ignite the Night spring party scheduled for April 25 at Rawhide. “I know it will have a significant impact, a deep impact,’’ Ottinger said about the league’s cancellation. “Baseball is a big driver for Tempe Diablos Charities.’’ Bridget Binsbacher, executive director of the Cactus League and Peoria’s vice mayor, said Baughman and Ottinger’s disappointment is shared throughout the league.

“Our attendance to date was right on track with 2019, but when it happened, that’s when our season peaks with spring break,’’ she said. The league was hoping for a late season rally like last year, when the weather warmed up. “Obviously, there is going to be an impact,’’ Binsbacher said. “The top priority for us is the safety of the public. A study based on the 2018 season estimated the league’s overall economic impact at more than $644 million, with the average out-of-town fan spending $405 per day. The league recorded slightly lower attendance last season when it drew more than 1.7 million fans, but the per game average was slightly higher. “How disappointing for the players, the fans and everyone who came for this,’’ Binsbacher said. “Some probably followed through with their trips and experienced Arizona.’’ A less discussed portion of that study estimated charitable contributions by non-profit civic organizations such as the HoHoKams, the Tempe Diablos and the Scottsdale Charros at $2.6 million per year. If anything, that seems a bit low, with the Diablos estimating they raise about $1 million a year and tax forms showing the Charros bring in a similar amount. Beyond the effect on charitable giving, the impact of the Cactus League cancellation on the City of Scottsdale is difficult to overstate. Scottsdale brought in $21,773,055 in sales tax revenue in March 2019, the largest single-month total that year. The city also brought in $4,014,668 in bed tax revenue in that month, which is $1.5 million more than any other month in that fiscal year. It is too early to tell exactly what impact the current downturn will have on city revenues, but Scottsdale has already seen its tourism industry – which accounts for about one-third of its economy – stagnate and the associated cancellation of events like Spring Training, which was scheduled to run through the end of March. Experience Scottsdale, the city’s tourism arm, reported that the occupancy rate at area hotels had slumped to 10.5 percent on March 21, down 89 percent from last year.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Sports �ields project stirs outcry in DC Ranch BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

potential landing spot for Scottsdale’s $40-million sports fields and event parking bond project has sparked an outcry from neighboring residents in DC Ranch, who allege the city misled them about their location during the 2019 bond election campaign. Voters approved the three-question, $319-million bond in November 2019 to fund 58 projects throughout the city, ranging from public safety and infrastructure improvements to new parks and athletic facilities. The DC Ranch Community Council endorsed the bonds, and each question had resounding support from voters in the DC Ranch area. Question 1 – which included the fields/ parking project – was approved by 71 percent of voters in the precinct that includes DC Ranch. But that support was based on misleading information, said Jenna Kohl, the executive director of the DC Ranch Community Council. Kohl said the city committed to not building the fields on 40 acres of land bordering the community east of 94th Street on Bell Road – an issue for many residents concerned about how the addition of fields and event parking would affect their neighborhoods. During the city’s campaign, Christine Irish, DC Ranch’s director of public affairs, said city staff that assured her that the city was only considering building fields on the western 40 acres of a larger 80-acre site at 94th Street and Bell. “So we shared that information with the board and with residents, and that was a factor when the board was weighing their decision whether or not to support the bond,” Kohl said. The bond included funding for up to 13 new multi-use sports fields near West World in northern Scottsdale that could double as parking for a few weeks each year for major events like the Barrett Jackson auto auction and the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The new fields were the only project in the bond that failed to garner favorable grades from at least 50 percent of respon-

The 2019 bond approved by Scottsdale voters included $40 million for up to 13 new fields for soccer and other sports that could double as parking for major events. (Progress file photo)

dents at city outreach meetings in 2019. At $40 million, the fields/parking also had the largest estimated price tag of any project. During early bond discussions, the city was considering up to 13 new fields on vacant land, including an 80-acre city-owned parcel at Bell Road and 94th Street and another parcel comprising city, private and state land at McDowell Mountain Ranch Road and Thompson Peak Parkway. Plans presented to the City Council’s Capital Improvement Plan Subcommittee in March 2019 showed that the city could build five to six fields that would double as 3,000 to 3,500 parking spots

The bond included funding for up to 13 new multiuse sports ﬁelds near West World in northern Scottsdale that could double as parking for a few weeks each year for major events like the Barrett Jackson auto auction and the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament.

on the western 40 acres of the Bell Road site for approximately $20 million. For another $19.5 million, the city could build seven fields and approximately 3,000 to 3,500 spots at the McDowell Mountain Ranch site, according to the plans. But a new city contract for the project revealed the city is at least considering building on the eastern 40 acres on Bell Road as well. On April 7, the Scottsdale City Council approved a $561,872 engineering services contract with Gavan & Barker to begin design on the fields project. The contract approved by the Council was mainly for engineering services on the west 40 acres at Bell Road and 94th Street, but it includes two $10,000 allowances for additional design, including on the eastern 40 acres. City Manager Bill Murphy told residents via email that no final decision on a location has been made. “The potential use of some of the 40 acres of City owned land north of Bell Road and east of 94th Street is an option that could accommodate several fields, but would require further study,” he wrote. Murphy said the eastern 40 acres at Bell Road could also be used as a trade chip in a deal with private property owners to acquire additional land at the McDowell

Mountain Ranch site. At a meeting on March 17, 2019 meeting, Scottsdale Preserve Director Kroy Ekblaw told the subcommittee that the City was considering using the western 40 acres of the 80 acres site it acquired from the State Land Trust. Ekblaw said the city was considering “taking that west (40) acres…and overlaying a plan that could have five or six soccer fields on it.” Murphy told the Progress that the city is reviewing its options with the help of the engineering and design firm. But many DC Ranch residents do not want the city to even consider using the eastern 40 acres for the fields project. Kohl acknowledged that the city will likely building something on the land eventually, but said there are concerns specifically about the current project. Those concerns include how the field lighting would affect residential neighbors in DC Ranch and the impact of additional during event season. “I think our interest would be that residents would have an opportunity to weigh in on whatever is developed there and that whatever would be developed there would be compatible with the adjacent residential use,” Kohl said. But she said the biggest concern is that the community felt lied to. “So our initial point is this is really a breach of trust that could have some implications beyond just this specific project,” Kohl said. Murphy emphasized to residents that the city has made no final decision and that the city will solicit more community input. “Please understand no final decisions have been made on the sport field locations you have referenced and we will use a public process involving your neighborhood to get to any final decision(s),” Murphy wrote. Kohl said the city had DC Ranch Community have a history of working together that she hopes will continue. “It’s a difficult situation because we’re really strong partners with the city…we want to continue to be good community partners, but, you know, we also would like to see what was put forth be honored,” Kohl said.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Scottsdale Library discarding most �ines BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

cottsdale Public Library will join a hundreds of other library systems throughout the country on July 1 when it officially eliminates late fines. The Scottsdale City Council unanimously voted on April 7 to do away with the fines for late returns, falling in line with other cities around the country and prodding from the American Library Association. In January 2019, the ALA adopted a resolution calling fines an economic barrier to entry for residents, urging libraries to scrutinize their policies and calling on governing bodies to increase funding for library systems so they are not dependent on fines. Library leadership said fines can deter access to library resources, especially for seniors, children and low-income residents. “We in Scottsdale are committed to being a welcoming community and ac-

The Scottsdale City Council voted unanimously on April 7 to abolish late fines at the city’s public libraries effective July 1. (Photo courtesy Scottsdale Public Library)

cess to the myriad of library resources is among one of the greatest gifts to our citizens,” Library Board Chair Sheila Collins said in a letter to the City Council. Of Scottsdale’s approximately 119,500

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library card holders, about 6.4 percent – or 7,690 – currently have their card suspended due to the accumulation of fines. Library staff had been administering an amnesty program in which residents could have cards unblocked and fines waived if they returned overdue materials. According to data from city staff, card suspensions were spread out throughout the city but were most concentrated in southern Scottsdale, which also has the highest concentration of residents living in poverty. Scottsdale’s Library board studied the issue for two years took a look at fine free proposals at meetings in late 2019 and made a recommendation in January to Council to adopt a fine-free model. In a letter to Council, former Library

Board Chair Teresa Quale delivered the recommendation and asked that the city libraries become fine free “without an adverse impact on the library system’s general fund budget.” The new police will remove late fines for checked-out materials and waive most existing fines on all accounts except for late fines assessed on materials borrowed from other library systems. “Interlibrary loan material late fees cannot be waived because those are materials that belong to other library systems making it necessary to get the material back on time for return to the lending library,” according to a council memo. The policy change will also not impact fees assessed by the library for lost or damaged books. The move away from fines could have a minor impact on the city’s budget. In 2018-2019, the city general fund received over $161,000 in revenue from late fines alone. Staff estimated that, with no change in policy, those revenues would have decreased by 8 to 14 percent annually due to increasing reliance on digital materials. Those fine revenues equaled just 1.7 percent of the library system’s $9,608,162 allocation from the general fund that year. In early budget talks for next year, city staff was already projecting a $900,000 savings in the general fund related to library operations, including $600,000 related to the end of an intergovernmental agreement to operate Palomino Library at Desert Mountain High School.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

GRADING from front

grader, said the district’s grading policies during the pandemic put an unreasonable burden on families like hers. “I have over 1,000 students and that equals 39 Google classrooms…so I’m doing that, and I’ll look up and two hours has gone by and my son hasn’t done any work,” said Smetana, a teacher in the Paradise Valley Unified School District. Unlike Paradise Valley and most other districts around the state, SUSD had continued to allow student performance on online assignments affect grades. “We are committed to do all we can to prepare our students for the next year,” SUSD spokeswoman Amy Bolton said prior to the change. “Right now, that means having expectations that students are taught fourth quarter standards and curriculum and are expected to complete assignments tied to those lessons.” But the district appears ready to modify its policy to fall more in line with the Board of Education’s advice that bad grades not be given to junior high and high school students during their last quarter of the year. A source within the district told the Progress that SUSD planned to adopt a “no harm” policy that would allow students to take the higher of their third or fourth quarter grades as long as they stayed engaged. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity, because the policy had not been finalized as of press time. The specifics were not immediately available, but Bolton said that principals and SUSD leadership met late last week to discuss the grading and modifications could be announced as early as April 24. SUSD was one of the first districts in the state to latch on to the online learning model after schools were closed. The district took one week to prep teachers and staff for the move online before launching classes a week or more ahead of other Arizona districts. Scottsdale Unified has received applause from parents for its quick and relatively seamless rollout – as well as taking great pains to provide computers, hotspots and meals to students that needed them. “So far, our experience has been great,” said Brittany Olson, whose 7-year-old son attends Navajo Elementary. But the district also received criticism from parents who argue the grading policy is overly burdensome on students and parents, many of whom must balance teach-

SUSD Superintendent Dr. John Kriekard has moved forward with stricter grading policies than other Arizona districts during online learning necessitated by coronavirus school shutdowns. (Progress file photo)

ing their children while also working from home. “It’s kind of a struggle going back and forth between the two,” said Alex Wood, a teacher in Chandler whose son is a seventhgrader at Tonalea K-8 in Scottsdale. Both Wood and Smetana said it is a struggle to keep their children motivated while also teaching their own classes. Wood said her son is also dealing with anxiety caused by the new learning model. “He seems to be feeling a lot of anxiety right now, so he’s falling behind, but you know we keep trying, but it’s hard for me to kind of shift between the two responsibilities,” Wood said. The district has ramped up expectations over time. A letter Smetana received from the district indicated that SUSD entered “Phase II” of online instruction on April 13, and that students each week can expect that “3-5 assessments” in English and math. “Participation and completion in essential lessons will be documented with the goal to determine proficiency…A report card will be issued for each student at the conclusion of the school year,” it said. The expected policy change is a win for parents like Smetana, who had asked the district to adopt a policy like many other districts that are not penalizing students for poor performance to avoid putting additional stress on students and families. An online petition started by Smetana on Change.org asking the district to change its

policy had gathered 1,596 signatures as of April 24. One of those other districts is Gilbert Unified School District, which serves around 12,000 more students than SUSD. “It’s really important for us to remember lots of these things that have been happening are out of the control of our students and families,” said Barbara Newman, GPS executive director of teaching and learning. “And so, we don’t want anything that we’ve implemented to negatively impact our students in any way.” SUSD had defended its original grading policy as the best way to keep students engaged. Bolton said Superintendent John Kriekard “with support from SUSD Governing Board members, felt it was not appropriate to make the determination of a pass/ fail final grade or an option to take their 3rd quarter grade at the beginning of this closure, but to continue to monitor student progress by working with principals and teachers.” “I support the SUSD administration in its decision to continue teaching lessons and grading work through an online format,” board President Allyson Beckham said. “Public education has a responsibility to uphold the values of learning, opportunity, and academic continuity amidst this global pandemic.” Beckham stressed that the district has done “everything possible to provide resources, technology, and meals to our community.” Despite those efforts, there were inconsistencies in the policy that led to confusion and frustration for parents. Teachers also asked the administration to be flexible on grading student work. “Because it is still an exceptionally fluid situation, SEA does not have a specific position on grading and attendance,” said Kris Ambri, president of the Scottsdale Education Association. “We do believe, however, that the policy must be flexible depending on grade level and consistent from school to school across the district." That consistency has been lacking thus far, according to Ambri. SEA met with over 50 teachers from all levels and found disparities in grading policies across the district and even within individual schools “with some teachers holding students strictly accountable and entering failing grades, while others are being more flexible,” Ambri said. That inconsistency left some parents feeling out of the loop on the grading policy.

Smetana, a music teacher, said did not know that activities posted in her son’s PE and music classes would be graded until she received emails from his teachers about incomplete assignments. She said she assignments posted online were suggested activities, not for a grade. “I’m sure that this information was available, but, you know, this is uncharted territory,” she said. The district source told the Progress that policy was supposed to allow for some grading flexibility – especially at the elementary level – based on teacher discretion but that there was some confusion that caused inconsitency in the application. The new policy should provide more clarity for families and teachers. In defending the original policy, SUSD leadership cited anecdotal evidence connecting more lenient policies to a lack of student participation and arguing that stricter grading will better prepare students when they return to school. Kriekard “did not want to have a situation that neighboring districts are encountering where students have told their parents that they will just take the 3rd quarter grade and stop doing the work,” Bolton said, adding: “At Scottsdale Unified, our expectation is that our teachers will continue to deliver instruction and that students will continue to work and learn so that they will be as prepared as possible for the fall.” SUSD board member Sandy Kravetz made a similar point in defending the policy and said the district has received many emails in support of the grading policy. “There are students (and parents) at two different ends of the grading policy spectrum/dilemma, and many more inbetween,” Kravetz said. “The majority of our students are working diligently to raise or maintain their grade point average. Others are understandably concerned that their grades may suffer as a result of adopting an online class model,” Kravetz continued “We have heard anecdotally that some districts that quickly adopted a pass/fail model have experienced a significant reduction in student engagement,” Kravetz added. “This could manifest itself in a new set of challenges for educators at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.” The district source said it took time for the district to formulate a new policy that gave more leeway to families while still en-

see GRADING page 14

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

State ‘skinny budget’ forces SUSD capital spending cuts BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

he Scottsdale Unified School District is preparing to cut capital expenditures by nearly $2 million next year after the state allocated less money than expected in a “skinny” budget passed by the Legislature in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The board gave tentative approval on April 7 to the district’s capital outlay budget, which included a reduction of $1.7 million for curriculum, technology and maintenance than what the administration initially planned to spend. The Legislature's reduction in school capital allotments reduced SUSD's share from $3.4 million, district CFO Jeff Gadd told the Governing Board. Th Legislature's action, largely in response to anticipated revenue shortfalls caused by the pandemic-fueled economic downturn, came at a time

when the state was in the process of restoring capital allocations to schools that had been severely trimmed back after the Great Recession, he noted. The Arizona Association of School Business Officials and Arizona School Boards Association estimated that schools lost just under $2.4 billion in capital funding since 2009. In 2018, Gov Doug Ducey announced a plan to restore funding to pre-recession levels using $371 million to be doled out over five years beginning in fiscal year 2019. The skinny budget for next year provides $67 million for public and charter school capital projects – less than what was initially budgeted as part of that plan. Before the pandemic shut down the economy, Ducey proposed a $68 million increase in funds for school capital projects plus $136-million in onetime funding. The proposal would have fully restored restored that portion of the Family managed since 1981

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state budget two years ahead of schedule, according to an executive summary of that proposal. But the plan abruptly changed after initial revenue estimates indicated that the state could take a $600 million to $1.6 billion budget hit over the coming fiscal year as a result of job losses, severe sales tax declines and the virtual collapse of the tourism sector. SUSD spread its capital spending reduction cut across several different areas, including a planned new curriculum. The district had planned to spend $2.2 million on new English Language Arts and social studies curricula next year but cut that $1.5 million. That means the district will move forward with only the ELA adoption next year and wait until 2021-2022 to move forward with the new social studies curriculum, Superintendent Dr. John Kriekard said. Kriekard said the district was being ambitious with its new curriculum

plan but that it makes more sense to adopt one curriculum at a time from a staffing perspective. Another program that will be delayed is the planned replacement of the district’s maintenance vehicle fleet. “There’s not been a plan in place to do very much with replacing those vehicles as they have aged, so the repair and lack of use in some cases has become major,” Gadd said. SUSD had planned to compress a two-year replacement schedule into one year by allocating $430,000 toward it. However, the district cut that allocation to $230,000 and will remain on the two-year schedule. The district will also be reducing spending on classroom technology by $500,000 to $4.2 million. SUSD’s maintenance budget also took a hit, dropping from $1.2 million to $900,000. Gadd said that still marks a $100,000 increase over current year spending.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Husband-Wife Law Team helping 2 Scottsdale eateries PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

or most of their career, Mark and Alexis Breyer have made giving back to the community as much a part of their work as building their law practice’s brand. The Breyers, known throughout the region as the Husband and Wife Law Team, have regularly celebrated people’s accomplishments on billboards throughout the county, hold an annual community fair and generously promote fundraisers for a variety of charities. Now, the Breyers have stepped up to help restaurants, which have been slammed by social distancing regulations in the wake of COVID-19. And two Scottsdale restaurants will benefit from their program this week. The Breyers have launched the HWLT (Husband and Wife Law Team) HEART (Helping Excellent Arizona Restaurants Today) campaign. “We know so many are struggling dur-

GRADING from page 12

couraging engagement, citing a desire to continue teaching students new material versus relying simply on enrichment of material learned earlier in the year. Gilbert Public Schools took the position that "we're not going to start the new year expecting that our kids already have mastered all these standards," Newman said.

FINANCES from page 4

velopers, bringing in about $1,850 from developers or their representatives. Phillips had recently volunteered with the anti-Southbridge Two referendum campaign that sought to sink that development and had an overall message against increasing height and density in downtown Scottsdale. Phillips did not receive any donations from the two local property owners who started the referendum, but he did receive $200 from Phoenix attorney Tim LaSota, the attorney who represented the PAC that started the referendum drive. Two other candidates associated with that campaign, Janik and Durham, had virtually no donations connected to the development communities.

Mark and Alexis Breyer ing this challenging time,” the couple said in a release. “Among many, the fantastic restaurant workers and owners are hit very hard. We are going to pull together and do our small part to help.” On one special day, they will pay half of every patron’s takeout and delivery order

A Gallup Poll conducted April 3-5 found that 49 percent of parents worry the pandemic’s impact on their kids' education. Still, it is likely that some level of dropoff is inevitable. Education expert Jonathan Supovitz compared learning under COVID-19 with that of “summer melt,” which typically refers to learning loss suffered by students over summer break.

Donors to the Janik and Durham campaigns tended to be retired. According to finance reports, retirees made up 87 percent of donors to the Durham campaign and 62 percent of Janik campaign donations. Key players in downtown Scottsdale’s entertainment industry also doled out big money. Les and Diane Corieri, who own several downtown clubs through his Evening Entertainment Group, made a total of $39,600 in contributions in the first quarter, including $12,900 to Korte. Both Little and Crawford also took in a significant amount of money from those players, with donations from Corieri, Shawn and Steven Yari of Stockdale Capital Partners accounting for 99 percent of donations to Crawford’s campaign.

from a restaurant chosen from nominations by the public. This week, two Scottsdale restaurants will benefit. On Monday, April 27, you can have them pick up half your tab from Detroit Coney Grill, 6953 N. Hayden Road (480-5974300). Then, on Wednesday, order from IL Bosco Pizza, 7128 E Becker Lane (480335-8680). The Breyers are spending up to $2,000 each of those days to help both struggling restaurants and probably more than a few patrons who have suffered financial setbacks caused by business closures and other economic fallout from the pandemic. People can nominate a restaurant at breyerlaw.com/heart. “We will work with the restaurant and our social media to get the word out that there will be a 50 percent off all orders to drive a lot of extra business and help keep the restaurant running.” If the Breyers end up hitting their $2,000 limit on any given day, “This

Bolton said SUSD "is currently working on a plan that would increase the assessments at the start of the 20202021 school year to identify any gaps in learning.” “I think that there will be probably more of a range in student abilities in entering next year,” said Supovitz, a University of Pennsylvania professor of Leadership and Policy at the Gradu-

Ryan Hibbert of Riot Hospitality also donated $6,450 to Korte and Klapp’s campaigns. Les and Diane Corieri donated $12,800 to Little, accounting for 56 percent of donations to his campaign. Caputi’s campaign also received $1,000 from the Corieris.

Outside Scottsdale

Nearly $128,000 of the $311,000 donated to candidates in the first quarter actually came from non-Scottsdale residents, according to the reports. Among mayoral candidates, Ortega had the highest percentage of total contributions from outside the city at 61 percent, though they mostly came from family members in Tucson. Around 50 percent of Korte’s donations

will help boost revenue for each venue to $4,000 in a single day,” the Breyers noted. Rosi Khazoom, a spokesperson for the lawfirm, said the first restaurant to benefit from the Breyers’ campaign was Lucky Lou’s in Chandler. And the Breyers plan to continue their campaign as long as restaurant sremain closed by the virus crisis. “Being a part of this community is important to both our family and our team at work,” they said. “So many people are struggling right now and we wanted to find a way we could have an immediate, positive impact for some of the people hit the hardest. “We put this program together hoping it would help make ends meet for many different restaurants and their employees. Watching the community rally around this program and start nominating and helping different restaurants has been even better than we could have hoped when we started it.”

ate School of Education and chair of the Education Policy Division. He didn’t think students will see their learning detrimentally affected. He explained the remote learning is basically for three months, so for a high school senior, it’s not a huge impact. Younger students “have much more time in front of them to acquire those knowledge and skills,” he said.

came from outside the city – more than the approximate 44 percent of the donations to Klapp’s campaign. Just over five percent – or $425 – of Littlefield’s contributions came from outside the city. In the City Council races, Crawford had the highest percentage of overall contributions from outside Scottsdale. Nearly 99 percent of his contributions came from non-Scottsdale residents, though all of that money came from individuals with business interests in the city, including Yaris and Corieris. Donations from outside of the city also made up a significant portion of fundraising for other candidates, including Caputi (66 percent); Little (73 percent); Maxwell (65 percent); and Phillips (32 percent).

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Lawmakers may call it quits for 2020 BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

egislative leaders may pull the plug on the 2020 session with the intent of not coming back to the Capitol to deal with outstanding financial and policy issues until next January. Senate President Karen Fann told Capitol Media Services last week lawmakers will vote on May 1 to shut down the session that began on Jan. 13. They have been in recess since March 23, hoping to return once pandemic had passed. While Fann favors ending the session, House Speaker Rusty Bowers has told her that Republican lawmakers in the House oppose the move. Lawmakers originally planned to return not only to put the final touches on a budget for the new fiscal year but also to deal with some remaining hot-button and potentially controversial measures. These range from changes in water laws and re-regulating vacation rentals to ending social promotion, higher gasoline taxes and whether transgender females can legally participate in high school and college athletics. One lawmaker told the Progress that the Legislature so far has passed only 60 bills, leaving close to 400 in abeyance. The virus shows no clear sign of abating and with non-essential businesses shuttered and a stay-at-home order by Gov. Doug Ducey, the state’s revenue picture remains no clearer than it was when lawmakers went home. Absent some need for a special session, Fann said lawmakers would be gone until a new session in January unless there is some need for a special session before then. “The budget is pretty well secure right now,’’ Fann said, with lawmakers having adopted what amounts to an $11.8 billion “baseline’’ spending plan. That assumes continuation of all agencies with adjustments for growth in population and inflation. Lawmakers added $105 million before packing up last month both in direct funds for the Department of Health Services to deal with the virus as well as for aid to renters, the homeless and small business. Meanwhile, legislative budget staffers

said they cannot predict how badly state revenues will be impacted from the shutdown of local businesses and the sharp drop in tourism. The most recent estimate put the shortfall at $1.1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. But Richard Stavneak, staff director of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, said that figure could be as little as $600 million or as much as $1.6 billion. Nor can they accurately determine how much more the state will have to spend as the recession being created is making more people eligible for governmentfunded programs like Medicaid. “There’s no way we’re really going to have a good handle on any new numbers until we really know where we’re going to go with this,’’ Fann said. “Are we going to be able to start opening things up little by little over the next couple of weeks?’’ she asked. “Or is it going to take longer.’’ Anyway, Fann said, the state is in line to get about $2.8 billion in federal aid due to the pandemic, something she said can be used to plug a lot of holes until next January. The state also is expected to end this budget year on June 30 with close to $1 billion in surplus, with a nearly identical amount in its “rainy-day’’ fund. Not everyone is on board with the plan. “This is the most God-awful, embarrassing thing we’ve ever done,’’ said Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa. “What kind of policy is not going to happen this year because we decided we were afraid?’’ she asked. Townsend said there’s no reason that lawmakers cannot meet online to finish the session. She pointed out the House already has set up a process that allowed several lawmakers to vote without being on the floor. “We managed to do it for the budget,’’ Townsend said. “But we can’t manage to do it for the rest of the people’s business?’’ Townsend said that lawmakers can be creative, just as have other businesses. “Walmart managed,’’ she said. “Why? Because Walmart is considered essential. But the people’s business is not essential enough?’’ “Literally, there were hundreds of bills hanging out there,’’ Fann acknowledged.

Also dead would be various proposals to cut taxes, including a plan by Ducey to eliminate income taxes on the pensions of retired military. Fann, however, said that the fate of these bill left in the process is no different than it would have been had lawmakers gone through a full session and left issues unresolved. “They’re dead for this year, just as they would be in any year’’ when the session ends without action. “And next year we’ll take them up again.’’ Fann acknowledged that many of the issues had been thoroughly debated and probably had merit. “But good bills die every year,’’ she said. And there was a practical matter: Who decides in what would be the short time remaining before the end of the fiscal year on June 30 which bills should get attention. “Everybody thought their bills were important and critical,’’ Fann said. “It was just decided there was no way we could feasibly do it and be fair with everybody and actually get things accomplished.’’ And then there is the reality of working against a deadline on issues that could prove controversial. “The longer we get in to session, the worse the politics are getting,’’ Fann said. That goes beyond the normal partisan bickering. This is an election year, with even some intramural spats anticipated among Republicans vying for the same seats. “So, are we really going to get anything accomplished?’’ Fann asked. She said the prime goal is to “get the state back up and running. “Then we can work on the stuff next year,’’ Fann said. Townsend, however, has another theory about why legislative leaders want to end the session. She pointed out that Arizona law prohibits legislators from raising money from lobbyists during the legislative session. This is an election year. That prohibition would go away on May 1 if the session is over, providing time for seeking donations before the Aug. 3 primary. “We should go hang our heads in shame,’’ Townsend said.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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Friends honor Scottsdale centenarian with a parade BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

t 11 a.m. last Wednesday, more than 20 vehicles lined up around the corner from Greenway Home Care, an assisted living facility located in southern Scottsdale. Friends, family and Hospice of the Valley staffers congregated to celebrate the 100th birthday of a special Scottsdale resident, Opal Grandon, with drive-by parade. Grandon comfortably watched from her Hawaiian-themed, balloon-arched throne designed by Scottsdale-based event planner Nancy Mantei Events, and said the parade made her feel like a queen. “She’s an independent lady with oldschool values, fun-loving and generous, was always there to help someone in need, loved to travel, saw many parts of the world. She lived life to the fullest, loves life. This is why she lived 100 years,” said TR

More than 20 vehicles lined up around the Greenway Home Care, an assisted living facility in southern Scottsdale for a luau-themed drive-by birthday parade for Opal Grandon, who turned 100 on April 21. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

Wilt, Grandon’s nephew, who, along with his wife Jane Wilt, attended the parade.

Grandon’s hospice care team partnered with Greenway Home Care to throw Gran-

don the luau-themed celebration because she spent four months talking about having a luau for her 100th birthday. “Opal and her sister, Garnet, traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, for a vacation and spent approximately one month there,” explained Samantha Teddi Deetz, a hospice licensed master social worker. “This is why a luau theme is so special to her and so meaningful as it reminds her of those happy memories.” The team organized the parade in less than four days and relatives in attendance included her nephews and nieces. “Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 virus and social distancing limitations, the group home has had to implement temporary visit restrictions in order to keep the staff and residents healthy and safe. Opal’s Hospice of the Valley team felt that since this is such a monumental birth-

see OPAL page 20

Local school comes to healthworkers’ aid BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

usinesses and young people across the country are using 3D printers to make mask straps for healthcare professionals. Joining the nationwide effort is Fusion Academy Scottsdale, a grade 6-12 school at Gainey Ranch that recently made 100 mask straps for St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. “St. Joseph’s Foundation is extremely grateful for the donation from Fusion Academy Scottsdale to support emergency response efforts at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center,” said St. Joseph’s Foundation President Terri Hoffman. Fusion Academy Scottsdale Head of School Patrick Thompson said when they

Fusion Academy Scottsdale’s art, history, and photography teacher Hali Niles made 100 mask straps over the course of two days using the school’s 3D printer. (Fusion Academy Scottsdale)

heard that healthcare professionals were complaining about the long hours of wearing face masks and the strain the straps put on their ears, they put their two 3D printers to use. Hali Niles, Fusion Academy Scottsdale’s art, history and photography teacher, made the straps over the course of two days. She spent 15 hours each day printing them on campus. “The machines [were] running nonstop,” Niles said. Fusion Academy Scottsdale then donated the mask straps on April 18. “They’re just very grateful, very happy that we were able to help them out,” Thompson said. “We know how important their job is, and we just want to do all we can to make sure that they are safe.” Since, Fusion Academy has received calls

from ICU nurses in Minnesota and Florida requesting the 3D-printed straps. “We were also contacted by a few more people throughout the country who had seen our interview on channel 10 news,” Thompson said. “We’ve actually been able to ship them out to Minnesota and Florida to help ICU nurses there as well. We’re going to help out as much as we can,” he added. Because nurses have been spending 12plus hours taking care of COVID-19 patients, the masks irritate not only the face, but also the ears. “The mask straps are designed to relieve pressure on caregivers’ ears, providing a little more comfort during what can be very stressful days,” Hoffman explained.

see FUSION page 18

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Scottsdale woman �inally meets her birth parents BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

aised by adoptive parents Charles and Marilyn Perkins, southern Scottsdale resident Linda Williams never had a desire to �ind her biological parents. “People always ask me as an adoptive person, ‘Don’t you want to meet your parents?’” I’m like, ‘No, not really. It would just be like meeting a stranger.’ That’s what I said my entire life because I truly believed it,” Williams said. But after recently taking a 23andMe DNA test – a Christmas gift from her children – she was not only surprised it led her to her birth parents, Nancy and Jim Fortwangler, but also that she formed a near-immediate connection with them. “I’ve never been more wrong in my entire life because before I even met them just talking on the phone and then we did some couple of FaceTimes, I was like, ‘No, I love these people. And they love me,’” Williams said. “My heart grew.” Williams’ 23andMe results led her to her cousin, Mark “Markie” Fortwangler. Markie and his family had taken the 23andMe test because he wanted to learn more about his adopted son, who is 15. “So, he had a soft heart for the whole

FUSION �� page 16

The 3D-printed straps are also stronger, reusable and sustainable. Thompson said he hopes Fusion Academy Scottsdale’s donations will send their students the message that “we’re all in this together.” “Many times in our lives, everyone is so very busy getting accomplished what they need to get done. But at times like these, it just warms my heart to see the community come together and jump at opportunities to serve others. And that’s what I hope that our students take from this: Look for more opportunities to serve,” Thompson said. Fusion Academy opened its �irst Arizona campus in Scottsdale in November 2019 and is one of 60 private school campuses across the country. The one-to-one school — one teacher, one student — provides a personalized learning experience for students in middle through high school.

Southern Scottsdale resident Linda Williams, right, found her birth parents, Nancy and Jim Fortwangler via 23andMe. (Linda Williams)

adoption scene,” Williams said. Markie gave Williams Nancy and Jim’s email address, and she immediately reached out, writing “hello” in the subject line. “I’m like, ‘what do you even put in a subject line?’” Williams said with a laugh. In the email, Williams told Nancy and Jim that she was raised by great parents and had a good childhood. “And I thanked them for putting me up for adoption, that

everything went well and that I had two kids,” she said. Nancy and Jim replied right away, telling Williams that they met in high school and they’ve been married 51 years. They also have two sons, Jamie and Todd. Todd has since passed away; this year, he would have been 42. “That’s what made me lose it right there,” Williams said. “It’s just an amazing thing to have a full-blood sibling. It makes me tear

before the epidemic took place. We’re nationwide with over 3,700 students, and we transferred all the virtual on a matter of days. It was actually very impressive,” Thompson said. The 3D printers are located in Fusion Academy Scottsdale’s Fusion Technology Lab, which also boasts a virtual reality lab. “In there, we are able to integrate virtual reality into any class that we teach. It’s Fusion Academy Scottsdale donated 100 mask part of the new approach to straps to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center . teaching that Fusion Acad(Fusion Academy Scottsdale) emy has spearheaded where In response to the pandemic, Fusion we want to get the students Academy Scottsdale pivoted to online involved and adapt to the way that they classes and has been offering them to their learn,” Thompson said. 16 enrolled students since. “Right now, technology is such a big in“We were able to transition to our �luence on our kids’ life,” he added. “So, if virtual plat platform very seamlessly we’re able to implement that in a history because we had already had it in place class or science class to help them learn,

up just thinking about it.” A few weeks later, Williams, along with her daughter, son and his girlfriend, �lew to Florida to meet the Fortwanglers. “I actually have a video of us driving in,” Williams said. “I didn’t realize how excited I was. When my dad [hugged] me … he held me for the longest time, and I was just balling.” During their week-long visit, Williams noticed similarities between her son and her brother, Jamie. “Just looking in eyes, I see me, and my son actually looks a lot like him,” Williams said. “Many times, they [her son and Jamie] would be sitting the same way.” She felt that they talk the same way, too. As for Williams and Nancy and Jim, she said she’s “the perfect blend” of them. “There’s too many things in common and too many lookalikes,” she said. Williams’ visit was an emotional experience for everyone, especially Nancy and Jim because Todd passed away just two years prior. “The uncles and aunts and uncles and cousins have been texting, emailing, messaging on Facebook, and reaching out. A couple of them have said Todd’s spirit

see 23ANDME page 20

that’s the purpose of that technology lab.” Niles continues to teach her 3D class, albeit virtually. Her students’ current project is to make a mechanism, and when they’ve �inished creating that mechanism, she will print it on campus — in addition to printing the straps. “I’ll coordinate a time for them [the students] to come pick up those pieces, and then during our next virtual session, I’ll instruct them on how to put those [pieces] together,” Hiles explained. One of her students is even interested in learning how to make face masks from home using the 3D printer. “When she let me know that [she wanted to make masks], I informed her about the project I was doing [the straps]. She was really excited for the project, too, because we both just want to be able to do what we can’t help during this time of uncertainty,” Hiles said. Information: fusionacademy.com/ scottsdale

CONDOMINIUMS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Ridge FROM THE LOWMonterey $300’S ENJOY CONDOMINIUMS CONDOMINIUMS Open 10:00-5:30 [HOME] LIFE SundayDaily FROM THE LOW $300’S 11:30-5:30 FROM THE LOW $300’S CONDOMINIUMS Just west of Scottsdale Road off Amenities include: Elevator or stairway access to single level living Move-in ready condos available

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Square footage and dimensions are estimated and may vary in actual construction. Floor plans and elevations are artist’s conception and are not intended to show specific detailing. Floor plans are the property of Cachet Homes and its affiliates. For further information, pease see Sales Associate. All sales are subject to buyers receipt and review of a Arizona Subdivision Public Report. *See Sales Associate for incentive information. Prices, features, floor plans, elevations and incentives subject to change without notice.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

Young Marines salute Scottsdale volunteer

pro�it 501c (3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, 8-18, that promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-

discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy drug-free lifestyle. Founded in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 235 units with 8,000 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers. Each Young Marine unit is led and guided by adult volunteers and there are 2,500 active and registered adult volunteers who work with the national youth organization. No military participation is required. Annually, one adult volunteer is selected from each of six divisions. Division 6 includes Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, California and Arizona. “I feel blessed to be able to volunteer with such a great youth organization,” Schenkenberg said. “The impact of the adult volunteers and the Young Marines have on each other is truly motivating.” The adult volunteers and the youth

members of the East Valley Young Marines are committed to community service and have participated at Navajo Code Talkers Day in Window Rock and Pearl Harbor Remembrance in Hawaii. They collect for Toys for Tots and frequently march in parades. Many members also perform community service with their churches. The unit also has regular events with many of the veterans’ organizations like the Marine Corps League, the American Legion and Elks Lodge. “I love to see the Young Marines grow up over the years becoming wonderful, respectful citizens,” Schenkenberg said. “I love giving the youth members the ability to participate in events as well as the opportunity to travel and experience new things.” Information: Unit Commander Dana Lippincott at 480-737-0517 or youngmarines.com/unit/eastvalley/page.

Williams said. Neither Williams nor Marilyn knew what hospital Williams was born in. “It’s blank on my birth certi�icate,” Williams said. Williams said she thanked them for putting her up for adoption, calling it the “most unsel�ish thing” they could’ve done. “[They] could have tried to raise me, and it could have been just this dif�icult, hard life for all of us. I said I just feel very

blessed, and now I have even more love in my life,” Williams said. Because Charles passed away when she was in college, Williams said having Jim in her life was “just amazing.” “He is such a loving dad. He’s very emotional and just hugs and tells you how much he loves you so much, several times. When we were there, he was like, ‘Oh, my heart’s just a �lutter seeing everyone together,’” Williams said. While 23andMe was not designed

speci�ically to help people �ind their biological parents, one of its core missions is helping people connect with one another. “The beauty of DNA testing is that each individual learns something different about themselves that they never expected to learn, whether it’s discovering potential health risks, ancestral origins, or �illing in major gaps in their family trees,” a 23andMe spokesperson said. Information: 23andme.com

PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

Scottsdale woman has been named “ ‘Division 6 Adult Volunteer of the Year” by the Young Marines. Crystalyn Schenkenberg is the executive of�icer of the East Valley Young Marines, which is headquartered at 2130 E. University Drive, Mesa. “Ms. Schenkenberg is an extremely dedicated volunteer who truly enjoys seeing her Young Marines grow into responsible citizens,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “Our volunteers choose to give us their most valuable commodity, their free time. We sincerely appreciate that Ms. Schenkenberg gives much of her free time to the Young Marines, and we are very thankful for all she does.” The Young Marines is a national non-

OPAL �� page 16

day, and she was so hopeful on having a speci�ic themed party, that we could �igure out a creative way to think outside of the box to make her dream come true,” Teddi Deetz said. Grandon moved into the group home in January, but her family hasn’t been able to visit her. “We miss seeing her, but are glad she is in a safe place and healthy,” said Grandon’s nephew, John Whitcomb. “We all try to call her on the phone to let her know we are thinking about her, and this birthday parade will be something she and all of us that remember for a long time to come.” According to TR, Grandon was an avid

23ANDME �� page 18

brought us together, that it’s a healing thing for everyone,” Williams said. The timing was perfect for Williams, too. The same day Williams found out about Nancy and Jim was the same day she found out her divorce was going to be �inal. “Now I have this huge, amazing family, and it was just the most amazing, accepting, loving, unconditional love,”

Crystalyn Schenkenberg

traveler and has “lived in more countries than most people.” “She never married and had no children, so she spent many years living with and caring for her mother,” TR said. TR added that from the 1950s to the mid ‘60s, Grandon worked as a civilian employee for the Phoenix Police Department. After her mother’s death, she joined the U.S. Department of State and was assigned to posts and embassies around the world, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Vietnam, and Nepal. “While stationed in Nepal, she decided she wanted a car but had to go to India to get one. So, she went there to India and drove the car back from India by herself. Mind you this was in the 1960s, way before women’s lib,” said

Jeff Wilt, another nephew. He added that Grandon has shared stories of being shot at while in a U.S. Air Force plane �lying over the Great Wall of China and of a rhino charging after her while she was riding elephant in Nepal. “She was also evacuated from Saigon just three days before it fell to the Vietcong in 1975,” Jeff said. While on vacation, Grandon would travel to countries she hadn’t been assigned to; but it was her vacation to Hawaii with Garnet that resonated with her. “One of Opal’s fondest memories she has shared with us was going to a luau with her sister on this trip and experiencing the Hawaiian culture,” Teddi Deetz said. This parade was the �irst organized by Hospice of the Valley.

Lin Sue Cooney, hospice director of community engagement, said the community has been “wonderful,” creating handmade cards to cheer their patients, as well as donating hand sanitizer, sewing masks for visiting family members, and delivering Easter meals. “We are so grateful for everyone’s kindness during this uncertain time,” Cooney said. And Grandon’s family is grateful for Hospice of the Valley. “As a family, we want to thank the staff at Greenway Home Care and Hospice of the Valley for helping make this happen. Also, many thanks to friends and family who joined in the celebration,” said Pam Ruffer, Grandon’s niece. Information: hov.org

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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She makes home life easier for the disabled BY PAUL MARYNIAK Progress Executive Editor

taying in place has a special meaning for Dr. Emily Reilly. The Scottsdale woman and her business, Purposefully Home, is all about making that place comfortable and efficient for people whose disabilities might not necessarily have them looking at their home as a place where their heart is. Her business is all about improving the functionality of their home, ultimately making it more comfortable. The modifications could range from a lower bathroom sink for a wheelchairbound person to a total kitchen makeover to make cabinets, appliances and stationary equipment easy to reach. Reilly explains her mission simply: “I help transform a person’s home from a just-for-now home to a forever home.” It could involve a parent looking to

Dr. Emily Reilly helps makes homes more navigable for disabled people. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

childproof their home, a multigenerational family living under one roof trying to accommodate everyone, someone

recovering from an injury, a child with special needs or seniors looking to live in their home and avoid being placed in a facility for the elderly. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for her business likely become more noticeable for some. With stay-at-home orders in place, she said, “families have had to completely transition their homes into work spaces, school rooms, entertainment and home gyms. If some of the environment was designed for ease of use, there may be a lot less turmoil within" them. On the other hand, she added, “working directly with families in their homes requires travel from place to place and a lot of interaction within the community." Combined with other factors, she explained, "it can be challenging to effectively meet the needs of clients to coordinate care.” “Home projects can be low-tech or

very involved in larger scale remodels but many people are uncertain when a loved one may return home or the future of their own employment," Reilly added. "Therefore, financial stress and general concern for exposing loved ones" have become roadblocks to business. Reilly is not an interior designer per se. With a master’s degree in occupational therapy from The Sage Colleges in Troy, New York, she earned a doctorate in health science from Nova Southeastern University and an advanced certificate in home modifications through University of Southern California. As an occupational therapist with experience in long-term care, Reilly thinks of a home “beyond the typical ‘fridge, stove, counter, done' model.” She started her company in 2017 largely after caring for her mother and

see HOME page 22

Scottsdale businesses helping nonprofits BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

hroughout April, restaurants, schools and businesses small and large have been giving back to hospitals and healthcare workers, nonprofits, essential workers and other hometown heroes with face masks, sanitation wipes or free meals. Mission2Alpha, a local nonprofit for injured veterans and first responders, partnered with Rooster Tavern to donate $500 worth of meals to both the Scottsdale Police Department District 3 Vía Linda and to the Scottsdale Fire Department Station 610. Evening Entertainment Group has so far donated more than 500 meals from Casa Amigos to HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea

On April 14, Casa Mia and CM2 Pizzeria & Bake Shop donated 150 meals to HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, “to give thanks to frontline heroes.” (Casa Mia and CM2 Pizzeria & Bake Shop)

Medical Center, HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. They will drop off an additional 300 meals paid for by their loyal customers within the next couple of weeks. HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center also received 150 meals from Casa Mia and CM2 Pizzeria & Bake Shop. Brat Haus’ Scottsdale location provided free meals to more than 1,500 essential workers at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center as part of its “Feed the Heroes” program. “These incredible people are risking their lives daily in order to help others,” said Dave Andrea, Brat Haus owner. “It’s

see DONATIONS page 22

BUSINESS

DONATIONS �� page 21

been really gratifying to make even the smallest difference for them. Now is the time to make sure that they are being taken care of too.” Brat Haus also started a “Drain the Taps” program that offers 64-ounce growler fills for $10. Restaurant vendors such as Denmark Foods, Capistrano Bakery, Waterloo Sparkling Water and Crescent Crown Distributing have donated products and funds to the program. “As long as the community continues to visit our curbside pick-up and take advantage of the great beer special, we’ll keep feeding the first responders and health care workers that we’re counting on to get us through this pandemic,” Andrea said. Scottsdale-based businesses are also donated personal protective equipment, or personal protective equipment. PCA Skin partnered with FABRIC and their nonprofit, AZ Apparel Foundation, to produce FDA-approved PPE. Through April 30, PCA Skin will donate 100 percent of proceeds from their daily care mask online sales to AZ Apparel Foundation. Proceeds up to $10,000 will assist FABRIC in ramping up production of PPE. “We are amazed by the work our Arizona neighbor company, AZ Apparel Foundation, is doing to help alleviate the PPE

HOME �� page 21

remembering her grandfather. “I observed the challenges first hand when my mom became ill unexpectedly, requiring brain surgery and I saw the struggles our family faced when my grandfather suffered a hemorrhagic stroke leaving him wheelchair bound,” Reilly recalled. Both situations involved homes that “required a great deal of effort and strain to negotiate equipment and day to day routines.” She often witnessed “how inefficient accessibility within the home and community typically caused premature institutional placement for adults and seniors.” Her experience in an acute-care setting also showed her “how ill-prepared families were to bring loved ones home.” “The majority of people wish to return

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

shortages and hope this initiative will help further fund their efforts,” said PCA SKIN CEO Joanna Zucker. Digital commercial printer Artisan Colour manufactured and donated their first set of COVID-19 face shields to Scottsdale fire and police departments. President/CEO Doug Bondon said, “When we heard reports about the rising COVID-19 infection rates and the shortage of protective gear for healthcare workers, you could feel the sadness in the room.” He said Alan Ludington, his director of digital printing, “suggested we do something to help and the energy instantly changed; the entire team got behind it.” When the project is completed, Artisan Colour will have dedicated an estimated 100 hours to producing 1,200 to 1,400 face shields. Axon committed more than $1 million for protective gear for first responders. Axon partnered with the National Police Foundation to match up to $500,000 in community donations through May 31, with all funds devoted to purchasing medical masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. “Times like these are a good reminder of the positive impact we can have when we work together,” said National Police Foundation President James Burch. Axon CEO/founder Rick Smith added: “Axon’s mission is to protect life and when technology isn’t the answer, we must look for another solution. In this case, helping people meet the most basic needs is the home after illness or injury and many people work hard to make that happen,” Reilly explained. “Unfortunately, there are gaps that remain and families are left to learn as they go once they return home,” she continued. Reilly focuses “on the person’s total environment.” She looks for practical ways to make a home and its amenities more accessible to the disabled, identifying hindrances to easy maneuverability through their daily routines. And she works with clients’ preferred contractors but also uses a network of ones that she personally vetted for reliability and trustworthiness. “It’s important the team we work with understands the functional aspects to the individual,” Reilly said. “It’s much more than random grab bars and wider doorways." For example, she sees a bathroom as

most important thing we can and will do.” Arizona residents raised a recordbreaking amount of money during this year’s Arizona Gives Day on April 7. Nearly 39,000 Arizonans donated more than $6 million to more than 900 nonprofits in the seventh annual event. Last year, Arizona Gives Day raised $3.6 million. Additionally, 2,225 volunteers pledged nearly 82,000 hours to nonprofits throughout Arizona. Family Promise of Greater Phoenix also received a donation of 32 mattresses from Thunderbird Charities, which distributes monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. “The donation of mattresses from the Thunderbirds will help our families feel comfortable in their current lodging as we work with them to navigate this challenging time,” said Ted Taylor, executive director of Family Promise of Greater Phoenix. Scottsdale-based Carlisle Companies donated $100,000 to the Arizona COVID-19 Community Response Fund, which supports Arizona nonprofit. Plexus Worldwide, a direct-selling health and wellness company based in Scottsdale, donated $32,000 to a variety of agencies for food, clothing and other help. And Scottsdale-based Massage Envy recently announced support of American Red Cross’ “Sleeves Up” campaign, a virtual blood drive where people can use an online tool to pledge a blood donation at an American Red Cross location or affili“the space within the home where people are the most vulnerable” and a place that can be “the most dangerous.” On one hand, bathrooms are places where people want “to maintain dignity, independence and a sense of modesty.” But they also are places where falls are most likely to occur. Then there’s the kitchen, which she said “is kind of an epicenter” in the home. “Unfortunately, meal prep and socializing in the kitchen space" are among the first activities "that are given up when the kitchen set-up doesn’t match the lifestyle,” she said. There may be children who can’t access the pantry or people with visual or other disabilities who “may be independent with the right adaptations but the space isn’t designed intuitively.” That's why, she said, "we empower people to live to their highest potential.” While she initially thought of focusing

ated blood bank. The campaign’s goal is 25,000 units of blood by Aug. 31. “We have an amazing network of caring franchisees who together with their teams are passionate about helping their communities. Combine that with the franchisees’ large loyal member base, our corporate employees and our vendor partners, families and friends, Massage Envy can make a huge difference at a time when the nation really needs it,” said CEO Beth Stiller. The Food and Drug Administration designated blood donation as an essential service. To pledge: sleevesup.redcrossblood.org. Meanwhile, DC Ranch Village Health Club & Spa, 18501 N. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, is collecting nonperishable food items all this week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day to benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix. Items most needed include peanut butter, canned protein, canned fruits and vegetables, dry or canned beans, and cereal. Carol Nalevanko, president of the Village Health Clubs & Spas, said, “Any donation can make a tremendous impact on those in our community who are struggling right now.” Information: pcaskin.com, bratHausaz. com, casaamigosaz.com, artisancolour. com, axon.com/covid, azgives.org, familypromiseaz.org, mission2alpha.org. on;y on the challenges adults can face in a home, Reilly realized her skills could apply to households "across the lifespan.” “There are new parents that hope to secure their home for the well-being of their little one, people that need to make it easier to care for pets, working families that need help streamlining how the function within the home and so much opportunity.” “Ultimately, I want people to live in their homes and be engaged in activities they enjoy doing with the people they care about,” Reilly added. “The best way to make an impact is to help them where they live, work and play starting within their home environment. “Not everyone realizes they could use some help but I know the value Purposefully Home offers and the client’s we have served to date have been so appreciative of the contributions we make to the team.” Information: purposefullyhome. com

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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Pandemic makes hands dangerous, beautiful BY PAT DODDS Progress Guest Writer

ur hands are dangerous. That’s the message we hear every 15 minutes in the Days of Coronavirus. Wash them often, sanitize them, keep them away from faces and keep them away from other hands. Really? We say to ourselves as we trace our lifelines. I could kill somebody with these? Well, sure. But you could save somebody, comfort somebody, protect somebody, too. That’s how hands work. Our hands’ odd duality hit me in a shocking instant. My father, who had suffered physically and mentally in his later years, decided one spring morning in 1999 to end his life with

an old hunting ri�le. When the family gathered in a side room just before the funeral, I was �labbergasted that my mother wanted the casket open for a few minutes. The mortician earnestly took us four sons aside and apologized that we wouldn’t see my father’s face, concealed by bandages. So, I thought the walk to the side of his casket would be a grim formality. It was revelation. My father’s hands were resting on his chest. There they were, the hands that pulled the trigger. But that was a �leeting impression. As I drew nearer, I realized I probably knew those hands more intimately than his face. A �iercely modest guy, a social distancer by nature, my dad habitually talked to his shoes. Perhaps that’s why he reveled in manual work.

He was a respected machinist, a home mechanic, a carpenter, a mason, a gardener. We kids were often his tool fetchers and hod carriers, watching those hands remove a spark plug, level a brick or graft a bud. With those hands, he had resurrected engines, stacked walls and brought forth seven types of apples on a single tree. So, his knuckles and wrists and even the traces of veins in his hands were eerily familiar. I touched them for a moment as the memories �looded. Those hands built and bent and bandaged so many things. They were miraculous. Today, during my 20-second soaping-andrinsing rituals, I �ind myself thinking of those miraculous, dangerous hands. I can’t help thinking of the miraculous, dangerous hands in hospitals, the doctors and nurses, technicians, therapists, food servers and jani-

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tors who desperately want their hands to heal and not infect. I think of the hands in nursing homes, homeless shelters, day care centers, the hands driving trucks and ambulances and police cars, those delivering mail, the hands stocking supermarket shelves and harvesting crops. For me, these unsettled times feel much like that grim walk to the edge. And the shock we’re experiencing also feels revelatory. We’re seeing familiar hands differently, realizing how mundane, daily tasks keep us all safe, housed, fed and well. It’s wise to regard them all with caution, to use the wipes and bleach on the doorknobs and counters and packages. After that’s done, it’s wiser still to see all those hands anew -- with awe and thanks.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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New Old Town eatery defies pandemic BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

hile many restaurants are shuttered amid the pandemic, others are opening their doors for the first time — like Chispa’s, a fast, fresh, healthy Mexican food concept located in the old Hopi Liquors building in southern Scottsdale. Owned by Czarina Valenzuela, a member of the Corral family that owns Los Olivos Mexican Patio in Old Town, Chispa’s celebrated its soft opening April 8. So far, it has been a hit. “People have been so supportive – the community, everybody. The outpouring has been great, and I hope it stays,” said Maria “Chispa” Corral, Valenzuela’s mom. The restaurant is named after her.

Chispa’s Mexican Restaurant staff includes, from left, head cook Czarina Trevino, Maria Corral and owner Czarina Valenzuela. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

“Her name means ‘spark,’ and she’s definitely a spark,” Valenzuela said with a laugh. “She is named after my beloved grandmother, and my grandfather nicknamed her ‘Chispa.’ I think only 1 percent of the people who know her even know her real name, which is funny and hopefully a great name for a restaurant,” she added. Chispa’s opened with limited hours and menu and a small staff that includes Corral and Valenzuela’s daughter, Czarina “Muni” Trevino, as head cook. “It was better to be able to open up slowly and ensure that we had kinks worked out,” Valenzuela explained. “But I never thought it’d be this busy,” Corral added.

see CHISPA'S page 26

Schnepf Farms’ peach season adapts to pandemic BY PAUL MARYNIAK Progress Executive Editor

he COVID-19 pandemic has made life anything but peachy for Carrie and Mark Schnepf, but the Queen Creek farmers aren’t about to let it destroy one of their favorite times of the year. In a week or so, Schnepf Farms will be letting the public into its peach orchard – Arizona’s largest with 5,000 trees – but with some new rules appropriate to this age of social distancing. Until last year, the Schnepfs held a Peach Festival every May to celebrate the advent of the ripened fruit. But even before “social distancing” became part of everyday vocabulary, the Schnepfs saw a need for crowd control, so “we quit the Peach Festival last year because it was just getting too big for us

Longtime Queen Creek farmers Mark and Carrie Schnepf say people can share in their harvest of succulent peaches by either ordering them online already picked or registering online to drop by and pick them. (Special to Progress)

to do anymore and we couldn’t make sure we had peaches on the trees every time,” said Carrie. “So, now we’re doing peach season come on every weekend,” she said. Through most of last May, Mark estimates, between 40,000 and 50,000 people flocked to Schnepf Farms at 24810 E. Rittenhouse Road, to wander through the orchard and pick as many peaches as they wanted. Before the change, Mark said, “We had too many people coming on one weekend. And so we stopped doing it to help spread out the crowd over four or five weekends and it worked brilliantly. We loved it. We still did everything in terms of all the baking and that kind of stuff, but it just worked out a lot better because we didn’t have 10,000 people all in one day.”

see PEACHES page 26

FOOD & DRINK

CHISPA'S �� page 25

Chispa’s menu – described as “healthyminded classics, elevated with the best ingredients and made from family recipes generations in the making” — includes build-it-yourself tacos, burritos, bowls and quesadillas. “Everything’s made every two hours, like the beans, the rice, everything. Nothing stays from the day before – nothing,” Corral said. Chispa’s guests start with their protein, which includes pastor, pollo aside, veggies, carnet aside, fish or shrimp; their beans, which include whole, refried or spicy; and salsa, either medium or hot. Then, guests choose up to three toppings, including pico de gallo, pickled onions, avocado salsa, roasted jalapeños, cilantro and onions, roasted green chiles, and more. This concept is a nod to the authentic taco experience in Mexico. “In Mexico, they would they do the cucumber pickled onions, chilis of different kinds. They serve it on a platter. They give you your taco without anything [on it],” Corral explained.

PEACHES �� page 25

This year, with social distancing still a necessity, the Schnepfs are giving people two ways to get a hold of their succulent fruit. From Tuesday through Sunday, they can sign up at schnepffarms.com for a one-hour chance to pick their own starting at 6 a.m. “There’s going to be a reservation system for a date and a time where people can come and pick,” Mark explained, “So, for instance, where before we might have 1,000 people showing up at the same time, we’re now going to have a reservation system …we will allow 10 cars and 10 cars only to drive out to the orchard to pick peaches and when they’re gone, there will be a new group that is allowed in. That way, we can completely control the number of people that are in the orchard at any one time.” People also will be able to go online at schnepffarms.com to place an order for pre-picked peaches. “We’ll be picking the peaches ourselves with our crew and boxing them in our regular peach boxes and, like we do now with our vegetables, people will be able

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

“It’s a little bit more gourmet compared to what you would get, but it’s definitely the same and lots of fixings,” Valenzuela added. “I definitely think that quality is more important to a lot of people.” So far, guests’ favorite menu items are the carne asada, fish and shrimp tacos. “The fish are the best fish taco I’ve ever had,” Corral said. “Her tacos are very fresh. When you order, you’re going to have to wait maybe four minutes.” Their weekly Friday ceviche night is already popular. “We’re very go-with-the-flow people and the support from the community has been great,” Valenzuela said. “So, we’ll definitely try to accommodate the best we can as we go.” That includes expanding the menu and their hours “as fast as possible.” “You’ll see me on the weekends because I know Friday and Saturday is going to be packed,” Corral said. Corral said she’s very proud of her daughter and that she wishes her own late mother, Maria Elena Corral, was alive to see Valenzuela open Chispa’s. “She would’ve just been delighted,” Corral said.

to pre-order and prepay online and then literally drive through and pick up the box or boxes. That will be kind of a time situation too, so depending on what time of day they place their order will depend on when they can actually come and pick them up. “We’ll pick peaches in the morning on one day. And if we have, say, 300 boxes of peaches, then that’s what we’ll put online the next morning as available so we don’t oversell. People won’t be able to just drive to the farm on the spur of the moment and buy a bunch of boxes of peaches.” The Schnepfs aren’t sure exactly when the peaches will be ready for picking or picking up and said people should start checking their website daily for updates. “We want everyone to have that experience of picking their own peaches off our peach trees, but we literally can get a couple thousand at one time, so we have to be careful this year,” Mark added. But he didn’t simply go to a drivethrough system like he’s been using the past several weeks for the other vegetables he grows and the breads, cinnamon rolls, pies and other baked goods that Carrie and her team make each day and sell from their on-site country store.

Chispa’s is a restaurant seven years in the making. Valenzuela said she hit pause for three good reasons: her sons, Jakob, 15, Joaquin, 13, and Jett, 8. “I have three boys who are extremely, extremely active, and my husband’s a baseball coach. It wasn’t worth opening and missing my boys’ childhood experiences,” Valenzuela said. “We have such a great community with our baseball families.” But when her sons’ baseball season was cut short due to the pandemic, Valenzuela saw it as her chance to finally open Chispa’s. “And with restaurants temporarily closing, we decided to offer fresh, healthy fastfood,” Valenzuela added. Valenzuela chose to go a healthier route because it reflected her own family’s diet. “My daughter stopped eating a lot of fast food in high school, and my boys really don’t eat a lot of fast food,” she said, adding that she has a gluten intolerance. “That’s where the passion for that came from, was being able to have fresh ingredients,” Valenzuela added. “And our quality of meats is the same my family’s been using for 50 years. I didn’t want anyone to question what they were getting. That was For more than a month now, Carrie each morning posts on the website what’s available, so people can order and prepay and just drive through to pick up their order Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. To 4 p.m. Some people are still allowed to wander onto the farm and pick available vegetables themselves, Mark said, but social distancing rules still apply. Peach season holds a special fondness for Mark, who with his wife over the years has turned the farm into the state’s biggest grower of the fruit – an accomplishment in which he takes great pride. “When I was a kid. There were fruit orchards all over the place and they’re just all gone,” he said. Asked what’s so special about peaches, he replied, “Because they’re beautiful, first of all. I mean, the orchards are beautiful. They’re shady, they’re quiet, the fruit is so nice to look at. “But then it just tastes so doggone good. We don’t pick until it’s ripe. I mean it just has amazing flavor. You know, I’m not bashing any grocery store but grocery stores have to pick the fruit green in order to give it a two-week shelf life. We

important to me.” Since Chispa’s soft open, Valenzuela said she’s had many people come in and tell stories of how they know her family, the Corral family, which celebrated 100 years in Scottsdale last year. “I get to hear these amazing stories of how they were in school with my uncle or my aunt or my mom, and that has been extremely, extremely, extremely cool. Everyone has a story, and it incorporates both the restaurants and the family,” Valenzuela said. “It feels like it brings people together more,” she added. “Los Olivos has always been that kind of place, but now we get to do it, too.” Chispa’s currently offers takeout and drive-through. Call 480-590-0354 to place your order ahead of time.

If you go

Chispa’s Where: 8046 E. Thomas Road Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Call ahead: 480-590-0354 Website: gochispas.com

don’t do that at the farm. We let it treeripen so it has more sugar, more flavor.” The pandemic has put the season and the farm under the same cloud most businesses have been under since social-distancing guidelines were imposed. One of the biggest impacts has been on the farm’s wedding business. “We had 48 weddings postponed,” Carrie said. “That was the tough. We already had the food purchased. I had a freezer full of meat.” “Our event business has come to a screeching halt. The Good Life Festival has been postponed for a year.” For the first time since they started their Easter “Egg-Citement event on their 300-acre farm 23 years ago, the Schnepfs had to cancel. The couple is thinking of inaugurating some special activities if social distancing goes on much longer – including drive-in movies and even drive-through graduations. “What is doing well is our UPICK Garden,” said Carrie, who said at least people can pick up fresh vegetables and baked goods and then “stay at home, enjoy themselves, slow down.” Information: schnepffarms.com.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | APRIL 26, 2020

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