The Chandler Arizonan, June 26, 2022 by Times Media Group

No fireworks show July 4 / P. 2

City's Intel cost soars / P. 9 From Uptown to Downtown, covering Chandler like the sun.

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June 26, 2022

Chandler can survive drought, city officials say

INSIDE

This Week

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

NEWS ............................. 16 6th graders learn all about college.

REAL ESTATE............... 22

Valley housing market shaken by new listings.

fficials 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. Big cities that rely on Colorado River water – particularly those in southern Nevada that have virtually no other source – were stunned 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 Lake Mead’s water level dropped to an unprecedented low, threatening cities that rely heavily on Colorado River see DROUGHT page 2 water. (Special to the Arizonan)

Early voting begins soon for key Chandler posts

Life on a string

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

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Fibber McGees as Irish as wearing green. REAL ESTATE.................................. COMMUNITY.............................. BUSINESS....................................... OPINION........................................ SPORTS.......................................... GET OUT........................................ CLASSIFIEDS.................................

22 24 27 32 36 40 44

he 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. Candidates must get 51 % of the primary vote to win outright or some on the August ballot will have to face off again in the Nov. 8 General Election. 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

see ELECTIONS page 4

Hans Van Dan Elzen is no ordinary practitioner of the art of yo-yoinh. He owns the Chandler-based YoYo Factory, the largest seller of yo-yos in the world. For a look at his operation and how he prepared for national yo-yo championship that concludes today, June 26, in Mesa , see page 27. (Ken Sain/Arizonan Staff)

CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Chandler celebrating July 4 without fireworks BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

he City of Chandler will celebrate the Fourth of July this year, but will do so without fireworks. City officials are planning for an AllAmerican 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.

DROUGHT from page 1

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 Mean water levels had dropped 6 feet in a month. Its latest 24-month outlook last week said it is forecasting the “most probable” lake

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) 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 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

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

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 organiza-

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 to take “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

tions 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 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.

If you go What: Chandler’s All-American Bash When: 7-9:30 p.m., July 4 Where: AJ Chandler Park, Downtown 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 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

see DROUGHT page 10

CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Homeowner seeks $131K over police standoff BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

he owner of a home that became the focal point of a standoff between Chandler police and a felony suspect wants the city to pay him $131,180 for damages during that encounter. Raul Martinez owns the home on north Delaware Street when suspect Rigoberto Jimenez allegedly shot two police officers during a standoff that took place April 27, 2020. He also allegedly shot another officer earlier in the day. During that standoff, a fire destroyed the home. Martinez says in his legal claim filed with the city that it started when officers threw a flare inside the building to try and end a barricade situation. The police report says Jimenez set the fire intentionally to create smoke and chaos to cover his attempt to leave the home undetected. The word “flare” does not appear in the 184-page redacted police report of the incident. Martinez’s claim says that police chased the suspect into the home, which

the suspect did not live in, and used excessive force in their attempt to make an arrest. His claim asks for the money to cover reconstruction of the house and the loss of rent. Martinez’s son, also named Raul, asked how is this any different than if police damaged a car while they were chasing a suspect? He said the police should take responsibility and wondered what would have happened if a child had been in the home or if his own parents were there. “We never even got an apology,” Raul Martinez said, adding that he has done most of the leg work on this claim on behalf of his father. He said insurance only covers so much, Moreover, he said, suing the suspect will take a long time and they may never be able to collect from him. According to police reports, here is what happened: On April 24, 2020, Jimenez allegedly pointed a gun and fired a shot at his sister’s boyfriend. As a convicted felon, he is not allowed to possess a firearm. In the early morning hours of April 27, 2020, a police officer witnessed a man

later identified as Jimenez flipping the door handles of parked cars, apparently looking for an unlocked one. The officer tried to confront him, but the suspect ran. As he was running down an alley, he allegedly fired a shot that struck the officer in the leg. The officer was treated at the hospital. Police began searching for the suspect and became aware of a suspicious car in front of the home on north Delaware. They knocked on the door of the home owned by Martinez and asked his tenants if someone might have entered their home. They said it was possible because they left one door unlocked so a tenant using a space in the backyard had access to the restroom. The residents knew the suspect and he had been in their home before. Police then asked for permission to conduct a search. The people living in the home stepped outside while officers searched. Police say they called out many times to announce they were there and asked everyone to come out. According to the report, Jimenez was hiding in a bathtub.

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When they reached the bathroom door and opened it, shots were fired. Two Chandler police officers were hit. The most serious shot, to the chest, was stopped by body armor. However, that officer did suffer a wound to his head in a fall and was bleeding. Officers returned fire, then began to vacate the house, setting up a perimeter. The standoff lasted for several hours. Police say they were in contact with Jimenez and were trying to talk him into surrendering. That’s when police claim Jimenez started a fire inside the home in an attempt to flee, according to the police account. He went out the back and broke into a nearby apartment. Police quickly surrounded that area and a second standoff ensued. Eventually, Jimenez gave up. The fire destroyed most of the home. Jimenez was charged with 23 counts, including attempted murder in the first degree, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and arson. The City of Chandler has a standing policy of not commenting on active legal cases.

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

The Chandler Arizonan is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Chandler. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of The Chandler Arizonan, please visit www.ChandlerNews.com.

Darla Gonzalez

Jane Poston

Angel Encinas

Matt Orlando

Farhana Shifa

ELECTIONS from page 1

could have as many as five women sitting at the dais. In the mayoral race, incumbent Mayor Kevin Hartke mayor 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 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 Ruth Jones. She worked as a network analyst for the National Security Agency and has lived in Chandler for more than two years. She had previously lived in the area, but left the state to seek medical treatment for her oldest son, who had cancer. He later died. Jones, a breast cancer survivor, said she served on some commissions while living in Utah to start her civic journey. The biggest difference between the two involves a proposed a non-discrimination ordinance to protect LGBTQ+ residents. Hartke opposes adopting one, and Jones is in favor. “The ordinances are cumbersome,” Hartke said at a June 16 forum hosted by Chandler Pride, a LGBT group. “They have lengthy processes that take three, six, nine, 12 months in order to see any any action come out of there. They’re difficult to navigate, and then enforce as well.” “It doesn’t have to be cumbersome,” Jones responded. “It doesn’t have to be hard to deal with. We write the ordinance that works for our community that protects all of our citizens and keeps

CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Chandler Arizonan 1990 W. Broadway Road Tempe, AZ 85282 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt

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Chandler mayoral candidates Kevin Hartke and Ruth Jones, are facing off in the Aug. 2 election. (Ken Sain/Arizonan staff) them safe.” Jones says her top issue is supporting the police. Every candidate in the city election has expressed support for the police. Jones has been critical of the city for not hiring new officers for years because of budget concerns and worries about the economy. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Hartke in this race. Here’s a look at the race for the three Council seats: Rene Lopez and Terry Roe cannot run for reelection because of term limits. Both are seeking a higher office. There is only one incumbent in the race, Matt Orlando. He is seeking his sixth term on the Council, having first served in 1990. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Police Association, and the United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association Local 493 have all endorsed the same three candidates for Council: Orlando, Angel Encinas and Jane Poston. The other candidates running are Darla Gonzalez and Farhana Shifa. Angel Encinas: The immigration consultant and real estate agent calls himself the “Hometown” candidate, having

been born and raised in Chandler. He graduated from Chandler High School and Arizona State University. He says he’s a proud member of the LGBTQ+ and Latino communities. Darla Gonzalez: She’s a businesswoman running her own company, Gonzalez Professional Services. She and her family moved to Chandler in 2004 from Oregon. Gonzalez says her top three issues are public safety, 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

see ELECTIONS page 6

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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CITY NEWS

ELECTIONS from page 4

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

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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 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 infor-

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mation. 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 statemandated 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,

see ELECTIONS page 20

Primary Election facts

Ballots mailed on July 6 Election Day is Aug. 2 Independents can vote but need to declare which party’s ballot they wish to use before July 6. The last day to register is July 5 at elections.maricopa.gov/voter-registration/register-to-vote.

Candidate info

Both mayoral and all five Chandler City Council candidates answered questions form the Chandler Arizonan. They also were asked to write two opinion pieces on themselves, their candidacy and/or issues. The second batch of those columns appears on page 32 in today’s edition. The others are at chandlernews.com

Here are the websites for all seven Council candidates:

Kevin Hartke: kevinhartke.com Ruth Jones: ruthjones4chandler.com Angel Encinas: angelforchandler.com Darla Gonzalez: darlaforchandler.com Matt Orlando: mattorlando.com Jane Poston: janeposton.com Farhana Shifa: farhanashifaforchandler.com

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Taxpayers covering $377.5K in council pet projects BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

ach year Chandler City Council members get a contingency fund to spend money on projects they deem important for the community. This year councilmembers awarded $10,000 to explore blockchain record keeping, $17,000 for two award recognition ceremonies that were started this year – and an additional $10,000 for the Endzone Experience, the city’s nonsanctioned Super Bowl party. The projects in all total $377,500 of the city’s $1.35 billion budget Council approved last week. Council also approved a capital improvement budget of $1.66 billion. Vice Mayor Terry Roe voted against the package of budget amendments. “Historically, we’ve talked about these items individually and that can take a long time,” Roe said. “This year we probably could have done that, forced a vote

in a study session, but we didn’t.” Council changed how it voted on the amendments because of the pandemic. In 2020, there were no amendments. Since then, members have been voting on them as a group instead of individually. Roe said he voted against the amendments because he objected to spending $74,000 – the highest amount among the individual items – for a portable, solar-powered electric vehicle charging station for city-owned vehicles. Here’s a look at some of the items the Council awarded funds to: Endzone Experience: First, don’t call it a Super Bowl party. This is not in any way an official NFL event and the city doesn’t want to fight with copyright attorneys. It just happens that it will be staged about the time the Super Bowl will take place in Glendale on Feb. 12. Kim Moyers, the cultural development director for the city, says the Endzone Experience will be an event for the com-

Council's Budget Amendments The Chandler City Council approved spending $377,000 of a maximum $425,000 from its contingency fund on 28 projects that benefit the community. Each amendment must be backed by at least one Councilmember. In some cases, two or three backed an amendment. In one case, all seven backed one. Here's how many amendments each Councilmember supported, and their dollar total: Matt Orlando

$223,000

11 15

Christine Ellis $217,000 Kevin Hartke

$192,000

OD Harris

$121,000

Mark Stewart

$78,500

Rene Lopez

$53,000

Terry Roe

$1,000

10 16 7 5

Notes: Roe backed only one amendment. Orlando, Ellis and Hartke all supported one amendment that cost $74,000, and another with a $30,000 price tag. Ken Sain/Times Media Group

Source: City of Chandler

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

CITY NEWS

Water project costs for city, Intel soar 49% BY KEN SAIN Arizonan 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.

see WATER page 12

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

CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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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 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

see DROUGHT page 12

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

WATER from page 9

ect. 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 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.”

DROUGHT from page 10

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 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 proj-

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

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

PET PROJECTS from page 8

college recruiters. “It’s basically working with a lot of the high school students on how if they’re interested in playing at the collegiate level, [or] if you’re so fortunate to play at the collegiate level, what it would take to get to the professional level,” she said. “They are going to do some, like some scrimmaging and that type of thing so that people have an opportunity to see some of the amazing athletes that Chandler has.” Council had already approved $25,000 for that part of the Endzone Experience. Councilmember OD Harris asked for an additional $10,000 from the contingency fund to improve it. Moyers said they plan to stage a number of events on Super Bowl weekend where people in the community can participate. Since that money has just been approved, they have not planned out exactly what those activities will be just yet.

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Chandler has some of the top high school football teams in the nation and most college recruiters already know about those programs. Moyers said the Endzone Experience would help players other than the top stars get some notice. And, she said they hope to expand it to more than just football. Blockchain record keeping: Councilmember Mark Stewart is a big proponent of blockchain technology. Last year he helped start a pilot program to test blockchain voting in city elections. Last week, he pushed for $10,000 so the City Clerk’s office could study using blockchain technology for record retention and document authentication. Award celebrations: Last year Councilmembers Harris and Christine Ellis both staged special events to honor members of the community and used some of their personal $7,500 expense fund to pay for it. Next year they want to host the events

again, and this time have the money come from the contingency fund. Ellis is planning a First Ladies of Chandler event to pay tribute to women leaders in the community. Harris plans to hold another Martin Luther King Jr. event. Both members requested $10,000 and $7,000 respectively for the celebrations. Roe only requested money for one item among the 28 amendments. He joined with the rest of the Council in asking for $1,000 to supplement a Christmas holiday party for seniors living in public housing. Rene Lopez had the next fewest requests at five, followed by Stewart at seven. Mayor Kevin Hartke made 10 requests, followed by Matt Orlando at 11, Ellis at 15. Harris made the most requests at 16. The amounts awarded range from $1,000 to $74,000. The most common amount was $10,000, which was handed out 10 times. Some of the projects being funded

support the police and fire departments. They voted to give the Police Department $10,000 for human trafficking equipment and $20,000 for human trafficking training. They gave the Fire Department $30,000 to convert a vehicle into a mobile incident cooling station. Some of the 28 amendments specifically address diversity in the city, including $10,000 for Chandler Contigo, $10,000 for diversity education for K-12 students, $5,000 for a Juneteenth celebration and $1,000 for a roundtable that focuses on businesses owned by women, African Americans and Latinos. There’s also $10,000 to recognize the area’s veterans and $10,000 for two new programs for Jazz appreciation month. They also approved $10,000 for two new benches for Downtown and $15,000 for some signage at the Chandler Museum. Council also agreed to spend $28,000 for a study to determine residents’ interest in remodeling Folley Park.

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

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Youth mental health ‘complicated,’ Chandler Unified official says BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

he woman leading the effort to address mental health concerns at Chandler Unified Schools says there are many factors impacting youth today. “It’s a very complicated issue; there’s not just one problem,” said Brenda Vargas, CUSD’s director of counseling and social services. She’s currently putting together a plan to help improve the mental health of the District’s students. “We have a lot of money, a lot of resources,” Vargas said. “We’ve had conversations all spring, before the loss of the three students.” The sudden deaths by suicide of three students, and possibly a fourth who died from a drug overdose, prompted a number of students and parents to speak out at the June 8 meeting of the Governing Board, calling for more action to address mental health issues. Vargas said the pandemic definitely had an impact on children and teens. However, the current teen suicide epidemic has been underway since 2017, long before the pandemic began. So it is not the only factor, Vargas said. She says mobile devices are another problem. “In my experience, from what we’re seeing and hearing, it can be addictive,” Vargas said. “They get stuck, that’s a great way to put it. “Adults can too, but they have the maturity to know it’s time to sleep and they can put the device down. Students don’t always do that. “It reduces their ability to rest, and they get a lack of sleep. With sleep deprivation, there is an increase in anxiety and

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stress.” Vargas said CUSD will use evidencebased training to make both teachers and students better aware of the signs that someone might be struggling. She said all schools in the district have at least one counselor, and that every CUSD school has both a counselor and a social worker. “We want there to be a caring, consistent adult that is both available and qualified to help at every school,” Vargas said. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for American teens. About 20% have admitted to having serious thoughts of killing themselves and 9% have tried to do it. Unintentional injuries, usually due to car crashes, is the leading cause. More than 20 American teens kill themselves every day. Vargas said they are looking at all options for addressing this issue. The District has earmarked $5.5 million to address the problem. “We’re looking at a model that will hopefully address the full gamut,” she said. “We’re considering third parties to hiring additional staff.” Vargas said the district has partnered with Southwest Behavioral Health since 2008. She said they are considering expanding that to wider options. There is one message that they want every student to hear. “Help is available,” she said. One way of doing that is an app that students can download. The district promotes “A Friend Asks” app that was developed by the Jason Foundation. It provides information and resources to anyone who is either considering suicide or knows someone who may be thinking about it. “It’s been around for a while,” Vargas

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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

ollege 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 Outdoors, 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

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

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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 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

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

City caused flood, $750K in damage, claim says BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

woman whose house was flooded by a broken water pipe wants the City of Chandler to pay her $750,000 to cover damages. Blanca Reid’s lawyer filed a legal claim for damages with the city last month asking for that amount. They allege that a city worker struck a water pipe around 3 a.m. on Nov. 11 of last year near Reid’s home on Sunset Drive, a few blocks north of Chandler Boulevard. The water from the pipe flooded the property and home, reaching as high as a foot above floor level inside the walls. Attorney Fabian Zuzueta, who is representing Reid, said they believe the incident took place at that time. “It was an ongoing project, but it might be better to say on or before that time,” he said. Zuzueta said that even if the unknown worker did not intend to start a flood, the city is still responsible. “If I have a hammer and I want to strike a nail to make it go into the wood, I intentionally strike it. But if a chip flies into your eye, I may not have intended that but I’m still responsible.” Reid’s claim says the water caused

6TH GRADERS from page 16

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 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

extensive damage, including splitting the concrete on the porch, frying the electrical system of their heater, and causing a gas pipeline below the house to burst. They were told the water was considered category 3, which means it was not safe to drink and contained pathogenic agents. The damage to personal property was extensive. They list clothes, shoes, furniture, two computers, the refrigerator, carpet and repairs to the air conditioner and the home’s electrical system. The family had to stay in hotels after their home was flooded. The insurance company only covered the first two nights. The family had to pay or find other arrangements for the children until the house could be lived in again. Reid received an estimate that it would cost nearly $219,000 to make the home livable again. She also says having a home flood on their record will lower the resale value of the house. The claim says the City of Chandler and its Public Works & Utilities Department were negligent and is directly responsible for the damage done to Reid’s home. The City of Chandler has a policy of not commenting on active legal claims. 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.”

CITY NEWS

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

CUSD ranks its performance with an A

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

handler Unified School District students are not the only ones who get a report card at the end of the school year. The district grades itself in some key metrics as a way to gauge its progress in improving the overall expe-

rience for both students and staff. And it’s giving itself an A by scoring 44.13 of a maximum 48 points in the 30 categories it measures. “We rank No. 1 in math, English and science, and No. 2 in reading,” said Dr. Jennifer Fletcher, district executive director of accountability, assessment and research.

This chart illustrates how Chandler Unified School District scored in terms of achieving its goals. (CUSD) CUSD uses data to determine ranks. So, in math a top ranking means 85% or higher of students are meeting career and college readiness scores. The district decided not to count six of its categories, because of the pandemic. For example, they did not look at chronic absences this year. Here are some of the highlights from the final assessment: Graduation rate: The goal is for CUSD to be at least 14% higher than the state four-year rate for it to get a top ranking. Fletcher said the state rate was 75% of high school seniors and CUSD graduated 90%. CUSD fell short of its goal of having ninth-grade students who earned at least 5.5 credits in their first year of high school. The goal for a top grade is 92% or more of students to reach that benchmark. The district finished between 88% and 89.9% to finish with a three grade. College readiness: CUSD gets top marks after its students earned more than $145 million in college scholarships. They actually earned a lot more

than that, finishing with $185 million. It also got top marks because at least 68% of students taking Advance Placement tests passed and because it had 40 or more students qualify for National Merit semifinalist or Flinn Scholarships. The district had 41 such students. Dropout rate: The district ranked second in its goal of limiting the number of dropouts to at least 2.5% of the state’s mark. It just missed that mark at 2.48%, putting it in the third rubric. Market share: Most parents continue to choose to send their children to CUSD schools. It got a top mark for limiting the student charter school mobility rate to under 2.5%. Employee satisfaction: The district disqualified two of the three categories it uses to measure if its employees are satisfied with their job. It got top marks in the one they kept, with at least 90% retention rate. Parent satisfaction: It also got top scores by parents of students, with more

see MERICS page 20

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

CITY NEWS

Unhinged political sign defacement plagues local House candidate BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor

s the countdown continues toward the July 6 start of early voting for the Aug. 2 Primary Election, an Ahwatukee lawyer seeking one of the two Democratic nominations for the Legislative District 12 House race has been victimized by repeated – and somewhat deranged – vandalism of his political signs. While candidate Paul Weich’s signs in Ahwatukee have been being mutilated or removed for more than a month, the culprit last week shredded an unknown number into long strips, then left a pile and scattered them on the street on the entrance to his neighborhood. The vandal also has extended his bizarre campaign to Tempe, removing signs at various locations in that city, Weich said. Weich called the act “a horse’s head type of message” – a reference to the classic scene from “The Godfather” when a rebellious movie producer wakes to find the head of his beloved race horse on his satin sheets. Weich is not the only Democrat whose signs are subject to the childish vandalism. Ahwatukee resident Stacey Travers’ signs have been stolen and some have been mutilated – though not like Weich’s have been. “While frustrating, we look forward to continuing to meet the voters of LD 12 and hearing about the issues important to our community,” Travers said. An outraged Weich said that while the expense to his campaign is no laughing matter – about $1,000, he said – the even bigger concern is the time it takes to replace them as the campaign enters a critical stage. “I need to keep my name out there,” he said. “Everybody else has their signs up and mine are the only ones being targeted.” “We haven’t seen this level of sign shenanigans, sign stealing, in quite a long time,” said Weich, who has lived in Ahwatukee for 20 years. “This guy is trying to bring it to a new level. While the destructively childish activity has cropped up in various other East Valley communities, especially in local elections, such vandalism has been relatively uncommon in Ahwatukee.

had been singled out by sign vandals during his unsuccessful campaigns. While the nature and relentlessness of the actions against Weich seem almost personal, the candidate told AFN: “That would be the appearance, but there’s no reason that there would be a personal motivation. I don’t want to speculate on the motives. I mean, people have brought up my religion...my work. “But I tend to think it’s more political because I’ve been outspoken about the 2020 Presidential election, This pile of signs for LD 12 Democratic House candidate Paul the post-election audit and Weich was left near his home last week while other signs cut voter-suppression efforts into similar strips were scattered on the street. (Facebook) by Republicans. And what we do know about this likeAn Ahwatukee attorney who ran for the ly suspect is that he is one of Tempe Union Governing Board in both the those right-wing type of guys that seems 2018 and 2020 races for some reason also to have some screws loose.”

Weich is running against two other Ahwatukee residents, Anastasia “Stacey” Travers and Patricia Contreras, and Chandler residents Sam Huang and Ajlan “AJ” Kurdoglu for a chance to take on Republicans Terry Roe, who will be termed out on Chandler City Council, and Chandler business owner James Chastan in the Nov. 8 General Election. For the LD12 Senate race, Democratic incumbent Rep. Mitzi Epstein is awaiting the outcome of a Republican primary dual between Ahwatukee residents, businessman David Richardson and Realtor Suzanne Sharer. Weich said he was the first candidate to install his signs once the city date for putting them up had come around. “All the street corners are flooded with signs for a reason – because it’s visibility,” he said. “And it reaches voters that aren’t able to be reached other ways. Yeah, it’s very concerning. We were the first ones to put our street signs out, right after we were

see SIGNS page 20

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SIGNS from page 19

But Weich said he has a suspect in mind and has told Phoenix police. He said police are investigating and that a detective “told me he has enough evidence to go and approach him or take other action.” He said last Friday another officer called and said they had enough evidence to make an arrest, although as of AFN’s deadline, none had been reported. Meanwhile, Weich said he has friends

and campaign supporters throughout the district – which includes all of Ahwatukee and bits of Chandler, Mesa and Tempe – reporting to him when his signs are defaced or removed and that he’s replacing them as soon as possible. And he said he’s being driven by a bigger motive than just keeping his signs in place. “Our goal is to stop it – not just for us, but to stop this kind of lawless behavior,”

Weich said. “I mean I’ve been talking about protecting democracy and protecting our elections. Now I’m adding in ‘fighting for the rule of law.’ “And so this is part of it. We can’t let people get away with this and think that, you know that it’s fair game just because it’s politics. You can’t do that and destroy people’s property. We can’t allow that to happen.”

MERICS from page 18

only two categories. One was in the equity in student perception, achievement and access category. Its rubric score in graduation rates by category fell between 0 and 1.59. It needed a score of 3.0 to get the top mark.

The other lowest grade came in the indicators for career and college readiness category. In the number of Advance Placement tests taken it had between 6,462 and 6,778. It needed 7,413 or more to get the top grade.

CUSD scored a top grade in 20 of the 48 categories it measured. It got a second rank in seven others, one third rank and the two ranks at the bottom.

ELECTIONS from page 6

ciding 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 Hosue 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 – Anatastasia “Stacey” Travers, Paul Weich and Patty Contreras.

allowed to by the city ordinance. So we took it very seriously, getting them out as soon as possible. And having Ahwatukee stripped bare of our signs is very concerning.” Cameras have taken some photos of the culprit doing his damage at night, although his facial features don’t appear very discernible.

than 90% of them giving their schools of their youngest child a letter grade of either A or B. CUSD gave itself the lowest grade in

there is a five-way Democratic battle for two House seat nominations and a twoway Republican battle for Senate between two Ahwatukee residents. With Democratic Sen. Sean Bowie de-

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REAL ESTATE

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From Uptown to Downtown, we cover Chandler like the sun

Listings suddenly flooding Valley home market BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor

hether you’re selling your home or looking to buy, better wear seatbelts. And that may especially be true right now for sellers, who are flooding the Phoenix Metro housing market with a record number of listings, according to the Cromford Report. The Cromford Report, the Valley’s leading analyst of the market in Pinal and Maricopa counties said a whopping 1,845 homes were added to the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing – 34% more than average. “If we were just suffering deflating demand,” it said, “the market would be cooling off pretty gently. But if 34% more new listings are arriving every four weeks, supply is increasing just at the wrong time and it just cannot be absorbed. This is why we are seeing the fastest cooling trend that the Greater Phoenix housing market has ever experienced. “ The Cromford Report two weeks ago said “uncertainty is compounded by the unusual speed of change” and that the Phoenix Metro housing scene “is shifting faster than we have seen at any time in the last 22 years.” Other analysts weighing in the day after the Federal Reserve on June 15 raised interest rates 0.75% and MarketWatch.com said even before that hike, Freddie Mac reported mortgage rates had surged 55 basis points for the largest one-week increase since 1987. All this spells bad news for both sellers and buyers. Sellers are quickly losing the catbird seat they’ve enjoyed in negotiations with prospective buyers for more than a year. Slower demand and quickly rising inventory are weakening their position, according to various analysts. But buyers need not break out the champagne as no one is predicting any sharp

This 2,978-square-foot house on W. Jupiter Way in Chandler recently sold for $950,000. Built in 1977, the four-bedroom, 2 ½-bath home was billed as “the last opportunity to buy at Stellar Airpark for less than $1 million.” price drops in the cost of housing and mortgage rates continue to climb, they said. “Further increases in mortgage rates are kicking a big hole in demand while supply continues to grow extremely fast,” Cromford reported. “It would appear that some owners who do not need their property as a home for themselves are timing the market and prefer to be in cash right now. “Sales prices are finally expected to reflect the shift by stepping backwards. The predicted fall is small so far, and coincides with a period when prices usually drift lower each year.” Two weeks ago, the Cromford Report said, “Demand continues to fall in most areas but the dominant effect is now the rise in supply, with new listings arriving at a pace that is well above average.” It said Buckeye, Queen Creek and Maricopa already are close to a balanced market, where demand and supply are basically equal. That report was buttressed by a news release two weeks ago from Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, who said: “Higher mortgage rates will lead to moderation from the blistering pace of housing activity that we have experienced coming out of the pandemic, ultimately resulting in a more balanced housing market.” Nevertheless, the news also doesn’t offer

much hope for buyers looking for “moderate” prices. Indeed, the meaning of “moderate” may not be at a new normal in the Valley and elsewhere in the country. “The upper end of the market is slowing, but to a lesser degree than the midrange between $400,000 and $1 million,” the Cromford Report said. “Supply below $400,000 remains very low and that segment of the market remains strong.” Cromford said data from May sales drawn from County recorder records show closed sales dropped 11% from where they were in May 2021 regardless of whether the deals involved new or used houses. Even so, the overall median sales price in the Phoenix Metro area last month was $490,000 – up 24.8% from May 2021 with the new home median at $500,490 (up 27.8% over May 2021) and the median for resales at $486,000 (up 23.7% from May 2021), The Cromford Report said. Those Valley price figures far exceed the national median sales price of $428,700 in the first quarter of 2022, although that nationwide number is up 30% from $329,000 in the first quarter of 2020. Mortgage rates jumped from 2.75% in the fall for a 30-year fixed to over 5.25%. An even more staggering blow to those

in search of affordable homes, according to the real estate brokerage Redfin is that 8.2% of homes – about six million houses – are valued at $1 million or higher – double what those figures were two years ago. Realtor.com said “Pandemic-era prices, as they currently stand, may be here to stay.” “It is entirely possible that prices level out and just don’t change very much for the next few years,” Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at personal-finance site Bankrate.com, told Realtor.com. “This would benefit first-time buyers by allowing their incomes to ‘catch-up’ to the cost of homeownership somewhat, but this would unfold over a 2- to 4-year period, not the next 2 to 4 months.” McBride cautioned would-be buyers who hope for a significant price correction: “Sellers have been putting homes on the market and asking for moonshot prices. In a neighborhood where homes were selling for $600,000 one year ago, a seller may now be asking $800,000. Sure, they may need to cut the price a bit and eventually sell for say, $725,000, but that is still much higher than the $600,000 it would’ve sold for one year ago.” Meanwhile, both Cromford and Mar-

see MARKET page 23

REAL ESTATE

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

MARKET from page 22

ketWatch.com kept a wary eye on the overall economy and how that might impact the housing market. MarketWatch said the U.S. housing sector might be heading for the biggest slowdown in a decade, citing Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist for Freddie Mac. “The U.S. housing market is at the beginning stages of the most significant contraction in activity since 2006,” he said, adding: “I don’t think that home sales are going to grind to a complete halt. They’ll just slow. People will still be able to sell

homes, but it may take you just a little bit longer than what it’s been.’ He also was quoted as saying, “It hasn’t shown up in many data series yet, but mortgage applications are pointing to a large decline over summer,” and that mortgage applications already have tumbled 40% from their most recent peak in 2021. Purchases and refinance applications are in fact down to the lowest level in 22 years, Realtor.com said. Mortgage applications as a data point “gives you a sense of where the market might be headed,” Kiefer told MarketWatch, “because that’s the early stages of

ANIL SINGH (NEIL), REALTOR® HOMESMART MY PRIORITIES AS A REALTOR:

when people are looking to buy a home. And if the volume of applications falls, that tends to indicate that in a month, month and a half, mortgage originations of home closings will also decline.” Kiefer expects home sales to henceforth “slow quite a bit over the summer.” Meanwhile, the Cromford Report called May sales data “worrisome” because of a 16% year-over-year decline in home sales in the Phoenix Metro market. “This leads me to conclude that the market is serious about this change of direction and the new trend is likely to continue for some considerable time,” it said.

“There two things that concern me about the sales decline in 2022,” it continued: “It is taking place in May, which in a healthy market should be one of the busiest months for closing “We are seeing a very steep drop in a short period. In this environment, selling a home is no longer like falling off a log. Showings will be fewer in number and offers far less easy to get than they were in March. Once buyers realize what is going one, expect them to start flexing their negotiating muscles. They might even ask for the seller to pay for a Home Warranty (shocking I know).”

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Perry senior wins international robotics award BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

umans have been exploring the topic of machines surpassing us and becoming a threat as far back as 1872, when the novel “Erewhon” worried about them gaining consciousness and being able to self-replicate. Since then it is a popular science fiction topic in everything from books to films to video games. It’s not a topic that scares one rising senior at Perry High School. “I’ve never seen ‘Terminator,’” Joshua Shunk admitted. Last month, Joshua took first place in robotics and intelligent machines at the International Science and Engineering Fair after he designed an algorithm that allows machines to learn with less data. As part of his prize is that he will get to fly to Sweden to watch the Nobel Prize Awards ceremony. The blockbuster “Terminator” films showed machines hunting down the last pockets of humanity. But despite the fears that developing artificial intelligence can generate, Joshua sees the good they can do as well. Take his algorithm as an example.

He decided to make his algorithm open source, allowing others to build on his work. It means he will likely never profit from his algorithm. “Being that I’m a high school student conducting this research independently, there are going to be other researchers who Joshua Shunk received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, want to validate my which provides the finalists with an all-expense paid trip to the claims,” he said. “ReStockholm International Youth Science Seminar, which includes attendance at the Nobel Prize Ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden. searchers won’t just (David Minton/Staff Photographer) take my word for it. “Open sourcing it Usually a machine needs a lot of data to makes this process a get to the point where it is confident in lot easier. The goal of my research was to making a decision. Joshua said there are develop something that would hopefully times when you don’t have a lot of data. improve the lives of other and give me For example, a doctor could list the a pa- some credibility as a researcher. It was tient’s symptoms and the artificial intelli- never to make money off of.” gence could come up with a list of the most Perry High School offers select students likely cause. But what about very rare dis- an Honors Science Research program where eases, where there is not a lot of data? they can explore any topic that interests them. Joshua’s algorithm helps machines learn They are evaluated based on their research without needing millions of packets of data. and what they’ve learned. That’s where Josh-

ua did most of his research into this topic. He plans to continue to explore it during his senior year. The International Science and Engineering Fair is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 1,600 participants from 63 countries. So far, Joshua has been awarded a scholarship to Arizona State University and $6,500 in prize money. During the trip to Stockholm, he will make a presentation on his project to Swedish youth as part of a program to encourage them to explore careers in science. He said he enjoyed the competition, getting a chance to meet people from all over the world and experience different cultures. Joshua said he hopes to travel a lot in the future. In addition to his scientific research, Joshua plays hockey. He said between the research and hockey, he is pretty busy. Which is why he doesn’t have time to play the Mass Effect video games, where machines wipe out all advance civilizations every 50,000 years. Does Joshua ever think about machines taking over? “I think it could happen,” Joshua said. “And it’s up to the responsibility of the researchers with upgrading it. I think there’s definitely safeguards against it.”

fit for their clients. The HOPE Group is funded through contracts with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, which leaves them subject to fluctuations in funding. Despite these challenges, being statefunded has been beneficial in making treatment more accessible, as it has recently allowed clients to get trained and hired by HOPE to serve their loved ones from home. Lori’s daughter Shelby Durfee, the director of state services at HOPE, has committed herself to the employment side of the business, which she helped open in 2020. Durfee aims to create a “one stop shop” for high school students with autism to

create their own job path before they graduate. She also aims to become a statewide leader in providing these services. A common characteristic among people with autism is a high fixation on a particular topic. This is something that HOPE wants clients to embrace, encouraging kids to find employment in areas that meet their passions. “You know, I think for a lot of situations, we try to make people fit into society, or people with autism fit into society, but we also kind of need to understand and meet them where they’re at as well.” Durfee said. Information: hopegroupaz.com. “Autism: A Family’s Journey” is on amazon prime.

Area agency offers hope for those with autism

BY SAMANTHA MORRIS Arizonan Staff Writer

hen Lori Cairn’s son J.R. was 2 years old, in 1996, the medical establishment’s understanding of autism outcomes was limited, prompting doctors to make pessimistic predictions about the quality of life those on the autism spectrum could expect. One doctor “told me to go home and make sure he liked his room because he was going to go in and never come out,” said Cairns in the 2013 documentary, “Autism: A Family’s Journey. She said he would probably be in an institution by the time he was 17.”

So Cairns navigated her own way to help her son and other children, learning applied behavioral analysis, a specialized therapy tailored to one’s behavioral needs. The new therapy that the Cairn’s sought out for their son was successful, and today, J.R. is living independently and has a job. In 1997, her home-based ABA sessions and community outreach turned into what is now the HOPE Group, an East Valley autism agency celebrating its 25-year anniversary. The HOPE Group has two sides. The clinical side offers ABA and behavioral consulting while the state services side provides habilitation and respite in addition to collaborating with Arizona businesses to find the right employment

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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BUSINESS

Chandler yo-yo maker is the nation’s biggest BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

sk the owner of the nation’s largest yo-yo factory how’s business and he’ll likely give you a pun. “You know, it’s a business that has its ups and downs,” Hans Van Dan Elzen said. He owns the Chandler-based YoYo Factory, at 155 E. Chilton Drive, Suite 101 in Chandler, which sells the most yo-yos in the U.S. While the pun may induce groans, it’s accurate. Van Dan Elzen said his business tends to go in cycles where it becomes really popular, but then people set them aside for something else for a few years. Right now, yo-yos are thriving. The National Yo-Yo Championships are returning for the first time since 2019 next month and will be held in Mesa. There was no championship event in 2020 or 2021 because of the pandemic.

Hans Van Dan Elzen isn’t just a master yo-yo player. He also owns the YoYo Factory in Chandler – the nation’s largest seller of a toy invented in the mid-19th century.

(Ken Sain/Arizonan Staff)

Arizona was the scheduled stop in 2020 before the event was canceled. One of the reasons this area was chosen is because of the YoYo Factory and its success. Van Dan Elzen says he has visitors stop by his factory all the time, and in fact had to add a little retail area so they could buy some products. He welcomes the visitors, and he or one of his demonstrators will happily teach anyone some tricks if they have a little time. “If you do come for a visit plan to spend like a half hour and learn some tricks,” he said. “If you bring 30 people, we can’t handle it, but if you bring five, yeah, definitely.” Van Dan Elzen says his yo-yos cost between $5 and $450. He said he refused to sell any for less than $5 because the quality would be so poor it would be unlikely that a person would enjoy using it.

see YOYO page 29

Historic EV restaurant moves to Chandler

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

t’s not often a 55-year-old restaurant gets to celebrate a grand opening, but that’s what La Fonda Mexican Restaurant did recently. The popular family-owned eatery decided to move to Chandler after decades of operating in Tempe. “My sister and I we found this location,” said Angela Cota, who co-owns the restaurant with her sister. “We wanted to go back to the original … small, cozy. That big restaurant that we had was just a nightmare.” Angela’s grandmother opened the original La Fonda in 1967 at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Curry in Tempe. Even with the stiff competition that is Mexican food in the Valley, they built a

La Fonda Mexican Restaurant co-owner Angela Cota recently relocated the 55-year-old eatery from Tempe to Chandler.

reputation for fresh chips and salsa and great service. That helped them survive 55 years, even during downturns in the economy. “Our chips and salsa, that’s probably what people compliment us most about,” Angela said. “When you walk in our door, that’s when we make them, so like they are hot.” In 2004 Angela and her husband opened a second La Fonda location, this one in south Chandler at Alma School and Queen Creek roads. However, she had to close it a few years later because of the economic downturn caused by the banking crisis in 2008. She returned to help her family at the original location. “A few months after that, we found

see LAFONDA page 28

BUSINESS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Chamber lauds 3 Chandler-Gilbert students, others ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

he Chandler Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 35th anniversary of the Chandler Chamber Community Awards, and three Chandler-Gilbert Community College students were feted in the process. The awards honor local businesses, educators and community members for their outstanding contributions to Chandler. In addition to these accolades, the Chandler Chamber Community Foundation awards scholarships to ChandlerGilbert Community College (CGCC) students. The foundation works to enhance the business community and develop future business and community leaders through the development of quality educational events, engaging programs and scholarships. The Foundation awarded three students this $2,500 scholarship: Trisha Begody, Sommer Meadows, and Abraham Richardson. Trisha is a member of the Navajo Tribe and a resident of Chandler. She is an entrepreneur and owner of Sadie Mae Co., designing and selling traditional modern fashion for Indigenous people. Trisha is going to CGCC and majoring in organizational management to help grow her fashion business. Sommer is a spring CGCC graduate who transferred to ASU. An honors student and Collegiate DECA member, Sommer is going on to complete her business management degree. Her future plans are to work in the aviation industry with a position in finance or management.

LAFONDA from page 27

out that our landlord was going to sell the property at Scottsdale and Curry to build some big fancy apartments on it. So then we had to move.” She said they decided to go big, so they moved into a 6,000-square foot place that included a bar at McClintock Drive and Baseline Roads in Tempe in 2012. It never really succeeded at that scale, but they stayed there for a decade. However, the owner sold the property and once again La Fonda had to move.

• Jon Lyons, The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, won the Community Cup, given to an organization, or individuals for outstanding volunteerism and/or other commitments to the community. • The Chandler/Gilbert Family YMCA Intel won the Chamber Cup, given a member to show appreciation for outstanding effort and support on behalf of the organization. • The Chandler Cup went to Intel, based on the merit of support and partnership with the City of Chandler. • The James R. Snedigar Public Service Award went to Chandler Police Lt. Jesus Deanda for “and Chamber Foundation members flank the three Chandler-Gilbert Community College scholarship winners, from left, Sommer Meadows, Abraham Richardson and Trisha Begody. (CGCC) making significant differences in the quality of life for an individual or group Abraham is a Chandler native who remarkable people and organizations in Chandler.” is pursuing a business administration here in Chandler and it is our pleasure to Business Diversity Award: Northrop associates degree at CGCC. He is an ex- honor these exceptional businesses, or- • Grumman tremely positive and passionate indi- ganizations, educators and volunteers. Ambassador of the Year: Renee vidual who wants to “leave his mark” They each make unique and valuable • Richeson, Signarama Chandler on today’s business world. Abraham not contributions to our community and • CUSD Educator of the Year: Dr. Michael only wants to find his own success — he Chamber.” McKelvy, Basha High School The following is a list of the 2022 is dedicated to giving back and helping • CUSD Administrator of the Year: Dr. Award Winners: others. Korry Brenner, Shumway Leadership “These students will be diligently • Large Business of the Year: Offerpad Academy working to become assets to Chandler • Medium Business of the Year: • CUSD Support Staff of the Year: Cheri Air Products and the surrounding communities,” a Smith, Arizona College Prep Middle • Small Business of the Year: college spokeswoman said. School State Forty Eight As for the rest of the winners, Chan• Red Apple Award – Educator of the dler Chamber President/CEO Terri Kim- • Micro Business of the Year: Year: Dr. Chris Fryar, Valley Christian Mingle + Graze ble said, “It is wonderful to have such Schools The owners closed their doors in November and reopened in Chandler in March. “When we opened, people were like, ‘Oh, you’re back,’” Angela said. “And, The combo of chile relleno, one taco with rice and beans is a poular item on the menu of at La Fonda Mexican Restaurant.

(David Minton/Staff Photographer)

you know, they said they didn’t go [to Tempe] because it was just a little too far. They said, but this is close enough. So I’m seeing those customers now.” The Chandler location has allowed them to get back to the same type of restaurant Angela’s grandmother started 55 years ago. It’s small, and it’s definitely a family affair. Even though Angela’s parents have retired, they are often there to help out. In addition to her sister, her

see LAFONDA page 29

BUSINESS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

YOYO from page 27

The $450 yo-yo is made of titanium and will spark when you do the “walk the dog” trip. Visitors in May, if they come at the right time, might even get to see a demonstration from the current world champion, Gentry Stein of Germany. He’s been hanging out at the YoYo Factory. Van Dan Elzen said he got into yo-yos when he was 15 when he was living in Detroit. He liked the toy, but it fell apart pretty quickly. That led him to pursue better made yo-yos. He found a company in Tucson that made high-quality yo-yos. He kept buying them, and then reselling them to his friends. Soon, he was being called into the office at his school.

LAFONDA from page 28

brother also chips in. She said they were able to hire a full staff because most of their employees enjoyed working for them and waited for the new

“I created a craze,” Van Dan Elzen said. “My vice principal said he wasn’t upset with me, but he said Hans, look, you got to stop what you’re doing because this is causing a major disruption. The janitor is not sweeping the floors. The gym teacher is not teaching gym. He’s just playing with yo-yos. It’s got to stop.” The vice-principal did arrange for a demonstrator to help Hans learn how to teach others, something he’s been doing ever since. He moved to Arizona and attended Arizona State University, and would teach others how to yo-yo on the weekends. “They paid me in string,” he said. “That didn’t put gas in the car, but, you know.” He was working with the Tucson company and it sold 18 million yo-yos from 1996 through 2001. That had the com-

pany second in the U.S. But, the ups and downs of the yo-yo business hit after 2001 with a severe downturn. The Tucson business closed. Van Dan Elzen invented a new yo-yo in 2003, the Fast 201. He teamed up with Hasbro and sold millions. That’s when he started his own business. His company ahs been at its current location since 2012. Van Dan Elzen said the precision required for modern yo-yos is extreme. “Twelve-year-olds are very demanding in the precision when they spent $100,” Van Dan Elzen said. He sought out engineers in top tech companies trying to solve the problem, which would allow someone to spin a yo-yo on their skin without vibrating. “I had to interact with the aerospace industry. Finally, one shop in Tucson,

they took on the challenge. At first, they said it can’t be done. I said, ‘What do you mean, it can’t be done?’ They said it’s too expensive. And I said, what’s expensive? What if I just said I’ll pay it, you know. And so we had a big breakthrough, just by demanding precision. And now we set the standard. Yo-yos are precise now.” The National Yo-Yo Championships is expected to draw between 100 and 200 competitors. They are all top-level players and will compete in five categories.

location to open up. That’s despite a worker shortage that has many businesses desperate to hire new employees. Angela said they only needed to fill one position. But the decision to reopen in Chandler

and keep the 55-year-old tradition going wasn’t easy. Angela said and her sister had to think about it. “Then my cook, who is my kitchen manager now and has been with me for over 20 years, he helped me run my

place in South Chandler, he said, ‘You know, what will you do? And you’re crazy. It’s 55 years, you can’t throw that all away.’ So he kind of pushed me, and convinced me. ‘Let’s keep it going.’” Information: lafondatempe.com

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BUSINESS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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

’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 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.

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OPINION

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

OPINION

To our readers, This is the second and last round of opinion columns from candidates for Chandler mayor and City Council. They were asked to write a maximum 500 word piece on any topic of their choosing. Columns by candidates who missed the deadline will be posted at chandlernews.com. The candidates’ previous columns and the answers to our questionnaire are also at chandlernews.com.

Hartke: Passionate about, committed to Chandler BY MAYOR KEVIN HARTKE Arizonan Guest Writer

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;

see HARTKE page 34

Jones: Chandler’s rising homelessness is a major problem BY RUTH JONES Arizonan Guest Writer

veryone 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,

see JONES page 34

OPINION

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Meet the candidates for mayor of chandler

Poston: I have the right skills to serve Chandler citizens

Encinas: We must Orlando: Helping to Shifa: More city and reinvest in traditional ensure good policeprivate partnerships neighborhoods community relations are a priority for me

BY JANE POSTON Arizonan Guest Writer

BY ANGEL ENCINAS Arizonan Guest Writer

ne 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

see POSTON page 34

einvesting 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

see ENCINAS page 34

BY MATT ORLANDO Arizonan Guest Writer

ews 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 mea-

see ORLANDO page 34

BY FARHANA SHIFA Arizonan Guest Writer

ublic-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 fire-

see SHIFA page 34

OPINION

HARTKE from page 32

• Collaborate with our schools and neighboring cities to maximize amenities like pools, libraries, parks and pub-

JONES from page 32

health, and quality of life concerns for all.

POSTON from page 33

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 nonprofit 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.

ENCINAS from page 33

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.

ORLANDO from page 33

sures 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

SHIFA from page 33

fighter paramedic is dispatched to 911 medical emergencies. Each ambulance is equipped with advanced medical equipment to support

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

lic 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.

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 reli-

able data and metrics to capture the effectiveness of said programs. When I am mayor, this will be a top priority.

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

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 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

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-escalation 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

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 pro-

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 Chamber 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, AZ-

decision-making under stress and the effects that stress can have on officers’ and citizens’ emotions. • Training on tactics that promote deescalation 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

vide 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

CEND, 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!

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.

working with Chandler’s citizens and businesses to find workable and costeffective solutions. And I will emphasize the importance of including our community and private sector in making decisions that directly affect them.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

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SPORTS

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Section 7 returned bigger and better BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor

t’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

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)

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.

see SECTION 7 page 37

EV athletes mentoring kids to next level BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor

acy McClain knows all too well how overwhelming and difficult the college recruitment process can be for high school athletes. She went through it herself for volleyball out of Valley Christian High School in Chandler, where she graduated in 2021 and was sought after by four-year universities. Her recruitment came at the height of the pandemic, which brought along even more hurdles some athletes today are still dealing with. But nonetheless, she navigated the process and landed at Concordia University in Nebraska. There were tears and there were moments of triumph, but she got through the grueling process and now joins a team of college athletes who aim to help guide high

Macy McClain, a graduate of Valley Christian who plays volleyball at Concordia University in Nebraska, is one of 15 Arizona natives to join Next Step Mentoring, a program geared toward pairing young athletes with those in college to have help with the recruitment process. (Courtesy Next Step Mentoring)

Andrew Mason, a Perry grad who plays football at NAU, finds joy in helping young athletes navigate the recruitment process. Like McClain, his was tenuous and difficult at times. Now, he can help take some stress away from young athletes with his knowledge. (Courtesy Next Step Mentoring)

school-aged athletes through recruitment, so they don’t do it alone. “Everybody’s recruiting process is completely different,” McClain said. “Mine was very up and down. There was a point where one of my top schools told me they didn’t have an offer for me, and I remember I cried to my mom and wanted to give up. I did some research and found my school. “I love that I’m in a position to give advice to young athletes that want to play in college and the parents.” Next Step Mentoring, an innovative program still in its infancy, partners student-athletes ages 13 and up through high school with college athletes to assist them through the recruitment process. In total, the program has 30 college athletes ranging in divisions, with

see MENTORING page 38

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SECTION 7 from page 36 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 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 schools 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

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.”

Left: Valley Christian coach Greg Haagsma said this tournament is one that he will always want to be a part of for as long as it is around. Not only does it allow him as a coach to see where his team is at, it gives his players exposure to colleges. Below: Valley Christian junior guard Luke Shaw said he and his team felt like NBA or NFL stars walking through the tunnel and onto the main area with courts. It was an experience he won’t soon forget. (Dave Minton/

Arizonan Staff)

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

SPORTS

MENTORING from page 36 many playing at a high level in college and for various sports, including volleyball, soccer, football, basketball, track and field and wrestling. Of the 30 college athletes who have signed on as mentors, 15 attended high schools in Arizona. Seven come from the East Valley. Now, they’re spread out at universities across the country. “We are spread all over,” McClain said. “Right now, it’s been mostly shared through word of mouth. But Mario (Diaz), the owner and founder of Next Step Mentoring, he’s so passionate and has kids that are athletes so it’s personal for him.” Along with McClain, Justin Stinson and Chandler Carter, two former Valley Christian football players, joined the Next Step Mentoring program. Joey Lujan, a former Perry soccer player, also joined along with Taylor Lawson, a senior alumni mentor from Desert Ridge. Shane Van Huizen spent his high school basketball career playing for the national team at Arizona Compass Prep, a small school in Chandler that has become a basketball powerhouse.

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Andrew Mason didn’t need much convincing to join the program. If anything, he felt honored to be considered among other top-notch athletes. Like McClain, the former Perry football player had a difficult road during his recruitment to Northern Arizona University to continue his career. It came during the peak of the pandemic, when the NCAA granted seniors another year of eligibility due to canceled seasons. For universities like NAU, some seniors were able to extend it even further as the Lumberjacks didn’t see the field until the fall of 2021. “There were a lot of recruiters coming to Perry and unfortunately with the extra year of eligibility, colleges didn’t have scholarships,” Mason said. “It was very hard because it was slim pickings with schools that had opportunities for us. I feel like I have a lot of info to share with parents and athletes based on what I went through.” Next Step Mentoring pairs each mentor with young athletes across the country. With their help, they receive knowledge that will assist them

in navigating through the recruitment process. Every mentor can share their own personal stories with recruitment. Often, parents of the athletes need just as much help. Through a one-hour session, or more, young athletes and their parents can ask mentors questions to better understand the process. Often, new recruits are not familiar with questions they can ask colleges to receive more funding through scholarships. The mentors also can stress the importance of grades and help connect the athletes with Next Step Mentoring’s tutor service, which features teachers for various subjects and individuals who can help with essays, which many scholarship programs require. Overall, the program aims to help put young student-athletes on the right track with recruitment while alleviating any concerns they may have. “It’s really cool because it’s not someone older, it’s an actual studentathlete living the life a high school athlete wants to live,” Mason said. “I hope I can share my knowledge and I hope I

can change someone’s life and change their thought process on recruiting. I wish I had something like this to help guide me in the right direction.” While still in the early stages, both McClain and Mason have already felt themselves making an impact on the lives of young athletes. They’ve walked them through the process of gathering film to send to colleges, how to email coaches and the next steps from there. They recognize the level of impact sports can have on an individual and their future, especially if paired with a high GPA that allows them to receive a college education at a discounted rate. They feel like they are making a positive impact on the lives of young athletes, and they look forward to continuing doing that for years to come. “My biggest advice is to not give up,” McClain said. “It is such a tenuous process and there is so much to do. I remember freaking out in front of my computer not knowing what my next step was going to be. Just the fact that I can have an impact on someone’s life and help them find their way, it’s so awesome.”

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Chandler pub serves up authentic Irish fare BY MELODY BIRKETT GetOut Contributor

ince opening in March 2003, Fibber Magees in Chandler has been the East Valley’s destination place for anyone in search of an authentic Irish pub and fare. “One of the reasons we feel we can claim to be authentic is we got some Irish ownership,” bragged owner and General Manager Matt Brennan, one of four managing partners. “Two of the original founding partners were born and raised in Ireland and one of those is still the remaining partner of the four of us,” he added. “One of our partners is an Irish-born citizen and carries an Irish passport. It lends us a certain amount of authenticity.” “When making decisions about how the pub operates and the kind of offerings we

Fibber Magees owner/General Manager Matt Brennan has built an authentic Irish menu and atmosphere at his Chandler restaurant. (Special to the Arizonan)

have, what we’re trying to accomplish with the business, we’re doing it with the idea of would this be authentic to a pub in Ireland,” explained Brennan. “If we’re going to make a decision to show sports, is this something you could see in an Irish pub in the countryside for all of Ireland? We think those kinds of things lend to the authenticity.” The food certainly adds to the authenticity. “Corned beef and cabbage have become synonymous with Irish so it’s not something eaten in Ireland or wasn’t historically,” said Brennan. “It was something the Irish immigrants started cooking when they first settled in America and were living in major cities amongst some of the poorest populations. The brisket was a meat that was popular with those communities because it was inexpensive but not necessarily easy to cook.” Brennan added there’s not a lot of beef

consumption in Ireland with most of the bovine population being dairy-centric. He said, “They don’t commit a lot of resources to grow cattle for beef – much more with lamb, pork and even chicken than beef. “To that end, we have our shepherd’s pie which is very traditional to the Irish, a stew made of lamb we get imported traditionally from Australia, which has some of the highest quality of lamb in the world. Then it’s cooked into a savory stew with carrots, leeks, and peas and put into a shallow dish covered with mashed potatoes and baked. “That’s very traditionally Irish. We also have fish and chips which is traditional latenight drinking food all over Ireland and the UK, in general. No good night doesn’t end with a trip to the chipper as they call it.” The most authentic item, Brennan

see FIBBER page 41

McIntyre’s wrestling journey slams into Valley BY ZAKKARY BROG GetOut Staff Writer

rew McIntyre sat down during a family meeting when he was 6 and announced he was going to be the next WWE Superstar. “They shrugged it off,” recalled McIntyre, born Andrew McLean Galloway IV. “I stuck to the plan and never deviated from the plan. I just knew I was born to do it, even from a young age.” Since his 2003 debut, he has become one of the WWE’s biggest stars. He’s vanquished foes with his signature strike, the “Claymore Kick,” won multiple titles, and has become a fan favorite. He’ll come to town for “WWE Friday Night SmackDown” on Friday, July 1, at the Footprint Center. McIntyre was lauded early on by WWE

Drew McIntyre

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon, who called the Scot a “future world heavyweight champion.” However, he never reached those heights. In 2014, he was released from WWE. It wasn’t what McIntyre wanted, but it was what he needed. “I needed that time away, 100%, to define myself not just as a performer, but as a man and grow up,” McIntyre says. “I came straight from school, straight to WWE. I was living with my parents at school telling me what to do. I’d never had a chance to really mature and grow up. I was still very much in the student mindset and very immature in a lot of ways. I had to step outside the bubble to really get perspective.” He addressed his personal issues with the help of his wife, Kaitlyn Frohnapfel,

while performing with other companies. McIntyre’s look evolved and his microphone prowess and ring skills improved. He returned to the WWE in 2017 as part of NXT. McIntyre finally reached the upper echelon of WWE talent, by defeating Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36 at an empty WWE Performance Center in Orlando. Usually, the event is held in a stadium. “It felt incredible,’’ McIntyre said. “It wasn’t obviously how I had imagined when I was a kid. I had always imagined main-eventing WrestleMania, winning the WWE Championship, and tens of thousands of people screaming.” “We were living in the pandemic and there was literally nobody there. But at the same time, I was so proud to become

see MCINTYRE page 41

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FIBBER from page 40

said, on the menu is the Irish breakfast or as they call it, Irish fry up. It’s usually enjoyed on a weekend or special occasion and consists of a plate of eggs cooked to order, Batchelor’s brand of Irish baked beans and rashers which is Ireland’s version of bacon (pork loin as opposed to pork belly, cured but not smoked, and more similar to Canadian bacon). Also included is black and white pudding which is a mixture of meat, spices and grains, like a sausage. And bangers or house-baked Irish brown bread is served, too, as part of the breakfast along with grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms. “Everything is imported,” said Brennan. “We bring in the real ingredients from Ireland to make sure we’re offering the most authentic plate of food we can.” While burgers aren’t considered authentic Irish food, the Rasher Burger is a popular item and comes with Irish bacon as opposed to American bacon for a little twist. “The Belfast Burger is one of our signature burgers with sautéed onions and mushrooms, garlic aioli, onion ring, choice of cheese on a brioche bun,” said Brennan. “Nothing particularly Irish about it other than its name but it’s one of our most popular burgers. “We’re an Irish pub but we’re still in Chandler and we have to give the customers what they want. People who go out to a pub are still expecting pub fare and burgers certainly fall under that.” When it comes to popular Irish beers, Guinness is usually what comes to mind.

MCINTYRE from page 40

champion, finally fulfill the prophecy of the ‘chosen one’ and be the one to step up during such unknown times for the company, and for the world, to be that leader.” McIntyre has become one of the “largerthan-life characters” he admired at age 6. Armed with a master’s degree in criminology from Glasgow Caledonian University, he still never lost sight of his real dream. “I literally gave all my free time to the dream,” McIntyre said. “Even just to learn to wrestle was a 24-hour round trip I used to take when I was 15 years old. In my school holidays, I got three days off for Easter, I was away

“It’s not to say there aren’t other brew- tween old-world-style Irish beers and ers in Ireland but Guinness is going to be American craft beers. represented by about 80-percent of all What differentiates Irish beer from othIrish beer sales or more,” Brennan said. er beers is water, according to Brennan. “Currently, we have a Guinness draft “Water in Dublin is quite hard and minstout available here at the pub. eral-rich and when you use that kind We are actually the reigning of water to make beer, it leaves Perfect Pint Champion a very distinctive flavor to for 2022. Every year, the final product that Guinness brewery people have come to collects the barlove over the years. tenders from the It’s one of the reasons top Guinness acGuinness tastes the counts throughout way it does. Arizona, and gets “Brewers in Amerthem all together to ica, where we have a compete in a rounddifferent water source, robin tournament,” he try to treat the water by continued. adding minerals and salt “Whoever is the last back into it to replicate Fish and chips is one of the person standing gets that Dublin-style water.” specialties at Fibber Magees. crowned Perfect Pint Brennan is origi-

and my passions into careers if I could,” explained Brennan. “If you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life as the saying goes. So, I was passionate about craft beer and the hospitality industry. You need to have some infinity for it because you won’t last long if you don’t. “It’s a tough business – never more so than these days. If you don’t enjoy doing it, it doesn’t lend itself to being successful. You need to be hospitable. If you’re not in a good mood it’s impossible to be hospitable.” Survival during the shutdown was the result of being an established member of the community. “We were well supported,” Brennan explained. “Carryout helped us retain key kitchen staff we didn’t want to lose. But we were able to move a lot of liquor inventory both in selling full bottles and custom-made cocktails to go. The type of liquor license we hold allows us to do it. “The timing of the shutdown was four days after St. Patrick’s Day so for us, it was a crushing blow,” he added. “We didn’t know until the last minute that we weren’t going to be able to hold our traditional St. Patrick’s Day, which is a large outdoor event where we block off the parking lot and extend our premises so we can have a capacity of over 1,200 guests. But we thought we would so we bought $10,000 worth of food and liquor in preparation for the event which never happened.” In addition to serving food and beer, the pub offers live music, bar trivia and bar games and hosts a craft beer festival each July. Information: fibbermageespub.com, 480-722-9434.

learning to wrestle. If I got the summer holiday off, I was away learning how to wrestle.” Now a WWE top star, McIntyre is excited to be at the forefront of its upcoming first major U.K. show since 2003, and the country’s first stadium event since 1992. “ Leading up to “Clash at the Castle” is the Footprint Center show. McIntyre is looking forward to returning to the Valley. His first WrestleMania was in 2010 in Glendale. “I love Phoenix in general,” McIntyre said. “The weather is great, the people are great, the fans are great. In Phoenix, I always get my In-N-Out Burger which is always exciting. … Phoenix has always been great to me.”

“If you get yourself along to a WWE show, something is going to catch your attention: the superstars, the spectacle, the pyro, the storytelling, as over the top as it can be at times. It’s so much fun, you just have to see it live to get sold. So, get yourself along, because Drew McIntyre guarantees you’re going to love it.”

(Courtesy of Matt Brennan} Champion. That was our nally from Chicago and bar manager Mike Fisch. worked in the beer This is the third time we’ve business for over 20 years, been the champion. We’re the only pub in including owning a Chicago pub and Arizona that has won three times. So, we neighborhood bar and grill in Chicago. take the Guinness pouring very seriously.” As a professional brewer, he has sold The pub also offers four Irish beers on beer wholesale, marketed beer and draft - an Irish red ale called Smithwick’s, worked for distributors. Harp, Irish logger, and Irish cream ale “I was not part of the original ownerKilkenny. An Irish cider is served, too, ship group at Fibber Magees,” said Brenwhich Brennan said is also popular. “The nan. “I was hired in 2013 to be the genIrish nationals that come to the restau- eral manager and within 1 1/2 years’ rant drink the cider almost exclusively.” time I worked out an equity deal with The restaurant also owns its own the partners where I would become brand, called Boyle’s Beer Company. a partner …and I’m now the majority It’s made under contract by a local craft shareholder of the company.” brewer and represents a marriage be“I always wanted to turn my interests

He also encourages people to come to the show and see what WWE has to offer. “For those that don’t know, this is the show to check out,” McIntyre said. “There’s something for literally everybody in WWE. It’s such a spectacle. Our motto is to put smiles on faces. It’s not just a catchy slogan. Let’s put a smile on your face no matter who you are or what age group you are. We’re a PG-rated show. There’s something for the youngest kid to the oldest adult or young at heart. As I like to say, there’s something to captivate everybody. It’s not just for guys: 40% of our audience is female. Our females are represented so well on the show because they’re literally some of the best on our roster.

“WWE Friday Night SmackDown” When: 4:45 p.m. Friday, July 1 Where: Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix Cost: Tickets start at $20 Info: 602-379-2000, footprintcenter.com

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Employment General Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting, Senior Solution Specialist in Gilbert, AZ and various unanticipated Deloitte office locations and client sites nationally to drive the development of Cloudbased technologies, including data cleansing and conversions, interface design/development, and systems development life cycle. 15% Travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XBAL22FC0522GIL8329 in “Search jobs” field. EOE, including disability/ veterans. Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting, Senior Solution Specialist in Gilbert, Arizona & various unanticipated Deloitte office locations & client sites nationally to drive software development and implementation services to address manufacturing, financial, human resources, customer relationship management, supply chain, and other business needs, utilizing SAP products. 15% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XBAL22FC0622GIL826 in "Search jobs" field. EOE, including disability/veterans. Various Amazon.com companies, including Amazon.com Services LLC & Amazon Web Services, Inc. – Tempe, AZ: Software Development Engineer II: Design, develop, implement, test, & document embedded or distributed software applications, tools, systems, & services. (AMZ5729204). Risk Manager II: Manage & develop a team of Risk Managers & Risk Specialists that conduct large scale investigations to derive insights about tactics used to conduct abuse on Amazon’s stores. (AMZ5700993). Risk Manager III: Identify, design, develop, implement & execute new & existing processes, policies, goals, & solutions to reduce potential risks. (AMZ5764126). Multiple job openings. Apply online: www.amazon.jobs – search by AMZ job #(s). EOE.

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

40 Years Serving the Central Valley

Wanted to Buy Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Place your ad online! Call 480-898-6465

Land/Acreage/ Lots 8.25 acres for sale. Can be split into 2 acre lots. Snowflake AZ. Zoned residential/agricultural. Parcel #20246013E, roll # 32818. $43k for all. MLS 231323 TBD Call Tony 480-206-6332

FREE Service Call (with repair) • Second Opinion HERE IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE OUR 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

We are offering $ 40 OFF our Brewer’s Deluxe 20 point Tune up

SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

www.BrewersAC.com Air Duct Cleaning & Dryer Vents BY JOHN

Three Phase Mechanical

480-671-0833

www.3phasemech.com Sales, Service & Installation

NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED ACCREDITED BUSINESS

ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $5,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

PlumbSmart Over 1,000 Five-Star Plumbing Heating & Air Google Reviews ★★★★★

Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

480-405-7588 Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465

Job Too ✔“No Water Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Small Man!” Heaters 81% of our readers, read Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Electrical Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! the Classifieds! rdable, 2010, 2011 ✔ Plumbing 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall

Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610

Call Classifieds 480-898-6465

Drywall

“No Job Too Small Man!”

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

✔ Carpentry

Job Too Marks the Spot for“No ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small “No Job Too Man!” Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Tile Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More!

✔ Kitchens ✔ Bathrooms 2010, 2011 2012,And 2013, “No JobMore! Too

rk Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Wo BSMALLMAN@Q.COM 1999 ce Sin rk Wo y Affordable, Qualit

2010, 2011 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014 References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor Call Ahwatukee BruceResident/ at 602.670.7038 Ahwatukee / References Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotInsured a Licensed / NotCall aContractor Licensed BruceContractor at 602.670.7038 JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING Hauling House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest!

Small Man!”

Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Work

2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014

QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL!

★ 30+ Years HVAC Experience

Family Owned & Operated

East Valley/ Ahwatukee

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

Air Duct Cleaning

Air Conditioning/Heating

GARAGE DOOR SERVICE

Not a licensed contractor

REG. $119

480-725-3511

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! HOME FOR Painting • Flooring • Electrical Handyman Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More! RENT? Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Place iMarks t herethe! Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical

Garage/Doors

Air Conditioning/Heating

★ Disinfected & Sanitized With Every Job

(480) 912-0881 – Licensed & Insured Appliance Repairs

15 Years Experience • Free Estimates

480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com Not a licensed contractor.

Electrical Services

• Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed

We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured Concrete & Masonry

Block Fence * Gates

602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!

• Old Paint & Chems. • Yard Waste • Concrete Slab • Remodeling Debris • Old Tires

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY

Appliance Repair Now

If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It!

• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932

Home Improvement

General Contracting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198

One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766

Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists

Glass/Mirror

All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.

GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS

Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!

Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates

WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR Call 480-306-5113 wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

Meetings/Events?

Get Free notices in the Classifieds!

Submit to ecota@TimesLocalMedia.com

K HOME SERVICES “For all your Home Exterior Needs”

Roger Kretz 480.233.0336

rogerkretz@yahoo.com 25+ Years of Customer Services

• Leaky Roof Repairs • Tile Repairs • Painting • Flat Roof Coating • Wood Repair • Doors & Windows

CLASSIFIEDS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Irrigation

Plumbing

Painting

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service RANTY -YEAR PART WAR

Not a licensed contractor

480.654.5600 Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

Landscape/Maintenance

Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

Interior & Exterior Residential/Commercial Free Estimates Drywall Repairs Senior Discounts References Available

ROC 3297740

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

— Call Jason —

(602) 502-1655

10% OFF

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

www.irsaz.com

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

ALL Pro S E R V I C E

All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

ROC# 256752

T R E E

480-477-8842

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM

480.721.4146

CALL US TODAY!

HYDROJETTING

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

PAINTING

azirrigation.com

Plumbing

L L C

Prepare for Monsoon Season! LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

480-354-5802

Place Your Ad Here! To advertise in Classifieds.Phoenix.Org call 480-898-6465 or email class@timeslocalmedia.com

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

480-338-4011

ROC#309706

East Valley PAINTERS

480-405-7099 Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465

Classifieds: 480-898-6465

Pool Service / Repair

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Roofing

PHILLIPS

ROOFING LLC COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona

623-873-1626 Free Estimates Monday through Saturday

Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Call for our 3 Month Trial Special!

Pool Service / Repair

Voted #1

Family Owned & Operated

Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced & remodels. Rapid Response. If water runs through it we do it! 602-663-8432

Place YOUR Business HERE!

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Quality Pool Service, That is Priceless! Weekly WeeklyServices Services

Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured

Netting • Brushing • Emptying Baskets Netting ● Brushing ● Emptying Baskets Equipment Check • Water Testing Equipment Check ● Water Testing

Other Services

Other Services Pump/Motor Repair & Replacement Pump/Motor Repair & Replacement Sand/Water Change • Repairs • Acid Wash Sand/Water Repairs ●&Acid Wash HandrailsChange • Filter ●Cleaning Repair ● Filter Cleaning & Repair PoolHandrails Tile Cleaning • Green Pool Clean Up PoolAngela Tile Cleaning ● GreenClark, Pool Clean UpClark Owners: Clark, Chelsea & Homer

480-489-0713 • lizardpools.com Owners: Angela Clark, Chelsea Clark, & Homer Clark

ROC

ROC 303766 303766 ● 480-489-0713

lizardpools.com

PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.EastValleyTribune.com

CLASSIFIEDS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Roofing

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Free Estimates Estimates •• Ahwatukee Ahwatukee Resident Resident Over Over 30 30 yrs. yrs. Experience Experience

480-706-1453

10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% 100% NO NO Leak Leak Guarantee Guarantee Re-Roof Re-Roof & & Roofing Roofing Repairs Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof Roof

MonsoonRooﬁ MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com ngInc.com Licensed Licensed –– Bonded Bonded –– Insured Insured –– ROC187561 ROC187561

Licensed/Bonded/Insured Licensed/Bonded/Insured •• ROC ROC #236099 #236099

Roofi Roofing ng

aOver Over 30 30 Years Years of of Experience Experience

a aFamily Family Operated Operated by by 33 Generations Generations of of Roofers! Roofers! Premier Premier Tile, Tile, Shingle Shingle & & Foam Foam Roofer! Roofer!

Spencer 44 HIRE HIRE ROOFING ROOFING Valley Valley Wide Wide Service Service

480-446-7663 480-446-7663

FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 || Insured || Bonded ROC#244850 Insured Bonded Life Events Life Events

SHARE WITH SHARE WITH THE WORLD! THE WORLD! Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding

Place a Birth, Anniversary, Announcement, In Memoriam,Wedding Obituary Announcement, In in Memoriam, or any life event this paperObituary today! or any lifeCall event in this paper today! us for details. Call us for details. class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465

Public Notices

Truth in Taxation Hearing Notice of Tax Increase In compliance with §15-905.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, Mesa Unified School School District District is is notifying notifying its its property property taxpayers taxpayers of of Mesa Mesa Unified Unified School School District’s intention to raise its primary property taxes over the District’s intention to raise its primary property taxes over the current current level level to to pay pay for for increased increased expenditures expenditures in in those those areas areas where where the the Governing Governing Board Board has has the the authority authority to to increase increase property property taxes taxes for for the the fiscal fiscal year year beginning beginning JuJuly ly 1, 1, 2022. 2022. The The Mesa Mesa Unified Unified School School District District is is proposing proposing an an increase increase in in its its primary primary property property tax tax levy levy of of $2,900,000. $2,900,000. The The amount amount proposed proposed above above will will cause cause Mesa Mesa Unified Unified School School District’s District’s primary property taxes on a $100,000 home to be $32.22. primary property taxes on a $100,000 home to be $32.22. Without Without the the tax tax increase, the total taxes that would be owed would have been $24.56. increase, the total taxes that would be owed would have been $24.56. These These amounts amounts proposed proposed are are above above the the qualifying qualifying tax tax levies levies as as prescribed prescribed by by state law, if applicable. The increase is also exclusive of any state law, if applicable. The increase is also exclusive of any changes changes that that may may occur occur from from property property tax tax levies levies for for voter voter approved approved bonded bonded indebtedness indebtedness or budget and tax overrides. or budget and tax overrides.

FIND YOUR PASSION

All interested citizens are invited to attend the public hearing on the proAll interested citizens are invited to attend the public hearing on the proposed tax increase scheduled to be held July 12, 2022 at 5pm at the Curposed tax increase scheduled to be held July 12, 2022 at 5pm at the Curriculum Services Center at 549 N. Stapley Dr. Building #2 Mesa, AZ 85203 riculum Services Center at 549 N. Stapley Dr. Building #2 Mesa, AZ 85203 Published: East Valley Tribune, June 26, 2022/ 47393 Published: East Valley Tribune, June 26, 2022/ 47393

FIND YOUR PASSION PASSION Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Ocotillo Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale Ocotillo Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale

Mesa Mesa Tempe Tempe

North Valley North Valley West Valley West Valley

MetroPhoenix JOBS MetroPhoenix JOBS JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG

Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Tempe Mesa North Valley Ocotillo Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale West Valley To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 Ocotillo Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale Tempe West Valley

To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or email Class@TimesLocalMedia.com or email Class@TimesLocalMedia.com

MetroPhoenix

JOBS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | JUNE 26, 2022

Arizona’s Resort-Style Home Builder MASTER PLANNED CELEBRATED COMMUNITIES BY BLANDFORD HOMES

Award-winning Arizona builder for over 40 years. F BELL RD.

56TH ST.

Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities, parks, and charm. You’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle. A STRATFORD NOW SELLING B C D E F G H

A Dramatic New Gated Community in Gilbert Vintage Collection • From the low $600’s • 480-895-2800 Craftsman Collection • From the mid $700’s • 480-988-2400 PALMA BRISA – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING A Dramatic New Gated Community Vintage Collection • From the high $600’s • 480-641-1800 Craftsman Collection • From the low $800’s • 480-641-1800 BELMONT AT SOMERSET – Prime Gilbert Location CLOSEOUT Luxury estate homes and timeless architecture • From the low $1,000,000’s • 480-895-6300 MONTELUNA – Brand New Gated Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa NOW SELLING B McKellips Rd just east of the Red Mountain 202 Fwy • From the low $700’s RESERVE AT RED ROCK – New Upscale Resort Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa COMING IN 2022 Stunning views of Red Mountain • From the $600’s TALINN AT DESERT RIDGE – SALES BEGIN EARLY IN 2022 Spectacular location at Desert Ridge ESTATES AT MANDARIN GROVE – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 11 luxury single-level estate homes with 3- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000 ESTATES AT HERMOSA RANCH – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 12 single-level homes on extra large homesites with 5- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000

E H G

C GERMANN

BlandfordHomes.com Not all photos shown are representative of all communities. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.

The Chandler Arizonan, June 26, 2022

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