The Mesa Tribune 122522 Zone 2

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

State firefighter organizations lobbied the Legislature this year to put a question on the Nov. 8 ballot asking voters to approve a 20-year, .1% sales tax that would generate revenue for fire districts across the state.

The Legislature obliged, but in a 52-48% vote – 1,230,042 against to 1,144,495 for – Arizona voters shot down Prop 310, sending fire officials

back to the drawing board to address a funding problem they say isn’t going away any time soon.

Firefighters also noted that at the same time as Proposition 310 failed, voters approved another legislative initiative that requires ballot questions posing tax increases to pass with at least a 60% approval.

Approval of Prop 132 by a 50.7% to 49.3% –1,210,702 votes in favor and 1,176,327 against –means it will be even harder to get a tax passed in the future.

“We were obviously disappointed. Like the air came out of our sails,” Daisy Mountain Fire District Chief Brian Tobin said. “My firefighters worked very hard on their days off to try and get as much education and information out about 310, but we came up short.”

Tobin and Superstition Fire District Chief John Whitney said Arizona’s urban departments also lost with the defeat of 310.

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

Esther Misterek

Edna Magnuson

MPS bids farewell to unifying board leader

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

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They said Arizona’s robust “automatic mutual aid” system among first responders stands out among states and helps all of the various police and fire departments to function as one large emergency department for the state.

If a five-alarm fire breaks out on the edge of a city, resources from surrounding departments are deployed in an efficient system.

With a more resilient source of funding, Arizona fire districts would have been able to bring more to the table in the mutual aid system.

Fire districts are special taxing districts governed by an elected board that provide fire service to areas where none exists, such as areas not covered by a municipal fire department.

Arizona’s 154 fire districts provide emergency fire and medical service over huge swaths of the state, including major transportation corridors like I-10. In terms of the number of firefighters the districts employ, they aren’t as large of municipal departments.

About a third of the state’s professional firefighters – or about 2,500 of 7,500 – work for districts.

But many of those fire districts, especially those serving the urban-wildland interface, provide fire protection to dynamic areas as residents move into rural areas, recreation and traffic swells, and wildfire risk grows.

In all, the districts employ over 4,000 trained personnel to provide fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to roughly 1.5 million Arizona residents every day, protecting over 15,000 square miles from fires and covering 27,000 square miles with emergency medical services.

Outside Mesa, for example, the Superstition Fire and Medical District serves communities east of Meridian Road, Apache Junction and the State Route 60 corridor in Pinal County.

The Daisy Mountain Fire District serves the area north of Phoenix along the busy I-17 corridor as far north as Sunset Point.

bike and ATV, and we don’t have the technical expertise to respond to those incidents. We rely on our partners to respond to those incidents,” he said.

Tobin said fire districts took a major hit in funding when property values plunged during the Great Recession because property taxes are their main source of revenue. The impact was so significant that many fire districts are still trying to get back to pre-recession levels of service.

Daisy Mountain, for example, has fewer firefighters per capita than it did before the recession, according to Tobin.

“It’s been a very slow process to build back out of that,” Tobin said. “We were hoping to at least get ourselves back up to where we were before that time” with Prop 310 funding.

Tobin said there was “excitement” in the department about some of the lifesaving equipment it could buy with the funding. An example, he said, is telehealth equipment on ambulances that would allow medics to coordinate with doctors more closely on long rides to hospitals.

Unlike municipal departments, fire districts say they are especially challenged because they are almost totally dependent on property taxes.

They saw Prop 310 as a way to diversify funding streams.

Whitney said that because the state limits annual increases in property valuations for taxation, his district has only just now crawled back to its funding levels of 10 years ago even though call volume has seen a “dramatic jump” in recent years.

“At the end of the day, we don’t have access to state shared revenue, we don’t have sales taxes, we don’t have all the different mechanisms available to municipal fire departments,” Whitney said.

“So the citizens of the community continue to shoulder the burden for anyone who uses the services of the district,” he said.

Whitney was disappointed by the defeat of Prop. 310, but he said he isn’t angry at voters and knows they still support their firefighters.

Fire Ground Survival is an extensive training through which all the members of the Daisy Mountain Fire District company learn techniques for saving themselves if they become lost or trapped in a life-threatening situation during a fire. “Crews learn many techniques to give them the best preparation for these high risk/low frequency events,” a district spokesman said. (Facebook)

departments.

With costs and call volumes still growing for fire districts, what’s next after Prop 310’s failure?

“Plan B is to reconvene the stakeholders, and find our way down to the state leadership and try to figure out a solution, whether that’s through surplus funds ... alternative funding mechanisms, something to help offset,” Whitney said.

Whitney predicted that in the short-term, many fire district property owners will see increases in their fire service levies. Last year, the Legislature raised the cap on these levies as part of a larger tax reform package.

The tax reform lowered the state’s commercial property tax rate, but approved a phased increased in the maximum levy that local fire district boards can set and to help districts compensate for lost revenue from commercial owners.

The previous cap was 3.25% and will go up to 3.75% by tax year 2024.

Whitney said the change will help, but districts don’t like having to hike levies.

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“Every weekend it’s a s— show” along the I-17 corridor,” Tobin said.

One contemplated project using Prop 310 funds was a fire station at Sunset Point, a major rest area for north-south travelers in the state.

“We’ve just had a need in rural areas that are close to urban areas where people hike,

“We understand that there’s a lot of fear about recession and inflation, and people are very conscientious right now about what they’re spending in taxes,” Whitney said. “We understood the challenges all along.”

Whitney thinks the task of convincing voters was made harder by the complexity of the topic and confusion about the difference between fire districts and other fire

“The problem is most of the citizens don’t know about the commercial decrease. All they see is us raising their taxes,” Whitney said. “Great, then we get to take the beating for that.”

“My district board chose not to increase the level,” Tobin said, because the increased revenue from higher property valuations will be just enough to cover recent cost increases.

2022 a year of turmoil, inflation and change

BY GARY NELSON Tribune Contributor

Amild-mannered East Valley politician took center stage this year in the high-stakes effort to expose the machinations behind Donald Trump’s attempted coup in 2021.

Rusty Bowers, a Republican serving his second stint in the Arizona House and House Speaker since 2019, testified on June 21 before a select committee of the U.S. House. His story was chilling.

Defying more than two centuries of constitutional tradition, Trump refused to concede his 2020 presidential election and his legal team applied extraordinary pressure on public officials in various swing states in an effort to illegally overturn that result.

One of those states was Arizona, and as House Speaker, Bowers found himself in the crosshairs.

Bowers described the Trump team’s tactics in his June 21 testimony.

He said John Eastman, one of Trump’s lawyers, told him to hold a vote in the Legislature to decertify Arizona’s presidential electors “and let the courts sort it out.”

Bowers said he told Eastman, “You’re asking me to do something that’s never been done in the history of the United States.”

Bowers’ testimony implicated another East Valley politician in Trump’s plot to steal the election, which led to a murderous assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Bowers said U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, RAriz., called him the morning of the insurrection and “asked if I would sign on both to a letter that had been sent from my state and/or that I would support a decertification of the electors, and I said I would not.”

Bowers said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani never came through with evidence that Biden’s election was fraudulent.

Other witnesses told the committee Biggs was closely involved in planning the rally that led to the Capitol riot. Biggs denied that allegation.

Further, the House committee produced evidence that before Trump left office, presidential pardons were solicited by four of Arizona’s congressional Republicans, with Biggs specifically seeking one for himself. Biggs denied that, too.

Bowers also had to fight in the Legislature to keep Republicans from overturning election results. In February he blocked a bill sponsored by Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction, that would have allowed the Legislature to overturn elections at will.

Bowers’ effort to defend the American democracy did not sit well with Republican voters. He was trounced by David Farnsworth in the August primary for a seat in the state Senate; Farnsworth had received Donald Trump’s endorsement.

Biggs won re-election to a fourth term in the U.S. House representing Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District.

After losing the primary election in August, Bowers defiantly lashed out at Arizona’s Republican leadership in an interview with The Guardian.

“Taking away the fundamental right to vote, the idea that the Legislature could nullify your election, that’s not conservative. That’s fascist. And I’m not a fascist,” Bowers said.

Still one county

In February a group of Arizona Republican legislators led by a staunch backer of Trump proposed breaking Maricopa County into four smaller ones.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, would have split the county into three sections that supported Trump in the 2020 election, leaving one isolated largely Democratic area.

Although the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is dominated by Republicans, it has drawn the ire of Trump supporters for upholding the 2020 election.

Hoffman was one of 11 Republicans who signed a document falsely claiming to be official electors who planned to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for Trump.

Bowers opposed Hoffman’s bill, one argument being the enormous expense re-

quired to build three new sets of county facilities.

Hoffman’s proposal died.

Housing costs soar

Potential homebuyers in the East Valley were stymied by stunningly high prices for even modest dwellings. Then, as prices began to slacken in late spring, steep hikes in mortgage interest rates only prolonged their misery. Rental prices also soared, reflecting an overall housing shortage.

Prominent Valley economist Elliott Pollack told the Gilbert Town Council in February that the housing market merely reflects long-term trends that can’t be fixed easily.

“The first decade of this century, we overbuilt in both single-family homes and apartments,” Pollack said. “The second decade of this century we way underbuilt and we are now at a situation where the vacancy rates for both single-family housing and for apartments are as low as they have ever been.”

The dramatic rise in prices pushed median prices in several East Valley ZIP codes past the $1 million mark.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Maricopa Association of Governments reported in March that it had found more than 5,000 homeless people during a countywide survey in January. That number was 35 percent higher than in 2020.

Some East Valley cities, notably Gilbert and Queen Creek, wrestled with whether to continue allowing the construction of new apartment complexes in the face of pressure from those who preferred neighborhoods featuring expensive singlefamily homes.

COVID abates

History may note 2022 as the year COVID-19 faded into the background even as its toll continued to mount.

In January, Arizona became the 11th state to record 25,000 deaths from the pandemic. By late in the year the statewide toll was approaching 32,000. Breakdowns by city were not available but Maricopa County had reported more than

18,000 deaths over the course of the pandemic, which broke out in early 2020.

Water, water… anywhere?

A wet monsoon season notwithstanding, Arizona grappled with the long-term effects of a megadrought that began when the century did.

The situation on the Colorado River now is dire.

By late summer, Lake Powell held less water than at any time since it was filled more than half a century ago. Lake Mead also was far below capacity.

With the seven states that use Colorado River water bickering over how to deal with the shortfalls, East Valley cities and farmers contemplated the impact of reductions in their allotments from the Central Arizona Project, which siphons water from the river and delivers it as far away as Tucson.

Mesa, for example, expects to lose 7,000 acre-feet, or about 16 percent of the city’s share of Colorado River water, in 2024.

In the short term, cities are confident that they can deliver water to a still-growing population, relying on diversified water portfolios that include not only the CAP but also the Salt River Project system and groundwater.

Farmers have less to fall back on, and some in Pinal County said economic ruin could result from a lack of water for their crops.

And it’s far from a free ride for the cities, where the cost of delivering water is staggering, and growing. The Mesa City Council learned late this past summer that the price tag for three major water infrastructure projects has ballooned to a stunning $674 million.

Meanwhile, Queen Creek approved a $21-million deal to purchase Colorado River water from GSC Farm in Cibola that will yield 2,033 acre-feet of water annually for the town through the Central Arizona Project canal system. That would satisfy the water needs of at least 4,066 homes a year and possibly as many as about 6,000.

Goodbye to 2 mayors

Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, whose public service had an impact far beyond the town that was his home since he was 6 months old, died June 2 after a monthslong battle with a lung infection. He was 74.

Barney’s 20 years on the Town Council were marked by unprecedented growth and development for what had been a sleepy ranching community. His impact reached across the region due to his involvement with other entities such as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

Former Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker, who spent a total of 18 years on city council before leaving office in 2008, died in October at age 76.

Hawker spearheaded initial formal planning efforts for Mesa’s rapidly developing Gateway area. He also championed the first leg of light rail into Mesa, which led to two extensions that helped infuse new life into downtown.

Mesa Headlines

• Bell Bank Park, a 320-acre amateur and

Mesa native Tony Kotsur became the first deaf male actor to win an Academy Award. He was given the award for the Oscar for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the movie “Coda,” in which he played the husband to the very first deaf thespian to win an Oscar –Marlee Matlin. (Special to the Tribune)

youth sports complex, opened in January at Ellsworth and Pecos roads. By autumn, however, revenue had fallen far short of projections and the project appeared to be going into default.

• Arizona State University’s downtown Mesa campus opened for the 2022-23

academic year. Sidney Poitier, the Oscarwinning namesake of the university’s film school, died in January.

• Cactus League baseball season took a hit when a 99-day lockout by Major League Baseball owners wiped out half of the spring-training games.

• Mesa native Troy Kotsur won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in CODA. He is the second deaf actor to ever win an Oscar.

• Gary Ernst, who in 38 years of coaching at Mountain View High School became Arizona’s all-time winningest basketball coach, was fired without explanation. A public uproar over the firing was to no avail.

• Former City Councilman Scott Somers won election to his old District 6 seat to replace term-limited Kevin Thompson. Jenn Duff won a November runoff election to retain her District 4 seat. And Alicia Goforth was unopposed to replace David Luna in Council District 5.

• Mesa Public Schools issued new guidelines for accommodating transgender and gender-non-comforming students in schools July 14, triggering critics who say the district’s diversity and inclusion initiatives are going too far. The school district said it was simply following federal guidelines.

• Voters gave landslide approval in November to a $157 million general-obligation bond package for public safety.

Mesa, an independent and assisted living facility in East Mesa, will celebrate their 100th birthday within three days of each other.

Esther officially marks a century today, Dec. 25, and Edna will join the ranks of centenarians three days from now.

Misterek was never all that enthusiastic about being born on Dec. 25.

“I wasn’t too eager about that ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy Birthday’ because all my friends had birthday parties and Christmas parties and I only had the one,” Esther said.

In 1922, she was kind of God’s Christmas present to her family, having been born at 4 a.m. in Delmont, South Dakota, as the youngest of seven children whose father owned a hardware store in the town of 250 people.

Her family lived on the edge of town and Esther fondly remembers Delmont for its people, who all went a little crazy over celebrity entertainer Lawrence Welk, a native of Strasburg, North Dakota, a four-hour drive from Delmont.

“Even the matriarchs of the families who did not allow their kids to dance –they even broke down under the influence of Lawrence Welk.”

Growing up, Esther dreamed of becoming veterinarian, mainly from helping on her family’s farm and watching little animals not receive the same care as bigger critters.

“The big animals were taken care of very well by the veterinarians,” she said. “But the little animals were just sort of left for themselves and I wanted to take

care of them.”

She always handled litters of cats that lived in the family’s barn and also briefly took care of a couple small dogs that weren’t suited for hunting with her brothers until her dad found homes for them.

Esther also considered a nursing program but eventually enrolled in medical technology program in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduation, she started work in a clinical laboratory, eventually becoming the head technician.

In 1942, Esther joined the Navy because she “loved those Navy-blue uniforms.” With her experience, she worked in the clinical laboratory in the Navy and served in upstate New York and Hawaii.

After the Navy, Misterek applied for veterinary school but was ignored by them, even the one that sent “the nicest letter.”

“They were not admitting any women because there were too many men coming out of the service who

wanted to be veterinarians, so they were only accepting men applicants,” Esther explained.

With most of her credits from her med tech school, she earned a degree in zoology from the University of Washington in 1950 and started work at a new Veteran’s Administration hospital in Seattle, Washington.

She spent a number of years there until she retired in 1980, moving to Arizona for the weather.

Esther said she neither married nor had children because she remained pretty busy with her career.

“I guess I never met the right guy, or if I did, I didn’t have time to realize it,” she said.

Edna was born on Dec. 28, 1922 and, like Esther, was none too eager for the holidays because her presents pulled double duty.

That was until she had children of her own.

“My daughter’s been pretty good about giving me a birthday present too because I’ve complained about it so much,” she said.

Born in Denver, Missouri, Edna grew up on a farm with many responsibilities, like tending chickens, milking cows, and washing the milk separator.

“Every person had their chore to do and the rest of us saw that they did them too,” she said.

She lived with her aunt when she attended high school in nearby Grant City, Missouri, because buses didn’t run the 13 miles to her family’s farm.

Edna spent much of her life as a

homemaker though she spent 15 years working in a factory manufacturing automobile and airplane parts.

Most of the time, though, she was focused on raising her four children, who gave her eight grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Edna spent much of her life traveling with her husband Johnnie after he retired as a truck driver for Standard Oil.

The couple bought an RV and traveled all over North America, making an annual pilgrimage from Iowa to Arizona.

After her husband passed away, Edna moved to Arizona in 1995.

“I wasn’t going to manage a home here and a home back there,” Edna said.

The most memorable moment in her life came at the ripe age of 85, when she went skydiving with her daughter in Oregon.

“Well, I’ve always liked a thrill and that is the biggest thrill of all,” she said.

Edna moved to Fellowship Square in 2014 and met Esther four years later.

They quickly became friends and live down the hall from each other, enjoying each other’s daily company and having dinner together.

This year, the two centenarians will each enjoy two birthday parties – one with their neighbors on their floor at Fellowship Square and the other with their relatives on their respective birthdays.

Edna is philosophical about her longevity, musing, “I don’t know why I’m hanging around here so long but I guess there must be some reason.”

Greeting cards for Esther Misterek celebrate her birthday today, Christmas Day. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Edna Magnuson also has received a number of greeting cards from wellwishers. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

partnerships with local companies and the City of Mesa.

The Tribune sat down with Richardson to talk about her time on the board, school choice and more.

Deep roots

Richardson, a graduate of Westwood High, lives on the street she grew up on, and she has over 70 nieces and nephews who have gone through MPS.

She is the oldest of nine children, and five of her six children are graduates of MPS and her youngest is a freshman in high school in the district.

After high school, Richardson earned a degree in elementary education from Brigham Young University, and taught for several years in grades 1 through 3, before “retiring” to stay home with her children.

Her husband Randy served in the Air Force, which took the family outside Mesa for 14 years, but they decided to move back at the end of his military career.

“We have a strong Mesa connection and identity,” she said. “Swimming in the city pools in the summer and going to those parades and the experiences we had growing up at Westwood High School and Carson (Junior High) — we knew Mesa was a great place to live and raise our family.”

Richardson first got involved in district-level affairs in 2008 or 2010, when she was asked to serve on a Mesa Chamber of Commerce committee advocating for school bonds.

She visited many schools and met district leaders during that time, and she was approached about running for the board.

“No” was the answer for many years, until it wasn’t.

“I wanted to serve, and if I could help that way, I was willing to,” she said.

Hated campaigning

“I hate campaigning with a passion,’’ Richardson said. “I don’t have the skin for it.”

While eager to continue serving the community, Richardson said her service will not be in an elected office again.

“I can sit and talk about education ideas all day long. I love it,” Richardson said, “but I hate the vitriol that’s comes as part of the conversation as a public discourse.”

The pandemic and the high-stakes decisions it forced stressed relations between the school board and the various stakeholders in the district.

“I thrive in that area where we build on common ground. COVID had very little common ground for people,” she said.

The pandemic was traumatic for everyone, but she said the crisis also spurred the district to improve and innovate in some important ways.

“COVID brought us to the digital age really quickly,” she said.

The crisis also deepened connections with local partners, like the City of Mesa.

The pandemic also spurred schools to think outside the box and try new programs and initiatives, federal relief provided significant funding to implement them.

The extra funding “provided Mesa Public Schools with a lot of opportunities to explore what are new and innovative ways that help kids learn and achieve,” Richardson said. “The big thing facing the district in the next few years will be, ‘which of those programs have been successful?’”

School choice

Outgoing Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey made “school choice” a major part of his agenda, and this year the legislature approved a large expansion of school vouchers, or Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, which give parents the ability to spend public education at private institutions.

For years, the state has also taken the lead on policies that opened the door for the expansion of charter schools.

MPS’ enrollment has been down since the pandemic and district staff attributed the decline in part to the proliferation of charter schools, particularly in grades K-8.

Richardson said she welcomes school choice with the caveat that the rules must create “a level playing field” for the various types of schools.

“School choices should make us all better. We can look and see what people are gravitating to in those school choices, and can we offer that in Mesa Public Schools?” Richardson said.

“My problem with school choice is that the playing field is not always level from a legislative standpoint,” Richardson said. “They have different funding mechanisms. They have different legal requirements … They’re held with different accountability than what our public schools are held with.”

The future

With Richardson deciding not to run for reelection, a relatively large field of seven candidates ran for the two seats up for election, including Richardson’s. Walden, whose campaign offered strong critiques of many current school policies, won one of the seats.

Richardson predicts next year’s board will continue to work well together even without the guiding influence of the board’s longest serving member.

“We tend to demonize people with a different opinion than ours,” Richardson said, “and the thing that people learn as they get on our board is that, ‘oh, good people have different opinions than me, and we’re going to work together, because we’re all here because we want really good things for students.’”

In her parting remarks during her last board meeting, Richardson said that MPS is filled with “good students who have big dreams for their lives, and we can make those dreams happen in Mesa Public Schools.”

Mesa Public Schools Governing Board President Jenny Richardson is leaving the board after eight years of service, including this past year as its president. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

Mesa, AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin.

The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

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Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00.

Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

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The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling

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Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

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As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.

Mattress firm CEO plans vast Mesa estate

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

At the last Planning and Zoning Board meeting of the year the mood was light as board members and some city staff donned “ugly Christmas sweaters” to celebrate the season.

“I will apologize to the public in advance for the sweaters that you see up here,” board chair Jeffrey Crockett said, sporting a sweater featuring Santa Claus riding a Tyrannosaurus Rex. “This is an annual tradition that somehow unfortunately was started years ago that continues on.”

Members then got down to business, including votes on commercial, industrial and residential projects on the consent agenda and one residential subdivision discussed in open hearing.

One of the items approved on the consent agenda was a rezoning request for a single-family residence.

The case marked a rare time when “single family residence” zoning really means “single” – as in just one house.

A local mattress entrepreneur is planning a sprawling dream home on almost 5 acres in the Citrus Sub-Area of north Mesa near Val Vista and Brown Roads.

The property is owned by the Merwin Family Trust, which includes John Merwin, CEO of Phoenix-based Brooklyn Bedding.

Starting from humble beginnings as a mattress liquidator, his company made early, successful forays into online commerce and manufacturing its own mattresses for direct-to-consumer sales.

In early 2021, the company broke ground on a 600,000-square-foot mattress factory and headquarters in Phoenix, and later that year the company was purchased by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.

Initial plans submitted to the city as part of rezoning request envision an estate within a historic orchard that could sit proudly among the most exclusive neighborhoods in Paradise Valley.

The Mesa General Plan intends the Citrus Sub-Area to feature low density “estate-style” homes. The city encourages property owners in the district to maintain a rural feel in part by keeping existing orange trees or planting new ones along property edges whenever possible.

This district is home to some of the city’s grandest, lowest-density neighborhoods, but the proposed Merwin estate may stand out even in this neighborhood.

It will combine two 2-plus acre lots. An existing mansion on one lot will be demolished to make way for all the outdoor amenities the architect plans for the vast grounds.

The proposed outdoors features would set the residence apart from other large homes in the area. The plan includes a lazy river winding among an island, a sand beach, a grotto, a swimup bar, a putting green and golf hole.

The conceptual drawing includes a vineyard, courtyards, a bocce court and yoga area.

The house itself isn’t too shabby either, boasting a sports wing that includes a full basketball court, indoor golf simulator, putting area, bar and theater.

A staff presentation said the house complied with the General Plan for the neighborhood and noted that the project would leave four rows of orange trees on the Val Vista side of the property and a row of trees along the rest of the perimeter.

The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval to rezone and combine the two agricultural lots into single-family residential zoning.

Meanwhile, during a hearing on a proposal to subdivide about 11 acres owned by Central Christian Church at Lindsay and Brown Roads into 28 lots for single family homes, one of Mesa’s prominent land use attorneys addressed the board.

But Reese Anderson, an attorney with Pew and Lake, spoke to the board this time as a neighbor and not a project representative.

The proposed Estates at Encanto happen to sit adjacent to Anderson’s home, and he was there to say, “yes” in my back yard.

“I thought it would be fair … just to stand as a neighbor and citizen of Mesa to voice my support for this,” Anderson said.

“Good projects deserve support, and I thought for someone in my position who usually is standing here advocating for projects with neighbors opposing, that it would be right for me to turn around and say where I see good projects, I should support those,” he continued.

Pew and Lake have represented some controversial rezoning cases recently, including the rezoning of the Power Road Food Park for townhomes, which neighbors in the large-lot subdivision adjacent opposed.

Anderson also represented the 359unit Ascend at Longbow apartment

complex and mixed use development, which was approved by city council in April over fierce opposition from the Ridgeview neighborhood.

Anderson’s support at the hearing appeared designed to show that even when a project directly affects his house, he can get behind it – at least when the proposed density is similar to the bordering neighborhood, as is the case with Estates at Encanto.

The average lot size of Encanto will be almost a quarter-acre.

Many of Mesa’s recent rezoning cases that have caused neighborhood outcry have involved proposals for projects with significantly higher density than the surrounding areas.

Another neighbor of Encanto supported developing the land, but worried that there was only one entrance that exist for the 28-home subdivision, among other issues raised.

The subdivision plat passed 5-0.

Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed

Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very similar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.”

Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy

isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.”

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

The good news is PAD is treatable in

an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.”

Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about finding out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”

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

Stiff Joints Interfere with Everyday Living

One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activity because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases.

Don’t wait for your feet to yell at you. If your feet hurt, they are talking to you. Our doctors can help tell you what they are saying.

Does foot pain prevent you from doing your favorite activity?

Do you have burning or tingling in your legs or feet?

Do you have leg or foot cramps with activity or at rest?

If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, call our office today to see how our doctors can help.

“People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle.

“When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot.

“It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or staying home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.”

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

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

Dr Kerry Zang • Dr Shah

Dr Kim Leach

Despite pain, retired teacher shares her art

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

Two things run through the Christine “Chris” Puffer’s family: EhlersDanlos Syndrome and artistic ability.

The Canadian immigrant worked as an art teacher for 16 years at various elementary schools in the Valley until pain from EDS became too much to handle. But a new group of students has brought her back to teaching.

“So, I try and do things that are uplifting for people,” Puffer said. “And I try and help them by making things they can give us gifts at Christmas, because it’s important to the spirit.”

Puffer lives at the Oasis at Mesa Palms retirement home at 1418 N. Country Club Drive in Mesa and teaches the other residents how to unleash their artistic ability every Friday.

Her creative streak was born at age 5 in rural Canada at her grandma’s cottage, which had no electricity but gave her plenty of natural beauty to work with.

Near Round Lake in rural Ontario,

Puffer spent the summer evenings with her grandmother playing board games, drawing, painting and singing.

Later, she attended York University in Toronto, earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. She loved every minute of her time there.

“When I went to university, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,” Puffer said. “Taking art all the time was the best thing ever.”

That’s also where she met her late husband, Nick Pawley, a student working toward his master’s in environmental studies who also was an artistic man who wrote his own book of poetry. He knew how to play the guitar and spoke English, French and Spanish.

At Pawley’s celebration of life in 2017, Puffer said a friend described him as “one of the last Renaissance men,” specifically for his trilingual ability.

Pawley had survived the bombing of London during World War 2 and was sent by his father to live in the Bahamas with his mother before immigrating to Canada.

The couple married and immigrated to the U.S. with their daughter in 1983.

Her husband’s work took them to live in New Jersey, Massachusetts and California.

After earning her teaching certification in San Diego, California in 1989, the family once again moved, this time to Tempe.

Starting in 1989, Puffer taught art to students in grades three through eight at various elementary schools around the Valley, including

Tempe, Gilbert, and Surprise.

In 2005, she decided to retire when her Hypermobile EDS condition became so bad that others noticed when she was in pain.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder caused by defects in a protein called collagen. It’s generally considered the least severe form of EDS and a person can live much longer with that form of the disease than others.

Puffer said her grandmother and mother had the disease and her daughter and now granddaughter have it as well.

“The types that we have is the most painful but it is also the one that gives you the longest life,” Puffer said.

To this day, during classes, Puffer said, she walks around for an hour until the pain becomes too much and she has to sit.

Puffer said she has always used art as

her outlet to life’s troubles, from her parent’s divorce to her medical condition.

“You could sit around and feel sorry for yourself and mope, but that’s not going to give any meaning to my life, is it,” Puffer said. “So I might as well get out and do things.”

Sadly, it became an outlet again in 2017 when, followed by the passing of her stepsister, half-brother, and her dog, her husband died from a rare cancer on the couple’s 39th wedding anniversary in August.

To ease her grieving, Puffer briefly moved out of the retirement home to live with her daughter until February 2020, when she moved back in to regain her privacy.

“I love my kids dearly, but when you’re sharing a bathroom with a 9-year-old, you really want your own space,” Puffer said.

Puffer had briefly started the art class

Chris Puffer helps Stanley Jones during Puffer’s art class at the Oasis at Mesa Palms Retirement Community. Despite a painful medical condition, she shares her talent as an art teacher with her neighbors. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Residents Lin Riley and Cynthia Savell paint their creations during Christine Puffer’s art class at Mesa Palms Retirement Community. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

after her husband’s death in 2017, and when she returned, everyone – from the other residents to the facility’s director – asked if she would start teaching again.

With the retirement home covering the purchase of supplies such as paper, paint and canvas boards, Puffer gladly obliged.

Puffer sees art as something that brings some joy and hope to a world filled with pain that can begin for people even when they’re children.

“They get told they’re no good, they get told they can’t do things,” Puffer said. “And that smashes your self-esteem, whether you’re old or whether you’re little.”

But throughout her life, Puffer said she uses her art class to help people regain their self-esteem.

“When I teach my art class, a lot of people tell me afterwards, ‘you know, this made me feel so good,’” Puffer said. “It makes you feel good to accomplish something.”

Now, every Friday, up to a dozen elderly residents brave their own ailments, ranging from arthritis to multiple sclerosis and dementia, to join Puffer for a lesson in painting and drawing.

Puffer said the class gives the residents a sense of accomplishment and contributes to the retirement home’s mission of ensuring residents maintain a physically and mentally active lifestyle.

The class comes in handy this time of year, when a fixed-income doesn’t stretch as far, and Puffer said she has helped residents make homemade gifts like Christmas cards and holidaythemed paintings.

“Some of them don’t have extra money once they pay to live here to buy things,” Puffer said. “So, I try and do some Christmas present-type-stuff.”

Maria Olinyk-Pinker, 80, a Polish immigrant who has showed her paintings in places like New York City, has lived in the retirement home for six months and lends her artistic prowess to help Puffer during the class.

Olinyk-Pinker said Puffer’s classes

help the residents see their own creative potential and a necessary therapy to help the mental faculties.

“This class I think is great because it gives people a chance to be creative, to see what they can do, which they don’t really realize a lot of times,” Olinyk-Pinker said.

“And I think it’s just something to make it better for them the life’s better, because when you’re involved in things, when you’re learning, it helps to keep your mind sharp, which we all need when we reach an age.”

Dale Zarb, 67, who has lived in the retirement home for more than a year, added, “I was a skeptic about taking this class but I’ve learned other mediums that I never worked in before.”

Puffer’s students include some young-

er talent, such as Katelyn Winn, 20, an employee at the retirement home.

Winn enjoys creating sketches and watercolor marker and after her mom showed off her artwork, Winn joined the classes at Puffer’s suggestion.

Winn said everyone values and appreciates Puffer for what she does, and her charisma makes the class fun.

“There’s no pressure,” Winn said. “It makes me break my boundaries with art.”

Katelyn Winn, a staffer at Oasis at Mesa Palms, joins resident Stanley Jones in the art classes and said Chris Puffer has awakened in her a new zeal for art. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Ob uaries

OBITUARIES

D. Thanig Jr.

and hiking the Mogollon Rim.

1995 brought Stu to Gold Canyon at the base of his adored Superstition Mountains thus fulfilling his hiking and horseback riding dreams. He led the weekly MountainBrook Hiking Club for several years where they hiked very scenic trails. Stu’s vast knowledge of the Superstitions came from hiking Siphon Draw Trail on the west end of the Superstitions to the east end’s Rogers Trough Trail plus every other trail in between. He also hiked up and down Humphrey’s Peak in Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and trails in Utah and Colorado.

OBITUARIES

Stuart D. Thanig Jr., age 77 of Gold Canyon, Arizona quietly passed away Sunday October 23, 2022 with loved ones by his side.

“Stu” was born February 16,1945, in Mosinee, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents Stuart & Eleanora (Bittner) Thanig, his brother Richard Thanig and his favorite horse Rudy.

After graduating from Mosinee High School in 1963, Stu headed west to Hill Air Force base in Utah where he was trained in cryptology. As often as possible he returned to the Hill Aerospace Museum for a walk down memory lane.

Stu’s aerospace experience brought him to Phoenix where he was employed by Garrett Turbine Engine Company which later became Allied Signal. It was common knowledge that Stu still had his recess money from the 1st grade which allowed him to retire at the young age of 48. Stu’s entire adult life was shaped by his passion for adventure and the great outdoors. Special lifetime highlights included skiing with Phoenix Ski Club, hiking Piestewa Peak daily and biking trips to Greer, Sedona and the Grand Canyon. He also had many wonderful days and nights at the Limestone Ranch in Coconino County herding cattle, mending fences

Wearing his famous black shorts, olive green shirt, red bandana and his “Hello Kitty” cap or black hat, Stu enjoyed wishing everybody “Good Morning” and walking down to greet and groom his favorite horses. Rudy was his most favorite horse and they had many wonderful trail rides.

Whether you knew Stu for a short time or a long time, you knew he was a man who was the kindest soul to friends and strangers alike.

Survivors include; his wife of 34 years Linda Shank, daughter Kimberly Powell, stepson Ritch Shank, step-daughter Leigh Ann Mauger, grandsons Luke Shank, James Mauger, Jake Shank and Evan Powell and granddaughter Emma Leigh Mauger. Sisters Marguerite Abt and Cecile Thanig plus many many nieces and nephews living in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

A private commemoration of “Stu’s Story” will be held in January.

Stu loved being part of Superstition Fire and Medical District’s extended family. Any donations in Stu’s memory should be mailed to Superstition Fire and Medical District per the address below:

Superstition Fire & Medical District 565 N. Idaho Road

Apache Junction AZ 85119

Attn: Roger Wood

Please note on the check “In Memory of Stuart Thanig” or attach a letter of instruction. SFMD doesn’t have a link for donations on their website.

L i l l i a n f i l l e d a r o o m w i t h g r a c e , s t y l e a n d p o i s e . S h e s p e n t t h e m a j o r i t y o f h e r w o r kn g c a r e e r m a n a g i n g a d y ' s b o u t i q u e c l o t hn g s t o r e s i n C o l o r a d o S h e w o u l d e n d h e r w o r k c a r e e r w o r k i n g f o r T h a k u ' s B i g a n d T a l l M e n s w e a r i n S c o t t s d a l e A Z . M a n y o f h e r c u s t o m e r s w e r e p r o f e s s i o n a l b a l l p l a y e r s w h o r elied on her to make them look their best! H e r l o v e o f d a n c e s p u r r e d h e r v i c t o r y t o M A N Y G o l d m e d a l s co mp e tin g in all forms of Ball Room and Swing. She was t h e p e r f e c t d a n c e p a r t n e r ! W e h a v e n o d o u b t t h a t s h e i s d a n c i n g i n h e a v e n a t t h i s m o m e n t

S h e i s s u r v i v e d b y h e r l o v i n g s i s t e r Darlene (Cel) Rohr, Her boyfriend Steve, H e r 6 C h i l d r e n : M i c h a e l , E d w a r d , L a w r e n c e , B r a d f o r d ( L e s l i e ) , A n g e l ( C r a i g ) a n d C r a i g ( K a y c e e ) A l o n g w i t h h e r a d o r e d g r a n d c h i l d r e n : J D , N o e l , E ddie, Karina, Morgan, Harrison, Nicholas, Justin, Ami, Linda, McKenna and Madison

Stuart

Lillian Marie Miller

Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com

TheMesaTribune.com | @EVTNow /EVTNow

A Christmas wish for real human contact

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

It was a Christmas morning a half century ago in a cramped second-floor apartment in New York. The little boy, 6 years old, had done everything save petition his parents and Santa for a “big boy bicycle.”

Something without training wheels. A bike he could pedal like the wind. The boy awakened at dawn to gifts spilling out from under the tree, but no bicycle in sight. There was a bulging stocking with plastic soldiers, a new football, some toys he’d break in hours, but nothing with wheels and pedals.

This would have been the holiday that dashed the boy’s heart for eternity. But then his mother made a

magical statement.

“Did you look in the shower?” she said. “Maybe it didn’t fit under the tree.”

Hollywood has never done a grander reveal. There it was: A Huffy bicycle in a shade of gold like bars of bullion. With high handlebars and a banana seat that was all the rage in 1971. The boy immediately would have ridden through the living room and down the dozen steps to the sidewalk had the golden machine not come with a list of rules, including no stunts like Evel Knievel.

The boy rode that bicycle for years, until he was 12 and he couldn’t pedal it without his knees threatening to clock his jaw. The golden bicycle took him on so many adventures. It remains the single greatest Christ -

mas surprise of his lifetime.

Now it’s 50 years later. The boy sits with his fingers on a keyboard, pondering another Christmas morning. He has every material thing he could ever want, plus his health, a warm home and love in his heart. There is a tree in the other room with presents spilling out.

What more could he – could I –possibly want?

For a few days, I have not been able to escape a gnawing in my heart. It started, strangely enough, when I walked into the grocery store and saw a winding line of humans waiting for a self-service checkout machine to come free. The registers were all closed, not a cashier to be seen, just one harried employee scurrying around trying to coach a half-dozen

people checking out themselves.

I used to joke about how my hurry to leave the grocery store. “Hello,” the cashier would say, all chummy. “Plastic,” I would bark, because, haha, I was too busy to spare a moment for human interaction.

Now – be careful what you wish for – we have machines incapable of chat.

Later that night, I turned on the news to a photo op from Sky Harbor airport. Courtesy of Waymo, Phoenix is the first city in the world where driverless taxis will take you to the airport. As Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego put it at a press conference, “The future is here.”

Indeed, it is. And I’m not all that

Linus told us what Christmas is all about

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

You can’t say you weren’t warned. A year ago in this space, as the glad tidings were reported that “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was airing again on national television for the 56th straight year, there also came a warning that the Peabody Awardwinning “Peanuts” special might not be seen for a 57th consecutive Yuletide broadcast on conventional “overthe-air” TV.

Sadly, that has come to pass.

In their beneficence, the fine folks at Apple TV+ say instead that their platform will provide a “free window” for streaming video viewing of the show from Dec. 22 to Christmas Day. Of course, that “free stream” of

video won’t mean much to the technically and economically challenged among us…but “Hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?”

Your initial reaction to this Apple TV+ corporate decision could very well be, “Where have I heard this before?”

Stop. Think. Remember.

You first heard this notion when you were old enough to understand the plot of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Our forlorn hero is even more forlorn as Christmas Day approaches; Charlie Brown bemoans the commercialization of the Christmas season.

Thankfully, there’s good news but more on that in a moment.

First, a word not from but for Apple.

Sure, corporate executives made a “business decision.” After spending

big bucks for exclusive rights to the “‘Peanuts’ Gallery” of TV Specials, those rights aren’t exclusive if you share freely of the one special that’s most special in a way that insures the widest possible distribution.

But maybe you should listen to the question asked by the star of the show.

Charlie Brown shouts it out of exasperation, in a volume that can be heard even in a soundproof Executive Suite: “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Linus answers him, quietly, effectively, and movingly from the Gospel of Luke: “For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Linus then concludes, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

That’s what Christmas is all about,

Apple executives.

That’s what Christmas is all about, dear reader.

Our Creator loved us enough to send his most beloved creation out of the splendor of eternity and into the squalor of a sinful world to give us the gift of eternal life, if we accept it.

“Peanuts” Creator Charles Schulz accepted that gift and chose to share it with others.

That’s why he insisted that the passage from Luke be included in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

But other members of his creative team were skeptical, even way back in 1965.

“You can’t put the Bible on television,” one told him.

psyched about it.

On this Christmas, all I have is a simple ask, as much a gift for you and yours as me and mine. At no time in history have there been more ways to remove humans from life’s many equations – drone deliveries, automated checkouts and ordering kiosks, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence. We can chat using Snap, Zoom into meetings. We can be

everywhere, all without being physically present to those with whom we live and love.

It is cold. It is a poor substitute for the one thing I want this holiday season. For us to be a little more present, a little more kind, a little more human.

It is a simple thing to wish for, though like that bike, it would not fit under the tree. Merry Christmas, friend. I hope you have love and everything else you desire.

more than two decades ago.

“If we don’t do it, who will?” Schulz responded.

The passage from Luke remains, even if the annual nationwide telecast has now ended.

The same Bible that motivated and inspired Charles Schulz also warns us of the tackiness, trendiness, and yes, sinfulness of this temporal world.

Charles Schulz was called from this temporal existence into eternal rest

The Bible in which he believed also said of the Savior in whom Schulz believed that

He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” and that His gift of salvation is available to all.

You can’t say you haven’t been invited.

May you and yours celebrate a peaceful, joyful, and meaningful Christmas…whether or not you watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

FREEDOM. TO BE YOU.

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Quality pre-k program

EV athletes honored at Doherty Award lunch

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

The naming of the Ed Doherty Award recipient on a yearly basis is the culmination of every high school football season in Arizona.

Nicknamed “the Heisman” of high school football in the state, it’s awarded every year to the player that stood out among the rest. The event itself is extravagant. Fifty-nine players who have been nominated throughout the season with medallions for excellent play are invited to attend alongside families. Forty were in attendance this year.

They walk a red carpet and eat an extravagant lunch before finding out if they have been deemed the best high school football player in the state for the season. While every athlete aims to come away with the award, simply being one of the nominees is an honor, too.

That was the case for Saguaro senior quarterback Devon Dampier. That is, until he was named the 2022 winner of the Ed Doherty Award.

“It’s a lot, it was really shocking at first,” Dampier said. “I’m in a very good place and I’m thankful for that. It’s ridiculous what is happening to me right now. It’s all happening so fast.”

Dampier shined in his two seasons at Saguaro, the first of which he had to sit out

the first five games after transferring from Pinnacle.

He led the Sabercats to the Open Division state championship as a junior when he officially took over as the starter in the postseason. As a senior, he guided his team through one of the most difficult schedules in the nation. Saguaro entered the Open Division playoffs as the No. 5 seed yet made another run to the title game. The Sabercats fell just short of another title.

Dampier passed for 2,349 yards and 21 touchdowns this past season. Even with the accolades, he prides himself on being an underdog. That’s a role he will cherish at New Mexico next year.

“I like to feel like I’m an underdog,” Dampier said. “I never think I’m good enough, it’s just the expectations I have for myself in my head. I’ll always continue to be an underdog until I feel like I’m at my peak.”

Dampier was joined by five other finalists for the award on stage – American Leadership Academy Gilbert quarterback Adam Damante, Higley quarterback Jamar Malone, Liberty quarterback Navi Bruzon and Basha quarterback Demond Williams. Pinnacle tight end Duce Robinson, another finalist, wasn’t present.

Three out of the six players nominated for the award won their respective state title games a week prior. Damante led the

Eagles to their first-ever championship at the 4A level, beating Snowflake. Malone led Higley to its first championship by beating Cactus in the 5A game. Williams led Basha to a win over Saguaro in the Open.

“It means a lot,” Williams said. “We’re all very big players who had good seasons. There’s a reason we’re here. It means a lot. This is a big thing for me because I have been here since my freshman year.”

“It still hasn’t settled in all the stuff we did this season,” Malone added. “I just want to thank my linemen, the big boys up front. You can’t do anything without them. My receivers for always catching the ball and my running back for opening up the holes and my defense. I just want to shout out my team because they helped me get to this point.”

Of the 59 players nominated for the award throughout the course of the season, 40 attended the event last Saturday. It was an opportunity to mingle among other players, and of course be considered one of the best the state has to offer.

That meant a lot to players like Eastmark wideout Austin Johnston and quarterback Mack Molander.

The two were one of the best tandems in the state while leading the Firebirds to the 3A championship win over Thatcher. Receiving Ed Doherty medallions and being invited to the luncheon was a nod to where they have come as players and how much they have built Eastmark into yet another power in the East Valley.

“I feel like our school is finally getting some of the recognition it deserves, especially the football program,” Molander said. “People don’t realize that even at the 3A level there are some real good football players. It means a lot to our school and to 3A as a whole.”

“This senior class set a great example,”

Johnston added. “The juniors this year will take over and continue to build on what we started with the foundation we laid down.”

Mountain Pointe quarterback Chris Arviso was the lone representative for the Ahwatukee community. But he did it with honor and it was earned after a standout season.

He helped rebuild the Pride program the last three seasons, and he was recognized for it as one of the state’s best players.

“It feels good to be recognized for all the work this season,” Arviso said. “There’s so many talented people here in Arizona, so being a part of this feels good.”

The Ed Doherty Award, while special for the winner, also recognizes the outstanding play of a select players from most conferences across the state.

While every player aims to join the likes of Hamilton alum Nicco Marchiol, Mesquite alum Ty Thompson, Perry alum Brock Purdy, Salpointe Catholic alum Bijan Robinson and Desert Vista alums Zach Miller and Bobby Wade, simply being nominated and invited to the luncheon is an honor and experience they will never forget.

“It feels good to be rewarded,” Dampier said. “I’m just going to keep grinding, keep working to try and be the best me. I feel like I’ve proved myself.”

Eastmark seniors Austin Johnston and Mack Molander were part of the Ed Doherty Award luncheon Saturday, Dec. 17, which honors the top high school football players from across the state for their play this past season. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)

Johnston and Molander were joined by several other nominations at the Ed Doherty Award Luncheon on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch. Saguaro senior quarterback Devon Dampier was the recipient of this year’s Ed Doherty Award. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to the Arizona Self-Service Storage Act, Arizona Statutes 33-1704, Section H, and Enforcement of Lien. The Undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on or after January 06 2023 at 9:00 am, using an online auction at www.storagetr easures.com.coms Property to be sold as follows: Misc. household goods, personal items, furniture, clothing, toys and/, or business fixtures and items belonging to the following:

Tenant Name Unit

William Kirksey 431 Stacy Koury 417 Greg Hamilton 122 Jeff Allen 634 JJ Waters 300 Craig Lebron 2407 Brandon Haines 222 Anthony Gilbreath 900

Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Items sold “as is”, CASH ONLY, and Buyer must pay a security deposit and broom sweep/clean the unit. Go to www.storagetr easures.com.com to bid on unit(s).

Published in the Mesa Tribune, Gilbert Sun News, Chandler Arizonan, Dec 25, 2022, Jan 1, 2023

AT&T Mobility LLC is proposing to install a telecommunica tion tower and associated equipment for AT&T site AZL01682 located at S. Mountain Rd., Mesa, AZ. 85212 [ 33° 18' 29.09” N; 111° 35' 23.79” W ] . The height will be 32.0 meters above ground level ( 472.1 meters above mean sea level).

The Monopine tower is not required to have FAA Style Marking/ Lighting Interested persons may review the application for this project at www.fcc.gov/a sr/applications by entering Antenna Structure Registration (Form 854) file no. A1232278 and may raise environmental concerns about the project under the National Environmental Policy Act rules of the Federal Communications Commission , 47 CFR §1.1307, by notifying the FCC of the specific reasons that the action may have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Requests for Environmental Review must be filed within 30 days of the date that notice of the project is published on the FCC's website and may only raise environmental concerns. The FCC strongly encourages interested parties to file Requests for Environmental Review online at www.fcc.gov/a sr/environmentalrequest, but they may be filed with a paper copy by mailing the Request to FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. A copy of the Request should be provided to: Environmental Assessment Specialists, Inc. at 71 San Marino Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003

12/25/22

CNS-3648133#

EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE Published in the Mesa Tribune, Gilbert Sun News, Chandler Arizonan, Dec 25, 2022