Ahwatukee Foothills News - August 05, 2020 by Times Media Group

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P. 23 | O P I N I O N

www.ahwatukee.com

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

ore than 18 months after homeowners in the 185-home Foothills Paseo II subdivision launched an effort to derail a plan for QuikTrip on 40th Street, the gas station giant appears all but certain to win. The city Planning Department is only a few weeks from giving final approval to the controversial project, according to spokeswoman Angie Holdsworth. “It looks like the project is waiting final site review,” she said. “Everything is ready to go pending the approval. It will probably take a couple weeks for that to be completed give

.3 HAPPY NEWS

. 23

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

DOC AT YOUR DOOR

. 33

REAL ESTATE INSIDE

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Guide Experts: Area housing market will remain strong visors and Angela Tauscher, a Realtor with West USA Real Estate Chandler. A related discussion is in today’s business section. We still seem to be in a very strong seller’s market. How long do you think it will continue? Angela Tauscher: We’re putting consistently under contract every seven days 7,000 and 8,000 homes …and we’re closing between, I’d say, about 2,000 and 4,000. I think the highest I’ve seen honestly is the 4,000 and I’ve been tracking it ev-

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or take.” Residents have fought the gas station since it first came before the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee in April 2019, saying it not only posed a traffic menace and nuisance but also posed an even more serious danger in the event of a fire or gasoline spill. Those fears have been driven by the gas station’s location on the southeast corner of 40th Street and Cottonwood Way – the latter being the only way into and out of the Foothills Paseo II community. It also will be located within 300 feet of the 40th Street-South Mountain Freeway interchange and directly across a large park ‘n ride lot.

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“Most of the neighbors are not happy about it,” said Alvaro Diaz, president of the Paseo Foothills II HOA. “They still think it definitely is going to cause a lot of traffic issues. They already have a lot of questions about how this will work with the (freeway) ramp and everything.” But Diaz also was resigned to the impending city sign-off and draws some satisfaction in the fact that residents’ opposition prompted the city to force Quik Trip to scale down the size of its project to about half of what it had planned and include a right-turn lane on Cottonwood onto the site.

Foothills HOA reformers Back to school score major bylaws win

P. 39

QuikTrip nears city OK for 40th Street site

FN recently visited virtually with five experts to discuss the residential and commercial real estate market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts included: Attorney Benjamin Gottlieb, of the real estate law firm MacQueen & Gottlieb; Kellie James, of Prime Lending Chandler; Lance Brace, of Bennett Property Management; Mary Nollenberger, a commercial real estate specialist for SVN/Desert Commercial Ad-

P. 33 | S P O RT S

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

FREEWAY HASSLES

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

P. 28 | B U S I N E S S

arly last year, two Foothills Association homeowners got curious about their HOA board in the wake of a springtime vote to oust longtime board President Bill Fautsch. Though the recall bid failed when two corporate members with significant blocs of votes threw their weight in Fautsch’s favor, Ron Doherty and David Randolph began for the first time attending the HOA board’s monthly meetings. Together with several other residents, notably Vikki Glover and Rafael deLuna III, they began pushing for reforms in the way the board did business – contending that too often its seven members seemed inattentive to homeowners’ concerns and

were often less than transparent in their actions. So, the homeowners began pushing for reforms – some that the board acquiesced to but others – especially term limits for board members – it fiercely resisted. Last week, in a stunning rebuke to the board by the Foothills community, the reformers scored a major victory as property owners approved a series of HOA bylaw changes 1,271-411. The vote was an even bigger repudiation of the board when commercial property owners’ votes were subtracted, Doherty and Randolph said, stating that the margin of victory was 9-1. One commercial member is Belkorp, which owns the San Rivas Apartments and gets to cast

see FOOTHILLS page 14

see QUIKTRIP page 16

Kyrene Governing Board member Margaret Pratt’s three daughters - clockwise from left, Mary, Rachel and Becky - were on board as the district debuted its Digital Academy, kicking off its 2020-21 school year. Flex and, possibly, in-classroom learning begins Aug. 17. (Margaret Pratt/Facebook)

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

“Price is what you pay; value is what you get.” – Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Mike and Mary Jo Santistevan 480.703.4085 MaryJos@cox.net www.TeamSantistevan.com ©2018 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity. Information not verified or guaranteed. If your home is currently listed with a Broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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A frustrated Promenade resident sent this photo to ADOT to show how bright freeway lights shine outside his home. (Special to AFN)

Promenade residents say freeway lights still a glaring nuisance BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

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esidents of the Promontory community in Ahwatukee are still fighting with the Arizona Department of Transportation over the glare of lights along the South Mountain Freeway. Emails between some residents and the agency show that more than seven months after the freeway opened, some Promontory homeowners say the glare from the lights continues to disrupt their sleep and create an overall nuisance. One Promontory resident recently emailed a photo of a sunset to ADOT showing apparently unshielded lights and wrote, “It is truly a thing of beauty and something for which Arizona has become known for even into its state flag. “Also, it showcases the powerful lights you have on the 202 that have yet to be addressed,” he added. Glare from the lights became an issue for many Ahwatukee neighborhoods along the freeway even before it was opened last December. But ADOT spokesman Tom Herrmann said the agency has been addressing the problem. “ADOT has installed more than 200 light shields along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, almost 95 percent of the light shields planned for the freeway,” Herrmann told AFN. “The remaining shields will be installed near the 32nd Street interchange once that work is completed.” Work on the 32nd Street interchange and the multi-

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

use bike-pedestrian path along the southern edge of the freeway is expected to be completed by Labor Day, he said, “barring any unexpected delays, such as weather.” Herrmann said, “Since the freeway light shields were installed, ADOT has continued to work with freeway neighbors who’ve expressed concerns about the lighting.” “Our project team has met many residents and made adjustments to address their concerns,” he said. “We will continue to work with nearby residents to address their concerns, including adjusting the light shields or changing the angle of the lights on the poles to reduce the impact on those families.” He also said the shields “are intended to reduce the impact of lighting that spills over to areas off the freeway,” but added, “light shields will not eliminate all light or glare or make the lights invisible.” “We are continuing to work to address concerns related to freeway lights despite challenges related to the pandemic,” Herrmann added. “We encourage residents with concerns to contact us so we can adLuxurthose y Vinyissues.” ea Rugs ~dress l~C ount er

During his most recent virtual meeting with ADOT two weeks ago, Bowie said, “we went over some maps and diagrams of where One Ahwatukee resident whose home is along the freeway a little farther east of the Prom- they’ve installed the enade community posted this photo to show how little privacy she as. (Special to AFN) shields.” “I’ve told the folks in Promontory that One Promontory resident said, “The light shades have been adjusted on the I’m happy to go over there and see what south end of the freeway as it goes through the lights look like at night to get a better sense of how burdensome they are,” Promontory and seem to be helping. “For some reason they have not adjust- he said. Bowie added that the problem seems loed the light shading at the north end of the freeway –where the gap is – and that is calized to Promontory, Ahwatukee’s weststill frustrating to some of the residents,” ernmost subdivision, and that “the folks he added, referring to a portion of the in Club West and the neighborhoods near freeway where ADOT decided not to build 32nd St. seem to be happy” – or, at least, “I haven’t heard from them in months.” the sound wall. Promontory homeowners also continState Sen. Sean Bowie has continued trying to help the Promontory residents in ue to complain about ADOT’s decision not to extend the sound wall father west, their ongoing dispute with ADOT.

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past their community, and say the noise from semi-trucks rumbling along the freeway, especially at night, also remains a problem. Freeway noise has not been limited only to Promontory, as residents in various neighborhoods along the highway periodically post comments on social media about the racket. In the Foothills Reserve just east of Promontory, one resident said, “Noise varies significantly, based on a lot of factors. I just recorded 72 dB a few minutes ago.” “I’m hearing from several neighbors that they can’t sleep at night and that the main reason they bought here to begin with is because they’re light sleepers,” he said. And a resident in another neighborhood along the freeway posted in June, “Is there a grand prize race on the SMF tonight that wasn’t publicized? It sure sounds like it! The noise is ridiculous! I feel Firebird Raceway moved in behind my house!” As for the sound wall near Promontory, ADOT has been out to the neighborhood several times to take sound readings and has said the decibel level is below the threshold where it would be required to mitigate some of the noise.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Ex-health of�icial calls gym closing unnecessary BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

he former state health director says Gov. Doug Ducey is “scientifically wrong’’ in lumping gyms and fitness centers with bars as places that cannot be safely operated during the pandemic. In a document obtained by Capitol Media Services, Will Humble said there is no reason to keep these facilities closed any longer if they comply with the standards already proposed by current Health Director Cara Christ. He said any gym or fitness center that meets those standards actually would pose less of a risk to public health than grocery and other retail stores that now are allowed to operate. The formal declaration comes as part of a lawsuit by Mountainside Fitness, which is trying to convince Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason to overrule the governor’s order that declares gyms and fitness centers cannot currently open, no matter what steps they take. In a separate case, the Arizona Supreme

Court sometime this month could hear a challenge by 22 bars to Ducey’s shutdown order closing their businesses. Hanging in the balance before Thomason is not just the 18 locations of locally owned Mountainside Fitness, which has a gym in Ahwatukee. It could provide a basis to force the governor to give the go-ahead for other gyms and fitness centers around the state to reopen if they also agree to meet the standards, something that Ducey and Christ have so far prevented them from even trying. Gyms and fitness centers had originally been closed in March, along with various other businesses, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. Two months later Ducey agreed to ease up on those restrictions if gyms met guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which require “strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols.’’ Based on that, Mountainside and many other facilities reopened. At the end of June, however, with a spike in infections, the governor reversed course, closing not just gyms but also bars,

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movie theaters and water parks. But Ducey promised at the time that the health department would develop protocols before July 27 to allow the gyms and fitness centers to reopen. There is now a draft. But Ducey has since extended the closure order for those facilities for another two weeks – if not longer – with a review slated sometime this week. Humble, asked to review those guidelines by Mountainside, said there’s no reason for that. “In my opinion, if implemented by a fitness facilities, the proposed guidelines are sufficient to make a fitness facility as safe as any other ordinary business operating pursuant to observance of state of Arizona COVID-19 safety protocols, such as a home improvement retail store or grocery store,’’ said Humble, now executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association. “Indeed, because the proposed guidelines are very specific and more stringent than the standards applied to normal commercial businesses, my opinion is that any fitness center adhering to the proposed guidelines presents an equal or even lower

risk of transmission of COVID-19 than, per prior examples, a normal retail establishment or grocery store,’’ he said. Humble said he was not paid for his opinion. Attorney Joel Sannes hopes to use that declaration to convince Thomason that there is no legitimate health-related reason to keep his client from serving its customers. Humble sought to underline his point that the gyms and fitness centers should never have been lumped into the governor’s June decision to shutter bars to stop the spread of the virus, saying there are clear distinctions. “Despite my training and three decades of experience in public health, I am unable to propose a mitigation plan for a nightclub or bar that I could state with any degree of confidence would successfully mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission,’’ he said. The difference, he said, is the nature of each kind of business. “It appears impossible to enforce social distancing at a bar or nightclub, where the very purpose, goal, and intention of the

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Gorgeous 1+ acre property with panoramic mountain views and city lights views! 7,644 sf main house plus a detached guest house and flex room (1940 sf.) Kitchen boasts distressed black finish Alder cabinetry, Cantera stone hood, large island, pantry, Viking double ovens, six gas burner cook top, warming drawer, Thermador refrigerator, two Kitchen Aid dishwashers and a stock pot faucet above cooktop. Open kitchen family room floor plan. All bedrooms are ensuite and have their own patios with mountain views. Negative edge, heated salt water pool. Multiple covered patios. 20’ x 20’ observation deck. Lower level bonus room with grand rock mountain water feature! Bonus room has large wet bar and full - wall pocket doors that open to a large covered patio area. Detached guest house and enormous flex room. Flex room could function as office space, media room, home gym, game room; many options! Five car garage! One garage bay is tandem.. Great for car collectors!

Keystone Listed for

$319,900

1,742 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms plus loft. Master suite is downstairs. Double sinks in the master bathroom and secondary full bathroom. Secondary bedrooms are upstairs with Jack & Jill bathroom. Kitchen boasts trendy white cabinetry, casual dining area and breakfast bar. All appliances convey including the refrigerator and washer / dryer. Soaring vaulted ceilings! New carpet installed July 2020. Exterior of home was painted in 2019. 2020 water heater. Lush landscape in back yard. Grass front and back. HOA maintains front yard. North / south exposure; north facing backyard!.

Markwood North Listed for

$650,000

3,394 sf home situated in a cul de sac on nearly a ½ acre lot. East facing backyard. Four bedrooms plus a den plus a flex / game room, and three full bathrooms! Gourmet kitchen boasts upgraded white cabinetry with crown molding and trendy antique gold hardware, tile backsplash, enormous island / breakfast bar, new quartzite slab countertops, walk – in pantry, R/O, double ovens; gas cooking! Open kitchen family room floor plan. Hardwood plank flooring throughout with carpet only in the bedrooms! The sprawling back yard is sure to impress and impeccably maintained; truly something you would expect at the finest resort! Exquisite land and hard scape including extensive travertine pavers, extended custom pergola back patio cover with new mister system & romantic string lighting , large grass area, 38,000 gallon heated pebble tec diving pool and spa, and large in-ground trampoline.

Circle Mountain Land (2 parcels) Listed for

$290,000 each

Two parcels; 4.7 acres each. Residential Acreage abutting Pyramid Peak and state trust land. Elevated property, away from ﬂood zones. Build a grand estate or subdivide a small community! Beautiful Northeastern views of New River Mesa and surrounding mountains. Zoning requires at least 1 acre per home. 15-20 minutes from Anthem and Cave Creek and still only 45 minutes from Sky Harbor 9.4 acres total available (10 acres minus 40 foot road easement along Northern edge)

San Tan Valley Land Listed for

$195,000

Great development opportunity or horse property! 8.35 acre parcel in San Tan Valley. Spectacular panoramic mountain views! No HOA. Property can be split (if desired) into ﬁve 1.67 acre parcels. Miles of state trust land all around. Owner is willing to facilitate a minor land division. In the country but has nearby emergency services, hospital, schools, and shopping.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra!

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Judge strikes education tax initiative from ballot

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

measure to boost taxes on the state’s most wealthy can’t go on the November ballot because the description of the measure fails to inform voters of what it really does, a judge ruled last week. In a 20-page order, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury concluded there were both misleading statements and full-blown omissions in the legally required 100-word description that is placed on the petitions. Any one of these, he said, would have been enough to disqualify the initiative. And taken together, Coury said, the description creates “the substantial risk of confusion for a reasonable Arizona voter.’’ “Invest in Education circulated an opaque ‘Trojan horse’ of a 100-word description, concealing principal provisions of the initiative,’’ the judge wrote. “No matter how well-intention Invest in Education’s initiative was, its nontransparent description violates Arizona law,’’

he continued. “Consequently, this self-inflicted shortcoming will prevent voters from considering this initiative -- a result that understandably will disappoint and trouble teachers, administrators, some education advocates, and many Arizona voters.’’ Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association, one of the groups backing the measure, called the ruling “bizarre,’’ “shameful” and “political.’’ He said that initiative backers turned in petitions with more than 435,000 signatures. “Instead of respecting the voters, Judge Coury inserted his own political views throughout his baseless ruling,’’ he said. Backers of the Invest in Education measure are going to seek review by the Arizona Supreme Court. But Coury said he doubts that would be successful. He pointed out that the justices threw out a similar measure backed by the same group two years ago, also over the issue of the adequacy of the description of the proposed change in tax rates. “Instead of using the phrasing that

had been blessed by the Arizona Supreme Court, Invest in Education chose to use different language, as was its right,’’ he said. “When a teacher specifically instructs a student exactly how to complete a math problem, and when the student disregards the instruction and does the math problem incorrectly on a future test, should the student receive a passing grade?’’ Coury wrote. “The simple answer is no.’’ Initiative backers seek to raise $940 million a year for K-12 education by imposing a 3.5 percent income tax “surcharge’’ on earnings exceeding $250,000 a year for individuals and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. It was that description as a “surcharge,’’ the judge said, that became a key mistake. He said some voters might understand that would add 3.5 percentage points on the current top state income tax rate of 4.5 percent. But others, Coury said, might interpret it to be a temporary tax, or even just a 3.5 percent increase in taxes when, in fact, the taxes owed on earnings above

that point would increase by 77.7 percent. The judge also said the description fails to inform voters of the impact of the initiative on the owners of certain businesses who pay individual income taxes versus corporate taxes. And then there is what Coury said is the failure to explain in the description how the cash raised would be distributed, including that half would go to “teachers, classroom support personnel and student support services personnel.’’ “To some reasonable voters, devoting 50 percent of the money generated by the initiative directly to teacher salaries may have sounded too rich; to other reasonable voters, devoting 50 percent of the money raised directly to teacher salaries may have sounded too modest,’’ the judge wrote. He also said the description failed to explain how the measure would tie the hands of Arizona lawmakers, forbidding them from reducing other funding for public education once these new funds

see INITIATIVE page 12

NEWS

GYMS from page 9

customers is to avoid social distancing from other customers,’’ Humble said. “The interactions between customers are predictably in close proximity,’’ he continued. “Chairs are frequently not fixed to the floor or else are not used, noise levels drive conversation participants closer together, and alcohol impairs judgment and invites risk-taking.’’ By contrast, Humble said, the goal at a fitness center is exercise and healthy behavior. “Exercise equipment can be easily spaced out for proper social distancing,’’ he said. “Fitness center members are not ingesting alcohol and are not inebriated, and therefore can read printed wall signs discussing member hygiene requirements and can use good judgment to comply -or be asked to leave.’’ And Humble said people, in general, go to gyms to exercise, not to socialize. “The governor is scientifically wrong to equate the risk posed by those two groups of businesses,’’ Humble said, calling any such attempt to compare a bar with a fitness center operating under the proposed guidelines “a false equivalency.’’

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

INITIATIVE from page 11

started to flow. Coury brushed aside the fact that each petition had an actual copy of the initiative attached, meaning that would-be signers with questions could have actually read the entire document if they had questions. This isn’t the only lawsuit this year seeking to disqualify measures from the ballot based on the adequacy of the description. Separate actions have been filed along the same lines by foes of legalizing recreational use of marijuana by adults, giving judges more discretion in sentencing, and a package of health-related measures which includes a 20 percent pay increase for hospital workers. Hearings on those begin later this month.

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

Ahwatukee promoter plans 3-weekend fall festival AFN NEWS STAFF

hwatukee promoter Tim Matykiewicz wants to give his neighbors a little hope amid the pandemic gloom, and so he’s announced a free Fall Fest close to Halloween at the Phoenix Premium Outlet at Wild Horse Pass. Promising a “wide interactive and family engagement event with seasonal activities, themes, food and beverages,” Matykiewicz, whose Arizona Events Group puts on a the annual Arizona Balloon Classic in Goodyear, has actually lined up three weekends of events. They’ll feature seasonal activities, a pumpkin patch, music, hot-air balloon “glows,” inflatables, kids and family activities, a beer garden and just about something for every age group. Through a leasing partnership with Simon Properties, the event will be staged on the west side of the property including the “overflow” parking lot.

The opening weekend, Oct. 23-25 will also be highlighted by a fireworks show. From Oct. 28-31, he’s planning the pumpkin patch, a costume contest, pumpkin carving competition, trick or treating with outlet retailers and other activities. Nov. 6-7 will be a “BBQ & Balloons Weekend” with barbecue awards based on a people’s choice competition and the hot-air balloon glow. “This year with the effects of COVID-19, unemployment and small business hardships, the Fall Fest organizers want to give back during festivities to those in our own community - plain and simple, Matykiewicz said, adding that 25 percent of all gross liquor sales and “relief raffle” sales will go to a local charity. Additionally, all attendees will be asked to bring a nonperishable food item for a Thanksgiving food drive. Information: tim@azeventsgroup. com or azeventsgroup.com

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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FOOTHILLS from page 1

a vote for each of its 268 units. “This confirmed our belief that the real division in the HOA was not among the homeowners,” Doherty and Randolph said in an email to homeowners, “It was between the homeowners and the board. We also saw that well over half of the votes to ‘reject’ were cast by a single corporate member.” Board member Gary Reny said he was not surprised the reform group won, saying, “Unfortunately most homeowners have negative opinions of HOAs.” The most significant change is the one that the board opposed the most strongly: a limit to two consecutive two-year terms for board members. That immediately leaves board Treasurer Sandy Salvo, who planned to run this year for her seventh consecutive term, out of the running. It also will do the same next year for Reny, another longtime board member whose term expires in 2021. Fautsch earlier this year said he would not seek reelection after serving on the board for more than 10 years. Approval of the term limits means that four of the board’s seven seats will be up for election in October – a chance, both Doherty and Randolph said, for new ideas and new direction with new people from the community. Saluting Reny and two other members who will remain on the board into next year, Doherty and Randolph told supporters in an email: “We have gotten to know them over the past year, and we regard them as fine people. If they are joined by four new directors with fresh ideas, our HOA would be poised to move in a new and positive direction.” One of the other new bylaw changes should make the election campaign more engaging for residents, they said, since it requires a town hall meeting where candidates get to introduce themselves to the community. Until now, candidates were mentioned in a brief paragraph in the community newsletter. The bylaw vote culminated nearly nine months of work by Doherty and Randolph, who had to first start a petition drive to even get the election scheduled. Over several months, they knocked on doors, developed a network of homeowners with the help of Glover, DeLuna and

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

munity association management company called RealManage, wrote last December in a blog. Reny concurred on the issue of apathy. “We don’t see many homeowners come to our meetings and all they hear are the HOA horror stories,” he told AFN. “I did too when I first moved to Ahwatukee, but once I got involved. I saw how important they Foothills homeowners David Randolph and Ron Doherty kicked off a formal really are and how well reform drive to change their HOA’s bylaws with a town hall for residents last October. (Special to AFN) run our HOA is.” Doherty and Ranothers, set up a website and had commu- dolph readily put themselves in that catnity meetings to explain the need for the egory prior to last year. Randolph, a 16-year Foothills homechanges. And by the time the board finally sched- owner, and Doherty, a 22-year homeuled the bylaw vote, the pandemic set in. owner there, said they had never gone to They sent postcards to every property a board meeting until the Fautsch recall owner urging them to vote in favor of the perked their interests. changes, worked their network of conThe two men, who met at a board meettacts through emails and phone calls and ing, became concerned with what they found other ways to reach potential voters called a pattern of conduct on the board while respecting social distancing. and a relatively loose approach to how it The total number of votes cast in the spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to bylaw election represents roughly a third maintain the community. of the 4,865 potential votes that could be They banded with others like Glover cast – including about 4,124 individual and deLuna to argue for things like a prohomeowners, the 268 Belkorp votes, an- curement policy, electronic voting and an other 197 held by Blandford Homes until update to the bylaws in general. it starts awarding those votes to the peo“We basically got more and more comple who buy its new homes in the Palma mitted to try to deal with some of the Brisas development and the rest of the problems,” Randolph said in explaining other commercial property owners. how their campaign intensified over last The fact that more votes weren’t cast summer and into this year. reflects what many HOAs across AriThe board over the last year has relentzona and the country face – namely, property owners’ apathy. As long as they don’t have a problem with their HOA board, property owners tend not to pay attention, experts say. “Homeowner apathy is a question we are asked by numerous boards, and we can all agree, it is a universal problem,” Sandra Vel Mora, an Longtime Foothills HOA Board Treasurer Sandy Salvo won’t be able to seek a executive vice presi- seventh consecutive term after the bylaws were approved last week. Board President with Texas com- dent Bill Fautsch already has indicated he won’t see another term. (Special to AFN)

ed to some degree in the face of some of that pressure, setting up committees to look at a bylaws update and other issues. It also agreed to electronic voting in elections and promised it would take up the issue of term limits – but later than the reformers had sought. The board also implemented a procurement policy – though to the reformers dismay, it was put together by the board with little or no input from anyone and didn’t meet the standards advocated by DeLuna, who is in charge of procurement for hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of materials and supplies for Arizona State University. Doherty and Randolph also said that their campaign was not personal and that they respect Salvo for the years of effort she put into the volunteer nonpaying job. At the same time, however, they could not understand the board’s vehement opposition to term limits – which forced the special election when members refused to even consider them until after regular board member elections were held. “I think the board’s resistance to it was founded in their desire to stay in power,” Randolph said. “There are arguments for and against term limits that can be made,” Randolph said. “But I think the arguments for term limits greatly outweigh the arguments against term limits.” Reny said, “As far as the bylaw reforms, I agreed with many of them. My only dispute was with term limits. Four years is just too short. I would have advocated for six years. “With the low homeowner participation of the past, I am fearful that our HOA board will repeat the mistakes of the past and put our HOA back into a position of being fiscally weak. I hope I’m wrong and we see more homeowners step up to the challenge.” Reny said the board “did not feel we should be campaigning against the reforms using the association’s resources” and that some members “did talk to friends and neighbors and wrote opinions pieces.” Randolph said he is not considering running for the board and Doherty is on the fence. Glover already has thrown her hat in the ring and so has at least one other homeowner, George Lemley. Both Randolph and Doherty are hoping for a robust turnout of candidates – and a candidates’ night where ideas can be

see FOOTHILLS page 15

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Tempe middle school teacher seeking TU board seat our Tempe Union students knowing they will always come first.” Reesor said her perspective as teacher would bring a fresh perspective to the board. “I collaborate with our neighboring school districts,” she said. “As an educator, I regard student success as my highest priority, and I understand that achievement can look different for each student. Supporting individual student strengths and needs, establishing strong relationships with students, parents, and community members, as well as encouraging students to find their voice are three key ways that we can help all students blossom and accomplish great things.” Reesor’s 836 signatures on her ballot positions comprised the fourth highest total among the eight board hopefuls. At least one new member to the five-

AFN NEWS STAFF

ight people are running in November for three seats on the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board. Paige Reesor, a Tempe resident and an art teacher at Gililland Middle School in the Tempe Elementary School District, said her candidacy is related to her job at one of the district’s feeder middle schools. “Running for Tempe Union is a personal story for me,” Reesor said, as I am a middle school art teacher in the Tempe Elementary School District. “I have been serving in the public-school system for seven years. I have the opportunity to continue my professional work and impact the same students as they continue to move onto the high school level. I am not only a teacher voice, but a voice for

FOOTHILLS from page 14

propel the community. “I think that there were just a large number of homeowners who decided to get involved and made their voices heard,” Doherty said. “I was pleased. I think the

discussed and that will draw an engaged number of homeowners. They believe they have momentum to

member board is assured since only President Berdetta Hodge and Sandy Lowe are seeking reelection. Hodge is seeking her second term and Lowe her third while incumbent Michelle Helm, whose term also expires in December, is retiring after 20 years on the board. Also running is Chandler Realtor Lori Bastian, Ahwatukee lawyer Don Fletcher, Chandler resident and Mesa teacher Sarah Lindsay James, Kyrene school board President Michael Myrick and Arizona State University sophomore Armando Montero of Ahwatukee. Tempe resident Paige Reesor, a middle school art teacher in the Tempe Elementary School District, is among the candidates for one of three Tempe Union Governing Board seats in the Nov. 3 election. (Special to AFN)

biggest issue we’ve been facing is homeowner involvement.” Reny doesn’t disagree with that sentiment. “Now that the vote is over, I hope our

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

QUIKTRIP from page 1

“We think it’s going to cause a lot of accidents,” Diaz said. “But at the same time, I think we all understand and realize that it’s very difficult to stop things like this.” The station’s proximity to the freeway also prompted the Arizona Department of Transportation to block Quik Trip’s plan for driveways along 40th Street. ADOT bought up the right-of-way along 600 feet of 40th Street from the freeway to prevent the gas station or any future development on adjacent parcels from building any access from or to the thoroughfare. The agency said 40th Street access to Quik Trip posed a danger to traffic exiting from the freeway. While some people criticized the residents for opposing the gas station – which will be the closest to the freeway segment running through Ahwatukee – homeowners said they had no complaints with Quik Trip, but only its location. They cited concerns about traffic safety and the possible dangers that could result from either a fire or a major gas spill resulting from a tanker accident. Longtime resident Derrick Johnson, a captain with the Phoenix Fire Department, said the fact that the gas station sits at the only way in or out of the community made a safe evacuation almost impossible in the event of a major hazardous chemical spill or fire. Stressing he was speaking only as a resident and not as a city fire official, Johnson had explained that spills can occur when storage tanks are being filled or when something happens to the tanker truck, such as a collision with another vehicle. “It could be as simple as a vehicle knocking a valve off,” Johnson said. Gasoline vapors can travel with treacherous speed, and, depending on the direction of the wind, can settle around residential and garage doors or culverts, drains and ditches. Even using a cellphone can create a spark that will set off an explosion, he said. “All it takes is someone opening a door and creating static electricity,” Johnson told AFN last year. “There’s a reason warning signs are around pumps telling people not to smoke or even use their cellphone.” It’s not just the possibility of an explosion that makes gasoline spills dangerous. Fumes can cause an array of respiratory and other harmful health effects.

The site of the future QuikTrip on 40th Street and Cottonwood Way in Ahwatukee was zoned commercial more than 20 years before most of the homes behind it were even on the drawing board. (Tom Sanfilippo/Inside Out Aerials)

But in January, Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner said that after two assessments of the site, she was convinced the neighbors have little to worry about. “It is highly improbable and would be an incorrect assumption that an incident involving a fuel spill, or a fuel tanker, would require the evacuation of the Foothills Paseo II neighborhood,” she wrote City Manager Ed Zuercher. “However our analysis does include the slight chance an emergency incident could occur that may require a limited and temporary evacuation of 3 to 4 homes. “An incident involving a fuel spill or fuel tanker at this location could be successfully managed due to the Department’s emergency resources located nearby including fire hydrants, staff and response assets,” she continued.

She also said that in the event a major emergency required evacuation from other than Cottonwood Way, a wall behind the community could be breached for emergency vehicles and residents. Kalkbrenner also said a second haz-mat assessment of the site determined that no more than 1,500 gallons of gasoline could ever be spilled from a tanker because of its own emergency controls. She noted that while a tanker typically carries 9,000 gallons of gasoline, the fuel is separated into four-to-six compartments. All in all, the chief said, “This site provides many positive “best case scenarios” for a tanker accident that translates to quick mitigation techniques taking place.” Concerns about daily traffic had prompted the city Planning Department to have Quik Trip undertake a second traffic study,

A Paseo Foothills II resident Photoshopped the QuikTrip site to illustrate the potential danger area if a tanker truck had an accident on Cottonwood Way, the community’s only way in or out. Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner said two risk assessments indicate that even if Cottonwood was closed, residents could be evacuated by breaching a wall behind the subdivision. The wall is beyond the homes shown here. (Special to AFN)

since its first submission occurred before the freeway opened. The second study, performed in May by CivTech, a traffic engineering company, estimated that 1,844 vehicles will enter and exit the Quik Trip site every weekday but that only 10 percent of those vehicles would be heading into or out of the site during either the morning or afternoon rush hour. It also determined “under existing lane configurations and traffic controls, utilizing existing signal phasing and timing as provided by the City of Phoenix, all study intersections operate at overall acceptable levels of service during both peak hours.” The study also looked into the future, especially since there are other vacant parcels in the area of the Cottonwood-40th Street intersection that are zoned commercial. “Results of the future year conditions analysis indicate that all proposed site access points will operate at acceptable levels of service during both peak hours through 2023 and full buildout of the proposed development,” CivTech said. But CivTech also recommended some adjustments to the timing of two city traffic signals at 40th and Cottonwood and one maintained by ADOT at the freeway interchange. The city has already made its adjustments but ADOT has not yet synched its signal to those two, creating backups on 40th Street that ultimately affect traffic coming out of Cottonwood Way. Contending that a less traffic-intensive business than a gas station would have been preferable on the site, residents also have faulted city zoning laws. The area was zoned commercial broadly enough to allow for a gas station more than 20 years ago – before most of Foothills Paseo II was even built. Residents contended that the law should allow for a reconsideration of zoning for a site when nearby development has occurred in the years after it was first granted. It’s unclear what QuikTrip’s timeline is for the building the gas station. Diaz said residents are apprehensive about what will happen with traffic when it is finally built. He said they are especially concerned because of the exiting freeway traffic. Exiting freeway motorists already wander into the community, thinking Cottonwood Way is a shortcut around 40th Street and finding out only after driving around that there is no other way out but the way they came in.

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Phoenix experimenting with cool streets

BY BREE FLORENCE Cronkite News

n atypical coating was applied to a parking lot at Esteban Park in southeast Phoenix last month, topping gray, cracked asphalt with a smooth, off-white sealant. The fresh look is more than a makeover: it marked the start of Phoenix’s $3.3 million Cool Pavement Pilot Program, meant to mitigate sweltering summer night temperatures and make life at street level more bearable. Asphalt, concrete and other man-made surfaces designed to be impervious to water are good at retaining heat captured on a summer day, according to urban climate experts from Arizona State University. Urban areas also have a great deal of thermal mass and emit a lot of waste heat from energy consumption. Some cities also lack the cooling moisture evapotranspiration from plants and trees in suburban or more natural habitats. In cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles – dense with concrete and asphalt, and subjected to many hot, sunny days – ambient daytime heat can be stored in walls and pavement and carry over through the night. This urban heat island effect is thought to contribute to higher electric bills and greenhouse gas emissions as residents rely more heavily on air-conditioning to battle the heat of desert city nights, according to Ariane Middel, a senior sustainability scientist at ASU. “Even a degree change in Fahrenheit makes a difference,” Middel said. “You may not feel the one, two degrees necessarily, but your energy bill will reflect that.” Lowering nighttime temperatures also can make living in Phoenix safer for people outdoors, such as the homeless population, and more bearable for lowerincome residents who can’t afford air-conditioning. Resurfacing asphalt with a brighter coating is proven to reflect sunlight and reduce the absorption of heat, according to ASU researchers. Initial tests by the Street Transportation Department on the Esteban Park lot showed a 10- to 15-degree difference between the surface temperatures of traditional asphalt and cool

Visually, cool pavement is much brighter than traditional asphalt, part of its design to reflect the sunlight that hits during the day. (Courtesy of City of Phoenix)

pavement. The reduction isn’t just more comfortable for nearby residents, it can have broader benefits for sustainability efforts as the West grows hotter and drier. Researchers expect half a degree decrease in air temperature could save Phoenix as much as $15 million per year in avoided cooling costs and lower overall water consumption by 3-5 percent, said David Sailor, who directs the Urban Climate Research Center at ASU. Phoenix officials chose the most effective of four sealants based on those tested in Los Angeles, which launched its pilot program in 2017, according to Rubben Lolly, the project lead for the pilot program in Phoenix. A blend of asphalt, water, soap, mineral

Temperature tests conducted by Phoenix workers on traditional asphalt reflect the absorption of heat. (Courtesy of City of Phoenix)

fillers, polymers and recycled materials, cool pavement contains no harmful chemicals, city transportation officials said. Reflective surfaces have been used for years on rooftops, Sailor and Middel said, which helps individual buildings alleviate heat absorption and mitigate cooling costs, but cool pavement could be more beneficial for pedestrians and others at street level. The Cool Pavement Pilot Program will paint and research results at nine test locations, though none are in Ahwatukee. The areas were chosen because they have good pavement but are diverse in terms of shade and traffic, which should allow researchers to consider variables when testing for effectiveness and durability. The sealant will be laid on 16 more streets – totaling 624 square yards of pavement – by early October, Lolly said, adding that it costs about $5 per square yard to apply, which is four times that of regular asphalt sealant. The sealant’s durability is another major consideration in the city’s cost-benefit analysis, Lolly said. But it will take at least a year to predict how the coat will hold up over time or whether effectiveness would be impacted by traffic – tire marks and spilled oil would darken the light color credited with the cooling effects. For Lolly, the importance of the program isn’t to mitigate costs for the city, it’s to make life better for Phoenix residents.

“I don’t know if we were doing this to save the spending money rather than improve the quality of life for the citizens,” he said. Sailor says mitigating the urban heat island effect also could reduce heat related illnesses and deaths. In 2019, there was a record number of 197 heat-related deaths in Phoenix, according to a Maricopa County Public Health report. Officials in LA have adopted cool pavement as part of their sustainability efforts and aim to expand it 30% by 2045, according to a countywide sustainability plan. Meanwhile, Lolly said Phoenix will continue testing at least a year before it decides on expansion. Research is still in its infancy on the effectiveness of cool pavement in mitigating the overall heat island effect. Researchers at ASU continue to study whether the reflected sunlight increases UV exposure or absorbed body heat for cool pavement pedestrians in Los Angeles and Phoenix, but Middel is optimistic that there aren’t any proven harmful effects yet. It will take several years before researchers can draw definitive conclusions about the large-scale impact of cool pavement for Phoenix, but researchers say it will take more than just asphalt coverage to combat the urban heat island effect. Increasing greenspaces by planting more trees and grass and increasing shade, which retain and evaporate moisture, Sailor said, offers another opportunity to alleviate the heat. “It’s not one single strategy that will solve all our problems,” Middel said. “In the end, we have to use a whole suit or a whole variety of different strategies depending on the context, like depending on where you are and what you want to achieve.” If nothing else, she says the light-colored pavements could be particularly beneficial for pedestrians, kids on playgrounds and dog-walkers, to save their pups’ paws.

GOT NEWS?

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

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

30 years after ADA’s signing, disabled still face challenges BY LISA DIETHELM Cronkite News

pril Reed remembers what it used to be like before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. Reed remembers her father, who wears hearing aids, telling her how he was turned away from a job interview. She remembers a colleague hoping every day that the bus would be wheelchair-accessible when it came by, so she could go about her day. She remembers another colleague with a master’s degree but an obvious physical disability that cost him his job. The ADA, signed 30 years ago July 26, changed all that. “That’s what the ADA did,” said Reed, the vice president of advocacy at Ability360. “It released people from some of these limitations and gave them the basis of civil rights to go into a job interview and have those protections or expect for a bus to roll up and be accessible.” But the act did more than force physical and legal protections – in the words of one advocate, it forced Americans to see people with disabilities “as fully human” for the first time. Despite the gains of the last 30 years, however, advocates say there is still work to improve what one called a “baby law” if the country wants to fully guarantee the rights of people with disabilities. “Every day there are court cases that further expand … the ADA so that people understand their rights and then employers and public accommodations understand their responsibilities,” said J.J. Rico, CEO of the Arizona Center for Disability Law. Phoenix did not get high marks in a survey last October by the personal finance website wallethub.com aimed at looking at the “best and worst cities for people with disabilities.” It ranked Phoenix 83 among 180 cities it analyzed along 33 different metrics to determine the economic environment, quality of life and healthcare as it pertained to people with disabilities. Among Arizona municipalities, Phoenix had one of the lowest ratings. Scottsdale ranked second nationally and was at the top of the list in Arizona.

The late President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law 30 years ago last month. (Special to AFN)

President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. It prohibited discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, transportation and more for the disabled community. The law defines a person with a disability as someone who has physical or mental impairment “that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” The Census Bureau estimates that 12.6 percent of Americans were categorized as having a disability in 2018, the latest year for which numbers were available, while the rate in Arizona was 13.3 percent. Jon Meyers, the executive director of the Arc of Arizona, said that before the law was passed, people with disabilities were considered an afterthought and accommodating them was considered “too much work.” The act “completely remade the world,” at least in terms of accommodations, he said. “I would say we as a society are now viewing individuals with disabilities, Arizonans with disabilities, as fully human – as people who deserve the respect and the equal level of access to public accommodations and to public benefits that everybody else deserves,” Meyers said. It’s been a struggle, but he said the

“awareness and the advocacy have snowballed … over the last several decades, and will continue to snowball.” “There is no fairy dust that we can sprinkle that’s going to change everybody’s attitude immediately but we’ve come so far,” Meyers said. “We’re going to start seeing what each individual needs and how we can meet those needs to help them become better employed, better educated, and have more opportunity for inclusion in their communities.” But hurdles remain. Meyers noted that in addition to providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with services, the Arc of Arizona also actively works with state legislators to tackle laws and bills that expand, or defend, the purpose of the ADA. Legislators like Arizona Rep. Jennifer Longdon, D-Phoenix, who uses a wheelchair said: “I still encounter barriers on a daily basis – barriers that you would think, 30 years postADA, wouldn’t exist,” Longdon said. “It’s going to be a continued fight to bring awareness and visibility of this particular community to the typically abled community.” Longdon, who was paralyzed in a ran-

dom drive-by shooting in 2004, has been working on bills focusing on people with disabilities since she was elected to the House in 2018. She sees it as part of the larger struggle for civil rights. “Civil rights have always been taken – by women, by African Americans, by Native Americans, by people with disabilities, by the LGBTQ community,” Longdon said. “None of these communities have just been given rights. They had to speak up, and demand them and take them.” And the community faces new challenges today that could not have been dreamed of when the act was passed in 1990 – like access to the internet, a problem that has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As society has transitioned to remote work and online shopping, the challenges that people with disabilities face with utilizing the internet have become obvious. What’s not obvious, Rico said, is how far the ADA goes to accommodations for online services. “We’re talking about a pandemic that has been restricting us to our homes,” Rico said. “So how do we shop? We use the internet. We have Instacart and other delivery services. And so I think the ADA has to clearly apply to websites.” Rico said the pandemic has also put a damper on what should have been inperson 30th anniversary celebrations for the ADA, but he has been pleased to see virtual celebrations. “I would have loved to see people with disabilities out celebrating the progress and sharing the stories out in public,” Rico said. “But I’m hoping that some of these virtual ADA celebrations get attention so that people with disabilities can share their stories.” Reed observes people taking to social media with hashtags and pictures, sharing stories for the 30th anniversary is more proof of the support for the ADA. “Just those simple signs – it really does remind you of what the ADA has done,” she said. “And again, we are not done. There is still much work to do,” Reed said. “But certainly being grateful for where we are, knowing this is the foundation, this is the basis for what work we will do in the future.”

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

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Chandler woman helping virus-ravaged Navajos

BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Chandler woman hopes to distribute mobile handwashing stations to residents living on the pandemic-ravaged Navajo Nation who don’t have access to running water. Yolanda Tso of Chandler is hoping to curb the virus’s spread by delivering water and handwashing stations to the tribe’s 174,000 residents. The Native American reservation, which stretches across the Arizona-Utah border line, has had one of the country’s highest infection rates for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Nearly 9,000 Navajo residents have already contracted the virus and 441 have died. “I really do believe that handwashing is one of the key ways to mitigate the spread of disease,” Tso said. Up to 30 percent of Navajo households don’t have a working sink or toilet in their home, according to the Navajo Water Project, and the price for hooking every home up to safe tap water is estimated to cost $700 million. The lack of water infrastructure has been an issue on the reservation for decades and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez has routinely testified before Congress, urging the government to formalize water rights that have gone unsettled between Utah and the tribe. Though Congress currently has some pending bills addressing the Navajo Nation’s water dilemma, the tribe’s leadership has emphasized how this inadequacy has existed long before the pandemic and must be permanently remedied. Last month, Nez told a congressional committee he was aware of at least 3,400 Navajo homes that are currently deprived of water and sewer facilities. The residents of these households must travel long distances to haul barrels of water, he testified. Tso, a member of the Navajo Nation, has family members on the reservation. She grew up learning how its water scarcity would likely jeopardize the safety

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To help Navajo Nation residents who have no access to tap water, Chandler resident Yolanda Tso is seeking donations to buy them these portable sinks so they can wash their hands and stem the COVID-19 spread that has plagued their community. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

of her neighbors. “It’s one of the worst oversights I can think of in a pandemic right now because water shouldn’t be a luxury in this day and age,” Tso said. “I think everyone should have the same ability to have things that we take for granted in an urban setting.” The Navajo culture is communal, Tso said, and households often have multiple generations of one family living together. These circumstances are the ingredients for a “perfect storm” for the virus to rapidly spread, she added. “It’s an interdependent culture. It’s an interdependent society that they live in,” Tso said. “There’s an understanding that everyone does link to everyone else.” The Navajo Nation is expected to receive more than $650 million through the government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief Economic Security Act and tribal leadership plans to spend $143 million on new water

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Dairies struggle to regain footing in pandemic BY SARADON RABOIN Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

housands of gallons of wasted milk. Unpredictable, zigzagging prices. Abrupt dips and surges in demand. The past four months have been a roller coaster for Arizona dairy farms, including the dwindling number in Mesa, as the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way some of their biggest clients did business. The ride isn’t over yet: Arizona is a COVID-19 hotspot, meaning impacts on school and restaurant operations – and their dairy needs – remain uncertain. Food banks find themselves overwhelmed with community demand, yet some struggle to safely store and distribute the flood of milk being donated. And beyond Arizona’s borders, foreign dairy markets continue to evolve. “In 46 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Keith Murfield, chief executive officer of United Dairymen of Arizona. Jim Boyle, who recently relocated his dairy farm from east Mesa to Casa Grande, said farmers were stuck with thousands of gallons of milk and nowhere to send it. Boyle, whose Casa Grande Dairy Co. has 3,400 cows on 1,100 acres, said lack of demand forced farmers to limit their production, which is not an easy feat in the spring months, when cows naturally produce more milk. For nearly two weeks, Boyle said, farmers dumped thousands of gallons of milk. The market value for dairy products made in Arizona exceeds $762 million and is one of the top five agricultural commodities for the state, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. School and restaurant closures hit the

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projects. But Tso said Navajo members need relief now and can’t wait several more weeks or months for piping and water mains to be built out. Her solution is to deliver handwashing stations and water jugs to individual homes so that residents don’t have to worry about their hygiene.

Mesa dairy farmer Jim Boyle, who is relocating his east Mesa operation to Casa Grande, said he's never seen such uncertainty in his industry in 46 years. (Cronkite News)

industry hard. The majority of dairy products, such as butter, cheese, sour cream and fluid milk, don’t go to grocery stores. They end up at restaurants and schools, according to Tammy Baker, general manager of Arizona Milk Producers, a nonprofit that promotes and supports the state’s dairy producers. That demand disappeared in a matter of days after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, as state officials shut down spaces where large groups tend to gather to slow the spread of the virus. “We dumped a lot of milk and by-product down digesters and lagoons, and things like that,” Murfield said. These digesters can convert fluid milk into different products such as gas and electricity, according to Murfield. To adjust production, some farms changed what they fed their cows, switched from milking three times a day to just two, or allowed their cows to dry

No electricity is required to operate the portable sinks, she added, and users can safely wash their hands by stepping on a foot pump. Each sink only costs about $150 to purchase and deliver to the reservation. Tso made sure to include plenty of towels, toilet paper, soaps, and bottled water as part of each kit that’s been shipped to every household. Over the last three months, Tso has col-

up early. As Arizona in May began easing restrictions related to the pandemic, restaurant demand for dairy products started coming back, Baker said, but it was still lower than normal. Since school has been out, Arizona Milk Producers has focused on giving more dairy products to schools around the state free of charge, Baker said. “We’ve been spending a lot of time working with school food service directors that now have summer feeding programs going and alternative programs so those kids can get the food they need,” he said. Arizona Milk Producers started looking at other consumers of dairy products to give product to. One of its bigger targets is food banks, which have seen an increase in patrons and demand, according to Angie Rodgers, CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network. “I do think that (dairy) is a valuable and

lected $15,000 in donations and delivered 110 sinks to Navajo families most severely impacted by the pandemic. She intends to continue delivering sinks until every family on the reservation has access to clean, running water. Most people don’t know about all the struggles Navajo members have endured for generations, Tso added, so they deserve to be acknowledged and supported. “I want them to know I’m here to just

wanted commodity by consumers,” she said. Rodgers said food banks are now receiving “a significant amount” of milk and other dairy products through local farms and the federal government. But ensuring those larger quantities make it safely to everyone who needs them comes with its own set of obstacles. “The handling, the short shelf life, how it needs to be stored at certain temperatures, how quickly it needs to be distributed is a challenge … for all food banks,” she said. The Arizona Food Bank Network issued about $1.4 million in infrastructure grants to help pay for new refrigerators, electricity bills and mileage reimbursement for volunteers who will deliver the milk across the state, Rodgers said. Arizona dairy farmers said they’ve seen demand skyrocket in recent weeks. On June 20, for instance, cheese prices hit an all-time high after dropping to a 20-year low in April. The strength of the prices will allow dairy producers to recoup some of their losses, said Murfield. But Boyle said demand for foreign exports remains “very weak” in some parts of the globe. “Because of where we are located in Phoenix or Tempe, we export a lot of products to Mexico,” he said. But it’s too expensive for some Mexicans to buy Arizona products because the peso is too weak, Boyle said, adding, “That could take years to fix.” Farmers are keeping an eye out for new slumps or spikes in demand. But having gone through it once, they feel more equipped to change course if needed, Boyle said. “For right now, we’re fine,” he said. “But we are prepared … to cut back.”

make sure they know that the younger generation remembers them and we’re doing what we can to protect them,” Tso said.

Tso is accepting donations through a GoFundMe.com page and more information can be found on her Facebook page called “The Watered: Water Acquisition Team for Every Resident and Every Dine.”

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Desert Financial surprises Ahwatukee couple in need BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

hwatukee parents Dave and Kendra Riley weren’t quite sure what to expect when they accepted a request for a Zoom meeting with Desert Financial Credit Union CEO Jeff Meshey last week. The parents of three daughters – two of whom are in a life and death struggle as they battle a rare and highly-aggressive terminal brain disease – have had their lives upended as they seek avenues to prolong their two youngest daughters’ lives. Aided by the Ahwatukee-based Armer Foundation for Kids and a GoFundMe account set up by relatives, the family scurried to raise $500,000 to enable them to quickly move to Italy to obtain treatment. It was a daunting goal, as the AFN detailed in a story July 9.

Desert Financial Credit Union CEO Jeff Meshey “met” with Dave and Kendra Riley on Zoom last week to tell them about the $10,000 donation Desert Financial was donating to their effort to relocate to Italy, where their 6-month-old nearly terminally ill daughter can get treatment that could extend her life. (Special to AFN)

“Desert Financial reached out to me on Facebook after their CEO Jeff Meshey read about our story,” Kendra Riley said. “All we knew before our Zoom chat with them was that they wanted to hear more about our situation, how things were going, and that they were interested in helping through their Random Acts of Kindness program.”

Jeff Meshey – a father of four girls, two in college and two in elementary school – said he was moved by the story. “It was because I have four daughters that their story really moved me, so I wanted to help anyway I could,” said Meshey, a former Ahwatukee resident now living with his family in Chandler. “You would do

anything you could to save your children.” Since its 1939 founding, Desert Financial, formerly Desert Schools, has been committed to giving back to the communities they serve. With 47 valley locations, including one at 4940 E. Ray Road in Ah-

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ABM food drive to stock Generation Church pantry AFN NEWS STAFF

he pandemic has in�licted pain on many Ahwatukee families and the Ahwatukee Board of Management staff wants to do something to help them. So, ABM is planning a major food drive 7-10 a.m. Saturday Aug. 15 at its complex, 4700 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee, under the theme of “Fill the Red Trailer.” ABM is pulling out its trailer from storage in the hope that people will �ill it with nonperishable food items that will then be given to Generation Church’s pantry, which has been feeding needy families long before COVID-19 and its accompanying economic downturn. Coincidentally, Generation Church also will be doing something the same day to help struggling families with its �ifth annual Back to School Bash, 9-11 a.m.,

Retired Generation Church Pastor Paul Lavino gave a tour last year of the church’s food pantry, which the Ahwatukee Board of Management hopes to stock with its food drive Aug. 15. (AFN file photo)

Aug. 15, during which the church will be giving out backpacks with school supplies and offering free haircuts. Water in�latables will be on hand and there will

likely be free food as well. The bash is open to students in K-12 grades but to get a backpack, students or their parents must RSVP at genera-

tion.church and both student and parent must be present to get one. This is the �ifth year the church, which also has a Mesa campus, is holding the bash. ABM staffer Lisa Robinson said the idea of the food drive arises from concern over the pandemic’s economic impact on families – including many in Ahwatukee. “We are all painfully aware of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on people losing their jobs and the ability to feed their families,” she said, pointing to studies that indicate more than 40 percent of workers who have lost their jobs may not get them back. “The same study also found that for every 10 people laid off, only three new jobs will be created,” she added.

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COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

How to make online learning at home effective BY DR. STEPHANIE MUSSER AFN Guest Writer

ith the new school year beginning, the learning environment will look different for teachers and students alike. It seems every school and parent across the country is handling the COVID-19 crisis independently. For those taking the virtual school approach, there are a few key factors to consider. With a little extra thought and work, parents can create an optimal at-home learning environment full of enriched, authentic learning experiences and real gains for students. To fully harness the op-

RILEY �� 23

watukee, Desert Financial recently surpassed the $1 million mark in donations for this year alone and its philanthropic program is called Random Acts of Kindness. It was through Random Acts of Kindness that the Rileys received their unexpected donation of $10,000. “I was a bit nervous about the Zoom call because I didn’t know how they would react because they don’t know us and we didn’t know them. I was very touched to see their reaction,” admitted Meshey. Since AFN reported on the couple’s plight, the community has stepped up to help the family. The gifts have given the Riley family hope. “Thanks to some very generous private donations, in addition to Desert Financial and other local companies such as Sanderson Lincoln Ford and Sunland Asphalt, we’ve nearly reached our goal,” said Kendra. “Italy is very well within our reach now and we cannot thank the community enough for their support. Keira’s life has depended upon it and we cannot wait to one day see her walk, talk, run and play as any other child would,” she said. “By next week we hope to get our medical visas and book travel and lodging.” She said the medical team at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, is tentatively planning to begin Keira’s treatment no later than mid-August. Dave and Kendra Riley’s two young-

portunity, think about the following: Teamwork. Families have an unprecedented opportunity to cultivate a successful learning environment together. As a family, set priorities by talking about what you value, desire, and commit to craft clear agreements, expectations, and pathways of communication. Talk about the roles and responsibilities that each holds and the challenges you face. When you bring it all together and put energy behind it, the result will be greater. Atmosphere. The home-school atmosphere should re�lect a positive, dedicated learning space that honors the classroom. The working area should be de�ined, quiet, clean, organized, and equipped. This way, students can focus on the assignments and make the most of their time.

Put away technology that isn’t necessary for school. A quiet, non-distracting space will keep students on track on a day-today basis. Remember to schedule time away from the screen in general. Ample play, personto-person dialogue, and rest are key requirements of the learning process. Supplies and resources. Every grade level has certain supplies that will be necessary for completing assignments and participating in general. Ensure students have access to a device with a camera and microphone and reliable Wi-Fi connections. Without these in place, students will be unable to access their teacher, their curricular resources, or submit assignments. Routines. Children work best with clear

children. MLD was among the negative results from the tests. The couple learned too late that the testing targeted the �ive most prevalent gene mutations that lead to MLD. As they painfully discovered, there are many more. Both Dave and Kendra Riley express hope that their experience will mean expanding the scope of the genetic testing for leukodystrophies. “No parent should ever have to see their child suffer in this way and have to say goodbye to them so soon,” said Kendra. It has been a long haul for the parents and their children. Kendra was expecting her third daughter when, last November, the couple observed Dave and Kendra Riley hold their two daughters, Olivia, 2, and Keira, 6 their normally active Olivia months, who suffered from an aggressive genetic brain disease. Their eldest, Eva, carries the gene but does not have the disease. (Special to AFN) having dif�iculty walking. An odd vibration in the iris in one of her eyes further heightest daughters – Olivia, 2, and Keira, six months – both have metachromatic leuko- ened their concern. Their pediatrician referred them to an dystrophy (MLD), a genetic brain disease ophthalmologist who ordered an MRI. The that presently has no cure. After months of waiting due to COVID test showed vanishing white matter in Oldelays, test results received in June re- ivia’s brain. After one neurologist suggested waitvealed the couple’s older daughter, Eva, like her parents, is a carrier and will be ing a year to see how their daughter progressed, they sought another opinion. unaffected by the genetic disease. The second neurologist was Dr. Vinodh The Riley family story is all the more heartbreaking as the couple had under- Narayanan of Arizona Pediatric Neurolgone DNA testing done before having ogy & Neurogenetics Associates who con-

and consistent routines and procedures. Set these up together and stick to them. Start the morning strong, and build plenty of playtime and downtime throughout the day. Have breakfast, lunch and dinner planned and adhere to a planned sleep schedule. Partnerships. Many families �ind strong value in banding together in small neighborhood groups to not only engage in learning but also care for and supervise children when needed. This new “Parent Pod” model is rapidly gaining momentum and for good reason. Small group learning, fueled by the school curriculum and enhanced by parentteachers, subject experts, and specialty

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�irmed Olivia had MLC, which destroys the protective fatty layer surrounding the nerves in the central nervous system, aggressively taking away motor function and other abilities. Their toddler has already lost much of her vocabulary and continues to have dif�iculty walking. Her parents say she suffers pain daily. “When symptoms show early in life, such as in Olivia’s case, most children aren’t expected to live past 4 to 6 years old,” said her mother “Keira, however, is not symptomatic yet, and we must act quickly to save her life.” The Riley family currently travels weekly to Iowa for an MLD clinical trial for symptomatic patients that hopefully can slow the progression of the disease. At the same time, they’re making plans to move the family to Milan in hopes of seeking gene therapy treatment for baby Keira while pursuing weekly treatments for Olivia in France. And that is what Desert Financial Credit Union’s $10,000 Random Acts of Kindness gift, along with other donations - many from individuals the Rileys have not yet met – is helping to provide. In the interim, the couple tries to balance their professional lives with all the mechanizations of moving to Italy. Kendra, owner of Dawning Public Relations, has two employees helping run her business while David, a �inancial advisor at Strategy Financial Group is working with current clients remotely.

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AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Desert Vista grad a Grammy Award quarter�inalist BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI AFN Staff Writer

Desert Vista High School grad is one of two Arizona teachers among the 216 quarter�inalists for the Grammys’ Music Educator Award. Andrew Glenn is among the nearly 2,000 teachers who were nominated. The semi�inalists will be announced in September. Glenn is entering his sixth year as music teacher at Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear. He strives to engage every student with music. “I want them to enjoy music in a way that is enjoyable and applicable to them,” said Glenn, who now lives in Goodyear. “I don’t want to force them to learn what I did or what I �ind enjoyable in music. It’s not necessarily the same for everyone. “If everyone walks away with an understanding for what they like in terms of music, I’ve done my job.” Glenn said his family in�luenced him to become a music teacher. “My mom was a special education teach-

Andrew Glenn said his family influenced his decision to be a music teacher. (Courtesy Andrew Glenn)

er before I was born,” he said. “I’m the oldest of three boys. My grandmother was a Spanish teacher. My uncle was and still is a middle school band teacher. It was something that was always around. “My junior year of high school I had an epiphany. I wanted other people to enjoy music like I did. I thought about what way I could effectively do that. I thought maybe becoming a music teacher would be the best route.”

A graduate of Desert Vista and Arizona State University, Glenn has been nominated four times, but this is the �irst time he reached the semi�inals. “I’m not sure what changed this year,” he said. “I talked about the program at Estrella Foothills. My �irst year, there were nine students in the band side. Now on the band side, there will be 45 students this coming fall. In about six short years, I’ve worked to expand that. It’s really because of community engagement.” The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a signi�icant and lasting contribution to the �ield of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The honor is a joint partnership and presentation of the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum. The recipient will be recognized during Grammy Week 2021. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher – students, parents, friends, col-

leagues, community members, school deans and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are noti�ied and invited to �ill out an application. Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 �inalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The eighth annual honoree will be �lown to Los Angeles to attend the 63rd annual Grammy Awards and a range of Grammy Week events. The nine additional �inalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 �inalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semi�inalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the Grammy Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

Pandemic sti�les area children’s theater groups BY SRIANTHI PERERA AFN Contributor

resenting theater doesn’t work in tandem with social distancing and the dilemma gets worse when the actors are children. “I like the theater because I like performing in front of audiences and with quarantining it’s hard to do that. For me it’s hard because I like performing and being with my friends,” said 14-year-old Kaitlyn Woodward, a student of Gilbert Christian School who has attended Studio Three Performing Arts in Gilbert for three years. Sadly, with the pandemic situation not showing signs of waning any time soon, Kaitlyn, and hundreds of others like her, will have to bide their time. “Theater kids are by nature huggers and ‘in your face’ kinds of kids,” said Karen Rolston, producing artistic director of East Valley Children’s Theatre in Mesa. “Some are doing better than others.” With cancellations and postponements

Studio 3 Performing Arts students Alisha Waheed, Jaiden Weid and Meredith Woodward (top row) and Vincent Farley and Cole Blubaum (bottom row) perform via Zoom in “A Strangest King of Spring.” (Special to AFN)

of scheduled concerts and classes, new methods of performance, smaller purses and larger expenses, and dozens of new rules to carefully adhere to, children’s theater in the East Valley is walking a tightrope. “It’s frustrating, sad, discouraging, scary, and heartbreaking on many levels,” said Karli Kemper, co-artistic director and music director of State 48 Theatre Company of Mesa. “We also, however, feel a huge

sense of commitment to our community and families to be supportive of safety precautions so that we can actually see an end to this awful time we are all experiencing. “We want nothing more than to get back to our ‘normal’ and we are trying to stay positive and be creative in order to survive until that happens,” she added. Emma England, who runs Studio 3 Performing Arts Academy and Limelight Performing Arts, said, “This is the hardest

hurdle I have ever had to jump over, but I am growing every day.” “I have put in more work the last few months than I ever would have imagined, but seeing the way we are making a difference for these kids and families is worth every second,” England said. Undeterred by the challenge, Studio 3 Performing Arts Academy launched an online academy and may have set standards for the local industry. After cancelling “Wizard of Oz,” the children’s theater �inished the last season with “Wonderland” – its original musical based on the story of Alice in Wonderland – via �ilm. Students were brought to the recording studio in small groups to record the audio and the theater did a professional �ilm shoot for the visuals. The movie is being edited and will be shown as a drive-in movie in September. The process was socially distanced and provided a safe environment.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

THEATER �� 25

space to perform.” State 48 is hurting similarly and is hoping to boost donations with the �ilm release of “The (Possibly) True Tales of Little Red Riding Hood.” “Our ticket sales are everyStudio 3 Performing Arts students, from left, Libby Carr, Jordan Gingell and Jaiden Weid (top row), Meredith Woodward, Alisha Waheed, Vincent Farley (middle row) and Cole thing,” Kemper Blubaum (bottom) perform via Zoom in “A Strangest King of Spring.” (Special to AFN) said. “We are both nization, Limelight Performing Arts, has no a youth and a community theatre, so when we cannot sell tickets, we are in real �inanearnings because it’s temporarily closed. At East Valley Children’s Theatre, the cial straits. Currently we have been able to impact has been huge despite a successful raise enough through donations to cover virtual silent auction in lieu of its spring a few months of rent and bills, but we are fundraiser. Attendance dropped in just the most de�initely concerned for the future.” one summer camp it offered. Even when Not everyone has found success with usthe rest of the classes went online, there ing Zoom either. Studio 3 has found it unaren’t as many children enrolled. suitable for children ages 3-5, and those The group performs at Mesa Arts Cen- children have left the school. ter, which is closed until Oct. 1 or beyond. State 48 �inds the challenge comes in This meant no performances in the spring many forms. or summer while fall is “up in the air.” “It has removed the actors’ ability for “We are not bringing in as much rev- on-stage chemistry and rapport with each enue, and we have had to reduce the num- other, the physical movement itself and ber of teaching artists that normally work contact in person, and then of course the for us,” Rolston said. “In the long term, we timing—to be able to deliver a back-andworry about keeping the theatre solvent forth with impact and tension,” Kemper while we wait to get back into the theatre said. “There is a lot of lag and awkward-

Studio 3 also ventured into doing a virtual show called “The Isolation Project,” featuring two original plays by Colleen Porter that are performed online. One is a drama dealing with the emotions and situations that arose from the sudden stay-at-home order and the other is a comedy in which teens try to win an online social media contest. East Valley Children’s Theatre also recorded “Alice in Wonderland” via the online program Zoom, a radio play and a cabaret with live �ilming of the host and adding the kids’ pre-recorded videos. State 48 Theatre Company is presenting “The (Possibly) True Tales of Little Red Riding Hood” and “Romeo and Juliet” as �ilms as well. The theater plans to do a live stream of the movies with the actors in small groups in the theatre answering questions and providing commentary on their experience during the stream. Viewers are expected to donate. As expected, earning the dollars to keep operating has been a challenge across the organizations. Studio 3 Performing Arts Academy, which offers sold-out summer camps that provide an outlet for 40-70 kids each summer, found its earnings dropped drastically because the camps are much smaller to incorporate social distancing. Its sister orga-

FOOD �� 23

Since March 1, the Generation Church Food Pantry has provided over 200,000 pounds of food to close to 3,500 families. “With our help they will be able to continue this wonderful support to families in need,” Robinson said. The pantry, which is open 11 a.m.noon Wednesdays and Saturdays, at the

Generation Church Ahwatukee campus, 11832 S. Warner Elliot Loop. The items the pantry needs the most include: canned protein such as tuna �ish, chicken, salmon; canned vegetables, especially beans, peas and tomatoes; Canned fruit, especially peaches, and apricots; peanut butter, pasta, macaroni and cheese; oatmeal, cereal, shelf-stable milk and dried fruit and nuts and soup

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of any kind. Robinson stressed that items should be in cans and not glass containers of any kind. Volunteers wearing facial coverings will be on hand to assist with no-contact donations. People can drive up, pop open their trunk and the volunteers will take the donations without donors having to leave their vehicles. As for the bash, “we’ve been collecting

ONLINE �� 24

vendors, can provide an unmatched learning experience for students. It also provides a great structure for socialization with peers. Virtual learning, to some extent, appears to have staying power; but we can channel the challenge into something good for both students and their families. It can bring us closer – not only with-

ness over the internet.” Still, acting on Zoom is better than nothing. Kemper said the recent managed three weeks of online rehearsals from home using Zoom, then came in person to the theatre in small groups (by scene) wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and cleaning after each rehearsal. “They have been remarkably patient and respectful and have worked through the hardships of the new protocols. So many of them were so anxious to be a part of something that they are more than willing to respect the safety measures,” she added. And always, a silver lining shines through the direst situations. For the children’s theater, it’s the support it receives from parents and the extended community. “They donate, they show up to work and wear a mask, they paint with us and sew costumes, and they bring their kids to rehearsals prepared and respectful of all of our policies—which has made this tough time both bearable and rewarding,” Kemper said. “It’s truly humbling to be surrounded by so much love and support in this current climate.” Rolston has a similar experience. “People seem to be more receptive to helping each other and wanting everyone to be successful. It has been heartwarming too, to see our teaching artists step up and just �igure out how to be successful teaching classes on line,” she said.

the supplies for about the last month and our church members love participating in this drive,” said Pastor Ryan Visconti, whose church is offering both online and in-person worship with social distancing on Sundays. “We know the school year is coming, and there are kids who are underresourced. Their need doesn’t go away just because of our current crisis. So, we want to serve them as much as we can right now.” in families but also between home and school. No matter what life hands us or the direction schools take, building the partnership among the teacher, student, and parent is always best for nurturing the growth and development of schoolaged children. - Dr. Stephanie Musser is founder and CEO of Candeo Schools. Information: Caneoschools.com.

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Guide Experts: Area housing market will remain strong BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

visors and Angela Tauscher, a Realtor with West USA Real Estate Chandler. A related discussion is in today’s business section. We still seem to be in a very strong seller’s market. How long do you think it will continue? Angela Tauscher: We’re putting consistently under contract every seven days 7,000 and 8,000 homes …and we’re closing between, I’d say, about 2,000 and 4,000. I think the highest I’ve seen honestly is the 4,000 and I’ve been tracking it ev-

see ROUNDTABLE page RE2

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REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Ahwatukee housing market staying robust BY ALLEN HENDERSON AFN Guest Writer

fter a strong showing in the first half of 2020, the July Ahwatukee real estate market continued to expand with the number of units increasing and the average price of closed properties rising. If we look at the July real estate sales results, the average sale price in Ahwatukee rose to $425,131. This is up 15 percent over the same period in 2019 when the average home value was $369,145. The July number of units sold jumped 22 percent from 148 units in 2019 to 180 units in 2020. With the prices increasing and buyers stepping up with higher offers to get prime properties, the number of listings that required a price reduction to get an offer declined to 28 percent of the closed listings. When we look at the bigger picture, the January to July average Ahwatukee sale price was $401,283. This is up 7.8 percent over the same period in 2019. Despite the surge in the average price from 2019

ROUNDTABLE from page re1

ery single week since COVID started... As you know, a full-time Realtor sells maybe 20 residential houses a year. I think our team has sold 30 in the last three months. It has been crazy out there. It’s literally the Wild West. Anything that we’re putting in under the $500,000 price point, we’re having anywhere from 10 to 30 showings in 24 hours. It doesn’t matter if it looks like a dog or if

to 2020, the number of units sold fell 4.6 percent from 1,005 units in 2019 to 961 units in 2020. On Aug. 1, there were only 107 active listings in the Ahwatukee real estate market. It is safe to assume that the drop in the number of units sold in 2020 is a function of the low active listing inventory. The average days on market measures the pace at which homes are selling and it is a good indicator of the strength of the real estate market. The number of days on the market in the January to July time frame dropped from 63 days in 2019 to 49 days in 2020. Homes sold on average 29 percent faster in 2020 than in 2019. We can assume from this that the strong seller’s market we have seen for months is getting even stronger. As the market heated up and prices expanded, the number of units that required a price reduction to get an offer and contract, declined from 40 percent of units sold in January to July of 2019 to 28 percent in the same period in 2020. There were three sales of properties over $1 million last month. They went under contract in an average of 91 days versus the usual average of 181 days on

it’s the most beautiful home on the block. …More commonly, I’d say if it’s anything under probably $450,000, we’re getting 10 to 15 offers on every single house. We put in a cash offer for a $750,000 listing last week. We were outbid by a $775,000 loan that waved the appraisal. We have a million-dollar home right now that we had multiple offers on and they had tons of activity. So, it is challenging on the buyer’s side. We’re having buyers that are getting discouraged –especially if they

Ron & Coleen Tompkins

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market for million-dollar-plus properties. Considering the 180 units sold in July, the 107 active listings will be depleted in less than 17 days. Anything less than a six-month inventory is considered to be a seller’s market. Interest rates remain at record lows. Money is inexpensive and is encouraging buyers to foray into the market in increasing numbers. We were fortunate that the sale of real estate Arizona was allowed to continue during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis. We never experienced the slowdown other regions of the country had due to the virus. Many parts of the country did not allow the sale of real estate and those markets are now in recovery mode. Despite our strong real estate market, we are frequently asked about the long-term outlook for the local real estate market. It is the consensus of the experts that real estate in general – and in Ahwatukee in particular – will remain strong and expand. Forbes magazine stated, “A businessfriendly environment, plentiful job opportunities and affordable cost of living have pushed Phoenix to the top of the list of the

need any concessions in any way shape or form, they just aren’t getting them.” We are seeing serious issues with the appraisal process because of this... On the homes where I have control on the selling side, I’m going and talking to the appraiser in providing information. We have a lot of agents, unfortunately, that are not even aware that they can provide information to the appraiser – which is unfortunate. One of the agents I was working things out within this last week said she’d gotten six bad appraisals that week. There’s definitely a significant problem out there. I had two listings in the last three weeks that both went for $25,000 over list and I got both of them to appraise despite the fact I already had both of them listed high. Both of them were listed 10 grand higher than any comps (comparisons) I had available. So the fact we got $25,000 over that was huge. There’s definitely a need right now for anybody that’s using a Realtor to have somebody with some valid experience under their belt because anybody can put a sign in the yard and the house will sell but is that deal

fastest-growing cities in the United States. Phoenix placed No. 1 on the list with an increase of 25,288 new residents between 2017-2018.” Renowned Arizonan economist Elliott Pollack, CEO of Elliott D. Pollack & Co. has stated that, “The state is third in job growth. Greater Phoenix is third out of 36 major metropolitan areas for employment growth.” The economic outlook is strong. The jobs market is rebounding after the declines caused by the virus. The Arizona and Phoenix population continues to grow at a rate of 250,000 people per year. As the population continues to grow, low-interest rates and pent up demand motivate home buyers. Demand is high and increasing, for homes in the Phoenix and Ahwatukee real estate market. Buyers are responding by getting into the market before the prices are pushed higher. It is an unprecedented opportunity to sell an Ahwatukee property. Ahwatukee resident and Realtor Allen Henderson of Henderson Real Estate can be reached at 480-392-2090 or allen@homesahwatukee.com.

going to actually complete the process?” Do you see this continuing indefinitely? Angela Tauscher: I think we have a serious issue with our shortage of inventory. A lot of people are scared to put their homes on the market because they don’t want people in their homes. I think what happened is as people got a little more comfortable when things were opening up, they were more willing to maybe put some stuff on the market. But when the numbers spiked, now we’re seeing some people withdraw and get scared again. So, there’s a real challenge there. From what I’m seeing, people are stuck at home. They’re bored. There’s nothing better to do but talk about “what should we do?” “Should we add this gold-plated wall just because interest rates are so low?” “Maybe we should just sell right now, then we don’t do refi.” “We get this incredible interest rate and we get a step up for the exact same payment of what we were already working with.”

see ROUNDTABLE page RE4

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

ROUNDTABLE from page RE4

LANCE BRACE

ROUNDTABLE from page RE2

BENJAMIN L. GOTTLIEB

I think there’s a massive urge to move out there right now. We just don’t have the inventory, which is creating the stoppage. However, I think the whole (mortgage) forbearance thing that went out there early on, there was a lot of miscommunication and I think when those catch up – in 18 months or two years – I think we’re going to start seeing some situations with those people. Maybe Kellie can speak to

KELLIE JAMES

this whole (mortgage) deferment thing. Kellie James: I was on a market update call and 435,000 people that were taking advantage of forbearance caught their mortgages up in just the last week... I did talk to clients that had money that chose a forbearance option even though they didn’t need to. My caution is, you’re going to have to catch up on these payments and so those that cannot, it’s really more giving the client time to sell their house. If you can’t afford the house, it’s not a free

Leading Luxury Home Experts

MARY NOLLENBERGER

pass. It’s giving you time to sell it without damaging your credit if you are not going to get your income back. Then the question becomes where are you going to go. But we don’t think that interest rates are going to go up. For some reason, they’re not really following the normal trend. As the stock market goes up and gets improved, our interest rates should go up a little bit. That’s not happening, maybe because of all this liquidity the government is injecting into the market.

money, but some of the other banks I’ve worked for in the past can’t service the loans. They’re having to pay the servicers to take the loans that they’re originating rather than making money on them. With my clients, we have to make our offer letter as strong as possible because we know that they’re going to go in against other offers. If clients need help, they have to be strategic… If it were a perfect world all the appraisals would come in at the same value, but they don’t. They’re not motivated to give you this super-high appraisal like we could get in the early 2000s – when I could get appraisals $50,000 over. I haven’t had a real problem with a lot of them coming in low but the agent who had six of them come in low, she’s setting too high of a purchase price. Lance, you’re on the property management side of things. I had read a lot about escalating rents and people being basically priced out of finding a decent place to even rent. How would you assess the current state of the rental apartment and housing market right

ANGELA TAUSCHER

Once we get a vaccine or some light at the end of the tunnel, that is when we expect that the rates will go up. But who knows when that will be? COVID has definitely messed with our industry, I’m just glad that I work for banks that have lots and lots of money behind them and that can afford to service their loans temporarily, if not indefinitely. We can keep originating and not lose

see ROUNDTABLE page RE5

MOUNTAIN PARK RANCH

THE FOOTHILLS

THE SANCTUARY 1317 E Thunderhill Place

$349,900

1,787 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Lovely home located in The Foothills of Ahwatukee with mountain views and within walking distance to nearby schools. Open and bright with high ceilings and neutral paint this floorplan blends the family room, kitchen and dining room together for a nice functional flow. The updated kitchen features designer wood cabinets allowing for plenty of storage, stainless steel appliances, quartz counters, gorgeous glass tile backsplash and kitchen island with seating. Wood laminate and tile throughout. The backyard has a relaxing atmosphere with sparkling pebble tech pool with a variable speed pump, covered patio, pool side seating, grassy play area and mature landscaping.

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2412 E Goldenrod Street

$589,900

2,534 sqft, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Gorgeous corner lot home located in the mountain surrounded community of Mountain Park Ranch. Enter the bright and open great room combining a large living room and formal dining area with patio access. A true split floorplan, the master en suite is spacious and relaxing with separate his and hers walk in closets and a master bathroom having double vanities, separate soaking tub and shower plus a private toilet room. Upgraded chefs kitchen with stainless appliances, 42’’upper cabinets, granite counters and beverage frig, opens to large family room with plenty of windows for natural light and fireplace. The backyard is a wonderful place to get some outside into your life with a sparkling pool and spa, large covered patio, sitting area with a fire pit, grassy area, built-in bbq and mature landscaping.

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14621 S 1st Street

$1,560,000

7,303 sqft, 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms. Located in the Hillside gated community of Summerhill, this custom luxury estate has it all! 6 bedrooms, executive office, 4 full bathrooms and 3 powder rooms plus a basement, a Chef ’s dream gourmet kitchen with all the upgrades, formal living room with gas fireplace and a wide in-line pocket door that brings the outside in, an elegant master bedroom en suite has a gas fireplace with a sitting area which opens into a luxurious master bathroom with a 6 foot two person Jacuzzi jetted tub complete with spectacular mountain views!

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1126 W Thunderhill Drive

$575,000

2,472 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. A charming single level Spanish Colonial style home full of designer upgrades located in the private gated community of Rosewood Canyon Estates which sets adjacent to the 16,000 acre South Mountain Park. Enjoy having access to an exclusive entrance to the many hiking, biking and nature trails just a few doors down from this stunning property. With a welcoming entry, find yourself inside this ‘like new’ home with a fantastic open concept main living area blending together; a great room, dining room and gourmet kitchen to create an amazing space. The great room & dining room have gorgeous mountain views! The gourmet kitchen is the center of attention! Bright and light with upgraded stainless steel appliances, 36"cook top, granite countertops, upgraded cabinets, over-sized walk-in pantry, centered kitchen island with seating and special to this home over-sized pull out drawers for all of your storage needs. Enjoy your relaxing, low maintenance backyard offering both covered and uncovered sitting areas, mature flowering landscape, synthetic grass with South Mountain for your viewing pleasure. Catch the sunsets in the West with mountain views from the luxurious master bedroom. An open, roomy master bathroom with his & her sinks, separate soaking tub and shower, private toilet room and a walk-in closet completes this en suite. With two spacious secondary bedrooms plus a full bath, powder room and an over-sized laundry room this home has all you could want or need!

3407 E Tere Street

$8,000 Monthly

5,271 sqft, 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms. Absolutely Gorgeous One-of-a-Kind Craftsman with a Basement Located in the Prestigious Community of Ahwatukee Custom Estates. This Home is packed with Today’s Features the Main floor offers a Spacious Gourmet Kitchen Decorated in Re-Purposed Iowa Barnwood with a Large Farm Sink, Subway Tile Back Splash, Quartz Counter Tops and a Large Kitchen Island with Under the Counter Mounted Seating. A Charming Family Room located just off the Kitchen, an Over-Sized Formal Dining Room, 6th Bedroom/Den/Office with its own private Entrance/Exit and full Bathroom and a Massive Laundry Room which doubles as a Craft Room. Upstairs you will find a Loft Area and The Master Bedroom en Suite with Private Balcony, Upgraded Master Bathroom with His & Hers Sinks, Separate Soaking Tub and Shower plus 3 more roomy Secondary Bedrooms and Bathrooms. The Fully Finished Basement Boasts another Bedroom with Full Bathroom, Built-In Playhouse, Walk-In Pantry, Extra Large Open Flex Space for Game Room, Theater Room or Exercise Space the possibilities are endless! Huge Backyard with Tons of Outdoor Entertainment! Pool, Batting Cage, Half Court, Trampoline and Multiple patio and sitting areas! A Must See!

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FEATURED LISTING

see ROUNDTABLE page RE7

$1,499,000

6,316 sqft, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms. Located in the prestigious Ahwatukee Custom Estates community, this single level, Mediterranean-style home boasts a combination of old-world sophistication and comfortable charm. The private 6,316 square foot home is nestled in a cul-de-sac on an over half acre lot and boasts 5 bedrooms, 5 and ½ baths, two master suites, a spacious exercise room that can double as a bedroom, a private, gated driveway, gorgeous, mature landscaping, and an elegant courtyard. The formal dining area is intimate and opens to the living room, which has custom wooden beams, a large Cantera stone gas fireplace, and an inline door that merges the indoors and outdoors into an entertainer’s paradise with a diving pool, spa, built-in BBQ and multiple sitting areas with a roof top terrace. The kitchen is right in the heart of it all and includes refinished cabinets, upgraded Viking appliances, a walk-in pantry, and a temperature-controlled wine room. Plus a 4 car air conditioned garage with a bonus art & craft room. There is a lot to love in this beautiful home!

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3357 E Windmore Drivet

$380,000

1,963 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Lovely Single Level Home on Large Cul de Sac Lot in Lakewood. This property is the perfect place to call home. A functional floorplan offers a living and dining room upon entry blending into an open great room combining the family room and kitchen. The kitchen has plenty of storage, granite countertops and an island with seating. The charming Master en Suite with high ceilings, double sinks and a soaking tub offers a peaceful place to relax. Two large secondary bedrooms complete the interior. Step out back into the oversized lot with a heated Pool & Spa. Lots of space to entertain and enjoy the outdoors! This is a must see in a great location!

CANYON SPRINGS

12675 S Honah Lee Court

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Gottlieb: A lot of landlords and tenants have entered into payment plan agreements, whether it’s a partial payment plan or some other payment arrangement. Even though landlords technically have the legal right to file an eviction lawsuit during this period that the executive order is effective, many landlords are opting not to because they know that they cannot forcibly dispossess the tenant. What we’re seeing is a lot of arrangements that are being worked out… We’re seeing landlords wanting to be strategic on this, like Lance alluded to, and avoiding filing eviction lawsuits if they can try to work something out and not throw someone on the street during this difficult time. What about for the landlords, what’s their protection? Gottlieb: On the federal level, the suspension of foreclosures in federal mortgages has been extended to Aug. 31. I know that a lot of big private banks – such as of JP Morgan, Bank of America – I think they were extending at least 60 to 120 days out on foreclosures. On a statewide level, I think one of the

LAKEWOOD

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4,836 sqft, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms. Welcome to this fabulous single level custom estate in the hillside gated community of The Sanctuary backing onto wide green belt. This home includes 4,836 sqft of livable space, front courtyard, casita suite with bathroom, 3 additional bedroom suites, 3.5 bathrooms, formal living and dining rooms, gourmet kitchen with new stainless steel appliances, family room, game room, theater room, office, exercise/nursery room, multi-room network wiring with automated controls, 3-car garage and resort style backyard with amazing mountain views!

Since March, I have not done a single eviction, which is actually very uncommon for me. I usually file about one or two every single month. I manage about 140 properties. I have had an increase in the number of tenants asking for payment arrangements, but so far, I’ve only had one go into the following month before they had made the full payment… We’re not seeing a huge increase in delinquency where tenants are not paying other than just making payment arrangements.” Ben, with the feeding frenzy out there to buy homes, do you have clients who buy a house sight unseen and then have buyer’s remorse once they walk in? Ben Gottlieb: “As a law firm we tend to see things when they go bad. We don’t get the cases on the front end where they’re seeking our advice. We typically get it on the back end when there’s a seller nondisclosure issue. We are seeing a reasonably constant flow of non-disclosure cases. Even prior to the pandemic though, that’s normal.” What about on the rental side as far as nonpayment of rent is concerned?

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now in the valley? Lance Brace: The prices are going up pretty quickly even through the last couple of months. A lot of my clients have opted to be more cautious, trying to keep their existing tenants in place. So, we haven’t been asking for big rental increases on existing rentals. But with new leases put on the market, we’re seeing increases upwards of about 10 percent on single-family houses. I have houses that 10 years ago I was leasing for $600 and are now leasing for the $1,500. So that’s a huge increase, obviously, since the recession.” How about forbearance on the rental scene? Have you seen a lot of people asking for some time to catch up on their rent? Lance Brace: I have seen an increase in tenants asking for payment arrangements to pay the rent for the month. We’re not charging late fees right now because of the governor’s executive order. When this all started, we made the decision that we didn’t want to participate in an eviction crisis, seeing as how many people were going to be out of work and especially in the lower-income rentals.”

#1 Agent in Ahwatukee Closed Volume 2019

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REAL ESTATE

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

SOLD!

15830 S 15th Place

$525,000

3,112 sqft, 5 bedrooms, 2.75 bathrooms. This beautiful home offers you a lifestyle in the desirable community of The Foothills of Ahwatukee. Gorgeous mountain and golf course views. A double door entry welcomes you into the formal living and dining areas and on into a spacious open concept floor plan. Well appointed kitchen has plenty of storage. Family living area includes vaulted ceilings, a cozy fireplace and french door leading to a huge covered patio and pool. Perfect for entertaining. The downstairs owners suite has his/hers walk-in closets and a private exit to the patio. The laundry room is huge! Extra large upstairs bedroom has double door entry and french door leading to a balcony and would make an ideal office, home gym or additional living space. Light and bright!

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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SPO OTLIGHT home

PRISTINE &CLASSY GATED CALABREA ESTATE! PRISTINE & CLASSY GATED ESTATE ON A PREMIUM 2/3 ACRE HILLSIDE LOT • PRIVATE CUL-DE-SAC • 6 BEDROOMS, 4.5 BATHS, 5200 SQFT OF PURE LUXURY FINISHES • STUNNING VIEWS IN EVERY DIRECTION • IRON DOOR • BUTTED GLASS WINDOWS IN ENTRY & KITCHEN • CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS • DECORATOR PAINT • DOME CEILING FOYER & GROIN VAULTED CEILINGS IN LIVING ROOM • TRAVERTINE & HARDWOOD FLOORS THROUGHOUT • 7-INCH BASEBOARDS • MEDIA ROOM • DREAM KITCHEN INCLUDES S/S APPLIANCES,SLAB GRANITE COUNTERS, ALDER CABINETS,HUGE ISLAND,WALK IN PANTRY • LARGE MASTER SUITE W/STONE FIREPLACE • MASTER BATH W/JACUZZI TUB,3 VANITIES & SNAIL SHOWER • PARADISE BACKYARD W/TRAVERTINE IN VERSAILLES PATTERN,TURF GRASS,PEBBLETEC POOL/JACUZZI,4 WATER FEATURES,LARGE COVERED PATIO,STACKED STONE BBQ • 4 CAR GARAGE W/EPOXY & STORAGE! YOUR DREAM ESTATE AWAITS!!

Listed for $1,379,000

Geno Ross (602) 751-2121 www.GenoRoss.com SANCTUARY

12675 S HONAH LEE COURT 6,316 sqft, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms. Located in the prestigious Ahwatukee Custom Estates community, this single level, Mediterranean-style home boasts a combination of old-world sophistication and comfortable charm. The private 6,316 square foot home is nestled in a cul-de-sac on an over half acre lot and boasts 5 bedrooms, 5 and ½ baths, two master suites, a spacious exercise room that can double as a bedroom, a private, gated driveway, gorgeous, mature landscaping, and an elegant courtyard. The formal dining area is intimate and opens to the living room, which has custom wooden beams, a large Cantera stone gas fireplace, and an inline door that merges the indoors and outdoors into an entertainer’s paradise with a diving pool, spa, built-in BBQ and multiple sitting areas with a roof top terrace. The kitchen is right in the heart of it all and includes refinished cabinets, upgraded Viking appliances, a walkin pantry, and a temperature-controlled wine room. Plus a 4 car air conditioned garage with a bonus art & craft room. There is a lot to love in this beautiful home!

Located in the foothills of Ahwatukee in the gated Sanctuary subdivision, this luxury home features fine appointments throughout starting with the privately gated driveway of all pavers as you approach the 6,445 square foot estate and its vibrant imported Montana Echo Canyon real stone accents. A custom iron-artwork saguaro cactus fountain anchors the circular drive of pavers with a gorgeous stone sidewalk between the main residence and casita. Inviting custom Cantera double iron door leads to the dramatic interior entry showcasing a Yamaha grand piano. Single-level floor plan includes a welcoming great room with wet bar, fridge, icemaker, fireplace and view windows. Separate formal dining room. Impressive custom walk-in wine cellar with storage for 500 bottles. Spacious, gourmet kitchen features a huge island with pendant lighting, SubZero, Viking gas cooktop, double Thermador ovens, warming drawer, double dishwashers, custom knotty alder cabinetry, large sitting area with fireplace, walk-in pantry and bayed, view windows at eat-in area. Master suite replete with large sitting room, two-way fireplace, access to covered patio featuring fountain built out of the mountain and private aboveground spa, media wall, two closets with built-ins, travertine flooring in bath with double vanities, large wrap around shower, big jacuzzi tub and two bathrooms with bidet in one. Media room with theater seating. Workout room with cork flooring. Executive office/den with custom built-ins and large walk-in closet. Two ensuite secondary bedrooms split from the master and both with walk-in closets. Separate 475 square foot casita with full amenities including: iron door, fireplace, wood-beams, breakfast bar with sink, fridge, microwave, walk-in closet and bathroom with walk-in shower. Auto shades throughout the home. Resort-style backyard boasts large covered stone patio with multiple areas for entertaining, built-in DCS bbq, negative edge pool, custom artwork, fireplace, lush desert landscaping with lighting and spectacular 270 degree golf course and Estrella mountain views. All furniture and artwork, except for a few personal items, are included in the list price.

Listed for $1,499,000

Bonny Holland

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

602.369.1085 • www.LeadingLuxuryExperts.com

Listed for $1,950,000

SONORAN LIVING

Mike Mendoza

SONORAN LIVING

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

480.706.7234 • www.MendozaTeam.com

REAL ESTATE

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

ROUNDTABLE from page RE5

big issues is that there is a $5 million rental assistance fund that the landlord could have gone back to get some assistance but that money has been slow to get out. One of the issues is that the stimulus money is not getting out to both landlords and tenants quick enough. What about commercial tenants? Gottlieb: On the commercial side, things are a lot different when it comes to evictions the legislature enacted a landlord-tenant statutory scheme that applies only to residential tenants and is designed to provide some extra legal protections for tenants. On the commercial side in most cases, a court eviction action is not even required. Typically, commercial landlords will execute on what’s called ‘a lockout remedy,’ where they merely just change the locks. The only time a commercial landlord would be hesitant to do that is if they’re concerned that the tenant may sue or have certain claims against the landlord for wrongful lockout or if the lease prohibits such a remedy. Furthermore, you had the commercial

480-706-7234

Tapestry Canyon ! LD O S

Pointe South Moutnain

eviction executive order that expired back in May and that is now been expired for a while. But while that executive order was in place, a lot of commercial landlords and tenants worked out forbearance agreements and other types of arrangements that are still in effect as of today, even though they were worked out a couple of months ago. And you have the Paycheck Protection Program, which has delivered funds to a lot of small businesses and there’s mandates in that legislation that use a certain portion towards rent. So that has helped as well. Mary, what do you see in commercial properties? Have most businesses been able to stay above water? Mary Nollenberger: It’s a trend of a domino effect. So what Ben was saying about the May 31 expiration of the executive order, we track trends for the Real Estate Investment Trust. These are the biggest commercial property owners. They answer to their publicly traded companies. They answer to their investors. So that’s a great indicator for me of what’s happening with the most sophisticated landlords and then we compare and contrast that to the more privately held commercial properties.

What we found in at least the first quarterly earnings call is that they were collecting somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of rent at that time. A lot of the restaurants that have had to pivot very quickly to take-out and delivery-only were affected but we also saw in what’s called “the triple net investment category,” which are the quick-serve and drive-through restaurants – a lot of them were posting year-over-year increases of somewhere between 27 and 32 percent. Then a lot of the sit-down restaurants put that into place very, very quickly and even began to develop family meal takeout packages and those that implemented strategies very quickly have actually survived the reopening quite well. What we also see in the domino effect as the landlords were provided forbearance on their mortgage arrangements with their lenders, they very quickly shared that without even being approached by tenants and offering to help them through at least that first 90-day window. We’ve helped implement strategies with landlords to say there can be a benefit to both sides here and we’ve negotiated blend and extend kind of situations where the landlord can add a forbearance onto

Ahwatukee’s #1 Team for Over 30 Years 5 BR / 5.5 BA / 5,002 SQFT

5 BR / 4.5 BA / 4924 SQFT

Magnificent mountain luxury retreat perched high on elevated hillside lot in exclusive gated community with majestic views.

Majestic Southwest contemporary estate on private hillside lot with stunning mountain and city light views. .

3 BR / 2 BA / 1,733 SQFT Beautifully remodeled patio home. New kitchen, baths, flooring plus interior and exterior paint. 2019 roof.

Listed for $389,900

Mike Mendoza MendozaTeam.com 5 BR / 5 BA / 6,455 SQFT Stunning panoramic views from privately gated luxury retreat with casita on elevated preserve lot.

Listed for $1,325,000

Listed for $1,510,000

Sanctuary

Tapestry Canyon ! LD O S

Mountain Park Ranch

re7

the back end of the lease or can negotiate happening around or even reducing base rent in exchange for an extension of a lengthening of the lease term by a couple of years and offering kind of a menu. Conversely what we’re seeing in some of these large-scale property owners is that there’s been a lot of opportunistic behavior on a part of some large national tenants that are just in a position where a Starbucks would say, “We’re just not going to pay rent’ and walk and because they can.” So, landlords are struggling with opportunistic tenants who really don’t need forbearance and then strategizing with tenants that really do need the help them to be able to help them through this time. Obviously, the fitness industry has been front-and-center in the media over the past month couple of weeks. And a lot of the smaller fitness users are finding ways to continue either online or in outdoor situations. Then, with PPP funding, I have a number of landlords who put tenants on special arrangements and when that funding arrived, they came back and said, “I don’t need the arrangements that we made any longer.”

Listed for $1,950,000

4 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,450 SQFT

7 BR / 4.5 BA / 8,873 SQFT

Superb updates throughout with downstairs master suite. 2019 interior paint, pool pump, water softener, refrigerator, washer and dryer.

Estate living with refined tranquility in this exquisite setting. Meticulous stonework adorns entire exterior of this luxury home.

Listed for $475,000

Listed for $1,950,000

Circle G at Riggs Ranch

Tapestry Canyon

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

re8

Ahwatukee Custom Estates One of the most amazing view lots in

$2,099,000

SOLD!

all of AZ. Custom home with everythingl 10,000 sq. ft., 3/4 acre prserve lot, 6 bedrooms, 6 bathes, Executive Office Suite, Master Suite with Sitting Room, Master Bath with Jacuzzi, Theater Room, Exercise Room, Loft, Guest House, Grand Foyer, Gourmet Kitchen, Resort Backyard with Pebbletec Diving Pool, Watertalls, slide, Volcano, firepit, Spa, Sport Court, Grassy Play Areas, & Outdoor Kitchen, 4-car A/C Garage. A true masterpiece!!!

Calabrea

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

$1,379,000

$1,950,000

Pristine & Classy Gated Estate On A Premium 2/3 Acre Hillside Lot, Private Cul-De-Sac, 6 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths, 5200 Sqft Of Pure Luxury Finishes, Stunning Views In Every Direction, Iron Door, Butted Glass Windows In Entry & Kitchen, Custom Window Treatments, Decorator Paint, Dome Ceiling Foyer & Groin Vaulted Ceilings In Living Room, Travertine & Hardwood Floors Throughout, 7-Inch Baseboards, Media Room, Dream Kitchen Includes S/S Appliances, Slab Granite Counters, Alder Cabinets, Huge Island, Walk In Pantry, Large Master Suite W/Stone Fireplace, Master Bath W/Jacuzzi Tub, 3 Vanities & Snail Shower, Paradise Backyard W/Travertine In Versailles Pattern, Turf Grass, Pebbletec Pool/Jacuzzi, 4 Water Features, Large Covered Patio, Stacked Stone Bbq, 4 Car Garage W/Epoxy & Storage! Your Dream Estate Awaits!!

Calabrea $1,099,000

Cabrillo Canyon $689,000

SOLD! Stunning Single Level Custom Remodel on a huge corner lot in a cul-de-sac! *4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath *The highest quality custom finishes throughout *Grand foyer *Formal living & dining room *Familt room w/fireplace *Wetbar *Designer kitchen includes: quartzsite counters & island, s/s appliances, custom cabinetry, walk-in pantry *Recessed LED lights throughout *Plantation shutters *Large master suite *Master bath w/walk-in shower, free standing tub, & walk-in closet *Laundry room w/sink *Wood flooring *Custom fixtures *Trane A/C’s *Private backyard w/covered patio, pebbletec pool, turf, & RV gate with tons of room to park the toys *3 Car garage with epoxy *The lot is very private *The house shows like a new build *Do not miss your opportunity to own this amazing Cabrillo Canyon Estate!

Amazing Remodeled Custom Estate with mountain views located at the end of a cul-de-sac.Over 8000sqft of pure luxury finishes.6 Bedroom,5.5 Baths.Custom Kitchen.Elevator.Executive Office.Basement Media Room.Dance Studio.Huge Backyard with Pool, Jacuzzi, Turf, BBQ, Sportcourt.This Spectacular Estate has it all!!!

Summerhill $1,099,000

5 bedroom / 3 bath, 3,506 SqFt, Cul-de-sac location with huge backyard, sports court, built-in BBQ, mature shade trees, very private backing to wash. Good size SOLD! bedrooms, master downstai5. Features a large office with balcony, plus office/loft with built-in bookcase and 3 full baths. Th� home is perfect for family gatherings BEST NEAR THE LOOP 202 in gated withand stunning mountain only. views. andLOCATION entertaining. CanNEW be previewed with 24Calabrea hour notice appointment Complete with the highest quality build and finishes. Gourmet kitchen includes slab granite counters, alder cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. This estate also features a media/ theater room with 105 inch screen. The basement includes a full wet bar, family room & 2 bedrooms. Resort Backyard with pool. A perfect 10!

www.GenoRoss.com Donna Leeds TOP GRI, ABR REALTOR

�

949.310.5673

lf"fl!

SOLD!

Geno Ross

Stunning single-level custom estate gated summerhill on a 1/2 acre lot. beautiful mountain views. Gourmet Kitchen. Master Suite w/sitting area. Two master suites. Split floorplan. Executive office w/built-in cabinets. Tropical paradise backyard w/covered patio, gazebo, pebbletec pool, rock waterfall, built-in bbq, turf, & putting green. This estate has the perfect floorplan!!

602.751.2121

wwwBestAgentWUSA.com

Making Ahwatukee

Home Dreams Come True Since 1986 www.WestUSA.com I 480.893.0600

4505 E. Chandler Boulevard, Suite 170, Phoenix, AZ 85048

Canyon Verde

Pointe South Mountain

SOLD!

$397,000

Gorgeous Ahwatukee home, an absolute dream, 2254 square feet, 3 bedrooms plus den/loft, 3 full bathrooms, 2 car garage, newly installed hardwood floors, Updated galley kitchen & cabinets, granite countertops & stainless steel appliances. Travertine in kitchen and bathrooms. Enjoy your beautiful back yard overlooking the golf course and custom made fountain.

The Sanctuary

$879,900

$1,250,000

No detail has been spared in this gorgeous Semi-Custom Forte home in the gated enclave of Canyon Verde. Enter the stunning foyer w/ expansive LR/DR, beamed ceilings, custom stonework & Wine Cellar. Gourmet Kitchen boasts Dacor 6-Burner Gas Stove, Warming Drawer, Granite counters & 48’’ cabinetry. Optimized Floorplan features Master Suite/Spa Bath and Executive Office with the additional Bedrooms on opposite side of home. One is Ensuite w/ own bath & other two share a Jack/Jill Bath. Vacation in your Resort Style backyard w/ unobstructed, preserve views from its over sized corner lot complete with outdoor beamed seating Ramada, built-in BBQ, Waterfall Grotto Pool w/Fire accents & adjoining spa. Central Vac, Automated Window Shades, Surround Sound, Garage Cabinets and much more. Must See!

Gorgeous 4,244 sq. foot Custom Forte with breathtaking mountain views. Situated on over ¾ of an acre N/S hillside lot features 5 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths, and spacious living and entertaining areas throughout. Gourmet kitchen boasts alder cabinets, upgraded Wolf appliances, walk-in pantry, prep sink and elegant granite countertops.. The adjacent 2,000 sq. foot 8-car garage is a car lovers’ or sports enthusiasts’ dream with extended length, built-in storage, central vacuum, & indoor batting cage. Resort-like backyard features extended covered patio, built-in BBQ, pebble tech heated pool, lush landscaping & amazing rooftop sun deck. Great Ahwatukee location near Excelling Kyrene schools, golf, hiking trails and fabulous access to both the East & West Valley.

Jenifer Bulfer 480-297-6968 jbulfer@westusa.com

Jill Ostendorp 480-678-7308 jillo@homesbyjillo.com

Mesa

Harbor Island

Ahwatukee

UNDER CONTRACT

PENDING!

$499,900

$599,000

$459,900

4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3252 Sq Ft. This gorgeous family home with it’s backyard oasis combines the best of indoor and outdoor living . The remodeled kitchen overlooks the dining/family room with gas fireplace and offers granite counter tops, stainless appliances, duel ovens, wet bar and large pantry. Recently repainted inside & out and re-carpeted in 2019.

BEAUTIFUL SINGLE LEVEL BASEMENT HOME IN DESIRABLE HARBOR ISLAND! Split Floor plan. 3672 sq.ft. 5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths. Large Basement with 1 Bedroom & Full Bath W/ Plenty of Room to put another Bedroom & still have a Nice-Size Game room.

Lovely Home in the Gated Community of Lehi Crossing in Mesa. 2776 sq.ft. 4 Bedrooms , 3 Baths plus a Loft. Lots of upgrades. 15 foot Glass Slider, Shutters T/O, & Upgraded Gorgeous Kitchen. Mountain Views. Close to 202 access.

Geri Thompson 480-239-7589 gerithompson@westusa.com

Troy Royston 480-435-3461 troyston61@gmail.com

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

OPINION

Opinion 28

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Share Your Thoughts:

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com

www.ahwatukee.com

Kyrene school board failing in public interactions BY ROSS ROBB AFN Guest Writer

am writing today as a concerned Kyrene resident who, for nine-andone-half years, concluding in 2016, had the privilege of serving as a Kyrene Governing Board member. I thoroughly enjoyed my board experience and I departed believing that time and energy devoted to the public education and wellbeing of children is a noble endeavor. I also believed after two terms that it was time for a new generation of Kyrene citizens to assume those governing duties. I served with 11 individuals during my time on the Governing Board, all well intentioned, community minded people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs, some of whom remain friends. I believe that my colleagues and I

served at a time of great challenge in public education highlighted by the Great Recession, deep budget cuts, unpopular program modifications and two controversial changes in Kyrene leadership. While the board members with whom I served occasionally disagreed, sometimes passionately, I think that we all understood the mission and goals of the District and the job that we were elected to do. At Governing Board meetings, we tried, and generally succeeded, to present a positive image to the community putting the job and the needs of Kyrene above our own differences. Since leaving the board, I have stayed out of District matters to allow my successors to do their job without my interference. Now, almost four years after my departure and as schools face difficult decisions about opening in the face of a pandemic, I feel compelled to comment on what I see in the behavior of the current

Kyrene Governing Board. Where I believe this Governing Board is failing – especially as Kyrene faces perhaps its greatest challenges in its 130-year history – is in how it interacts with both the internal and external Kyrene communities and how individual Board members choose to interact with those communities and with one another. I strongly believe that effective governing board service demands embracing an “attitude of service.” Too often, this Board seems to embrace an attitude of ‘being served’ and of individual inconsequential interests superseding critical district needs. As I consider this Board, unfortunately I see the whole being less than the sum of the parts. These are good and capable people, some of whom I know personally, who are choosing to not get along with one another and the District and the community are paying the price for that discord.

Space does not allow me to detail many examples that support my position. The July 14 board meeting is just one recent example. During a pandemic that is demanding leadership, Board members are putting their own need to be seen and heard over the needs of students, dedicated employees, parents and constituents who are longing for focus, clarity and unity. I believe that it is never too late to change. It is time for this Board to focus on the significant challenges before them. It is time to put politics and pettiness aside and lead the District through the crisis presented by COVID-19. I urge the Board to remember why they chose to serve and to follow these simple guidelines: Put first, the needs of the District, its students, employees and community.

the homeless pet population. For those in the animal welfare community here, it never seems to end. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control –“the pound” – has admitted around 6,000 animals so far in 2020. Through the employees’ and volunteers’ continuous efforts, they have found 3,200 pets to new homes, reunited about 1,400 pets with their owners and sent about another 1,400 to other local rescues. They are even sending dogs out of state to other rescues to help. The last few years have been an unprecedented time for MCACC because it is towards a no-euthanasia program. It has gone to great lengths to keep all healthy, adoptable animals alive and get them adopted. It costs $16 billion to run MCACC, but the county government only gives them $750,000 to operate. The rest they must

rely on donors, grants and large organizations like PetSmart Charities to provide money. For so many years people have told me they feel bad for the animals at “the pound” because they do not have enough blankets or bedding or toys. This is when I remind them that we should be donating to them, too. It is a common misconception that much of our taxpayer money goes to MCACC, as you see it does not. The Arizona Humane Society is the largest rescue in Maricopa County and runs solely on donations. AHS admitted almost 18,000 animals in 2019. There were approximately 13,000 pets that were either adopted to new homes or placed with other local rescues. AHS does not receive any government money but relies on donors, grants and large organizations. It costs approximately $25 billion for AHS to run every

day. This is because they have an entire medical department that heals, repairs, and cares for all the sick and injured animals sent its way. AHS has an Emergency Animal Medical Technician Department that investigates animal cruelty cases. They built a Parvo Puppy ward so that the euthanasia rate of parvo pups could be reduced significantly. They built a Bottle Baby Kitten section to stop the euthanasia of kittens due to lack of space. They also implemented a Pet Resource Center to help people find resources for their pet. We have over 120 small animal rescues. So, imagine how many more homeless animals they are helping on top of MCACC and AHS. What can we do? Consider adopting

see ROBB page 29

Area animal shelters, rescues need your help BY LISA THAYER AFN Guest Writer

aricopa County is only second to Los Angeles County in the number of homeless pets here. That’s a problem. I have worked or volunteered in animal welfare for 20 years. I have volunteered at shelters taking care of dogs, cats, hamsters, rats, bunnies, gerbils, etc. I have volunteered and met with our state representatives to discuss animal welfare legislation and encourage them to vote the way we wanted them to. I have trained animals. I have worked in adoptions at one of the largest rescues here. I have fostered around 30 dogs, a handful of cats, about 15 bunnies and about 20 rats as of now. And now I continue to try to help the effort to minimize

see PETS page 29

OPINION

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

ROBB from page 28

Foster an environment of cooperation and purpose that will restore community confidence in the Board. Exercise caution in the use of email and social media. You are an elected official – set a high and disciplined bar for your per-

PETS from page 28

before going to a breeder. There are 40plus breed specific rescues in Phoenix. If you can adopt then Google, “the breed you want” and “rescue Phoenix.” You might just find what you are looking for. When you want a new fur friend or family member search the rescues in the

Applauds reader’s AFN essay on race in America

I write to applaud the opinion piece “What I know, Don’t Know when it Comes to Race” so beautifully written by AFN guest writer Christopher Gentis in the July 29 edition of your paper. I have known and admired Chris for many years. I knew him, as we both served together on the Phoenix Police Department, as a bright, conscientious, professional and caring police officer and police leader. I was able to observe how he supervised his subordinates and when possible, modeled humane problem-solving in our Phoenix community. Over the years as an Ahwatukee resident, I have also admired his work on the many boards and civic efforts he has led to make this community better, fairer and more accepting. Chris’s penetrating discussion and heartfelt understanding of the racial history and disparities in our country, reflected in this piece, is a must read – an exposé I will be sharing with my good white friends and neighbors when they inevitably ask “What do they (BLM) want? We have made so much progress…why can’t they just be patient?” Thank you, Chris. My admiration continues to soar for your timely contributions to our community peace and understanding. -Jerry A. Oliver

QuikTrip a bad idea for current 40th Street I am a resident of the Paseo II community and have been for many years. I decided

sonal behavior and your engagement with constituents. Support your Superintendent, both publicly and privately – you have an excellent one; Stop antagonizing and undermining one another. Set an example for the students you serve.

Valley. There are thousands of homeless pets waiting to make you happy. Donate. All these rescues, including MCACC need financial help and items of donation from their wish lists. Volunteer. These homeless pets need to be cared for. You can help the employees by walking dogs, cleaning kennels, working adoption events and providing

If we in the community don’t constructively and respectfully speak up and hold our elected officials accountable, then we surely become part of the problem. Time is growing short for each individual Kyrene Board member to do what is needed to improve and fix what is broken. At this critical time, voters will soon

love to the animals. Foster. When you take a foster pet into your home, this opens another kennel at the shelter to save one more animal. Finally, contact your state legislators. Find out which animal welfare laws are being voted for. Contact your state legislators and ask them to vote for good animal welfare laws to help protect animals

determine who will fill three Board vacancies, but this current Board must come together right now, before that new Board is seated. If they fail to do so, it will be our children, our dedicated teachers and support personnel and our community who will sadly and unnecessarily pay for that failure.

and pets. Even if you just do one of these things, you are making a difference in the lives of animals who cannot speak up for themselves. - Lisa Thayer owns Gordy’s Goodies Pet Food & Supplies at 15425 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee. Information: gordyspetsupplies.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

to pick this community for its well-kept environment for my family retirement calmness. I also chose this community for my family and retirement based on its well- kept and peaceful environment. The piece of property that is being proposed to house the QT, located off the South East side of Cottonwood Lane and 40th Street near the east exit ramp of the 202 across from the Phoenix Bus Terminal, is in my opinion a horrendous proposal. Please consider my reasoning: 1. The lot is too small to accommodate the number of patrons and their vehicles, i.e. semi-trucks, morning commuters. 2. The intersection in question is already congested due to the bus terminal and early morning traffic. 3. The proposed single entrance to the QT would contribute to major congestion and potential hazards including accidents. 4. A business should have at least two points of ingress and egress for comfortable operation. Problem solution: Do not build the business at all in that location. Build the proposed QT on the North East Corner of Cottonwood Lane and 40th Street, next to the medical facilities where the property is larger and would help resolve the above issues. - James C. Mead

Conservancy survey shows skewed thought

My husband and I were elated that someone had taken an interest in the Golf Course. We became very frustrated with

the Conservancy’s interference and on July 23 expressed our displeasure with their measures. The following is an exchange that took place between July 23 and July 25 and gives the readers an idea of how numbers can be manipulated. “The CWC is not opposed to having a community vote, as long as everything is done legally. Our attorneys say that the Board cannot change the CC&Rs for land the association does not own. The Board disagrees, so a trial is being scheduled to decide who’s right in court. Let’s consider all options, have a vote... but let’s do it legally. That seems reasonable. “We are also quite willing to review any proposal from The Edge, and they are certainly free to sell their plan to the community. That’s what they did at Altadena School in late January. For their next proposal, the Edge have hired a Scottsdale PR agency and also started advertising in the AFN. So, let’s be clear. No one is stopping the Edge from presenting any plans. “We believe the community should have the final say. In fact, we believe so strongly in listening to the community that we funded a broad survey of over 2,500 households across Club West in June (every address the post office had). Before presenting options to the community, we think it is wise to ask the community what they want (and don’t want) in advance. The survey had over 800 respondents, and is statistically projectable to the entire community with a margin of error of only +/-3%. We asked how they felt about 4 different options -- if they want a restored golf course, a park, “leave as is”

or new houses. “The survey indicates that the community could be happy with 3 of these options (golf, park or “leave as is”), but the vast majority (80%) is decidedly against the prospect of new housing. This was crystal clear. Unfortunately, the only option being considered by the HOA Board or sold by the new land owners is the one that the community doesn’t want. “The majority (77%) would like to see the course re-opened, but 85% would be happy with just a park if the golf option is unrealistic. More telling is that 81% of the community would be content to leave the land just “as is” if that’s what it takes to avoid new houses. Not everyone likes “as is”, but are we going to ignore a majority of 81%? “Further, it is also significant that 78% of people who do NOT live on the golf course say it would be unethical to build new houses behind their neighbors that do live on the course. Not everyone feels this way, but 78% if a significant majority that cannot be ignored. “If fielding this survey was ‘butting in’ in anyone’s opinion, then so be it. Apparently, the vast majority of the community is glad we did, based on the survey results.” -Club West Conservancy Thank you for your response. It gave us a window into your skewed thought process. Let me make one thing perfectly clear: you do not have the majority voice of this community. Eight hundred responses are only 1/3 of

see LETTERS page 30

OPINION

LETTERS from page 29

the residents. Obviously, many others, or should I say the majority, were not interested in your questionnaire. Relying on your questionnaire for answers to complicated questions was a mistake. “Yes” and “no” answers will not suffice, considering the complexities of these issues. The property is now owned by The Edge. They have taken an interest in our community and taken a chance with their personal finances to solve a serious problem which no one else wanted to address. They should have a chance to develop a plan before any decisions are made. Your litigation – which was voted on and approved by no one but at the same time affects all residents – will push an ultimate solution months and months down the road. Our belief is that very few residents want that. Too many issues are currently decided by a minority without giving thought to the majority. We do agree on one thing, the community should have the final word. Continuing to say that “78% of people who do not live on the golf course say it would be unethical to build new houses behind their neighbors” is totally false. What is unethical is your constant statement that a majority feels that way. Your credibility is brought into question when you continue to use these percentages to state your case. We all know that there will never be another golf course because there is no water! The “as is” course of action is ridiculous. Leaving the golf course a barren waste land (i.e. The Lakes) is an option way below the quality of our community and its residents. Now is the time for everyone to grow up and act like mature adults. The petty bickering needs to end and all residents need to unite in favor of a reasonable solution – that solution is – parkland. We all need to face the reality that The Edge Group will have to build some homes somewhere within our community. Hopefully, the design will be amenable to everyone and make the land the quality we all want. -Greg and Sandy Peterson

Got s? New

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Our scientists will save us if we listen to them

Hopefully, Americans can see that the strain of anti-intellectualism that led to our current leadership is now killing Americans. I would argue that it is not just the sciences of biology, virology, biochemistry, biophysics and so on that are important. They are greatly important and will more than likely save many of our lives. But I believe going forward that psychology, psychiatry and history will be sciences that will be essential in healing the wounds that have been inflicted on us these last years and vitally important for keeping them from happening again. Psychiatry and psychology are still considered mumbo jumbo by a segment of the American population, but they have been and will continue to be wildly important both in helping Americans recover from the effects of the virus and for helping us choose wisely in the future. Had we been more attuned to theories of personality we may have noticed some things. I am not a psychiatrist, but if we consulted one, she would probably tell us that you would not need to be Sigmund Freud to figure out some simple things about personality. For instance: If every candidate running for presidency for 50 years released their income taxes and there was huge pressure to do that and the person running does not, we can assume he is hiding something. Pretty obvious. If we see patterns of cruelty, we may want to judge that person unfit to lead us. We have seen serious cruelty in the last four years from our leader. Cruelty is often a marker for mental health issues. Making fun of a reporter with a disability, ordering children separated from their parents and put in cages, tweeting about women calling them dogs, fat and ugly are examples of needless cruelty. President Trump’s latest cruelty was having a campaign rally in the middle of a deadly pandemic. Encouraging people to ignore the advice of scientists. To gather inside without masks. This will certainly lead to needless suffering from the virus. Concern only for himself and his re-election and not his sup-

porters is certainly cruel and should disqualify anyone from a leadership position. Historians know that the tyrants of history engage in cruelty and suppression of opposition. Hitler, Stalin, Putin could all give orders to have people killed and not miss a moment’s sleep. He degrades and denigrates members of his staff. At his recent rally in Tulsa Oklahoma, Trump announced that he asked his administrators to “slow down testing.” This is cruel. It does not allow Americans who believe themselves to be ill to get a test. It also allows the virus to spread and kill more Americans. President Trump’s most recent authoritarian and cruel move is to send unidentified federal officers to Portland. They are picking up U.S. citizens and hauling them off, with our citizens having no idea who just kidnapped them. They even shot one peaceful protester in the face with non-lethal rounds, shattering bones. I taught students that authoritarian governments have secret police forces that only answer to, and take orders from, the dictator, and that free counties should never stand for that. Educating our nation in the biological sciences is huge to save our lives; teaching our nation psychology and history will help us save our democracy from authoritarianism. -Barry Smith

FDA is leading Americans down the wrong path

The Food and Drug Administration has fought alternative medicine for more than 20 years. Alternative medicines pose a huge problem for them, as they can “cure” any disease, even death, whereas mainstream medicine only supports Big Pharma’s drugs. These drugs are foreign to the body and challenge the immune system. Nearly all of these drugs have side effects, causing other diseases, sometimes forcing the patient to use other drugs for these new diseases. Even our vaccines are bad. Twenty years ago, Dr. Garth Nicholson, director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine, decided to inspect vaccines. His claim to fame was that he directed one of the five most powerful micro-

scopes in America. He found that the major contaminant in vaccines was mycoplasmas. As Dr. Nicholson has shown, when children get vaccinated they are receiving mycoplasmas which activate all internal diseases. He published this info in one of the major journals for all to see, but the FDA did nothing to correct this problem with vaccines, as evident by the number of children’s hospitals in this country . When God put life on earth, he put mechanisms in humans to prevent children from getting a disease. The human body has to grow to late teens to start producing mycoplasmas, which accumulate in its body as you age. Mycoplasmas are required to activate disease cells for diseases to occur. Let’s take our present problem: We have a coronavirus ravaging our country. The World Health Organization has already labeled the virus as a “global health emergency.” Our country is gearing up its testing, using diagnostic kits, which shouldn’t be what we focus on. We have a medical system that has no treatment for this disease. Also, there is no vaccine. The whole system is now focused on vaccines because our government is bankrolling this effort. Alternative medicine has many “cures”, but the FDA won’t use these treatments, not because they don’t work, but if these treatments cure, then the government will quit funding Big Pharma. So, the FDA is sacrificing the health of our society for the all mighty buck. This virus is spreading because we are relying on everyone’s immune system to be functioning well enough to stop it. This cannot happen without help from medicine. If the present treatment continues, all patients with weak immune system will die because their immunity systems are not efficiently functioning. How long are we going to wait for the correct approach to this virus? It looks like we need to toss out our coronavirus team, and get a team that isn’t led by FDA people, people who are willing to accept natural alternative medicine and spread the word to the public that they are going to have to quit depending upon the government and protect themselves from this disease. -Don Crook

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

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Going From Better To Best The new owners of the old golf course at Club West are working to clean up the blight that has accumulated since the course closed in 2016. The weeds and trash are things that the residents of Club West have endured for years. The clubhouse has long been the target of vandals. The new owners of the property are taking immediate action getting rid of weeds and trash and fighting the blight. The clubhouse has also been secured to prevent any more damage.

This is just the first step in a revitalization that will ultimately take the property from better to best. The revitalization plan will apply sustainable desert planning to stabilize and mitigate the land while providing significant benefit to the community. New parks, walking paths, a rose garden, a community garden, artists and sculpture gardens are just a few of the ideas that have been suggested so far. Please send us your ides by going to our website at TheParkAtClubWest.com The new owners, who are residents and property owners of Club West, want to keep you updated while the cleanup progresses. A comprehensive revitalization plan will soon be submitted to the HOA for approval by a vote of the Homeowners. Although financing for The Park at Club West will require the addition of some new homes, there will be significantly fewer than previously proposed and their placement will primarily be in areas that are currently utilized for commercial structures. Consideration will be given to a variety of factors such as natural buffering, access, mitigating current issues, reducing disruption and minimizing interference with sight lines. Together, let’s continue to make progress and keep talking more for Club West’s best possible future.

For the latest information or to weigh in on this revitalization go to

TheParkAtClubWest.com.

Your suggestions about what to include in the emerging plan are always welcome. Click ‘learn more’ on our website.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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BUSINESS

Business AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Ahwatukee doctor revives old-fashioned house visits

“I decided to start my business after realizing that there was going to be a healthcare crisis as more people were losing their jobs and medical insurance coverage,” he explained. There is a need within our community

to provide another venue to receive medical attention because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that lies ahead,” Adame added. He said he was also concerned about the many seniors in Ahwatukee and Chandler and determined he could be of help to them. “As a result of the pandemic, more people, especially the elderly, are confining themselves to their homes because they cannot take the risk of getting infected – whether visiting their primary physician, clinic or emergency room,” he said. “While telemedicine and telephone calls have been a viable alternative to face-toface time in an office, I feel that there is still a need to assess a person’s concern in person, and help them decide whether they need to seek further care before their condition worsens.” Adame also said some health issues that might not require office visits can be

addressed by utilizing HouseCallsMD, an independently-owned business not affiliated with national companies with similar names. “There are those simple ailments that can be managed at home with the proper guidance,” he said. “Furthermore, I’ve always believed that being a member of the community means contributing in some small way that enhances the well-being of everyone.” Targeting Ahwatukee and Chandler, he said, “I’m not a company where profit drives the motivation” but rather one individual “taking small steps to hopefully make a large impact in a void created by the pandemic.” Becoming a medical doctor involved determination, years of intense study and hard work and, for Adame, a bit of serendipity as he’d entered college planning to

uring a discussion of the housing market and issues related to the pandemic, five real estate experts and the AFN began talking about the

overall economy in Ahwatukee and the East Valley. The experts included: Attorney Benjamin Gottlieb, of the real estate law firm MacQueen & Gottlieb; Kellie James, of Prime Lending Chandler; Lance Brace, of Bennett Property Management; Mary Nol-

lenberger, a commercial real estate specialist for SVN/Desert Commercial Advisors and Angela Tauscher, a Realtor with West USA Real Estate Chandler. Their assessment of the housing market appears in today’s real estate section. Here’s what else was discussed.

How do you see the market for commercial and office space in this region? Mary Nollenberger: The East Valley for me is home, where I live and I do my work. The vacancy rate is just under 7 percent in

LANCE BRACE

KELLIE JAMES

MARY NOLLENBERGER

ANGELA TAUSCHER

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

n the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new area medical practice has been born that couldn’t be timelier. Dr. Norbert Adame, a 20-year Ahwatukee resident, launched HouseCallsMD that does just what its name says. He makes house calls in Chandler and Ahwatukee. Adame, who graduated from Boston University School of Medicine after serving in the U.S. Army in the latter years of the Vietnam War, completed his residency in emergency medicine at Maricopa Medical Center. For the past six years, he has taught anatomy and physiology at Gateway Community College, then decided to start HouseCallsMD after determining the pandemic could have an debilitating effect on his community.

Dr. Norbert Adame is reviving the once-commonplace home visits in Chandler and Ahwatukee. (Pablo Robles/ Staff Photographer)

�ee DOCTOR page 34

RE experts say EV is dodging much of the recession BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

�ee OUTLOOK page 35

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Roth IRAs make more financial sense for your retirement BY HAROLD WONG AFN Contributor

rillions of dollars are held in traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. However, this creates a ticking tax time bomb because any money withdrawn is taxed as ordinary income (think wages or profits from any small business you own). You got a tax deduction from your original deposit and your earnings were taxdeferred until you pulled money out, typically in retirement. If you had deposited $250,000 over the decades while working and were lucky enough for it to be worth $1 million at retirement, all $1 million will be taxed as ordinary income when you spend it. In contrast, with a Roth IRA, the whole $1 million is tax free if you follow two rules: you wait until age 59.5 or older to withdraw funds; and you have had your first Roth IRA account opened for at least

DOCTOR from page 33

become a teacher. He was born Norberto Adame, Jr. in Kingsville, Texas, a city located in the historic Wild Horse Desert and named for Richard King, founder of the largest ranch in the country. “My family came from humble beginnings,” Adame recalled, noting that his maternal grandfather and great uncle lived and worked on the King Ranch. “My mother’s family were migrant workers who would pack the family in the car and drive to California to pick fruits and vegetables,” he said. “My father came from a farming family in northern Texas, and when he got out of the Army, he became a carpenter and house builder.” Adame spent many summers as a youth in Kingsville with his grandparents. “They instilled in me the work ethic and compassion that quilted the fabric for who I am,” he said. While enrolling at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, then known as Texas A&I

5 years. You are allowed to convert as much or as little of your traditional IRAs or 401(k)s in any given tax year. Example: You have $1,000,000 in your traditional 401(k) and decide to convert $500,000 per year over the next two years. Assuming you have no earnings or losses during this period, this will create $500,000 of taxable income in each year. You would either have to pay this tax; or you could invest in alternative energy business equipment and use the 26 percent tax credit and Section 179 immediate expensing provision to offset the tax. Once you have done the Roth IRA conversion, here are three major benefits: There is no taxation, no matter how much you earn, for the rest of your life and your spouse’s life; and the first 10 years for any heirs (typically kids or grandkids). Imagine that you have $1 million in a Roth IRA when you retire at age 65. Suppose it grows to $4,048,934 when you are 89 (which is only a 6 percent average compound growth rate). You or your

University, his plans for his future took a turn because education classes he sought were unavailable. “I went in to register and the teaching classes were full, so they steered me toward science and biology, and I said, ‘okay, I’ll do that,” he remembered. “As I started down that route, I began hanging out with the wrong crowd – people in pre-med, dentistry and such – and found myself leaning toward science and medicine.” He was one of four from his college graduating class accepted by medical schools. Having served with the U.S. Army from 1973-1976, Adame was a bit older than others enrolled in his medical school class. “I was probably a little more mature than my fellow classmates, but I think it was more difficult for me having to compete with students from the Northeast who’d gone to Ivy League schools,” said Adame, who graduated in 1989. “It was a challenge, but I did great. I was in the top quarter of my class.” After completing his residency in Boston, Adame joined the faculty at the University

heirs would be able to spend this money with absolutely no income tax. In contrast, if your $1 million traditional IRA or 401(k) grew to $4,048,934, at a combined federal and state tax rate of 40%, you would owe $1,619,574 of tax. There is no required minimum distribution from a Roth IRA. In contrast, RMDs are required for any traditional tax-deferred retirement account, such as IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and the 457 thrift savings plan once you turn 72. If you have been a good saver, you are being forced to distribute $10,000 or more of annual RMDs and it increases every year. Many of my clients who were good savers don’t need the RMDs to live on and wish they were not forced to take them. They did not want the extra taxable income. When you are retired, you no longer have your job income and every dollar counts more. Example: You are a married couple, age 70 who have $100,000 of taxable income, less $27,400 standard deduction equals $72,600 of federal taxable income. of Texas Medical School in Houston, serving as medical director and division chief for its emergency department. He and his wife moved back to Arizona, where he served as a University of Arizona School of Medicine clinical faculty member while working and teaching at Maricopa Medical Center and in the private sector. His students’ reviews at Gateway Community College repeatedly refer to him as “passionate” – which he calls an apt description. “The accolades I’ve received for my clinical teaching are reflective of my desire to educate and help produce quality physicians. I believe teaching at any level helps a physician foster better relationships with his or her patients,” he said. Adame hopes to continue in the classroom “because students find that a clinical correlation to the material they are learning gives it more meaning and it’s not just the routine of memorizing ‘stuff’ to pass an exam.” And he sees himself as part of “a continuum from learning medicine to practicing

GOT NEWS?

They will owe $8,317 of federal tax and about $1,973 of Arizona tax. Losing $10,290 to taxes every year might impact your bucket list fun. In contrast, if most of your income was from Social Security and your Roth IRA, you would owe very little tax. Most people want to have a free and clear house when they retire. The time to pay an expensive mortgage is when you have your job income. The same thinking should apply to your IRAs and 401ks. You want a free and clear retirement account, meaning a Roth IRA when you are retired because there is no tax when you spend that money. Free information on retirement planning, solar business investments, and tax savings can be found at drharoldwong. com or.solarbusinessinvestments.com. RSVP at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@ hotmail.com. Harold Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs. medicine to teaching and now returning to the practice of medicine.” As he launches his new business, he was asked to describe his bedside manner. “In two words – compassion and empathy,” he said. “Without going into details, I’ve had first-hand experience in being a patient so I know how an apathetic expression can cause distress, and how a compassionate touch of the shoulder can provide comfort to the pain and fear.” At 65, Adame is a big believer in remaining physically active. “I started running 5Ks and half marathons at the age of 50 because I wanted to follow the same advice I was giving my patients,” he said. “And I ran my first marathon at the age of 60.” He’s also written a fiction eBook, “The Exit From My Dreams,” available on Amazon. Information: housecallsmd-ahwatukee.com, Doctor visits are $135, and payable in cash, by credit card or PayPal. Dr. Adame said he doesn’t accept Medicare or insurance plans at this time.

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

BUSINESS

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

OUTLOOK from page 34

those areas as opposed to other areas of Metro Phoenix that are in the 20 percent and 30 percent vacancy rates. Chandler and Gilbert are rising communities that are experiencing a ton of influx from California businesses. For example, State Farm in Chandler – they are recruiting from 42 markets to bring employees just into that tech corridor in Chandler. Chandler and Gilbert are experiencing growth at a rate that another municipality can’t compare to.” Why is that? Nollenberger: A lot of the tech business placement and then housing follows those jobs. The Tempe Town Lake has huge employment expansion; Chandler has huge expansion. Chandler’s population is slightly larger than Gilbert’s but Gilbert has been voted one of the nation’s friendliest cities to move to. There’s so much positive press for the East Valley and there are, you know, there’s housing that follows job. When people from out-of-state talk about what’s happening in Arizona specific to COVID, our East Valley cities are really in a different category because of the bulk of business and people wanting to escape the California tax situation. What explains that? There’s incredible commercial tech and new jobs in the Apple Command Center and Far East Mesa in the Gateway District There’s tons of jobs. And then, Eastmark has provided a great option for affordable housing but in a community that is so vibrant. Queen Creek used to be the option for people that didn’t mind driving as far but wanted more affordable housing now every restaurant, every commercial retailer that wasn’t there before is there now. So you’ve got dining options, you’ve got shopping options. You’ve got entertainment options. The entire East Valley is just vibrant in a different way than any other area. Tauscher: I agree with Mary completely. I live in Queen Creek myself and have been there for the last 12 years and we used to be basically the redheaded stepchild and now it’s the place to be. I mean we have everything – from our own Harkins now. They’re building a Fat Cats. Trader Joe’s is going in the same parking lot right next to Target and Barrio Queen. I think the thing about the Queen Creek-

Mesa corridor is that there’s so much newness. It just feels fresh. It’s close to an airport for a lot of people that don’t mind going into one of the smaller airports. The 202 is right there. There’s just a lot of navigational options there. You go to Maricopa, which is also growing at a rapid rate but you’re trapped – one way in and one way out. Nollenberger: From the commercial landscape view, we’ve had a lot of conversations about the future of retail jobs. And of course, it used to be recession-proof, and then it was internet proof and now it’s COVID-proof. We’re looking at how Target spends. Target spends millions implementing inventory and digital control systems and put them in place before they needed them so that people could order online and could choose either in-store pick-up or delivery. Walmart jumped on that strategy with pickup and delivery options. Those companies are going to be rewarded for having that technology in place. So we have to take a look at the grocers who have not implemented those strategies and how that might in long-term effect their viability. We’re looking at retailers and how they are changing strategies to not only survive but be competitive in the future with all those factors affecting their future. Would you say that restaurants and bars have probably taken a greater hit than the small retail businesses? Nollenberger: Absolutely. I think that restaurants that are following the protocol and requiring masks and distancing, I look at numbers occupancy numbers with clients of mine. Lease rate occupancy cost can’t be more than 8 percent and now with the decrease in their volume and having to comply with distancing and close every other table, they’re having to look at strategies to increase their monthly cash flow opportunities, and how are we going to navigate this. When you look at that business owner that is complying and then a bar that has no social distancing protocol going on, a survivability factor can’t be equal when the conditions are so different.” How about office space? How will social distancing and the economy impact large buildings and complexes? Nollenbeger: Office space is going to go one way or the other – it’s not going to be static. Either office space is going to go larger to provide different spacing and cubicles are going to have to be sequestered to pro-

vide privacy or they’re going to downsize because people are going to continue working remotely.” With the increase in remote working, will companies decide “we don’t have to pay all this rent”? Do you see a change in the demand for office space in the region? Nollenberger: Buildings are pretty committed before they ever go vertical. There’s very little office space that’s built speculatively. There are a lot of people that want to reach out to their office setting…There are people who can’t wait for that – for office to be office and home to be home. What is the state of strip malls in your experience? Nollenberger: With every crisis comes an opportunity. There are a number of investors that thrive in a down market and that’s where all of their purchases occurred and they are not in their most driven mode when the market is where it’s been with contraction. There was a time when being a groceryanchored or big box-anchored was just preferential and honestly now for many investors, part of being internet-proof is having smaller spaces and not about the anchor and junior-anchor space being vacant. We just sold an unanchored Scottsdale site. It was under contract within two weeks of our listing and it closed 30 days early. I was on a conference call with an investor yesterday who said, “When I saw this post card and that this property was sold, I realized that I missed this opportunity.” New home construction: I’ve read that that’s not keeping up with demand. Is that still going to pose a struggle for people looking to buy a home? Tauscher: We just put two different clients in a new build in a Fulton Queen Creek. The sales guys were telling me they’d been open like six weeks and they’d already sold a hundred homes. We’re seeing the same thing everywhere with the builds. It is unbelievable... If they start out with five lots available, they’re probably not going to have five lots available by 3 in the afternoon. It truly is a problem. I think part of it is that we don’t have enough and I think part of it is, again, people are bored and they figure well, they have nothing better to do because they’re all working from home. So they’ll just go take a lunch hour and they just want to go see a model because it’s fun and they literally can make a field

trip of it… They go in there thinking ‘I’m not going to do a new build’ and they fall in love with the staging and the next thing you know, they’re signing a contract and they’re buying a new-build. Now there’s that weird timing issue where we are having a lot of people needing short-term rentals because the builder wants that house sold within the next week or two of going under contract and the home’s not going to be ready for six or seven months. There’s not a lot of great viable options for people to go to so there’s been that a disconnect for short term rental situation. So it seems from both the commercial and the housing side that the East Valley region is a little bit better positioned even during this pandemic than a good bit of the country. Is that safe to say? James: Absolutely, I can work 24 hours a day. Brace: What I’m seeing a lot is increased demand for four-bedroom houses in a rental, whereas before it was three bedrooms… I’m having people calling me asking if they can install secure phone lines and things like that so they can take credit card payments. I’m really seeing that across the board and I think that moving forward, we’re going to see increased demand for bigger houses in rentals because of that: people needing office space. Does the pandemic’s long-term impact concern you? Brace: I don’t have any fear about that, largely because people always need a place to live… At the end of the day, there’s always going to be demand for rentals. That’s why I personally will invest in rentals myself. Tauscher: I feel the same way. I think that as long as people are home and they’re bored and they can only do so much to the current home, they’re now talking more than ever about “Maybe we should do this. Maybe we should do that.” And so it doesn’t scare me because I’m seeing so much more activity out of the people that I talked with on a daily basis. I spoke with one of my investors yesterday who owns a small Chinese food restaurant. He said he made that conversion very quickly to get the food out in a different way and he was terrified that first couple of weeks, but he said I’ve had more banner days in the last two months than he had in the last 10 years of being in business.

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

State will add 511K jobs by 2028, official projects BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

rizona should add more than 511,000 jobs by the end of 2028 compared with 2018 – assuming no major economic disruptions, people keep moving here and residents get older. The projections by the state Office of Economic Opportunity means a 16.8 percent in the number of people working over that period, an average of 1.6 percent a year. That compares with just a 5.2 percent increase nationally over the same period, or just 0.5 percent. Maricopa County is projected to biggest growth in the state over that time – 1.9 percent for an additional 434,486 new jobs. Yavapai would see the second greatest growth at 1.8 percent, or 13,505 jobs. Pinal County is projected to see a 1 percent growth and add 6,984 jobs while Pima County and Tucson are projected to see a .7 percent growth and add 29,293 jobs. Leading that growth is health services. Put simply, an aging population will

mean a higher percentage of Arizonans who become eligible for Medicare, according to Doug Walls, the agency’s research administrator. A lot of this is going to be driven by people moving to Arizona after years of what amounted to stagnation during the last recession. Walls figures that the net population change from migration to Arizona will far outstrip natural growth – meaning births minus deaths. That, in turn, will fuel demand for housing, with projections of the construction industry growing by 1.9 percent a year through 2028. Walls figures Arizona will add another 176,000 healthcare jobs through 2028, an annualized rate that translates out to 3.7 percent, far faster than population growth itself. He points out that the number of people who turn 65 is expected to peak in 2023. “They do consume more health care services,’’ Walls said, saying that nearly half of one-time medical expenditures

occur once people turn 65. “Those are trends that can’t be ignored,’’ he said. Walls said that growth is unlikely to translate into more people working at retail outlets. Instead, he anticipates a continuing increase in the shift to online purchases, with the growth coming in this sector at the expense of more traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. For example, Walls projects that employment at stores that sell clothing and accessories will actually shrink by 1.6 percent a year over the next decade. Electronics and appliance stores will see a 2.5 percent average annual decline in workers, with a 2.6 percent in the category that encompasses shops that sell sporting goods, hobby supplies, books and music. The winners? Look for a 6.4 percent average annual growth in employment in warehousing and storage, much of this being the fulfillment centers for online retailers. And the number of people employed as couriers,

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including delivery drivers, will go up an average of 5.2 percent annually. Overall construction employment is expected to increase by about 1.9 percent a year. The state’s leisure and hospitality industry will add about 39,000 jobs over the next decade – a growth rate of just 1.1 percent annually. Walls said he can’t predict what might happen if there is not a COVID-19 vaccine and the pandemic continues to impair economic growth.

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

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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Turf still raises questions about injuries to athletes BY MIKE MCQUADE Cronkite News

enaye Coleman, a former Division I lacrosse player at Marquette University, saw many teammates experience gruesome knee injuries in practice and games. During her four years playing on arti�icial turf, it created a dark cloud of fear about stepping onto the �ield. “Once we saw probably like, I don’t know, four girls tear their ACL out on our turf,” Coleman said. “It became kind of a stigma that everyone was a little nervous about. ‘Oh gosh, who’s gonna be next’ and for a while it was all people could focus on.” Although arti�icial turf has greatly improved since its introduction in the 1960s, studies suggest it is still likely to cause more injuries among athletes than its more expensive counterpart: natural grass. A 2019 study by Cleveland-based University Hospitals featured data from 26 high school trainers during the 20172018 athletic season who reported 953 injuries: 368 were on natural grass, while 585 were on synthetic turf. The study also found that upper and lower extremities as well as torso injuries occurred more on synthetic turf than natural grass. The sports most vulnerable to the injuries? Football, men’s lacrosse, rugby and girls and boys soccer led the way. Ahwatukee’s Katie Smith, a redshirt freshman playing soccer at Marquette University, competed on natural grass at Desert Vista High School and on turf �ields at other schools. She saw injuries occur on both types of �ields. But as a center back in soccer, she preferred the natural grass. “Because it just feels more natural and it’s easier to run on grass and it’s not as hard on your feet as turf and I feel like it just �lows better,” she said. Once she made the transition to Division I soccer, she was practicing on turf and playing games on natural grass. She saw an advantage to that routine. “When you play on turf the games move

yond that,” M e n d i vil said, “so that our students, our families, our teachers can enjoy and have an absolute fantastic memorable experience during their time with us.” Desert Vista is in the process of installing a new turf field that will be used by all of the Though, school’s sports programs, clubs and outside organizations throughout the year. (Photo courtesy there may Tommy Eubanks) still be some a lot faster because of the surface, so then cause for concern surrounding turf �ields the transition from turf to grass helps you based on studies at the college level. play a lot faster and it makes you think Division I athletes who competed on a lot quicker off the ball and on as well,” arti�icial turf experienced injuries to PosSmith said. terior Cruciate Ligament – which is at the Desert Vista is one of two schools re- back of the knee and connects the femur ceiving a new turf �ield for the 2020-21 to the tibia – at nearly three times the rate school year after the Tempe Union High of those competing on natural grass, acSchool District Governing Board voted to cording to a report in the American Jourapprove the project in May. nal of Sports Medicine that looked at more School Athletic Director Tommy Eu- than three million athletes from 2004-14. banks, along with district of�icials, agreed In 1966, AstroTurf was introduced to the new �ield would create opportunities sports. It was installed in the Houston for all of Desert Vista’s athletic programs, Astrodome and changed the landscape of as well as classes during the school day. professional, college and high school comEubanks said in May it would also bene�it petition. Now there are roughly 12,000 the community as local youth organiza- synthetic turf �ields in the United States, tions had the ability to rent the �ield. reports the Synthetic Turf Council, with Much of the funding for the two projects between 1,200 to 1,300 turf �ields being is expected to come from the unrestricted installed every year. capital funds the district received from the Its popularity grew as a less expensive sale of property in Ahwatukee. District Su- alternative to natural grass. perintendent Kevin Mendivil sought ways Rebecca Lambert, a Grand Canyon athall six of Tempe Union’s comprehensive letic trainer as well as a personal trainer, high schools could bene�it from the funds, said she has not seen a big difference in and upgrading facilities was one of them. injury rate when comparing the newer “As a high school only district we have grade of turf versus natural grass. But, she to put 110 percent of our effort and ideas said, when an athlete plants his or her foot and creativity and those resources that on turf it is like glue. are available to us to keep these multi“There’s a higher friction and so when million dollar facilities up to par and be- you’re cutting or turning, you just stick to

it a little bit more whereas natural grass there’s a little more movement in the ground,” Lambert said. “A lot of players complain about feeling more sore or just kind of joints being more achy, kind of worn down after competing on turf versus grass as well.” Why do so many facilities turn to turf? A big reason is high schools and universities save hundreds of thousands of dollars. A turf �ield allows multiple sports to play on it without the wear and tear that occurs with natural grass. Equipment, supplies and labor costs can range from $23,250-$127,000 for synthetic turf, and from $42,800-$205,500 for natural grass, according to a report from Safe Healthy Playing Fields. Many athletes have mixed feelings about turf versus grass. Audra Sumetz, a Desert Vista graduate and soon to be Fort Lewis soccer defensive back, notes she has seen her fair share of hamstring and quadriceps pulls on the turf. “Because of just the way the turf is, how hard it is and how quickly everything moves,” Sumetz said. “I see more players get injured on turf than natural grass and it gets really hot, so it burns your feet as you’re wearing black cleats.” The impact of playing on turf, however, is more than just mental, Coleman said. When she was at Marquette, the strength and conditioning coach approached players that were perceived to be more likely to suffer knee injuries and would create programs for them in order to strengthen that area of the knee. But even doing that affected the players mentally. When playing on the turf it had them “thinking twice about (whether) they’re going to be safe or not,” Coleman said. Desert Vista’s new turf �ield is expected to be completed before the start of the 2020-21 school year. Tempe High School is also receiving a new turf �ield and other district schools, including Mountain Pointe, are expected to receive an upgrade in the coming years.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

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Chandler nonpro�it promotes concerts, faith BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI AFN Staff Writer

rian Cole never envisioned or had aspirations to work in event production. Then God came calling. “God had a plan and opened all the doors for me,” Cole said. “I did do some event marketing before that, but it didn’t have anything to do with music or concerts or anything Christian.” Eighteen years ago, that message from God turned into Extreme Faith Productions, a Chandler nonpro�it with a desire to bring quality Christian events to Arizona and the Southwest. Cole built his organization by building partnerships with churches, local artists, promoters and charities. Nearly two decades later, Cole hosts 75 to 100 concerts per year. “It’s a blessing to serve the Christian community and to help a generation so desperately needing to know the love of Jesus Christ,” he said.

AMBERLY NEESE

To celebrate the 18 years, Extreme Faith Productions is hosting several concerts throughout Arizona with Jonny Diaz, Amberly Neese, Leland Klassen, Mia Koehne, Brian Weaver and Scott Macintyre from

Tickets at extremefaithproductions.com. Cole assures that social distancing will take place. “We’re doing dinners,” he said. “We’re only letting 50 people there because of the current executive order. We may go to 100 if the order is lifted between now and then. “We’re going to serve the people at round tables. There’s going to be a little bit of music and comedy, then the appetizers. Music and comedy LELAND KLASSEN JONNY DIAZ and then the salad, etc. Each one will take about 15 minutes to “American Idol.” Shows are Aug. 7 at Living Word Bible perform and talk a little bit about their Church in Mesa; Aug. 8 at Calvary Prescott experience with Extreme Faith ProducChurch in Prescott; and Aug. 9 at Phoenix �� CHRISTIAN �� 42 Christian Preparatory School in Phoenix.

Zany duo to perform pop-up events in Chandler

AFN NEWS STAFF

popular comedy duo is bringing its traveling comedy pop-up drive-in show for the �irst time to the East Valley this month and they’ve picked Chandler as the place to do it. Following their sold-out performances in May and June, comediennes Marlene Strang and Leanne Schmidt, billing themselves as “The Ladies,” are bringing their pop-up drive-in show, “Ladies in the Headlights!” Aug. 7- 8, 14 -15 with show times at 7:45 pm and 8:15 pm on Fridays and 7:45 pm, 8:15 pm and 8:45 pm on Saturdays. Co-produced with the Chandler Center for the Arts, “Ladies in the Headlights” is a 15 minute performance designed for parking lots. Audience members reserve a parking spot, drive in, and watch The Ladies perform by the light of their high-

beams and to the soundtrack broadcast through their car radios. The catch is that when you buy a ticket, you won’t know where to go until 24 hours before the actual show. All that their publicist would say was “The Ladies will be performing in some of Chandler’s iconic locales.” Participants tune their car radios to 88.1 FM to hear the performance and curbside food orders will be available to complete the live experience. Tickets are $19.99 per car and on sale at wearetheladies.net. “Set in a parking lot and performed to a soundtrack as varied as Kenny G and Ultra Lounge, The Ladies break free from the pressures of motherhood and housework by expressing themselves with their best

�� POP-UP �� 42

Marlene Strang and Leanne Schmidt are bringing a series of comedic pop-up events to Chandler this month. (Special to AFN)

GET OUT

CHRISTIAN �� 41

tions. Some of them have been with us for a very long time.” That includes Diaz. “I haven’t even tallied up how many times Extreme Faith Productions has brought me to the Phoenix area and around the state,” Diaz said. “It truly feels like a second home. Artists want their fans to grow with them. When I started doing shows with Extreme Faith Productions, I had no children and I was only just married. Now I have three kids and I’ve been married for 12 years. They get gifts for my kids and that doesn’t normally happen.” At the show, Diaz hopes to really connect with the audience through storytelling. “My biggest goal is to be a storyteller,” he said. “I love to share stories between songs and through my songs. My biggest story is what Jesus has done in my life and

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

blessed me with my family.” Through his shows, Cole hopes to introduce those who fear or feel uncomfortable with church to the blessings it has to offer. “We’re still encouraging people and giving people the opportunity to invite others who don’t go to church and expose them to Christian music, comedy or speakers,” he said. Cole, who was baptized in 2001 and started his company in 2002, has 50 events planned in the fall and is hoping he can still hold them. He’s also prepared to stage an online fundraiser. “We’re in about 15 different states,” he said. “In 2021, I’m hoping to go back to our normal 150 a year. They’re mostly in 500-person churches. We need to share this message. We’re not doing it for the money.” Information: tions.com

extremefaithproduc-

GOT NEWS?

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

POP-UP �� 41

moves,” the publicist said, adding: “The result is an utterly wacky and uproarious show as audiences delight in their zany physical comedy, laugh at their charming awkwardness and see what happens when we can be released from taking life too seriously.” Shuttered since mid-March, the Chandler Center for the Arts is an enthusiastic partner. “We are so excited to bring this fun show to locations around Chandler. ‘The Ladies’ have found a way for people to experience a live show while promoting local businesses at the same time,” said Michelle Mac Lennan, the center’s general manager. The Ladies are described as “a zany, awkward pair of moms, clinging to the past to get through today.” Strang and Schmidt have been performing together since 2017. Professionally trained dancers, they have been featured at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, the Beta Dance Festival in Phoenix, Center for Visual Arts in Denver, the Regional Alternative Dance Festival

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in Kalamazoo and were showcased at the 50th Anniversary of Dance at ASU. Previous productions include “Ladies Gone Mild” and “Let Your Lady Out” in venues around the Valley. Schmidt describes herself as “incredibly good at hiding vegetables in her toddler’s baked goods” and often presented shows that were comical in nature with her dance company for nine years in New York City. When she moved to Phoenix, she thought it was time to “settle down,” so she became an adjunct professor of dance. Strang is an educator, choreographer and performer based in Arizona. She teaches dance at Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University. She served as the director of curriculum and instruction for Colorado Ballet and dance programming associate at the Kennedy Center. She also has been a guest artist at the Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest), the Dance and Film Festival at Triskelion Arts, Denver Art Museum, Cherry Creek Art Denver Festival, Anne Green Gilbert’s Kaleidoscope Dance Company, Colorado Ballet, Metropolitan State University and Beta Dance Festival.

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Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 199 Visit our website! ce Sin rk Wo e, Quality abl ord Aff ✔ Bathrooms BSMALLMAN@Q.COM Landlord and Homeowner Property Services 2010, 2011 9 199 ce Sin able, Quality Work 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Aff•ord And More! 2010, 2011 Repairs • Drywall • Painting BINSR Items Small Man!” 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014 Trash Removal • HOA Ahwatukee Compliance Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor 1999 Since Ahwatukee / References Affordable, Quality Work 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, AND so Ahwatukee much more! Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor 2014 Bruce at 602.670.7038

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

480.335.4180

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

480.654.5600

*Not A Licensed Contractor Painting • Flooring • Electrical✔ Painting “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!”

Ahwatukee Resident

Landscape/Maintenance

Landscape Lighting

Electrical

Ahwatukee Resident, References Available, Insured

Landscape Design/Installation

Sprinkler & Drip Systems Repairs • Modifications • Installs

Home Improvement

Not a licensed contractor.

• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

520.508.1420

www.husbands2go.com

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949

Home Remodeling • BASE BOARDS • DRYWALL • ELECTRICAL • PAINTING • PLUMBING • BATHROOMS • WOOD FLOORING • FRAMING WALLS • FREE ESTIMATES • GRANITE FABRICATION & INSTALLATION • CARPET INSTALLATION • LANDSCAPING

No Job Too Small! Senior Discounts!

David Hernandez (602) 802 3600

daveshomerepair@yahoo.com • Se Habla Español

Ask me about FREE water testing!

Meetings/Events? Get Free notices in the Classifieds! Submit to ecota@timespublications.com

Serving the Valley for over 28 years

NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

LLC

All Estimates are Free • Call:

$25 per visit.

Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!

FREE Estimates!

*Not a Licensed Contractor

• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

SPRINKLER

Install/Design We do it all!

Handyman

480-276-6600

Foothills Touch Landscapes LLC Lawn care/Maint. Starting as low as

480-215-3373

- Free Estimates -

CALL DOUG

Landscape/Maintenance

The Possibilities are Endless

Custom Design and Renovation turning old to new

• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

Custom Built-ins, BBQs, Firepits, Fireplaces, Water Features, Re-Designing Pools, Masonry, Lighting, Tile, Flagstone, Pavers, Culture Stone & Travertine, Synthetic Turf, Sprinkler/Drip, Irrigation Systems, Clean ups & Hauling

Call for a FREE consultation and Estimate To learn more about us, view our photo gallery at: ShadeTreeLandscapes.com

480-730-1074

Bonded/Insured/Licensed • ROC #225923

CLASSIFIEDS

Landscape/Maintenance

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Landscape/Maintenance

Painting

WANT A GREEN LAWN?

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Interior, Exterior House Painting. Stucco Patching. Gate/Front Door Refinishing. Quality work/Materials Free Estimate Ignacio 480-961-5093 or 602-571-9015 ROC #189850 • Bond/Ins’d

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

480-940-8196 theplugman.com

FREE ORGANIC LAWN FERTILIZATION TREATMENT WITH CORE AERATION FERTILIZATION * SOIL AMENDMENTS * LAWN SOIL TESTING

ROC 282663 * BONDED * INSURED YOUR LAWN EXPERT SINCE 1995

Arizona Specialty Landscape

New & Re-Do Design and Installation Affordable | Paver Specialists All phases of landscape installation. Plants, cacti, sod, sprinklers, granite, concrete, brick, Kool-deck, lighting and more!

Free Estimates 7 Days a Week! ROC# 186443 • BONDED

480.844.9765

Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

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

Call Lance White

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

Complete Lawn Service & Weed Control Starting @ $60/Month! • One Month Free Service • Licensed, Bonded Insured for your protection. • Call or Text for a Free Quote

kjelandscape.com • ROC#281191

480-586-8445

Place YOUR Business HERE! in the Service Directory

East Valley PAINTERS

“We get your house looking top notch!”

Voted #1 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 Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Lawn Mowing Starts At $40 Full Service Starts At $70

Call for our 3 Month Special! Starting at $145.20/month

The Valley’s Premier Painters

Classifieds: 480-898-6465

Proudly Serving Ahwatukee for 15 Years! Family Owned & Operated Residential • Commercial • Best Painters EVER!

Painting

• Epoxy Floors & Concrete Coatings • Interior & Exterior

15 + Yrs Exp! All English Speaking Crew

SONORAN LAWN

“Professional, Punctual & Clean”

480-745-5230

Is your lawn ready for the holidays? Call for a clean up.

See MORE Ads Online!

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

ACP is 100% Veteran Owned Like us on Facebook to stay current & Receive 5% Off Services

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

www.AcpPaintingllc.com

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

www.Ahwatukee.com

★ Interior/Exterior Painting ★ Drywall Repair & Installation ★ Popcorn Ceiling Removal

★ Elastomaric Roof Coating ★ Epoxy Floors ★ Small Job Specialist

Scott Mewborn, Owner 480-818-1789 License #ROC 298736

SUN TECH

PAINTING INC.

Serving Ahwatukee Since 1987 Interior / Exterior

• High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction Free Est imates • Countless References • Carpentry Services Now Available Visit us at Suntechpaintingaz.com or view our video promo at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM5pbvpZJlg

602.625.0599 ROC #155380 Family Owned • Free Estimates

ROC# 256752

Specials

Not a licensed contractor

480-338-4011

ROC#309706

FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!

(480)785-6323

Plumbing

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com

CLASSIFIEDS

AUGUST 5, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Plumbing

Pool Service / Repair

1st Month of Service FREE

AHWATUKEE SPECIAL $

Pool Service / Repair

For a limited time

40 Off

Call Now!

*Any work done

Ahw Resident • Owner Operated Maintenance & Repair Professional and Superior Service

Roofing

???

$25 OFF

Filter Cleaning!

We maintain, repair and service all types of pools, equipment, filters, cleaning systems, fresh water and salt water systems

People are looking in the Classifieds Every day!

480.231.9651

Monthly Service & Repairs Available

Not a licensed contractor.

www.barefootpoolman.com

class@times publications.com

See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook

or Call 480

Call me, Howard:

AZPoolExpert.com BBB Member

Plumbing

602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5

Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

Email Your Job Post to:

898-6465

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

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

MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

TILE ROOFING SPECIALISTS

Flat and Foam Roof Experts! desertsandscontracting.com

SERVICE • REPAIR • REPLACEMENT We offer personalized service for our customers. We use the best materials that we can find.

Owned and Operated by Rod Lampert Ahwatukee Resident Serving Ahwatukee for over 25 years

Our services include: Sinks, Toilets, Faucets, Water Heaters, Garbage Disposal, Drain Cleaning, Pressure Reducing Valves, Pressure Vacuum Breakers, Hot Water Circulation Systems, Main Service Valves and Hose Taps.

(480) 279-4155 Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC 189848

Pool Service / Repair

CLR Pool Service LLC Excellent Service... First time, Every time! Charles Rock - Ahwatukee Resident

480.399.ROCK (7625)

charles@clrpoolservice.com

www.clrpoolservice.com

PLUMBING $35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

We Repair or Install ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured

704.5422

(480)

SHARE WITH THE WORLD!

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

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

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

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

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

10% OFF COMPLETE UNDERLAYMENT Commercial & Residential Family Owned & Operated AZROC #283571 | CONTRACTOR LIC. AZROC #312804 CLASS CR4 | FULLY INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES 602-736-3019

Over 30 Years of Experience Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING Valley Wide Service

480-446-7663

10% OFF with this ad

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer! FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hirerooﬁng.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

Roofing

Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years

ROC #152111

Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs

602-938-7575 $ 1000 OFF when you show this ad

on qualifying complete roof replacements

Complimentary & Honest Estimates

Call our office today!

480-460-7602 Ask us about our discount for all Military and First Responders!

www.porterroofinginc.com

Let us show you the IN-EX Difference!

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

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! We have a “Spencer” on every job and every step of the way.

Serving The Valley Since 1996

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

inexroofing.com

480-446-7663

Call for your FREE Roof Evaluation

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

Your leaks stop here! New Roofs, Repairs, Coatings, Flat Roof, Hot Mopping & Patching & Total Rubber Roof Systems

FREE ESTIMATES & MONSOON SPECIALS Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC # 269218

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6465

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

You never know what you’ll find inside

SAME DAY SERVICE 30 Years Experience References Available

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC 286561

Senior & Military Discounts

480-280-0390

480.898.6465

class@timespublications.com

It Only Takes Seconds to Drown. Always watch your child around water.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

palmabrisa.com

NOW SELLING

A new gated resort community is coming soon in the Ahwatukee Foothills with a dramatically different style. It feels exclusive, but also lively and exciting — and it's called Palma Brisa. • Modern resort-style gated community with stately palms

• Diverse architecture: Modern Bungalow, Urban Farmhouse, Italian Cottage, Andalusian, Modern Craftsman, French Country, and Spanish Mission • Four amenity areas connected by expansive lawns

• Homes from 1,700 sq. ft. to 4,000 sq. ft. from the $400’s

ERIC WILLIAMS

480-641-1800

TERRY LENTS

© Copyright 2019 Blandford Homes, LLC. No offer to sell or lease may be made prior to issuance of Final Arizona Subdivision Public Report. Offer, terms, and availability subject to change without prior notice. Renderings are artist’s conceptions and remain subject to modification without notice.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | AUGUST 5, 2020

MESA - 5141

SALE GOING ON AT ALL LOCATIONS!

S. POWER RD

GIVE US A CALL, BUY OVER THE PHONE

1000’S OF ITEMS IN STOCK FOR FAST DELIVERY!

YOUR LOW PRICE LEADER 58” 4K UHD SMART TV • 2 HDMI Inputs • Airplay2 Built-In

1.6 CU. FT. OVER-THERANGE MICROWAVE

18 CU. FT. REFRIGERATOR

• 950 Watts of Power • 10 Levels of Power • Sunken Glass Turntable

• 2 Adjustable Glass Shelves • Fixed Gallon Door Shelves • Sealed Drawers with Glass Cover

449 $199

UN58TU7000

GREA T DEAL ! WMH1162XVQ CLOSEOUT

GRM183TW

499

TOP LOAD WASHER

• 3.8 Cu. Ft. • 12 Wash Cycles • 2 Water Levels • 5 Temperature Options • Power Wash Agitator MVWC416FW CLOSEOUT

DRYER

• Large 7.0 cu. ft. Capacity • Wrinkle Control Option • Heavy-Duty Motor MEDC415EW CLOSEOUT

459

EACH EACH

DISHWASHER

OVER THE RANGE MICROWAVE

• 1.6 Cu. Ft. • 1000 Watts • Glass Turntable • 10 Power Levels FFMV1645TS CLOSEOUT

30” RANGE

23 CU. FT. REFRIGERATOR

• PureSource® Filtration • Adjustable Store-MoreTM Shelves • Deli Drawer • Gallon Bins FFSS2315TS

• 4.9 Cu. Ft. Capacity • Quick Boil • 5 Heating Elements • Store-More Drawer FFEF3052TS CLOSEOUT

269 1999

12 MONTHS NO INTEREST**

7.5 CU. FT. DRYER

• Dryer Rack • Steam Sanitize Plus • Sensor Dry • 10 Preset Dryer Cycles

599

EACH **

• 14 Place Settings • 4 Cycles • Heated Dry FFCD2418US

only

• Super Speed • Steam • Self Clean Plus • 10 Preset Wash Cycles

DISHWASHER

25.5 CU. FT. FRENCH DOOR REFRIGERATOR

• Normal Wash Cycle • Heated Dry On/Off HDA1100FMCC

4.5 CU. FT. WASHER

• Twin Cooling Plus • LED Lighting • Gallon Door • Pull Out Freezer Storage Drawer

1199

RF260BEAESR

BUYS ALL 4 PIECES

** NO INTEREST IF PAID IN FULL IN 12 MONTHS. $799.00 Minimum Purchase Required Minimum Payments Required 30.79% APR If the promotional balance is not paid in full by the end for the promotional period or, to the extent permitted by law, if you make a late payment, interest will be imposed from the date of purchase at the APR noted above. This APR is as of 7/4/2019 and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Your card agreement, the terms of the offer and applicable law govern this transaction including increasing APRs and fees and terminating the promotional period.

Arizona’s largest independent dealer! “It’s Like Having A Friend In The Business” Check Out Our Website

WWW.SPENCERSTV.COM OPEN DAILY 9AM-9PM | SATURDAY 9AM-6PM | SUNDAY 11AM-5PM

HOUSE IN S R E C SPEN PLANS PAYMENT BLE AVAILA Due to current circumstances, some items may be out of stock.