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July 3, 2022 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Chandler can survive drought, city officials say BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Officials are finding sunken boats and even old corpses as the water level at Lake Mead is now at the lowest level it has ever been, and federal officials told Congress two weeks ago the severe drought is a warning to all desert dwellers that there is a limit on the water they use. Chandler, however, is in a solid position to survive the drought, which is now in its 23rd year, City Council was told June 20. “You know, we have been preparing for this shortage for a long, long time,” said Gregg Capps, the city’s water resources manager. Chandler gets its water supply from three primary sources, surface water, groundwater and treated wastewater. The surface water comes from three rivers, the Salt, Verde and Colorado.

Lake Mead’s water level dropped to an unprecedented low, threatening cities that rely heavily on Colorado River water. (Special to the Arizonan)

Big cities that rely on Colorado River water – particularly those in

by testimony June 14 by Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, who said Lake Mead water levels are falling far faster than expected even earlier this year. She told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Committee that the federal government in 60 days is poised to impose water use restrictions because shortages and demand on the Colorado River Basin will require reductions of 2 million to 4 million acre-feet in 2023 to preserve “critical levels” at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Her agency reported that as of last Thursday, Lake Mead water levels had dropped 6 feet in a month. Its latest 24-month outlook last week said it is forecasting the “most

southern Nevada that have virtually no other source – were stunned

See

DROUGHT on page 7

Chandler celebrating July 4 without fireworks BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The City of Chandler will celebrate the Fourth of July this year, but will do so without fireworks. City officials are planning for an All-American Bash at AJ Chandler Park in Downtown. Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns will perform two sets of their rocking R&B music. There will be no fireworks because of a shortage of the pyrotechnics – a problem that also has forced Phoenix

to cancel its fireworks show. “It’s a domino effect that started when COVID happened in 2020,” said Jason Colt, owner of Santan Fireworks, whose Avondale company is the largest fireworks retailer in Arizona. According to Colt, here are the issues: All the manufacturing is based in Shanghai, China and factories started to get behind because of the pandemic, being forced to close and having a shortage of workers. All the shipping out of Shanghai is

controlled by one man and importer and exporters must stay on his good side to get their goods onto a ship and on their way to the U.S. The port in Long Beach had the same worker shortages other industries are facing, so it has led to a lot of goods sitting in the port for weeks before they ship out. The backlog has made it hard for the U.S. train system to keep up and many containers filled with fireworks sit and wait for an available train spot.

At the same time there’s been all these issues in supply, consumer demand has seen an increase of more than 300%. “People getting bored,” Colt said. “People not having anything to do and just deciding they want to blow fireworks off.” Put all those factors together, and many cities are having to plan Fourth of July parties that don’t include fireworks. The city traditionally does have a See

FIREWORKS on page 4

City Council seats on the line as early voting starts BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The number of women serving on Chandler’s City Council is likely to double or more after this year’s election. Mail-in ballots will begin showing up in residents’ mail boxes soon as early voting begins July 6 for the Aug.

2 Primary Election. In addition to state and county races, Chandler residents will be selecting a mayor and three council members for the next four years. City candidates must get 51% of the primary vote to win outright or some hopefuls on the August ballot will have to face off again in the Nov. 8 General Election.

Jane

There are two candidates for mayor and five for three Council seats. Three of those Council candidates are women, so at least one is likely to be elected. They would join current Councilwoman Christine Ellis, who is not up for election this year. There’s also a woman running for mayor, so the Chandler Council theoretically could have as many as five

women sitting at the dais. In the mayoral race, incumbent Mayor Kevin Hartke is seeking a second term. He has a lot of advantages in the race. He’s been a member of Council for since 2008. He has a significant financial edge with more than $228,000 in campaign funds at the start of the

F E AT U R E D STO R I E S New Flex service starting soon here . . . . . . . . . . . . . News . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 Chandler's last big piece of land for housing . . . . . Business . . . . . . Page 29 Sun Lakes Rotary names new leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . Neighbors . . . . Page 39

CHANDLER CITY COUNCIL

Chandler center to debut major musical . . . . . . . . GetOut . . . . . . . Page 45

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VOTING on page 8

More News . . . . . . . . 1-28 Business . . . . . 29-33 Sports . . . . . . . . . 34 Opinion . . . . . 35-38 Neighbors . . . 39-42 Faith . . . . . . . . . . 43 GetOut . . . . . 45-47 Directory . . . 48-50

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New Chandler Flex service starting this week BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Some south and central Chandler residents have a new transportation option starting soon. Chandler Flex is a van service that offers many of the features of an Uber or Lyft, without the higher cost. The city received a two-year grant to run the micro-transit program and is hoping to secure more funding to continue, and expand the program in the future. The service is scheduled for a soft launch on July 12 and a kickoff event on July 14. There is no bus service available for most of that area. Jason Crampton, the city’s senior transportation planner, gave a presentation of the program to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board on June 22. “This is a brand-new concept for public transportation that we’re excited to share,” Crampton said. “It could be a huge benefit to students at CUSD, particularly high school and junior high students. We actually got funded to operate the service for two years through A for Arizona [a nonprofit education organization], because they saw such potential in assisting students getting to and from school.” The service area is mostly in and around the Price Road Employment Corridor. It goes from Chandler Boule-

vard in the north, to Chandler Heights Road in the south. It includes most of the area from Old Price Road to Hamilton from west to east. An extended area that goes further north and east is just for students. Chandler Flex is being run by a private company, Via. It will operate similar to an Uber or Lyft. A resident calls for a ride on their phone app. It will keep the resident updated on where exactly the van is, and when it will arrive. It should take about 15 minutes to be picked up. The plan is that it should not take more than 30 minutes. To speed up the service, residents may have to walk a short distance to be picked up at a specific location. The walk should be no more than a tenth of a mile, Crampton said. “This will help the vehicles not have to deviate too far, and add time to other passengers’ rides,” he said. And unlike Uber or Lyft, you may have to share a ride with other residents. However, that will be limited. There will be no charge at the start as the city tries to build interest in the program. Rides must be within the service area. If the resident needs to go outside that area, they will be dropped off at an appropriate transit location where they can switch vehicles. After the introductory period, there may be a nominal charge for using the service. The hope is that it will remain

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free for students. However, Crampton said if the demand is too high, they may have to charge the students a dollar to keep from being overrun with ride requests. The service will include both Chandler and Hamilton high schools at the start. “As far as the operations go, and the service would operate Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.,” Crampton said. “Again, five vehicles during the peak hours. And then during the middle of the day, when there’s less usage, we’ll have two vehicles out there.” Crampton said children 13 and older could use the service without an adult. However, younger than that an adult needs to travel with them. Anyone under 18 needs parental consent to ride. The verification for that is all done on the app. He added that the drivers have been trained to deal with most situations, including angry riders. Each of the vans have security cameras to record what’s happening inside and encourage riders to be on their best behavior.

Flex users must ride within the service area outlined above. If their destination is outside that area, they will be dropped off at the nearest transit location to get a bus to their destination. (City of Chandler)

Get the app Download the app to use the Chandler Flex service. City officials say it will be available for Apple and Android later this week.

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FIREWORKS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

from page 1

fireworks show on July 4th. They didn’t in 2020 because of the pandemic, but did have one a year ago as social distancing requirements started to be eased. “Due to supply chain shortages, we were unable to secure a large scale show that Chandler has been accustomed to experiencing,” said Kim Moyers, the city’s cultural development director. The supply chain issues have also led to price hikes. Colt said that he used to pay $10,000 to get a container shipped to him from Shanghai and have it delivered to Goodyear. Now, he pays more than $31,000 and it’s only delivered to Long Beach. He has to pay another $6,000 to get it to Arizona. He said his retail business will be fine this year, because he ordered his supply more than a year ago. He has more than 50 locations set up around the state. All aerial fireworks are illegal for residents to set off in the state. The organizations that have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms can set them off as part of shows. Of course, that will probably not stop some people. The only type of fireworks that are legal for residents to set off in Arizona are ground based. Council made it legal for residents to set them off in residential streets when they updated the fire code earlier this year. A city official said there is no restriction on when residents can set

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480-898-5606 Jason Colt, owner of Santan Fireworks, said anyone buying his products should first douse the used ones before tossing them in the garbage can, noting that improper disposal of used fireworks caused fires that gutted two Mesa homes and one in Glendale in the past 18 months. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Writer)

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them off, so long as it’s within the dates approved by state law. However, that will likely change soon. The state legislature passed a bill that allows cities to regulate the time fireworks can be set off, starting at 11 p.m. Chandler’s City Council will not be able to make any changes until at least the fall, when they are next scheduled to look at the city’s fire code. Colt said they are easy to buy in neighboring states and bring back to Arizona. He expects the law will eventually change to allow residents to set them off. “It is coming,” he said. “As you can

see in the sky on the Fourth of July. You hear people really don’t care, and that’s them sending the government a message.” People who are looking for a traditional fireworks display.

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Chandler residents in search of a professionally run fireworks show have multiple options Monday in the East Valley and, of course, the option of heading down to Chase Field and take in a ballgame before the traditional climax of Independence Day festivities. The City of Mesa is sponsoring fireworks, a car show, stunt show and other festivities for free at its Convention Center, 263 N. Center St., from 6-10 p.m. July 4 with fireworks starting at 9:05 p.m. More details are at mesaz.gov. Gilbert also is hosting a free family-friendly event starting at 5:30 p.m. at Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E Queen Creek Road, with aerial entertainment, music by the Tom Petty Ultimate Experience and the Ultimate Bon Jovi and fireworks. While it’s free, a parking pass on park grounds costs $11; otherwise, prepare for a bid of hike since nearby street parking fills up fast. More details are at gilbertaz.gov. Even farther east, Schnepf Farms 24810 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek, is charging $30 a carload (wrists bands for unlimited amusement rides are extra) for an evening that begins at 4 p.m. and includes games, craft vendors, music and fireworks. More details are schnepffarms.com Fireworks shows also are available for those who want to head north to WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima

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Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Options exist for free giant fireworks shows July 4 for anyone who wants to take a drive. (File photo)

Road, Scottsdale. Tickets start at $15 for an event that begins at 5 p.m. and includes the America’s Got Talent Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show, performances by characters from the Disney film “Encanto,” family games, climaxing with one of the state’s largest fireworks shows. Also in Scottsdale, both the W Hotel and Fairmont Scottsdale Princess plan to light up the night. Chase Field will host fireworks right after the Diamondbacks play the San Francisco Giants. Two Independence Day celebrations – one with fireworks and one with an unusual substitute – will actually occur

July 3. Starting at 6 p.m. July 3, Tempe Beach Park will be the scene of a free event with kids activities, food and beverage for purchase and at 8:30 p.m. “Red White and Flume,” which the city describes as 12 floating flower-shaped flumes that will shooting into the sky over the lake, choreographed to patriotic music. And a more traditional pyrotechnics show will be part of the $15-per-person “Red, White and Choo Choo at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale.

Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway. SanTan Sun News 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.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Lawmakers take new steps on state’s water problem BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

tate lawmakers lined up the votes last Friday to look for long-term sources of new water for Arizona – but only after they concluded they need to do something more. And soon. With only token dissent, both the House and Senate agreed on the last day of the 2022 legislative session to empower a revamped Water Infrastructure Finance Agency to come up with and fund new ways to deal with the fact that the amount of water being used in the state is more than what is currently available. Given a drought of historic proportions, predictions are that it’s only going to get worse. But several legislators from both parties said the grandiose plan originally proposed by Gov. Doug Ducey, including desalinating water from the Sea of Cortez, fails to recognize that the problems Arizona faces are more immediate than projects that could take a decade and carry an enormous price tag. They agreed to go along, however, when an extra $200 million in funding was added at the last minute. Those dollars are reserved for more immediate relief including reducing water consumption, increasing efficiency

and various water-saving projects for rainwater harvesting and removal of turf to promoting “gray water’’ systems that use what comes out of bathtubs, showers and washing machines to water lawns rather than wind up going into the sewer system. Sen. Lisa Otondo, D-Yuma, one of the architects of the deal, said thinking more short-term is “essential at this point in Arizona.’’ What’s behind all this is the realization that the drought contingency plan adopted by Arizona in 2019 is not going to save Arizona. The idea was for Arizona and other states to reduce their use of Colorado River water in a bid to stabilize the level of Lake Mead. Only thing is the lake has continued to drop amid hotter and dryer weather. And while the state has followed up with what could be considered some stop-gap solutions, like acquiring water from the tribes that have a higher claim on water from the Colorado and Gila rivers, it was realized that there just isn’t going to be enough to go around, especially if farming, which consumes 70% of the water in Arizona, is going to continue. So Ducey unveiled a grand plan to have the state invest $1 billion over three years to find new sources of water which, by definition, had to come from

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“And here’s the best part,’’ he said. “These dollars can be used as soon as this bill becomes law, not in 20 years, not in 30 years, now.’’ Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, said that includes recharging the state’s often-depleting aquifers. “Ninety five percent of the rain we get evaporates before it can get into the ground,’’ she said. Still, lawmakers acknowledged, they have to be thinking not just short-term water needs but finding a sustainable -and permanent -- source. And it has to come from outside of the state. “If I have a water right and you have a water right and we sell it to a third party, it kind of moves around, we trade paper, said Rep. Neal Carter, R-San Tan Valley. “It doesn’t create new water.’’ And Carter said while there should be conservation efforts, he’s not sure how much more can be saved. “Arizona does pretty well with conserving water,’’ he said. “We’re using less water now than in prior decades.’’ What that means, Carter said, is the state has to find new sources. “Augmentation is needed,’’ agreed Rep. Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix. But she said there’s a more immediate need. “Desalination is years and years out,’’ Liguori said. “In two years we could be facSee

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somewhere outside the state. And he proposed establishing a new state agency to acquire those rights, build the infrastructure and own the water. The idea of a new agency proved to be a non-starter among lawmakers reticent to create another bureaucracy. Instead they have settled on revamping the existing Water Infrastructure Finance Agency. And, after Democrats complained that the leadership would all be chosen by Republicans they were given some input. But that still left the fact that the lion’s share of the cash was still earmarked for big projects with long timelines. Rep. Andres Cano, D-Tucson, said that won’t do. “Arizona is facing a water crisis,’’ he said. “Temperatures are rising, wildfires are raging and water supplies are drying up,’’ Cano said. “We need to learn to live with less.’’ And doing nothing, he said, is not an option. “We are out of time and out of chances,’’ Cano said. So legislative negotiators found that extra $200 million that could go to something more immediate, with an emphasis on conservation and the kind of research and projects that can make what little Arizona has go farther.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

DROUGHT

from page 1

probable” lake level will be 1,014.86 feet by September 2023, about 9 feet lower than projections made in May. “We are 150 feet from 25 million Americans losing access to the Colorado River, and the rate of decline is accelerating,” John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, told the committee. Climate change and hotter average temperatures throughout most of the nation are confronting the Bureau of Reclamation with concerns over many cities’ water supplies but those that depend on the Colorado River face the greatest danger, Touton indicated. On June 19, for example, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that Lake Mead is approaching a “dead pool level” so quickly that it could become “useless” in the not-too-distant future. Touton called on Western states and tribal nations: “...significant and additional conservation actions are required to protect the Colorado River system infrastructure and the long-term stability of the system.” In an effort to force households to cut water usage by 30%, some California cities over the past month imposed tough lawn-watering restrictions backed enforcement crews that can levy fines. While the Colorado River is currently struggling, that is not the case for the other two rivers that supply

While Chandler‘s population has been growing, average household consumption of water has been decreasing. (City of Chandler)

Chandler. The Salt and Verde rivers provide 57% of the city’s water supply. The reservoirs on those rivers are currently 68% full. Capps said there is little concern about water shortages for the northern half of the city, served by Salt River Project, which gets its water from the Salt and Verde rivers. The southern half, however, gets water from the Central Arizona Project and the Roosevelt Water Conservation District. The Central Arizona Project relies on Colorado River

Three different entities provide water for different parts of Chandler and each one relies to varying extents on the endangered Colorado River. (City of Chandler)

WATER

from page 6

ing the ultimate need of immediate water.’’ Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, called enactment of SB 1740 with just one negative vote in the House and Senate nothing short of “amazing.’’ “Water is a difficult subject to work with,’’ she said.

Still, not everyone was on board or willing to vote for the measure. “I applaud the work that’s been done,’’ said Rep. Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe. But she said the state should not be spending $1 billion in a search for new water until it deals with the existing legal issues here. And that includes the laws on who is entitled to pump water from the ground.

water. Those districts cannot change because of legal agreements, so SRP cannot start serving the southern half of the city. Capps said Lake Mead and Lake Powell are only about 30% full right now. Colorado River water, which is at record lows, is shared by seven states – including Arizona – and Mexico. Those states (have been asked to cut their water use by between two to four million-acre feet combined over the next year. Arizona alone uses 2.8 million acre feet in a year. If the states don’t come up with a plan, then the Bureau of Reclamation said it will. Capps said Chandler residents do not need to worry. First, the city has 88% high-priority contracts for Colorado River water. So others will be asked to cut back before Chandler. Second, if there are limits placed on that water supply, the city has a backup plan: The groundwater under the city. Capps said the city has 35 wells and they measure the water levels in each four times a year. The aquifer under the city has mostly been increasing. They are also working on a project with Intel to increase the water storage capabilities in the city. Currently, the city stores some of its water in Peoria and Glendale. It wants to get that water in Chandler so there is no chance others would use their water if the situation grows dire enough.

Another factor in Chandler’s favor is that the city’s residents have been conserving more water each year despite the growth the city has seen over the last few decades. Chandler residents have reduced water use by 20% over the past 25 years. The city has replaced much of its agricultural land with residential and business developments, which use less water than farms. The city has also been aggressive in encouraging residents to conserve, asking them to use desert landscaping and fix broken water pipes quickly. The city does have a drought plan. Only when it reaches Stage 4, the highest alert, would city residents face mandatory restrictions on water use. The first three stages are voluntary or mandatory restrictions on the city government’s use of water. “This is certainly something the city’s been preparing for, for many, many years and you will see that throughout our comments today,” said City Manager Joshua Wright. “And you’ll hear that from every city, pretty much initially, that they all think they’re prepared. “But there’s some unique things about Chandler, where we really go back many decades where we’ve been thinking about this day coming and really have built a very diverse supply of water that provides the benefits we see here.”

The problem is that, in about 80% of Arizona, there is no state regulation of groundwater pumping. “I disagree with the idea that the person with the most money can go to an aquifer, dig the deepest well, and take all the water away from everybody else who owns property around it,’’ Epstein said. Ducey is expected to sign the measure, as early as this week.

“With the passage of this legislation, we are rising to one of the most consequential challenges of our time,’’ he said in a prepared statement. “We are securing Arizona’s water future,’’ the governor continued. “We’re protecting our water supply, strengthening our conservation strategies and ensuring that our future remains bright.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

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election. The former pastor at Trinity Christian Fellowship has lived in the city since 1985. His major campaign themes have been his experience and building on the success the city has seen during his tenure. Hartke’s challenger is newcomer Darla Gonzalez Jane Poston Angel Encinas Matt Orlando Farhana Shifa Ruth Jones. She worked as a network analyst for the National Security AgenJones says her top issue is supportcy and has lived in Chandler for more ing the police. Every candidate in the than two years. She had previously lived in the area, city election has expressed support for the police. Jones has been critical but left the state to seek medical treatment for her oldest son, who had of the city for not hiring new officers for years because of budget concerns cancer. He later died. Jones, a breast and worries about the economy. cancer survivor, said she served on The Chandler Chamber of Comsome commissions while living in Utah merce has endorsed Hartke in this to start her civic journey. The biggest difference between the race. Here’s a look at the race for the two involves a proposed non-discrimthree Council seats: ination ordinance to protect LGBTQ+ Rene Lopez and Terry Roe cannot residents. Hartke opposes adopting run for reelection because of term one, and Jones is in favor. limits. Both are seeking a higher office. “The ordinances are cumbersome,” There is only one incumbent in the Hartke said at a June 16 forum hosted by Chandler Pride, a LGBT group. “They race, Matt Orlando. He is seeking his Chandler mayoral candidates Kevin Hartke and Ruth Jones, are facing off in the Aug. 2 have lengthy processes that take three, sixth term on the Council, having first election. (Ken Sain/Arizonan staff) six, nine, twelve months in order to see served in 1990. The Chandler Chamber of Comany action come out of there. They’re merce, the Arizona Police Association, Angel Encinas: The immigration Darla Gonzalez: She’s a businessdifficult to navigate, and then enforce and the United Phoenix Fire Fighters consultant and real estate agent calls woman running her own company, as well.” Association Local 493 have all enhimself the “Hometown” candidate, Gonzalez Professional Services. She “It doesn’t have to be cumberdorsed the same three candidates for having been born and raised in Chanand her family moved to Chandler some,” Jones responded. “It doesn’t dler. He graduated from Chandler High in 2004 from Oregon. Gonzalez says have to be hard to deal with. We write Council: Orlando, Angel Encinas and COLOR: Right click and replace with correct color Jane Poston. The otherswatch, candidates and run- find School and Arizona State University. her top three issues are public safety, the ordinance that works for our comHe says he’s a proud member of the munity that protects all of our citizens ning are Darla Gonzalez and Farhana Shifa. LGBTQ+ and Latino communities. on page 9 See and keeps them safe.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

VOTING

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keeping taxes low and maintaining the city’s business-friendly environment. Matt Orlando: The Navy veteran also ran a small business and has been a fixture on the Council since 1990. This is his third go-around seeking two terms before he steps aside because of term limits. Orlando says he still campaigns just as hard as he did the first time. “How can I ask my volunteers to go out and knock on doors if I’m not willing to work even harder than they do,” he said. Jane Poston: She was once a city employee, which she says gives her an experience none of the other candidates have. She left that job to start her own company, J2 Media, with her husband. Last year she chaired the Chandler Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Poston has worked with a number of nonprofits and promises to build partnerships between them and the city. Farhana Shifa: The Bangladesh native says she appreciates living in the United States and feels an obligation to serve others as a way of giving back. Shifa said it was one of the lessons her mother handed down. The project manager, artist and author has lived in Chandler for 16 years and currently serves on the city’s art commission. At the Chandler Pride candidate’s forum, Encinas, Orlando and Poston all said they would support the city passing a non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) to protect the city’s LGBTQ+ residents. Chandler is the largest city in the state without an NDO. Shifa had previously said she was against it, but at a forum sponsored by a gay rights group, she seemed to soften a little bit. “So about the NDO, if we have enough effect on the table, that is how many discriminations are happening, how they’re not getting their advantages in the society, then definitely that will need to be resolved,” Shifa said. “And if it is constitutional, then we’ll be talking about that.” At the Chamber of Commerce forum, Shifa was against an NDO. Gonzalez has yet to take a position on the NDO. She has said she is waiting for the results of a survey that the City Council commissioned to look at the issue and wants more information before making a decision. “I would like to wait to see the outcome of that study before making a decision,” Gonzalez wrote in an email. She said she did not attend the Chandler Pride forum because of a work commitment. “I will also support

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positive ways to motivate people to act kind and be welcoming to everyone.” Gonzalez has also not taken a position on allowing chickens in residential yards. “More than likely there is more information out there that I would be privy to once I am elected to Council to make a final decision,” she wrote. “I think the best decisions are made with the most information. I am doing my best to gather the information and apply common sense to both situations.” Encinas, Orlando and Poston have said previously they would vote against allowing chickens in residential backyards. Shifa said she didn’t see any reason to oppose it, comparing owning chickens to owning cats and dogs. In addition to voting on the Council candidates, voters are also being asked to approve Home Rule. This is an exception that Chandler voters have consistently approved every four years. It allows the City Council to exceed state-mandated spending limits in its budget. If the measure failed, Council would have to adhere to a budget formula that is based on what it spent in 1980 when its population was only 30,000 people. That formula allows increases for growth and inflation, but will fall short of what they city actually spends today. It would mean massive cuts to services if voters reject Home Rule. In Legislative District 12, which covers northern Chandler as well as parts of Tempe and Mesa and all of Ahwatukee, there is a five-way Democratic battle for two House seat nominations and a two-way Republican battle for Senate between two Ahwatukee residents. With Democratic Sen. Sean Bowie deciding not to seek re-election, incumbent Rep. Mitzi Epstein is unchallenged in seeking her party’s nomination for that seat. But Realtor Suzanne Sharer and Ahwatukee businessman David Richardson are dueling for the Republican Senate nod. In the House primary races, Chandler City Council member Terry Roe, who is termed out, and Chandler business CPA Jim Chastan have no challengers in the Republican House primary for LD12. But two Chandler residents, former city Councilman Sam Huang and 2020 state senate candidate Ajlan “AJ” Kurdoglu are in a five-way Democratic fight that includes three Ahwatukee residents – Anastasia “Stacey” Travers, Paul Weich and Patty Contreras.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Water project costs for city, Intel soar 49% BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

If you are doing a major construction project at your home or business, you probably know that costs have soared. A year and a half ago, the City of Chandler and Intel agreed to work on a joint water project that would cost $23.4 million. Since then, supplies are in short supply and those you can get cost a lot more. There’s also a shortage of workers, so labor is going up as well. The City Council agreed to amend their agreement with Intel at its June 23rd meeting to reflect this reality. The new price of their joint water project: $45 million. That’s a 49% increase in the past 18 months. “Well, the concerns that the nation has seen with supply chain and labor has been shown in spades in this particular project,” said John Knudson, the city’s public works director. “We’re having difficulty even today, to get a contractor who will sign construction contracts, because of the difficulty of subcontractors will not maintain their price for 30 days,” he said. “So this has been a real challenge, as all of our [capital improvement] projects, ... to get contractors to bid on the project, and then maintain a price for more than 30 days.” The project is part of the massive $20 billion expansion at Intel’s Ocotillo campus in Southern Chandler. It’s likely that project will cost a lot more than $20 billion now. How much? So far, Intel is not saying.

Representatives of the company declined to comment when asked. If the 49% increase for this project is similar to others Intel is facing, then it would be just under $30 billion. It could be less if the company secured all their materials and workers before prices spiked. The joint project is the Reclaimed Water Interconnect Facility (RWIF). The city and Intel agreed to split the cost 50-50, so the city is now on the line for $22.5 million. Intel is paying for its half in two different ways. It will contribute 20% ($4.5 million) directly. The rest ($18 million) will come from a state fund of the sales tax generated by the expansion. The fund, Title 42, is meant to be used on infrastructure projects related to the project. The RWIF helps both Intel and the city. Intel needs water for its new manufacturing facilities to run their cooling systems and Chandler wants better control of its water. Right now, the city stores some of the water it owns in Glendale, near State Farm Stadium. The city is capable of pumping that water from its Chandler wells. However, members of City Council expressed concerns that Glendale or another city could use all the water in their aquifer, even water owned by Chandler. The RWIF project would help increase capacity of Chandler’s aquifer, allowing the city to store its water here and eliminating that possibility. Intel would be allowed to use about 5 million gallons of water a day once this

This diagram of the Granite Reef Underground Storage Project shows how water gets into SRP’s canal system. (Courtesy of Salt River Project)

project is complete, which is about 50% of its capacity. The other 50% would be used to recharge the aquifer below the city. That water is the city’s backup plan in case it faces drought-related restrictions on its daily water use. Gregg Capps, the city’s water resources manager, says the city has 35 wells connected to its aquifer. They have the capacity to pump 73 million gallons of water a day.

“Out of the 35 stations, 94% of our wells are showing that [the water level is] either stable or rising,” Capps said. “Only 6% are decreasing.” He said that’s very good. The areas that are decreasing are near agriculture, where the water demands are higher. “So our groundwater levels are really good,” Capps said. “We have a pretty good bathtub underneath us to pump if we need it.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Bike lanes with barriers planned for Frye Road BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler’s transportation staff is planning to add dedicated bike lanes with physical barriers on Frye Road. “This will be an exciting project and pertinent to the school district here because there are five CUSD schools along the corridor,” said Jason Crampton, the city’s senior transportation planner. “The project will start about a half mile west of Arizona Avenue, and go east all the way to the Paseo Trail.” Crampton gave a presentation to the Chandler Unified School District’s Governing Board on the project last month. “Traffic can get a little fast there and to put yourself right next to that highspeed traffic can get a little dicey for some people, especially the younger students and families at these elementary schools,” Crampton said. “The idea here is to add that protection in, and The city plans to add bike lanes with barriers on Frye Road, enabling children attending five schools along the way to safely ride their add a little bit of comfort and safety Week: 06/27/2022 CLIPPER MAGAZINE bicycles. ofMail Chandler) MARTHA NEESE FOR VON HANSON (City S make people feel like they can use roofto Release Area: 02763-06-22 Chandler-West/Gilbert MEATS SPIRIT these lanes to get to and from pprove By: bike 06/13/22 Account #: CL112232 ontact your Account Service Coordinator: school.” Ad #: CL-5068367.INDD of 2024. The final design has not been deof their schools. The bike lanes travel in Alex Richmond - Brad Bass Malesha Inthisane Team: 6A Crampton said obviously they won’t He said they are looking at a variety cided yet. In some places it could be a front of San Marcos, Frye and Bologna phone: 717-509-9495 phone: 480-917-2525 email:be 6A@cmag.com able to use physical barriers at inter- elementary schools, Willis Junior High of different design types. space for plants. In front of the three email: Marthaneese@aol.com;mi.vonhansections. So, there the plansonsmeats@gmail.com is for added and Chief Hill Learning Academy. “The building blocks of a protected elementary schools, it could be a short fax: 480-917-2995 visibility. bike lane include horizontal separation, “The hope is we can work with some fence decorated with the artwork inSales Rep: Gary Millslagle “It’d be critical to add high visibility, a little buffer little space between the spired by the students at that school. of the schools there, and give the stumarking and signage at those conflict Crampton said they have completed bike and a vehicle and then a vertical dents in schools an opportunity to put ❑ ❑ ❑ points,” he said. element which would add that physical the study phase and are starting work their fingerprints and feel a little more The plan is to ask students to help protection and make sure cars don’t on design. Construction would start in ownership in this new project,” Crampprovide artwork for the barriers in front ton said. the winter of 2023 and end in the spring drift over there,” Crampton said.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

2 Chandler complexes change hands in big deals SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Two Chandler complexes changed hands last month at prices well above what the sellers paid for them only a few years ago, continuing a trend that has dominated the East Valley multifamily sector for the past year. Investment company JP Morgan bought the 240-unit San Palmas complex on N. Mission Park Boulevard, near the Loop 101 Price Road Freeway and Ray Road, for $104.3 million, according to the Valley real estate tracker vizzda. com – more than twice the $43.2 million paid by Continental Realty Group of Colorado in 2018. Built in 1998 on just under 14 acres, the complex comprises 30 two-story buildings with 90 one-bedroom units, 118 two-bedroom apartments and 32 with three bedrooms, according to vizzda. Also in June, the 180-unit Santa Ridge Condominiums at Gilbert and Queen Creek roads was sold by Samir Holdings of Phoenix to Kodiak Real Estate Group of Golden, Colorado, for $43 million, vizzda reported. That was almost twice the $27 million the seller paid for it just last year. The complex of 24 buildings on 16 acres started under construction in 2006 and gradually was finished in 2015. The sale equaled just under $395,000 per unit, vizzda said. Founded in 2019, Kodiak says it has changed its focus from building sing-residential communities to acquiring multifamily properties in Colorado, Nebraska and Arizona. Records show it has sold three small properties in the

The San Palmas apartment complex near Ray Road and the Price Freeway in Chandler recently sold for $104.3 million. (Special to SanTan

Sun News)

Valley in the past year and bought a smaller one. The Chandler acquisition was its largest yet in Arizona, according to vizzda data. Multifamily investment in the first three months of this year hit an all-time high, accounting for the strongest first quarter on record and increasing 56% year-over-year to $63 billion, according to research by CBRE.

That appears to be supporting CBRE’s earlier prediction that “the multifamily sector is set for a record-breaking 2022 amid solid fundamentals and heightened investor interest.” “With tremendous liquidity and a growing range of debt options available, multifamily pricing will be as strong as ever,” it said. Numerous analysts over the past six months have said that rising rents have

made the multifamily sector a more attractive option for investors, particularly because many people are finding themselves priced out of the market for buying a house. In February, Forbes said, despite all of the uncertainty of the pandemic, the multifamily real estate sector is still thriving and still a great place to deploy capital if you are looking for stable returns and a hedge against inflation.

New state budget becomes a boon for education BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers adopted an $18 billion spending plan early June 23, rebuffing efforts by some Republicans to tear apart the deal. The vote came as Republican legislative leaders, unable to get votes from their own members, cut a deal with Democrats by offering million

more in funding for public education than the GOP and Republican Gov. Doug Ducey had proposed. That ensured there would be enough Democrats to offset the Republicans who found the spending proposal too high to support. House Speaker Rusty Bowers told Capitol Media Services the foes may have outsmarted themselves. The Mesa Republican said he made

it clear to fellow party members that he needed every one of them to support the spending plan. That’s because the GOP has a one-vote edge in the House; an identical situation exists in the Senate. More to the point, Bowers said he told them that holding out only forces him and Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, to go to the Democrats.

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He pointed out, though, that the Arizona Constitution gives the Legislature just one mandatory job: adopt a budget. “And that’s what we’re doing,’’ Bowers said, saying he informed them that having to work with Democrats meant it would raise the price tag. The result is that the final budget See

BUDGET on page 15

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

BUDGET

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will immediately add $526 million to base education funding for K-12 schools, an 8.8% increase. That’s $60 million more than the original package. As originally proposed, charter and district schools would equally divide up $60 million in what is classified as “additional assistance.’’ These are funds with certain flexibility on how they can be used. But Democrats said that was a non-starter, pointing out that would give far more cash on a per-student basis to charter schools which have only about a quarter of the students as traditional public schools. Now the formula is on a per-student basis, with a plan to nearly double the additional aid by the 2024-2025 school year. The final plan offers not just more basic state aid to public schools. It also provides an immediate $50 million infusion in “opportunity’’ funds, dollars earmarked to help students who come from low-income households Universities also will do better than what had been proposed – at least two of them. The original plan provided $41 million for the three schools. But there was a big concern that the University of Arizona was getting more than its fair share, given its enrollment. So the final deal provides an additional $54 million in one-time dollars for Arizona State University and $22

million for Northern Arizona University. The deal also scraps something some Republicans wanted but Democrats did not: an expansion of the ability of individuals to get dollar-for-dollar tax credits for donations to help students attend private and parochial schools. Those credits reduce the amount of funding available for all other state programs, including public education. In the 2020-2021 budget year, the most recent figures available, individuals and corporations took $250 million in credits. But it would still allow people to take those credits, though existing limits would remain. Republican foes of the budget did not give up without a fight. Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, sought to cut the state’s 5.6cent income tax rate by a penny. “This is important because we have no meaningful tax cuts in the budget,’’ she said. And Ugenti-Rita said the public, struggling with inflation and higher gasoline prices, needs relief. Fann said the state can’t afford a permanent tax cut of that size, with the plan instead including a $300 million in property tax cuts. She said while Arizona has a $5.3 billion surplus, only $1.3 billion of that is sustainable, meaning revenues that can be counted on year after year. And she said what the Scottsdale senator wanted would cost $1.5 billion annually. Ugenti-Rita rejected that conten-

tion. “It’s not accurate to say we can’t afford it,’’ she said. “It’s just that we spent it all,’’ Ugenti-Rita continued. “We put our priorities in pork instead of a tax cut.’’ She had no better luck with a proposal for a one-time rebate of $250 for individuals and $500 for couples, saying that could be done out of the one-time surplus. Fann said those dollars are being used for one-time priorities, like setting aside $1 billion over three years to find new sources of water and paying off about $1 billion in debt in the state pension fund, a move Fann said would save the state about $100 million a year in interest payments. The opposition in the House by Republicans opposed to the plan was more muted, to the point where Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, didn’t even try to offer an amendment to cut some one-time funding from the state’s three universities. And Rep. Jacqueline Parker, R-Mesa, withdrew her amendment to slash proposed pay raises for state employees. “It like protects voters, cuts spending in government, and no one seems really interested in doing that right now,’’ she said. What the package also did is create the first truly bipartisan budget since the Republican-controlled legislature was forced to negotiate with Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano. And that hasn’t happened since 2008. Among the things the Democrats

could not get removed is $335 million for a border fence. That’s above and beyond another $209 million for general border security which covers everything from aid to local sheriffs to $15 million to transport those who entered Arizona from other countries seeking asylum to other states. And one piece of the final package, set for a vote later Thursday, includes creation of a system to provide state funds to parents who can use these vouchers to send their children to private and parochial schools. Those vouchers essentially redirect the state aid for that student that would have gone to the public school. Separately, lawmakers adopted other Republican priorities, ranging from tax credits for companies that build facilities for making movies and TV shows to capping how much the state can keep in taxes from the expanded gaming approved last year. They also approved a measure to require a 60% approval rate for future ballot measures if they involve new taxes. By way of comparison, Proposition 208 which sought to impose an income tax surcharge on the most wealthy to increase state aid to schools, passed with a margin of less than 52%. As a constitutional amendment, however, it is itself subject to voter approval in November. But they rejected a proposal by Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, to allow students to get high school credits for everything from outside jobs to participating in organized sports.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Police: Security at Glendale stadium won’t affect Chandler BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler’City Council is approving an intergovernmental agreement to make the city’s police officers available to work security at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The deal with the Arizona Department of Public Safety is a renewal of a previous agreement and not something new. Police officials have said in the past that they needed more officers because they did not have enough to adequately cover vacations and time off so officers could get the training they need. Chandler Police pulled many of its community policing officers off those duties to have them patrol because of the shortage. Department spokesman Sgt. Jason McClimans said the deal to provide security for the Glendale arena will not impact safety in Chandler. “Any and all Chandler PD employees who sign up to work at State Farm Stadium in Glendale do so under an off-duty employment status,” he wrote in an email. “All officers need to have their off-duty employment status approved by the administration. Off-duty employment does not affect staffing.” Chandler Police announced on their Twitter feed on June 25 that four more officers had graduated from its police academy.

Chandler Police Officer Kevin Quinn addresses the audience during an event sponsored by his department and Chandler Fire June 25 that addressed active shooter response. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

The city recently announced it would pay a $5,000 bonus to police officers from other locations willing to make a lateral move to Chandler. It also announced it would pay another $5,000 toward the moving costs for officers moving from somewhere outside the

Valley metro area. Competition for officers is heating up. Other cities are matching – and in some cases surpassing – those bonuses as police departments across the country are dealing with shortages. Phoenix City Council raised officers’ annual

salary $20,000. Chandler has about 360 sworn officer positions. It has filled 44 spots since it started the bonus program in July of 2021. McClimans said the department has 30 vacancies after a few more veterans recently retired.

NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Chandler Unified to vote on outdated budget BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The Chandler Unified Governing Board is publishing a budget that they know will change even though members will vote on it this month. And then in August or September they will change it. That’s all being done because of state laws that require the budget be set by July 15 and how long it took the state Legislature to approve its budget for the fiscal year beginning next Friday. “In my 23 years of doing this, it’s not happened very often like that,” said Lana Berry, CUSD chief financial officer. “We’ve had some late budgets, but this is the latest I’ve seen so far.” And it won’t be a little change. Berry called it a major change but said the budget she proposed to the board is the one it will have to vote on in July. “We’re required to propose a budget and then you have 10 days in between that proposal before you can adopt the budget,” Berry said. Berry said she will lead a public hearing at the July 13 meeting of the Governing Board on the budget. At that time the public and board members can weigh in. While Berry was presenting the proposed $450 million budget to the

Governing Board, the Legislature was meeting and in the early morning hours the following day approved its budget. It does include more money for education – $526 million in new ongoing funds for K-12 public education. While Republican lawmakers representing Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek voted against it, House and Senate leaders secured enough Democratic support for passage. Gov. Doug Ducey was waiting to sign it past this newspaper’s deadline. The budget Berry proposed June 22 calls for $348.6 million for maintenance and operations and $40.8 million for capital improvements. It also includes $60.8 million in grants to support federal programs. CUSD is suggesting lowering its primary tax rate, which property owners pay, from 3.7058 to 3.5725 per $100 of assessed value. However, property owners may not see that decrease because property values have increased significantly in the past year. The state puts a limit of 5% in raising the value of a property per year. So, while many homes are now worth more than 30% what they were a year ago, their assessed property value will increase only 5%. But that increase will likely exceed the lower primary tax rate the district is proposing.

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CUSD’s property tax rate is broken down to three components. The first is the maintenance and operations override. That is increasing from 1.1814 to 1.1917. The second is the bonds that voters approved. That is decreasing from 1.1908 to 1.1774. And the final is the secondary tax rate, which is decreasing from 2.3722 to 2.3691. That will likely change. The Legislature eliminated the equalization tax, which is part of the primary rate, in its budget. The secondary tax rate includes voter-approved overrides,

bonds and career technical education. The proposed budget will pay CUSD teachers an average salary of $63,447 per year – about a 1% increase over the current year’s $62,637. The starting salary for a new teacher coming into the District is just over $50,000. The district is projecting that it will start losing the total number of students at elementary and middle schools. However, the administration expects an additional 142 high school students in the coming school year.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Commuter rail opponents make their pitch BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Some residents are not onboard with commuter rail. On June 22, citizens gathered at the Heritage Academy Gateway to hear arguments against a commuter rail for the area. Gilbert Vice Mayor Aimee Yentes hosted the event and Queen Creek Councilwoman Leah Martineau spoke out on the issue. Martineau said no items regarding commuter rail will appear on upcoming Queen Creek Town Council agendas, but Yentes said now is the time for concerned citizens to act. “It’s not even being talked about, but with it is being talked about in Gilbert, we know that Queen Creek will be next,” Martineau said. Yentes outlined six major reasons that goes against the commuter

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rail development: increased crime, increased taxes, requires massive subsidies, outdated technology and falling ridership. “We’re convinced this is a really terrible idea for our community,” Yentes said. Martineau was appointed to the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority Board of Directors at the beginning of the year. “We’re spending our money on lobbyists that are therefore going to the state capitol and trying to get more of our tax dollars to go towards more of these types of things,” she said. The RPTA Board has 19 members comprising elected officials appointed by their own mayor, councils and the county board of supervisors. Along with them, the Valley Metro Rail Board of Directors has four

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

members who are elected officials that help guide the agency by providing transportation leadership to best serve the region and their communities, according to their website. In 2018, Maricopa Association of Governments released the Regional Commuter Rail System Study Update, which revised the results of the original study conducted in 2010. The updated study became a point of contention at a Gilbert Town Council meeting because it was considering a motion to pay toward further study. That motion was tabled. Commuter rail service differs from light rail service, which focuses on shorter corridors and more frequent service throughout the day, according to the study. Commuter rail corridors are longer than LRT lines, which traditionally are fewer than 20 miles in length, according to the study. The study said commuter rail could share existing freight rail tracks in each corridor with a second track being constructed within the central portions of the system to accommodate both freight and passenger trains. The 2018 study proposed the possibility of a 61.4-mile “Estrella/ San Tan Line” commuter rail route connecting Buckeye to Florence

with 16 stops. Travel time along the entire route estimates one hour and 18 minutes. There are also plans for a 53.8mile “Grand/ Kyrene Line” from Wickenburg to Wild Horse Pass/I-10 with 14 stops. Travel time along the entire route estimates one hour and nine minutes. The study estimates that the Estrella/San Tan Line would have more than 10,000 daily passengers by 2040, with only 240 coming from Queen Creek. The study looked at two possible models of locomotives: Locomotive Hauled Coaches (LHC) and Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU). For example, the San Diego Coaster that connects downtown San Diego to Oceanside, California, utilizes an LHU. The Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) that connects Santa Rosa to downtown San Rafael, California utilizes a DMU. Capital costs for both line corridors, System Elements including Union Station and Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility, and 15 train sets were approximately $2.5 billion. The light rail currently connecting Phoenix to Mesa has approximately 28 miles of track that has cost $2.1 billion to construct with average weekday ridership of 48,000, according to Valley Metro.

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Ex-teacher’s arrest prompts Higley probe BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

Higley Unified School District has hired an outside investigator to look into allegations that officials were made aware of a former teacher recently accused of inappropriate behavior with two underage students but did nothing. Gilbert Police arrested Aaron Dunton, 35, on June 16. The former Higley High School social studies teacher has a preliminary hearing on June 27 and apparently posted the $10,000 bail as his inmate record could not be found. “Since the District’s original report to police, some social media posts and other reports have asserted that details about this former employee were allegedly previously shared with HUSD employees,” board President Amy Kaylor announced in a prepared statement at the June 22 meeting. “We are very concerned about the accusations regarding this former employee and that they were not addressed when raised. “The District has hired an outside attorney to investigate and help our administration review all of these matters. It is the District’s intent to learn the details of any prior reported concern and how it was handled.” Kaylor asked that people who have reported a concern they felt was not addressed by HUSD employees, call the district’s safe hotline at 480-279-7233 or email safe.hotline@husd.org. “We take all concerns very seriously and will follow-up on situations that are reported,” she read. “Our district will continue to review our protocols, practices and policies to ensure students are safe on our campuses.” The full transcript is on the district’s website. Gilbert Police launched a two-month investigation after it was contacted by the district on April 13. Dunton submitted a request to be released from his teaching contract on April 14. While investigating Dunton’s inappropriate relationship with the 14-year-old student, police said they found another victim, who made allegations against Dunton for incidents that occurred in 2019 at Power Ranch Elementary when the victim was 11 years old. Dunton taught at Power Ranch from July 16, 2015 to May 28, 2021 and was the victim’s teacher. He transferred to Higley High in July 2021, where he also volunteered as a soft-

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Aaron Dunton

ball coach and an assistant football coach, according to the district. Dunton’s arrest became a hot topic of interest on social media. According to one person, Dunton’s behavior wasn’t a secret, writing, “I was friends with the 11-year-old in elementary school… my entire grade knew they were dating.” Another person wrote that “in 2019 a student told the principal that he witnessed Dunton committing sexual assault against a 6th grade girl and the principal suspended the kid that saw Dunton.” People claimed that both parents and teachers reported Dunton to administration, which turned a blind eye. “Only teacher I ever had to report several times over the years,” a woman said. “My kiddos were at the school.” Another woman said, “plenty of other teachers had reported him since 2015. I know of a teacher that reported him and she herself got written up for ‘stirring the pot.’” The school was notified and did nothing, a woman claimed while another said, “there were allegations made to the administration when he worked at the elementary school. So the administration should have followed up on those.” “There was plenty of talk back in 2019, we were alerted to it by a school employee back then,” a man said. “The school definitely had info about potential inappropriate behavior but seemed to let it go.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

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NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Operation Back To School returns on July 16 SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Councilmember Christine Ellis says every child who shows up for Operation Back to School will go home with a backpack filled with school supplies. The largest back-to-school charity event in the East Valley returns from 8 to 10 a.m. July 16 in the Chandler High School parking lot. Chandler residents have donated school supplies and cash to make sure all students are ready to learn when they return to classes July 20. “Last year, we donated over 3,000 backpacks,” Ellis said at the June 23 Council meeting. “And I think this year, we might see a rise again because of the way the economy is. I’m gonna reiterate the fact that when it comes to that line, if they are present with their children, we will get backpacks for them.”

Ellis said the time to donate school supplies is over, but they are still accepting cash at ForOurCityChandler. org. Also, they are in need to volunteers to help hand out the backpacks. Students must be present to get a backpack. They will need to give their name and school.

City Airport close to replacing damaged fuel pump

Chandler Municipal Airport Manager Ryan Reeves says they are finally close to replacing one of the two fuel pumps. The pump was damaged last year when it was struck by lightning. “Supply chain and contractor availability have been the main sources of the delay,” Reeves said. “The device we are replacing is a standard “fleet” fueling device, thereby parts supply and service are consistently in high demand. We are purchasing a device that is specific to the aviation

industry and utilizes processing technology also specific to aviation. We believe moving to an aviation-dedicated system will ensure greater reliability and serviceability going forward.” Pilots are dealing with the same high fuel prices everyone else is seeing at their local gas stations. The price for a gallon of FS of 100LL Avgas is $8.14. That’s typical. Prices range from $7.47 a gallon (Glendale) to $9.71 (Scottsdale).

Group to remember victims of pandemic

The Tanner Community Development Corporation plans to honor the victims who died during the COVID-19 pandemic at a July 9 dinner in Chandler. It’s scheduled for 4-9 p.m. at the Marriott Phoenix Chandler hotel. There is no cost. Visit blacktherapistsinaz.org to register.

Some of the guest speakers scheduled to appear include Michael Spinks, Ray Mercer, Elaina “Baby Doll” Reid; Temeka Johnson, Jeff Malone, and Corey Gaines.

City asks for storm water management feedback

The City of Chandler is asking residents to participate in a survey to help it manage storm water runoff better. The survey is open through Sept. 30. The city and the Flood Control District of Maricopa County entered into a partnership last year to evaluate and identify problem areas where flooding takes place in the city. The master plan they are working on is updated often and they want residents to help them know about areas where water pools after a storm. You can fill out the survey at the city’s website, www.chandleraz.gov.

Bill limiting race teaching falls flat in Legislature BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona teachers will apparently not face new rules this coming school year on how they can teach about

race and ethnicity because a Scottsdale Republican lawmaker was absent Friday on the last day of the legislative session. But Rep. Joseph Chaplik told Capitol Media Services that House lead-

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ers knew he would not be there on Friday. He said if they were interested in the fate of the measure they would have scheduled the necessary final vote on Wednesday or Thursday. “This is not on me,’’ he said. “They didn’t want to put it up for a vote.’’ House Majority Leader Ben Toma, however, said legislative rules required SB 1412 to get a final reading first in the chamber of origin, which was the Senate. That did not occur until Friday. But it remains unclear how much earlier, if at all, the Senate could have acted. Chaplik said he’s not buying the argument there was no way to advance the bill. “Leadership is so unorganized with planning and execution,’’ he said. And Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, who sponsored the measure, said the whole thing has left him “frustrated.’’ The bottom line is that for the second year in a row, lawmakers have been unable to enact what has been labeled a restriction on “critical race theory.’’ SB 1412 sought to restrict what some have argued are lessons that promote hate or feelings of shame in students. Both the House and Senate had given previous approval on party-line votes. Only thing is, there were some last-minute changes needed to get final approval. And that meant there needed to be another roll-call vote in both chambers -- the vote that did not occur in the House because of Chaplik’s absence. That will force Mesnard to try again in 2023, assuming he is reelected and the Republicans maintain their control of both the House and Senate. The legislation has its roots in what

has been a talking point by some Republicans on so-called “critical race theory,’’ based on the claim that majority students are being taught to hate their own race or made to feel guilty about things those from their own race have done in the past. Critical race theory, however, is actually an academic concept usually taught and discussed at the college level, looking at issues of how racism occurs and how even current attitudes are based on historical practices. And despite politicians, including in Arizona, running for office with a promise to halt it in public schools, there are only scattered reports of anything close to that being taught here. Mesnard’s proposal never mentioned critical race theory. Instead, it spelled out rules about teaching certain things, like one race or ethnic group is “inherently morally or intellectually superior to another race or ethnic group.’’ It also mentioned lessons about whether an individual, by virtue or ethnicity is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously, as well as that any individual because of race or ethnicity “bears responsibility or blame for actions committed by other members of the same race or ethnic group.’’ That caused concern among Democrats who argued the measure effectively would whitewash the teaching of history to the point where students would be presented with facts but fail to understand the context. And Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, said it even could result in teachers, fearing discipline for violating the law, will simply choose not to give certain lessons or even use certain See

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

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Bill targets $125M in tax credits for movie industry BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers have agreed to use the lure of millions of dollars in tax credits in hopes of bringing Hollywood to Arizona. But not everyone is sure they want the folks associated with the film and TV industry here. HB 2156, approved by both the House and Senate, would allow any production company to get up to $25 million when it uses an Arizona production facility or films a motion picture primarily in Arizona as long as it does all of the pre- and post-production activities in the state. And the legislation, now headed to Gov. Doug Ducey, would permit the state to give away up to $125 million a year. The idea, according to proponents, is to breathe new life into what was once a more thriving film industry that dates back at least as far as the 1930s when John Ford saw Monument Valley and decided to film Stagecoach here with John Wayne. And the studios at Old Tucson were for a long time the site for various westerns, ranging from The Lone Ranger to Three Amigos, before much of the facility was destroyed in a 1994 fire. But what’s happened more recently is that productions that are supposed to be portraying events in Arizona are

actually being filmed elsewhere. Exhibit No. 1 for Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Phoenix, is the 2015 film Spare Parts. It was based on four students on a robotics team from Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix who built an award-winning robot with $800 and parts scavenged from old car, even competing against a team from MIT. Only thing, Andrade said, is it was filmed in New Mexico which, unlike Arizona, offers tax incentives. Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, said he has seen the same thing while watching movies and features on Netflix. “Those film production companies had scenes in Arizona presented in their series,’’ he said. “But guess what?’’ Cook continued. “They weren’t filmed here, they weren’t spending their money here. They were doing it somewhere else as a facade of ‘this is Phoenix and in Arizona.’ ‘’ Rep. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, said she sees what is in HB 2156 as a violation of the Gift Clause provision of the Arizona Constitution. It prohibits governments from making donations or grants to any individual, association or corporation. Her objections, however, went beyond the financial and legal issues. “We don’t need another carve-out for specific industries to attract ‘woke’ Hollywood actors and studios to our state,’’ Bolick said. Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek,

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said,”They are sexualizing our children, they are degrading our culture, they are glorifying violence.” “Hollywood does not represent the people of Arizona,’’ Hoffman continued. “It is not the industry the people of Arizona want.’’ He acknowledged that the legislation prohibits credits for anything considers “obscene.’’ But Hoffman said that still is too broad, meaning even anti-American films could qualify. So could political productions. “Under this bill, if Hillary Clinton were to come here in 2024 and film a political commercial, she could qualify for a refundable tax credit,’’ Hoffman complained. But Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, had a different take on all of this. “I don’t like woke Hollywood, I don’t like their ideals, I don’t like their ideology,’’ she said. “But what I do like? I like jobs.’’ The record on such credits in Arizona is not good. A 2009 report by state commerce officials said the 2008 credits designed to lure Hollywood producers to Arizona actually lost the state $6.3 million that year. According to that study, the productions given credits generated 317 fulltime jobs in the industry. Another 413 jobs were created indirectly by Arizona spending by filmmakers.

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All totaled, the report said, that generated about $2.3 million in additional state and local taxes. But Arizona gave out more than $8.6 million in credits to get that benefit. Proponents of this new version say it is different with protections to ensure it does not lose money for the state.

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books because it may cross the line and make students feel shame or guilt about their race or their ethnicity. “Are they so fragile that they can’t even have a conversation, learn about or read about racism in this country?’’ she asked. “This bill will stifle what kids read and learn even though few to no teachers are actually, actively going around trying to make any student feel bad about their race,’’ Marsh said. “And they are not so fragile that they can’t separate racism that they see in history and in contemporary society from their own identities.” Mesnard, however, said foes of the measure are ignoring what he says is the key part of his legislation: It prohibits instruction that “promotes or advocates’’ for any of the concepts. “If, indeed, all of these things, the idea of promoting or advocating these thing is offensive, and I believe, personally, contrary to American values, then you should be voting ‘yes,’ ‘’ he said. And Mesnard said the legislation even spelled out that nothing in the legislation precludes identifying and discussing “historical movements, ideologies or instances of racial hatred or discrimination,’’ down to the point where it even lists things like slavery, Indian removal, the Holocaust and Japanese-American internment. “We were very clear about what is OK and what is not OK,’’ he said. But Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, said he feared that the legislation will effectively sanitize the teaching of history to the point where students will not understand how and why certain things occurred. “We know that the teacher’s role in a classroom should be a lot more than simply telling facts, numbers and dates,’’ he said. “The teacher’s role in the classroom should be putting all of that information, all of the facts, all of the numbers, all the dates into context and teaching children how to think critically about all of those pieces of information,’’ Quezada continued. “When we don’t allow them and don’t teach them how to think critically, we narrow their world view.’’ Republican lawmakers adopted virtually identical language in 2021. Only thing is, they included it in one of their budget bills. That was voided when the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to include provisions that do not deal with state spending.

NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

LD13 candidates debated immigration, water crisis BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

Editor’s note. This is the second part of a report on the Legislative District 13 candidates’ virtual forum held May 24 by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission. The first part ran 19 and can be read at santansun.com. Four of nine candidates running for the state Senate and House seats in District 13 participated in a virtual debate held May 24 by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission. Three candidates are running for the Senate seat – Republican J.D. Mesnard, who is unopposed, and Democrats Cynthia Hans and Michael Morris. Candidates running for the two House seats are Democrats Jennifer Pawlik, unopposed in her primary, and Republicans Josh Askey, Ron Hardin, Liz Harris, Julie Willoughby and Don Maes. Mesnard, Pawlik, Harris, Willoughby and Maes did not participate in the debate.

Water Crisis

Candidates discussed water policy and water conservation. “I’m a big advocate for desalinization, the Sea of Cortez and getting that water to Arizona,” Morris said. “We have two plants already. Let’s get them functional.” He also suggested giving tax incentives to people who help save water for things such as putting in artificial turf or doing xeriscape instead of planting grass. Hans said tribal lands needed to be included in the conversation about water conservation. Askey agreed with “incentivizing the population to cut back on water” but said agriculture also should be looked at. “We need to look at crops that are water-intensive,” he said. “And maybe incentivize those farmers to change those crops to something that is more desert friendly.” He also would want to see the impacts to the state’s water supply before home developments and big companies are built. Morris said he would favor helping Arizona farmers implement a drip system on their lands and also look at capturing more runoff water from the mountains. However, he said, he is against forcing people to conserve water. Hardin said the state has been in a drought for about 22 years and wondered what legislators have been doing all those

years to address it. He suggested using the state’s surplus of $5.3 billion to invest in technologies and companies that are willing to come up with solutions for the water crisis.

Inflation and housing

Another hot topic for the candidates included asking how they would help people dealing with inflation and lack of affordable housing. Hardin suggested some sort of tax relief. “Let’s give tax breaks, let’s help folks with the food banks, let’s make sure that those are taken care of,” Hardin said. “Folks are going to have to depend on their churches, their faith and whatnot for this and I think that’s the time that we want to take that $5 billion and give it back.” Askey blamed inflation on federal monetary policy and disagreed with President Biden’s tactic to lower inflation by asking businesses to lower their costs. “That doesn’t reduce inflation,” Askey said. “Inflation is a mechanism of the currency, meaning that inflation can only really occur at the monetary policies of the federal government.” He said the true cause of inflation can’t be dealt with at the state level. As for the rising home prices, Askey said he would want to cut the red tape that developers go through. “If you want to develop in Texas do you know what the time frame of buying that property (and) getting approval through the permit process in Texas?” Askey said. “It’s like 90 days. You know what that same process is here in Arizona? It’s one year to 18 months.” He said the Legislature can encourage “cities to figure out how to reduce that timeframe so that it does lower cost to a developer because that developer is going to pass that increased cost onto the homeowner.” Morris suggested eliminating the state gas tax. “When inflation goes rampant like this it typically affects the low-income families a lot and so those are two big steps that I would take to try to combat inflation – get rid of the gas tax and work on getting that minimum wage up,” Morris said. Hans questioned how much the state can do about inflation, and said she would want to explore tax breaks and credits. “For instance, we don’t tax food and that

Only some of the LD 13 candidates appeared in the May 24 Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission debate. (Clean Elections Commission)

benefits every human in the state,” she said. “But are there other tax breaks that are only benefiting a few thousand people instead of a few million people or a few hundred people?” “The state could kick in some more if we got rid of some of those tax breaks,” she said. “So that’s one of the things that I would like to dig deep into, is where we have some fluff in our budget already and use that money to give people some relief.”

Immigration

One voter asked the candidates for their policies regarding immigration and the border wall. “I’m not a supporter of the border wall,” Hans said. “I think it’s performative, it is not helpful.” However, she said, she was in favor of a secured border, which she reminded is a federal issue. “We have a lot of laws in place about immigration,” she said. “We probably need to invest some more funding to support border security but we also need to support the structures that allow us to process immigrants quickly and fairly.” Askey said he would like to see the wall completed in Arizona but that the state is limited to what it can do because a chunk of land bordering Mexico belongs to the Tohono O’odham Nation, a federally recognized tribe. He also disagreed with “the other side” that a border wall doesn’t work. “If borders didn’t work, (if) fences didn’t work, then why do the wealthy of us have borders around our property?” he said. Hardin said he, too, would like to see the wall finished although it will be impossible

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because there are federal and Indian lands involved. To build a wall when there is reservation land in the way is “just a waste of money,” Morris said. “They’re just going to go to the other part of the wall and sneak in that way. “So why are you throwing good money away on that instead of taking that money and streamlining the system for the good people that want to get through, that are not, you know, drug runners or whatever? Give them a route, make it easy, make it simple so they can get in this country legally and start their new lives with their families.” Hardin responded by saying there already was a process in place for immigrants to come into the United States legally. And he didn’t disagree that the process should be streamlined for those doing it legally but the question at hand is illegal immigration, he said. “No one and specifically no one in the Republican Party would ever say that we don’t want immigrants to come in,” Hardin said. “Of course, that’s how our country was built.” The goal is to secure the border against illegal drugs and human trafficking, he said. “I used to be a state trooper in Arizona so I know all about human smuggling through the Casa Grade route,” Morris responded. “I think that you should walk a step in a Mexican citizen’s shoes and trying to get yourself citizenship here is an absolutely hellacious process,” Morris said. “It’s insane and it’s causing people to go run out into the desert with bottled water and try to make it through because they can’t deal with the ridiculous amount of administration and stuff that they have to go through.”

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NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Funeral Saturday for Queen Creek mayor BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Queen Creek will say its final goodbyes next Friday and Saturday to Mayor Gail Barney, who died June 23 after a months-long battle with a lung infection. He was 74. Mayor Barney’s public service had an impact far beyond the town that was his home since he was 6 months old. Tributes from across the state, including the Governor’s Office, not only noted that impact but also recalled his humility and friendly demeanor that endeared him to everyday residents and public officials alike. “He was totally void of ego,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said, recalling how Mayor Barney made Queen Creek “an important part of the East Valley but on a personal level, he was very humble. And so that made him just remarkably easy to work with.” The viewing and funeral services for Mayor Barney will be held at the LDS Stake Center, 22035 E. Ocotillo Road, Queen Creek, A viewing will be 6-8 p.m. July 8 and the funeral will be held at 10 a.m. July 9. Gov. Doug Ducey ordered all state flags to fly at half-mast on June 24 and hailed Mayor Barney’s contributions. Stating “he cared greatly about his community and all those who called it home,” Ducey said: “Under Mayor Barney, the Town of Queen Creek has become one of the fastest growing municipalities in the nation, attracting industry giants and many new residents. His vision and leadership helped make that growth possible.” “He was committed to fostering economic growth and creating opportunities for Queen Creek’s growing population. His legacy as a humble public servant who cared for his community will live on,” Ducey said. Roc Arnett, the former longtime leader of the PHX East Valley Partnership, recalled Mayor Barney’s humility with a fond memory of working with him for 20 years in the Maricopa Association of Governments, stating: “Many times, he would attend those meetings in his Levi’s with a little mud yet on his boots having come from his field irrigating. Reflecting on Mayor Barney’s loss reminds me of the entire Barney Family who have contributed to the growth, development, and stature of our great East Valley.” Former Gilbert Mayor John Lewis, now the Partnership’s president/ CEO, said “I always enjoyed listening to stories from Mayor Gail. He spent his whole life in the town that he loved and as mayor, it showed. His heart was in the community – always thinking and asking, ‘what is in the best interest of our citizens now and in the future?’” Lewis recalled walking around the then newly-opened Horseshoe Park. “We had the best time wearing our cowboy hats together,” Lewis said. “He laughed at me and said, ‘You’re not a real cowboy, but you look like

you could be!’ In other words, with his positive attitude, he was telling me that I had potential. He looked for the good in others and could always see their potential. “I laughed when Mayor Gail told me that one night he needed to rush the end of a council meeting. He said, ‘I did not want to end the meeting until all of our town business was addressed, but I needed to get home to turn on and watch the irrigation water.’” Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke called Mayor Barney “one of my mayoral mentors and a person who always had time for everybody.” “He has a long legacy. He saw that town of Queen Creek double. He had great passions, his loves were his family, his wife and his community. And anytime I’ve ever served with him on a community board meeting in Phoenix, he would always be the first one there because driving from Queen Creek he never knew what was gonna get in the way,” Hartke said. Maricopa County Supervisor Jack Sellers said, “The passing of Mayor Barney is truly a blow to those of us who knew him as a friend and a great leader. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him in many capacities over the years and I was always impressed with the sincerity in which he served our community.” Queen Creek Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Perry Berry said, “Mayor Barney was a good friend of mine and I am very sorry about his passing. We both shared a love for the outdoors and hunting. We would often share pictures, stories, and I loved hearing about his hunting trips. He was a good man, and will be greatly missed.” The district Governing Board issued a joint statement praising his support and saying, “We see the impact of this wonderful founding family in the town’s culture, traditions, and in our public institutions. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all who live here and through our schools and our students. He will be truly missed.” Mayor Barney became a Queen Creek resident as a toddler in 1948 and worked on his family’s farm – which ultimately inspired his road to service. “Mayor Barney often shared he was having trouble crossing Germann Road on his tractor, so he got involved and never looked back,” the town said in its statement. He started his public life on the Queen Creek Planning & Zoning Commission in 1998 and served there until 2002, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Town Council. In that time, Mayor Barney was instrumental in helping the town achieve many of the milestones in its development, including the opening of Ellsworth Loop, starting a fire department, and building municipal water services. “Mayor Barney embodied what it meant to be QC neighborly – while his years of leadership and dedication will leave a legacy in the Queen Creek community – he will be sincerely missed,”

Gail Barney

the town statement said. In 2010, he was elected mayor and continued to help the town make strategic advancements, helping to make Queen Creek the first municipality in Arizona to have a fully funded pension system and launching the town’s police department. In 2014, Mayor Barney was highlighted in a League of Arizona Cities and Towns newsletter in which he said one of his proudest achievements was helping the town through the Great Recession with reduced staff and limited resources. “Queen Creek even saw an increase to our credit rating - one of only nine communities in the nation,” he said. “I credit this to having such great, dedicated employees and a town council that worked together to make tough decisions.” He also said the town’s biggest challenge at that time was ensuring enough resources for its infrastructure. “We are building a community from scratch, and still have two-thirds of our infrastructure needed to serve our build-out population of about 95,000,” he said. Mayor Barney also served on the Maricopa Association of Governments in various capacities since 2006, including his appointment to the Regional Council in 2010 and served as chairman of the Regional Council in 2018 for one year. His influence also impacted the East Valley in other ways, notably in the development of Phoenix Mesa Gateway

Airport. East Valley Partnership Vice President Mike Hutchinson recalled, “He was active with Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport for a long time. He was just a really good guy in terms of rolling up this sleeves and working on issues and participating. “Being a guy who showed up, if there was a meeting, there was an event, there was somebody we had a talk about lobbying, Gail was always game to be in the mix. …He didn’t care if you were the intern or another mayor: he just treated everybody well.” Though his illness had sidelined him from Town Council meetings since April, Mayor Barney remained active apparently right up until the day he died. Giles said he was shocked to hear of his passing because Mayor Barney had joined by phone the June 21 meeting of the Gateway airport authority board and had been on the phone with him and other mayors for a MAG conference call on June 22. Under the Town Code, Vice Mayor Jeff Brown will continue to perform the duties as mayor. Mayor Barney is survived by his wife Pam, three children, 16 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Lewis eulogized him, stating, “Mayor Gail was and is a farmer who knew how to raise crops, a family, and a community. It is always hard to say good-bye to friends, but I am grateful to have known this dedicated, humble, and servant leader, I call my friend, Gail Barney.”

NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Gilbert man makes car-cooked meals BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

Joe Brown mixed water, eggs and oil into a Betty Crocker box cake mix. The Gilbert man then poured the chocolate-flavored batter into a cake pan. But instead of an oven at 350 degrees for half an hour, it went into his Honda Accord, where it baked at about 210 degrees for two hours. “This cake was a 10 out of 10, would definitely recommend,” Brown announced after taking a bite and giving two enthusiastic thumbs up on his TikTok video. Welcome to cooking in the Arizona heat, where Brown has amassed 2.2 million followers eager to see what concoctions the Gilbert native cooks up on his car dashboard. From cracking an egg on the sidewalk back in 2020, the Highland High School graduate is now grilling, frying and baking in his car. “I get a kick out of it,” Brown explained. “It’s so crazy what I’m doing.” Brown first began his cooking in the car videos in April with a batch of chocolate chip cookies that took an hour and a half to bake at about 180 degrees. The hottest it’s gotten inside his car so far this year was 225 degrees. “The chocolate chip cookies were the best,” he said of the dishes he’s tried so far – which have included pizza, brown-

Among the various dishes Joe Brown of Gilbert has cooked in his Honda are hamburgers. He showed in a video how he placed burgers on the dashboard when the interior temperature registered 186 degrees. They were cooked in two hours, coming out well done which is how he likes them and the buns were extra crispy. He rated them a 10 on a 10-point scale. (TikTok)

ies, cupcakes, a New York strip steak, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. “I’ve cooked breakfast in there, eggs, bacon and waffle,” he said. “I would say most of it tasted pretty similar” to the conventional cooking method. The item that took the longest to bake was a pumpkin pie at four hours. Brown is sort of a pro now when it comes to harnessing the sun’s rays to cook food. In 2020, he cooked food on the roof of his family’s home and last summer, on the roof of his car. Brown said his first video went viral in May 2020, when he cooked a tray of chocolate chip pancakes on the roof because he was too lazy to use the stove. The pancakes baked for three hours in 97-degree temperatures and looked “absolutely disgusting,” Brown says on the video. “I really don’t want to try these because I know I’m going to get sick,” he says. “My stomach is going to hate me after this. This looks awful.” After commenting on the bad smell, he takes a bite and gags, spitting the pancake back onto a plate. Since then, Brown has made pancakes in his car that were edible, although he acknowledged it was the worst Joe Brown eats the cake that he baked in his car.

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food to cook. “They have to be flipped and they turn out like potato chips,” he said. Of the three methods, definitely the car is the best for cooking because the insulated heat makes it so much hotter, Brown said. “In terms of food, I just won’t do fish,” he said. “It’s the only thing I don’t like.” Every day, Brown cooks and posts two videos, one showing him prepping the food item and putting it in the car and the second showing him eating and rating the taste. Brown relies on his followers for fresh ideas on what to pop into his car, which includes non-food items such as crayons, candles and a 10-pound gummy worm. “Surprisingly, I’m still not a cook,” he said. “To this day. I don’t make much except for mac and cheese out of a box.” Although Brown earned an associate degree from Arizona State University, he has no plans to continue his schooling for now. Instead, he’s focusing on a career as a social influencer. He’s earning some revenue from his TikTok videos but it’s going back into buying ingredients, he said. He plans to build up his other social media accounts – Instagram, which has 20,000 followers, and YouTube, which

Joe Brown takes a temperature reading as a cake bakes in his Honda Accord. (Photos Courtesy Joe Brown)

has 600 followers. Brown said he’ll continue videotaping until September and take a hiatus until next summer. “Next summer I want to switch it up a bit and keep it fresh,” he said. “I have no idea what at this time.” Until then, he has advice for his followers: “stay cool and stay hydrated and just realize that the sun is really hot and it’s hot in Arizona.”

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NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Allegiant cutting Mesa flights this summer BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Staff Writer

Americans’ desire to travel is currently strong, but there will be fewer flights leaving and arriving at the East Valley’s major airport this summer. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport CEO J. Brian O’Neill told the airport authority’s board of directors on June 21 that the facility’s largest carrier, Allegiant Airlines, had informed management that it would be cutting about 220 flights servicing Mesa this summer. He told the board the cuts may end the airport’s streak of record-setting months beginning in March, when the airport set an all-time record of nearly 250,000 commercial passengers. The airport set monthly records for passengers in April and May. Like most major airline companies across the country, O’Neill said Allegiant cited a pilot shortage as the reason for the cuts. In a statement to the Tribune, Allegiant wrote, “Earlier this year, due to market conditions, including industry-wide staffing shortages and high fuel prices, we proactively made some capacity reductions to our summer schedule. “Those adjustments were made to ensure the integrity of our operations and deliver our passengers the most reliable service,” the statement continued. “We have been operating that schedule

Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport has seen ups and downs in flights over the last three and a half years as the pandemic cut into air travel. This chart tracks flights from all carriers using the airport. (Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport)

since April and have no further planned changes to capacity for this summer at AZA (Gateway’s airport code). We continue to offer 49 routes out of AZA, flying dozens of times each week.” In the latest air travel consumer report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Allegiant Air topped the list for highest percentage of cancellations in March, with 5.4%, compared to an overall average of 1.5%. Allegiant also topped the list of low-

est on-time arrival rates in March, with 57.2%, just a little lower than Frontier Airlines with 57.8%. At the same time, flight cancellations for all airlines were down in March, according to the DOT data – 1.5% compared with 4.5% in February. March’s overall cancellations were also lower than the 2% recorded in March of 2019, before the pandemic. O’Neill said the airport is expecting to see 45 Allegiant flights cut for June

and 90 each month for July and August. “I’m really not sure about the continued string of record setting activity. What we’re hopeful about is that the pilot shortage gets resolved,” O’Neill said. The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest commercial pilots’ union, has pushed back on claims by airlines that pilot shortages are causing cancellations, blaming instead airline mismanagement and poor allocation of federal relief funds during the pandemic. A May release from the ALPA stated that “five of the seven largest passenger air carriers currently have more pilots now than they did in 2019 prior to the pandemic.” In June, ALPA released a statement that the U.S. is training more pilots now than before the pandemic, noting that almost 8,000 have been certified in the last 12 months. Allegiant’s cancellation issues and decision to cut Mesa flights this summer is at odds with plans for expansion. The airline has purchased 50 Boeing 737s, which are slated for delivery next year. An Allegiant representative said in March that some of those new planes would likely be based in Mesa. In late 2021, Allegiant also announced partnership with Mexican airline Viva Aerobus, which could see Allegiant add many destinations south of the border to its U.S. network.

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Tex Earnhardt’s old ranch eyed for high-end homes BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The last major piece of land in Chandler available for a large single-family residential subdivision is a historic property. And that ain’t no bull. “This is the last of the 40 acres – everything else is like peanuts,” said David de la Torre, the city’s planning manager. “Everything else is just smaller infill stuff. So this is kind of the end of an era for Chandler.” The property he is talking about is the former ranch of the late car dealer Tex Earnhardt on the northeast corner of McQueen and Hunt Highway. The city is currently reviewing an application to turn the property into a 100-home subdivision called Earnhardt Ranch. As one of the first steps in that process, the City Council held a public hearing on June 23 to consider annexing the county land into the city. Lauren Schumann, the city’s senior planner, said builder Blandford Homes wants to incorporate some of the history into the project. Naming it Earnhardt Ranch is just one step. She said they are also considering some kind of marker for the green space they hope to build in the middle of the subdivision: Something along the lines of a statue of a bull, for example. Two longhorns still live at the ranch. Earnhardt opened his first dealership in the early 1950s and often rode his longhorns while filming TV commercials and saying his well-known catchphrase. Tex Earnhardt died on April 19, 2020. He was 89.

This map shows how houses would be built on the former ranch of the late Tex Earnhardt. (City of Chandler)

The city wants to annex two parcels of county-owned land for the development on the old Earnhardt ranch. (City of Chandler)

The late Tex Earnhardt was one of the Valley’s most successful car dealers and often used longhorns in his commercials. Two of the animals still live on his Chandler ranch. (File photo)

“So the subject site does fall within our southeast Chandler area plan,” Schumann said. “This plan was established to promote the historic, rural agrarian lifestyle of South Chandler. So in order to align with those goals, they’re coming in at, I believe we have 2.68 units per acre.” According to what he said he’s seen of the plans, de la Torre said it is clear that the developer will be building high-end homes on the site. City officials have said there is a lack of all types of housing, including luxury homes for those who can afford it. City officials say that when people who can afford very expensive homes can’t find them, they buy less expensive ones and the process continues all the way down to the least expensive, making it harder for new families and young people to get into the housing market. So, city officials argue, part of addressing the city’s affordable housing shortage is to build homes for all income levels.

Many of the projects the planning department has been dealing with lately are for multifamily housing. That reflects the reality that there are not a lot of large spaces left for single-family homes. But, de la Torre said there is room for smaller subdivisions and single-family homes will continue to be built. “We do have other lots that both Lauren and I have worked on that are smaller infill properties, but they do build single-family homes on,” de la Torre said. “It’s maybe not the same type of caliber as this, but it’s a smaller infill single-family detached subdivision. So that is still possible. But this is the last of the big ones.” Earnhardt Ranch would have only single-level homes on its eastern border to give their neighbors on the other side of the fence some privacy. The entrance would be off McQueen Road and a park area would be built in the middle of the property for recreation opportunities for residents.

These are very early plans that the city planning staff is currently reviewing. Staff can, and usually does, suggest changes. Then, there is usually a neighborhood meeting and more changes could be suggested and adopted. Then it goes before the Planning and Zoning Commission for its recommendation, and then City Council for approval. Both bodies can ask for additional changes. Another builder is eyeing a large undeveloped lot at the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Pecos Road, across the street from the Walmart shopping center. Schumann said the city just received an application for that property. But staff hasn’t looked in depth at it yet. Originally, it was zoned for a large development, say a hotel and retail. The application wants to rezone it for multifamily housing, offices and some retail.

Chandler girl was a finalist in Basha donut contest BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Amanda Myers can start working on her summer essay, ‘What I did this summer’ now. The short version: She became a finalist in the 7th annual Bashas’ Donut Flavor Craze Contest. The 12-year-old south Chandler resident wanted to enter the contest and was dreaming up what flavor might give her an edge. She happened to be wearing a tie-dye shirt and used that for inspiration. Her tie-dye donut became one of five finalists in the contest’s youth category. “I like tie-dye so I decided it should be a long john and we put some sprinkles on top to make it pop,” Amanda said. Bashas’ describes it as a long donut with orange, red, green and purple icing in a tie-dye pattern with rainbow and confetti sprinkles on top. The Carlson Elementary School graduate said she tried to enter the contest before, but wasn’t able to at the time because she was not old enough. She said her first idea was a chocolate Oreo long john.

Amanda did not win the contest, however. The winning entry in the youth division went to a Phoenix boy who designed a cotton candy donut. It is a white-raised donut with blue and white icing and broken bits of frosted animal cookies on top with rainbow sprinkles. Amanda said the process for entering required her to describe her donut in 100 words or less. Then, someone at Bashas’ would make it. When she saw her donut, she was a little disappointed. “I would have liked [if they mixed in the different colors] when it was in the liquid point,” Amanda said. “So not solid, I would have put different colors in and then poured it over and not just used separate colors.” In the fall Amanda will start classes at a middle school. Which one remains unknown. She and her parents have narrowed it down to either Gilbert Christian or Santan. See

DONUT on page 32

Chandler resident Amanda Myers, 12, was a finalist for the Bashas’ donut contest, and came up with the idea for a tie-dye donut. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Twin brothers follow a passion for paramotoring BY MELODY BIRKETT Contributor

Mesa resident Nik Rasheta and his twin brother Noah share a hobby off-hours — paramotoring. They’ve been passionate about flying since they were young, starting skydiving at 16 and both getting general aviation pilot licenses. Nik is a full-time valley police officer and while Noah lives in Texas, the brothers run Epic Paramotor in Mesa together, offering the thrills of powered paragliding and the training needed to do it safely. “The sensation of flying is just like magic,” said Nik. “It feels like you’re living out a childhood dream or a dream of flying. Once it lifts you, you’re sitting in a chair, it feels like a magic chair, that you can just tell where to go. You can go up, you can go down, you can go right, you can go left. It’s just an incredible sensation.” The twins, both certified paramotor instructors, started their business four years ago. “It started as a passion for flight,” said Rasheta. “We’ve always known we wanted to fly. My brother has a rotorcraft pilot license. He was trying to find a way to be a helicopter pilot for a profession but it didn’t work out so he moved on to other entrepreneurial adventures. “I did the same. I got my fixed-wing airplane pilot license and decided to not go that route for work but I’ve always been trying to maintain aviation as something in my life.”

Mesa resident Nik Rasheta and his twin brother Noah love the thrill of paramotoring – and share it with others through their Mesa business, Epic Paramotor. (Special to the Tribune)

Rasheta also got into motorcycling and his brother was about to do the same when Rasheta discovered paramotoring and shared it with Noah. “Within two weeks, my brother had purchased equipment, set up training for himself and was full steam ahead into paramotoring,” Rasheta said. Noah got into the business side of it and became an instructor. “The reason he did it was he knew how it had transformed our lives,” said Rasheta. “We had no idea it would be this incredible and accessible so we decided to help other people have a route into what we discov-

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ered. That’s how it started.” Noah started training people and Rasheta would assist during his days off. When Rasheta became an instructor, the brothers branched out the school. “We try to structure the course that when you leave, you have the minimum amount of skill to be competent of flying on your own,” Rasheta explained. “But you’re still a novice when you leave. It takes 50-100 hours of flying to get to the point where you can go anywhere and fly in almost any condition. A lot of the learning and the skill comes after the course. “We just help you learn to get to the

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point where you’re going to do it safely and not be breaking equipment or hurting yourself to gather that experience.” Paramotoring is a skill and should be learned with an instructor even though it’s not legally required. Gear can be purchased and adventurers can learn to fly on their own. “But experience has shown it can be very dangerous because you don’t know what you don’t know,” Rasheta added. “Aviation is an unforgiving sport if you’re not aware of the weather or you don’t know about the equipment you won’t have the benefit of learning from someone else’s experience.” For those who want to learn on their own, he said there are organizations that have a safe curriculum to learn. The biggest one is The United States Powered Paragliding Association which Rasheta said has “a recommended syllabus and a lot of experience and information… that has allowed people to learn and get into it safely.” It’s also good to go through an organization like this in finding an instructor with a rating. There are different forms of experiencing flight that reflect peoples’ character and personality. “Some of us are very mellow and just fly 5 feet above the ground or thousands of feet above the ground, just enjoying the sensation of flying,” Rasheta explained, See

PARAMOTOR on page 32

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Research firm in EV seeks Alzheimer’s study participants BY SAMANTHA MORRIS Staff Writer

Older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than whites. And Latinos are one and a half times more likely. This inequity has brought medical research group Care Access out to Mesa for a five-year study testing the investigational drug, Donanemab. The study, conducted in cooperation. with Eli Lilly & Company, aims to see if Alzheimer’s can be prevented in those aged 55-80 while taking the medication. These participants must also have normal cognitive function and be in good health. Sinikka Green, the medical coordinator at Care Access explained that Mesa is an ideal location due to its age and demographic makeup. “Mesa has a 55 plus population, which is of course what we are looking for,” explained Green. Additionally, Mesa has a strong Latino population, which is important due to the impact of Alzheimer’s on that community. Historically, access to medical studies have been skewed towards white participants. Combating unequal access is part of Care Access’s mission to meet people where they are. “Part of our mission is to be where diseases are endemic, where people are more genetically predisposed, and where there’s a higher need,” said Green.

Care Access, the world’s leader in decentralized clinical trials, and Eli Lilly & Company are bringing research to Mesa and held a ribbon cutting at its new Mesa offices. (Special to the Tribune).

The medication developed by Eli Lilly and Co. is given to patients every four months via an IV infusion. It’s designed to break down amyloid proteins that accumulate in the brain and disrupt cell function, an early sign of Alzheimer’s. Tackling these changes in the brain early on could become a game changer if people can take a preventative medication that halts the progression of the disease. The average age of onset Alzheimer’s is mid 60’s, and this trial is trying to combat it 10-20 years before one develops symptoms. While Mesa is the targeted population, anyone outside of Mesa can enroll. Participants are required to enroll

Prop 470

YES OR NO

with a partner that can observe any memory changes throughout the trial. The partner can be remote, and does not need to attend all study visits. Care Access also gives participants a debit card that compensates them for gas or any uber/lyft rides they may need for their appointments. They are looking for 3,300 people for the whole trial. The nature of the screening process informs participants if they have an accumulation of proteins that can become toxic in the brain. Green has encountered hesitancy among people who would rather not know what may lie ahead in their future. According to Green, a history of Alzheimer’s in your family shouldn’t

deter you from enrolling. “Unfortunately, a lot of people have a family history, because it’s such a prevalent disease. While family history can be one of the risk factors, there’s a lot of others and a lot is really unknown,” said Green. Green said that for many patients a family history becomes their motivation, since they’ve seen the devastation firsthand and want to be a part of a solution. “These are amazing humans who are donating their time, their blood, or whatever it may be to help us advance science and move it forward. They are going to make a big difference,” said Green. Information: fightalz.careaccess.com.

There’s an election on Tuesday, Aug. 2, and Chandler voters will cast a ballot for Prop 470, asking voters to continue the Local Alternative Expenditure Limitation, also known as Home Rule. The Home Rule Option allows a city to make its own decisions about how to spend its tax revenues. If it doesn’t pass, the City would have to cut more than $216 million from its budget impacting public safety, street maintenance, recreation programs and planned capital improvement projects. Remember, Prop 470 is NOT a tax increase. El martes 2 de agosto se llevará a cabo una elección, y los electores de Chandler emitirán su voto con respecto a la Proposición 470, la cual les pide a los electores que continúe la Alternativa Local al Límite de Gastos, también conocida como la Opción de la Regla de Autogobierno. La Opción de la Regla de Autogobierno permite a una ciudad tomar sus propias decisiones con respecto a cómo gasta sus ingresos fiscales. Si no es aprobada, la Ciudad tendría que recortar más de $216 millones de dólares de su presupuesto, impactando a la seguridad pública, el mantenimiento de calles, programas de recreación y proyectos planificados de mejoramiento capital. Recuerde que la Proposición 470 NO es un aumento a los impuestos.

chandleraz.gov/elections

BUSINESS

PARAMOTOR

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

from page 30

adding: “Some people like the adrenaline roller coaster ride part of flying. They’ll go up high and start doing turns that get more and more aggressive. And then all of a sudden, they’re doing what’s called a wingover where they’re over their wing and it dips and descends and then they swing back out over it and you dip it where they can do a barrel roll. “It gets kind of aerobatic where you’re feeling the g-forces. It’s a lot like a roller coaster ride.” To get to that level of flying, you must have a lot of control and experience. There are advanced courses where you can learn high-g maneuvers. The two ways of flying a paramotor are foot launch and a wheels launch that looks like a go-kart with the same type of motor but on a frame with wheels. “The sport itself is accessible to all body types,” explained Rasheta. “If you’re heavy and can’t fathom running with 50-60 pounds on your back, then you get the wheels set up where you don’t do any running. And because of that, you can have larger and heavier motors because you’re

DONUT

from page 29

“I’m kind of nervous for because I don’t know a lot of people that are going to Gilbert Christian,” Amanda said. “But I’m excited at the same time.” So the choice comes down to starting

not carrying it – the wheels are.” While there are few FAA rules on paramotoring, enthusiasts are not allowed to fly over congested areas and can’t fly at night. The hobby isn’t cheap with brand new equipment, including the backpack motor setup and paraglider, costing between $10,000-$12,000. Used gear costs $6,000$8,000. Rasheta said it’s usable and doable as long as you have some assistance in finding the right gear. “It’s all based on your weight and where you’ll be flying, what altitude your takeoff is,” explained Rasheta. “We’re at about 1,200 feet here. You’d want different equipment if you’re flying at 5,000 or 6,000 feet elevation in Utah or at the beach. All of those things make a difference.” Once the equipment is purchased, the main cost is gasoline. “These things can fly about an hour per gallon,” said Rasheta. “And most of our fuel tanks hold about three gallons of fuel. Most people can fly about three hours on the long end but most of us average one to two hours because we don’t want to carry that much fuel weight on our takeoffs.” Maintaining the equipment is low-key. It’s a two-stroke engine that is very basic

and accessible according to Rasheta. About every 50-100 hours, things like the bushings, the gasket or fuel lines need to be changed depending on the type of fuel used. “It’s all basic small stuff when you compare it to other forms of aviation. It’s like two different worlds. I would say this is like upkeeping a weedeater or a dirt bike where it’s completely accessible. It’s completely accessible to someone who knows nothing about motors to get into this and learn how to tune and keep a two-stroke motor running. They’re pretty basic when it comes to mechanics.” In the East Valley, Rasheta said, San Tan Valley and Gold Canyon are popular flying sites. “My favorite for personal flying is definitely Gold Canyon. I love flying up to the Superstition Mountains over Flatiron and as the sun is setting to the west, I descend the mountain and go over the saguaro desert, back over US 60, and then I land in the desert. That whole return is facing the sunset. It’s just a beautiful flight.” The sport does have its dangers. “The most common factor for danger or death in our sport is bad decision making,” Rasheta explained. “Sometimes it’s the attitude problem. Sometimes it’s the lack of knowledge problem. If you get the

right training, at least you’ll have the knowledge to do it safely. Then it becomes an attitude problem. If you get complacent or invincible, you can make decisions that are very dangerous in this sport. “The most common fatality is people flying over water, going really low, and for whatever reason ending up in the water. And it can happen quickly. Then they drown because they’re connected to the wing and all the lines are there.” Rasheta added there are flotation devices flyers can carry with them. It gives a person time to separate from the equipment. “The second most common form of bad decision making is doing those aerobatic type moves but low,” Rasheta said. “Usually that happens in a show-off attitude where they’re really low and doing high, steep turns and miscalculate. The equipment can easily be carried by car. By disassembling the hoop and taking the propeller off, it’s about the size of a kitchen chair. Rasheta said a person needs to be able to carry a motor, with the lightest one weighing 45-50 pounds with fuel. He said typically kids need to be at least 12 years old and should pursue the sport with their family. Information: epicparamotor.com

anew or sticking with her friends from Carlson. She said she hasn’t told any of her friends that she is a finalist in the contest. “I didn’t brag about it,” Amanda said. Amanda learned she was a finalist when someone from Bashas’ called her mom, Rita. “My mom got a call, and she looked at me shocked when she got the call. And I

could hear what the person was saying on the other line.” Rita said she had put the call on speaker phone so Amanda could hear. “I heard the news and I got so excited,” Amanda said. The winning donuts in the adult and youth category are for sale at Bashas’ stores

around the Valley. Amanda said she’s eager to enter again next year. And if she wins, she says living across the street from a Bashas’ store would mean she could walk over and buy her winning flavor. But has she started thinking about her flavor for next year? “No, but I probably should,” she said.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Don’t underestimate life expectancy in decisions BY HAROLD WONG Guest Writer

I’ve studied the world of economics and investments for over 50 years. One needs to know the math that is relevant to making better investment and retirement planning decisions. Here’s what I mean. The average life expectancy in America is 81 years for women and 77 years for men. These statistics will lead to terrible consequences for millions of retirees. For true retirement planning, one needs to look at a different metric. According to the July, 2006 Society of Actuaries report, “Longevity: the Underlying Driver of Retirement Risk,” there’s a 50% chance that at least one member in a married couple age 65+ will reach age 92 and a 25% chance at least will live to 97 or older. An astounding 67% of retirees and 61% of pre-retirees underestimate average life expectancy. Only 21% of retirees and 35% of pre-retirees provide an estimate of life expectancy that is on-target or higher. Over 40% of pre-retirees underestimate life expectancy by 5 or more years. Among pre-retirees, here are

their plans: 44% want to eliminate all consumer debt by paying off all credit cards and loans; 51% of homeowners want to completely pay off their mortgage; 36% want to try to save as much as can; 34% would cut back on spending; 16% would buy a product that would provide guaranteed income for life. My conclusion a way higher percentage of pre-retirees would opt for a product that guarantees income for life if they realized that their spouse may be living 16 years longer than “average” life expectancy. According to the March 4, 2022, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Policy Basics: Top Ten Facts about Social Security” the average Social Security retirement benefit as of January was $1,614 a month or $19,370 per year. “For someone who worked all their adult life at average earnings and retires at age 65 in 2022, Social Security benefits replace about 37% of past earnings,” it said. In contrast, for the OECD group of developed nations, the average gross public pension is 47% For the top seven countries that provide at least 70%, it’s (in order): Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, Denmark, Spain, and the Netherlands. The bottom five countries, starting with the worst, provide less than

30%: United Kingdom, Lithuania, Mexico, Ireland, and Poland. Even worse, most in the USA start their lifetime Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 and only 3% wait until age 70, which gives you the maximum Social Security benefits. At age 70, it can be double the SS income. I created a composite of three older single ladies (nurse, nurse practitioner, and pharmacist). If they took SS at age 70, they would have $40,000 a year vs. $20,000 a year if they took SS at age 62. The average interest rate on a US 10year or 30-year Treasury Bond for the last 13 years, until the spike in interest rates during the last year, was 2%. The average dividend rate in S&P 500 companies since 1/1/2000 has been 2.02%. Is it easier to wait eight years to take SS and get $20,000 a year more or to save $1 million between age

t? o G ws Ne

62 and 70 and receive a 2% return = $20,000 a year from US Treasury Bond interest or stock market dividends? The decision to wait until age 70 to take SS can be a $1 million decision. Conclusion: If people truly understood reasonable life expectancy odds, they would wait until age 70 to trigger SS. They would also spend less; save more; pay off all debt; and purchase a product with guaranteed lifetime income … before they retired. To schedule a free consultation on taxes or retirement planning, please contact Dr. Harold Wong at (480) 706-0177 or harold_wong@ hotmail.com. His websites are www.drharoldwong.com or www. solarbusinessinvestments.com. He earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/ radio programs.

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Section 7 returned bigger and better BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

It’s the premier high school athletics event in Arizona. Every year it brings numerous high school basketball programs from across the western part of the U.S. and into the Midwest for a four-day showcase. College coaches flock to the Valley to see some of the top talent at Section 7, a tournament hosted by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. “The Arizona Basketball Coaches Association is a premier group of guys who really want basketball done the right way,” Valley Christian coach Greg Haagsma said. “They really put their time and energy to the setup being the easy it is because it markets kids. When you have a group of men like that who are really intent on this, I would be stupid not to be a part of this. “For as long as we have this, I want to be here.” Since announcing its move to State Farm Stadium, Section 7 has grown exponentially. Last year, just under 200 high schools participated. This year, 231 boys and 18 girls’ teams played on 12 courts placed over top of the concrete floor that is typically covered by the Arizona Cardinals’ game field. Thursday, June 16, marked the official start of the tournament. Teams were split into 14 brackets on the boys’ side while the girls played in one large tournament. A cast of all Arizona-based schools kicked off the tournament on its first day. Valley Christian kicked off the tournament with a win Thursday night over 5A Horizon. For a young team that lost both Jaylen Lee and Caleb Shaw, the two leaders of last year’s state title team, it was an eye-opening experience playing on that big of a stage. “I think there was a lot of awe just

The Section 7 high school basketball tournament returned bigger and better this year with more teams added from across Arizona and surrounding states and with more than 500 college coaches in attendance to watch games spread out on 12 courts at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. (Dave Minton/Arizonan Staff)

seeing how big this place is,” Haagsma said. “I’m very proud of them. We’ve had a great summer. We’ve beaten some good teams. We’re really happy with where we’re at.” Valley Christian went on to beat Prescott, Coolidge in a rematch of the 3A title game last winter and Tucson in the championship game of the Arizona’s Family Bracket. It was an impressive showing for a Trojan team that feels it is an underdog this season. They’re young and don’t have the size they did in year’s past. But so far, that hasn’t stopped them from having an impressive summer campaign. Several players have been forced to step up this season, including Kyle and Carson Grier and Luke Shaw. The three of them were key in Valley Christian’s run at Section 7. Now, they hope to carry it over. “This is just an amazing experience. We walked down here through the tunnels feeling like an actual NBA or NFL player,” Shaw said. “This showed

us that we have to get ready for every game. But this also helped us bond and become closer. This was such a great learning experience for us.” Several other Chandler schools were represented at the tournament, including Chandler, Hamilton girls and boys, and Basha. Mountain View, Mesa, Desert Ridge, Red Mountain and Dobson represented Mesa schools while Queen Creek and Casteel represented the far southeast Valley. Saguaro, Chaparral, Scottsdale Christian, Horizon, Desert Mountain and Rancho Solano all represented Scottsdale. The field also included Perry, Highland, Mesquite, Campo Verde, Gilbert, Higley, Desert Vista boys and girls, and Mountain Pointe from Ahwatukee. Aside from Valley Christian, Basha found the most success at Section 7, finishing 3-1 throughout the tournament. The Bears also debuted incoming freshman Mason Magee, who was electric in their opening win against San Joaquin Memorial from Fresno, Calif.

Magee, who is still 13 years old, scored 20 points in the Bears’ win. Their only loss came against Inderkum (Calif.) in the semifinals. “It’s a great experience, something all of these players will always remember,” Perry coach Sam Duane Jr. said. “What Matt King and the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association have done, what David Hines and the AIA have done to help get this in here, it’s awesome.” Despite being without sophomore star Koa Peat, who was preparing for a USA Basketball U17 training camp the same weekend as Section 7, the Pumas impressed on the biggest stage. Along with Mountain Pointe, Perry was placed in the Fiesta Bowl Bracket, arguably the toughest of the 14 with national powers like Corona Centennial and Harvard-Westlake from California in the mix. The Pumas’ first loss of the tournament came Friday against a stout Sierra Canyon team from Utah. They went on to split games Friday against Archbishop Riordan and American Fork before capping off Section 7 on Sunday with a win over Eastside Catholic out of Washington. Like many others, Duane aimed to provide a unique experience for his players at Section 7. He wanted them to become accustomed to playing tougher competition and to receive exposure to college coaches. That worked as senior guard Cody Williams came away with offers to Arizona and UCLA after the event. Other players like guard Ben Egbo also cherished the experience. He showed poise and an ability to help lead Perry on the floor. He believes he opened the eyes of college coaches, and that’s all he could ask for. “It was definitely cool,” Egbo said. “Not every team in Arizona gets to be in here. So, it was definitely an opportunity you want to make the most of. It’s something you dream about, really.”

Hamilton’s Turley hoped for Combine win BY MATTHEW LEGERE Cronkite News

Hamilton High School graduate Gavin Turley was among the talent at the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft Combine hoping to boost his stock in the draft. The four-day event at Petco Park provided draft-eligible players with an opportunity to participate in prostyle workouts, as well as interview and interact with MLB general managers and scouting directors. High school players also had the option to compete in a series of scrimmages against one another, though Turley opted not to participate.

“Me, my family and the rest of my team feel like scouts have seen what they needed to see,” Turley said. “What I’m really excited about and looking to get out of the combine is just shaking hands and getting to know some of the higher-ups with each team.” An Oregon State commit and the No. 106 ranked prospect in this year’s draft class by MLB Prospect Rankings, Turley’s huge raw power and hard-hitting offensive capabilities are similar to those of top prospects in the class, scouts believe, but his inconsistent play and swingand-miss tendencies at the plate are something that will soon need to be

refined. Turley finished his senior season at Hamilton as an All-Conference First Team selection with a .317 batting average, plus 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and 37 runs scored. His offensive onslaught helped lead the Huskies to a 29-4 record, Arizona 6A state championship and No. 7 national ranking, according to Baseball America. Turley’s 15 home runs broke the previous 6A single-season record of 12, which was set by former Huskies players and current Sun Devils outfielder Mike Brueser. Along with his offensive skill set, scouts say that Turley’s near-elite speed could help make him an entic-

ing asset in the outfield, according to MLB Prospect Rankings. They recognize Turley’s raw instincts in terms of reads and routes but would like to see him with more reps under his belt, which was a major point of emphasis for Turley and Hamilton coach Mike Woods heading into this season. “I know that he’ll be known for his power, bat and speed, but the thing that I’m probably going to remember the most is all of those catches that he made in our semifinal game against Chaparral,” Woods said. “He made three or four incredible plays See

TURLEY on page 35

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

TURLEY

from page 34

up against the wall in left field and we definitely don’t win that game without him.” Knowing that scouts would be keeping a close eye on his defensive capabilities, Turley says that he spent this entire past offseason taking anywhere between 100 and 200 fly balls off the pitching machine each day. “Coming off of last year, I did a little bit of self-evaluation and knew that my defense could 100 percent get better,” Turley said. “I know it sounds simple – and there wasn’t much else to it – but it all adds up pretty quick and doing that made a huge impact on my ability to play defense more consistently.” Turley now has the chance to join former teammate Brock Selvidge as the latest Huskies players to be selected in the MLB Draft, which is scheduled to begin Sunday, July 17 and run through July 19. The draft will take place in Los Angeles. Last year, Selvidge became the first Hamilton player drafted out of high school since Cody Bellinger was drafted in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has since become a mainstay in the lineup and agreed to a one-year, $17 million contract this season. Selvidge increased his draft stock when he competed in last year’s inaugural Draft Combine and impressed scouts with a mid-90s

Hamilton’s Gavin Turley steps to the plate for the Huskies during USA Baseball’s 2022 National High School Invitational in Cary, North Carolina. (Photo courtesy USA Baseball)

Turley leads off for the Huskies during an early season matchup at Hamilton High School. (Photo by Matthew Legere/Cronkite News)

fastball, striking out five of the 10 batters he faced. Selvidge was later selected by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

“It’s pretty crazy to think that I’m even in this position,” Turley said. “Going to one of the top baseball schools in the country but also having that opportunity to get drafted along the way? I mean, it’s a win-win situation that I’m truly blessed to be in and I’ll be happy no matter what the outcome.”

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圀攀䄀爀攀琀栀攀䘀愀挀琀漀爀礀

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

To our readers:

The Arizonan has given candidates for Chandler Mayor and City Council the opportunity to write two 500-word opinion pieces explaining their views on any issue of their choice. This is the first round of those columns, which also are at chandlernews.com with the candidates’ questionnaires.

Hartke: Passionate about, committed to Chandler

BY MAYOR KEVIN HARTKE Arizonan Guest Writer

I love Chandler. I love riding my bike on our beautiful canal system early in the morning as well as catching a sunset at an iconic location like Veteran’s Memorial at Veterans Oasis Park. I love being surprised by amazing food at a new Chandler restaurant or catching up with a friend at one of our many coffee places. I love drinking a cold glass of homegrown lemonade or grapefruit juice on a hot day. I love our rich diversity in Chandler and how culture, different opinions and experiences continue to make us a better community. I love how our downtown has become a gem, a point of pride for not just Chandler, but the entire Valley. I love it when someone mentions how a police officer, first responder, neighbor or stranger helped them in a time of crisis and turned that crisis into a lifelong amazing memory. This is our community. I love Chandler. For the past 37 years, I have been passionate and committed about serving you. Through the years, this commitment has manifested in many ways: • Coaching soccer with the YMCA; • Reading to students at Galveston

Elementary School weekly for 14 years; • Organizing and serving at Chandler’s largest backpack give-away for over a decade; • Serving with local nonprofits to feed those who need it for decades; • Helping hundreds of men and women who have experienced homelessness get off our streets and into a better life; • Serving as your councilmember for nine years; • Serving as your mayor for 3.5 years; • Serving on regional and state boards, commissions and committees in areas of transportation, economic growth and homelessness for over a decade I did not show up recently and promise what I would do as a candidate; I have been leading and serving Chandler for most of my life. With your help, I will continue. This is my promise; I will continue to listen to you to create and continue Chandler’s legacy as a word-class community with great jobs, exceptional schools and safe neighborhoods for ALL. I will: • Make sure that our first responders have the people and resources they need to keep our community safe; • Ensure great customer service and transparency to our residents; • Continue to attract great companies; • Collaborate with our schools and neighboring cities to maximize amenities like pools, libraries, parks and public spaces; • Ensure that we have the water we need, now and in the future; • Continue to approach build-out wisely; • Ensure that Chandler is a community where ALL can prosper and be safe. Our city is prospering. Our taxes and utilities rates are the lowest in the Valley. We are fiscally balanced. We are one of the top cities in the nation in regard to prosperity, safety, desirability, education and transparency. I will continue this work as your mayor. You can learn more about me and my campaign at kevinhartke.com.

Jones: Chandler’s rising homelessness is a major problem

BY RUTH JONES Arizonan Guest Writer

Everyone should have a home. Right now, in our country we have a problem. The homeless population is rising. This is a problem everywhere but nowhere is it growing faster than right here in the city of Chandler. To understand this problem, you need some information. The homeless population is counted by something referred to as the Point In Time Count (PIT). These numbers are used for several things. Federal funding is based on this number, and it is also a metric used to determine if our programs are successful. In the 2020 count Maricopa County’s numbers rose 12%. That’s about the national average. However, here in Chandler our numbers rose by a little more than 38%. That should have set off alarm bells and caused us to change what we’re doing, but it did not. No count was taken in 2021 due to the pandemic so we knew that the numbers would be steeper in 2022. Maricopa went up 34%. Phoenix went up 33%. In 2022, the homeless population in Chandler went up 76%! What is driving this increase and what can be done? To answer that question, you must look at the programs here in

Chandler. A little over a year ago our mayor introduced Support Court. There is no requirement to complete any program to get assistance there. We also have Operation Open Door. In this program we identify homeless people, we then pay for hotel rooms for these individuals. Housing is provided from 30 to 90 days. It is considered a positive outcome of this program to get a bed in the shelter. There ares no requirements in the program of working with these individuals to change their situation. No job training, no life skill classes. No substance abuse or mental health evaluation. Not even interview skills or how to get your documents, like Social Security card, is mentioned. I do not believe in criminalizing homelessness, but if what we are doing isn’t changing lives, why are we doing it? We have more than 15 programs here in Chandler. What is the cost… Millions., Some are funded by federal allotments, but those come with federal requirements. The remainder is from our General Fund. Either way our tax dollars are being spent while the problem continues to grow. This comes at a cost to our citizenry, homeless encampments and open-air drug use is becoming more prevalent near our schools and in our neighborhoods and parks which creates safety, health, and quality of life concerns for all. We need programs that give positive results. Those in our programs need to be accountable for services received. Programs that educate and don’t just get them off the streets but keep them off the streets. Further, the city needs reliable data and metrics to capture the effectiveness of said programs. When I am mayor, this will be a top priority.

OPINION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Encinas: We must reinvest in traditional neighborhoods

Orlando: Helping to ensure good policecommunity relations

Poston: I have the right skills to serve Chandler citizens

Shifa: More city and private partnerships are a priority for me

BY ANGEL ENCINAS Guest Writer

BY MATT ORLANDO Guest Writer

BY JANE POSTON Guest Writer

BY FARHANA SHIFA Guest Speaker

Reinvesting into Chandler’s traditional neighborhoods is an investment that benefits our entire city. Historical and culturally important neighborhoods add character and interesting nuance to our city and its residents. It also cultivates a sense of hometown pride. It attracts new residents, and in a city where only 30% of our neighborhoods aren’t, generally speaking, track houses and developments with HOA’s, that character is ever more important in my view. It behooves the city and the greater community not to let these neighborhoods fall into a state of disrepair. They need our protection in much the same way an HOA protects its residents. Our city has invested millions over the years in the revitalization of our downtown. That development and investment is now slowly moving north on Arizona towards the 202. The Chandler Arts Center, the Overstreet development, New Square, San Marcos Commons, and the influx of new restaurants and businesses exemplify the dedication of our city to our collective economic development and making our downtown one of the most vibrant, exciting, and entertaining downtowns in the Valley. We need to reinvest in our traditional neighborhoods with the same exuberance, making them a reflection of the downtown area and reinforcing our city’s dedication to its traditional neighborhood residents and their economic maturation as well. This benefits all of Chandler. Increased opportunity zones for residential, programs and revenue aimed at fixing blighted homes and areas in need of assistance must be a priority. Increased community events in these neighborhoods build pride in the community, which is self-reinforcing. I also believe holding landlords in these neighborhoods more accountable for keeping their proper-

News media outlets have identified numerous police agencies throughout the nation as lacking or needing to improve on Police Use of Force and/ or de-escalating practices. As early as 2000, City Council, in conjunction with the Police Department, has been leading the Valley, if not the state, in implementing numerous programs and practices to ensure our citizens are engaged with police accountability practices. In May of 2000, Council created the Citizen’s Panel for Review of Police Complaints. The panel, consisting of 15 citizens and Police Department personnel, reviews all police shootings and police incidents when direct physical force by the police results in serious physical injury or death. The panel also reviews the findings of the department’s investigation of unsubstained, unfounded or exonerated citizen complaints, when that citizen requests a review of the Police Departments findings. The panel acts in an advisory capacity to the Chief of Police. The panel is encouraged to make recommendations concerning training programs, revisions of policies or procedures, commendable actions, preventative or corrective measures except for employee discipline and community concerns regarding police action and procedures. I have attended several of these meetings and have been impressed by the honest and open engagement by the panel’s members and the police department. The meetings are open to the public and I encourage you to attend. In addition to the panel, the Police Department has trained de-escalation practices and tactics for nearly ten years. Prior to the official implementation of de-escalation tactics and practices, the agency trained to the concept of using minimal amounts of force necessary to safely take a subject into custody. The Chandler Police Department implemented numerous policies and practices; this is just a small list: • Defined and described de-esca-

One of the greatest ongoing responsibilities facing Chandler is creating new employment opportunities and maintaining our existing jobs in a highly competitive and changing world. This includes supporting businesses of all sizes. We’ve had some incredible announcements and a lot of be proud of to the credit of both the City and the Chandler Chamber. However, we can’t rest on our past successes- because we aren’t just competing with other Valley cities – we’re competing for jobs across the country and the globe. One of the biggest issues affecting businesses right now is workforce development and training. We are fortunate to have companies right here in Chandler take on some of that responsibility. And although the City doesn’t oversee the education system, our economic development efforts should be focused on facilitating connections between schools, colleges and businesses. I have first-hand insight into the importance of educating our young people and how an educated workforce translates to a strong business community through my experience includes working with both the city’s Economic Development division and the Chamber of Commerce on business recruitment and retention and serving as the board president of the Chandler Education Foundation and marketing chair of the Chandler Unified School District’s Bond and Override Committee. Encouraging public-private and non-profit partnerships is also key to supporting our business community. The City can bring all of these stakeholders together to strategize the best methods to provide assistance and support to our businesses, especially new startups. A few examples of how Chandler is already making headway in these areas are the partnerships it has established to launch Chandler Innovations, an entrepreneur incubation program sponsored by the city. By helping companies turn their ideas into a business, and leveraging the expertise of local business leaders, the

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are agreements between government and private sector partners. The PPP decision-making process requires input from all stakeholders (individuals and businesses) and results in improved solutions. These outcomes are consistently more creative and cost-effective than traditional government “top down” decisions. The end result of PPPs are taxpayer savings, better services / infrastructure, and less government overreach. In 1998, the City of Chandler partnered with the Chandler Unified School District to create a full-service branch of the Chandler Public Library at Hamilton High School. The Hamilton Library is shared-use facility that serves both the community as well as Hamilton High School students. The city and the school district successfully met a shared need with a single facility with both realizing a significant and ongoing cost savings. In March 2021, the Chandler City Council partnered with Maricopa Ambulance to assist the Chandler Fire Department in providing Emergency Medical Services to the Chandler community. Since January 2022, a private sector ambulance along with an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Chandler firefighter paramedic is dispatched to 911 medical emergencies. Each ambulance is equipped with advanced medical equipment to support the patient. In addition, each ambulance carries equipment to enable the firefighter paramedic to respond to any emergency; e.g., extrication equipment. This is another example of the private sector partnering with Chandler to provide improved and innovative services to our community. As Chandler moves forward and meets its future challenges, we must continue to search for additional opportunities to make use of PPPs. I look forward to working with Chandler’s citi-

See

ENCINAS on page 38

See

ORLANDO on page 38

See

POSTON on page 38

See

SHIFA on page 38

OPINION

ENCINAS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

from page 37

ty maintained is an area that needs greater attention. Landscaping and

ORLANDO

from page 37

lation in general orders policy and implemented an annual de-escalation policy review. • Annual training for all officers in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) practices and techniques, to include training to self-identify biases that can hinder/ hurt decision making and create unreasonable force options under stress. • Training on emotional control and decision-making under stress and the

aesthetic investments in these areas should not be ignored either. Greater safety measures such as increased lighting, bicycle, and pedestrian pathways, speed bumps

and signage yield positive outcomes which keeps neighborhoods and the children who live in them safe. Combined, all of these things revitalize neighborhoods, build

community, protect our children, and increase residency and property values, while exemplifying our city’s commitment to all of its residents.

effects that stress can have on officers’ and citizens’ emotions. • Training on tactics that promote de-escalation and successful outcomes with individuals experiencing mental health-related events. This year we will hire 5 fulltime behavioral health police officers that will specialize in deescalating situations. • The department has purchased a topof-the-line simulation system that will allow officers to train in reality-based video de-escalation scenarios. The system will also allow officers the

opportunity to run scenarios involving developmentally disabled individuals. • A “Duty to Intervene” definition, training, and general order has been developed. This allows a second officer to intervene or take over for the primary officer if a situation dictates. As a Council member, I am dedicated

to the promise that our community is provided a high quality of life and safe neighborhoods, it is vital our law enforcement officers are equipped with the training, knowledge and tools necessary to navigate complex situations. Go to MattOrlando.com for more information.

A TABLE FOR TWO? Phind it

POSTON

from page 37

city is well positioned to land innovative, high-tech companies in its backyard and create job opportunities for residents. Another example is the city’s partnership with the University of Arizona, which offers both undergraduate and masters level courses in Chandler. As a former local government employee (I’ve worked in both Phoenix and Chandler), small business owner and longtime community volunteer, I believe I bring the right skills and experience to serve our residents and businesses. Specifically, my past community service experience includes serving as board chair of the 2021 Chandler Cham-

SHIFA

from page 37

zens and businesses to find workable and

ber of Commerce, chair of Women in Leadership, 2021 Citizen Bond Committee (Airport), and East Valley JCC Board. I also have provided pro bono work for Chandler Firefighter Charities, AZCEND, ACEE and Fans Across America to name a few. I’m proud of the many opportunities Chandler offers the business community members to become involved with our city and I look forward to expanding these community service opportunities. Through strong collaborations between our city, its residents, educational institutions, and our businesses, we can continue to build a thriving community that we can all take great pride in…let’s all work together to make Chandler the first choice for people looking to open a business and to get a job! cost-effective solutions. And I will emphasize the importance of including our community and private sector in making decisions that directly affect them.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Program teaches 6th graders about college life BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

College can be an intimidating place when you’re young – say, as young as a child who is about to enter the sixth grade. The Destination College program hopes to change that and make college a place young students look forward to attending. “I was nervous to go into the college,” said Angel Hollomon, who will be a sixth grader at Shumway Leadership Academy in the fall. “But as soon as I went in to the college, I realized that it really wasn’t like as nerve racking as I thought it was actually very fun.” Destination College is a joint project between Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Chandler Education Foundation and the Chandler Unified School District. The goal is to introduce sixth-grade students to the college experience with the hope it will inspire them to strive for a college education while removing some of that intimidation factor.

“In the beginning, it’s like they don’t know what to expect,” said Danielle Harris, CUSD’s coordinator for the program. “But the more you ask him, the more you have discussions with them, the more they start to have these thoughts that just evolve in what their opportunities are.” The Destination College program has been taking place since 2006 but was halted during the pandemic. This was the first year the program restarted and all the students had to go through an application process to be accepted into the program. Students were given a choice of four electives to study during the two-week program. The math-inspired offering was Shark Tank, where they learned how to pitch a business. The science-based class was CSI Chandler, where a crime scene was set up and the students had to look for clues and use science to find the evidence. For the arts, the kids could choose Lights, Camera, Action. And the final choice was the Great Out-

Students Jose Sarinana, Kellen Johnson, and Keshawn Morgan laugh while joking about playing basketball with tour guide Connor Jobe while getting a tour of the Coyote Center at Chandler– Gilbert Community College. Bottom

doors, where they learned water conservation skills. Alex Juardo, who attends Bologna Elementary, said they had to build a model of a snow-capped mountain and then build a dam to keep the water from flooding the village

below when the snow melts. It was part of a lesson about erosion. They also learned about water management, putting in pipes to lead the water to canals that could be used See

COLLEGE on page 40

Sun Lakes Rotarians to support robotics program The Sun Lakes Rotary Club partners with SAE and provides volunteers to go into the classroom to The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes said it will to continue support of its work with the teachers and students using hands on projects. RCSL AWIM (A World in Motion) Program provides recognition to the winning within Valley schools. teams at the end of each session. Sponsored by the Society of AWIM Program volunteers are Automotive Engineers, the program members of RCSL, General Motors aims to get K-9th grade students Employee Alumni, Northrop Grumexcited about math and science so that they will consider a career as an man Corporation and ASU Students. During the 2021-22 school year, Engineer or other technical fields. the program served 2,410 students at Surprise Canyon Ridge Elementary, Chandler’s Carlson Elementary, Phoenix Christ Lutheran, Tolleson Country Place Elementary, Chandler Fulton Elementary, Goodyear Western Sky, Avondale Pope John II High School, Chandler Patterson Elementary, Chandler Strong Foundations Academy and Phoenix Sevilla West, “I’m impressed with our numbers for this school year and the teachers really enjoyed having volunteers back in the classroom,” said Rotarian Don Robins. “We have a few new schools Sun Lakes Rotarian Sharon flood gives instructions for assembling of Amanda Hope Snack Packets. (Courtesy of Dr. signed up for the 202223 school year and some Honora Horton) of our schools will add SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Fulton Elementary students prepare for an AWIM competition. (Courtesy of Dr. Honora

Horton)

some more grades.” Meanwhile, the Sun Lakes Rotary Club partnered with Rotary Club of Tempe South in collecting plastic bags, which will be used to create sleeping mats for the homeless. Rotarians plan to crochet sleeping mats on a weaving loom. President -Elect Stephen Phair called this “a great summer community service project.” In another activity, the Sun Lakes Rotary Charity Committee assem-

bled over 100 nutrition packets for Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels. The packets will be distributed to the pediatric floors of local hospitals. AHRA bought refrigerators for these hospitals to help parents when they bring their other children to visit. These families are stressed out from their child’s cancer. Since the cost of feeding their other children from a hospital cafeteria can be a financial hardship for them, they can take a packet.

NEIGHBORS

COLLEGE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

from page 39

for drinking and irrigation. So did his dam hold? “It held until we put the pipe in,” he said. “Because when we had to take the dam off, … it started all going down.” Bryce Coleman was part of the Shark Tank lesson. She attends Shumway Leadership Academy. The

business she started was a waterproof sticky note. She said they learned a lot about what it will take to attend college – including how expensive it is. The program gave them ideas on how to address that. I learned that you can get college credits in high school,” Bryce said. She was speaking of dual enrollment programs, where high school students can enroll in some CGCC

Angel Hollomon is giddy with excitement after receiving a certificate of completion for participating in the Destination College program. (Ken Sains/Arizonan Staff) Bottom

Alex Jurado got his photo taken for his student ID as Cody Tanori waited for his turn as sixth-graders began the camp at Chandler–Gilbert Community College on June 6. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

classes and earn college credits without paying a tuition fee. “[We try to show them] what it looks like, as far as what type of tuition opportunities they have, whether it’s scholarships, or whether it’s discounted tuition, and how do they even apply for that or know where to start?” Harris said. “So they got to have some exposure to that.” Aleema Coleman, Bryce’s sister and also attending Shumway, said she signed up for Shark Tank without really knowing what it was going to be about.

“At first I thought there was about like sharks and stuff,” she said. “But I learned it was about growing a business, and I kind of want to do that one day. And I thought it was really interesting.” The students each received a certificate and a gift from the college at a Destination College graduation ceremony on June 16. On the web

For more information about the Destination College program visit chandleredfoundation.org and search under “What We Do.”

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NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

Gala will help Ahwatukee foundation help kids BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA Contributor

When Jennifer and Matt Armer founded the Ahwatukee-based nonprofit Armer Foundation for Kids in 2019 as “a small mom and pop foundation,” the couple never imagined the extraordinary effect they would have on the lives of so many children and their families in just three years. Since then, Armer Foundation for Kids has raised more than $776,793 for Valley families with children facing life-threatening and debilitating illnesses. For at least one child, a crew of volunteers - including some employees from Matt Armer’s company Armer Air – helped transform a first floor family room into a bedroom for a child who could no longer manage the stairs to their former bedroom. “When we first started I knew that we were going to help make a difference but I never imagined that we would be where we are today,” said co-founder and CEO Jennifer Armer. “We’ve grown so much and been able to help so many. I have an amazing team behind me and that makes all the difference,” she said while looking around at the buzz of shoppers in the Armer Foundation Thrift Store that opened in October 2020 at 9830 S. 51st St., Suite A128, Ahwatukee to further aid fundraising for children.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to be able to grow and to continue helping families when and wherever we can,” Jennifer said. Their website, ArmerFoundation.org, includes photos and stories of “Armer Kids” who have been or are currently battling life-threatening illnesses like leukemia, liver cancer, brain tumors, cerebral palsy, Perthes disease, epilepsy and more. The Armer Foundation has helped numerous Ahwatukee families who suddenly found themselves facing catastrophic hospital stays for their children, and mountains of debt for the parents. The foundation stepped in and helped them in myriad and essential ways including assisting their families with co-pays, premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses. It has also indirectly impacted the lives of thousands of Valley children and their families through donations to hospitals throughout the Valley. Those donations, some bundled together in “Admit Bags,” have included gas cards, grocery cards, Uber cards, toys, toiletries and essentials for parents who suddenly find themselves at their children’s bedside, music equipment and more. “We believe a family’s main focus should be on the welfare and health of their child, not on medical bills or other financial burdens,” said Jennifer.

The Foundation’s thrift store in Ahwatukee helps provide money for the foundation’s many efforts to help families saddled with huge medical challenges involving a child. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

Jennifer Armer founded the Armer Foundation for Kids with her husband Matt in 2019. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

“To alleviate this stress, we focus our efforts on the specific needs of each family we help through fundraisers, blood drives, various events, and community donations.” Even as co-founders Jennifer and Matt Armer and their daughter Rebecca McElyea, vice chair of the foundation, work to keep help available to families in need, they also rely on donations to help their current and future Armer Kids. Two upcoming events will help them continue their work. The Armer Foundation for Kids’ Third Annual Gala is set for August 6 at The Ashley Castle, 1300 Price Road in Chandler. Proceeds from the tickets, available online now at ArmerFoundation.org, benefit families. The third annual gala opens at 5 p.m. and includes a three-course plated dinner, no-host bar and testimonials of family members expounding on what a difference the Armer Foundation meant to them and their children when they stepped up to help after unforeseen medical issues disrupted their lives. The evening also includes dancing and a silent auction, and features Good Morning Arizona anchor Tess Rafols, the mother of triplets, as emcee.

“This night is always a special one for us. Not only is it our biggest fundraiser of the year but it’s also a great time for everyone to hear the inspirational stories of the families that have been helped over the years and shows the difference our fundraising dollars have made in the community,” said Jennifer “It’s always our goal to ensure that no child should see their family stressed due to a medical condition, and this evening helps us do just that.” An ongoing fundraiser is the Armer Foundation for Kids Charity Thrift Store launched two years ago at 9830 S. 51st St. Open Wednesday to Friday, 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. and 9 a.m to 2 p.m. on Saturday, the Charity Thrift Store is chock-a-block with clothing, household items and multiplicitous miscellaneous items to attract treasure hunters and ‘thrifted outfits’ fans. Donations are accepted during business hours with all proceeds going to help local families with children battling extreme medical conditions. The Armer Foundation for Kids also holds blood drives for Armer Kids and other patients. Chandler’s Grove Church, 2777 S. Gilbert Road, is the site for the next one, scheduled for Saturday, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The need for blood donors is unending, said Armer. “Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood which is why the Armer Foundation is committed to helping our blood banks keep up with the ongoing demand by hosting blood drives in support of our Armer Kids and other patients,” she said. “We invite area residents to join us as often as they can, and help us save lives one donation at a time.”

How to help To purchase Gala tickets or to learn more about The Armer Foundation for Kids visit armerfoundation.org, visit the Armer Foundation for Kids Thrift Shop, or 480-257-3254.

Sun Lakes Rotary names new officers for 2022-23 SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

At a recent Rotary Club of Sun Lakes meeting at Dun Lakes Palo Verde Country Club, Rotary International District 5495 Incoming District Governor Larry Horton welcomed the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes 2022-23 Board, Officers, and Committee Chairs to their new positions. RI officer-themes pins were awarded to: Stephen Phair, president; Victoria Flatley, president-elect; Jon Lyons, immediate past president and sergeant of arms; Kristine Schultz, secretary; Stan Kaufman, treasurer; Dick Thomas, Rotary Foundation director; Dr. Honora Norton, public image director. Also, Bob Phillips, Foundation 2000 director and along with Dave Ouradnik, golf tournament co-chair; Debbie Bailey; membership committee chair;

New officers for the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes are, from left: Stephen Phair, Peter Meade; Dr. Honora Norton, David Mork; Debbie Bailey; Gary Kay, Judi Edmonds, Bob Phillips; Victoria Flatley, Christine Schultz and Rotary International District 5495 Governor Larry Horton. (Special

to SanTan Sun News)

Gary Kay, education committee chair; Judi Edmonds, Charity and Community Service and Peace Building committees chair; Bill McCoach, program committee chair; David Mork, club historian and Heritage Project coordinator; and Peter Meade, fundraising committee. Rotary International’s 2022-23 President Jennifer Jones imagines a Rotary where members act to make their dreams become reality and they make the most of their club experiences. As the first woman international president, she urges members to engage more with each other and use these connections to build partnerships that change the world. Rotary International, with a membership of over 1.2 million men and women in 140 countries, improves people’s lives, locally and globally through service. Information: sunlakesrotary.com.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

FirstBank supports WNBA star shoe drive BY JORDAN ROGERS Staff Writer

As the Phoenix Mercury and fans across the country await the safe return of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, the community continues Griner’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive. To continue the momentum the community has shepherded, Mercury partner FirstBank is showing its support by hosting collection bins at Valley branch locations for fans to donate new or gently used shoes. Branch locations located in Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Sun City West. “Being the official bank of the Phoenix Mercury means more than supporting the team when it comes to game time, but also doing what we can to amplify our community impact,” said Joel Johnson, East Valley market president at FirstBank. “With bank branches across the Valley, we decided to act on our motto of ‘banking for good’ to offer our locations as additional drop off locations for (Griner’s) Heart and Sole Shoe Drive to help make this year’s campaign as successful as possible.” With the help from fans and teams around the WNBA and NBA, the drive has collected more than 500 pairs of shoes and raised more than $12,000 for

Founded in 2016, Brittney Griner’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive came about when the 6-foot9 athlete was driving home after practice and saw unhoused people in the Arizona summer without shoes. Subsequently, Brittney Griner drove with shoes in the trunk of her car in case she saw someone in need. (Barry Gossage/Phoenix Mercury)

the Phoenix Rescue Mission, making it the most successful drive since its first go in 2016. The drive will continue through the 2022 season, and, in addition to FirstBank branches, fans can bring donations to all Mercury home games or to the Team Shop at Footprint Center during business hours. “We say all the time that what separates our fans is how supportive they are of our mission, on and off the court, and that’s true of our partners, as well,” said Phoenix Mercury President Vince

Kozar. “FirstBank’s commitment to BG’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive is further demonstration of the alignment between our two organizations, and our shared desire to make a difference in the Valley — and this time it’s inspired by Brittney.” Founded in 2016, Griner’s Heart and Sole Shoe Drive came about when the 6-foot-9 athlete was driving home after practice and saw unhoused people in the Arizona summer without shoes. Subsequently, Griner drove with shoes

in the trunk of her car in case she saw someone in need. Inspired by Griner’s idea, the Mercury established a shoe drive with the help of local nonprofit Phoenix Rescue Mission, engaging its X-Factor fan base and Griner’s teammates. It was nonoperational in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but the drive helped nearly 2,000 Phoenicians in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. On June 14, a Russian court extended Griner’s detention through Saturday, July 2. She has been held in Russia since February after she was stopped at a Moscow airport after authorities claimed she was carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, issued a statement on Twitter. “Today’s extension is just further reinforcement that Brittney Griner – an Olympian and an American citizen – is being used as a political pawn. Her detention is inhumane and unacceptable. “She has not had a single phone call in her 117 days of wrongful detention, and we call on @POTUS (President Joe Biden) and @VP (Vice President Kamala Harris) to act with urgency and do whatever it takes to bring Brittney home immediately. “We must fight for (Griner) like family because as an American, she is all of ours. #WeAreBG”

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Divisiveness is testing us as people and a people RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. Columnist

A funny thing happened on the way to imagining cohesiveness: I read a quip that stated: “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” (Author unknown). I read and re-read this imaginary belief and then my thoughts wandered to the events happening right in front of us on a daily basis: Murder, distrust, xenophobia, indiscriminate killing of innocents. It seems that the horrors we are experiencing have no end in sight. “Where are we?” I wondered. “Are we in some distant universe where life is just beginning, and only death is the other side of life?” Is hate now so dominant that we cannot see the goodness that can be found in each of us?

Truth has also become a thing of the past. It seems that to tell the truth requires a suit of armor to protect us from the onslaught of diatribes and vitriol. The sadness in all this is that we know that things are distorted to the point where they are unrecognizable, and yet, we tolerate – and even accept. What has become of our civility? Discourse is a sin and blind acceptance the norm. City after city in this great land of ours is filled with hate and bigotry that, for the most part, has been dormant, and even hidden, and has now achieved more than a modicum of respectability. I again read the saying listed above and wondered about what is necessary to bend a little, to give a little, smile a little, to make the whole world laugh a little. We are a nation that was founded on the principle, as stated in our Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal.”

And yet, this is also a dream that perhaps will never be fulfilled until we determine that enough is enough. We fought for the right to be individuals with wants and needs to make life fulfilling and meaningful. We sacrificed, again, and again, in foreign wars, and even continuing internal wars to reach that dream presented to us by the ancients: “A nation shall not lift sword against a nation, and they shall not learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) However, here we are, again and again, destroying our dreams and aspirations, influenced by our forebearers. The atrocities we witness daily attest to the fact that we have learned nothing from the past and that evil seems to remain steadfast throughout our society daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. There are some that will explain that bending a little may break us. There are others who will wonder how far we need

to bend before we reach an understanding that will bring peace and harmony to everyone. And then there are some who will exact their will to the extent that we will never fully understand. “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This is what is happening this very moment and we seem to be powerless to prevent it from distorting our belief in redemption. “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” We need to bend, and bend, until we feel the bending has accomplished something we should all be dreaming about: “And it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established as the highest of mountains…. And all shall know the glory of God.” Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D., is the spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

Everything important grows out of integrity REV. MARVIN ARNPRIESTER Guest Writer

Food for thought. I received an email from Bill Cotton, a retired pastor in Iowa. He is a writer of sermon starters based on a Biblical text each week. He shares the following story of his dad’s influence on him. “Once in a Christian ethics course, I had to write a paper defining German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s famous rule, The Categorical Imperative: ‘Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.’ I wasn’t sure what Kant meant.” “My dad was a farmer and a person who loved ideas, so I asked him to explain. We were feeding the cattle. He thought for a minute and said, ‘See that cow over by the fence? She looks good, but the fellow I bought her from gypped me-she has a disease that will keep her from having calves.

“ I asked the guy if she had been tested. He said she had. He told me a lie. I will be selling cattle next week at auction. What do you suppose I should tell the buyer if he asks? And what should I tell him if he doesn’t ask?’” “Well, my dad was a Golden-Rule Methodist. He had not read Kant, but he understood perfectly the warning that is implied: If one person tells a lie, then everyone is entitled to lie, and the truth will hang in the balance. Integrity is lost.” “So what if the person who lies is an important person like the pastor, teacher, elected official? We were taught to look up to them as models of integrity. In Kant’s view, the sole feature that gives an action moral worth is not the outcome that is achieved by the action, but the motive that is behind the action.” “I remember that day with my dad: he took the loss, told the truth, and ended the lie. He understood integrity.” In our culture today, integrity seems to be on the wane. I am deeply troubled

by that reality. My dad taught me both, by what he said and what he did, that everything important in life grows out of our personal integrity. I have long understood one of the most important ways we see

integrity defined, it is in the congruency between what one says and what one does. Integrity! Rev. Marvin Arnpriester is the senior pastor at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

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Underground Railroad musical debuting in Chandler GETOUT STAFF

The Chandler Center for the Arts will premiere “North,” a new musical by writer and composer Ashli St. Armant, in November. Set to a powerful score filled with jazz and historically Black music genres rooted in New Orleans, “North” tells the story of Lawrence and his mother, Minnie, as they escape the Deep South and travel north through the Underground Railroad, to seek freedom. “North The Musical” has been co-commissioned by four performing arts centers from across the U.S.: the Lied Center of Lawrence, Kansas,

Chandler Center for the Arts in Chandler Arizona, the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, California, and Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. Set in the 1850s, it is based on actual accounts of slave escapes through the Underground Railroad network, as well as St. Armant’s personal family history of overcoming slavery in Louisiana. “In this beautifully crafted musical, ‘North’ brings forth the full experience of freedom-seekers: optimism, bravery, playfulness, wonder, suspense, and mystery,” the arts center said in a release. On Oct 25, it will premiere in Lawrence, Kansas, an important historical

location of the Underground Railroad in the 1800s and one featured prominently in the story. The production then moves to Chandler, where it will premiere at Chandler Center for the Arts. Audiences attending the 2022 premiere performances will be the first to see it prior to its 2023-24 tour, which is setting its sights on Broadway. Chandler performances of “North The Musical” are Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. Tickets are on sale at chandlercenter. org or 480-782-2680. Tickets are $42

and $32 with $15 tickets for youth. The musical is intended for intergenerational audiences (ages 10 and up). Surrounding the public performances, Chandler Center for the Arts will hold discussions and events related to the creation of the new musical. The production will also be part of Chandler Center for the Arts educational programs with study guides, educator workshops, classroom visits and a student performance for area schools. “North is a testament to the ingenious, enduring, and multifaceted lives See

NORTH on page 46

Chandler center lines up free summer concerts GETOUT STAFF

Chandler Center for the Arts has planned an electric series of free summer concerts Friday nights in July and August. All concerts are held at 7:30 p.m. and feature local artists. No ticket is required, but RSVP is requested with all seating done on a first come, first served basis. Attendees are invited to cool off with a soda, wine, beer, or the evening’s signature drink. Explore The Gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts after-hours to see the latest exhibit and take advantage of exclusive flash ticket sale offers for upcoming performances. Information: chandlercenter.org/ Summer2022 Here’s the lineup: Brea Burns & The Boleros, July 15 Enjoy a night of classic country with a twist of rockabilly as front woman and songwriter Brea Burns’ well-crafted See

CONCERTS on page 46

Smokestack Lightning is a powerhouse band from the Gila River community that delivers both the gut-wrenching pull of the blues and the restless beat of rock ‘n’ roll. (Special to GetOut)

Chandler Museum offers exhibits, programs GETOUT STAFF

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs next month as well as a new exhibit. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480-782-2717 or chandlermuseum. org.Exhibits. Most of the programming events offer a chance to reserve a seat and unless otherwise noted, are free. Go to eventbrite.com/d/az and search by

“Chandler Museum.”

EXHIBITS Dust Bowl Migrants in Chandler (Through Aug. 13, 2023) In the late 1930s Chandler had an influx of Dust Bowl migrants who fled their homes in search of a better life. Government photographers Dorothea Lange and Russell Lee documented unique stories showing these migrants and their dwellings, which were often temporary. This exhibition is a history of Dust

Bowl Chandler through unique black and white photographs. It examines what home looked like and makes connections between 1930s Chandler and Chandler today. It includes themes of housing, migration, agriculture, technology, self-sufficiency, and empathy. In the Fields of the North (En los campos del norte) June 14- August 28, 2022 The exhibition of more than 50 contemporary photographs chronicles the lives of contemporary migrant farm workers. Photojournalist David Bacon’s

evocative, powerful photographs, alongside moving oral narratives from migrant farm workers, give viewers a reality check on the food they eat and the lives of the people who harvest it. The exhibition is fully translated into both English and Spanish. In the Fields of the North / En los campos del norte features the work of David Bacon and is produced in partnership with the California Rural Legal Assistance, the Binational Front of See

NORTH on page 47

NORTH

GET OUT

from page 45

of Black folks throughout our nation’s history,” said St. Armant. “In our own family lineage, I learned that there were people who survived the unimaginable in the most creative ways, and they deserve to have their stories told. I want my children to know that their ancestors were more than just a line item on a bill of sale.” St. Armant created the original score to reflect the musical legacy of her

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

roots in New Orleans. “You can’t tell the story of the people of New Orleans without our music. This music is the glue that has held us together throughout the centuries.” To complement the story, the musical genres are equal parts jazz, musical theatre, and St. Armant’s own signature style. For inspiration she drew from an array of musical heroes, including Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson, Fela Kuti and Stephen Sondheim. Songs include “Never,” “Git On Board,”“Oh What These Trees Have Seen,” “On The Run,”

“North The Musical” is based partly on playwright-producer Ashli St. Armant’s own ancestry. (Special to GetOut)

“North” gives a powerful rendition to the story of the Underground Railroad that many southern Blacks used to escape slavery. (Special to GetOut)

CONCERTS

from page 45

songs tell tales of cheating, heartache, honky tonks and everything in between. Put on your cowboy boots and vintage 50s wear, tease up your hair and join us for a swinging evening, minus the sawdust on the floor.

Guitarras Latinas, Aug. 19 Guitarras Latinas will take you on a musical journey through Latin America

“Head Straight, Shoulders Back” and more. The commissioning the musical is part of Chandler Center for the Arts’ efforts to give voice to new works and artists through its community engagement and audience development programs. “Ashli St. Armant has captured through the intersection of music, storytelling and history a brilliant and uplifting piece of musical theatre. Chandler Center for the Arts believes that new work which reflects the stories of people of color are vitally important to people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds,” said General Manager Michelle Mac Lennan.

“This piece, in particular speaks to the history of Black Americans during slavery, but also helps us relate to the characters as individuals with their own dreams, doubts and unique personalities.” A jazz vocalist, composer, musician and musical theater playwright, St. Armant is known for her award-winning work in education and entertainment including her band, Jazzy Ash and Leaping Lizards, and her Audible mystery series, Viva Durant, which includes the New York Times bestselling story, “Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons.” “North” is her debut theatrical production.

with beautiful flamenco guitar, spicy castanets, romantic vocals and dynamic percussion. No need for a passport for

this cultural tour. Information: chandlercenter.org

Gabriel Bey & Friends, July 22 Playing trumpet since 1960, Gabriel Bey has performed jazz all over the world. Join him and his band for an evening of smooth rhythms and laid-back grooves with music from Miles Davis, Kenny Garett, Roy Hargrove and even Prince. Cisco & the Racecars, Aug. 5 Clap and tap your toes to the bluegrass, folk and Americana of Cisco & the Racecars. Known for their energetic style, diverse arrangements and a unique blend of old and new, see why they are considered one of the premier bluegrass bands in the Southwest. Smokestack Lightning, Aug. 12 This powerhouse band from the Gila River community delivers both the gut-wrenching pull of the blues and the restless beat of rock ‘n’ roll. With heart thumping tempos setting the stage, expressive strings and vocals tell stories of pain, triumph, loneliness and joy.

Brea Burn and the Boleros will offer a classic country music concert. (Special to GetOut)

GET OUT

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 3, 2022

MUSEUM

toys. Bring the family and toy with classic games and toys. Brush up on the classics or explore something new. Each month features a different set of games and toys. Outdoor games and activities will be available in the courtyard weather permitting.

from page 45

Indigenous Organizations, and History San Jose; and is traveled by Exhibit Envoy. Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964 June 14- Aug. 28, 2022 This poster exhibition explores the little-known story of the Bracero Program, the largest guest worker program in U.S. history. Between 1942 and 1964, millions of Mexican men came to the U.S. on short-term labor contracts. Six bilingual posters not only tell a story of exploitation but also one of opportunity. Bittersweet Harvest was organized by the National Museum of American History in partnership with SITES, and received support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

PROGRAMS

Our Stories 10:30 a.m.-noon July 30 How Arizonans survived before air conditioning Writer and historian Christine Reid draws from the multi-cultural influences of the people who built Arizona. Discover how creative adaptations in lifestyle, architecture, building materials, town planning, and even humor contributed to survival in intense desert temperatures. This program is made possible by Arizona Humanities.

C-Town Suitcase Club 10:30-11:15 a.m. July 6 and 20 Come and explore what career paths have roots in Chandler.

“In the Fields of the North (En los campos del norte)” is an exhibit of David Bacon’s 50 contemporary photographs chronicling the lives of contemporary migrant farm workers. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

History Bites noon-12:30 p.m. July 5 Architectural Chandler Series: Lescher & Mahoney Did you know that the firm responsible for some of the Valley’s most enduring architecture also designed a Chandler home nestled amid 350 acres of cotton and alfalfa? Built in 1938 for a wealthy winter visitor from Detroit, the McCullough-Price House is now part of Chandler Museum. It combines Art Deco and Pueblo Revival elements in ways that are both elegant and functional--traits that typi-

fy a body of work that spans everything from apartments to airport terminals. Join Chandler Museum Administrator Jody Crago to find out more about the iconic Arizona buildings conceived by Phoenix architects Lescher & Mahoney. After the program, step into the McCullough-Price House, located on the Chandler Museum campus. Play Day Noon-2:30 p.m. July 30 Join Beat the Heat Saturday to enjoy activities to help you stay cool including getting wet with some classic water

Pack your bags and travel back in time where everyday objects look completely different. These 45-minute programs are led by our friendly educators who compare everyday items, then and now. With new themes each month, program participants will begin together with a central topic and then break off into family groups to engage in several activity stations. Geared toward ages 3-5. Art Tots 10:30-11:15 a.m. July 13 and 27 The museum is opening our kitchen cabinets and whipping up foodstuffs to create art with bananas, painting, stamping, and gluing through a variety of pantry items. The 45-minute program led by museum educators that is an age-appropriate introduction to different art styles and concepts. With new themes each month, program participants will begin together with a central topic and then break off into family groups to engage in several art-centered activity stations. For ages 3-5.

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When: Friday and Saturday When:JulyFriday Saturday 15 - 16;and9am - 2pm July 15 - 16; 9am - 2pm Where: CMC Steel Arizona Where: CMC Steel Arizona 11444 E Germann Rd. 11444 E Germann Rd. Mesa, AZ 85212 Mesa, AZ 85212

CMC Steel Arizona has proudly been making CMC Steel Arizona has proudly been makin the steel that builds America since 2009. the steel that builds America since 2009.

Come tour our facility and learn about our Come tour our facility and learn about o openings and potentially receive an on-theopenings and potentially receive an on-th spot offer! At CMC, we offer great benefits spot offer! At CMC, we offer great benef and provide all necessary training and and provide all necessary training a certifications. certifications.