Scottsdale Progress 10-20-2019 by Times Media Group

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

NEWS............................... 6 Voter pamphlet scandal reverberates.

NEIGHBORS ......... 23 Polo championship galloping into town.

Downtown bar transforms itself / P. 36

Sunday, October 20, 2019

City Council Untypical school musical agrees: Museum Square is in BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ell over two years after the developer introduced the project, Museum Square received a unanimous green light from the Scottsdale City Council, setting the stage for the developer to break ground as early as next summer. “This has been a long road,” developer Rob Macdonald told the City Council, noting the project began back in early 2017. Macdonald’s development corporation is one of the entities backing ARC Scottsdale Holdings, which is under agreement to purchase city land, to build Museum Square. The City Council voted 7-0 Oct. 16, to approve zoning amendments and a develop-

see MUSEUM SQUARE page 10

Chaparral High School's theater department is preparing a somewhat daring musical for a school production and student thespians are delighted. Rehearsing for the upcoming show are, from left, Noah Hatton, Lilli Danseglio, Kelly Kazmierczak ,Allie Gibson, Isabella Barone, Vivian Conte, Abby Manhoff and Kyler Glazier. To find out what the talented actors, actresses and crew have in store, see page 32. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

Scottsdale recycling program a unicorn these days BUSINESS ............... 26 Airpark medical ﬂight firm growing fast.

NEIGHBORS .........................18 BUSINESS .............................26

OPINION ..............................28

ARTS ..................................... 32 FOOD & DRINK...................36 CLASSIFIEDS .......................39

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

lobal pressures and a changing market have forced many cities in the Valley and around the country to cut back or outright cancel their recycling programs, but Scottsdale has thus far found a way to buck that trend. In fact, the city still earns over $100,000 per year through its recycling program. A few years ago, that number would not have raised any eyebrows as recycling

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once was a consistent revenue generator for most municipalities. However, Scottsdale’s ability to continue turning a profit in 2019, makes it something of a unicorn. Most city contracts, including the contract between Scottsdale and its recycling vendor, use the global recycling commodities market to determine how much revenue cities generate from their programs. That market took a major hit in recent years following the enactment of China’s “National Sword” policy in Jan. 2018.

That decision banned the import of most plastics and other recyclables, effectively cutting off the U.S. and other nations from a country that had processed nearly 50 percent of the world’s waste over the past 25 years, according to “Yale Environment 360,” published by Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. As commodity prices dropped in the wake of the China decision, the profitability of recycling dropped with it, forcing

see RECYCLE page 12

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CITY NEWS

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Scottsdale Progress is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Scottsdale. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of Scottsdale Progress, please visit www.Scottsdale.org. CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Scottsdale Progress 4301 N 75th St., Suite 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@scottsdale.org TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@scottsdale.org Advertising Office Manager Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@scottsdale.org Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@scottsdale.org NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@scottsdale.org Managing Editor Wayne Schutsky | 480-898-6533 | wschutsky@scottsdale.org Copy Editor April Morganroth | 480-656-9667 | amorganroth@ timespublications.com Staff Writers Kristine Cannon | 480-898-9657 | kcannon@scottsdale.org Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@scottsdale.org Photographers Kimberly Carrillo | KCarrillo@scottsdale.org Pablo Robles | Probles@scottsdale.org Design Veronica Thurman | vthurman@scottsdale.org Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@scottsdale.org Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@scottsdale.org Marketing Director Lynette Carrington | 480-898-5621 Scottsdale Progress is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegatedmedia.com.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

SUSD far exceeded state AzMERIT scores PROGRESS NEWS STAFF

ecently-released state AzMERIT results show that Scottsdale Unified School District students outperformed state averages across all grade levels on the spring 2019 tests. The AzMERIT math and English Language Arts, or ELA, were administered to all students in third-grade through eleventh-grade. In SUSD, 56 percent of all students passed English and 57 percent passed math – far higher than the statewide average of 42 percent in both subjects. The district’s grade level subgroups had pass rates between 7 and 24 points higher than the statewide pass rates for the same grade levels. The largest disparity was shown at the fifth-grade level in both subjects. According to the state data, 70 percent of SUSD fifth-graders passed the math portions versus 46 percent of fifth-grade students statewide. Similarly, 74 percent of SUSD fifth-graders passed the ELA test versus 52 percent of statewide fifth-graders. As students moved into middle and high schools, the overall pass rates declined, mirroring a statewide trend. While the overall pass rates in middle school fell in the district, the gap between the district and statewide numbers remained. The trend continued into high school. On the ELA test, 49 percent of SUSD ninth graders passed the test. Dropping to 41 percent for test takers in tenthand- eleventh-grades. Though SUSD’s pass rates on the ELA and math tests at the high school level still exceeded state pass rates, the gap was much smaller than what was seen at the elementary level. Board member Allyson Beckham asked why pass rates were lower at the middle and high school levels. Superintendent Dr. John Kriekard, a

former middle school principal, said that dip is a continual challenge for districts nationwide. “There are issues going on with kids that age that it’s national, so the question then is how do you overcome that?” Kriekard said at a Sept. 3 board meeting. Kriekard said he expects to see a jump in eighth-grade math scores on the next AzMERIT tests because the state was forced to discontinue the subject-based tests for high school level math. Dr. Cynthia Bochna, director of assessment and accountability for SUSD, said the state made the change to the

“At the high school level, the state has seen a drop in performance on state assessments since incentives, such as scholarship opportunities, were removed. With incentives removed, some students are simply not motivated to perform well on the current tests.” –Superintendent Dr. John Kriekard

math test because it violated the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. At the high school level, Kriekard said the state has seen a drop in performance on state assessments since incentives, such as scholarship opportunities, were removed. With incentives removed, some students are simply not motivated to perform well on the current tests, Kriek-

ard said. “We know in the high schools, part of the problem has been that there’s no reason to pass the test at the high level and high school kids get a little more savvy about that,” Kriekard said. SUSD has seen significant growth on the ELA test at the fourth, fifth and sixth-grade levels over the past five years. All three levels posted their highest pass rates to date on the 2019 test. On the math test, grades 6 and 7 posted their highest pass rates since the test began five years ago. The math pass rate in sixth-grade of 60 percent is considerably higher than the 37-percent pass rate in 2015. Similarly, seventh grade students’ pass rate jumped to 58 percent in 2019 from 43 percent in 2015. When presenting the AzMERIT data to the board, Bochna showed a matrix detailing both the proficiency and growth shown by each elementary school in the district. The state generates growth numbers for every student with at least two years’ worth of scores. The vast majority of SUSD elementary schools showed a high level of proficiency in the subject matter and an average level of growth on both the ELA and math tests. One outlier was Redfield Elementary, which showed high proficiency and high growth on the ELA exams. On the math side, both Sequoya and Desert Canyon Elementary Schools showed high growth and high proficiency. Bochna said she spoke with principals from those excelling schools to find out if they had any unique policies or practices in place. According to Bochna, Redfield Elementary utilizes specific grade-level goals to monitor student progress, intervention and enrichment plans.

GOT SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? Share it with The Progress readers. Send your letters or columns to opinions@scottsdale.org

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Voter pamphlet IDs likely to remain unvalidated BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

t least one state representative is open to taking a second look at laws governing voter pamphlets after Scottsdale residents raised concerns about the identities of five individuals who submitted arguments against the pending Scottsdale Unified School District budget override. However, Arizona Rep. John Kavanagh, R-23, a Fountain Hills Republican representing much of Scottsdale, cautioned the issue is a unique, potentially difficult to address topic. “I’m open to a discussion on this, but when you start to think about it, there’s a lot of Constitutional and practical and technical issues that this raises,” Kavanagh explained. Official informational pamphlets mailed earlier this month to voters within SUSD boundaries included 10 arguments in favor of the override and 6 arguments against continuing the override. Soon after receiving their pamphlets, some in the pro-override crowd questioned the validity of five of the six “against” arguments. “Citizens often rely on the voting pamphlet to educate them in determining their vote. They read the supporting and opposing comments and make decisions based on those arguments,” said Scottsdale resident Rose Finocchiaro Smith. “In this case, it appears that six community members opposed the override. In fact, it should have been only one.” Finocchiaro Smith and other residents have questioned the true identities of individuals who submitted comments under the names Samantha Cartier, Hector Carrillo, Cynthia Majinsky, Jen Lopez and

pro and con arguments from the public in override voter pamphlets, but is not required to validate the authors’ identity. “Our office does not verify the identity of individuals who submit arguments for the publicity pamphlets,” said Shane Wikfors, spokesman for the county school superintendent’s office. Kavanagh acknowledged the existence of a “loophole” and said “clearly, the fact that someone lives elsewhere is a fact that voters should know.” State Rep. John Kavanagh, R-23, said he is willing to Kavanagh also said votmeet with Scottsdale residents who voiced concerns ers should be made aware about a loophole in rules regulating arguments included of argument writers’ other in school district voter pamphlets. (Progress file photo) motivations, such as a fiSandra Lacey. nancial interest they may A sixth argument, written by Lloyd Es- have in the outcome of an election. kildson, is an outspoken opponent of the However, he said this particular loopoverride. hole would be difficult to close. The Progress reviewed documents and Kavanagh said any new law requiring an records on file with the Maricopa County identity disclosure could potentially run Recorder’s Office and the Maricopa Coun- into enforcement problems and constituty Assessors Office, suggesting the five tional challenges. names in question are not registered to Kavanagh said he was concerned that vote within Maricopa County and are not an identity requirement could be chalproperty owners in the county. lenged on the grounds that it violates First District budget overrides are paid for Amendment free speech protections and through a special secondary property tax that it could punish individuals with a leassessed on property owners within the gitimate desire to comment anonymously district. on a ballot issue. The issue exposed a loophole in state “If it’s an issue that a person who is law that could allow anyone to submit ar- even a resident feels strongly about, but guments for or against overrides under a it would open them or their business up false name. to boycotts or attacks for expressing their The Maricopa County superintendent opinion, should you let (those) people stay of schools is required by law to include anonymous too?” Kavanagh said.

“I mean, their votes are anonymous,” Kavanagh said. Kavanagh also said he would have to speak with county election officials to determine if it is feasible for them to validate the identity of individuals who submit arguments for the voter packet. Even with his reservations, Kavanagh said he is open to discussing the issue with concerned parties. “I’m open to discussion with anybody who wants to go down that road. I just don’t know where the road will end,” Kavanagh said. In lieu of a new state law, one resident made an attempt to expose the argument writers. Scottsdale resident Mike Norton, an SUSD parent and override supporter, submitted a formal complaint to SUSD leadership asking them to look into the identity of the argument writers. Norton asked the SUSD legal department to “demand” unredacted versions of the comment submissions and associated metadata from the county superintendent that could be used to identify the writers. District General Counsel Michelle Marshall responded to Norton’s request but said there is little the district can do. Marshall said the district contacted the county superintendent’s and county attorney’s offices and were told they could not obtain unredacted copies and that the district is not authorized under statute to investigate. “Again, we are dismayed that someone would be so underhanded in seeking to undermine the efforts to pass the override. Unfortunately, there is nothing the District can do to remedy this particular issue. As always, we appreciate the support of the community,” Marshall wrote to Norton.

ter the old board met with McPherson & Jacobson for six hours in executive session in Dec. 2018, only to select no finalists for the job and throw their weight behind Dr. John Kriekard, then the interim superintendent. “The superintendent search did not meet our expectations,” then-Governing Board President Barbara Perleberg said at the time. “We are fortunate to have an acting superintendent in Dr. Kriekard providing stability to this district.” The new board followed suit, naming

the district some money. When it canceled the last search, the district had only paid approximately $21,000 out of the $36,900 contract with the company. At the time, McPherson & Jacobson committed to perform a new search and only charge the amount remaining on the original contract, meaning the district would not have to commit to paying another firm in addition to the $21,000 it already spent.

School board to keep same search �irm BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ust a year after conducting an ultimately fruitless search for a new superintendent, the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board started the process again as it looks for a future leader. The board voted unanimously on Oct. 1, to continue a contract with McPherson & Jacobson, the firm the board hired to conduct the previous search last year. The decision comes less than a year af-

Kriekard the permanent superintendent on Feb. 12. However, Kriekard was not seen as the long-term solution at the time he took the job. After his hiring in February, Kriekard acknowledged the district would likely hire his successor by spring 2020, as evidenced by his year-long contract. SUSD has had five superintendents over the past 11 years. By continuing the contract with McPherson & Jacobson, the board is likely saving

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Lawmakers spending thousands on voucher check BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

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tate lawmakers are going to spend at least $125,000 to determine why parents seeking to use state funds for private and parochial schools say they can’t get approved. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee directed Auditor General Lindsey Perry to take a closer look at the processes used by the Department of Education to approve vouchers. That follows complaints by parents of not just delays in getting the go-ahead but even problems getting telephone calls answered. The idea of spending that much money – and putting off other scheduled audits – drew criticism from Rep. John Allen, R-Scottsdale. He argued that lawmakers could get some answers themselves just by asking the right questions. More to the point, Allen said whatever problems there are could be ascertained a lot quicker and at a lower cost. But Sen. Rick Gray, R-Sun City, said he believes a formal audit would be far less political, what with state schools chief Kathy Hoffman being a Democrat and the Legislature controlled by Republicans. Hoffman, who took over the Department of Education in January, has never denied there is a backlog. She has pointed out, however, that the law creating the vouchers – formally known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts – is supposed to give her agency 4 percent of the total being spent to administer the program. That includes not just processing applications but also auditing parents to ensure that they are spending the money as legally allowed. Rather than providing the $3.6 million, she wants, however, lawmakers put just $1.3 million into the budget. Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, in a complaint to the committee, did not dispute that Hoffman got far less than she sought. And Townsend said the evidence is that there are “clearly not enough employees to go through all of the various applications.’’ Hoffman has requested additional dollars for the upcoming fiscal year. Townsend, however, said it would be improper to provide Hoffman’s agency with more cash without first auditing how the existing funds are being spent. And Townsend said she sees some-

thing else at play. She said Department of Education employees assigned to the program seem to be spending more time performing “forensic audits’’ of parents to see how they are spending their cash rather than processing new applications “which made the problem worse.’’ The audit is the latest in what has been an ongoing dispute between Hoffman and some GOP lawmakers about how she administers the department. Mesa state Rep. Kelly Townsend, a supporter of school vouchers, wants to know why it is taking so long for the There have been Education Department to issue them. (Capitol Media Services) charges by the provoucher American Kern, however, said there are just too Federation for Children that Hoffman many issues to resolve with hearings. is purposely trying to sabotage the pro“It’s not to cast blame on anybody,’’ he gram because she is not a supporter. said of having the auditor general take Rep. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, said a closer look. that leads to other problems. “It’s just to improve the processes,’’ “There has been an issue of withhold- Kern continued. “And I think the money ing ESA funds from parents going past is well spent in getting the factual infora due date,’’ he said. “Once that due date mation (from) somebody I trust to go in was passed, the parents could not use there and dig it.’’ the ESA money for their schools.’’ Anyway, Kern suggested that an audit Allen did not dispute that might be is more likely to get all the facts than a the case, but he questioned the need for hearing. an expensive audit that won’t provide “I wouldn’t necessarily trust the results until April 10. people standing behind the podium “There might be something worth to give me the actual information gleaning from that that we could get in that I want,’’ he said, information an hour,’’ he said, by asking Department that could lead to legislative changes in the program. countered that if someone from “But to spend $125,000 theAllen Department of Education was proand wait four months viding misleading information it could makes no sense to me. be rebutted “in real-time’’ by others who testify. If this is that urgent let’s Gray, however, said an audit is approget on it, let’s just do it.’’ priate. “If it clearly shows that this is obvi–Rep. John Allen ous, that we need to have more money there, then it behooves us as legislators of Education officials to testify in front to make that happen,’’ he said. of a legislative panel. More to the point, While Hoffman is a Democrat, the isAllen said he could probably get vir- sue of adequate funding is not entirely tually all the questions answered “for partisan. about $200.’’ Even Diane Douglas, her Republic “But to spend $125,000 and wait four predecessor, complained that the GOPmonths makes no sense to me,’’ he said. controlled Legislature was not provid“If this is that urgent let’s get on it, let’s ing sufficient dollars to administer the just do it.’’ program.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

MUSEUM SQUARE from front

ment deal for Museum Square, which at full build-out will include a 190-room hotel and public plaza. The project will also include three condo buildings and an apartment building totaling 346 rooms. Much of the project would sit on land the developer agreed to purchase from the city in Feb. 2018, for nearly $28 million – which could decrease by $1 million if the developer can fulfill obligations in an amendment to the sale agreement. The site is already home to the Stagebrush Theater and Scottsdale Artists' School, both of which will remain as part of the new development. The zoning map amendment granted by the city council will allow the developer to take advantage of rules passed by the Council in 2018, allowing for building heights up to 150-feet in some areas of downtown Scottsdale. Prior to the vote, the message from the council dais was clear: Museum Square and its developer have its full support. “Mr. Macdonald, thank you very much. If I were you, I would have pulled out a long time ago…I can tell you nobody’s gotten the downtown merchants and residents and city council and staff to agree with a project, so this is a milestone right here,” Councilman Guy Phillips said. The project garnered wide community support, 20 individuals spoke in favor of the project and none opposed. Many of those supporters spoke about the positive effect the new development will have on the downtown Arts District. “The addition of Museum Square will significantly increase the attraction of residents and visitors to this area,” former Councilman Jim Bruner said. That sentiment was echoed by the City Council. “To me, this project is going to put Scottsdale back on the map as an artist community,” Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp said. Although the meeting was marked by unanimous support for Museum Square, getting to that point was not easy. The developer and city overcame several roadblocks, which delayed councils vote - including local property owners pushing to increase parking as well as questions surrounding old height restrictions, effectively barring construction of Museum Square’s centerpiece – the planned 150-foot luxury hotel. Councilwoman Solange Whitehead, a former critic of some aspects of the project early on, applauded the city staff, developer and council for putting in the

The massive Museum Square development will be built in stages, starting with a 75-foot-high apartment building on land the developer already owns on the northeast corner of 2nd Street and Marshall Way. (Progress file photo)

of 2023.” The developer still has to contend with a decades-old height restriction on the city-owned land it plans to purchase, before hotel construction can begin. That restriction – dates back to a previous development deal, on the same land from the early 2000s and limits building heights to 60-feet – effectively throwing a wrench in the project back in July, however, it appears a solution to this issue is forthcoming. The unit’s current owner, Madeleine Ferris and her late husband, were the developers behind a previous attempt to develop this city land in the early 2000s consequently resulted in the creation of its current height restriction. Rules governing the community vested power in Ferris, as the A standing room only crowd filled Scottsdale’s City Hall Kiva on Oct. 16 when City Council original developer of the condos, approved Museum Square. (Progress file photo) and its homeowners association work to modify the original plan. project as a way to support arts and culboard, to waive the restriction. “At the end of the day, the contract is ture in Scottsdale. The HOA board agreed to waive the the only thing the City Council can rely The developer plans to begin construc- height restriction if the city purchased on,” Whitehead said. “That’s where all tion on the first building in the project, the unit. That restriction is still in place the work was and the concessions to a 75-foot apartment on land he already but no longer appears to be an impediprotect public dollars and to really make owns, on the northeast corner of 2nd ment to the project. this a net positive for the community Street and Marshall Way, by July 2020, According to an email sent by Macdonwas incredible.” said Jason Rose, a spokesperson for the ald to city staff on July 23, the developer Whitehead pointed to perpetual ease- developer. agreed to pay Ferris $2.25 million for the ments guaranteeing public access to The hotel could soon follow. commercial condo unit and $50,000 to open space on the property and a memoRose said the developer met with a cover her legal fees. randum by the architect committing de- potential partner in the hotel project the If Macdonald can remove the height revelopment to exceed “at least 50 percent day after council voted. striction – and other, older deed restricof all the measurable components of the In an email with city staff viewed by tions, including alcohol bans and racist International Green Building Construc- the Progress, Macdonald wrote: “The language – the sale price of the city land tion Code.” construction of the Hotel would take a will drop by $1 million from $27.75 milMacdonald said he stuck with the site, couple of years once underway so the despite the delays, because he saw the expectation would be to open by the end see MUSEUM SQUARE page 16

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

RECYCLE from front

most cities to pay to recycle the same items that used to generate revenue. In July 2017, the market price for a ton of cardboard was about $250 and by last July it had fallen to $75, said Dan Worth, Scottsdale's public works chief. “So, it’s had a big impact on those commodity markets,” he said of China's actions, noting paper now yields only $20 per ton instead of the $160 it did two years ago. In Arizona, that new market reality has forced cities into making tough decisions about their decades-old recycling programs. Cities like Surprise and Casa Grande have canceled their recycling programs for the time being due to rising costs associated with plummeting commodity prices. Surprise announced in August that it would begin temporarily diverting its recyclable material to landfills after it paid almost $215,000 to process its residents’ recycling since Dec. 2017. Mesa also plans to limit its 25-yearold recycling program in the face of mounting losses as well, though Mayor John Giles rejected a proposal to follow in Surprise’s footsteps. So, how does Scottsdale manage to make money while other Valley cities are struggling to keep their programs afloat? The answer has more to do with shrewd negotiating than how the city recycles its goods. Scottsdale uses the same recycling contractor Mesa and Scottsdale’s recyclables are subject to the same declining commodities prices as any other city. Scottsdale has a contract with Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, or SRPMIC, to process the city’s recyclables at its Salt River Landfill. SRPMIC subcontracts with Republic Services to run the recycling operation. The only reason Scottsdale still turns a profit through recycling program is its current contract with SRPMIC includes a commodity floor, meaning the city make some money even if commodity prices drop below a profitable margin. “Right now, the way that the formula is set up mathematically, the lowest it can go is ($5/ton),” Worth said. Worth said that equates to approximately $100,000 per year in revenue for the city. While that’s nowhere near the city’s past revenues – it earned $330,700 just two years ago – it is still a much more tenable position than cities like Surprise and Mesa find themselves in. If not for that floor, Scottsdale would

The City of Scottsdale still generates at least $100,000 in revenue through its recycling program while other Valley cities struggle to keep their programs aﬂoat. (Progress file photo)

be in the same boat. “What’s happened now is that those commodity prices have dropped considerably,” Worth said. “If you just take those commodity prices and ran them through this formula that’s in our contract, we would be paying somewhere in the neighborhood of $35/ton to process our recycling.” That’s a far cry from $41.53 per ton the city received from its recycling share in March 2017. Those revenues will not last, though. Scottsdale’s current contract with SRPMIC ends in Dec. 2021 and could potentially end before then. Republic Services, the subcontractor that runs the SRPMIC recycling facility, approached the city to request the parties renegotiate the contract due to rising costs and plummeting commodity prices. Worth said the city is willing to come to the table. “We recognize that the market has changed (and) that our vendor is in a bind,” Worth said. “We want to continue providing the service. We don’t want to force them out of business, so we want to be reasonable.” However, Worth said he – and the city – is not willing to write a blank check to the contractor and he has to justify any changes to the City Council “Whatever it is, I gotta be able to explain to them why we felt that it was appropriate to agree to a different rate that’s going to cost our customers some money frankly and end up getting reflected in next year’s rates.” That is why Worth asked City Auditor Sharron Walker to review a proposal made by Republic Services that not only

would have cut the city’s revenues but actually increased costs by up to $1.7 million annually. An audit released by the city in September found the contractor failed to justify a number of expenses it presented to the city and overestimated the contamination levels of Scottsdale recycling. The proposal included adding a $100 per ton tipping fee and giving the city an increased share of revenues. The audit found that the Republic Services proposal would have generated $854,180 in revenue between May 2018 and April 2019 – well above the $171,489 the city actually generated – but also incurred a new fee of $2.4 million. “Given the current recyclable commodity market condition, the proposal would essentially transfer all market volatility risks to the City,” according to the audit. “I was stunned actually by some of what I read – coming from a bookkeeping and accounting background – with some claims from this subcontractor that did not seem to be grounded in fact,” Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield said. The audit found that Republic Services failed to provide documentation to justify all its projected costs, including labor costs – which accounted for 60 percent of its total processing costs. Additionally, the audit stated that other questionable costs added $417,700, including assets that were depreciated at an accelerated rate. The audit also found issues with the accounting records presented to the city. “However, compared to underlying accounting data provided to us, this analysis overstated the facility’s processing costs by an average of 26 per-

cent and overstated its losses by an average of 44 percent,” according to the audit. One factor driving inflated processing costs could be the facility’s rejection rate related to contaminated recycling. Contamination is a significant driver of costs in the recycling industry, according to Waste Management, another waste and recycling company not involved in this contract. Contamination occurs when nonrecyclable items are mixed in with recycling or recyclable products are contaminated with food waste. Some of the largest contributors to contamination are plastic grocery bags and plastic bottles filled with hazardous waste like automotive fluids, according to Eco-Cycle, a national recycling advocacy nonprofit. According to the audit, the total reject rate at the recycling facility is 28 percent of the total tonnage. However, the city audit argued that much of that rejected material should not be attributable to the city. Due to city outreach to promote proper recycling habits, the city’s reject rate used for purposes of the contract is 8.2 percent, according to the audit. Mesa, which also uses the facility, has a reject rate of 9.6 percent. “Though the subcontractor is asking for the City of Scottsdale to pay a tipping fee to cover its recycling costs, the subcontractor appears to have contributed a much larger proportion of the contaminants that drive the manual labor costs higher,” according to the audit. When Scottsdale renegotiates its recycling contract, costs will go up, though Worth said he anticipates residents will be okay with that fact as long as those costs are justified and he does not anticipate Scottsdale will send recycling to the landfill a la Surprise. “We’ve gotten pretty solid support from our residents in the past as far as their desire to do the right thing and recycle,” Worth said. Littlefield said “Mr. Worth was very wise in asking for this audit…” and that she agreed with the analysis. City staff agreed to the auditor’s recommendations, including requiring subcontractors to provide documentation supporting its costs for audit committee review before renegotiating contracts. “If the SRPMIC vendor does not agree to the City’s proposed terms the City will be prepared to adhere to the existing contract terms until its termination date in December 2021,” according to the audit.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Legendary Scottsdale leader Dr. Art DeCabooter dies at 78 BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Progress Managing Editor

ommunity was always the driving force for Dr. Art DeCabooter, the longtime Scottsdale Community College president and civic-minded Scottsdale resident who passed away on Oct. 8, at age 78. “Community is our middle name,” Dr. DeCabooter used to say in reference to Scottsdale Community College, which he led for three decades before retiring in 2008. Both Scottsdale Councilwoman Virginia Korte and fellow civic leader Jim Bruner recalled those words when they remembered their longtime friend. Dr. DeCabooter’s focus on the community was not just an empty platitude, they said. It was a way of life. “He served 40 years of his life to Scottsdale and is a true servant leader,” Korte said. “Scottsdale was particularly blessed wit his steadfast influence for the betterment of all in Scottsdale; not only the community college but all of our city.” Korte said, “it was never about Art; it was always about what was best for the community.” News of Dr. DeCabooter’s hiring in Dec. 1977, made the front page of the Scottsdale Daily Progress. After coming to Scottsdale in 1978, to take over at SCC, Dr. DeCabooter spent the rest of his life giving back to the Scottsdale community he called home with efforts that extended well beyond the college campus. From heading up civic organizations like Scottsdale Charros to championing the creation of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Dr. DeCabooter’s fingerprints can be found throughout Scottsdale – and the Valley – to this day. “In his quiet demeanor, he left a tremendous wake behind him in terms of what he’s accomplished in his community,” said Bruner, who had been friends with Dr. DeCabooter for 40 years and served alongside him with the Scottsdale Charros and the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. Another civic leader, Don Ruff, said Dr. DeCabooter’s resume is “really amazing when you put it down on paper.” Ruff and Dr. DeCabooter first crossed paths in the late 1970s when the former was heading up the local chamber of commerce and the organization held a meet-and-greet to introduce the new

Dr. Art DeCabooter (center) with former Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross (right) and Carla (left), one of the originator’s of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, at the opening of the Sunrise Trailhead in 2005. (Courtesy of Scottsdale Public Library)

Former Scottsdale Community College President Art DeCabooter passed away on Oct. 8 at the age of 78. (Progress file photo)

college president to the business community. Ruff and Dr. DeCabooter would go on to trade leadership positons at a number of local groups, including the chamber, Charros, rotary and Catholic Community Foundation. During his time at SCC, Dr. DeCabooter oversaw significant growth at the college as enrollment jumped from 948 students when he took the job to nearly

12,000 when he retired just over a decade ago. Bruner said Dr. DeCabooter took over the college during a tumultuous time rocked by tensions stemming from the Vietnam War and was a steadying force on campus. Dr. DeCabooter is also known for embracing the once-maligned artichoke mascot that drew much criticism when SCC students first voted to adopt it in 1972. According to Scottsdale Progress reports from the time, the Artichoke was supported by students challenging the “special privileges” afforded athletes in the schools’ sports program. The school would not officially adopt the mascot until 1974, at the direction of the Maricopa County Community College board. Dr. DeCabooter embraced the artichoke – discontinuing a policy of previous administrations that many saw as overly antagonistic, according to Progress reports. “There are people all over this nation who have little stuffed artichokes because he gives them out on plane trips, on travels,” former Piper Trust President Judy Jolley Mohraz told East Valley Tribune in 2008. “It’s quite wonderful to imagine all those little artichokes. It’s kind of like Johnny Appleseed, but it’s Art and his artichokes,” Mohraz said.

Beyond his day job at SCC, DeCabooter gave much of his time to civic efforts throughout the city, such as Scottsdale Leadership. He was the longtime chairman of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission and participated in numerous campaigns for local school district overrides throughout his life. Korte said those various efforts exemplified the fact that Dr. DeCabooter’s focus always extended well beyond the college campus where he worked. In addition to his long tenure at SCC, Dr. DeCabooter was also the longestserving board member of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and also the longest-serving chair of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission. DeCabooter also found time to lead groups like the Charros, Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Scottsdale – at the same time, Bruner said. “His wife told me once that he had a separate briefcase for each one of the activities – the Charros or chamber or rotary, whatever it might be,” Bruner said. Dr. DeCabooter, a former parent at the school, also remained involved with Xavier College Preparatory as both a member of the Board of Directors and the School Advisory Board. He was also involved with National

see DECABOOTER page 16

CITY NEWS

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Scottsdale lawmakers take aim at sanctuary cities BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

wo Republican state lawmakers representing Scottsdale are taking separate lines of attacks on so-called sanctuary cities in Arizona. While State Rep. John Kavanaugh wants to put taxpayers of any city that enacts a “sanctuary’’ policy on the financial hook on them, Rep. Jay Lawrence wants a law prohibiting cities from becoming a sanctuary for immigrants who are in the country illegally. Both attacks come as Tucson residents prepare to vote Nov. 5 on an initiative to officially designate their city as a sanctuary city and prohibit city law enforcement from checking immigration status, as required by state law. Lawrence said he will introduce legislation in January that forbids and political subdivision in Arizona from having a specific policy, rule, ordinance, or practice in effect that would prohibit certain types of immigration enforcement. In 2010, SB 1070 made sanctuary cities illegal in Arizona by requiring local law enforcement to check immigration status if there is a reasonable suspicion that they have stopped, detained, or arrested an illegal immigrant. “When cities or towns make the decision to ignore our immigration laws it opens the door to many consequences that range from restricting public safety responders to placing fiscal burdens on hard-working taxpayers,” said Lawrence, adding: “SB 1070 was clear in making sanctuary cities illegal in Arizona and if certain cities and towns decide to violate that law they should be held accountable.” Kavanaugh wants to make cities financially responsible if police fail to call immigration officials on someone who is a convicted felon, in this country illegally, and then goes on to commit another felony. He too noted that it’s already illegal for local communities to refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And the penalty is loss of half of their state aid. But Kavanagh told Capitol Media Services none of that helps a person who becomes a victim of a person who should have been turned over to ICE. “Who’s going to compensate the victims?’’ he asked. “That’s what this bill does.’’ Kavanagh acknowledged the Tucson referendum inspired his effort.

Kavanagh wants something in place should it pass anyway. He said this would not create liability for every act committed by every person who police have stopped, did not question about their immigration status and then released. Instead it would apply only to cases where the person who is in this country illegally already was a convicted felon. “If their (sanctuary) policy causes them not to call and this individual has committed a felony, then he’s considered a dangerous criminal,’’ Kavanagh said. Kavanagh has been one of the long-time supporters of various laws designed to target people who are not in this country legally. That includes SB 1070, the 2010 law which was designed to give police more power to detain suspected illegal immigrants. Much of that law was voided by federal courts. But one provision that remains requires police who have stopped, detained or arrested someone for any reason to make a reasonable attempt to determine that person’s immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion’’ that person is not in this country legally. The U.S. Supreme Court said the provision, on its face, is not unconstitutional or preempted by federal law. Another provision bars Arizona officials, agencies and political subdivisions -- including cities -- from limiting enforcement of federal immigration laws. Kavanagh legislation has a three-part test to determine whether someone can sue. First, the individual or survivors would have to be the victim of murder, sexual assault. Second, the person not in this country legally would have to had been convicted of a felony and sentenced to at least a year in prison. But Kavanagh said it also would require that a local government either refuse to comply with a lawful request by federal immigration officials to hold someone or the failure of police to inquire of ICE to determine the person’s immigration status. Kavanagh said he would actually prefer to make communities liable for releasing anyone not here legally, regardless of whether they had a felony conviction. “The attorneys I spoke to didn’t think you can attach criminal liability for releasing somebody that’s not dangerous,’’ he said.

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CITY NEWS

DECABOOTER from page 14

Catholic Education Association. Beyond his civic engagement, Dr. DeCabooter was also a loving husband to his wife Mary and father to two daughters and a son. Despite his hectic schedule, he always made time for family. “Art’s primary focus was always on his family first and then his job as president of Scottsdale Community College,” Ruff said. “But somehow, and I don’t know how, he also found time for extensive service to his community and his church.” Bruner said Dr. DeCabooter coached girls soccer for 15 years despite having little knowledge of the sport at the outset. “He always joked that when he started, he didn’t know which end of the soccer ball to pick up,” Bruner said. Many of Dr. DeCabooter’s former players, now grown, held a party last year to honor their former coach, Bruner said. Though he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2005, Dr. DeCabooter re-

MUSEUM SQUARE from page 10

lion to $26.75 million, according to an amendment to the land sale agreement approved by the council. When the city pursued the condo purchase from Ferris, it intended to use the location to replace Museum of the West office space, slated for demolition during construction of the hotel, according to city documents. Macdonald, a supporter of the museum, said that deal is still on the table. “I’m going to be meeting with (museum director and CEO) Mike Fox to talk about that, so we want to make sure they have office space and they thrive,” Macdonald said. It is unclear if the city or museum would pay for the museum office to occupy that space. The anticipated timeline for the three condo buildings is unclear. The developer is also committed to making a number of additional im-

SUPERINTENDENT from page 6

The district could incur additional expenses if the board opts for additional services not covered under the existing contract, such as McPherson & Jacobson will be able to draw on some of the work it performed last year, including community meetings it conducted to gather feedback on what

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

mained active in the community through the end of his life. In his later years, Dr. DeCabooter would catch a ride to Charros meetings with Bruner, who said his longtime friend never missed a meeting. Both Bruner and Ruff credited Mary, Dr. DeCabooter’s wife of nearly five decades, for caring for him following his diagnoses and helping him remain active in his many civic interests. “She should be nominated for sainthood,” Ruff said. Though he was SCC’s first and longesttenured president, Dr. DeCabooter may be equally well-known for his accomplishments outside of the educational institution, namely in the creation of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. “He’s considered by some the founding father of the creation of the preserve out there…” Bruner said. Local Scottsdale historian Joan Fudala wrote in her book “Historic Scottsdale: Life from the Land” that Dr. DeCabooter “led the charge up the preservation hill as chair of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission.”

As president of SCC, Dr. DeCabooter worked closely with the non-profit McDowell Sonoran Land Trust to advocate for the preservation of mountains and create the stewardship program that would train the volunteers committed to watching over the land. “Back in the early 1990s, the core advocates of this preserve concept needed to bring into the fold people of integrity and respect in the community, and Art was the icon of that,” Korte said. Korte said that early preserve advocates found a willing ally in Dr. DeCabooter. “And he just didn’t lend his name,” Korte said. “He was at every advocacy strategic meeting and very much a part of that preserve effort.” In 2017, the Scottsdale City Council unanimously voted to name a future amphitheater at the Pima and Dynamite Trailhead after Dr. DeCabooter. Improvements to the trailhead, including the amphitheater, are currently in the design process with an anticipated completion in the summer of 2021. Dr. DeCabooter’s civic service extend-

ed beyond Scottsdale’s borders. Dr. DeCabooter also joined Bruner on the Board of Trustees of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. Bruner said Dr. DeCabooter was a natural choice to join the board after another member passed away. “Part of that was because of Art’s tremendous background in the community…but he also knew Virginia Piper personally from his roll (at SCC),” Bruner said. “Virginia was supportive of the things he did at the college and so they had a great personal relationship.” Piper was not alone. Dr. DeCabooter developed positive relationships with many throughout his time in Scottsdale due, in large part, to his dedication to his community. “He was a very kind and thoughtful real person and leaves a large void in our community,” Korte said. Dr. DeCabooter is survived by his widow, Mary DeCabooter, three children and several grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Nov. 23 at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix.

parents and students want in a new superintendent. The timeline for the new search is currently unclear and will be developed by McPherson & Jacobson. McPherson & Jacobson will hold two additional community input meetings, one in the daytime and one at night. The company will also meet with the board to confirm the search criteria since the board

has two new members in President Patty Beckman and Jann-Michael Greenburg. Even with that financial incentive in place, not all board members were initially sold on continuing the old contract. Board members Perleberg, Sandy Kravetz and Allyson Beckham – who all sat on the board during the last search – expressed doubts about continuing with the firm.

In September, Perleberg said, “The concern is yes it’s a great deal (but) are we going to get exactly what we got last time?” However, the three holdover board members ultimately voted to remain with McPherson & Jacobson after meeting with Dr. Steve Joel, a national recruiter with the firm who will lead the search this time around.

provements in the area as part of the development deal with the city, including installing signals along Goldwater Boulevard. A traffic impact analysis, performed by J2 Engineering and Environmental Design, found Museum Square is expected to increase the number of pedestrians and bikers in the area and produce-3,432 weekday daily car trips. The developer is committed to installing a traffic signal at Goldwater Boulevard and 2nd Street, slightly reducing congestion. Additionally, Macdonald Development agreed to help pay for a pedestrian crossing on Goldwater between Marshall Way and 70th Street. The new land sale amendment included concessions to address concerns long voiced by local business owners about parking in the area. Museum Square will include 774 private underground parking spaces, well above the 671 spaces required by the city

– yet the developer received an exception to cut its hotel parking obligation by 36 percent. Pejman Gallery owner Bob Pejman, who led the charge for more parking, argued Museum Square eats into public parking, despite the proposed development meeting city codes, which he argued was deficient. The development team and city met with business owners for months to address those concerns and decided on a plan to include an additional level of underground parking beneath the hotel, opened to the public, and paid by the city to the developer during construction. The public level includes about 160 spaces and will cost the city $45,000 per spot. The city will knock an additional $7.2 million off the purchase price of the land to pay for the lot, according to the amended sale agreement. Additional commitments made by the city and developer, could add an additional 41 public parking spaces to Stagebrush

and the Artists' School. The developer also committed to adding 41 street parking spaces. Overall, Senior City Planner Bryan Cluff said the area could have up to 612 public parking spaces when all is said and done, more than the 452 public spaces currently in the area. If construction of the hotel and underground parking lot is delayed, the developer committed to building a temporary 149-space parking lot on the hotel site. Not all council members liked the parking deal. Councilwoman Linda Milhaven praised the project but made her opposition to the parking concessions plainly known. “We are spending $7 million to build additional parking… that not a single parking study supports,” said Milhaven, who noted the project provides more than enough parking to meet city requirements. Ultimately, the discord did not hurt the Museum Square project.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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2 school reunions take place this month 20-year reunions, and while we have slightly less attendance this time, we have also noticed that many classmates are attending without a signi�icant other,” Wills said. Wills estimates about 100 people will attend the reunion Saturday night. The Coronado class of ‘89 reunion is $50 per person and includes food; visit the “Coronado High School - Class of 1989” Facebook page for more details. “We are looking to a fun, casual evening on the patio at Social Tap connecting with old friends and acquaintances,” Wills said. To RSVP for the Mustang gathering, visit the “Tonto Elementary School Scottsdale Alumni” Facebook page. Shannon said she hopes this year’s gathering will be “as much of a blast as last year.” “I’m most looking forward to seeing old friends, but also to meeting many of the Tonto Mustangs and hearing their stories. Just seeing everyone, having a great a time, remembering our old school!” she said.

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

onto Elementary School may be no more, but several alumni organized an event honoring the memory of the elementary school that originally opened in 1956. Hosted by Shannon Browning, class of ‘82, the free community event called Mustang Roundup, Tonto Remembered 2019 will take place at Old Town Tavern in southern Scottsdale on Oct. 27. Browning, a southern Scottsdale resident, encourages all Tonto alumni as well as teachers, former room mothers, parents of alumni, friends and neighbors to attend the gathering, which will also feature live music by Mark Zubia. “Alumni should attend to see old friends, to reminisce about the good times at Tonto Elementary, and to show the south Scottsdale spirit is alive and well,” Browning said. “They should also attend because they can just show up and mingle.” Browning organized the event with former class of ’82 classmate, Gina Coleman. Browning’s mother Debbie Browning, who is also a Tonto alum, also helped organize the event, along with alumni Chris Rios and Bruce Utley. “We missed the old Tonto school. It was just a bunch of nice kids and good teachers who really cared about the students,” Shannon said. “We also all missed the way Scottsdale used to be before it started going ‘urban,’ so we wanted to bring back memories of the good ‘ole days of Scottsdale,” she added. One of Shannon’s most cherished memories involved her �irst-grade class led by Mrs. Krewson. “The teacher would line us up at the end of the day, say ‘goodbye’ to each of us, and give us each a kiss on the cheek ‘goodbye’ leaving lipstick prints on our cheeks,” she said with a laugh. “The teachers really cared about us and made sure we good a good education, learned how to be good kids, and had a lot of fun,” Shannon recalled.

Tonot Elementary alumni, from left, Lee McGhee, Shannon Browning, Debbie Thyben Browning and Russell Reinsch are looking forward to the school reunion at Old Town Tavern Oct. 27. (Kimberly Carrillo/Progress Staff Photographer)

Tonto alumni had their �irst all-years Mustang roundup last year at Wasted Grain, located in southern Scottsdale. “We had a free raf�le and gave away a brick from the old Tonto building that had been given to me by my old neighbors, the Scott family,” Shannon said. Her friend Robbie Rist, best known for playing Cousin Oliver in “The Brady Bunch,” was the musical guest that evening. “He played a lot of good retro stuff for us, and one of the alumni even went up and sang a song while Robbie played,” said Shannon, who has lived in Scottsdale most of her life and is also an alum of Coronado High School’s class of ‘88. The same weekend as the Tonto Elementary alumni gathering, Coronado’s class of 1989 will celebrate its 30-year

reunion at Social Tap Eatery on Oct. 26. The day before, however, the class invites all Coronado alumni to meet and mingle at Salty Señorita. “While I think social media has changed the need [or] interest in reunions since people can stay caught up online, I think people are looking to connect in person,” said Kathryn Wills, class of ‘89 alum and co-organizer of the reunion. “It will be fun to catch up with people in person — and not on the internet — so we can have more in-depth conversations,” Wills added. “I look forward to seeing what people have going on in their lives.” Wills is co-organizing the Coronado events with fellow class of ‘89 alum Julie Ransom. “Julie and I have been involved in planning the class of 1989’s 10- and

If you go

Mustang Roundup, Tonto Remembered 2019 Where: Old Town Tavern, 7320 E. Scottsdale Mall When: Oct. 27, 3-7 p.m. Tickets: Free to attend RSVP: “Tonto Elementary School Scottsdale Alumni” Facebook page Coronado High School All-Years Get-Together & Class of 1989 30Year Reunion Where: Get-together at Salty Señorita, 3748 N. Scottsdale Rd.; reunion at Social Tap Eatery, 4312 N. Brown Ave. When: Get-together Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.; reunion Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets: Get-together free to attend; reunion $50 RSVP: “Coronado High School Class of 1989” Facebook page

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Rotary exposes Scottsdale teen to new world BY APRIL MORGANROTH Progress Staff Writer

Saguaro High School junior and other Valley teens are learning to put service above others while experiencing the world. They are part of Rotary International District 5495’s Youth Exchange program, which gives teens an opportunity to build peace and foster lifelong relationships with people around the globe. Isabel Rennie and the other students are overseas immersing themselves in a new culture, overcoming language barriers and learning to become independent leaders for their communities upon their return home. District 5495 – which covers the northern half of Arizona – partners with other international Rotary Clubs and is sending Valley youth to places like throughout Europe, South America and Asia. When asked to describe their experience in one word, exchange graduates use words such as “unbelievable”, “amazing”, “astounding” and “exciting.” Isabel said she “knew for sure I wanted to go to a Spanish-speaking country because that was what I had been learning in school for 10 years.” She admits it was still a tough decision deciding on exactly which Spanish-speaking country she wanted to ultimate study and live abroad. However, Isabel chose Chile because she loves “South America and the people are always so warm and friendly.” She said it is vastly different than her home in Scottsdale. Isabel recalled she was busy with preparations leading up to her departure that it was not until she was driving to Los Angeles to pick-up her student visa before it dawned on her just how excited and nervous she was “to be away for a whole year!” But she said she is adjusting well, although she noted, “The Spanish we’ve learned in school is very different than the Spanish used elsewhere.” Isabel said it’s particularly so in Chile because “there are lots of phrases and words which are unique to just Chile.” But, despite some minor dialect changes, she is enjoying the experience of learning and using Chile Spanish correctly. Perhaps the most ironic aspect of

Isabel Rennie, right, a juior at Saguaro High School, is enjoying her Rotarysponsored stay in Chile with her host family. (Special to the Progress)

her time abroad is how everyone is “interested in your story” and they “ask me questions about my life back in my home country and are genuinely interested in getting to know me.” Isabel wasn’t experiencing any signs of homesickness until her first nephew was born the first week of September. “I am sad I won’t be able to meet him until I get back, but my family sends me lots of pictures to keep me updated,” she said. But Isabel hopes the Rotary Youth Exchange program will nourish independent confidence in her to “step outside my comfort zone to experience life in a different way.” When asked what her advice would be to future Rotary Youth exchange teens she said: “Say ‘yes’ to everything and be open to new experiences because if you want to truly experience everything your host country has to offer, you have to be willing to go outside your comfort zone to experience those things.” The Rotary Youth Exchange program sends high school candidates 15-to 18 on an ambassador-like exchange experience to one of 27 possible countries. Donna Goetzenberger, a former exchange student herself who is outbound chair for the Rotary program, said the selection process may be rigorous, but ultimately it’s an enriching

experience for teens because they mature into independent, globally-minded men and women of the future. Students are selected based on interviews, courage, adaptability, grades and/or achievements, school and recommendations as well as interests in world affairs, cultures and languages. She encourages teens to not allow grades to be the deciding factor though students should be prepared to speak about their grades and classes they have taken. “We want to remind today’s youth about just how vitally important and powerful it is to have our future industry leaders – whether lawyers, bankers, journalists, or some other professional career - respect our international communities, for the benefit of our future as a community, state and nation,” Goetzenberger said. “Universities look favorably on the exchange experience, as evident by unusual maturity and drive in a college applicant,” Goetzenberger said, adding teens should “go, experience the world, take a gap year and come back with a new perspective. “Who knows? It might end up changing which career you come back to study at a university, but you just won’t know until you go.” “Ultimately our Youth Exchange graduates return with a sense of self-confidence making them better equipped to handle college and life

in our local, state, national and global communities,” said Goetzenberger. “These are the youth we want leading the charge of our tomorrow.” The Rotary International exchange program began 90 years ago in Copenhagen when just a handful of students traveled abroad. During the 70s, it was formalized into its current form District 5495 Inbound Chairwoman, Machel Considine encourages Scottsdale youth to take a gap year between high school and college “to appreciate and understand another culture, become fluent in another language, develop lifelong international friendships and (learn to) make independent decisions.” The various Rotary clubs provide a stipend to cover all school fees, a monthly stipend as well as a students’ room and board. Families are responsible for roundtrip airfare, medical insurance, travel documents like passports and any additional spending money to cover extra traveling a student wishes to experience above what the program already provides. District 5495 invests nine-months in preparing each student for his or her academic year abroad. Students who are selected attend Rotary meetings, receive counsel and support from Rotary Club members and participate in club activities. “The Youth Exchange program is affordable to students of all backgrounds and economic means,” Goetzenberger said. “We want to make sure every student interested in studying abroad has the opportunity to do so.” Applicants must be in their freshman, sophomore or junior year at time of application and willing to immerse themselves in a new culture for an entire academic year. They must have demonstrated leadership skills I school and their community, prepare to reside with two or three families when they’re abroad, be comfortable with limited contact with their family and friends back home and be prepared to learn the language and make new friends. The program is open to both Rotary members and non-members. The deadline to apply for the next full-year program is June 30 and Feb. 28 is the deadline to apply for a shorter summer program. Apply at rye5495.org/about.html.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019 wood Cancer and Research Centers, 8880 E. Desert Cove Ave. Information: 480-3146660.

Star party

Days OCTOBER

Sunday

20 Tail waggin’ tales

Children 6 to 10 can practice their reading skills with a certi�ied therapy dog from 2 to 2:45 p.m. at Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th St. Information: 480-312-7323.

Balance yoga festival

General admission gives attendees access to a full day of workshops, masterclasses, lectures, food trucks and wellness vendors from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Eldorado Park, 2311 N. Miller Road The yoga festival will kick off with registration at 8:30 a.m. Information: www.balanceyogafest.com.

Monday

21 New Faces AA meeting

Find recovery from alcohol addiction alongside this support group at 7:45 a.m. at North Scottsdale Fellowship Club, 10427 N. Scottsdale Road Club membership is not required to attend meetings.

Breakfast Babies

Parents and their babies can enjoy a delicious gourmet breakfast 9 a.m. Mondays at Brunch Café, 15507 N. Scottsdale Road. Families will meet in the large, private dining room and will receive complimentary coffee and a chocolate-covered strawberry with the purchase of any meal. Grandparents are also welcome to join in on the dining, socializing and read-aloud for storytime. Information: 480-398-7174.

Basic pistol class

Those 12 years and older can learn the basics of using pistols safely from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Gun Club, 14860 N. Northsight Blvd. Cost is $119 and includes a gun rental. Information 480348-1111.

Tiny tot time

Develop babies’ literacy with songs, rhymes, movement and board books from 11 to 11:20 a.m. at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480312-7323.

Tuesday

22 Let’s knit

Learn or practice knitting with others from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road Free. Information: 480-483-7121.

Sound bowl healing

Sound Bowls have been used for meditation in Tibet since about 500 B.C. People use them for relaxation, stress reduction and Reki. Join a class from 6 to 7 p.m. at Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers, 8880 E. Desert Cove Ave. Information: 480-3146660.

Mustang writers’ critique

Meet with other writers to share and critique writing in a pressure-free and supportive group from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th St. Information: 480-312-7323.

Books 2 boogie

Children up to 5 and their caregivers are invited to participate in music, movement and song from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at Palomino Library, 12575 E. Via Linda. Information: 480-312-7323.

Be a part of the star party from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Holland Community Center, Black Mountain Campus, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B. Information: www.azfcf.org.

Little libros (ages 0–5)

Wednesday

23 Speedy bridge

Join others in a fast round of bridge at 10:30 a.m. at Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda. Registration is required. Information: 480312-5810.

Walkin’ Wednesdays

Make friends while exercising during a brisk 1.5-mile walk through The J neighborhood from 9 to 10 a.m. at Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road Bring water and walking shoes and meet at the campus’ �lagpole. Strollers, dogs and all walking paces are welcomed. Information: 480481-1797.

Twos and threes together

Young children 2 to 3 can learn social and literacy skills from 10 to 10:30 a.m. with short stories, �inger-plays and action rhymes at the Arabian Library, 10215 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road Information: 480-312-7323.

The Butler Read It!

Join a lively book discussion group for this month’s heart-pounding mystery, Jenn McKinlay’s “Death in the Stacks” from 1 to 2 p.m. at Appaloosa Library, 7377 E. Silverstone Drive Information: 480-312-7323.

Thursday

24 Tai Chi

Everyone is welcome to join a class that focuses on gentle and controlled movements that center the mind, body and spirit for health bene�its from 3 to 3:45 p.m. at Iron-

Learn fun songs, stories and rhymes in English and Spanish from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-3127323.

Friday

25 In stitches knitters

Gather with other knitters to work on individual projects, share advice and talk with others from 1 to 3 p.m. at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-312-7323.

Advanced beginner bridge

Join others in playing a fun game of bridge from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Appaloosa Library, 7377 E. Silverstone Drive Information: 480-3127323.

Chair yoga

Achieve liberation through physical postures, breath practice, meditation and philosophical study. Join a class to better physical health from 1 to 2 p.m. at Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers, 8880 E. Desert Cove Ave. Information: 480-314-6660.

Meet Your Neighbors

Meet Your Neighbors is a great networking opportunity held on the last Friday of each month. Today, stop by Pomo Pizzeria at 8977 N. Scottsdale Road from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $20 to $30. There is an additional $5 fee for at-door registration. Information: www. scottsdalechmaber.com.

Wyatt Earp presentation

Western historian Mark Warren will share his widely researched trilogy on Wyatt Earp at 1 p.m. at Western

Spirit, Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way. The program is free to members and included with admission for all other guests. Warren’s trilogy will be available for sale and signing after the event. Information: 480686-9539.

ESL class

All conversation levels are encouraged to practice the English language with experienced teachers and other students from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-3127323.

Stay and play

Give children up to 5 an opportunity to explore, create and investigate with a playbased learning environment program from 10:30 a.m. to noon Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. While children play, caregivers can learn about a variety of early childhood topics from local resource professionals. Information: 480312-7323.

Saturday

26 DJ Dean

With cooler temperatures around the corner, Scottsdale Quarter is holding its last free fall concert from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring DJ Jean, a high-energy internationally recognized artist. After shopping or dining this Saturday, be sure to stop for music at The Quad at Scottsdale Quarter, 15059 N. Scottsdale Road

Larsen art auction

Stop by Larsen Gallery at 3705 N. Bishop Ln. for its largest art auction yet with over 450 lots at 10 a.m. Some highlights for the 2019 auction include work by John Register, Gustave Loiseau and Francoise Gilot. Register to bid at larsenartauction.com. Information: 480-941-0900.

Citizenship workshop

This workshop provides an opportunity to study for the civics portion of the USCIS Naturalization Test from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-312-7323.

Sunday

27 Story stop (Ages 0-5)

Build children’s literacy with a free picture book program from 2 to 2:15 p.m. at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-3127323.

Trunk or treating

The North United Methodist Church is hosting its 21st annual Trunk or Treat Festival from 4 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot, 11735 N. Scottsdale Road Attendees will enjoy carnival games, snow cones, food trucks, a costume parade and bouncers. Participants are encouraged to donate a package of diapers for the AZ Helping Hands foster care support program, which will be collected at the event.

In Your Face art exhibit

Appreciate bold, brave, colorful self-portraits on display from 1 to 5 p.m. in the front lobby Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-312-7323.

Monday

28 Business Energizer

Learn about setting weekly goals and generate business ideas with fellow business owners from 9 to 10 a.m. This group meets virtually. To join, meet the group online through the “Monday Business Energizer” group LinkedIn page. Free. Information: edgar@compasscbs. com.

Tiny tot time

Develop babies’ literacy with songs, rhymes, movement and board books from 11 to 11:20 a.m. at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Information: 480-312-7323.

Homework help

Students 8 to 18 can stop by the Arabian Library at 10215 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road for help on any subject from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Information: 480-312-7323.

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

NEIGHBORS

Polo Championship galloping into WestWorld BY NICOLE HEHL Progress Contributor

North

olo is returning to the S cottsda pitch at WestWorld le in Scottsdale Nov. 2, with the ninth annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship: Presented by Talking Stick Resort. With its royal history – the sport was �irst used in Persia to train the king’s guard and later played frequently by nobility – polo often surprises spectators with its speed and ferocity. Former hockey goalie and captain of the Wales Polo Team, Ricky Cooper, likens the action to hockey on horseback. “It is very much high speed like ice hockey,” Cooper said. “There’s a lot of collisions, there’s a lot of contact, but it’s all done in a measured way.” There’s also the hand-eye coordination needed and the object of hitting a ball through the goal with a stick. Cooper even �inds sitting on a horse puts him in the familiar position of his goalie stance. Like hockey players, it takes a great deal of athleticism to be a good horseman and to be able to recover from The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships returns to Scottsdale’s WestWorld on Nov. 2. (Courtesy The Polo Party) the hits. Cooper said it’s imperative that polo players stay trim and �lexible compared to other events,” said Cooper. nix Theatre in January. “If you can link that into the charity with strong legs to send signals to their “The multiple marquee events build up This year also offers additional days side of things, then you’re also doing horse. a great crowd. I haven’t seen that any- of polo festivities with a player recep- good at the same time.” For �irst time polo-goers, Cooper said where else.” tion for all ticket holders Thursday, OcWhen asked about his most memothere’s nothing quite like the action of The diverse entertainment includes tober 31, and a player and sponsor VIP rable polo moments, Cooper said gaza match. a half-time rugby match, the World’s party for luxury ticket holders Friday, ing over the McDowell Mountains at “Seeing the beautiful animals run- Longest Catwalk Fashion Show pre- November 1. To continue your polo ed- The Polo Party as the sun goes down ning at full speed. The power, the grace, sented by Phoenix Fashion Week, per- ucation after Saturday’s big event, reg- and the Welsh national anthem plays is the precision that they have,” he said. formances by the Scottsdale Arabian ister for Arizona Polo Club’s polo clinic among the best. “Then you mix that with the riders who Horse Show, the Canine Couture Dog Sunday, November 3. “I genuinely get goosebumps every are not only trying to control a horse at Fashion Show, a preview of the 2020 The highlight of the weekend is the year, and I feel privileged,” Cooper 30 to 40 miles an hour, but they’re also Barrett-Jackson’s World’s Greatest Car four matchups on the �ield: said. “I know it will end one day, but trying to hit a tiny ball with a stick of Collector Auction, as well as �ield-side U.S. Air Force versus U.S. Marines some of those pictures that I have from bamboo as hard as they can.” experiences and DJ-infused party tents. Centtrip Wales Polo Team versus the the reception we get in WestWorld and It’s an experience that Cooper is eaThe Fried & Fizzy food truck returns Arizona Polo Club with the Scottsdale crowd is truly a ger to share at the Bentley Scottsdale with its signature fried chicken and Defending champs Aspen Valley Polo great memory.” Polo Championship, dubbed The Polo champagne, a combination that ex- Club, including world-famous player Party. This will be the seventh year for emplifies the casual yet classy vibe Nacho Figueras, versus The Royal the Wales Polo Team, who has become of The Polo Party. Those going for County Berkshire Polo Club a fan favorite. the luxury experience can indulge in The Arizona Equine Rescue versus “Genuinely, this is a game we look for- one of three VIP tents, including the Southwest Wildlife, a charity match for Bentley Scottsdale Polo Champiward to every year,” Cooper said. “We Barrett-Jackson Champagne & Jazz a $10,000 prize onships can’t thank the organizers Jason Rose Lounge, which is serving up French Being able to use the sport and its When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 and Jen Parks and their team enough. fries and mimosas. royal connection to support various Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale, This is the highlight of our calendar.” The Polo Party is known for upping charities is one reason Cooper loves 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale That’s saying a lot for a team that plays the ante with new events each year. playing. The Wales Polo Team raises Cost: General admission tickets seven to 10 matches a year around the This year introduces one-of-a-kind funds for many charities, including start at $30; free for children 17 world, including on the snow-covered musical performances, including oboe, Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity supand younger as well as veterans pitch in Colorado and the sandy beach- acoustic guitar, a “hip-hopera” fusion, porting young people affected by HIV. Info: 480-306-5845, thepoloes in Germany. and songs from an intriguing new mu“I think that polo gets a bit of a bad party.com “Scottsdale is massively different sical “Americano” coming to the Phoe- reputation for being elitist,” he admits.

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SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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NEIGHBORS

Scottsdale house tour an of�icial tradition my standards. That’s very clean, sharp, organized.” Because DeLuna works nce a year, southern Sc in Tempe, two miles from ottsdale Scottsdale resident his home, and plays in Old JR deLuna visits Palm Town, also two miles from Springs. the home, the location DeLuna loves everything about the was perfect. California town so much – from the life“I was tired of commutstyle to the architecture – he completely ing, so this is exactly where renovated his 1962 home into what he I needed to be in my life,” now calls a mid-century modern retreat a he said. “I wanted somela Palm Springs. thing that would hold my And on Nov. 10, his three-bed, two-bath attention for the rest of my home will be open for public viewing as life. I’m tired of moving. part of the �ifth annual Scottsdale Home This is my forever home.” Tour: CelebrationMOD. The Scottsdale Home “I want to inspire other people to conTour, as it has in past years, vert their homes,” deLuna said, explaining will bene�it Scottsdale Fire why he decided to take part in the tour this Fighters Charities. year. “South Scottsdale is a prime area for A percentage of ticket revamping and so I’d love to see it turn into sales from the event will another Palm Springs.” be donated to the nonprofThe Scottsdale Home Tour is a self-guidit managed by members of ed tour in southern Scottsdale of renothe Scottsdale Fire�ighters JR deLuna is the owner of the home behind the chartreuse wall, seen off Hayden Boulevard vated homes ranging from mid-century to and south of Thomas Road. And as part of the 5th Annual Scottsdale Home Tour: Celebration- Association. contemporary modern. “They do so much more MOD, people can view what’s inside the “mid-century meets Palm Springs” home. In total, the home tour features about 35 (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer) for our community than homes, including this year, the Cattle Track �ight �ires,” Close said. “I’m Arts Compound and the Scottsdale Muse- and for how it inspires others to do the an even cleaner �loor), contemporary art, really proud to work with um of Contemporary Art. same thing.” �loor-to-ceiling windows that allow for these great men and women.” “Every year, we also highlight aspects of Homes featured on the tour range from more natural light, and a remodeled kitchClose has lived in southern Scottsdale Scottsdale’s art history,” said Dana Close, 1,600- to 6,000-square-feet. en, among other upgrades and features. for 30 years, and she said her hope for producer of the Scottsdale Home Tour. “We DeLuna’s home was originally a little But, likely, the most notable feature of the area is that people will continue are proud that Scottsdale Arts supports more than 1,400-square-feet and has since the home is the can’t-miss chartreuse wall to invest, revitalize, and beautiful its our event. This year, there will be a stop at been expanded to 1,650-square-feet. in the front yard. neighborhoods. SMoCA where there will be an opportunity “I renovated the entire home,” he said. “There used to be grass in the front “For me, personally, I take great satisto win some really great prizes.” “Plumbing, electrical, structural, new and then once all of that was removed, it faction when people are reminded of the The tour starts at Andaz Scottsdale Re- roof, walls removed inside, kitchens, bath- seemed dry. So I needed a pop of color to charm and potential of our older neighsort and Bungalows at 10:30 a.m., where rooms: Everything has been touched.” replace the green from the grass,” deLuna borhoods,” she said. “I hope momentum attendees will pick up a map and start the DeLuna moved from the Willo District in explained. created by events such as the home tour tour with the home of their choice. Phoenix to the Cox Heights neighborhood The green wall out front is a new addi- leads to more investments in restaurants “We’ve come a long way. We feel like it in Scottsdale and spent two years — and tion that allowed for more privacy. and other family-friendly amenities.” has started to become a community tradi- about $260,000 — remodeling the home. “Often when I was home, [passersby] Close added: “It is important to note that tion,” Close said. “This milestone means we “It was a cool ranch home that you see would come knocking and start ask- when people invest in their home, they also tapped into something really special about everywhere else, but the inspiration was ing questions: ‘Who was the architect? tend to take pride in the larger community, our community.” to make it mid-century modern and take Who’s the designer?’” deLuna said. “I and get involved in important issues such According to Close, people attend the a spin off of Palm Springs,” he said. “That needed privacy.” as education, public safety and our public tour to gather ideas and inspiration for was my favorite thing to do in Palm Springs The front yard also features round amenities. It all works together.” their own remodels. was look at the architecture: very clean planters and round panels, which deLuMore speci�ically, attendees want to see lines, the stone cladding, the rust panels. na strategically placed in both the front the latest in kitchen and bathroom trends, It’s very modern-slash-industrial.” and back yards. she added. To create his personal and private retreat, “There are so many angles, so I wanted “It has become clear over the years is deLuna added two large waterfall features, to do circles,” he said. “It softens all the 5th Annual Scottsdale Home that it isn’t always about the biggest or the one in the front and another in the Greece- angular lines.” Tour: CelebrationMOD most expensive houses. It’s about pride of inspired backyard — his favorite spot. The home perfectly represents deLuWhere: Start at Andaz Scottsdale ownership and place, creativity and vision,” “When I was in Mykonos, I loved the blue na, who has been an interior designer Resort & Bungalows, 6114 N. Close said. “It is about young families work- and the white and gray,” deLuna said. “It for 25 years. Scottsdale Rd. ing hard on their home to make it special. just stuck in my mind.” “Everything that you see is me; all the When: Nov. 10, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. “It’s also about older people who are DeLuna also added two �ire features in �inishes, all the colors, it’s me. I did this Tickts: $25 down-sizing. It is about the people who the backyard and remodeled the pool. myself,” deLuna said. “The end goal was Website: scottsdalehometours.com make these houses into beautiful homes, Inside, the home boasts clean lines (and to create a place that met my lifestyle, BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

South

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BUSINESS

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Airpark air ambulance company growing rapidly BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Progress Staff Writer

ngel MedFlight President and CEO Andrew Bess wants to do the right thing for the critically ill patients who need his company’s air ambulance services. “We have a great mission here,” said Bess, who has worked for the company since December 2014. “We do a great service to our community. Every day we pride ourselves on providing fantastic service to our patients. It’s a good feeling.” Under Bess’ leadership, Angel MedFlight has grown rapidly. The focus has shifted as well from just aviation to health care aviation. He stresses three key points: patient advocacy, clinical quality and safety. “With those three pillars, we wanted to grow the business,” Bess said. “We wondered how we Angel MedFlight President and CEO Andrew Bess said his company has been growing fast as demand rises for quick transport of criticould take it to the next level with cally ill patients and organs awaiting transplant. (Special to the progress) international and national prothe focus was on providing organs to the National Accreditation Alliance viders of health care services.” ment, transplant and rehabilitation. Medical Transport Applications for That included widening the trans“We are literally the silent partner patients, not patients to organs. “There are a lot of people in the Air- adult, pediatric and infant medical plant patient options. Thanks to for many hospitals across the country,” Angel MedFlight and its partners, he said. “We don’t put up billboards for park who will get an ice chest, put an flights, including specialty care for patients can be multi-listed at trans- our services. We cater to the centers of organ in it and ship it off to surgeons,” cancer, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, status post-trauma, plant centers previously considered excellence across the country. That’s he said, adding: “We found that a lot of the centers burns and wounds, and respiratory too far away. a term coined for the leading hospiBy creating travel plans in advance, tals around the world, whether it’s for we partner with like to have the pa- illness. Angel MedFlight partners with health the Angel MedFlight team ensures transplants, surgeries or traumatic tients transported to them for the surgery—rather than a physician’s team care providers to safely transport paall air and ground logistics are on brain injuries. par when patients accept organ of“Those are the hospitals we partner going to procure an organ out of state tients from anywhere in the world for fers. Angel MedFlight handles insur- with. We do a good job of making ro- and bring it back to Arizona. We’re the life-changing care they need. “The most gratifying thing is beance benefit verifications and flight bust relationships with these facilities bringing the patient to where the oring able to help patients get to their authorizations to minimize out-of- to drive health care decisions for pa- gan needs to be procured.” Bess said that cuts down the time next level of care,” he said. “When we pocket expenses for patients and tients. Many years ago, hospitals did their families. a little of everything. Now it’s getting and allows the patients to be multi- receive calls from patients or family members, the worst traumatic event On each flight, a certified nurse and specialized. But we are that conduit listed across multiple states. “We’re trying to meet the demand by has happened to them. Angel Medparamedic provide skilled care and from the geographic barrier to the getting patients to the organs and re- Flight has allowed them to get to their emotional support. The team mem- center of excellence.” bers also maintain board certification Angel MedFlight and its aviation ducing the number of organs that are next level of care so they can improve. in the flight specialty so they can pro- partners use a jet fleet of medically disposed of because they didn’t meet There’s always a silver lining.” vide the best care. configured aircraft for critical care the right patient or it wasn’t a right match,” Bess said. “We’re trying to Information: 17851 N. 85th Street, The flight nurses and paramedics of- and smoother, faster travel. Suite 350, Scottsdale; ten transport critical patients to and Bess said changes within the trans- close that gap.” Angel MedFlight is accredited by 1-877-350-7222, angelmed�light.com from Arizona for specialty care, treat- plant industry were needed because

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Want To Be E ven Safer In Scottsdale? Then Vote Yes By November 5th The City of Scottsdale hasn’t had major infrastructure upgrades in nearly two decades. This includes public safety. It’s well past time. Old public safety technology and equipment need to be replaced. Jails need to be expanded. Fire stations need to be updated. Police facilities need bullet proof glass. With the passage of the bonds these needed improvements will be made. And a much needed new fire station will be added. This will reduce emergency response times and save lives because minutes matter. Brain damage starts at about 4 minutes when someone is not breathing. A fire can more than double in size in one minute. Go to TheBestScottsdale.com for a complete list of these and the other public safety improvements included in the City of Scottsdale’s upcoming infrastructure vote. You can also see how all of the enhancements will be paid for without a net increase in secondary property taxes, thanks to smart planning by a unanimous Scottsdale City Council and City Treasurer.

Question 3 allocates $94 million to build and upgrade police and fire stations and training facilities. It modernizes resources and equipment. It gives first responders the tools we need to keep our city safe. The public safety benefits are compelling.

We work with Scottsdale public safety officials every day to get our ambulances to you as fast as possible, when you need them the most. Because these proposed improvements help us all do our jobs better for you, we are enthusiastic backers of Questions 1, 2 & 3.

- Sasha Weller, President, Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association

- Bryan Gibson, CEO Maricopa Ambulance, Scottsdale’s emergency services provider

We are grateful that this bond package includes so much to benefit public safety. We are hopeful that you vote YES on all three questions because our entire city benefits. - Damien Mendoza, President, Police Officers of Scottsdale Association

Look For Your Ballot In

BeAHeroForScottsdale.com Paid for by For The Best Scottsdale PAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s campaign committee.

The Mail And Return It By November 5th!

OPINION

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Opinion

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‘Yes’ vote essential for our competitive edge BY MARK STANTON Progress Guest Writer

e live in a very competitive region and world — and that competition does not stop. Companies and employees put increasing importance on a community’s recreational and cultural amenities when they are considering options for building their business and careers. Scottsdale has been blessed to have so many competitive and quality of life advantages making our community a great place to live, visit, start/expand a business or retire. We cannot live in the past, however, or we will be passed over as other cities, both in the Valley and across the country, look to gain what Scottsdale has: premier arts, culture and recreational amenities as well as low crime and a thriving economy.

Grateful for what SUSD has done for her life I am one of the many students that have bene�ited from growing up in Scottsdale public schools. I have had countless opportunities open to me due to the education I received. I am currently a third-year computer science student at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and have been working for Raven Industries as a software development Intern. I would not be where I am today without the programs and teachers that were available to me through our public school district. Scottsdale Uni�ied School District is responsible for my knowledge and experience in Mandarin Chinese (always a surprise to employers on my resume), orchestra, calculus (allowing me to begin college in calculus III), theatre (where my public speaking skills stem from), English (from persuasive writing to rhetorical analysis), robotics, engineering (spe-

Questions 1, 2 and 3 on the Nov. 5 ballot are essential for Scottsdale to build on its competitive edge without raising taxes. The Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce strongly supports all three questions. Scottsdale voters have not approved a major bond program in 19 years, leaving important infrastructure and community assets in need of immediate repairs or improvement. The proposed program also includes pedestrian and public parking improvements for Old Town Scottsdale, providing easier access for tourists, residents and those who work there to connect easily with our great arts and cultural events, galleries, restaurants, shops and downtown businesses. The infrastructure investments also repair and enhance WestWorld so it can attract even more events that fuel tourism, economic development and tax revenue for Scottsdale. WestWorld of Scottsdale brought more than

916,600 visitors to the city last year and creates more than 1,880 jobs, according to a new study by Arizona State University. Questions 1, 2 and 3 are also about lifting our community. The three bond questions will also make other important investments in the Scottsdale community. The Granite Reef and Via Linda senior centers will be expanded. The Paiute Neighborhood Center campus will be improved so it can continue offering critical community and neighborhood services including Head Start, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale as well as emergency food boxes and domestic violence assistance for our neighbors in need. Our first responders will get new fire stations, modernized police stations and training facilities and muchneeded upgrades to our city’s 911 and emergency systems. These investments are essential to

maintain and enhance Scottsdale’s quality of life and prosperity and many of them may never get done without voters’ approval of Questions 1, 2 and 3. The bonds are also �iscally responsible and good for taxpayers. Secondary property taxes, which fund the city bonds, are expected to go down even if all three questions pass, according to the City Treasurer’s Of�ice. That is because of the retirement of existing bond obligations and rising property values. Scottsdale is a world-class city. Let’s keep it great and keep outpacing the competition by investing in our community’s future. Vote Yes on Questions 1, 2 and 3. Scottsdale cannot and must not rest on its laurels. We benefit today from the work, vision and investments from those who stepped up in the past. Now it’s our turn.

ci�ically a college credit course offered at my high school that detailed different engineering disciplines), and many other �ields. Voting no on the SUSD Override is equivalent to crippling our future students’ potential, no matter where they intend to continue after school. These students are the future of our community and they will be affected by class sizes, lack of arts programs, and a decrease in overall opportunity for development. We also can’t expect teachers to be able to do their jobs with an overall decrease in scholastic funding, it’s bad enough already with how many teachers are forced to pick up multiple jobs or simply leave the district to �ind someplace that will pay a living wage. I am so thankful for the teachers who worked tirelessly for my education, despite their limited resources. I will be voting yes on the SUSD override and I hope that you will as well for the sake of every student in our school system. - Haley Linnig

Good reason why ‘con’ arguments have fake names

dividuals who submitted these letters? To protect those individuals from being harassed by proponents of the initiative they oppose? If we assume the law intentionally allows for anonymous submissions, the real question is why the individual or individuals who submitted these letters felt the need to mask their identity. The actual weight of the letter comes not from its content, but from the name of the individual who signs the letter. As the override proponents point out, theirs are signed by easily identi�iable community leaders. Could it be that Scottsdale is known for nasty political tricks? Having been on the receiving end of brutal social media attacks for stating my opinion, I believe the answer is yes. The individuals who submitted these letters may be real people who have real opinions but are afraid to express them openly for fear they will be attacked in the newspaper and on social media.

–Mark Stanton is president/CEO of Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce.

Letters

The Scottsdale Progress recently published an article on the latest scandal in the Scottsdale School District. Proponents of the override alleged that four of the �ive “no” letters in the bond pamphlet were fraudulent because they could �ind no evidence that the individuals who signed the letters exist. Let me say at the outset that I had nothing to do with these letters. I did not solicit individuals to write those letters, nor write those letters myself, nor submit those letters to the county superintendent of schools. Nor do I have any knowledge of who did. The story describes a loophole in the law that allows individuals to submit letters anonymously. Despite attempts by the Progress to obtain other identifying information, the county superintendent declined to provide it on the advice of the county attorney. Why? To protect the privacy of the in-

�� LETTERS �� 30

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

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OPINION

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Time has left city infrastructure in need BY ROBERT G. ROGERS Progress Guest Writer

started visiting Scottsdale with my parents in 1952, and moved here in 199, and live in the northern part of the

city. I served as the president of our homeowners' association and was the former chairman of the Scottsdale Neighborhood Advisory Commission. I have seen Scottsdale’s evolution into a very special community that appeals to tourists, businesses and residents (both existing and new ones). What I have not seen in a very long time is a major bond program approved

by Scottsdale voters. The last time that happened was 2000 — 19 years ago. To put that in perspective, iPhones, Facebook, Net�lix and Twitter did not even exist. Bill Clinton was president. Larry Fitzgerald was in high school. That time span has also left Scottsdale with pressing infrastructure needs. Some of our infrastructure — including Civic Center Plaza and the dam and lakes at the southern end of Indian Bend Wash — is literally broken or breaking down. Scottsdale’s �irst responders need better training facilities and upgrades to 911 emergency systems. Our youth sports teams and young athletes need more �ields and pool time and many of them face long waiting lists

and backlogs to practice or play games in Scottsdale. Now, we can �ix what’s broken and invest in our future. Questions 1, 2 and 3 on the November 5th ballot directly address that laundry list of overdue needs. They also do it in a responsible way that is smart for taxpayers. I am particularly impressed with the economics of the bond proposals. The $319 million, 58-project infrastructure program won’t negatively impact citizens’ pocketbooks. Secondary property taxes, which fund the city bonds, are expected to still go down even if all three questions are approved, according to Scottsdale’s City Treasurer. A �iscally responsible investment pro-

gram, the retirement of obligations from the last bond program and increased property values are projected to decrease secondary property taxes, which are already a small slice of overall levies. Scottsdale’s Citizens Bond Oversight Committee is in place to provide safeguards and make sure the city is spending voter-approved money properly and wisely. That gives me con�idence in infrastructure investments. Scottsdale is a special community. Let’s keep it that way by voting Yes on Questions 1, 2 and 3.

I ran for Council seven years ago. If you don’t like what the majority council members are approving, vote in candidates who favor your opinions in 2020. The bonds are a completely different issue. Don’t jeopardize our tourism and tax base, don’t punish our seniors, children and community by refusing the repairs and upgrades we desperately need. We need to step up to repair and enhance our parks, senior centers, public safety and other important infrastructure. The pace of development has nothing to do with antiquated technology at our police stations. Nothing to do with adding needed adult-day care at a senior center or improving important social service centers like Paiute or increasing parking at Pinnacle Peak Park because people love it so much. Building new parks and fire stations, fixing leaking lakes in old parks and doing the basics at WestWorld so it can

be an even better economic engine for the city is what we do for us, for our city, for our community. Whether one is in a high-growth environment or a slower growth one, that community still needs good infrastructure. And you don’t pay for it with band-aids from the General Fund. You finance planned projects that meet current and future needs, especially in the low-interest-rate environment we now enjoy. And one of the reasons is that those who came before us invested in superb public infrastructures like the Indian Bend Wash, Civic Center Plaza and the best, natural “infrastructure” of all, our beautiful McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Now it is our turn. City Council did a great job putting together a transparent and thorough infrastructure package for voters to consider. And they did so with the most favorable structure ever proposed for taxpayers when it comes to such improvements. The financing for bonds used for the

last community upgrades nearly 20 years ago are being retired our secondary property taxes, the source of payment for these projects, keep going down. That decrease combined with increased property valuations throughout the city almost certainly means our impacted taxes will continue to go down even if all three questions in November pass. It is easy to get frustrated with the government and say they spend too much or are not doing everything right. But Scottsdale also enjoys the best bond ratings in the nation and has been a reasonable and responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. I get the frustration with other matters. But ultimately, that should not cloud the clear needs Scottsdale has to help keep it the very special place it is.

Although I can understand why people may want to act anonymously, I don’t believe in it. I refuse to be afraid to openly express my opinion. That’s how fascism happens. I am opposed to the override because I do not feel the district is using our tax dollars wisely. In spite of the fact that there

is signi�icant excess capacity, the district continues to rebuild schools. Although some claim the district’s declining enrollment will rebound with shiny new buildings, that has not been the case in the past. I believe the district needs to consolidate and use those savings in the classroom. The best way for taxpayers to express

their dissatisfaction is to take the money away for one year. Voters have done it in the past. Unfortunately, I believe we need to do it again. It is the only way district residents can force the board and administration to use Scottsdale’s tax dollars to educate Scottsdale’s students. -Christine Schild

–Robert G. Rogers is a Scottsdale resident and serves on the steering committee of For The Best Scottsdale.

Don’t punish Scottsdale with your bond vote BY JOANNE COPPER PHILLIPS Progress Guest Writer

articipating in the city bond campaign steering committee has been a unique experience; working alongside folks who have rarely been on the same side as me on any issue. Yet, here we stand, united, to encourage voters to invest in Scottsdale. Support for the three bond measures is substantial, but some residents have reservations. I completely understand the mistrust. Council has approved nearly every developer request for rezoning, increased height and density despite ongoing resident objections. Bonus height and density for paltry public benefits, inadequate parking, rezoning, upzoning, the list goes on. Thoughtful, planned and compatible growth has always been my approach and what I pushed for when

LETTERS �� 28

Given Scottsdale’s propensity for ugly politics, I can’t blame them. They want to speak out and exercise their First Amendment rights, but if they do, Scottsdale’s social media warriors will mock them as haters.

–Joanne Copper Phillips is a Scottsdale resident, community advocate and is one of the leaders of the Coalition for Greater Scottsdale.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

Arts & Entertainment Scottsdale.org l

@ScottsdaleProgress

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Chaparral musical walks on the dark side BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

arlier this year, Chaparral High School’s theater department took on the popular musical “Les Misérables.” But this fall, the award-winning high school theater department will tackle much darker themes with the school edition of “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” It’s a musical that Chaparral’s Theater Department Head Ed Como said he’s been a fan of since he was in high school. “Prior to selecting the season for the following year, I send out a form to students and ask what shows they would like to do. ‘Sweeney Todd’ was one of the shows that appeared multiple times on that list,” he said. “I also have always been a big fan of the musical.” This is the first time Chaparral has ever performed “Sweeney Todd.” “Sweeney Todd” is set in 19th Century London, where Sweeney Todd returns to seek vengeance against the

Kyle Hoffmasters, 15, leads a song by some cast members during a rehearsal of "Sweeney Todd" at Chaparral High School. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

judge who unjustly exiled him and took his wife. As he awaits the day that he kills the

judge, Sweeney Todd opens a barber shop where he applies his razor to unlucky customers and brings the bodies

to Mrs. Lovett, who uses the slain in her meat-pie shop. “The content in the play is largely the same,” Como said of the edited schoolversion of the musical. “The theme is still very dark, and if it were altered too much, it would take away from the strength of the piece.” What has changed, however, was the music, which was condensed and, in some instances, simplified to allow less mature voices to sing the more operatic parts, Como said. Rehearsals started on Aug. 19, and more than 70 students are involved in the production of the play. Sophomore Kyle Hoffmaster, 15, plays the role of Sweeney Todd. “I really enjoy diving into the world that the writers of this show have created,” he said. “The society is at a major low point and there is so much desperation, corruption, and darkness which is why these characters do the things they do. I think that is super interesting and we really make that a focal point of our show.”

see SWEENEY page 34

Rebranded arts center space has new exhibit BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

hat was once called the Young@Art Gallery inside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is now known as Center Space, and with its new name comes a new fall exhibition currently on display, “The Close Observation of Inanimate Objects.” “The Close Observation of Inanimate Objects” features paintings and drawings from 14 contemporary artists, all of whom have taken their own, unique approach to the still life genre. Artists include Rachel Bess, Alexandra Bowers, Kate Breakey, Stephen Buxton, Elizabeth Cheche, Anne Coe, Matt Dickson, Suzanne Falk, Sher-

ry Leedy, William LeGoullon, Carrie Marill, Ellen Murray, Anthony Pessler, and Barbara Rogers. The opening reception for the exhibition was held on Oct. 3, and it will remain on display through Jan. 5, 2020. “While still life has been a dominant theme throughout art history, artists today are using unconventional mediums, depicting contemporary subject matter and expanding the definition of the term ‘still life,’” said Laura Hales, curator of education for Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation. Formerly known as Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach, the branch rebranded in July. What makes the “The Close Ob-

see CENTER page 35

Suzanne M. Falk’s still life piece titled “She Died with Love in Her Heart” is among the paintings and drawings on display at Center Space’s current exhibition “The Close Observation of Inanimate Objects.” (Suzanne M. Falk/Special to the Progress)

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | OCTOBER 20, 2019

60+ FILMS 80+ SCREENINGS

10 DAYS

OPENING NIGHT FILM: MARRIAGE STORY SCARLETT JOHANSSON ADAM DRIVER

Friday, Nov. 1st 7pm Reception 8pm Screening

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Enjoy a dessert reception, Festival

NOVEMBER 1-10 en LU ::::::,

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• ••

•

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•

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Ambassador Award presentation to

Sandy Fromm & Hope Leibsohn, and

Marriage Story

•

THIS FALL

Phoenix Film Critics Society Jury

Awards with our host, Gayle Bass, of TV's "RightThisMinute."

SPECIAL SCOTTSDALE PREMIERE SCREENINGS I

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CLEMENCY

FORD V FERRARI

HONEY BOY

KNIVES OUT

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WAVES THE REPORT

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