Scottsdale Progress 06-19-22 by Times Media Group

Apartment debate / P. 8

Troon teacher wins big / P. 31

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

BUSINESS.................... 27

Scottsdale's most expensive house is under construction.

Barry Graham

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Daniel Ishac

Kathy Littlefield

Concert by candlelight coming to Scottsdale.

Raoul Zubia

Solange Whitehead

Tim Stratton

Council candidates debate Scottsdale issues BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer

ARTS................................ 32

Pamela Carter

Sunday, June 19, 2022

he seven candidates running for three Scottsdale City Council seats in the Aug. 2 election discussed their positions on a variety of local issues during a 90-minute debate at the Scottsdale Methodist Church June 14. Approximately 200 people turned out for

the event sponsored by HonorHealth, SRP, the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce. Scottsdale United Methodist Church and the Scottsdale Progress and The questions were a mix of ones requiring the candidates to provide detail on their positions on seven major issues while others sought only very brief responses. Among the latter was a question on whether they favored. Five candidates flatly

rejected the idea while Barry Graham and Tim Stratton suggested the decision should be made by the voters. A video of the forum can be viewed at scottsdalechamber.com. Here are the candidates and issues: Growth vs. limited water resources Pamela Carter said, “I want to keep our aquifers full and I know there is a lot of con-

dale Fire Department Community Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator Dave Ramirez. The preserve is in its most delicate state right now and the mission is clear: “We want to keep it intact because once it burns, it’s just never the same,” Ramirez said. That is why crews have been working since January to mitigate fire risks in the 30,000-acre site, taking a multi-pronged

approach toward fire mitigation. First, Scottsdale has received state and county grants to reduce brush and other vegetation in targeted areas to reduce the threat of wildfires starting and provide defensible spaces that can slow the spread of a fire. Attention has been focused along road-

see FORUM page 16

Officials warily monitor Preserve’s tinderbox condition

FOOD............................... 34 Local restaurant aims for drink, food legacy.

NEIGHBORS.......................................... 24 BUSINESS................................................27 SPORTS.................................................... 31 ARTS............................................32 FOOD............................................34 CLASSIFIEDS...............................38

BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer

fter the hot, dry spring, wouldn’t take much to start a catastrophic fire in Scottsdale’s beloved McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Preserve and fire officials here say. “It’s possible we could lose almost the entire preserve in one burn,” said Scotts-

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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 1900 W. Broadway Road Tempe, AZ 85282 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@TimesLocalMedia.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@TimesLocalMedia.com Advertising Office Manager Trish Simpson | 480-898-6500 | tsimpson@TimesLocalMedia.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@TimesLocalMedia.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com Staff Writers Alex Gallagher | 843-696-6442 | agallagher@TimesLocalMedia.com John Graber | 480-898-5682 | jgraber@TimesLocalMedia.com Photographers Dave Minton | dminton@TimesLocalMedia.com Design Veronica Thurman | vthurman@TimesLocalMedia.com Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@TimesLocalMedia.com Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@TimesLocalMedia.com 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, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

Scottsdale lawyer wins $11.75M from county BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer

he Maricopa County Sheriff’s office has agreed to pay $11.75 million to a former inmate at the county jail for deliberately failing to protect him and ignoring his medical needs after he was assaulted by another inmate so badly he did not wake from a comma for two more than months. The settlement is believed to be the largest ever paid by Maricopa County to a single individual arising from a jail-related injury, said Tony Piccuta, a Scottsdale attorney who represented the victim and his mother. The victim, Brian Ortiz, was 18 at the time of the beating on May 26, 2020, at the 4th Avenue Maricopa County Jail. The attack left Ortiz “severely, cognitively disabled, for lack of a better word, mentally retarded,” Piccuta said. Ortiz was in jail on a probation violation from an original charge of assaulting a police officer. He was being held in the highest level of security possible at the jail, where strict rules govern inmate interaction. However, jail employees had allowed a “modified closed custody” situation that allowed three inmates to interact at the time of the incident. An investigation turned up no paperwork permitting the “modified closed custody” to occur. “It became pretty clear to us it was some kind of ad hoc, shoot-from-thehip policy,” Piccuta said. Ortiz was beaten by inmate Xavier Fregoso. The complaint alleged “Ortiz was punched, kicked and stomped by another inmate almost 50 times” and “was beaten with such violent force that he fell into a coma and did not regain consciousness for more than two months.”

“During the assault and in the critical time period following,” it said, “no one came to his aid…[and] Ortiz was not so much as placed in an ambulance until approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes after he was lying unconscious on the ground, seizing and bleeding from his head.” The incident was allowed to happen because of a dereliction of duty, Piccuta said, adding, “There is no real explanation, somebody wasn’t watching over surveillance.” Detention officers doing security walks in the cell block did not notice Ortiz bleeding from the head and having seizures, according to the lawsuit. His mother was not notified of the attack until June 1. Hospital staff asked for permission to take Ortiz off lifesupport but she refused. Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said in a written statement, “I offer my heartfelt apology to the Ortiz family as we conclude the litigation regarding the violent attack against Mr. Ortiz that occurred while in our custody in 2020. It is my expectation and our commitment that everyone in our care and custody is entitled to a safe and healthy environment. “MCSO works hard to ensure the safety of the inmates, officers and all working in the jail facilities. Unfortunately, jails are inherently dangerous given many of those incarcerated are violent criminals, like the inmate who attacked Mr. Ortiz. Although MCSO meets or exceeds national best practices, the subsequent delay in our recognition of the event and engagement to provide aide occurred due to human and operational shortcomings. This is not an excuse, yet it is a reality in the complex environment that exists within the jail setting. Penzone said his officers did nothing

Tony Piccuta wrong. “The officers involved did not violate any MCSO policy and it would be unfair to blame our officers as the complexities of their job, which are beyond that which most outside of law enforcement experience, do not allow for human error. “As the Sheriff, I will not overlook nor excuse our organizational limitations. We have and will continue to seek ways to more quickly identify violence within the jail walls and to mitigate the threat to anyone under our supervision. We continue to seek artificial intelligence technology, expanded staffing opportunities and operational measures to improve our every action on behalf of the community we serve, and that includes the inmate population. “The cost to our taxpayers due to this incident is considerable and I am disappointed. The cost to Mr. Ortiz’s health and future cannot be measured.”

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ten occur adjacent to the Preserve and FIRE from front so they have become the focus for tarway edges in and around the Preserve, geted efforts by the Fire Department’s State Trust lands, and key alignments Prevention Division since 2020. that function as fuel breaks to stop or The department inspector, together slow the forward movement of wild- with the general contractor or job sufires. pervisor, walk the site while using a Second, Scottsdale Fire Department wildfire safety checklist. If there are any has three brush trucks patrolling neigh- deficiencies, remedies can be impleborhoods on the fringes of the desert mented immediately. Results of the inthroughout the city to help prevent or spection are provided to the job superstop wildfires. Crews may also leave in- visor as soon as the inspection is over. In addition to these efforts, the Fire formation on doorknobs to remind residents to remove the brush during the Department’s wildland team participate in drills to combat any surge of a wildfire dry season. Finally, crews are focusing on inspect- that could break out in desert areas like the Preserve, DC Ranch or Rio Verde. ing residential construction sites. “All of this is just about giving ourMany brush fires start from sparks from dragging chains, cutting, welding, selves a fighting chance” if a fire breaks and grinding metals. These activities of- out, Ramirez said. Residents are encouraged to assist the department by protecting their homes from fire by taking proven risk reduction steps. These include creating a 30-foot defensible safety zone by removing dry and dead vegetation around the home, keeping a garden hose connected to exterior hose bibs available for use, and being aware of potential ignition sources like fireplaces, barbecue grills, improper disposal of smoking Surveying the tinder-dry McDowell Sonoran Preserve are Pre- materials and fireserve Manager Scott Hamilton, left, and Dave Ramirez, Scott- works. sdale Fire Department Community Wildﬁre Mitigation Coordi“It’s good housenator. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer) keeping,” Ramirez said. Family managed since 1981

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Crews are removing dead brush from along roads in and near the McDowell Sonoran Preserve to reduce the risks of sparks from vehicles touching off a catastrophic blaze. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

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people and communities through a process of risk assessments and create a three-year action plan broken down annually to identify and prioritize actions take to reduce fire risks. More information is at nfpa.org Among more than 100 Firewise communities in Arizona, 14 are in Scottsdale. They include Ancala, Ancala West, Cresta Norte, Desert Diamond Estates, Desert Views/Four Peaks, Ironwood Village, Legend Trail, Mirabel Community, Legend Trail, Paloma Paseo, Quisana, Terravita and Verdante. The city by far has more Firewise communities than any other in Maricopa County. The Scottsdale Fire Department also provides a wealth of tips on wildfire prevention and what to do in the event of an emergency. Go to scottsdaleaz. gov/fire/wild-fire-prevention

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

Reports renew apartment development debate here BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer

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hey say the three most important factors in real estate are location, location and location and if that location is Scottsdale, it’s going to cost money, money, money. Forget about owning a home, even renting in Scottsdale can break the bank. According to the website Zumper.com, Scottsdale has the 14th highest median price for a one-bedroom apartment in the nation at $1,810 per month. Some places where it’s cheaper to rent a one-bedroom apartment than Scottsdale include, Chicago, Denver and Honolulu, it said. One reason for Scottsdale’s rental prices is insufficient supply. Opponents of development in Scottsdale claim the city has 10,000 apartments in the metaphorical pipeline, but that may not be as overwhelming than it sounds for a couple of reasons. For one thing, that number isn’t really 10,000. In an email to City Council members dated May 2, Assistant City Manager Brent Stockwell stated the number of multifamily units “in the pipeline” is actually 7,879.

Sal Cosenza, an artist and friend of Mayor David Ortega, said he shares the mayor’s criticism of apartment over-development in the city and submitted this cartoon with Ortega’s recommendation. “I too support a more appropriate, measured, and contextual response to Scottsdale’s future residences,” said Cosenza, a faculty associate at the Arizona State University Design School. (Sal Cosenza)

And of those, 1,489 are considered “prospective” units meaning, “zoning entitlements are still being sought – or

the cases are so old, it’s unknown as to

see CONSTRUCTION page 18

Rental scene may be changing – for now BY PAUL MARYNIAK Progress Executive Editor

he rental market both locally and nationally is cooling a bit – but analysts said two weeks ago there might not be much reason to celebrate on either front. Apartmentlist.com, a nationwide rental listing firm, said trends in apartment vacancies and rent indicate that more empty apartments are entering the market and rent increases are slowing, but that likely won’t remain the case longterm. And looking at the Phoenix Metro area, the Cromford Report said that even the limited rental data available on the Arizona Regional Multi Listing Service shows that “though the median lease price has increased over the 12 months, far more listings are leasing below the asking price and far more listings are ap-

see RENT page 12

Apartment list.com showed this nationwide trajectory in apartment vacancies and rent increases, but said these favorable trends may be adversely affected by cooling home sales. (apartmentlist.com)

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

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torytelling drives new ABC15 anchor Javier Soto. In his 18-year career in Arizona, the Emmy Award-winning journalist has covered the Jodi Arias murder trial, the Yarnell Hill wildfire, Senate Bill 1070 and the major protests that followed, the contempt-of-court cases against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Phoenix serial shooter, and the death of Sen. John McCain. “That’s why I got into the news business,” said Soto, a Scottsdale resident. “It’s never the same thing every day. You never know what to expect. The amazing storytelling is what drives me in telling the stories that sometimes are untold. “That’s what excites me: Those personal stories we share with the public.” Partnered with Katie Raml, Soto debuted on ABC15’s 5 p.m. newscast on June 13 after spending nearly two decades at Arizona’s Family stations, channels 3 and 5. Soto replaces Steve Irvin, who retired in May after welldocumented heart problems. “I have been friends with Javier for more than a decade,” Raml said. “He is deeply committed to this community. He represents the values of ABC15. I am energized to now work alongside him every day.” Soto graduated from California State University in Long Beach, starting his career as a producer at KTLA in Los Angeles. His first on-air position was at KPVI in Pocatello, Idaho, as a reporter/ anchor. After two years, he accepted a job as the Northern Arizona bureau chief for KTVK. After taking over as the morning reporter on the station’s morning newscasts, he was promoted to weekend anchor and then morning anchor before joining ABC15. “ABC15 has an amazing reputation in Arizona,” Soto said. “I am thrilled to be part of a station that values community-changing jour-

Javier Soto said he has a passion for storytelling and a desire for honesty. (ABC15/Submitted)

nalism. I cannot wait to get started.” Mitch Jacob, ABC15 news director, has long been impressed with Soto’s passion for storytelling. “He understands the needs of Arizona and will hit the ground running day one in the newsroom. Javier is a wonderful addition to ABC15,” he said. Being a journalist is challenging, in the light of “fake news” claims. Soto said he did not think the negative comments and finger pointing would snowball. He said he discussed the issue with TV news anchor Scott Pelley, when he was in Phoenix accepting the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. “I’ll never forget what he told me,” he said. “He said, ‘That alone should make you work harder. We need to get everybody grounded and back to the pillars of journalism to make sure we do it right — cross our T’s and dot our I’s,’” Soto recalled. “If we stick to those pillars and continue doing what we’re supposed to do — double checking and getting it right

see SOTO page 12

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

RENT from page 8

pearing on the ARMLS database. “Landlords do not bother to list their properties on the MLS if they expect them to lease up very quickly and easily,” the Cromford Report said. “So the fact that we are seeing a 40% increase in new rental listings compared with 2021 shows us that landlords are less confident than they were a year ago.” Nevertheless, sales of apartment complexes are continuing at a major pace – often at prices that are more than double what they sold for only a few years ago. The Cromford Report said that in the Valley, nearly three-quarters of the 1,473 leases that closed in May 2021 came in at the asking rental price while 18.3% were below. By contrast, last month saw just over half of the 1,954 closed leases settle at the asking price and 41.6% fall below it. Still, the median closed lease price last month was $2,200 – higher than the $1,900 median a year ago. “The rental listings on ARMLS are not a balanced cross-section of the rental market,” the Cromford Report cautioned. “They tend to be skewed towards higher-end properties and single-family homes rather than relatively affordable apartments.” “Rental prices have not changed a lot in the last five months and the median lease price seems to have hit a stable patch around $2,200,” it said, adding that the 2,385 vacancies reported on June 5 was up 26% from Jan. 1 and 79% form Sept. 1. Those trends are similar to what apartmentlist.com reported.

SOTO from page 10

— we’ll surpass this slogan and take journalism to the next level.” That said, with ABC15, Soto said he brings a passion for journalism and his efforts to “get it right.” “I think the love for the community is right up there at the top as well,” he said.

ApartmentList.com showed this nationwide trajectory in apartment vacancies and rent increases, but said these favorable trends may be adversely affected by cooling home sales. (apartmentlist.com)

“In Phoenix, for example, rents have increased by just 2 percent over the past six months, during which time the city’s vacancy index has gradually eased back to 5 percent, close to where it was before the onset of the pandemic,” Apartmentlist.com said last week. “After experiencing significant disruption over the past two years, the rental market has begun to gradually stabilize,” it continued. “The markets that saw large spikes in vacancies in the early pandemic have since seen renters return. Meanwhile, demand has started to

“As a journalist, it’s not typical to stay in one place this long—especially just coming up through the ranks. I absolutely fell in love with Arizona. This is home to me and my wife for the rest of our lives.” When he’s not at the desk, Soto and his wife of eight years, Beatrice, enjoy exploring Arizona, supporting various causes and attending sports events.

level off in the nation’s hottest markets. That said, the availability of vacant units nationally remains notably constrained compared to the pre-pandemic norm. “Even if our national vacancy index continues its gradual easing, it won’t surpass 6 percent until well into next year on its current trajectory.” Apartment list also said that the rapid cooling of the housing market may have an adverse impact on rental units’ supply and, consequently, rates. “There are factors at play which could present headwinds to that easing,” it

“We’re very involved in the community and various organization, especially when it comes to events,” he said. “I was fortunate to be part of many events as an emcee. I married a foodie. She’s constantly telling me about the new restaurants that are opening. After those restaurants, we have to stay in the gym to keep the weight off. It’s a vicious circle.”

said. “Although we’re now at the start of the busy season for the rental market, when the bulk of moving activity normally takes place, rapidly rising rents may incentivize many renters to stay put and renew existing leases rather than looking for new ones. “At the same time, the recent spike in mortgage rates has created yet another barrier to a historically difficult for-sale market, potentially sidelining would-be homebuyers and keeping them in the rental market. Given these factors, it’s possible that the easing of our vacancy index could level off in the coming months.” Regardless of the trends in rent and vacancies, investors are still scooping up apartment complexes. Two weeks ago in Scottsdale, Highland Properties 1622 LLC of Longmont, Colorado, paid $4.5 million for two buildings on the southwest corner of Goldwater Boulevard and 1st Street for a proposed new 31-unit apartment complex called Winery Suites of Scottsdale, according to vizzda. The development includes a four-story building with retail on the first floor, underground parking with 30 stalls and suites ranging in size between 740 and 850 square feet, vizzda reported, The buildings that were purchased include a retail structure built in 1955 and an office building built in 1965 that were first sold at an auction in 2013 for $428,000 and then sold again in 2017 for $1.4 million, according to vizzda. Scottsdale City Council in 2019 approved a rezoning request for the new project. In Mesa, six complexes and one condo community changed hands in the last four weeks in deals totaling $459 million.

He said he loves what Arizona has to offer as much as Valley residents have embraced him. “They’ve always shown me love and I hope that they know when I’m on TV or off TV, I do everything with a great passion,” Soto said. “I give them 100% and I’m just me. At the end of the day, that’s all I can be, and I hope it resonates with people.”

Know anything interesting going on in Scottsdale? Send your news to agallagher@TimesLocalMedia.com

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Legislature eyes massive voucher expansion BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

our years after voters rejected a similar plan, Republican lawmakers are pushing ahead with a plan to let any of the 1.1 million students in public schools get vouchers to attend private and parochial schools. HB 2853, approved last week by the House Ways and Means Committee on a 6-4 party-line vote, would remove all restrictions on who can get what are called Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. Backers say this ensures that parents get to decide what is the best option for their youngsters. That assertion was disputed by Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools. She said that unlike public schools, private schools can pick and choose who they want to accept. And Lewis said those schools, many of which are for-profit corporations, accept those who will cost them the least, meaning the highest achievers and students who do not have special needs. Republicans said they are not ignoring

the needs of public schools, voting to increase state aid to schools by $400 million, above another $250 million additional already planned. But there’s less there than meets the eye. First, only half of that additional cash is permanent. And it is weighted so the districts with more students in financial need would get more. Beyond that, schools would have to wait until the 2023-2024 school year for the one-time $200 million infusion. And House Majority Leader Ben Toma, R-Peoria, who crafted both measures, included a “poison pill’’ of sorts: It says that if the vouchers do not become law, the public schools don’t get any of that $400 million. That is designed to deter the education community from doing to HB 2853 what they did to a similar voucher expansion measure approved by GOP lawmakers in 2017: They collected sufficient signatures to put the expansion on the 2018 ballot. And voters overruled the legislation by a margin of close to 2 to 1. Toma made no secret of his desire to use the additional funds for K-12 education as

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leverage for vouchers. “There should be incentive for everyone to be supportive of school choice,’’ he said. “It feels like we’re being held hostage to the voucher expansion,’’ responded Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley. And Lewis told Capitol Media Services that supporters of public education won’t be deterred, vowing to go to the ballot once again if the Republican-controlled Legislature approves universal vouchers. She pointed out that voters in 2020 approved Proposition 208 to infuse another nearly $1 billion into public education. That was sidelined after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled the tax could not be levied because it bumped up against a constitutional limit on education spending. Lewis, the education community and their Democratic allies are not alone in saying schools need more than HB 2854 is offering. Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, said he is holding out for an amount close to that $1 billion figure. And with only 16 Republicans in the 30-member Senate, the plan cannot get final approval without his vote. The voucher legislation is the culmination of what started out as a small program in 2011 to help parents of children with disabilities. Arizona courts upheld the legality of the program, saying the fact that the parents decided where to spend the dollars means it does not violate constitutional provisions against state aid to private or parochial schools. It provides the equivalent of 90% of what the state would pay to send the same child to a public school, though HB 2853 contains provisions that actually would boost that beyond public school aid. Since that time, it has been expanded so it now covers foster children, reservation residents and students attending schools rated D or F. All those conditions would disappear under HB 2853. How many would move from public schools is unclear. The latest figures show 11,775 students getting these vouchers, with an average award of $15,225. That figure, however, includes students with special needs who get more money, with the bulk of the vouchers between $6,000 and $7,000 a year.

Proponents say legislative budget staffers estimate that only between 25,000 and 30,000 more students will move to private or parochial schools. Foes say some of them charge far more in tuition than the size of the voucher, meaning only parents who can afford the difference can take advantage of the state funds. Jill Humphreys who serves on the board of the Gilbert Unified School District, said one problem with vouchers is lack of accountability. Toma did agree to put provisions in the bill to require students in private or parochial schools with more than 50 students to take some sort of standardized test to measure academic progress. But unlike tests administered to students in public schools, those results will be made available only to each child’s parent. Rep. Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe, said there needs to be more transparency to determine if the public funds are being properly spent. Rep. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, said public knowledge of how voucher-funded students are performing is irrelevant. “You mention accountability,’’ she said. “But parents are, at the end of the day, they’re holding schools accountable by either keeping their kids somewhere or removing them.’’ The voucher expansion plan drew support from Jeff Blake, superintendent of Phoenix Christian Preparatory School. He said vouchers are not simply being used by the rich, telling lawmakers that about 55% of the students qualify for free or reducedprice lunches under federal programs. Epstein, however, said that still leaves the question of why state taxpayers should finance the religious education that is part of the curriculum there and at other parochial schools. Blake said he sees no problem with that. Drew Anderson, senior pastor of Legacy Christian Center, a supporter of vouchers, said it doesn’t really matter what voters said in 2018. “That was eons ago,’’ he said, saying a lot can change in four years. The measure now goes to the full House where there may need to be further changes to pick up the support of all 31 Republicans. And if it gets approved there, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate, especially with the concerns expressed by Boyer.

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FORUM from front

cern about water but we’re only in the Tier 1 (in the city’s drought management plan). I’m confident Scottsdale is taking care of this and I want to manage those resources the best I can for voters.” Barry Graham said housing developments must be approached with caution, stating, “I’m not on board with those who say they want to build” thousands of apartments “because I don’t think that’s sustainable from a water standpoint.” “Something else I would like to see is when projects come before city council they produce a water matrix that shows the incremental use of water for those particular projects,” Graham said. Stating “there are many things the city can continue to do and should do,” Daniel Ishac said “I support that sustainability as part of my platform” but added, “Something we should not do is stop all growth and development and tell the world we’re closed for business.” Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield, running for her final term, said “Currently our water supply is sufficient but we are under a Tier One conservation program,” and warned residents at some point “are going to have to ration water and that is going to continue as the need and demand for our water continues to increase.” She said a longer-term answer would involve transporting water across the country but that for now “we need to stop automatically approving water guzzling over development.” Tim Stratton said water is a regional, not local, issue and that “we have to make sure we do a better job working with our regional partners, with the county, with the other municipalities, with CAP and SRP to make sure we have water supply.” Councilwoman Solange Whitehead, who is seeking her second term, said one of her first initiatives was raising greenbuilding standards for new construction “these new projects not only use less energy but less water and council” and that the measure will soon come up for a vote. “The two biggest reservoirs are conservation and recycling,” she said. “Scottsdale has invested in both for decades. Scottsdale today treats 20 million gallons a day of water to a quality that exceeds bottled water. That’s our sewage but we need to expand that technology. We need to make sure other cities in the valley are

Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Mark Stanton sets the groundrules for the debate. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

doing the same.” Agreeing that water is a regional problem, Raoul Zubia also cautioned, “If we stop growing or slow down our growth, it’s just going to go somewhere else and they are going to be using the same water we should be using. “We have to find a way we can still grow and use the water and the best way to do that is to tell the developers they should add somethings that will create a technology for water conservation and

such,” Zubia added.

Old Town, downtown height and density Graham said existing heights and density in Old Town should not be changed because it’s a tourist draw and that downtown development in general should not be allowed to reach 15 stories, adding, “You’ve got to think about what that does to traffic, water use and public safety.” While Ishac opposed changes in Old Town height and density, he said other

The audience listened attentively to the candidates during the dbeate at Scottsdale United Methodist Church. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

parts of downtown “can support larger buildings” but added, “There are very few places that 150 feet could even be considered let alone approved.” Zubia, Whitehead, Littlefield and Stratton also opposed any height and density changes in Old Town, though Stratton added some other downtown areas could have “a little more height and density.” Whitehead added she has helped negotiate “mid-rise, not high rises” that are “replacing vacant, blighted buildings with boutique hotels and high-end residential units.” Carter echoed her support for maintaining existing height and density in Old Town, adding, “I want to preserve and protect from the high-rise, high density, over development in Scottsdale.” Old Town character On a related question involving the city’s efforts to maintain Old Town’s culture and character, the candidates agreed that the city needs to support its arts and culture with Littlefield calling for improved transportation and she and Stratton emphasizing the need for more parking to maintain its appeal to tourists. Whitehead noted the city is moving forward with an “emerald necklace” path system to connect every part of downtown with the other quadrants and Zubia wants to make the Old Town more pedestrian friendly with more trees. Graham added, “We need to make sure our downtown is safe. Nobody talks about it but homelessness is on the rise. We need to make sure our downtown is safe when they walk around.”

Rising crime Littlefield said, “We are allowing the people to come in with very little control” and that “the police are doing their best but we need to give them the control and ability to watch the area.” Stratton sees a need for more police, though he noted most law enforcement agencies are having trouble recruiting enough qualified people. He also said the entertainment district also needs more lighting, particularly in the alleys. Whitehead said the city is increasing lights in the entertainment district as well as changing ordinances to “put more of the burden of protecting the area more on the bar owner and less on the tax pay-

see FORUM page 17

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

FORUM from page 16

ers” and that the city also has a speeding problem. Zubia proposed a dedicated police unit for the entertainment district “so we know there is somebody there at all times so that they are able to jump on a call immediately” and agreed that bar owners should bear a greater share of the cost for increased protection. Carter expressed concerned about panhandling and drug use and said, “I think our police need to be the best paid police in our state.” Graham linked development to rising crime, saying, “Some of the things our city council and the city is doing is taking us in that direction.” Ishac called attention to the need for more police, but also pointed out the recruiting challenge Scottsdale and other cities are grappling with.

Homelessness Asked about the city’s challenges that increasing homelessness is creating, Stratton vehemently opposed any plan to convert an old hotel into a shelter and said, “We should work with our social service organizations and faith-based organizations along with the city to provide a hand up to folks who are on the brink of homelessness.” Carter echoed that sentiment, stating, “I am a strong proponent of helping those who cannot help themselves, but I do not think it’s the job of the city to provide housing and all these other programs.” Whitehead saw a need to help prevent people from experiencing homelessness through programs like the emergency repair program that provides up to $10,000 for qualifying households and also said the city’s effort to house homeless people in an empty hotel in the past was very successful, she said. As a former chair of a human services commission, Zubia said he got to see what a great job the city’s Human Services Department does. “Unfortunately we just don’t have the funding available and I think Scottsdale should look at ways to increase the funding so we can help those who want to get the help,” he said. Graham said the city must be sure it is “protecting our brand when it comes to the issue of homelessness” and voiced opposition to any government-run shelter in Scottsdale.

Ishac said, “I am not in favor of spending additional city funds for this problem. The safety of our residents, of our visitors and our police officers trumps that.” He opposed a city-run homeless shelter and said the city needs to do a better job eliminating vacant, blighted properties “because those are magnets for homeless people.” Littlefield said the city is working with Community Bridges to provide a sixmonth temporary hotel shelter program as well as food and comprehensive case management and that the city has placed over 160 people homeless people in to shelters. Keeping seniors from homelessness Given the rising costs of housing, food and gas, the candidates were asked how the city can help seniors keep their homes. Whitehead said it is cheaper to keep people housed than lift them up out of homelessness and that’s exactly what the small-repair and utility programs run by the city do. “I am a volunteer at the Granite Reef Senior Center and we provide a lot of food for low income seniors all year around,” she said. Zubia There are federal government programs that will help with rent assistance and case workers can help them find a place to live. “How do we keep them in there?” he said. “We find ways to keep the rents affordable.” Carter noted that she is on the board for an organization called Help for Kids and provides food and transportation to church for kids and Carter felt the same thing would work for senior citizens. “I am an ordained minister and I want to help our seniors and those who are in need, but it has to be done through the churches,” Carter said. Graham said lowering rents is often used as an excuse to champion building more apartments, but that won’t work and that the issue is not a simple supply and demand problem. “You aren’t going to get the kind of price relief you are looking for,” he said. Ishac disagreed with Graham, saying it is a supply and demand problem.

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whether or not the project will be built.” Second, according to the website Construction Coverage, Scottsdale saw a 56% decline in multi-family home construction – a decrease of 1,457 units – between 2020 and 2021. That bucks both state and national trends for multifamily unit permits being granted. Statewide, there was a 3.9% increase in multifamily home construction between 2020 and 2021. Nationally, that increase was even greater at 26.4%, according to Construction Coverage. That 56% decrease in Scottsdale multifamily permits can be a bit misleading, though, when you look at raw number, according to Mike Stromberg, lead data analyst at Construction Coverage. He suggests 2020 was an abnormally busy year for multifamily housing construction in Scottsdale, making the shift to 2021 look more dramatic. In 2019, 669 multifamily permits were issued. In 2020, that number was 2,604 but dropped down to 1,1,47 in 2021. “I think it’s a bit of a combination of ramping up in 2020 and also some head winds” such as recession fears and sup-

ply chain shortages in 2021, Stromberg said. But the numbers are disconcerting to Councilwoman Linda Milhaven. “If we grow any more slowly, we’re going to be going backwards, which threatens our local economy and tax revenue,” Milhaven said. She wasn’t surprised the median cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Scottsdale is so high. “We’ve always paid a premium to live in Scottsdale because it’s a wonderful community, but the supply and demand are completely out of whack,” Milhaven said. A report from the Census Bureau shows Scottsdale has the smallest percentage of rental units to homes as any city in the Valley, Milhaven said. But Mayor David Ortega vehemently disagrees, declaring, “The multi-housing sector is hell- bent on turning Scottsdale into a ‘for-rent-only city.’ Flight from Chicago and costal urban cities is surging to Arizona, putting excessive pressure on Scottsdale.” He charged, “Speculators have rotated hundreds of billions of dollars out of office and retail and piled into apartments, thinking it is easy money. Apartment resales and flippers have jacked up rents

“We’re facing a much different situation than just normal economic times … We’re talking about rental increases of 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%,” Ishac said “No Meals on Wheels or utility support is going to help that person. Yes, some are not going to like my answer, but we do need some additional housing.” He also challenged assertions that tens of thousands of apartments are in the development pipeline in Scottsdale. “The total number in the pipeline doesn’t even get to 8,000 so I think facts are important,” he said. Littlefield noted, “The city can’t demand developers lower their rates for apartments, we don’t have that power.” “But we can help with some of the costs that they have to have,” she continued. “We do have services that help people get to the doctor, help them get to the grocery store. We have services through our senior centers that help deliver box lunches, I’ve done it myself, but the answer is we have to have some housing that is going to be avail-

Incentives for attainable housing Asked if the city can and should provide incentives to developers to build more attainable housing, Zubia said the city simply needs more housing and the Miller apartment project that set aside eight units for workforce housing. Carter said, “I don’t think Scottsdale is ever going to be affordable.” “Not everyone can live in Scottsdale,” Carter said. “It is an aspiration to live here. So people aspire to live here because it’s a beautiful city with open spaces. I grew up here in Scottsdale and I love

FORUM from page 17

able to our seniors.” Stratton said, “We are not building enough units for all the residents and that’s driving up prices across the board. I’ve studied economics … it’s a simple supply and demand issue.” He called out Graham for not believing in the law of supply and demand. Graham rebutted, “There are 100 percent unequivocally 10,000 units approved in the pipeline. That’s documented. That’s factual.” He also noted he has a bachelor’s in economics.

and forced evictions.” “Mega drought and wastewater infrastructure are over-arching municipal concerns,” Ortega said, “and I have repeated my concern that massive apartments are replacing limited commercial land uses.” He accused multifamily developers of “trying to sink our community vision including Old Town, parks, environment, bike paths, economic vitality and land use plan” and said, “As Mayor, I will not allow Scottsdale to be stampeded.” Councilwoman Solange Whitehead said Scottsdale was saturated with apartment construction a few years ago and that it only makes sense things are slowing down a bit. “The fastest way to solve the housing shortage is to get these developers with their entitlements to build their projects,” she said. A 56% decline in multifamily housing in Scottsdale was not a surprise to Councilman Tom Durham. “I think the number is 82% of Scottsdale employees live outside of Scottsdale and that’s because they can’t afford to live in Scottsdale,” he added, noting that the apartments that are being built in Scottsdale are luxury units that won’t drive

the open space. I love looking at Camelback Mountain and I think other people do too. We don’t want to block our views with high rise development.” Graham said simply building more housing will cost Scottsdale its character. “We can add 100,000, 200,000 apartments we can do it if we want to but as far as what’s going to happen, it’s not going to go well. I don’t believe the government should mettle in housing prices. I don’t think that is their role.” Graham said as a member of the city’s planning commission, he negotiated the number of workforce housing units in the Miller up from five to eight. Ishac applauded the city for negotiating workforce housing in some complexes but said, “I do not support the city subsidizing in any way lower cost development.” He also called out Graham for increasing over his assertions on the number of apartments being built or planned in Scottsdale, stating, “We need to see about the middle and stop scaring people with these absurd numbers.” Littlefield said she was the one to nego-

down prices. “I think we do need to supply enough multifamily housing to meet the demand, particularly for police, fire, teachers,” he said Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield, who has been conservative in her votes allowing additional multifamily housing, said water has to be taken into account where future growth is concerned. Even more important is the location of the proposed multifamily complexes, she said. “To me it’s more a case of where does it fit in the neighborhood," she said. “I’ve heard some developers want 100,000 apartments in Scottsdale … All of those developers who want to build all these apartments don’t want to hear from residents already there,” Littlefield said. “Don’t they have a right to enjoy what they paid for?” Littlefield said short-term rentals also are driving up rents in traditional apartments. There were 5,404 short-term rentals in the city in December 2021 listed by Airbnb and Vrbo. If those homes were available as long-term rentals, that would go a long way toward lowering rents, Littlefield said. tiate from five workforce housing units to eight at the Miller, not Graham. “That’s one way to get some affordable housing but it’s a very small way,” she said. Stratton said, “It all comes back to the law of supply and demand and we need more housing units across the spectrum. “It’s not realistic to think the city alone can waive a magic wand and require a developer to put up a few units and that’s somehow going to make housing affordable in Scottsdale,” he said, suggesting a voucher system of some sort for police officers, firefighters and teachers. Whitehead said Scottsdale was affordable when she moved here in 1996, but that over time it has become far less affordable. She noted that 5,000 houses have been turned into short-term rentals, taking them off the long-term rental market, she said. She said housing projects she’s approved have had stipulations to get built quickly so they can ease some of the demand. She also noted, “We unfortunately cannot provide vouchers that’s illegal to workforce housing.”

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

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Healthcare workers reaching burnout faster BY ALEXANDRA CONFORTI Cronkite News

octors, nurses and other health care workers across the country have reached crisis levels of burnout, prompting the U.S. Surgeon General to urge employers to review workloads and take further steps to address well-being. Health care burnout isn’t a new phenomenon, but it is escalating. The National Academy of Medicine found that even before the pandemic, burnout affected 35% to 54% of nurses and physicians, while 45% to 60% of medical students reported symptoms. COVID-19 made a bad situation worse, as health workers faced long hours, a crush of critically ill patients and added risks to their own health and that of their families. A Mental Health America survey conducted early in the pandemic from June through September 2020, found that 93% of health workers experienced stress, 86% reported anxiety, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout, and 41% reported

loneliness. Experiences of burnout differ from person to person but generally consist of work-related stress, emotional and physical exhaustion, and dissociation from patients or loved ones. Anxiety, depression or substance abuse can follow, bringing risks to patient care or missed work. Experts worry that the health workforce, under increasing demands with fewer resources, will continue to diminish faster than it can recover. “Health worker burnout is a health crisis for all of America, and that is why we need to treat it like a national priority,” said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who last month issued a national advisory bringing attention to the problem. Murthy recalled meeting with a Florida nurse who said the pandemic had left him “helpless but not hopeless.” In May, Murthy and Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, held a roundtable discussion at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center to hear experi-

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ences from local health workers and members of the Indian Health Service. “These heroes deserve more than our gratitude; they deserve our help,” Levine said. “We’re here to tell health care workers: We hear you, we see you, and we’re here to help you.” Dr. Claire Nechiporenko, a pediatrician at the medical center who previously worked on the Navajo Nation, said addressing burnout is vital to prevent further workforce reductions, especially in underserved communities. Research shows that more doctors and nurses are either limiting work hours or intend to leave their practices, and the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates a shortage of 37,800 to 124,000 physicians by 2034. During the pandemic, health workers in rural communities have been subjected to irregular and long hours, more isolation, an expectation to always be on call, and lower pay, studies show. Beyond differences among urban and rural health workers, gender may also play a role in burnout. The National Academy of Medicine reports that burnout may be 20% to 60% more likely in female doctors than male doctors. Vivek said it’s not solely the role of the health care industry to fix the problem. Government officials, community advocates, academic institutions and leaders in technology must come together to help the profession thrive once again. In January, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $103 million would go toward evidence-back training programs and practices to improve mental health among health workers and help build resiliency. The Surgeon General’s national advisory also calls on employers to enact paid leave, rest policies, and strengthen existing policies that protect health workers from com-

munity and workplace violence. Additionally, it calls on medical schools to intervene to prevent stress among students, introduce inclusive and communal wellness programs, and establish schedules that reduce sleep deprivation. In Arizona, health care systems and hospitals have supported workers amid the pandemic with check-in calls and more days off. Banner Health created “respite rooms” to allow workers to remove protective equipment and take time to rest and recharge in rooms filled with snacks, games, music and special lighting. In 2020, Gov. Doug Ducey announced the state would spend $25 million to reinforce hospital staffing and allow facilities to reward frontline workers with bonuses for their efforts. However, in December 2021, over 1,000 health care professionals in the state sent a letter to Ducey and other state officials arguing the system was still in crisis and petitioning for assistance in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Nechiporenko, who works with several hospitals in Phoenix, said it’s important for managers to give workers the breaks they deserve to address ongoing issues with burnout. “I really try to give everybody the time off that they request, because that’s their time and they earned it and they deserve it,” she said. “If you can be a leader … where you can give your employees … that time to be away from work and kind of get recharged to come back, I think that’s huge.” Sticking to a solid routine and engaging in outside activities can also help health workers maintain a work-life balance and gain relief from burnout, Nechiporenko said. “The burnout’s the same anywhere and everywhere,” she said. “It’s going to start with first taking care of yourself before you can take care of others.”

GOT NEWS? Call Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or email pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

Bird flu linked to Eldorado Park cormorants BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer

he avian flu has reached Scottsdale. The disease was found in three cormorants in Eldorado Park, the first instance of it being found in Arizona. The disease is not dangerous to humans. “Currently, the transmission risk of avian influenza from infected birds to people remains low, but people should take basic protective measures (i.e., wearing gloves and face masks, and hand washing) if contact with wild birds or domestic poultry cannot be avoided,” the Arizona Game and Fish Department said. Nor is the disease a risk to dogs being walked at local parks, said Ann

Justice-Allen, Arizona Game and Fish Department veterinarian. At risk are wild birds and domestic flocks of chickens, turkeys and ducks. People with domestic flocks should take care to not let them interact with wild birds, Justice-Allan said. If you own chickens or other domestic birds, you might want to avoid intentionally feeding wild birds or putting out feed for your flock that wild birds can readily access, she said, since such practices attract wild birds and increase the risk of spreading the disease. Many times, infected birds will not appear outwardly sick, but can still spread the disease. Good hygiene at feeders is always appropriate, although there is little evidence of common backyard birds carrying avian influenza.

Over 37 million birds have been euthanized because of the disease, mostly in large poultry farms in the Midwest, Justice-Allen said. Generally, wild birds are resistant to avian influenza. However, the Eurasian H5N1 strain currently circulating in North America is different and has caused the death of large numbers of wild birds. Bald eagles, great horned owls, Canada geese, black vultures, waterfowl, and raptors have been among the species affected. Over 37 million birds have been euthanized because of the disease,

mostly in large poultry farms in the Midwest, Justice-Allen said. People who observe birds with symptoms of the disease should report it immediately. If you observe wild birds exhibiting symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, eye/nose discharge, lethargy, paralysis, or rapid decline and sudden death, contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 602-942-3000, option 5 in order to report suspected disease. Those who raise and keep poultry who notice a significant number of their flock – or feral poultry in their neighborhood – with similar symptoms, should contact the State Veterinary Office at 602-542-4293. Typically, Justice-Allen said, the disease tends to “settle down” by late summer as birds either develop immunity or die off, she said.

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Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very similar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.” Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy

isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.” It’s important to determine if PAD (peripheral artery disease) is causing the pain or making it worse. PAD is plaque in the arteries which causes poor circulation. “Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your feet which they need to stay healthy,” explains Zang, “When your feet aren’t getting an adequate supply, they start sending signals.” Those signals include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or cramping. The good news is PAD is treatable in

an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.” Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about finding out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”

If your neuropathy medication is not working, your symptoms may be an indication of another condition.

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One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activity because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases. “People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle. “When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot. “It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or staying home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.”

The goal is to protect your feet from the repetitive stress of everyday activities. “We have several treatment options to not only relieve foot pain but help improve how your feet work. If we can help your feet function better, in many cases the need for surgery can be avoided or at the very least postponed,” says Schulman. “Patients are always happy to learn about ways to alleviate their symptoms.”

For golfers, a stiff big toe can make their game suffer.

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

Audit rips state on nursing home complaints BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

tate lawmakers lashed out Thursday at the director of the Department of Health Services after a report said the agency has failed to ensure that patients in nursing homes are kept safe. And they were particularly angry that none of the recommendations made by Auditor General Lindsey Perry 30 months ago to �ix the problems have been implemented. In fact, it came to the point where lawmakers asked auditors whether the failure to investigate reports of abuse and neglect rose to the point of being criminal. “That’s a tough question,’’ Perry responded. On one hand, she said she found no evidence of actual criminal wrongdoing. But Perry said it appears the Health Department had purposely put a system in place so that many high priority complaints about pressure sores, residents being left soiled for long periods of time, and abuse and neglect were not investigated within the 10 days required – or not investigated at all. That was enough to get Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley, to get the committee reviewing Perry’s report to consult with the Attorney General’s Of�ice to determine whether the failure of people at the agency to comply with the timelines to investigate high-priority complaints rose to the level of criminal neglect. Perry said the question of whether that was done intentionally “would be up to a jury.’’ Thursday’s hearing gave Don Herrington, the acting director of the Department of Health Services, the �irst chance to explain

Interim state Health Director Don Herrington came under fire for his department’s handling of nursing home complaints. (ABC15)

to the legislative panel what has gone wrong and what his agency is doing to �ix the problems. But his answers to what Perry’s agency reported left several lawmakers less than satis�ied. “Tell me, since you guys are failing to do this correctly, why shouldn’t we privatize this, take this money away from you and privatize that function?’’ asked Rep. Steve Kaiser, R-Phoenix. “I can understand your point,’’ Herrington responded. But he said the agency is “quite on our way to accomplishing’’ the recommendations that Perry’s of�ice �irst made in 2019 to �ix the system. Herrington also said it was the `agency’s `internal goal’’ to �ix the problem by the end of this month. And he said that every “high priority’’ complaint that has come in since Jan. 1, 2021 has been investigated on time. That response, however, did not satisfy Rep. Joanne Osborne, R-Goodyear. She pointed out that the follow-up report -- the one issued last month -- said that the

agency inappropriately changed virtually all of its open high-priority complaints to lower priorities. What that did is arti�icially extended the time for the health department to respond to those complaints from the required 10 days to a full year. Osborne told Herrington that “it’s going to have to be proven to us’’ that the agency actually did the investigations as required within the 10 days and was not simply �inding paper solutions by reclassifying them to lower priority. In fact, Perry told lawmakers that what Herrington told them is incorrect. She said her auditors found that a majority of highpriority complaints made even after Jan. 1, 2021 were, in fact, reclassi�ied. It is that issue of failing to promptly investigate that most bothered lawmakers. It starts with the requirement to investigate high-priority complaints within 10 days. These are one step below those classi�ied as “immediate jeopardy,’’ meaning there is an immediate and serious threat to health and safety. They have to be checked out within two days. High priority, by contrast, is de�ined to include actual harm that impairs a resident’s mental, physical or psycho-social status. It also includes hazards to health and safety that may exist and are likely to cause a signi�icant problem in care and treatment. Perry said the follow-up audit to the 2019 report found that 73% of the high-priority complaints the agency received still were not investigated within the 10-day window as required. “There’s lots of cases that are not being looked at,’’ said Sen. David Livingston, RPeoria. And he said this requires immediate attention.

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“The residents in these facilities, some have parents who live here, some have children who live here, and some don’t,’’ Livingston told Herrington. “Your department’s responsible to make sure they’re safe,’’ he continued. “And if you’re not out there doing even an initial review, that means you do not know.’’ He was not alone in saying the agency is failing Arizonans. “When they put these family members and these loved ones in the care of the state, they do not deserve to get the treatment that we’re currently giving them,’’ said Rep. Cesar Chavez, D-Phoenix. Butler asked Herrington what his agency is doing to go back, look at all those complaints that were not investigated and make sure that the nursing homes where they originated are, in fact safe. That means the public reports on each of these facilities, which family members use to determine where to put loved ones, are up to date and have the full information. Herrington, whose agency oversees about 150 nursing homes, said the lion’s share of the complaints at issue involve just four facilities, which he did not name. And he said his staff is reviewing those cases. But Rep. Amish Shah, D-Phoenix, said that may not address the underlying problem: properly classifying the complaints as they come in. Chavez said there’s another issue. He said he wants to be sure that whoever Gov. Doug Ducey taps to permanently �ill the spot understand that �ixing the problem is part of their job. But there may not be a permanent director. Ducey’s term is up at the end of the year.

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HonorHealth creates unique high-level post PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

H After first lacing up the skates at age 10, U.S. Figure Skating gold medalist Faith Greene plans to hang up her skates competitively when she attends the American College of Greece in Athens. (Special to the Progress)

ASU Prep grad, skate champ Greece-bound BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

aith Greene, 17, had spent the past year waking up at 5:30 a.m. to get over to either the Ice Den in Chandler or Scottsdale to spend her days twirling around the ice with her figure-skating coach or with kids who had just laced up their skates for the first time. When she wasn’t on the ice, Faith could be seen sitting at one of the facilities’ lounge chairs with her eyes glued to a laptop as she combed through pages of reading, solved math problems and even

learned how to speak foreign languages like Lithuanian and Russian. Despite how effortless her life may have looked to onlookers, Faith admits that the last year has been an arduous one. That’s because in addition to training to become a gold-medal-winning figure skater, Faith decided to take an extra leap and cram her junior and senior years of high school into one year by taking courses online with ASU Preparatory Academy. “I felt like it was I was ready to move on to my college education and I wanted

see GREENE page 25

onorHealth has created a new leadership position – vice president/chief of caregiver wellness and patient experience – in response to the feedback it received from people at both ends of the healthcare spectrum who were impacted by the pandemic. It named Tiffany Pankow, MD, to the post, explaining that feedback through employee surveys and conversations underscored how “the pandemic has tested everyone’s ability to stay healthy and balanced in both work and personal lives, especially those who work in healthcare.” “HonorHealth knew that many within the organization are challenged with the ability to balance their physical, mental and spiritual health during these unprecedented times,” the company said in a release. Pankow’s position ”will focus on caregiver wellness, supported by their Center for Wellbeing, as well as a targeted emphasis on the organization’s efforts to further develop patient experience improvements, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and culture initiatives that support and sustain the changes.” “The decision to call out each of our team members as a ‘caregiver’ is intentional,” said Wayne Frangesch, senior vice president, chief human resources officer at HonorHealth. “No matter our roles within the organization, from housekeeping, food services and patient transport; to our physicians, nurses and technicians; to any of the roles in our hospitals, clinics and support services that assist us

Tiffany Pankow, MD in fulfilling our mission; we all impact the care we provide to our patients and our community,” he said. Pankow is a practicing family physician and is currently an associate chief medical officer for HonorHealth Medical Group. She also serves on the Innovation Care Partners Clinical Integration Committee, helping create evidence-based care guidelines and previously sat on the Innovation Care Partners IPO Board. “Dr. Pankow is committed to improving access to better mental healthcare, and she has led the Medical Group efforts to integrate behavioral health services into every primary care loca-

see PANKOW page 25

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GREENE �� 24

a challenge” Faith said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but at the end of the day, I’m so happy that I did it and I have absolutely zero regrets about it.” “I think my biggest challenge was probably the content that I was learning, just because I think the workload itself was manageable but the combination of taking two years of math credits and two years of science credits in one was a little dif�icult,” she said. As challenging as it may have been, Faith graduated from ASU Preparatory Academy with a 4.0 GPA. While most students her age are debating whether or not they want to attend

school in-state or out-of-state, Faith had her eyes set on a school in a country she had only read about and seen pictures of. “I haven’t been to Europe before but I knew that I liked the European lifestyle since I have family in Europe,” Faith said. “I loved how rich in history Greece was and still is.” Because of this, Faith plans to attend the American College of Greece, where she will hang up her skates and trade in her skating uniform for a lab coat as she studies for a degree in biomedical sciences. “It just seems like a good �it since I knew I was going to get an American education in a foreign country and I wouldn’t be missing out on the rigorous educational

Know anything interesting going on in Scottsdale? Send your news to agallagher@TimesLocalMedia.com

aspects that my peers in the US would be receiving,” she said. “I just thought, ‘why not go for it? You only live once.’ And at the end of the day, I felt most comfortable going to an American model school and having that comfort of home.” When Faith is not glued to a textbook, working on labs or teaching Greek children how to ice skate, she plans to soak up as much of the art and architecture of Greece as she can. “I’m excited to see what the country is all about too, of course, eat a lot of really good food, go to all museums and experience the different architecture that was created over the years,” Faith said. “I think the proximity to other coun-

PANKOW �� 24

tion and supported HonorHealth’s employed behavioral health specialists,” HonorHealth said. “As a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and advocate of the Blue Zones pillars of health, she recognizes the environment we live and work in directly impacts our health.”

“I have such a passion for the areas this role will oversee, and I’m excited about taking on this new position and making a difference,” said Dr. Pankow. “I’m looking forward to building on our culture of inclusion, safety, innovation and collaboration in order to sustain a healthy care environment and improve the well-being of both our caregivers and our patients.” Information: HonorHealth.com.

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tries is nice as well. Europe is such a melting pot of cultures, where so many people are connected, even though they speak different languages, so I think that’s special and something unique to that area of the world.” As she begins to pack up her belongings and say her good-byes, Faith has also begun brushing up on her Greek – which she admits is a tough language to learn. “I learned maybe two words,” Faith said with a laugh. “It’s learning a whole new alphabet and a whole new set of grammar rules and expectations. So, I’ll get around to it at some point and I think being there is going to make learning Greek a lot easier. But it’s a little bit on the back right now.”

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“Ellington Heights” is a 17,000-square-foot luxury home in the Silverleaf community expected to be built by 2025 and has an asking price of $32 million. (Special to the Progress)

Silverleaf custom build New truck dealership hits $32M price tag opens in Scottsdale Dustin Desmarteau, co-president of Lifted Trucks and a Scottsdale resident, is excited about the company’s new location on Scottsdale Road just south of McDowell Road.

(David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

fter establishing a presence across the Valley with locations in Phoenix, Mesa and Glendale, Lifted Trucks has gone full throttle by opening its fifth dealership in Scottsdale. Although the location, on Scottsdale Road south of McDowell Road, is the company’s latest branch, Co-President and Scottsdale resident Dustin Desmarteau said, “We’ve been eyeballing (Scottsdale) for about three years and then we found the site.” “We would have gone anywhere in Scottsdale but this store just kind of popped up and it’s on Scottsdale Road, which is highly trafficked and is an important thing for us when we look at store economics.”

The site consisted of three parcels of land owned by three different owners that Desmarteau and his business partner James Pillor had to work with to secure the space. Despite the headache, it did offer a major benefit to the ASU alumni, who met in the same fraternity. “We did not have to rezone (the property), which is why the property was so appealing to us,” Desmarteau said. With the properties purchased, so began a 14-month long process of haggling to get materials and construct Lifted Trucks newest home. “With COVID-19 and the supply chain issues that followed, construction got delayed multiple times due to a shortage of supplies,” Desmarteau said.

see TRUCK page 29

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

he cost of luxury homes and new builds in the esteemed Silverleaf community in DC Ranch has reached record highs with one new build set to hit the market with a record price of $32 million. The property, known as “Ellington Heights,” will be built by a one-of-a-kind team that drew inspiration from The Roaring 20s and the best-selling book “The Great Gatsby” and will be surrounded by properties that have recently sold for as high as $28.1 million and are on the market for $28 million. “We feel like Silverleaf has the appetite for it and if you look at sales over $20 million in the valley, Silverleaf has exclusivity in Scottsdale,” said Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty luxury agent Allan MacDonald, who is selling the massive mansion.

“We’re excited about what’s going on at the club there, we’re excited about what’s going on within the community and we think that for somebody who has that level of taste and desire, this could tick all the boxes.” According to Zillow.com, there are four other properties in Silverleaf with price tags over $20 million and there are four additional properties above the that valuation in the Valley. The seven-bedroom, 10-bath estate will sit on just over two acres of land and the home itself will take up over 17,000 square feet. Additionally, the estate will be packed with amenities – such as a 90-foot-long pool, a gated vehicle showroom large enough to fit 16 cars and a 1,300-squarefoot casita. “(It’s) a two- to three-minute drive from Loop 101 which is attractive because you

see MANSION page 29

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TRUCKS �� page 27

However, this year brought good fortune as the facility began its construction in January and on May 16, Lifted Trucks swung its doors open for business. “It was a long time coming, but it’s great to have a presence in Scottsdale right on Scottsdale road,” Desmarteau said. Since opening its doors, Desmarteau said sales have increased on his vehicles even as prices for gas have increased along with the price of pre-owned vehicles — which are the only types of vehicles Lifted Trucks sells since it is not a franchise dealership for any makes of vehicles. “Thank goodness for us, we have not seen a decline in sales, we’ve actually seen an increase in sales,” Desmarteau said. “That’s because this is a lifestyle for our customers. “We just don’t believe it rings true that just because gas has gone up, means people are going to forego the lifestyle that they have grown accustomed to loving, which is getting outdoors, camping, experiencing life with their kids and their wife

MANSION �� page 27

can get to all the amenities in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley within 15 to 20 minutes and maybe 25 to the airport,” MacDonald said. The neighborhood also offers its share of selling points. “DC Ranch is a masterplan community with 3,800 acres, but because of the density and because of the way that its planned, Silverleaf is sort of the jewel in the crown,” MacDonald said. “You’ve got all these state properties that back up to the preserve with elevation looking over the city and then it’s driven by the exclusivity of the country club, where they’re selling memberships now for about half a million dollars.” Although the home is expected to cost just over $1,800 per square foot, it could cost as much as $1,500 per square foot or more to build it due to the rising cost of materials, according to builder Gary Fries, owner GS Fries Construction, which will be building this enormous home. “We have a living and breathing budget that we continue to manage daily based on changes that we’re making and as the project design evolves, so will the budget,” Fries said. “I would expect that budget to be close to probably $1,500 a square foot

and their family and taking road trips to get out of the hot weather.” Desmarteau also said that his clients heavily rely on his vehicles as “toys” to take off-roading and lug other toys around. “We don’t sell just trucks, we sell custom trucks that are built to go on and off-road and perform really well,” he said. Custom-built trucks are not the only thing in demand at Lifted Trucks as Desmarteau has noted the bulk of his clientele consists of truck owners looking to give their vehicles an extra boost at “The Lift Shop” located near Bell Road and Cave Creek Road. With its new dealership opened and operational, Desmarteau is revving up to grow the company he started with his fraternity brother over a quarter of a century ago and expand it into a state where everything is bigger. “We do have plans to grow this brand. We’re opening a store in Tucson later this year and we’re also moving or are opening stores in Texas,” Desmarteau said. “So, our brand is going to start to go national.” Information: liftedtrucks.com or more.” “With the materials being used, and with the engineering and everything that’s going to be a factor of it and all the amenities, it’s going to be an incredibly expensive home to build,” MacDonald added. Despite the hefty price point, MacDonald said that the property could appeal to owners of high-dollar properties elsewhere. “It’s the world we live in nowadays for there’s been a lot of private equity and there’s been a lot of people from different parts of the country,” MacDonald said. “There’s a lot of people who have moved their residences from some pretty pricey markets like California, New York, Chicago and there’s a lot of people who are extremely wealthy that see this as being sort of the jewel of the crown.” With its budget laid out and the project approved by the DC Ranch Homeowner’s Association, Fries, MacDonald, architect CP Drewett and designer Claire Ownby are in the process of creating construction documents and finalizing details to receive permits and break ground on the property this fall with a completion goal of late 2024 or early 2025. “Ellington Heights” is located at 20568 N. 112th St. #1707.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

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Chelsea Carroll breaking barriers in men’s sports BY ZACH ALVIRA Progress Sports Editor

helsea Carroll was surprised when South Mountain Community College Athletic Director Todd Eastin called her and asked if she would become the interim coach of the men’s golf program two weeks before the start of the school year in August. She was already the head women’s coach and was juggling that along with her job as an instructor at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale. But the men needed someone after former coach Aaron Puetz took over the golf program at University of Texas, El Paso. She saw it as an opportunity to relegate her duties and focus only on South Mountain. So, she accepted. She broke down barriers in men’s sports, as she became the �irst woman head coach to lead a men’s team to a national championship. “I think for the team coming in, they struggled with not having the coach they were expecting,” Carroll said. “I told them before the round that if they gave 100 percent and realized they are �ighting for each other then we had something special in front of us. “That was such a moment when we ended up winning the national championship. All the things that happened throughout the year and what seemed impossible getting this team to work together, it �inally happened. It was really amazing.” Carroll faced many challenges head on when she took over the men’s program. Some golfers didn’t take her seriously and would show up late to workouts without fearing consequences. Others became disengaged when they realized the coach that recruited them to South Mountain was no longer there. The men’s team had 14 players to start the season in the fall. By the time they

South Mountain Community College golf coach Chelsea Carroll, “right,” broke through major barriers in men’s sports this season when she took on the role of interim men’s head golf coach at South Mountain along with her title as head women’s coach. (Courtesy SMCC Athletics)

sion for the program. They showed up to every early morning workout, fundraiser and team activity. “In the beginning it was tough gaining their respect on simple things like showing up on time,” Carroll said. “That was a big challenge. It took a consequence of if they were late, they weren’t going to the tournament. The men’s team started with 14 golfers but ended with seven as I had two guys that many left throughout the season. But the seven came together along showed up late and with Carroll to win the national championship. With that, Carroll be- I stuck to my guns, came the ﬁrst woman to lead a men’s team to a title and was named and they didn’t go to the 2022 NJCAA National Coach of theYear. (Courtesy SMCC Athletics) the tournament. “That was a wakeup call and it �inally were preparing for the national champiclicked for them. We ended up having a onship, just seven remained. But those really good group of guys that wanted to seven, Carroll said, bought into her vi-

be there.” Carroll was initially hired two years ago to help rebuild the women’s program. At the time, she had just two golfers. Four were needed to �ield a team. She recruited a soccer player and student at South Mountain, two individuals who hadn’t ever played golf in a competitive setting. She taught them the game and with that, interest grew from other students and high school athletes grew. This past season the women’s team had 11 golfers. Her ability to grow the program helped her earn respect from some of the men, most notably the seven that remained. Ethan Klose, a freshman golfer who previously played for Arcadia High School, recognized Carroll’s dedication to the program despite her being placed in the position just two weeks before the start of the new school year. Along with placing sixth overall at the national championship, Klose was named an All-American. Along with her national championship, Carroll was named the 2022 NJCAA National Coach of the Year. For now, she still has an interim tag next to her name as the men’s head coach. Though she hopes she can have that removed and become the permanent coach moving forward of both programs. She knows that won’t be an easy task, but she believes she can continue building the men’s program into a national powerhouse while breaking down barriers for women. She also hopes to have the women’s program follow suit. “All of this work this whole year, it’s something where I don’t have to say anything, and people recognize it. The players recognize how special it is,” Carroll said. “You do get the question marks, I think, with the gender of being a woman in this role. But having those things to back it up, that’s a huge relief.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Candlelight Concerts at Butter�ly Wonderland BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

or the �irst time, the theater stage at Butter�ly Wonderland will feature a string quartet sitting center stage amid a sea of candles and playing some of rock’s most recognizable tunes next Friday. Founded in Europe in 2019, Candlelight Concerts is making its Scottsdale debut with its best-selling show “Candlelight: Rock Classics On Strings.” “We’re super excited about our premiere at Butter�ly wonderland. Okay, this month, we have planned the return of rock classics on strings, which was a top seller of ours last year,” said Candlelight Concerts associate producer Erik Kausin. “This program features acts like AC/ DC and Led Zeppelin and it’s just a super unique program that a lot of music fans have never heard in a classical setting before.” Not only does the show rock, but it also shows that musicians can wail away on instruments like the cello and violin. “Sometimes people think of orchestral music as sleepy and maybe not as exciting, but we hand-picked songs that get the biggest reaction from the audiences so everything’s upbeat,” said Eely Hallagan, performing violinist and owner of Sweetwater Strings – the quartet that will take the stage on June 24. Even though the show will offer familiar tunes to people who may not consider themselves fans of classical music, Hallagan says there has been a burning desire for music fans to hear more string-infused music.

The Theatre at Butterﬂy Wonderland will be lit with candles as a string quartet strums through some of rock’s biggest hits on June 24. (Special to the Progress)

“In the past 10 years, there’s been a real appreciation of string covers,” Hallagan said. “It kind of started with (Gilbert native) Lindsey Stirling and other groups and then you have the whole series Bridgerton, which features a bunch of string covers of popular music.” Despite the seemingly formal setting of the concert, Hallagan admits that the moment her bow strikes the strings, fans almost instantly recognize the songs she strums. “At �irst, actually, people are not sure what to make of it since they think they’re at an orchestra concert,” Hallagan said, “So we try to loosen them up and say, ‘this is not your usual orchestra concert, you feel

free to sing along and react and then by the end, they’re really into it.” This usually is accomplished with the �irst track, a cover of the hit Guns N’ Roses tune “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” “That kind of revs up the audience,” Hallagan said. “I think that’s probably one of my favorites to kick it off.” From there the good tunes keep rolling with classics spanning the sounds of acts like Bon Jovi, The Cure, Journey and Aerosmith before wrapping up the show with a rendition of Queen’s classic track “Bohemian Rhapsody.” However, Hallagan teased that fans could also get a surprise encore track to completely seal the deal.

Although her main goal is to entertain audiences with an hour of rock, Hallagan hopes that the sound of her string quartet inspires some of the would-be musicians in the audience to get their hands on an instrument. “As a music teacher, it’s really important to get kids this connection where they feel like it’s something that means something to them to where it’s not a piece from 300 years ago that they’re studying in a book, it’s this impressive music,” she said. “These pieces translate for all different instruments. So, I think it makes music very digestible, especially for younger students who are just learning.” Kausin, on the other hand, hopes that this show will spur future shows around Scottsdale’s various stages in the future. “Since we’re in so many places around the world. We try to �ind those venues that are unique to each city. And so, with Butter�ly Wonderland and Scottsdale, there’s only one of those so we’re excited to be there and we also have plans later this month to premiere a show at Desert Stages Theater,” he said.

If you go

What: Candlelight: Rock Classics On Strings When: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, June 24 Where: Butterﬂy Wonderland Theatre 9500 E Via De Ventura Cost: $30-$60 Info: feverup.com and butterﬂywonderland.com

Know anything interesting going on in Scottsdale? Send your news to agallagher@TimesLocalMedia.com

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

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FOOD & DRINK

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Eatery aims for legacy with cuisine, cocktails BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

obert Eckhardt had helped several restaurants rake in the dough for decades and had always felt stiffed by how little he saw from it. Because of that, Eckhardt took a leap of faith in early 2020 birthing Dad’s Pizza Co. “I just didn’t want to go back to work for somebody else shop. I’d helped multiple restaurants get up and running and then they’d move on to the next guy,” Eckhardt said. “When my son was born, hence the name ‘Dad’s,’ I decided to do it for myself.” Eckhardt wanted to leave a legacy for that boy, explaining, “To have a restaurant and to know that my son can see me grow up and grow with this restaurant is pretty cool to me.” After he shelved his dreams during the pandemic, Eckhardt and his friend Bill Machiavello opened Dad’s Pizza Co. inside of OdySea Aquarium in 2021. After a year of serving pies inside the aquarium, Eckhardt begin searching for a space to call his own. “We probably looked at about 14 or 15 different locations before we settled on this one which was originally the home of Fate Brewing Co.,” Eckhardt said. Besides the fact the word “fate” was written on the building, Eckhardt found a stronger calling to the place when he �irst walked in. “We’ve always wanted something a little bit more intimate and smaller scale and when we saw this spot, we thought ‘that’s Dad’s,’” he said. After taking over the space on Dec. 15, Eckhardt realized he would need another hand that could operate his bar. He called upon restaurant industry veteran and former co-worker Mike Anderson, who had worked in restaurants for nearly 30 years, to run the bar and front-end. “I called Mike and said, ‘You’ve got to

Mike Anderson and chef Robert Eckhardt opened Dad’s Modern Cocktails and Eatery earlier this year. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

of a mixologist. “My biggest kicker was mixology can be fun and it doesn’t have to be fast. You can easily go to a cocktail bar and expect the cocktail experience … but the mixologist is going to give you a show with that because that’s what you came here to see,” Anderson said. Modern Cassandra Deever pours a Smoked Old Fashioned at Dad’s Dad’s Cocktails & Eatery Modern Cocktails and Eatery. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer) opened Jan. 28 and come to do it with us,’” Eckhardt recalled. has seen steady growth. “We have people that are coming in “We needed the front of the house to do the cocktails. I can cook things in the back, here three or four days a week to try the but when it comes to cocktails, I don’t do whole menu,” Eckhardt said. “That’s the cocktails. That’s where Mike came into the excitement for us: that people are wanting to come back and try everything on our scheme of things.” In addition to bringing a wealth of menu because they haven’t had something knowledge to the restaurant, Anderson bad yet.” With a menu that ranges from hearty also brought a unique approach to the role

pasta, smoky and savory brick-oven pizzas, gargantuan chicken sandwiches and their signature Dad’s Short Ribs, Eckhardt makes it a point to whip up a dish that everyone can enjoy. “When I looked at the menu and designed it here it was kind of a crapshoot in terms of what were our demographics,” Eckhardt said. “So, we went back to some of the dishes that have always been staples on a lot of my menus at the clubs and restaurants that I’ve opened here.” The cocktails pair perfectly with each kitchen concoction. “If we can be that restaurant that’s consistent on three levels of food, customer service, drinks, then we’re doing something right,” Anderson said. The way he ensures his staff hits on all of its bases is by coaching customers through their dining experience and recommending proper pairings of dishes with cocktails. “I’m a big fan of balanced cocktails with a balanced meal,” Anderson said. “At the end of the day, they should be able to coach you through your experience here and that’s kind of one of the things that I pride myself on, my staff does too. We can easily educate.” With things going swimmingly at Dad’s Modern Cocktails & Eatery, Eckhardt has plans to expand its brand. “We’re happy with the one restaurant right now and we’re focused on getting this fully operational and supporting itself,” Eckhardt said. “We plan to add some other concepts for the Dad’s brand. “We’re contemplating going back to the Dad’s Pizza Co. in the West Valley and we’re also hoping to pop in somewhere in the East Valley again with a bar concept called Three Drunk Dads. The Dad’s brand is something that we can see growing.” Info: Dad’s Modern Cocktails & Eatery is located at 7337 E. Shea Boulevard dadsmoderncocktailsandeatery.com

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Lemon dessert is like an angel on your table

ike the cowboy who swaps out his black hat worn in fall and winter for a lighter color or straw hat for warmer seasons, so it is with desserts. As we approach summer, we tend to move away from heavier, chocolaty desserts to lighter, brighter treats, and lemon is right there on top of the list. Recipes for lemon meringue pie, lemon chiffon cake, lemon squares, lemon tarts, lemon mousse and lemon cookies seem to come out of hibernation this time of year and appear regularly at Easter buffets, picnics and pool parties. Then there’s the luscious lemon angel dessert with alternating layers of homemade lemon custard, angel food cake pieces and whipped cream. Light yet rich, Ingredients: 1 10-inch baked angel food cake 4 eggs 1 cup white sugar, divided 3⁄4 cup lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest. 1tablespoon unflavored gelatin 1⁄4 cup water ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, reserving 4 tablespoons of whipped cream for topping ½ teaspoon vanilla 4 dessert or parfait glasses, or mini trifle bowls Directions: Cut angel food cake into approximately 1 inch squares. Set aside. Whisk together 4 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest just until combined. Cook in double boiler or in sauce pan on medium

it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert that can sit in the refrigerator for several days and it just gets better as it sits. There are tons of old-time recipes for lemon angel dessert where the egg yolks are cooked and the raw egg whites are folded in, which is a concern to many people. So, I was delighted to find this recipe for lemon angel dessert that replaces the eggs whites with whipping cream. (The egg yolks are cooked with sugar and lemon juice.) By itself, the flavor and texture of angel food cake is unmistakable, but when layered and soaked with lemon custard and whipping cream, lemon angel dessert is just pure heaven. low heat until thickened and coats spoon. Remove from heat. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin in ¼ cup of water and add to cooling lemon custard, stirring well to combine. In a mixing bowl with electric beater, beat heavy whipping cream, ¼ remaining sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla, forming stiff peaks. Assemble: Pour 1-2 tablespoons of lemon custard on the bottom of each dessert glass. Arrange angel food cake pieces (pressing down) on top of custard. Spoon whipped cream over cake pieces. Continue to layer with custard, cake and whipped cream and end with one last layer of custard. (You should have at least 3 layers of custard, cake and whipped cream.) Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, dollop 1 tablespoon of whipped cream on each dessert and garnish with thin slice of lemon rind or grated lemon rind.

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As Americans live longer, more productive lives, the topic of age discrimination has moved to the fore. It shouldn’t stand in the way of getting hired. INSIDE THE NUMBERS Nearly half a million workers filed an age-discrimination claim between 1997 and 2020, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In fact, this workplace issue led to some 22 percent of all EEOC claims in 2020 alone. As many as one-third of those surveyed by the AARP said they or someone among

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were 60 and older. They earned protection under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act in 1967, which states that hiring decisions may not be made solely on the basis of age. The law applies to workers who are 40 and older at any company with 20 or more employees, and also covers decisions relating to being fired, promotions or demotions and layoffs.

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NOTICE OF BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Board of Adjustment of the City of Scottsdale, Arizona, will hold a public hearing on July 6, 2022, at 6:00 P.M in the Community Design Studio, 7506 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale, Arizona for the purpose of hearing all persons who wish to comment on the following: 3-BA-2022 (Jahaans Variance Request) Request by owner for a variance to the City of Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance, Section 5.404.E.1.a, pertaining to the required front yard setback, as previously amended under case 3-MN-2022, for a garage enlargement at a property with Single-family Residential (R1-10) zoning located at 5265 N. Woodmere Fairway. Staff contact person is Wayland Barton, (480) 312-2817. Applicant contact person is Sapna Kochuparambil, (480) 861-4033. 4-BA-2022 (Childs Variance Requests) Request by owner for a variance to the City of Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance, Section 5.204.E.1.a, pertaining to the required front yard setback, Section 5.204.E.3, pertaining to the required rear yard setback, and Section 5.204.G, pertaining to the allowable wall height within a required front yard setback on a property located at 11850 N. 76th Place with Single-family Residential (R1-35) zoning. Staff contact person is Wayland Barton, (480) 312-2817. Applicant contact person is Steven Childs, (602) 3698164. 5-BA-2022 (Koo Variance Request) Request by owner for variances to the City of Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance Section 5.204.A pertaining to the minimum lot area and Section 5.204.E.3 pertaining to the required rear yard setback, for a property located at 13647 N. 87th Street, with Single-family Residential (R135) zoning. Staff contact person is Jeff Barnes, (480) 312-2376. Applicant contact person is Tim LaSota, 602-515-2649. For additional information visit our web site at www.scottsdaleaz.gov search "Scottsdale Planning Case Files" or in your URL search bar you can type in https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/bldgresources/Cases/.

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A COPY OF A FULL AGENDA, INCLUDING ITEMS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND ANY MEETING LOCATION UPDATES, IS AVAILABLE AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AT THE FOLLOWING Online at: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/boards/board-of-adjustment ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE INVITED TO LISTEN/VIEW THIS MEETING. CHAIRMAN BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT Attest Caitlyn Gulsvig Planning Specialist PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY MAY REQUEST A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION BY CONTACTING THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-2412). REQUESTS SHOULD BE MADE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, OR AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ALLOW TIME TO ARRANGE ACCOMMODATION. FOR TTY USERS, THE ARIZONA RELAY SERVICE (1-800-367-8939) MAY CONTACT THE CLERK'S OFFICE AT (480-312-2412). Published: The Scottsdale Progress, Jun 19, 2022 / 47318

NOTICE TO READERS: Most service advertisers have an ROC# or "Not a licensed contractor" in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers. What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www.azleg.gov/ars/ 32/01165.htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words "not a licensed contractor" in the advertisement. Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company. Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman's exception. Reference: http://www.azroc.g ov/invest/licensed_ by_law.html As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC s t a t u s a t :

http://www.azroc .gov/

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | JUNE 19, 2022

ANDREW BLOOM, HOUSING EXPERT CEO AND FOUNDER OF T E BVO LUXURY GROU Keller WIlliams Northeast Realty: Lu0ury Division Voted #1 Scottsdale Real Estate Team 2018: 2019 2020 Andrew Bloom is the CEO and co-Founder of BVO LUXURY GROU at Keller Williams Ari2ona Realty. Collectively Keller Williams Ari2ona Realty sold over 1.7 billion in 2020 and Year to date Keller Williams Internationally has sold 27:000 homes over 1M. KW continues to e0pand globally and remains the number one real estate company in the world as ranked by Realtrends. The BVO Lu0ury Group is now in it’s 3rd generation: now being run by Austin Bloom who just is a recent graduate of Scottsdale Leadership. BVO Lu0ury Group was voted Maricopa County’s #1 Real Estate Team of the year in 2018: 2019: and 2020. The team has grown significantly to make 2021 the best year ever serving our clients right here in Scottsdale.

DID WE HIT THE PEAK? NOW WHAT? Top 3 factors affecting the market. 1. Inventory Shortages have caused buyer fatigue. 2. Bidding on multiple houses has caused buyer e0haustion 3. Discount commissions on both the buyer side and seller side have resulted in more transactional fall out. E0perience matters most in this market;

TOP 3 reasons to SELL your home NOW!!! This is the best time we have to get you the highest price possible 1. Stay nimble. Get ahead of any downturn the market takes. We are already seeing days on market increase as well as price reductions. 2. You never lose money taking chips off the table. We’ve had a great market for over 10 years. Equity in your home may mean now might be the best time to cash out and sit on the sidelines. 3. Downsize or upsize. Sure why not. Interest rates are low. Inventory is low. Only serious buyers are buying. The market is not as competitive today for buyers or sellers. There is a nice balance in today’s market. Take advantage of the equilibrium in the market after the fren2y. The pendulum is near a stand still (but for how long)? “Anyone who dreams of an uncommon life eventually discovers there is no choice but to seek an uncommon approach to living it.” - Gary Keller, The ONE Thing

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Scottsdale Progress 06-19-22

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