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Neighbors
May 16 - June 5, 2015
www.SanTanSun.com
Neighbors Interactive murder-mystery at the Forum PAGE 57
All-night learning to be held at Chabad of the East Valley PAGE 64
Where to Eat PAGES 55
SRP employees honored for volunteer work protection investigation for SRP, said so Six SRP employee volunteers were far this year, 1,824 dogs and cats have recognized recently for the amount of received health care through MVP. time, effort and expertise they give to “We have spent time in Maryvale, the community. Tonopah, Guadalupe, the reservations and The six received the SRP Presidents’ throughout the East Valley,” Brooks said. Volunteer Spirit Award, which recognizes Every Monday the mobile surgical employees and retirees who are excellent unit, which is called Dr. Kit’s Mobile Vet, examples of the provides medical care power of caring. to 40 to 50 animals. Two of the six, Although MVP Nancy Brooks and does ask for donations Dennis Gerlach, are from the pets’ Chandler residents. owners, Brooks said Brooks spends the majority of the more than 20 hours veterinary care is a week working provided for free. with Most Valuable “It’s so rewarding to Pets (MVP), an know I’m giving back. A organization that lot of the owners don’t brings mobile dog know where their next and cat health meal is coming from, services to needy so getting their dog or communities cat fixed is very low on though free spay their priority list,” she and neuter events. said. She has volunteered In one case, Brooks with MVP for about said a woman ended two years, managing Nancy Brooks of Chandler spends about 20 up with 22 dogs the publicity for the hours a week volunteering with Most Valu- because she could not able Pets. She credits her employer, SRP, for afford the surgeries communities; the letting her work four 10-hour days, which mobile surgical unit allows her to spend more time volunteerand the dogs kept visits; scheduling breeding. ing. Submitted photo and confirming “We were able to appointments; get all 22 of her dogs picking up and dropping off the dogs and spayed or neutered. The lady was crying cats; searching for grants to support the and saying ‘thank you so much; you have charity and finding homes for unwanted no idea what this means.’ People are animals. really very grateful.” Brooks, who works in revenue Brooks, who said she is always
BY ALISON STANTON
SEE HONORED PAGE 45
Local woman wins prize for shrimp, sausage recipe Chandler home cook Ashley Muller’s grilled shrimp and sausage with peppers and onions recipe has been awarded a blue ribbon at Just A Pinch Recipes, a recipe and coupon social network for home cooks at www.justapinch.com. Muller’s dish was named a blue ribbon winner by Just A Pinch Food Editor Janet Tharpe. To land the award, Muller served up a full-flavored dish that was both tasty and easy to prepare. “This is my hubby’s favorite grilled dinner,” Muller said. “Lots of butter and yumminess. This morning I took the
Cuba’s streets are filled with classic cars, as Cubans try to keep them operating as long as possible. Photos by Brenda Priddy
Cuban tour offers classic cars, architecture and history BY KEN ABRAMCZYK
Photographer Brenda Priddy calls an upcoming trip to Cuba “the world’s largest classic car show.” That’s because Cuban residents have not purchased new vehicles since the United States imposed economic sanctions and a trade embargo in 1960 after the Cuban government nationalized more than $1 billion in American assets. With President Barack Obama working to improve relations with Cuba, there is a renewed American interest in traveling to the country. A U.S. citizen still isn’t
allowed to simply vacation in Cuba due to a travel ban, but a tour like this one is approved and licensed by the U.S. government, Priddy said. Priddy and Earthbound Expeditions are planning a tour of Cuba that begins Saturday, Oct. 10, in Miami and returns Sunday, Oct. 18. Earthbound Expeditions creates small group journeys around the world and partners with public radio stations. This trip will explore classic cars, SEE CUBA PAGE 46
HONORING FALLEN POLICE OFFICERS
leftovers and warmed them up in the microwave and added a fried egg for breakfast. Very tasty.” Muller is one of 440-plus Chandler residents sharing recipes with the social network. On the site, users can post their own “family-tested and -approved” recipes and try recipes submitted by others, use a menu calendar and grocery list, create custom cookbooks, print hundreds of grocery coupons, enter recipe contests and join discussion groups. They may also use Pinch It!, a site feature that allows users to capture and SEE RECIPE PAGE 47
The Chandler Fire Pipes and Drums unit played during the presentation of colors. SEE HONORING PAGE 54