Dismissing the stinging rebuke from the Arizona Court of Appeals which upheld a lower-court order to rebuild the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course, owner Wilson Gee is doubling down.
He not only reasserted the 101-acre site “will never be a golf course again” but told AFN he is upping his offer to Lakes homeowners.
“If they want a golf course, I’ll give them Ahwatukee Country Club and throw in another million to upgrade it,” Gee said.
“If they finally want to deal, I’m pretty much open,” added Gee.
Gee, earlier this year, offered 20 percent of the proceeds if he could sell the course to homeowners Eileen Breslin, Linda Swain and
the Ahwatukee Board of Management.
Gee, who is trying to sell the Ahwatukee Country Club for $3.2 million, said his newest offer is also contingent on changing the Lakes courses’ covenants, conditions and restrictions so he can sell it to a homebuilder.
He also dismissed the impact of the appeals panels’ unanimous ruling.
“It doesn’t really change anything,” Gee said. “Obviously we’re not going to do anything and the next guy’s not going to do anything because it doesn’t make sense to be a golf course. That’s wrong. That’s the reality. Doesn’t matter what the courts rule. It’s not going to happen.”
He called hopes for a restored golf course “a pipe dream” and added, “It’s going to stay that way.”
Referring to the “nuclear option” of just giving the land away he said, “And, guess what?
Gee doubles down in face of adverse ruling
Then what it’s not is a golf course because whoever buys it is not going to spend $6 million to build a golf course there.”
Tim Barnes, who represents Breslin and Swain in their lawsuit to restore the course Gee closed in 2013, has a different idea of what comes next after the appeals panel upheld Superior Court Judge John Hannah’s January 2018 ruling.
He plans to ask the new Superior Court judge on the case – the third to inherit it because of customary judicial rotations – to order Gee to comply with the standing court ruling and restore the course.
“I would be shocked beyond belief if they don’t ask the Supreme Court to review the decision,” Barnes said. “I expect they’re going to
Pride Nation trumps coach’s betrayal
BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
The entire Mountain Pointe High School community rallied behind its football program, showing support for a team betrayed by a former coach.
Students and supporters plan to do the same in the winter for the boys’ basketball team.
But more importantly, they want to show the girls’ basketball program – which lost its head coach in an unimaginable way – they aren’t alone during a difficult time.
“They’ve kind of been the forgotten story in all of this,” said Jim Sawitzke, the president of the Mountain Pointe football booster club.
“I feel really terrible for what they have to go through. In my three or four years involved
with Mountain Pointe, I haven’t been to one of their games, but I plan to this season.
“I’m really hoping those girls have a great season because, in some ways, this has probably been worse for them than it has been
for us.”
Justin Hager, hired in 2016 to lead the girls’ basketball program, faces firing by the Tempe
LEFT: Mountain Pointe students made the trip to Hamilton Friday night to support the Pride football program against the Huskies. RIGHT: Signs were displayed on the visitor’s bleachers at Hamilton High School in support of the Mountain Pointe football program after a difficult week. (Photos by Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff)
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Two Ahwatukee men face court action for their arrests in separate and unrelated cases of sexual exploitation of children.
Ahwatukee
pilot Brian William True faces a potentially long prison sentence after police discovered a series of surreptitiously recorded images of two underaged girls and an adult woman in his cell phone and arrested him Aug. 28, according to court documents.
On Thursday, Sept. 19, Phoenix police detectives and agents with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search warrant at the home of former teacher William Thomas Baker, 69, and later arrested him after finding numerous images and videos depicting sexual exploitation of minors on his computer.
Although the court documents say the images were recorded in a bathroom of True’s home near 24th Street and Chandler Boulevard, the case against him started when the Benton County, Arkansas, Sheriff’s Office intercepted the downloading of pornography while True was in Arkansas on business.
The images included two girls, 13 and 14, and an adult woman in various stages of undress, the court records say. The girls were changing clothes and taking off their bathing suits while the woman was using a toilet. The recording device was positioned to capture their nude photos, police said.
The victims, apparently, did not notice they were being secretly recorded, although one young victim nearly figured out how her privacy was being violated, the documents said.
An affidavit filed by Phoenix police said the 14-yearold girl is seen taking off her bathing suit, exposing herself.
“She dries herself off, grabs the recording device, examines it, but then puts it back to its original place,’’ the document said. “(It) appears that she is not aware that it’s a recording device and then she puts some clothing on.’’
Det. Luis Samudio, a Phoenix police spokesman, said in an email, “the victims were legitimately visiting the family,’’ but he declined to elaborate, saying the case remains under investigation.
True’s legal problems started when deputies were conducting an investigation about the downloading of illicit images, according to Sgt. Shannon Jenkins, a spokeswoman for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, which has a cybercrime unit.
“We were investigating and found he was the down-
BRIAN WILLIAM TRUE
loader of the child pornography,’’ she said.
Benton County detectives notified Phoenix police when they realized the images were probably recorded in a bathroom in True’s home, the document said.
The Benton County detectives sent Phoenix police nine files containing images of the three victims, the court documents said. When Phoenix police served a search warrant on Aug. 29 at True’s home, they found the bathroom where the recordings occurred, according to court documents.
“On the first floor of the residence there is a small restroom that contains several identifying characteristics seen in the surreptitious digital recordings, such as the wall tile, the sink and a framed piece of art containing three birds,” the document said.
True, 47, told police he was on business in Benton and was staying at a Comfort Inn in Bentonville, in northwest Arkansas, when sheriff’s investigators “raided’’ his motel room and seized his iPhone and his iPad.
True’s LinkedIn page lists him as a pilot with Cavok Aviation and says he has a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Arizona State University.
Jenkins said the Benton County detectives are still investigating the case and that they anticipate seeking sex crime charges against True in Arkansas, where it is also illegal to possess or distribute child pornography.
True is identified in the documents as a “licensed pilot and a high flight risk.’’ It does not say what sort of business True
was engaged in during his trip to Bentonville.
“He stopped answering questions when asked if there was anything illegal or concerning about those devices,’’ the document said.
The document says the adult woman was a friend of True. It said True has lived in his home, in the 1300 block of East Rockledge Drive, for nine years.
True’s indictment lists 19 charges, including 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
The sexual exploitation of a minor charges refers to images of underaged girls stored on a thumb drive. The remaining nine charges accuse True of voyeurism, or violating the victims’ privacy “for the purpose of sexual stimulation.’’
True is being held at a Maricopa County jail in lieu of posting a $200,000 cash bond, according to the county Sheriff’s Office web site. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24.
If True is convicted of the sexual exploitation of a minor charges, he would face a sentence of five to 15 years in prison on each count under Arizona’s dangerous crimes against children statute.
Baker, who lives in the 4100 block E.
Jojoba Road was not home at the time when the warrant was served. Baker was later found and taken into custody.
According to court documents, Baker was an elementary school teacher for several years and was employed at in various elementary schools.
Baker is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after police acted on tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
He too declined to answer questions, police said, though he admitted no one but he had access to the phone and computer where the images were found.
Baker’s bond has been set at $5,000. His next court date is set for Thursday, Sept. 26.
Detectives have asked that anyone who may have information concerning either man asked to contact the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6141, or can contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish.
WILLIAM THOMAS BAKER
file that petition for review and they’re going to explain to the judge they ought not to have to do anything until after Supreme Court rules. And I obviously am going to argue against it because if I wait for the Supreme Court, that could be another 90 or 120 days or even more.”
Gee said he would confer with his lawyer this week on the next steps, but he asserted that while the lawyers prepare for a legal showdown, “the timing is right” for Lakes homeowners to make a deal.
Swain said, “I am thrilled and delighted that the appeals court judges saw our case for what it is – a land grab – and that they went into great detail to explain why they unanimously affirmed Judge Hannah’s ruling.”
She thanked golf course consultants Marvin Galts and Buddie Johnson, Lakes planner Wayne Smith and Barnes “for getting us to where we are today” and “for their friendship and unwavering support.”
Opinion goes deep
The opinion, written by Presiding Judge Randall Howe and joined by Judges Jennifer Perkins and David Weinzweig, offered a deep look at the five-year history of the Lakes case as well as the inviolability of CC&Rs.
Barnes suggested Howe’s “really scholarly” interpretation of the CC&Rs set a tough legal standard in Arizona for any party challenging such land-use regulations.
“That is a piece of legal work that I’m really proud to be associated with,” Barnes added.
Howe noted Gee and his company, Bixby Village Golf Course, Inc., bought the Lakes and Ahwatukee Country Club for $5.6 million in 2006 and leased them to another company he owns called Ahwatukee Golf
Properties.
Swain and Breslin sued in 2014, the year after Bixby closed the Lakes.
Then, in 2015, Gee reached an agreement to sell the site to The True Life Companies for $9 million.
True Life put $750,000 down and signed a note for the remainder with the proviso 51 percent of the homeowners would agree to a change in the CC&Rs to pave the way for an “agrihood” with about 160 homes, a five-acre farm, a school and other amenities.
But despite a costly and aggressive twoyear campaign, True Life persuaded only 28 percent of the homeowners to allow the change.
“TTLC’s expert asserted that restoring the golf course on the subject property would cost at least $14 million, with no certainty of ever making a profit,” Howe wrote, noting:
“Swain and Breslin’s expert, Buddie Johnson, disagreed. He testified restoration would cost between $4 million and $6 million and that, based on the area’s demographics, a shorter, less difficult ‘executive’ golf course was highly likely to prosper.”
“Johnson added that the golf course ‘should not have failed’ under Bixby’s control; it failed only because it was ‘very poorly operated’ and ‘not appropriately marketed,” Howe wrote, citing testimony “at least five ‘substantial and capable’ buyers had expressed ‘strong interest’” in buying it.
Howe also detailed the closing’s impact on Swain and Breslin.
“Swain testified that she had bought her home because it ‘overlooked a lush green fairway and had a view of the Superstition Mountains and Four Peaks,’” Howe wrote, noting Swain paid a $26,000 premium on
the lot for her “dream retirement home.”
He also cited Breslin’s testimony she bought her home because she felt an additional measure of security with the CC&Rs and closing the course was “ ’a very sad day because they put up these horrible chain link fences and it felt like we were in prison.’”
Although Gee foreclosed on True Life’s note last year and True Life told AFN it is no longer involved in the case, Howe’s opinion targeted both Gee and True Life.
Howe particularly took True Life to task over its assertion the CC&Rs should be overturned because they left the company with only two alternatives – run an unprofitable course or simply let the site stay undeveloped.
“Practically speaking,” Howe said of the latter option, “this would mean that the property may be left barren and overgrown with weeds, omitting what Swain and Breslin characterize as an ‘overwhelming stench,’ yet comply with the” CC&Rs.
But Howe said True Life’s argument “runs counter to the principles governing the interpretation of restrictive covenants in Arizona.”
“The circumstances surrounding the covenant’s creation and the covenant’s language show that the covenant was intend-
ed to require the continuous operation of a golf course on the property,” Howe wrote.
Besides qualifying for land tax breaks the county gives golf course owners, the CC&Rs also exist to “protect the benefitted persons’ interest in living next to, or having views of, a golf course.”
Stating Lakes homeowners “have the right to ensure that they have a golf course next to, or within view of, their homes,” Howe said, “interpreting the covenant to allow the current owner to leave the property ‘idle’ completely frustrates this purpose.
“The option of no golf course does not leave the property merely without a golf
course,” he continued, “but – as Breslin and Swain testified – a dead, desolate ‘wasteland’ with overgrown weeds, ringed by a chain-link fence. The choice of such an alternative destroys the covenant’s purpose and could not be within the original owners’ intention in creating the covenant.”
Howe said he and his two colleagues found Swain and Breslin’s expert witnesses were “more credible” than True Life’s on the potential profitability of a restored course.
He also rejected True Life’s claim that it would be a hardship to rebuild and operate a golf course, declaring “mere economic struggles, however, cannot serve as a basis for abrogating a restrictive covenant and rendering its enforcement inequitable.”
“Whatever hardship will come from requiring the rebuilding of the golf course, TTLC brought upon itself,” Howe wrote, noting True Life bought it “with the sole intent to redevelop it into a lucrative residential development.”
Calling True Life a “perpetrator of a wrong,” Howe said they “took a calculated risk” when it bought the property.
“Arizona’s public policy is to protect those who purchased property relying on the restrictions from the invasion of those who attempt to break down the guarantees of home enjoyment under the guise of business necessities,” he declared, also
rejecting True Life’s assertion that ordering it to restore the course violated the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against slavery and involuntary servitude.
Next steps somewhat murky
Within hours of the decision’s release, Jeff Hall, president of Save the Lakes, posted on social media: “Next Step: Enforcement.”
Although Hall declined to comment on the appellate court ruling, Barnes said he is will be filing a motion in Superior Court asking it to order Gee to show cause why he shouldn’t be forced to comply with the restoration order.
The court would then have a number of options at its disposal – including holding Gee in contempt if he refuses to budge, at least while the appeal is still in play.
For his part, Gee has about two weeks to ask the Court of Appeals to reconsider the ruling and about a month to ask the Supreme Court to step in.
Unlike the Appeals Court, the Supreme Court is not obligated to take the case.
But as with the Appeals Court’s initial ruling, judges at both appeal levels are under no time limits for making their decisions.
Barnes said he wants to break the logjam
see LAKES page 8
Attorney Tim Barnes, who has pressed the lawsuit against Lakes course owners on behalf of two homeowners, was elated by the appeals court ruling. (AFN file photo)
LAKES from page 7
by asking the Superior Court to pressure Gee.
But Gee is taking the legal maneuvering in stride, stating “Whatever the legal process involves, we’ll go through that.”
He said no matter who owns the site, homeowners “will just go through the same process again” and still see no golf course.
He reiterated his offer to settle the case if Swain and Breslin drop their suit and the homeowners permit homes on the site is “a logical way out” of the legal morass.
Rebuilding the course
During the argument before the panel, Howe at one point noted the CC&Rs did not specifically say what kind of golf course must be operating.
Barnes said appellate judges often ask questions and make surprising comments because they enjoy the legal banter.
Pointing to Howe’s opinion, Barnes said:
“He said it’s got to be an operating golf course, so you can’t have a couple of sticks... I suppose somebody could do that and they might but I truly believe, based on that ruling, that it’s got to be enough that you can qualify under the statute and the tax statute.”
In return for its county real estate tax break, golf courses must file regular reports showing rounds played and other data, Barnes noted – suggesting Gee would lose the tax break by running the site in a way that no one would play it.
Gee insisted the golf industry has again hit on hard times and no one will pony up $6 million or more to restore the Lakes.
“If you want to compare apples to apples this year, I’m selling Ahwatukee Country Club for $3.2 million,” Gee said. “It’s much bigger. It’s in good shape now that we’re fixing everything. It makes a little money because the water’s free. And guess what? No one wants to buy it.” Adding:
“That’s how tough it is right now in the golf industry. So yes, they can file whatever they want but then from a legal aspect, our attorney will file whatever they need to do to counter to that. And then, another two years in court.”
Kevin Norby, a golf course architect for 30 years in Minnesota, disputed Gee’s assessment of the state of the golf industry as well as True Life’s assertion that restoring the Lakes would cost at least $14 million.
“We’re kind of all over the country and I would tell you that as I travel around the country and I look at what’s going on, this reminds me a lot of what was going on in 2006, 2007, before the crash. It was a frenzy. The private clubs have waiting
lists again. The courses are spending again,” he said.
Citing the strength of the housing market – which includes many new communities whose builders add a golf course to make them more attractive – and the strength of the economy, Norby said:
“There are courses that are struggling, but I would tell you that generally, the courses that are struggling are those that are either burdened by a lot of debt…or are poorly managed.”
“The golf market right now is very strong and although there are golf courses that are going away, that are being closed, most of those that are closing are closing because they’re being purchased by developers and the land is much more valuable as residential development.”
Norby said that entities building golf courses have a months-long wait to get a contractor to build them.
As for the Lakes, Norby said, “There’s a way for this course to actually be profitable.”
Norby said he has toured the Lakes course at Swain’s request but has no financial interest in it.
Noting most golf courses in the Valley charge high fees and “sort of make their living off snowbirds,” Norby said the Lakes course’s location in the middle of the community “has the sort of demographics and the wherewithal to make a good run. I mean, it should be a profitable business.”
He estimated that it would take between $4 million and $6 million to restore the Lakes.
The two biggest costs would be the irrigation system if it has deteriorated from the lack of maintenance since the course was closed six years ago and a new clubhouse. That would cost between $1.5 million and $2 million.
He said the cost of a clubhouse – which is a necessity – could be as low as $500,000 “if you put up a nice double-wide trailer.”
As for the course itself, Norby said, “You’re not building this because we want people to get on a plane and come down here and play it.” He went on to say: “We want people to play this every day. This is their home course. We want them to have a membership. And so, you know, there’s things, like the driving range, that we might have to make some modifications on and that that might affect a couple of golf holes. But basically, the course is as good as it is.”
Still, Norby said that while “the ruling is obviously wonderful news for Linda, the real question is ‘What’s Wilson going to do at this point?’
“I guess that the legal battle will continue.”
State House Speaker rails against sex-ed classes
BY HOWARD FISCHER
Capitol Media Services
Aleading Republican legislator drew a sharp rebuke from the state’s top education official over his claims sex-education courses are sexualizing children.
House Speaker Rusty Bowers alleges materials he saw in a presentation at a Gilbert charter school by Family Watch International have drawings of people engaged in sex acts.
The Republican speaker called the materials “a complete change’’ in how sex education has been taught for 40 years.
“I don’t need to sexualize children and tell them how to masturbate,’’ he said. “It’s way beyond where we need to be.’’
The comments come on the heels of the speaker, from the weekend meeting, indicating Kathy Hoffman, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, is promoting these kinds of changes.
“When Kathy Hoffman promotes this, I don’t have any question it’s about radicalizing children and their sexuality.’’ Hoffman called the comments “abhorrent and reprehensible,’’ saying they have “no basis in reality.’’
And Stefan Swiat, her press aide, said Bowers does not understand the Department of Education has absolutely no control over the sex education curriculum in individual school districts. He also noted the department does not produce, nor has authority to review the materials that angered the speaker.
“We have no idea what he’s talking about,’’ Swiat said.
Hoffman, a Democrat, accused Bowers of “amplifying conspiracy theories being pushed by known hate groups.’’
The dispute has its roots in changes in sex education policies which Hoffman asked the Board of Education to review earlier this year. Board members repealed an Arizona sex-ed requirement which “promote(s) honor and respect for monogamous heterosexual marriage.’’
It followed a decision by Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who refused to defend the state in a lawsuit, challenging the language in the state statutes promoting “a homosexual lifestyle’’ or portray “homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle’’ while teaching about HIV and AIDS. Lawmakers repealed those laws.
But what stirred things up was Hoffman subsequently asking the board to consid-
er a proposal by Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, to remove language in board rules now barring the teaching of “abnormal, deviant or unusual sex acts and practices’’ and replacing it with a requirement where sex-ed instruction must be “medically and scientifically accurate.’’
Board members scrapped the plan after hearing hours of testimony in opposition.
Since then, some groups are seeking to rein in existing sex education programs they consider improper.
That led to the presentation in Gilbert in which Bowers attended and first called Hoffman a “radical’’ before lashing out more broadly at sex-ed programs.
On Thursday, Bowers gave somewhat-conflicting answers on what he believes sex education is about and how it ought to be taught.
Bowers also acknowledged it is local school boards who get to decide what’s in sex-ed programs, with Arizona requiring parents to opt in. But he charged some districts are not properly informing parents about what’s exactly in those programs.
He said he supports more traditional sex education classes. But then he suggested maybe they’re not necessary at all.
“You know what? I have seven children,” he said. “I figured it out, my kids have figured it out.’’
“Go to a kid in high school and say, ‘Do you know how sex happens, do you know what happens when you have sex?’ ‘’ he said.
“I’m betting most of them know,’’ Bowers continued. “We don’t need to sexualize them in order to educate them.’’
But are there teens who don’t know how to prevent pregnancy?
“Oh, please,’’ he responded.
RUSTY BOWERS
KATHY HOFFMAN
Lisa Miguel
Foothills Club West
Mountain Park Ranch
Desert Village - Mesa
Union High School District after an investigation revealed he had used an anonymous email address to send game strategy to opponents of the boys’ basketball and football programs since 2017.
The Tempe Union board last week refused to accept his resignation, deciding instead to fire him at its next meeting.
Hager was also an assistant coach for the football program, a position he took on under former Mountain Pointe coach Norris Vaughan in 2017.
According to district officials, Hager used the email address walterpayton12@yahoo.com to send hundreds of emails with formations, plays and defensive strategies to several in-state opposing coaches.
He also sent information about Mountain Pointe’s football program to two out of state programs, Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas, Nevada), whom the Pride beat in the first game this years’ season.
It was after that game Faith Lutheran coach Vernon Fox alerted Mountain Pointe coach Rich Wellbrock about the walterpayton12 email address, sparking the district’s investigation.
“My initial thought was that it wasn’t so bad,” Sawitzke said. “But when we had a parent meeting and when I talked to my son driving home, I was really worked up about it.”
According to emails released by Tempe Union officials, Perry High head football coach Preston Jones was the only coach to respond to the anonymous address.
The emails show a message from WalterPayton12 sent on Nov. 14, 2017, explaining Mountain Pointe was planning to run the same defense it did against Chandler when it faced Perry in the 2017 6A Conference semifinals.
A reply from Jones’ account asked, “Why do you think they will do what they did against Chandler?” On Nov. 16-17, 2017, WalterPayton12 allegedly sent pdf images of Mountain Pointe’s defense to Jones and then another email explaining the defense they would run.
Jones did not reply to either message.
Perry went on to defeat Mountain Pointe, 56-31. There is no indication the information sent to Jones or any other coach was used against Mountain Pointe.
Perry High Principal Dan Serrano told the AIA on Sept. 18 neither Jones nor basketball coach Sam Duane used information from walterpayton12.
Gilbert Public Schools asked principals and athletic directors at Highland and Desert Ridge to follow up with coaches received emails from the anonymous account. The district has not commented.
Chandler High Principal Larry Rother told AFN in a phone interview Sept. 17, Aguano had reported the email he received last November.
The email contained defensive strategy Mountain Pointe had allegedly been planning to use against Chandler in the 6A quarterfinals. A chart showing the Wolves’ defense was also included in the email. Chandler went on to beat Mountain Pointe 49-21.
“Coach Aguano came down to our office and said, ‘Hey, I just want to let you know I got this anonymous email from someone claiming to have inside information about Mountain Pointe,’” Rother said. “We asked him if he thought it was credible and he said ‘no.’
“We decided we would just move on, delete the email, not respond and go on and plan the game like we normally would.”
Since news of the Tempe Union’s investigation broke on Sept. 16, Hager’s betrayal sparked outrage on social media from former players and parents of Mountain Pointe.
“Our entire campus is shocked at these findings. It is the responsibility of all adults on a high school campus to act with integrity and to put students first in all we do,” Mountain Pointe Principal Tomika Banks said in a press release last week, adding:
“Mountain Pointe students, families and staff are heartbroken to learn our trust was violated by someone we cared for and considered a member of our family.”
Students and parents currently involved with the program have come together in ways Sawitzke said he hasn’t seen before during his time as a booster club member.
The Pride boosters usually have a small cookout for players every other Thursday night, according to Sawitzke.
It usually involves the entire booster club plus other parents willing to help out.
But last week, Sawitzke said, numerous parents and other supporters of the football program banded together to provide a team meal he has never seen before.
“There were probably 500 text messages organizing this thing,” Sawitzke said. “I’ve been in this program for about five years now and I’ve never felt that it was closer. Even people who aren’t usually involved reached out to show support and inspire the boys.
“It’s really inspiring and I’ve never been prouder of the whole Mountain Pointe community.”
Multi Family Property
On Friday, Mountain Pointe’s first game since Tempe Union’s investigation went public, supporters dressed in maroon and gold filled most of the visitors’ bleachers at Hamilton High School.
The school’s band played the fight song, while students dressed in neon attire cheered on their peers.
Several signs were displayed for all to see, including one that said, “Pride mean power” and others showing support for players on the field who fought through several distractions to get ready for the game.
On the Mountain Pointe sideline, there was no pity party.
The players were locked in during warmups and even joined Wellbrock in the middle of the field to jump around to the music playing over the loudspeakers.
One could sense the players just wanted to play football – a feeling Sawitzke couldn’t help but echo even when Mountain Pointe faced a large deficit at halftime.
“The kids are handling it better than the adults,” Sawitzke said. “They’re glad to be here. They’re glad to be practicing and playing football. My son said this was the best week of practice they’ve had
since he has been in the program.
“Not only an I’m proud of them, but I’m thankful for this staff,” he added. “They’ve put every minute for the last two weeks into this issue and yet they still are able to come out here and coach a football game.”
The Mountain Pointe players and coaching staff weren’t pleased with the outcome of the game, as they lost convincingly to Hamilton. Neither players nor coaches were available for comment after the buzzer had sounded.
It’s been a difficult start to the year for Mountain Pointe, as the Pride has fallen to 1-3 on the year. But each week the team has put the loss behind them to focus on the next.
There’s no doubt they will do the same as they head into a matchup with Queen Creek on Friday, it’s what they’re taught to do by coaches.
But Sawitzke believes they will aim to put more behind them this week than just the loss.
“They’ve dealt with a lot of adversity, but they still get to wake up and play football,” Sawitzke said. “They were able to get back to just playing football, which is something I believe they wanted to do.”
East Valley man’s illness may link to vaping
BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer
�ake Zimmerman initially thought he had a cold.
The 21-year-old Gilbert man said he felt “super cold,” was shivering, sweating
and had a low-grade fever. He decided to ride it out by resting and drinking fluids but after five days his temperature shot up, prompting him to go to urgent care.
A pulse oximeter read his blood-oxysee VAPING page 14
Jake Zimmerman recently spent eight days in the hospital with a lung ailment that doctors believe is linked to his vaping habit, which Zimmerman broke since his release. (Kimberly Carrillo/ AFN Staff Photographer)
gen level at 80 percent. A normal reading ranges from 95 to 100 percent, meaning Zimmerman’s body was starved of oxygen.
“They said I had bad pneumonia in both lungs,” said Zimmerman of the initial diagnosis in a hospital emergency room. “It was very hard for me to breathe. I was put on lots of oxygen. I’m talking about 50 liters.”
The pneumonia turned out to be a more severe form of respiratory illness for Zimmerman, who recently returned home 20 pounds lighter after an eightday hospital stay.
He is one of six suspected cases of severe lung illness linked to vaping reported so far in Arizona – five in Maricopa County and one in Tucson. Three cases were confirmed last week in the state, all in Maricopa County, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
All three patients in their 20s were hospitalized and have since been released from the hospital, according to Chris Minnick, a state health department spokesman.
ADHS is working with county health departments, medical providers and the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center to identify cases in Arizona. But neither county nor state health officials will release any information about the identities of the confirmed vaping cases.
Nationwide, 530 confirmed and probable cases of the mysterious vaping illness were reported in 38 states since Sept. 17 and seven deaths so far have occurred in California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota and Oregon, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The first reported death was on Aug. 23 and the most recent was last week.
Vaping is inhaling an aerosol that is produced when an electronic cigarette heats a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.
In all the reported cases, the patients have a history of vaping but there was no link to a specific e-cigarette product or substance, the federal agency said. Patients reported using products containing tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, products containing THC and nicotine and products containing only nicotine.
The CDC on Aug. 1 launched a multistate investigation into the outbreak, working closely with the Food and Drug Administration, states and other public health partners to identify the cause of the illness.
Vaping has grown exponentially since it entered the U.S. marketplace around 2007, promoted as a safer alternative and a way to quit conventional cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes are not currently approved by the FDA as a quit-smoking
aid, and the available science is inconclusive on whether e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking, according to the CDC.
Zimmerman, who exercises regularly, said he began vaping at 18 and never tied his habit to getting sick.
Doctors suspected Zimmerman had something worst after a prescribed round of antibiotics for pneumonia failed to work.
His breathing became so labored that doctors twice considered putting him in deep sedation in order to intubate or insert a tube into his airway, according to Zimmerman’s dad, who declined to be identified.
Doctors ended up putting Zimmerman on a BiPAP machine, a non-invasive ventilation device.
Physicians could not confirm completely that Zimmerman’s respiratory illness was due to vaping unless an invasive lung biopsy was performed and they didn’t want to do that, said the dad, who reported his son’s case to the Arizona Poison and Drug Center at the University of Arizona.
“The only thing we have to go on – and it’s true with all these stories is – number one, they are spending more time in the hospital than a regular pneumonia patient would,” the dad said.
He noted that doctors administered antibiotics and prednisone until his son eventually recovered.
There is no one test that is currently
being used to confirm if a patient’s lung injury is due to vaping, according to Dr. Ayrn D. O’Connor, a toxicologist at Banner University Medical Center.
If a person has a history of vaping and has clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, fever and fatigue and some may have nausea and vomiting, physicians first have to rule out other possible causes such as bacterial, viral, fungal, autoimmune and cancer, O’Connor said.
The onset of the symptoms generally occurred over several days to several weeks before hospitalization.
If vaping is suspected, health-care providers are following CDC guidelines that include taking a detailed history of the substance used, the sources and obtaining any remaining product, devices and liquids that were used for testing.
O’Connor said the majority of the reported cases in the country are in the age group 18-35.
She said everything from antibiotics and cortisone to ventilation machines and ECMO machines, which pumps and oxygenates the blood outside a body were used on the patients.
In severe acute lung injury patients no longer can get oxygen into their blood and develop hypoxia, where the brain, heart
see VAPING
and other organs are deprived of oxygen and can lead to death.
“In other parts of the country hundreds of cases are being investigated and now we are starting to see cases here in Arizona,” O’Connor said. “Until we sort out the source and the cause we expect those numbers to increase. So, the only way to combat this effectively is to stop the exposure to these products.”
Her advice for people who vape is to stop now.
“This is a dangerous behavior,” she said. “You are taking chemicals and burning it and inhaling it on purpose. It’s not a healthy and wise thing to do.”
She said people who want to stop should see their primary care providers and ask for help.
“Whether it’s nicotine gum or the patch or counseling, there are resources to help,” she said.
Zimmerman has sworn off vaping. He had his dad disposed of his vaping equipment and cartridges while he was in the hospital.
“If you are thinking about vaping –don’t,” Zimmerman said. “If you think nothing bad can happen to you, it can and it won’t be good at all.”
Ducey sees need for college athlete compensation
BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
Gov. Doug Ducey said last week he’s open to some form of compensation for college athletes – but nothing like the bill approved by California lawmakers.
He conceded Arizona may be forced to look at the issue to ensure colleges here can continue to attract talent if the California measure becomes law – especially if there isn’t a nationwide solution first.
The measure awaiting the signature of California Gov. Gavin Newsom would not allow colleges to pay athletes, a model considered from time to time. Instead, it would allow students themselves to hire state-licensed agents who could get the contracts for endorsements and sponsorships.
On one hand, Ducey said these athletes do get a college education.
“They’re getting a full-ride scholarship,’’ he said. “So that is compensation to a certain degree.’’
Still, he acknowledged, it doesn’t cover other costs.
“I do have concern for students who can’t get back and forth to where they
grew-up, and their parents can’t participate,’’ the governor said.
Then there’s the fact colleges do financially benefit from sporting events.
“I understand there is an incredible amount of money that’s being generated by these athletes,’’ he explained. “I do think there probably is an equitable, more equitable way to do it.’’
Still, there’s a limit to how far Ducey is willing to go beyond some additional dollars, saying such a measure raises difficult questions.
“How do you determine who is the superstar athlete versus the newcomer?’’ he asked.
The measure sitting on Newsom’s desk would bar California educational institutions from keeping students from participating in intercollegiate athletics solely because of being paid for the use of his or her name, image or likeness. It also says such earnings “shall not affect the student’s scholarship eligibility.’’
It also seeks to prohibit the NCAA and any other athletic association or conference from keeping a student or the student’s college from participating in intercollegiate athletics.
The measure has drawn predictable
criticism from the NCAA, which called the measure “unconstitutional’’ and “harmful.’’
Key, the letter says, is it “gives those schools an unfair recruiting advantage’’ over colleges elsewhere where students would not be able to earn outside cash.
That economic advantage is of concern to Ducey.
“Of course, Arizona will want to remain competitive,’’ he said.
One solution, the governor said, would be to have this addressed at a national level rather than “allowing a governor to put his state in a position where it leaves other states noncompetitive.’’
Ducey says it can be handled by the NCAA.
That organization already has formed a committee to consider rules regarding compensation for athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. That panel is supposed to report its findings with NCAA’s board of governors next month.
The California legislation has an escape clause of sorts: It does not take effect until 2023, giving lawmakers a chance to review what the NCAA eventually enacts.
The key, said Ducey, is finding that balance.
For 25 years, this school has done it differently
BY HALEY LORENZEN AFN Staff Writer
For the last 25 years, a school in Ahwatukee has been doing things a little bit differently.
In the middle of their five-acre campus, local plants and wind chimes are scattered across an open courtyard, where even in the middle of the school day students can be seen freely walking around campus.
In every classroom, each student cares for a class pet, such as a bird, lizard, or chinchilla.
Windowed garage doors take the place of a wall in each classroom, filling each room with natural light. When the weather permits, these doors open, and students can feel the fresh air while they learn through hands-on experience.
This is Keystone Montessori, one of the first Montessori schools in Ahwatukee, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
“Montessori really boils down to the ability to allow children to learn how to learn. They become the caretakers of
their education,” said Heather Bonacorda, the admissions and marketing director for Keystone Montessori.
The charter school was born in the living room of Sherri Sampson’s home in 1995. After moving with her family to Ahwatukee, Sampson wanted to enroll her children in a Montessori school, but the only local school could not accept any more students.
Eventually, she was teaching 13 preschoolers in her living room, with one of her children’s rooms serving as a nap room, and the other serving as the aftercare room.
Two years later, the school expanded to a nearby church, where they began accepting elementary school students. In 2000, they moved to the campus where they have been ever since.
“It was a very young community, so there were a lot of young children that were needing places and there wasn’t that much available,” said Cindy Maschoff, the administrative advisor who has worked at Keystone since 1998.
Group combats homelessness with furniture
BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA
AFN Contributor
Even in the heat of a recent September Saturday morning, peals of laughter could be heard from storage units C-1 and C-9 at Ahwatukee’s Armored Self Storage off 48th Street.
The happy campers were, in reality, happy packers, local volunteers for Furnishing Dignity, a five-year-old nonprofit that collects gently-used furnishings and household items and redistributes them to needy families and individuals to ensure they’ll have what they need to make a house or apartment into a home.
Sometimes it’s just having a bed of one’s own, or a set of gently-used dishware that can make a substantial difference in helping families re-establish themselves.
Furnishing Dignity was founded in 2014 by Ahwatukee resident Joyce Petrowski and Anita Buckel of Chandler. A third founding member, Lisa Camp-
bell, now lives out of state.
More than 560 local households have benefitted since Dignity’s founding.
Petrowski said the impetus behind
she
“In 2012, while volunteering for another nonprofit, I befriended a home-
less, elderly lady,” she explained. “She was able to get into a low-income apartment with only the personal belongings that fit into a small suitcase she rolled with her everywhere she went.
“I remember she was so excited one day when she found an old bent up metal TV tray in the garbage,” said Petrowski, the nonprofit’s treasurer.
“I reached out to family and friends and asked if they had any home furnishings and would be willing to donate to help furnish her apartment. The response was so overwhelming and we were able to outfit her apartment, as well as help other low-income residents with some of the extra items that were donated.”
Petrowski said word spread and she was asked two more times to help provide furnishings to others moving into apartments.
“I soon realized there was a definite need for this service in the valley, and I see FURNITURE page 22
Kestone Montessori Consuelo Arellano listens to little Nathan Kellogg, 3, explain a classroom display. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
Furnishing Dignity is a memory
holds dear.
Anita Bleckel, left, and Joyce Petrowski help Furnishing Dignity provide furniture for low-income individuals and families that may be able to afford a roof over their heads but not much else. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff Photographer)
when you try biking on South Mountain
BY ANDY LENARTZ AFN Guest Writer
Mountain biking is one of the most popular activities at South Mountain Park and Preserve and offers another excellent way to connect with nature.
This one may seem intimidating at first,but does not require bombing down an actual mountain. Just that you are off the road with your tires touching the dirt. Getting started
Access to a mountain bike. This one has a bit of a price barrier to getting started, so make sure it is something you will enjoy before investing in your own bike. Try renting a bike first or better yet, find a friend with an extra you can borrow. A helmet is a must. It will come with the rental bike.
Water/snacks. Bring extra water, the trails here are open, dusty, and hot.
Sunglasses will protect your eyes from the sun, bugs, rocks.
Proper footwear. Sturdy, closed-toe athletic shoes, not flip-flops.
If you enjoy the activity and want to engage on a regular basis you could spend up to $10,000 on a bike. If money doesn’t matter, by all means, purchase one of those – and consider throwing in a second one for me!
But that is definitely not required for an enjoyable experience.
Do your research on where you will likely ride on a regular basis and the type of equipment needed and share examples of the trails you are looking to ride with the bike store staff.
You can get a decent new bike for $500 to $1,000, less for a used one. This will be a hard-tailed bike (will have shocks in the front, not the rear).
Starting at about $1,000 you can get a full-suspension bike with rear shocks and some upgraded components, which are nice to have but not a necessity for riding the Desert Classic Trail at South Mountain and other trails of similar ability level in the Phoenix area.
Avoid spending much less than $500 on a new mountain bike and make your purchase from a local bike shop or outdoor retailer.
Several people that I know have purchased cheaper mountain bikes in an attempt to save money, and I’ve seen them literally fall apart the first time the bike hit a small hill and kicked a vibration
through the cheap frame.
The bikes sold at mass retailers are not high enough quality to withstand trail riding, so avoid wasting your money on these.
You also will need to buy:
A helmet. You want to be spending at least $30-50, considering what it’s protecting.
Floor bike tire pump. $50 will get you a solid one, could certainly spend more if you wish.
Additional tire tubes. $5-10 each, get a couple.
Hand-held tire pump, repair kit, tire lever, and bike tool. You can get for around $25 total.
Water. Consider a backpack with a water reservoir, it can also hold snacks and repair items.
Andy Lenartz Is an Ahwtaukee resident and avid hiker and mountain bike rider. Reach him at andy_lenartz@yahoo.com.
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ANDY LENARTZ
Abig group of Kyrene students is taking on social media this week with a play.
Almost 60 students at Aprende Middle School, 777 N. Desert Breeze Blvd., Chandler, are presenting “This Is Your Brain on Social Media,” a comedy based on interviews by authors Ian McWethy and Carrie McCrossen with teenagers about their online lives.
Geared for a teenaged audience, the play is directed by Marisa Brady, who directs the Jaguar Players, an after-school drama program at Aprende.
The cast of 28 students and 30-member crew will present the play at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 as well as at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28 and 29, at the school, 777 N. Desert Breeze Blvd., Chandler. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for teachers and students.
The Jaguar Players think and act big when it comes to productions.
In the past, they have put on productions like “Bye, Bye Birdie,” “Disney’s High School Musical, JR” and “James and the Giant Peach.”
“Brain” is no different as it takes on what
the playwrights called “both social-media madness and the grown-up hysteria over kids these days.”
The plot revolves around a school that stages an intervention for three of their most social-media obsessed students.
The ultra-righteous Amanda Boseman arrives with an array of cautionary tales:
“Firefighters are too busy taking selfies to fight fires! Romances are dictated by who the internet ships! Anybody could be a bot!”
Brady said she chose the play “because I knew the students would be able to relate
to these characters.”
“Everyone seems to either be on at least one social media site or is affected by social media so the message and theme is very current,” she explained.
“Also, the absurd humor is perfect to middle school students. It is a new play, published in 2018 and I love to produce plays other schools may not have done yet,” Brady added.
Rehearsals have been fun, she added.
“The students love how ridiculously obsessed and silly the characters are with social media,” she explained. “They are re-
ally embracing the silliness of the whole thing.”
The Jaguar Players put on two productions a year, the other, a spring musical which Brady will announce at the end of the run for “Brain.”
She said the biggest challenge in mounting “Brain” has been “finding a way to incorporate technology such as projections into our performance.”
“One scene we have a live teleconference so figuring out the logistics on that has been challenge,” she said, praising technical directors, Sharon Smith and Emmy Antillion for coming up with a solution that she thinks audiences will appreciate.
The set, she added, is “fairly minimal.”
“There are six flats that are decorated by our scenic crew with different apps, emojis and text conversations,” she said. “Each of those spin around to represent different locations.
“We also have two screens on the side of our stage where we will be having different projects throughout the play.”
Rehearsing Jaguar Players in the photo above are Alli Tucker, left, and Hannah Shafer To the left are Alli, Hannah and Joey Beatty.
(Pablo Robles/AFN Staff Photographer)
Montessori schools were developed by Maria Montessori, who opened the first school bearing her name in 1907.
Students at Montessori schools are divided into multi-age classrooms, where they remain for three years, starting as the youngest student in the classroom, and eventually becoming the oldest.
Unlike traditional schools, Montessori classrooms don’t have rows of desks with a teacher at the front. Instead, students work in small groups, while a teacher moves around the room, working with individual students.
“How we learn as human beings, for the most part, doesn’t change. Yes, the technology has changed, so we have to adapt with that,” said Laura Hertzler, the current Head of School. “It feels homey, so they don’t miss the electronics and things. It really sparks their creativity.”
Students are divided up into four different programs. The Toddler Program is for ages 15 months to three years and the
Children’s House is for ages three to six. In both, classes are bilingual, as students are taught in both English and Spanish.
second home for me and my family,” she added.
Like Yoo, Maschoff has been with Keystone for over 20 years. Throughout these years, Ahwatukee has been growing and changing, but Maschoff said the key focus of the school has not changed.
“Through the years there’s always changes and different trends. We just focus back on what our true beliefs are, educating the whole child, and that involves establishing relationships with children, with parents, and the community,” Maschoff said.
With it being the school’s 25th year of operation, staff members said they are planning to celebrate. Although they don’t have any solid plans yet, they said that they will have something planned for the spring.
The Elementary Program is divided into two groups, the Lower Elementary is children ages six to nine, and the Upper Elementary is children ages nine to 12. The oldest students are part of the Adolescent Program, which is for ages 12 to 15.
Many of the staff members at Keystone have worked at the school for years and have seen the school grow into what it is today.
Yoo-Kyung Yoo is a Lower Elementary teacher, who has been with Keystone since its founding. After enrolling her daughter in the first preschool class, she began working as a classroom assistant,and was later asked to become a classroom lead.
Originally from South Korea, Yoo said she grew up in a very structured school system, and when she sent her daughter to a Montessori school, she became passionate about the school and its unique curriculum.
Twenty-five years later, Yoo said she still has that passion, “I feel like it’s my
Nathan Kellogg checks out on of the birds in his classroom at Keystone Montessori. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
Keystone Montessori administrative adviser Cindy Maschoff and Head of School Laura Hertzler discuss the Ahwatukee school as it marks 25 years of service to the community.( Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
Mateo Sandoval, 4, takes a a minute to play some bells at Keystone Montessori. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
reached out to a few friends and family and Furnishing Dignity was born in October 2014,” said Petrowski, a 21-year Ahwatukee resident.
On Oct. 12, Furnishing Dignity celebrates five years of service at their Cause for Celebration, 6-8 p.m. at Tuft & Needle headquarters, 735 Grand Ave., Phoenix.
The mattress company is a major sponsor for the nonprofit. In 2017, the Gilbert Tuft & Needle donated 100 percent of its opening day proceeds to Furnishing Dignity.
Anita Buckel was one of the friends called upon by Petrowski – whom she credited with being a “fellow professional volunteer” – to serve on the newly-created nonprofit board.
“Joyce and I had worked well together for eight years as volunteers for our children’s elementary and middle schools. The kids were moving on to high school when Joyce discovered this need in the community and wanted to start helping to solve it,” said Buckel.
The nonprofit’s name was carefully selected.
“We named it Furnishing Dignity because acknowledging the dignity of the human spirit in those we serve was
very important to us. Our main focus became serving those who are actively working toward self-sufficiency, foster youth transitioning from state care, and the elderly on fixed incomes,” Buckel explained.
Buckel, a Chandler resident of 13 years who holds a master’s in English, recalled
“We have clients who are no longer in a shelter or on the street, but the lack of furniture serves as a reminder of the fragility and impermanence of their situation. There’s something about a furnished home that re-humanize those who’ve been dehumanized by the homeless experience,” she said. “One of our early clients told us he felt like a human being again.”
Buckel continued, “I’ve heard children tell their mom ‘Now I can have friends over!’ and “Is this MY bed?! I can keep it?” One young lady coming out of foster care said she woke up the next morning, ‘feeling like a princess’. She’d never owned her own bed before.”
“Recently, before we’d even helped her, one mom was in tears explaining what having furniture for the first time in two years was going to do for her family. She was looking forward to a place to sit and eat together, a place to host her son’s friends, her extended family, a home.
a study indicating that those transitioning from homelessness who received furniture assistance had a better chance for success.
Observing firsthand the reactions of Furnishing Dignity clients – both individuals and families – still moves Buckel as she recounts their stories.
“Another young man said ‘Silverware?! We haven’t had real silverware in years!’ It is truly the little things that make a world of difference,” she said.
Furnishing Dignity is mostly donation driven, “and it’s definitely a pay-it-for-
Anita Bleckel checks out one of Furnishing Dignity’s storage areas. The nonprofit is looking for someone to donate larger storage space. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff Photographer)
ward as it all goes directly to the clients we serve,” added Tamara Silva, a Chandler resident and Furnishing Dignity’s executive director.
Silva, who has worked with other nonprofits such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, said volunteers are key to continuing success and service to their clients, and Furnishing Dignity offers multiple ways in which to help.
“Before we can make a delivery, we need volunteers to help select, clean, tag and pack household items and furniture. Then on our Pack and Move Day, as a group we deliver the items to a family,” Silva explained.
“You really get to see and appreciate how a family reacts when you are part of this day.”
Selecting furnishings for each new home isn’t a hit-or-miss project at Furnishing Dignity.
One of Buckel’s tasks includes first meeting with the client in their home, assessing room space and asking questions about preferences and colors, especially with children.
“Then comes my favorite part: working with their preferences, size considerations, and needs. I love selecting the
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 38
furniture for their home. I call it channeling my inner interior designer,” she laughed.
“Of course, we can’t always provide exactly what they want, but we try to select furniture based on their personality and likes and dislikes. I am not going to give a white couch to a mom of five kids, nor am I going to give a massive sectional to a single elderly man,” said Buckel, adding:
“Seeing the end result in each apartment is part of what drives me and inspires me. And seeing how pleasantly surprised they are at the quality of the furniture and the lengths we went to to coordinate the items is very rewarding.”
Several Greater Phoenix corporations’ employee groups and area civic groups like the National Charity League Ahwatukee Foothills Chapter are often on hand to help with the sorting, packing and or delivery, and sponsoring fundraising events to assist monetarily.
Warehouse space is at a premium as the organization continues to increasingly serve more families and individuals.
The five smaller storage units are at capacity and there’s a need for more space – one the nonprofit hopes will be offered them at a less-than-market cost.
“We’re currently searching for 7,000 – 10,000 square feet of warehouse space at a discounted rate located from the airport and east,” said Petrowski. “We’re currently working out of storage units at Armored Self Storage in Ahwatukee, and we can be more efficient and increase our capacity with a warehouse.”
Christian Colon is Furnishing Dignity’s warehouse manager, and as such is responsible for overseeing donation requests, arranging pick-ups from driveways of donor’s homes.
She also is a faithful worker bee at most Pack and Move Days.
Anita Buckel said besides the ongoing need for volunteers in various areas, good old-fashioned cash is always welcome.
“Something I’ve learned in this endeavor is that it takes money to do good. Sure, everyone will give you their used items - especially if you pick them up, but the money, that’s a different story. Every non-profit has expenses. For us, it is our employees, storage units, truck, maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. Nothing gets done in the U.S. without money,” she said wryly.
Petrowski said two more important needs currently is spreading awareness of the nonprofit and their work, and in-
creasing regular donors via Furnishing Dignity’s Heart & Home Squad, their monthly donation platform.
“As little as a $10 a month for a year commitment will put a complete bed under a child – frame, mattress, foundation, sheets, pillow and comforter,” she said.
“And if a business is interested in supporting us, we have sponsorships available for entire families, for our annual Cause for Celebration event, and other ongoing concerns,” added Buckel.
How to help
There are many ways to help Furnishing Dignity continue its mission, from attending the gala Oct. 12 Cause for Celebration and other activities to donating to volunteering.
Information: FurnishingDignity.org. Or call: Anita Buckel, Program Coordinator 480-340-3417, Ext 2;
For donation pick-ups: Christian Colon, Warehouse Manager 480-340-3417, Ext 3.
LEARN LEAD ACHIEVE
Discover Kyrene
Showcase Nights in November and December at all Kyrene Schools
questions aimed at sparking convivial trivia competitions among friends with over 600 questions about everything from the the
Mesa woman pens trivia homage to ‘Friends’
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
If you don’t know who Joey, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe, Ross and Monica are, you probably have never met Kylie Digges.
The Eastmark resident and Gilbert native knows more about the central sextet of characters from the long-running TV series ‘Friends’ than you could ever imagine.
Digges, who is the editor of ASU Now, part of the Arizona State University media relations team, has written a trivia book about the series loaded with 600 questions that will test the mettle of even the most binge-worthy fan of the show.
Which is something when you consider that Digges, 38, was only 13 when “Friends” debuted.
For the uninitiated, “Friends” followed the antics of the six residents of the same Manhattan complex in half-hour weekly segments for a decade as they went through their 20s and a good chunk of their 30s.
Romance, heartbreak and just the challenges of life in the Big Apple were underlying themes, though Digges likely would argue there are far more.
The Gilbert High grad, who arrived in Arizona from Minnesota with her family the year before “Friends” started its impressive run, finished the trivia book in about five months and considers it both a cultural achievement and a bit of a bragging right.
“’Friends’” is my all-time favorite TV show,” she explained. “Then my younger brother, Trent, and I often play ‘Friends’themed trivia nights and we usually win
by a fair margin, so I felt like I had an expert-level knowledge base on this show and it was a good place to start to write a trivia book of my own.”
Her 600-plus questions cover all 10 seasons, ranging from easy to difficult as the reader moves through the book. In between season-based sections are themed chapters with sets of questions about the show’s twosomes, sections covering its many romances, and quizzes about recurring themes.
“Each chapter ends with a ‘quotable’ where you have to finish a set of dialogue with the punchline,” Digges added. “And at the end, there are three expert-level quizzes for true die-hards.”
Digges said the show “was definitely appointment viewing for me.”
“Before TV shows on DVD were a thing, I taped the whole show, at the time six seasons, from syndication on VHS and then created dubbed versions with every episode in order to give to my family as Christmas gifts,” she said, adding:
“Alas, the DVD sets were released about a year after I completed that project. I have since purchased all 10 sets.”
She’s not shy about how much of her life has been consumed by watching the show, either, noting, “They say it take 1,000 hours to become an expert on something. With ‘Friends,’ I’m pretty sure I’m there.”
But she has her reasons, explaining “these characters and the dynamic of that cast were just lightning in a bottle, and the story of figuring yourself out in your 20s and 30s with the help of your chosen family – your friends – is so universal.”
Eastmark resident Kylie Digges has prepared a book that could stump all but the most rabid fans of the TV series “Friends.” It’s loaded with
characters to plot lines.
(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)
Real Estate Guide
Blandford Homes is getting close to taking a new subdivision in Ahwatukee to market.
The developer last week gave a sneak peek of sorts on Palma Brisa, a 197home gated community it is building on 62 acres at the intersection of Frye Road and Desert Foothills Parkway.
Promising “a dramatically different style than the homes and communities that were built in the nineties,” Blandford’s preview said, “It feels exclusive, but also lively and exciting.”
“The landscape at Palma Brisa is designed to be fresh and eye-catching with
statement entryways and amenity areas evocative of a modern resort-style,” the release said.
“From outside the community walls, the landscape reflects the surrounding desert terrain. However, Palma Brisa’s entrances are marked with groves of tall palm trees, bright vegetation, and cool-colored hardscape details.”
It said the subdivision will host four “amenity areas” linked by “expansive lawns and dramatic plantings to create an enjoyable environment for walking, relaxing, or sports and play activities.”
The development will offer single-level
and two-story homes with five different elevation themes for each home, “along with over 20 exterior color palettes spread throughout two different exterior collection of homes.”
“Diversity of home exteriors and a fresh new look are two objectives that Blandford Homes will deliver within Palma Brisa. Elevation architectural styles will consist of Bungalow, Modern Farmhouse, Italian Cottage, Andalusian, Country French, Spanish Mission and Rural Mediterranean.”
Homes will range in size between 1,700 and over 4,000 square feet with oversized two-car and three-car garages and “thousands of interior design finishes” to allow almost unlimited customization, Blandford said.
The developer also indicated it would soon be rolling out exterior renderings and give a timeline for model home construction.
The development was a windfall for Tempe Union High School District, which made $23 million selling the parcel almost two years ago. The land was once considered for a third high school in Ahwatukee, but that need never materialized.
For most of this year, the developer has
been trying to tame the site’s rugged topography – much to the consternation of nearby residents who have complained about the blasting that has been done to get it in shape for streets and homes.
A spokesman a month ago said pricing of the homes had not yet been determined, but the development may echo another Blandford development at Guadalupe and Signal Butte roads in East Mesa.
Called Mulberry, that 350-home community as developed by Desert Vista 100, the same Blandford Homes subsidiary that actually was the purchaser of the Tempe Union land.
Mulberry also boasts, “millions of extra dollars spent to create real resort-quality entries, date palm boulevards like none
other, carriage houses, specialty street lighting, lush landscaping, unique theme walls and meaningful amenities,” according to a company website.
Among the landscaping, amenities are 150 16-foot date palm trees that line the main streets and two gateways to the development.
“It is the neighborhood EVERYONE falls in love with,” Mulberry’s website states. “It feels like an enchanted land – magically reminiscent of the early 1900s when homes sprung up to create quaint neighborhoods.”
It offers six sets each of single-level and two-story floor plans ranging between 1,700-4,000 square feet and priced from $200,000 to mid-$300,000. Corner-lot
homes feature wraparound porches.
Besides a Georgian Colonial-style clubhouse complete with white-and-green shutters, the development offers homeowners exclusive use of seven parks, sports courts, playgrounds, a pool, fitness and multipurpose rooms, party terrace and huge great lawn area.
A “lifestyle director” organizes community events and activities, including “All-American picnics,” a pancake breakfast with Santa, crafty workshops, food drives, “Mulberry Monster Mash” and a “Kris Kringle Party.”
To top it off, every home gets a pair of “Mulberry Cruisers,” custom-made bicycles branded with the development’s name and blue-and-green colors.
Now is the time to consider mortgage re-fi
BY MARY RAMSEY AFN Guest Writer
Is now the best time to refinance your current mortgage? The answer is yes, plain and simple. Rates are at a three-year low, as the average rate hasn’t been this low since October 2016. According to data released by Freddie Mac from lenders across the nation, the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate
average fell to 3.49 percent with an average 0.5 point.
Points are fees paid to a lender equal to one percent of the loan amount and are in addition to the interest rate. The surveyed average was 3.58 percent recently and 4.54 percent a year ago.
How can refinancing at a lower rate help you? Let me count the ways.
Refinancing your current mortgage
can:
1) Lower your monthly payment. This
will enable you to put more into savings, retirement accounts and investments. Plus, the interest is tax-deductible.
2) Cash-out. Is it time for a remodel or do you need to take care of home improvements? The cash-out option releases equity to be available for unforeseen expenses or purchases. Do you need a vacation?
3) Loan consolidation. bundle your debt and pay off liabilities, obligations and other financial commitments. It is possible that your credit score could benefit from this change.
rate not only shaves off interest costs but also cuts out monthly PMI payments. This is generally 0.5 to 1 percent of the total loan on a yearly basis. For example, borrowers with a $200,000 mortgage and a PMI payment of 1 percent, have a savings of $2,000 per year or $167 per month.
By taking five minutes out of your day, you can have a conversation with a trusted lender and explore your options through a simple mortgage check-up. If your current rate is 5 percent or higher, it is worth looking into a refinance.
4) Shorten the term. For example, going from 30-year fixed to a 15-year fixed loan. By doing this, you are steps closer to owning your home free and clear, and there is potential that you can save at least thousands of dollars in interest.
Are you paying PMI (private mortgage insurance)? This could be a game-changer for you if your home value has increased and you now have over 20 percent in equity. Refinancing into a lower
There are many programs available to you. If you are not thrilled with your current monthly payment, think your rate could be better or are in a situation where you will benefit from a refinance, now is the time to be curious and take advantage of the decline in interest rates.
Mary Ramsey is a loan officer with Dignified Home Loans, LLC and can be reached at 909- 645-7455 or mary. ramsey@dignifiedhomeloans.
Blandford released the image above to announce that its new Palma Brisa development will soon be open to home buyers, although it gave no timeline for when model houses will be ready for inspection. At left is an overview of the site taken by Tom Sanfilippo of Inside Out Aerial.
Seven reasons to move to a life plan community Family rooms
BY BHAKTI GOSALIA AFN Guest Writer
Planning for the future means contemplating the right time to move into a life plan community, a living option that encourages an active independent lifestyle.
Life plan communities provide an engaging independent living lifestyle along with a full suite of services in the event that a resident’s health needs change.
New friends. It is easier than ever to meet new friends and remain social in a life plan community. Residents can open their doors and walk down the hallway to see and get to know new friends or meet up at any one of the numerous onsite social activities.
An active lifestyle with a full social calendar can help you stay happy, healthy and thriving well into your retirement.
Resort-style dining. Many life plan communities have restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner – as well as convenience shops, coffee bars and lounges for everything in-between. These communities often accommodate a variety of dietary preferences. If you still would like to cook for
yourself from time to time, many residences come with a fully equipped kitchen.
Fewer chores. You also do not have to be bothered with everyday chores and home maintenance. That gives you more time to enjoy the entire suite of services and activities provided by the community. Waiting can limit rate options. Some life plan communities have varying rates
depending on the status of your health at the time of your move.
Enjoy all that is offered. Moving in while you’re still active gives you more time and independence to experience all the communities have to offer. Many residents state they are happy they moved in while still fully able to experience every activity and amenity to the fullest.
More time. You can continue to enjoy all your pastimes for as long as you want. You might even find that you have more time to spend on your interests once you do not have to bother with the day-to-day routine of food preparation, maintenance and daily chores. You could also discover a new hobby, pick up something you did not feel like you had time to do earlier in life or even find additional purpose in volunteering.
Access to healthcare. Planning ahead can save you a lot of time and money, if and when you should need to take advantage of health services such as assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing or rehabilitation.
Many life plan communities offer a continuum of care, so when you move in, you can rest knowing should your needs change, there is a team of health care professionals available to help. You can also breathe easy knowing you will not need to rely on your loved ones to take on the burden of planning for your care or taking it on themselves.
When researching, look for communities offering a lifetime guarantee for medical services.
Bhakti Gosalia is vice president of operations for Sun Health Communities. sunhealthcommunities.org.
BY CAROL SAMPSON AFN Guest Writer
Our family rooms are the favorite place to hang out, hideout and chill out every day, yearround.
Since we all spend a major percent of our time in this room, it’s inevitable after every eight or 10 years, it gets sad looking, dated and just doesn’t live up to potential. Colors and fabrics will have faded or worn out on seating especially in front of windows. Area rugs get dog-eared from having traffic patterns running across them. Accessories no longer hold their charm or appeal they once had. Wall colors need a fresh and lively appearance.
The family room and its storeroom of possessions need to be redefined to better fit our current activities and growing family personalities.
Updating the family room and making decorating decisions should start with a new floor plan for the furniture. Begin by creating a new configuration of how many seating groups the room can accommodate to serve the various functions of the occu-
pants.
Making a function-first priorities list helps to narrow down the amount of furniture and the space they will take up. Avoid the most common decorating mistake of placing all the furniture against the walls.
Nearly all family rooms have an invisible list of priorities starting with the TV. This space takes up the majority amount of floor area, it becomes the starting point for a floor plan. The first requirement is figuring out how many family members and guests will need to be seated.
This number determines the size and
shape of the sofa. Sofas are the anchor in a room. If they are too long or too deep, all the proportions everywhere else are wrong, creating a room that is aesthetically and emotionally uncomfortable.
Next comes the placement of the elephant in the room – the TV.
The amount of seating and the TV location are the dominating factors for any new floor plan. They have a domino effect on the size, scale, and placement of the other furniture to be purchased.
Using furniture that does double duty is a wise decision. For instance, a game table and chairs can double as the homework table, project table and the extra dining for special occasions. However, game tables take up large amounts of space.
So make sure there is at least a radius of six to eight feet somewhere in the room to accommodate a typical 42-inch table with four chairs.
Today, over-sized ottomans fulfill multi-functions. Ottomans, custom created in any size or shape, can be a wonderful multi-purpose piece. They take the place of the coffee table and don’t get ruined when people put their feet on them. Best of all, they have hidden space inside to store toys,
games, pillows, snuggle blankets or clutter.
Window treatments that are functional and beautiful not only add personality to the room but can soften the lines of the windows while also providing privacy.
Family rooms facing the south or west side of the house benefit from multi-window treatments blocking the harsh sun from fading colors on fabrics, wood furniture and floors, area rugs and some artwork.
Drapery design styles can cut down on summer heat transference and probably reduce the electric bill as well. Layering window treatments such as roman shades or shutters that fit tightly against the window reduce the radiant heat. Adding decorative fabric panels and/or cornices get the best results of both function and beautiful window design.
Linings are a must to help with insulation and protect the drapery fabric. Blackout linings are great for both insulation and darkening the family room or media room for a movie and TV viewing.
Ahwatukee Foothills resident Carol Sampson is an award-winning interior designer and author. Reach her at 480-759-6763 or carol@mountainpointeinteriors.com.
SPOTLIGHT TLIGHT home
Outstanding custom home, perched on large hillside lot showcasing spectacular city lights and mountain views. Eat-in kitchen boasts granite countertops, cherry-finished panel cabinetry, new stainless steel appliances and sun-filled dining area. Coveted features include jaw dropping views of Four Peaks, exposed viga beams, plus freshly painted interior and exterior. Expansive great room with large picture windows, wet bar, fireplace and adjacent to media room. Grand master suite with sitting area, spacious walk-in closet, exposed viga beams and full bath. Backyard amenities encompass walk-out private office/game room with loft and access to astonishing exterior with vast, oversized covered patios, fountain, brand new built-in BBQ and negative edge Pebble Tec play pool. Fabulous ample space to entertain.
for $1,195,000
Mendoza
Minsk slab granite counter tops, large kitchen island, breakfast room, kitchen bar and a built in desk. Kitchen opens to a spacious family room with custom fireplace, entertainment center and spectacular mountain views. 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 and steam mist shower, His and Her closets with built-ins and a stackable washer/dyer. Main level also offers an executive office, custom refrigerated wine room, 3 bedroom suites and 2 powder rooms. The lower level offers a family, game room and a full kitchen that includes a large bar plus bedroom suite, office/gym and second bath. Resort style living/ entertaining available in the backyard with tumbled paver patios, outdoor fireplace, pool, spa, built-in BBQ, firepit, and a grass play area. Spectacular views in all directions! Truly a place of beauty in which to relax and enjoy. Highly appointed and well maintained estate property. Come see this unique property and appreciate the elegance it offers. Great Ahwatukee Foothills location, awarding winning Kyrene schools. Ahwatukee Foothills voted #1 2019 Best Places to Live in the Phoenix Area by the Phoenix Business Journal! Won Best Home on Ahwatukee Luxury Tour!
Listed for $1,740,000
SONORAN LIV
AHWATUKEE CUSTOM ESTATES
AMAZING REMODELED CUSTOM ESTATE with mountain views located at the end of a cul-de-sac, no expense spared on this tuscan masterpiece, gated entry, over 8000sqft of pure luxury finishes, grand foyer, custom iron doors, 6 bedroom, 5.5 Baths, elevator, formal living & dining, family room w/canterra stone fireplace, gourmet kitchen includes:custom cabinetry,s/s appliances,subzero fridge,2 dishwashers,double oven, & island, master suite w/ south mountain views, huge outdoor walk deck, master bath w/fireplace,jacuzzi tub,large shower, & walk-in closet, new windows, soaring ceilings, basement w/full kitchen & s/s appliances, media/ gameroom, dance studio/gym/yoga room, paradise backyard w/patio,pebble sheen pool, waterfall,spa,built-in bbq,sportcourt & playground, rv gate, this stunning estate is a rare find!!
Listed for $2,025,000
WILLIAMS® REALTY Geno Ross
Opendoor stayed open too long in Chandler
Online real estate companies offer the convenience of letting buyers tour properties across the East Valley on their own time, but some have found ways to exploit these systems and end up with criminal charges.
Adriana Gamboa, 26, told Chandler Police she and 29-year-old Gary Lynn didn’t mean any harm when they allegedly overstayed their welcome at an Opendoor home on Sept. 7.
She and Lynn brought two young children to the vacant property, located in the 400 block of North Halsted Court, and were caught using the home’s shower to bathe the kids.
An unidentified prospective buyer touring the Opendoor property walked in on the couple and called the police.
“Neither subject understood why they were detained or later arrested,” the police report stated, “as they didn’t feel there was an issue with remaining in the residence and using the facilities.”
Buyers interested in viewing one of Opendoor’s properties in Arizona can set up an account through the company’s app
and receive an access code to gain entry into the home. Gamboa allegedly had the company’s app downloaded on her phone.
She allegedly told CPD she walked to Halsted Court with the intention of looking at the property. Because of the heat, her children were sweaty from the walk so she decided to bathe them.
Gamboa admitted she was looking for some “peace and quiet” away from My Sister’s Place, a domestic violence shelter in Chandler.
Officers said bags of clothing found in the Opendoor home made it appear
like Gamboa and Lynn were squatting in the residence.
According to public records, an Opendoor representative told police that prospective buyers are allowed only about an hour to tour one of its properties. The company installs motion sensors to ensure buyers don’t stay beyond the allotted time.
A security guard told Chandler Police the motion sensors at Halsted Court were recently disabled and parts had been removed.
Gamboa and Lynn were booked into the Chandler-Gilbert jail on trespassing charges. Lynn also was charged with drug possession. Gamboa’s children were handed over to the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
Chandler Police said this was the agency’s first trespassing case it knew of in-
volving an Opendoor property.
Patrick Mahoney, an Opendoor spokesperson, said the company automatically dispatches security guards to one of its properties whenever abnormal activity is detected.
“Ensuring the safety of our customers, our neighbors, and our communities is one of the most important things we do every day at Opendoor,” Mahoney wrote in a statement, adding:
“When Opendoor receives reports of unauthorized or suspicious activity in our homes, we immediately engage with our customers, investigate, and refer matters to law enforcement when appropriate.”
Opendoor was founded in 2014 and presently buys homes all over the East Valley to sell online.
The Tempe Police Department reported having at least two cases in the last year involving trespassers at Opendoor properties – one of which had similar circumstances as the Chandler case, according to Detective Greg Bacon.
A spokesperson for Gilbert Police Department said the agency was not aware of any recent cases involving possible squatters at Opendoor properties.
GARY LYNN
ADRIANA GAMBOA
“The main thing for me though is that the funny just holds up: the one-liners, the running gags, and especially the physical comedy, which I think doesn’t get enough credit. I’ve seen Ross try to get his leather pants back on a dozen or more times, and it’s never not funny,” Digges said.
The character she identi�ies the most with is the somewhat fussy Monica, explaining “I’m a perfectionist, a bit of a neat freak and I’m pretty competitive.”
The book, available on amazon.com or on Digges’ website, brainwavetrivia.com.
She believes her book will “help spark lively game nights for people.”
“One of my favorite things to do is play trivia with my friends and family, so if this book is a tool for people to do that, I’m happy,” she said.
“I laughed a lot while writing this book, because the show is �illed with so many hilarious moments and lines, and every question reminds you of those jokes. I hope it does that for other people as well.”
And you haven’t heard the last of Digges either.
She is hard at work on another trivia book about another popular dramedy, the HBO show “Sex and the City,” which is coming out in November. After that, she’s taking on “Scrubs.”
Ahwatukee Girl Scout troop slates semi-annual rummage sale
Melissa Blodgett, the chairwoman of Ahwatukee Troop 78’s semi-annual rummage sale, said the girls are hoping for donations for the public 7-11:30 a.m. Oct. 19 at Esperanza Lutheran Church, 2601 E. Thunderhill Place, Ahwatukee. Donations can be dropped off at the church after 6 a.m. that day and the troop will give the donor a tax receipt.
Former Ahwatukee resident-columnist holding book signing for her novel
Former Ahwatukee resident and occasional AFN columnist Lisa Jisa is holding a book signing for her new novel, “Pearls of Wisdom” 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at Early Baker Bistro & Bakery, 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee.
The nove, available at pearlsofwisdom.com, tells the story of a woman who moves to Uganda for a fresh start and struggles with whether to love again to defeat a painful past.
Jisa said she wrote extensively for AFN in 2004 and 2005 about her trips to Uganda and uses some experiences in the novel to capture life in that country. Jisa said the book has been getting favorable reviews.
Art classes offered for kids, teens at artist Kathie Kelly’s Ahwatukee home
Ahwatukee artist Kathie Kelly says she’s offering “the perfect opportunity for aspiring young artists to learn drawing and painting skills.”
Art Lessons for You, 12:30-2 p.m. Saturdays involves “creative exploration classes for first graders and up. All forms of drawing materials and water base paints are supplied.
Open enrollment and if spaces are available, drop-ins are welcome. Call to make a reservation. Kelly is an artist and art educator.
Information: Artlessonsforyou.com, Kathie4artlessons@ gmail.com, or 480-544-6206.
AARP’s Smart Driver course for seniors slated Oct. 17 at Pecos Senior Center
AARP is again offering the Smart Driver Course. The four-hour class provides seniors an opportunity to refresh their driving skills while learning about changes in road design, intersections, signage, and ever evolving technology to our cars.
Tips on ageing and driving are also provided to help increase confidence and safety awareness. After attending the class, participants receive a certificate that may make them eligible for insurance discounts.
Classes will be held at the Pecos Senior Center, 17010 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Oct. 17. The cost is $15 for AARP members, $20 for non-members. Register: Call the Pecos Senior Center at 602-534-5366.
Buy first responders coffee at Buzzed Goat
Matthew Armer of the Armer Foundation for Kids has worked out a way that Ahwatukee residents can buy police, firefighters and other first responders free coffee.
Just stop at the Buzzed Goat Coffee Company, 4302 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee, and leave a donation.
WATCH D.O.G.S program being launched at Lomas Elementary today
WATCH D.O.G.S. is coming to Kyrene de las Lomas at 11820 S. Warner Elliot Loop, Ahwatukee.
The celebrated program, whose acronym stands for Dads Of Great Students, provides positive male role mod-
els for students in a school setting and gives the school some extra eyes and ears.
To explain the program, a Dads and Kids Pizza Night will be held 5:30-6:30 p.m. today, Sept. 25, at the school. The program involves men who give up one day a year during the school year to volunteer at their child’s school. Fathers, grandfathers and others participate. For imformation on the pizza night, contact Principal Tika DeGraffenreid at 480-541-3400. Information: dadsofgreatstudents.com
Corpus Christi Knights to hold golf tournament this Saturday
The Knights of Columbus Council 10062 of Corpus Christi Church in Ahwatukee will hold their 28th annual Joe Hasulak Memorial Golf Tournament Sept. 28 at the Foothills Golf Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive, Ahwatukee. Proceeds benefit local Knights of Columbus sanctioned charities. The Knights are seeking sponsorship at various levels. Registration and tournament play are open to all. Player registration of $85 includes greens fees, two beverage tickets, cart, goodie bag and lunch. Raffle prizes, contests and more will be on tap.
The nonprofit Knights of Columbus Council 10062 golf tournaments benefit local organizations and programs aiding youth, the less fortunate and the homeless. Information/registration: tournament Chairman Mike Moore at 480-360-5956 or e-mail moore4mike@msn.com.
Summit School to present program for parents on cyber security
Summit School at 4515 E. Muirwood Drive, Ahwatukee,
are $75 each for general
or $1,000 for a table of 10 (including 10 drink tickets and a reserved table). Tickets can be purchased at: https://aesaz.co/ELP/KYRENE19/ or for more information go to: kyrenefoundation.org/event/night-for-kyrene
Thank You to our Sponsors:
CD Rates Crisp Autumn
is partnering with the nonprofit NotMYkid to present a one-hour program for parents on cyber security 5-6 p.m. Oct. 3 at the school.
The program is aimed at equipping parents and guardians on protecting children from online predators, sexting, identity theft and cyber-bullying.
No ticket or registration is required for the program and parents are advised this is strictly for adults as some material will be unsuitable for children.
Fall events at Art in the Garden Studio include art workshops for children
Children’s two-hour art workshops will be offered 4-6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m.-noon and Saturdays in October at Art in the Garden Studio, 4221 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, for kids 5 and up.
A qualified, professional instructor will teach. An adult must accompany children under 12.
Ahwatukee’s newest art studio is providing a peaceful
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25
Sit, Stay, Read!
Emerging readers of all ages can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy animal & human team. Read to Truffles.
DETAILS>> 4-5 p.m. Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. All Ages. Free. No registration required.
TUESDAY, OCT. 1
Decorative Greeting Cards
Local artist Beth Maggio will instruct and assist participants in making embossed and dye-cut paper greeting cards. Two sessions will be offered. You can only register for one. This program is supported by the Friends of Phoenix Public Library Ironwood Chapter. #GreetingCards #IronwoodLibrary
DETAILS>> Session 1: 1:30-2:30 p.m. or Session 2: 3-4 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adults. Free. Registration is required online at phxlib.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2
Monthly Book Discussion Club
studio to learn many different art forms from painting, drawing, alcohol ink, meditation and different types of drawing classes as well as Natural Care Products for body and home.
Adults over 21 are welcome to BYOB in the form of wine or beer to any of our classes in the evenings. Corporate and special events are welcome to be arranged with us. Pre-register and information: artinthegardenstudio.com or 480-302-1304.
Ahwatukee moms offer numerous opportunities to pray
Moms In Prayer International has various Ahwatukee groups that meet weekly for an hour of prayer for their children or grandchildren of all ages. Information: MomsInPrayer.org or azcarolina7@gmail.com
Read the book and join each lively discussion the first Wednesday of the month. October’s Read: Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault. November’s Read: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann.
DETAILS>> 7-7:45 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Adults. Free. No registration required.
THURSDAY, OCT. 3
Discovery Time
On the first Thursday of each month science concepts are introduced in this storytime for children 3-5 years-old.
DETAILS>> 6:30-7:15 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: 3-5 years. Free. Tickets are limited and available in the library 30 minutes before program start time.
TUESDAY, OCT. 8
LEGO Lab
Children accompanied by an adult can stop by for fun LEGO building time the second Tuesday of each month.
DETAILS>> 4:30-5:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages 6-11 years. Free. No registration required.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9
Watersmart: Desert Lawn Care Learn practical advice for maintaining a healthy, beautiful and
water efficient lawn. This free program is presented in partnership with City of Phoenix Water Department.
DETAILS>> 6:30–7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adults. Free. No registration required.
Sit, Stay, Read!
Emerging readers of all ages can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy animal & human team. Read to Truffles on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
DETAILS>> 4-50 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. All Ages. Free. No registration required.
THURSDAY, OCT. 10
Knitting and Crocheting for a Cause
Join our volunteer-led group of knitters and crotchetiers as we meet up to crochet or knit blankets to give to non-profit organizations that assist children and families in crisis or transition. Please bring your own knitting or crocheting tools, and your own yarn if you would like. Yarn will also be provided. Basic knitting and/or crocheting skills required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library Ironwood Chapter. DETAILS>> 6:30-7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adults. Free. No registration required.
SATURDAY, OCT. 12
Library Teen Council Meeting
LTC meets the second Saturday of every month to plan teen events at Ironwood Library. Join us to earn community service hours, make friends, and have fun.
DETAILS>> 2-3 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: 12-17 years. Free. No registration required.
TUESDAY, OCT. 15
Ironwood Writers Critique
The third Tuesday of every month bring 5 double-spaced pages of writing to get feedback from your fellow writers. DETAILS>> 6-7:45 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adults. Free. No registration required.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16
Fall Gardening Tips
Join master gardeners from the Ahwatukee Community Garden to learn about fall gardening in our desert climate. Bring your seeds for a free seed swap as well! Supported by the Friends of
Phoenix Public Library Ironwood Chapter.
DETAILS>> 6-7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adult. Free. No registration required.
THURSDAY, OCT. 17
Halloween Pumpkin Panache
Create some stylish Halloween pumpkin decorations with old books and paint! All materials are provided. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library, Ironwood Chapter.
DETAILS>> 6:30-7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adult. Free. Registration is required online at phxlib.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23
Sit, Stay, Read!
Emerging readers of all ages can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy animal & human team. Read to Truffles.
DETAILS>> 4-5 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. All Ages. Free. No registration required.
SATURDAY, OCT. 26
Halloween Family Event
Bring the whole family to enjoy this hands-on crafting Halloween event. This program is supported by the Friends of Phoenix Public Library Ironwood Chapter.
DETAILS>> 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: 3-11. Free. No registration required.
SUNDAYS
TinkerTime
Explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment and invent while learning about science, technology, engineering, art
and math (STEAM) through tinkering
DETAILS>> 2-4 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages 6-11. Free. No registration required.
Learn gardening from pros
Learn desert gardening by getting your hands dirty with the Ahwatukee Community Gardening Project. Share in the knowledge, the produce and the smiles. All ages welcome Bring sun protection and water, tools optional.
DETAILS>> 8-9:15 a.m. in the northwest corner of the park at 4700 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee, behind the guitar player at the Ahwatukee Farmers Market, which is open 9a.m.-1 p.m. Information: acgarden.org or 480-759-5338.
Chess, knitters clubs
Two clubs meet in Ahwatukee every Sunday the chess club for players at all skill levels and Knitters Anonymous for all levels of knitters and people who crochet.
DETAILS>> The Chess Club meets at 11 a.m. and Knitters Anonymous meets at 2 p.m. For either club, call 480-246-1912 for more information.
Bible Study
A journey through Leviticus that is biblically accurate and understandable for everyone. Learn the historical perspective which reveals the love of God for all His people. Technology and questions are both encouraged.
People can start their week with a gentle yoga class. Be mindful and caring for yourself. Sessions are typically five to six weeks long. You can also “drop in” to individual classes.
DETAILS>> 6-7 p.m. at Pecos Community Center in Ahwatukee. Register: phoenix.gov/parks/classes-and-programs. Go to adult
Emmy winners
Desert Vista High School faculty and students who comprise its news crew recently won recognition at the 2019 Rocky Mountain Student Production Emmy Awards ceremony. Celebrating were, from left student Noah Terrell, teacher Michelle Coro, students Lauren Goebel, Tatum Sailors, Ava Schwartz, Abby Arnold and ABC 15 anchor Danielle Lerner. Students nominated for individual projects were Noah Terrell, Alexandra Waters and Matthew Neal.The school newscast airs twice a week for students and staff to watch during academic lab time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It includes a mix of campus news, sports and feature stories that focus on Desert Vista and its community. Part of the requirement for the classes last year was that students submit work to an outside contest. This award was for a specific newscast that judges praised for its quick editing and long form stories. “In a changing world where the support of news media is not always appreciated or acknowledged, it’s nice that this group of kids can be recognized for their hard work,” said Coro. “It’s been a passion for them.” (Special to AFN)
classes and search gentle yoga. You can also register at Pecos Center or call 602-495-5500.
Friends and Neighbors
Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors (AFFAN) is an organization of women who meet regularly to socialize through groups/activities and provides educational and cultural information for its members. General luncheon meetings are the fourth Monday of every month.
DETAILS>> For more info: affanwomensgroup@gmail.com.
LD 18 Dems meet monthly
Legislative District 18 Democrats gather monthly, usually the second Monday, to share news, opportunities, food and laughter. Meetings include guest speakers, legislative updates, howto sessions and Q&A. Volunteer or just enjoy an evening with like-minded folks.
DETAILS>> For times and places: ld18democrats.org/calendar.
Babytime for walkers
Babies up to 23 months who are walking and are accompanied by a favorite adult enjoy Babytime with American Sign Language for Walkers, with songs, activities to promote movement, rhymes, books and playtime in each lively session.
DETAILS>> 9:30-10 a.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages walking to 23 months. Free. Tickets are limited & available in the library 30 minutes before program start time.
Babytime for crawlers
Accompanied by a favorite adult, babies birth to crawling can enjoy songs, music, rhymes, books, interactive stories, simple American Sign Language words, activities to promote movement, and playtime.
DETAILS>> 10:30-11 a.m. Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd. Ages birth to crawling. Free. Tickets are limited & available in the library 30 minutes before program start time.
Desert Pointe gardeners meet
Desert Pointe Garden Club meets on the first Monday of the month with special programs.
DETAILS>> 9 a.m., Ahwatukee Rec Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive, Ahwatukee. Information: 602 478 6732 or dpgc.org.
TUESDAYS
Ladies golf
The Foothills Golf Course Ladies League meets every Tuesday to play 18 holes of handicap golf from September through May. Play includes weekly games, prizes and friendly competition. DETAILS>> Call Lucille Heid at 602-692-7839 or Shayron Conrad at 602-339-8707.
Get ready for kindergarten
Three- to 5-year-olds and their adult caregivers learn through stories, games and structured activities designed to nourish the skills that lead to success in school: persistence, flexibility and problem-solving.
DETAILS>> Tuesdays June 4 – July 23, 10:30-11:15 a.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd. Ages: 3-5 years. Free. Tickets are limited & available 30 minutes before program start time on the day of the program.
Patriotic playgroup
Parents looking for playtime for their kids and, for themselves, stimulating conversations rooted in family, faith and conservatism can gather ever second Tuesday of the month.
DETAILS>> 9-11 a.m. Pecos Park playground. 17010 S. 48th St., Phoenix. Check ld18gop.com for more DETAILS or contact: ld18gop@gmail.com
Estrangement support
Although rarely discussed, family estrangement is far more common than most people realize. The estranged suffer from
loneliness, lack of self-esteem, guilt, anger and depression. Desert Foothills United Methodist Church provides a support group that meets the first Tuesday of every month. The public is invited to the “Living Loss” sessions. No questions asked, and anonymity will be respected.
DETAILS>> 7 p.m., first Tuesday of every month; 2156 E. Liberty Lane, Ahwatukee. Use Entry B. Free. Information: 480-460-1025 and office@desertfoothills.org.
Prayer night offered
Ahwatukee Health and Recovery holds a weekly prayer night. The public is invited.
DETAILS>> noon-1:30 p.m., 16515 S. 40th St. #119, Ahwatukee. Free.
Chair yoga featured
Inner Vision Yoga Studio offers chair yoga to help seniors and people recovering from injuries to stay fit.
DETAILS>> 1:30-2:30 p.m., 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. $6 per class. Information: 480-330-2015 or donna@innervisionyoga.com.
Toastmasters sharpen skills
Improve your speaking skills and meet interesting people at Ahwatukee Toastmasters meetings
DETAILS>> 6:45-8 a.m at the Dignity Health Community Room, 4545 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee.
French Talk Time
Brush up on your high school, college, or tourist French speaking and listening skills. Advanced level on the first and third Tuesdays of each month: an informal participant-driven conversational group. Participants should already speak French fairly well to enjoy this program. Beginner/intermediate level is on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month: a facilitator-guided conversation group. Participants should already speak some French to benefit from this program.
DETAILS>> 6:30-7:30 p.m.. See above for appropriate Tuesdays. Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adults. Free. No registration required.
WEDNESDAYS
Digital City
Through fun hands-on projects, games and crafts, children can develop coding, 3D modeling, and circuitry skills, plus sequential and computational thinking, in this “tech playground.” Co-presented by Lakewood Learning.
DETAILS>> 4-5 p.m. Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages 5-12. Free. No registration required.
ToddlerTime
Toddlers 24-47 months-old, accompanied by a favorite adult, enjoy interactive activities that encourage emerging language skills such as stories, songs, games and playtime. Children and caregivers also practice Baby American Sign Language, a great way to help young children develop communication skills, in this active session.
DETAILS>> Wednesdays, 10:30-11 a.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Ages 24-47 months. Free. Tickets are limited and availabley 30 minutes before program start time.
Fun with watercolors
People can get step-by-step instruction in water-coloring whether they are beginners or intermediates.
DETAILS>>2-4:30 p.m. in instructor’s home studio off Ranch Circle North in Ahwatukee. Four classes for $90. To register: Judy Lokits 954-234-1768, or jlokits@yahoo
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery is a Biblical 12-step program that helps you
Exercise care with tanning: avoid sun, beds
BY SARAH NEUMANN AFN Guest Writer
Let’s start as friends. You are beautiful, there’s nothing you need to change or alter or dare I say, tan, to make you better. But our friendship can’t keep you from doing you. So, take my advice, as a dedicated skincare professional and as your friend – do not use tanning beds and do not sunbathe for that tan.
Skin cancer prevention doesn’t just come in the form of SPF.
While it should obviously be the prima-
from page 27
find hope and healing from all of life’s hurts, habits, and hangups. Whether it’s addiction, loss, anger, or stress, you can find the freedom you’re looking for.
Nicholas Goode of Edward Jones Investments conducts a monthly coffee club devoted to a discussion of current events, the economy and investing.
DETAILS>> 9:30 a.m. the first Wednesday of the month, Dutch
ry staple in your skincare and sun care regime, avoidance plays a big role. Avoid the sun and please avoid the tanning beds. Need an alternative to tanning outside or in a destructive bed of UV rays? I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of spray tan.
A spray tan can get you that tropical-tan look, conceal blemishes, highlight and contour – all in �ive minutes and without the harmful UV exposure. Here are some tips to prolong your glow and keep you safe:
Keep using sunscreen. Spray tans don’t give you a base to tan more and spend more time in the sun. You still need to wear SPF 45 at a minimum and avoid the
Bros Coffee Patio, 3215 E. Chandler Blvd. RSVP: 480-759-1324.
‘Dems and Donuts’ set
Legislative District 18 Democrats gather for an informal chat.
DETAILS>> Free and open to the public 7:30-9 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month at Denny’s, 7400 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. RSVP: marie9@q.com or 480-592-0052.
Grief support
Hospice of the Valley holds a grief support group for adults on alternating Wednesdays.
DETAILS>> 6-7:30 p.m. at Pecos Community Center, 1710 S. 48th S. The assigned classroom varies signs will be on premises. It is a
sun and its harmful rays at its peak hours from 10 am to 3 pm.
Avoid topical acne medications and harsh face washes during your tan. Retinoid and benzoyl peroxide products lighten skin, so they will lighten areas of your tan with continued use.
Not all tans are created equal - pick a spray tan without alcohol as the main ingredient. Alcohol is drying, if you already have dry skin it might make it worse or ruin your tan.
Pick a well-ventilated salon and an organic tan formula. You didn’t take the safe route – avoiding the sun and harmful UV rays – to ingest strong chemicals.
drop-in group and there is no need to call or register. Meeting dates this year: Jan. 23; Feb. 6 and 20; March 6 and 20; May 1, 15 and 29; June 12 and 26; July 10 and 24; Aug. 7 and 21; Sept. 4 and 18; Oct. 2, 16 and 20; Nov. 13 and 27; and Dec. 11.
THURSDAYS
Teen Thursdays @ the Library
We provide the snacks and fun; you just bring yourself and a friend for gaming, karaoke, crafting, snacks, and more! #TeenThursdays #IronwoodLibrary
DETAILS>> Thursdays, 4:00-5:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd. Ages: 12-18 years. Free. No registration required.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) can aggravate asthma or other respiratory problems. The FDA recommends you limit your ingestion of DHA since the risks are unknown.
So, cover your eyes, close your lips and put cotton balls in your nose to get the safest tan.
So get that glow – just make sure to play it safe!
Sarah Neumann, MMS-PA-C, has been a practicing dermatology physician assistant for over 15 years and is the founder of Ahwatukee Skin and Laser and Sun City Dermatology. Information: ahwatukeeskincare.com
Chronic Conditions Self-Management
Learn techniques that address fatigue and frustration, use of medication, exercise for health, making difficult decisions, relaxation strategies, and effective communication with health professionals in this 6-week series of classes. #IronwoodLibrary
DETAILS>> Thursdays, October 10-November 14, 1:00-3:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd. Ages: Adult. Free. Registration is required online at https://www.aaaphx.org/event/ chronic-conditions-self-management-6-weeks-4/2019-10-03/
Submit your releases to pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
County taking measures to combat rising suicide rates
BY JACK SELLERS AFN Guest Writer
Suicide is an issue affecting people of all ages and backgrounds and sadly, it is a growing challenge for families, schools, businesses, faith-based organizations and all of us who care about building strong, connected communities.
Consider: 129 individuals experience death by suicide each day; suicide rates are up 30 percent since 1999; suicide is the second leading cause of death for those ages 10-34.
A few weeks ago, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors joined a nationwide effort to bring real human connection and vital resources to those with thoughts of suicide, proclaiming September Suicide Awareness Month.
We are encouraging people to know the warning signs and to remember there are
Other football coaches should have come forward
More shocking than the troubling accusations against Justin Hager is understanding that all but one recipient is known to have communicated such chicanery to Mountain Pointe or other authorities.
What were the other coaches thinking in receiving such info and then not communicating that to appropriate school or athletic officials!?
Was the need for an “edge” in games played by teenagers so great that silent complicity was thought a fair cost? What type of judgment as leaders of youth have these coaches exhibited?
Those receiving Hager’s e-mail garbage who sat silent should be dealt with accordingly.
-John Durante
DiCiccio’s silence in QuikTrip controversy decried
Despite the on-going threat of a QuikTrip site on the corner of 40th Street and Cottonwood Way, our city Councilman Sal DiCiccio is absent when it comes to helping us with this resistance.
resources out there to help you, a friend, a family member, or anyone who might be at risk.
Death by suicide is difficult for those left behind. Making it even more devastating for loved ones is the feeling of being blindsided, of not seeing it coming.
While it can feel like a shock, there are often warning signs. Here are a few of them:
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
• Talking about being a burden to others.
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
• Acting anxious or agitated or behaving recklessly.
• Sleeping too little or too much.
• Withdrawing or isolating themselves.
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
• Extreme mood swings.
In addition, certain people are at greater risk to develop suicidal thoughts. Among the risk factors: mental disorders; a history of trauma or abuse; loss of relationship or job; and severe health issues.
There are many resources available to those who need an outlet or a connection. I’d like to highlight two in particular.
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) provides free, confidential support to those in crisis.
On their website, you can find resources specific to your situation, read stories of hope and recovery, and get involved in the effort to prevent suicide. I’d encourage you to visit their website at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
This page also has resources for those of you who might have lost a loved one to suicide. You’re not alone. There’s support for you, too.
Twenty veterans in our country die each day by suicide. These are strong men and women but they sometimes need help.
LETTERS
This site is dangerous because 40th Street is a two-way street with only one ingress/egress for the residents and that the residential street Cottonwood will be the only access to deliver hazardous materials.
Add to that the Pecos wall built for the new 202 will create a residential trap with any gas spillage and/or leakage.
We agree that there may be a need for another convenience store like QuikTrip in this area, just not at this site. Where are you when we need you to help us resist this, Sal?
-Ann Lutz
Is healthcare a right or a privilege? Two sides
I viewed the debate with “Dr. Republican.” He feels offering the Medicaid model as a public option would be the easiest way to cover the uninsured.
It would be a low tier plan which covers hospitalizations, some appointments, procedures and generic prescriptions. Many Republican governors refused the Medicaid expansion and you have to be as” poor as a church mouse” to qualify, I replied.
I asked why Americans pay exorbitant
prescription costs. He replied, "our costs drive innovation. Without the profits made in the United States, there would be no incentive for pharmaceuticals to create new medications."
He likes Medicare because it’s less paperwork, quicker payments and fewer hassles getting procedures approved.
I would’ve thought a Trump-supporting, big government hater would despise working with a federal program.
Bernie Sanders said Medicare for all would cost $30 trillion in 10 years, but continuing the status quo would cost $50 trillion.
Americans pay more for healthcare yet millions remained uninsured.
Sanders also said 500,000 Americans go bankrupt due to catastrophic illness.
I believe a significant number of Americans struggle to pay medical bills; some forgo prescriptions and procedures because of the cost. He believes this is a minority.
As a high school principal, I’ve seen teens who have never seen a doctor or dentist. I shared the case of a teen who had TB as a child. His fingers were twisted from his illness. He just stayed home when sick.
Be Connected AZ is the result of a statewide coalition, of which Maricopa County government is involved, dedicated to holistic support of our veterans.
There’s a 24/7 hotline they can call; an online tool that can match them with resources specific to their needs; and connections to training and job skills that can help with that next step in life.
Veterans or their families are invited to call 1-866-4AZ-VETS or visit beconnectedaz.org.
As one of the state’s largest employers, Maricopa County is encouraging people to watch out for one another and to make the daily human connections that may just save someone’s life.
Suicide is a public health challenge and we must be willing to acknowledge it and confront it with compassion and determination. For our families. For our communities. For each other.
Jack Sellers is a Maricopa County supervisor.
What made him “foam at the mouth” was the individual mandate. Making the fine for noncompliance cheaper than the insurance premium is a flaw.
He opposed the fact coverage was mandatory for healthy people and financed coverage of the sick.
I replied, "the government makes him by auto insurance." He said, "if he didn’t want to buy insurance, he wouldn’t buy a car." I said, "it looks like you care more about your bumper than your behind. "
I asked, "if healthcare was a right or a privilege."
He said a privilege, adding that healthcare is not a fundamental right. I asked, "does the uninsured have the right to medical help when ill."
He struggled but eventually said, “ if you want to raise taxes across the board so that there is a public option do it but don’t tell me that I have to buy insurance and fine me if I do not comply.”
I feel “ the bee in his bonnet” is the fact he didn’t want Obama telling him what to do.
Lisa Scinto
Climate Strike Day should spur the state to action
BY REP. MITZI EPSTEIN AFN Guest Writer
Friday was Climate Strike Day. Millions of people around the globe walked out of schools, universities and businesses to cast a spotlight on the impending climate crisis.
It was young people who called for the strike, led by the straight-talking Swedish 16-year old, Greta Thunberg.
So far, Arizona’s state government has been slow to address the problems keeping our kids awake at night.
If we want to preserve their future, that can and must change. By taking action now, students will not need to strike to get our attention.
The goal of the Legislature’s newly-established sustainability workgroup is no less than what our children deserve – a resilient, sustainable and healthy Arizona.
Our first priority in achieving that goal is to address five problem areas defined
by the Arizona Science Policy Network: clean air, adequate water, proper waste management, extreme heat, and wildlife diversity.
Our group includes state legislators, stakeholder organizations, and a team of more than 70 scientists to provide facts and figures for sound policy choices.
We seek to address climate change by promoting policies vetted to provide benefits that exceed their costs, from energy conservation and the employment of renewable energy resources to the adoption of electric vehicles and other clean technologies.
From majestic river canyons and ponderosa forests to desert Saguaros that can be found nowhere else on Earth, tourists come to Arizona for the same reasons we love to live here. The quality of our lives and that of our kids relies upon the health of these beautiful places.
It’s easy to see why young people are upset. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that we have just 11 more years to prevent global average temperature increases from reach-
ing 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), a level which would magnify what we’re already seeing, from devastating hurricanes to raging fires in the Amazon rainforest and the Arctic.
Here in the Southwest, our kids will have to face declines in our most precious resource: water, and all that depends upon it.
Water is required for our way of life, from an economy with plentiful jobs to a healthy ecosystem inhabited by mountain lions and Gila monsters.
Without action now, more days of extreme heat become more likely. Currently, we count the number of days above 100 degrees.
If we hit a 1.5 C increase, we could find ourselves counting the number of days above 120 degrees.
Netflix gets old really fast when it’s too hot to play outside and your mom takes a second job to pay the escalating utility bill. We can prevent that over-heated future. Our work already suggests there are hundreds of common-sense actions we can take at the state level that will cre-
ate jobs, reduce health-harming pollution and shrink our carbon footprint.
These range from simple measures like replacing incandescent light bulbs in state facilities with LED bulbs that use 85 percent less electricity and last twenty-five times longer, to more complex measures such as incentivizing renewable energy and electrifying our transportation sector.
Information will be key: How effective is the policy in reducing carbon and other pollutants? What will it cost? What are the alternatives?
A prominent climate scientist, Jonathan Overpeck, called Arizona the canary in the climate mineshaft.
The threats posed by climbing temperatures and prolonged drought to our fragile desert ecosystems and booming cities are real. But it is future generations that will pay the highest price. That’s what the kids talked about on Friday. Let’s listen to them.
Mitzi Epstein is a member of the state House of Representatives from LD 18, which includes Ahwatukee.
www.ahwatukee.com
Ahwatukee man’s defensive driving school aims for teens
BY DIANE MEEHL AFN Contributor
Driving can be thrilling for teens a rite of passage they dream about for years. But for parents the idea of putting their child on the road can be scary.
Sam Sanchez, an Ahwatukee father of three, has been there and launched a new business coaching young drivers called High Performance Teen Defensive Driving.
In the process, Sanchez drove straight into a new life mission.
After more than 25 years, the globetrotting sales executive “retired” his frequent flyer miles card and opted for the open road, mostly one within a 10-mile radius of his home.
“I wanted more time with my own fam-
ily and thought about what I could do to give back to the community and also use my skills,” he said.
He also saw a pressing need.
“Arizona ranks 47th overall in teen driver safety,” he added. “Cell phones present a constant temptation for distraction.
While many states now require new drivers to enroll in defensive driving classes, Arizona does not.”
Teens, he believes, are still not hardwired to fully comprehend the risks associated with driving.
As a father he understands sometimes teens find other parents, coaches and teachers more credible.
The service he offers helps to alleviate the struggle parents often have in teaching their adolescents to fully focus on the
see DRIVING page 33
Jobless rate ticked up a notch in
BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate ticked up a tenth of a point last month, to 5.0 percent, driven by weaker than normal growth in the private sector.
Companies added 10,300 jobs in August. That compares with an average gain of 15,600 during the past decade at this time of year.
The new numbers increase the difference between what’s happening in Arizona versus the rest of the country, where the unemployment rate for August remained at 3.7 percent.
But Doug Walls, the labor market information director for the state’s Office of Economic Opportunity said the overall economic situation remains good in Arizona, with the number of people in the labor force here up by 2.8 percent in the past year compared to a 1.3 percent increase for the rest of the country.
As has been the pattern now for some time, retail trade remains weak, shedding another 1,100 jobs between July and August. At the same time, though, employment in transportation and warehousing – including the e-commerce firms – is up by 1,900.
Aside from the shift in consumer buying patterns, there may be another factor at work, particularly in the Tucson area: Stepped-up security at ports of entry have increased waiting times to get across the border, discouraging Mexican shoppers from coming to Arizona.
“We are seeing weak retail job growth here in Pima County,’’ said George Hammond, director of the Economic and Business Research Center at the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona.
Part of that issue, he said, is likely related to the fact that it is more difficult for shoppers from Mexico to get across the border to make their purchases.
Hammond said that is borne out by statistics showing that northbound crossings
Arizona last month
from Mexico into the United States have been “significantly slower.’’
Mexican shoppers aside, Hammond said the fact remains that the growth rate in the Phoenix area, where three-fourths of the jobs are located, has historically been faster, driven by a more diverse economy.
The latest monthly report produced few surprises, with growth in most major economic sectors.
One outlier is construction which lost 1,300 jobs between July and August.
That, however, could be a statistical aberration, as the industry has been showing strong and steady growth now for a while. The number of people working in construction is up 9.5 percent from a year ago.
Manufacturing employment is up by another 300 in August, with a 5.4 percent year-over-year increase.
The new report also found that wages in Arizona in the past quarter are up 3.3 percent from the same time a year earlier.
That is less than the 3.5 percent figure
for the nation as a whole. And it leaves the average hourly wage in Arizona at $26.54 compared with $27.89 nationally, nearly 5 percent lower.
Walls said none of this should be a surprise, pointing out that wages in Arizona have traditionally run behind the rest of the country. He said at least part of the factor is that the cost of living is lower in Arizona.
That, however, is subject to debate.
The web site BestPlaces, which provides advice to those seeking to move, finds the overall cost of living in Arizona is 12.4 percent higher than the national average.
In some areas, the web site reports, Arizona is close, with the cost of health care here less than 1 percent higher than nationally. But it finds transportation costs, including gasoline, car insurance and maintenance expenses, running 21 percent above the rest of the country.
And housing costs, covering both buying and renting, are more than 28 percent higher.
Sam Sanchez, left, with some of his student drivers, including Lauren Meehl, Julia Corbin and Matthew Racine. (Special to AFN)
road and to be wary of other drivers.
“I spent almost 20 years taking courses like these for a professional organization, and then spent a lot of time training adults drivers a version of the course I developed,” he explained.
Teaching a fleet of salespeople is a bit different from working with teens but Sanchez says he connects with them easily, drawing on his experience with his own kids – Sigourney, 25; Nicki, 15; and JJ, 11.
The students he has taught in his Ahwatukee neighborhood seem to agree.
“I loved the way the class was taught,” said Julia Corbin, a senior at Mountain Pointe High School and East Valley Institute of Technology.
“It was extremely fun and easy and I felt interested in everything Mr. Sanchez was teaching me,” she added. “I would recommend this to every teen who wants to have a fun time driving.”
Courses at High Performance Teen (HPT) are designed for students who have recently earned a license or could use some extra coaching.
“We’re not teaching the basics in my course but the skills you need to become a more effective driver in higher-risk situ-
ations,” Sanchez explained.
The four-hour course combines classroom time with hands-on experience with a small group of peers. The secret to success for students, he says, depends on their level of engagement.
The initial course combines an hour of classroom instruction time at Office Evolution on Chandler Blvd. and 44th St., during which Sanchez reviews concepts including vehicle safety and the tenets of defensive driving before merging it all together with real-time application on the road.
“The classroom introduces the skills we’re going to cover in a safe space and how we plan to use them before applying them,” he added.
“I want to make sure kids understand some of the more complex systems before they use them, like the automatic braking systems,“ he explained.
Immediately following the class time, small groups of three drive together and act as observers, rotating every 15 or 20 minutes, while peer-to-peer feedback is encouraged.
“The goal is to give kids that 1-second
advantage they need to anticipate danger and respond quickly and accordingly,” he pointed out.
It doesn’t hurt he chose a car his students would want to drive – a sleek Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
“I want kids to get a chance to drive a luxury, performance vehicle they don’t get a chance to experience on a day-to-day basis. And it makes the class a little more fun,” he describes.
Students who complete the course get a certificate with feedback for parents.
“It’s the work students continue to do with their families afterward that defines the success,” he said. “That’s part of why the verbalization works so well; it helps to reinforce what they’ve just learned.”
As for his own new lease on life as a small business owner Sanchez plans to keep HPT small and community-focused.
“We’re not associated with the DMV; this is really about meeting a grassroots need in our own community.”
For now he markets his services by word of mouth and by connecting with kids the way they love best – social media.
“I look forward to staying close to home, enjoying some flexibility and giving back locally.”
Information: hptdrivers.com
What teenager wouldn’t want to take lessons from Sam Sanchez of Ahwatukee? After all, not many instructors use a Porsche as the “classroom” on wheels. (Special to AFN)
Chilean guitarist-vocalist makes area debut
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor
Camila Meza has been playing within her hometown jazz scene in Santiago, Chile, since the early 2000s.
But nothing has inspired her more than her current project, the octet Camila Meza and the Nectar Orchestra, who recently released the album, “Ambar.” She’ll present “Ambar” for the first time in the Valley on Sept. 28 when she comes to the Tempe Center for the Arts as part of Lakeshore Music.
IF YOU GO
What: Camila Meza & the Nectar Orchestra Where: Tempe Center for the Arts Lakeside, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28
Tickets: $35 and $40
Info: tempecenterforthearts.com
“It was definitely extremely ambitious in the sense that it involved a lot of people and the music itself is music that needs a lot of detailed work,” she said. It’s so ambitious that “Ambar” took six
years to record. Meza took a few breaks, though, to finish 2016’s “Traces.”
“After that, we ended up focusing fully on finishing this,” she said. “Playing with an orchestration like this, I was like a kid
in this playground full of incredible toys. It does need a lot of really focused and detailed work to make the strings be a support, but also find a way to make them shine through the music and bring the lyricism of each tune.”
An admirer of George Benson and Pat Metheny, Meza has long been obsessed with music.
“I definitely cannot remember the first time I made a note with my voice or I was inclined to music,” she said. “I feel like I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember.
“I do remember the moment that I knew in my adult life this was going to be it. I was the realization of knowing that music would make me wake up every morning feeling motivated to do things. The feeling was so strong. It’s such an incredible companion for life.”
She released her first album, “Skylark,” in 2007, melding American and South American sounds. Two years lat-
Marianas Trench brings ‘sassy’ show to Valley
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GET OUT Editor
Marianas Trench bassist Mike Ayley can sum up his band’s shows pretty quickly. He eschews cliché descriptions like “high energy” or “full of hits.”
“Shows are always new for us,” said Ayley, whose father is a former Scottsdale resident.
“There are new fans and new rooms and all of that keeps us on our toes. But most importantly, there is singing and good times and lots of Josh’s weird, sassy
IF YOU GO
What: Marianas Trench w/The Unlikely Candidates, DJ George Thoms and 76th Street
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27
Where: The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix
Tickets: $25-$30
Info: thevanburenphx.com
sense of humor, as usual. We can’t tame him no matter what.”
“Josh” is the Canadian band’s frontman Josh Ramsay, who brings Marianas Trench to The Van Buren on Friday, Sept. 27. The show is in support of its latest studio al-
bum “Phantoms,” which spawned the bouncy first single “I Knew You When.” Ayley said the track is indicative of the album as a whole. “Phantoms” is set from the perspective of a man descending into madness as he inhabits a house haunted
by the ghost of his former love. According to the band’s bio, Ramsay was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe.
“Strangely, the date he was rushed to the hospital preceding his death was Oct. 3, the same day our first album was released, and the same date I was once to be married,” said Ramsay, who received a Grammy nomination in 2013 for co-writing and producing Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit “Call Me Maybe.”
“Even more strangely, we finished this album on Jan. 19, his birthday. I’m not one for superstition, but that does feel oddly serendipitous.”
Since its 2006 debut, “Fix Me,” Marianas Trench has hit platinum in Canada with “Masterpiece Theatre” and “Ever After.” Their hits include “One Love,” “Rhythm of Your Heart,” “Haven’t Had Enough” and “Who Do You Love.”
This jaunt has been particularly positive for Marianas Trench, Ayley said. Fans
Chilean jazz singer Camila Meza will be bringing her cool sounds and silky voice to the Tempe Center for the Arts next Saturday. (Special to AFN)
Marianas Trench travels from Canada to Phoenix to play The Van Buren on Friday, Sept. 27. (Courtesy Marianas Trench)
Scottish entertainer a captivating showman
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GET OUT Editor
Lewis Capaldi offers what he calls honest expectations of his forthcoming show at The Van Buren in Phoenix.
“Expect a slightly overweight Scottish man in his early 20s, sweating profusely, singing sad songs and doing his best to entertain a roomful of people.”
He and Noel Gallagher, formerly of Oasis, have been embroiled in a war of words since the 52-year-old musician’s wife Sara MacDonald, who is from Edinburgh, compared Scotland to a “Third-World country.” He called Capaldi “Chewbacca.”
Capaldi didn’t take it personally. At a show, he donned a T-shirt with Gallagher’s face inside a heart.
This has gone on for months—and even include social media photos of Capaldi with Gallagher’s estranged brother, Liam. Noel’s daughter, Anais, tweeted she wants to be Capaldi when she grows up.
The affable Capaldi laughs off questions and remarks about Oasis.
“That was priceless,” he said. “It was all a good laugh from what I remember.”
Instead, he wants to focus on breaking his music in the United States. His ballad, “Someone You Loved” spent seven weeks at the top of the U.K. Singles Chart making it one of the longest No 1 singles in U.K. chart history.
“It’s genuinely confusing,” he said with a laugh. “I’m very happy about the success. I can move out of my mum and
dad’s house at some point. Mum doesn’t want to wash my underwear anymore. I never expected to do this—and I’m being 100 percent honest. It’s been incredible to watch. It’s like I’m watching something happen to someone else. I think the best way to get through all this is to have a laugh.”
Capaldi is prolific nonetheless. He sets times to write songs, or else his music wouldn’t be recorded.
“If I waited for inspiration to help me, I’d be waiting a long time,” he said. “I’m a lazy bastard—for real. I always try to sit down at the piano and write a song here and there. If inspiration happens, I can write a song in a half hour. Other times, I sit at the piano for five hours and question everything. I just want to pack it all in and go work as a fisherman somewhere.”
There is a serious side to Capaldi. He recently released a special version of the “Someone You Loved” video heightening ens organ donor awareness and stars Ca-
paldi’s distant cousin, Peter Capaldi, who portrayed the 12th Doctor in the British TV show “Dr. Who.”
“Someone You Loved” is from Capaldi’s debut album, “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent,” which is the fastest-selling U.K. debut of 2019 with 90,000 albums sold in the first week.
“I don’t think it’s fate, though,” he said. “Fate is, perhaps, overrated. If I hadn’t actively worked, I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now.
“I would be lying to you, though, if I said I don’t feel pressure for my next album. It’s one of those things where I write the best songs I can write. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. It’s all about pressure. If you put pressure on a grape, you’d crush it.”
IF YOU GO
What Lewis Capaldi w/Saint Phnx
Where: The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 28
Tickets: show is sold out, but tickets are expected to be released closer to showtime. Info: thevanburenphx.com
Lewis Capaldi wants to introduce America and the Valley to his music. (Special to GetOut)
er, she moved to New York to study guitar at The New School with Peter Bernstein, Vic Juris and Steve Cardenas. She sings in Spanish and English and won two Independent Music Awards as the Best Adult Contemporary Album and Best Latin Song, “Para Volar.”
“Ambar” is a lush collection of songs that meld Meza’s innate musical abilities. She acknowledges that some of it is difficult to recreate on stage, but she was willing to experiment.
“There has been this balance between creating a project I can take on the road and present in a touring scenario,” she said.
“When I’m in the studio, I do give myself a lot of freedom to experiment with the possibilities of the studio. I do give myself permission to experiment with technology whether I’m able to recreate it on stage or not.”
Even though “Ambar” was just released this summer, Meza is already considering her next musical move.
“This year is all about promoting this album,” she said. “It’s so fresh. I’m already, in my mind, thinking of what’s next. I’m cooking the next thing.”
have been receptive to the new music and the familiar tracks.
“If you know the band, over the course of the years, each album changes styles,” he said. “A lot of bands find it hard to change sounds because they don’t want to lose their fans.
“We’ve been doing it since the beginning. People expect it to be different and they’re waiting to see what that change will be. We have creative freedom. We don’t have a box.”
That, Ayley said, keeps the band from losing its edge. The stylistic changes, too, encourage fans to listen to entire albums, instead of just singles. Marianas Trench wavers between emo, pop, rock and new wave.
“We’re still making full albums,” he said. “This album is a little shorter; we did 40 minutes. It’s not asking much of the attention span of a listener. I love that people dig into it and get a vibe from our music.
“The last track (‘The Killing Kind’) is such a cool piece. My son (who’s 9) got scared. I told him it’s just music. I think that’s pretty cool that we could make it creepy. As an adult, it gave me chills. To that degree, that’s cool.”
Sports & Recreation
Mountain Pointe falls to Hamilton High
BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
Fans wearing maroon and gold showed up in support of Mountain Pointe High School Friday night, as the Pride was set to take on Hamilton High School on the road.
It was the first game for Mountain Pointe since news broke Monday that one of the assistant coaches in the football program and head girls basketball coach had shared game strategy, plays and formations with hundreds of the team’s opponents dating back to 2017.
The situation left the community surrounding the school with a feeling of betrayal, but one couldn’t sense that from the players.
Mountain Pointe came out with high energy during warm-ups, but Hamilton proved to be too strong a foe, as the Huskies went on to defeat the Pride 42-13.
Visibly upset by the loss and the situation surrounding the program, neither Mountain Pointe players nor coaches
were available for comment after the game.
Hamilton seemingly fed off the energy from its fans on homecoming, as the Huskies came out and looked to establish momentum right away by electing to receive the opening kick after winning
the coin toss, a rarity at any level.
The Huskies’ first drive stalled after Mountain Pointe senior captain and linebacker Rashion Hodge went airborne to bat down a pass on third down from Hamilton senior quarterback Nick Arvay. The two teams traded punts from there,
but a short kick from Mountain Pointe gave Hamilton the ball at the Pride 30.
The Huskies took advantage.
Hamilton senior running back Gabriel Armenta powered his way into the end zone for the 10-yard score to put the Huskies on the board first.
“We have three good running backs so when one gets tired, another one jumps in,” said Hamilton quarterback Nick Arvay, who finished 11-of-14 for 129 yards.
“Gabe is a beast, Sebastain (Dorman) is a beast, Zach (Lewis) is a beast, and our line is a beast.
“You just like seeing all of the hard work pay off.”
On Mountain Pointe’s ensuing possession, Hamilton freshman defensive back Cole Martin picked off Pride sophomore quarterback Landen Powell, who was hit as he threw. Martin raced up the Mountain Pointe sideline to extend the Huskies’ lead.
Yet another interception Mountain Pointe’s next time out on offense led to
Thunder record shutout in rout of North
BY CHRIS FAHRENDORF AFN Contributing Writer
Astrong showing from Desert Vista’s offense and defense helped secure the team’s first shutout victory in a 44-0 rout of North on Friday night.
Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds said the team came together during the week leading up to Friday night’s contest, setting goals for one another to accomplish.
“Our goal offensively was to move the ball on the ground and also through the air and obviously we did that,” Hinds said. “One of the goals that our boys set tonight was to have a shutout.”
The Thunder followed through on both as the offense scored on every possession throughout the first half while the defense limited North’s offensive production.
Senior quarterback Parker Navarro completed 6-of-7 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball twice for another 54 yards. Meanwhile, senior running back Tyson Grubbs
rushed 6 times for 65 yards and added three touchdowns of his own as the running clock rule was implemented early on in the game.
“We’ve come into this game just like last year, this being the toughest game on our schedule,” North coach Adan Mendoza said before kickoff. “We know we have to
come out strong, try to control the clock and stay with it as long as we can.”
The Mustangs were able to control the clock during their first drive, as they picked up multiple first downs thanks to quarterback Luis Rojas. The senior extended the drive on multiple occasions, completing consecutive third-down passes to junior wideout Ryan Gastelum. The duo linked up for 77 of Rojas’ 137 passing yards on the night.
The Mustangs managed to knock off 7 minutes from the game clock during their first drive. After that, however, nearly every offensive possession resulted in three-and-outs.
Senior two-way player Eddie Weigl dominated the trenches for Desert Vista, wreaking havoc on North’s offensive line. He recorded one sack and helped the Thunder dominate the line of scrimmage all night as they held the Mustangs to only 43 rushing yards.
Mountain Pointe fell to Hamilton in its first game since it was revealed a former assistant coach shared game plans with hundreds of opponents since 2017. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff)
Desert Vista senior wideout Elijah Ervin helped lead the Thunder to a convincing win over North High School.
(Cheryl Haselhorst/AFN Contributor)
a 1-yard run from Hamilton senior running back Sebastain Dorman. Armenta followed it up with his second touchdown of the night, a 2-yard plunge before the end of the first half.
Mountain Pointe had little success stopping Hamilton’s rushing attack throughout the game. Both Dorman and Armenta found success on the ground, rushing for a combined 280 yards.
Armenta was the main beneficiary when Hamilton was inside or nearing the redzone, as the senior finished with four total touchdowns on the night, his longest from 26 yards out.
“We wanted to execute, that’s the plan every week,” Armenta said. “My O-line, man, I don’t care what anybody says we have the best line out there. Their work ethic is amazing and they just don’t give up. I love those boys.”
Mountain Pointe’s offense struggled to find momentum in the first half against Hamilton’s stout defensive front. Powell was pressured consistently throughout the first two quarters and senior running back Resi Shank did what he could with the space he found before Husky defenders swarmed to the ball.
It wasn’t until the second half that
the energy Mountain Pointe had before the game returned, as the Pride quickly found a rhythm on offense.
A long drive by out of the half set up Hodge for a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Pride on the board. On Mountain Pointe’s next drive, a 66-yard pass from Powell to junior wideout BJ Washington set up a 6-yard pass to senior Xavier
Lockett for the score.
Powell finished strong overall, completing 16 of his 26 pass attempts for 197 yards and the touchdown.
Now 1-3 on the year, Mountain Pointe will look to turn things around when it begins region play next week against Queen Creek (4-1) on the road.
Hamilton (5-0), meanwhile, will look
to carry on its momentum of an
feated season as it travels to Mesa to take on Dobson (2-3, 1-1).
“It’s a good feeling,” Hamilton coach Mike Zdebski said. “We’ve just got to concentrate on getting better and better week-by-week, day-by-day. We just have to stay focused on what we have to do to get better and go from there.”
Mountain Pointe fell to Hamilton in its first game since it was revealed a former assistant coach shared game plans with hundreds of opponents since 2017. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff)
“We just had to come out, we had to execute, we had to get it done,” Weigl said. “It means a lot to put up zero points on the board.”
Since losing to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) in San Diego last month, Desert Vista has been dominant. The Thunder have outscored its two opponents since that game 85-7, with the lone score they gave up having come last week against Valley Vista.
The two wins have given Desert Vista (3-1) confidence as they prepare to face Highland (4-1) next week, one of several tough teams in the Thunder’s region.
“It brings a lot of momentum,” junior linebacker Donovan Thomason said. “We’re focused on Highland right now, we really want to get that dub, it really means a lot to us.”
Highland heads into the contest after
knocking off Basha from the undefeated ranks Friday night. Hinds knows it will take a good week of preparation if Desert Vista wants to continue its win streak
next Friday.
“Momentum is huge in football. Teams that get on a roll and get momentum are teams that are dangerous, and we want to be one of those teams,” Hinds said.
“We’ve got to continue our consistency and our mindset in our preparations.
“Our boys just need to go out and practice with intensity during the week.
VarsityXtra the home for prep sports in the Ahwatukee
The Ahwatukee Foothills News VarsityXtra brand will be the home for all Friday night game stories, previews and features from teams across the East Valley and Ahwatukee.
Due to publication deadlines, all Ahwatukee Foothills News game
stories will be posted online at Ahwautee.com/varsityxtra. All stories will be shared via Twitter at @VarsityXtra and on the Ahwatukee Foot-
hills News Facebook page. Keep up with scores and updates on Friday nights using #VXLive on Twitter.
When: Friday, July 12th, 2019, 9:00-10:00a.m.
When: Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019, 9:30-10:30a.m.
Where: Sheraton Four Points 10831 S 51st St, Phoenix, AZ 85044
Where: Dutch Bros Coffee, Patio 3215 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048
RSVP: 480-759-1324 by September 30th
Nicholas Goode
RSVP: 480-753-7664 by July 10th, seating is limited. Joseph B. Ortiz, AAMS ® , CRPS ®
Financial Advisor
3233 E Chandler Blvd, Suite 16 Phoenix, Arizona 85048
480-759-1324
4902 E Warner Rd Suite 1 Phoenix, Arizona 85044 480.753.7664
Soccer Camp
October 7th - 11th (Fall Break) Sun Ray Park 4059 E. Ray Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85044
Awareness, Agility, Coordination, Quick Feet, Ball Control, Heading, Dribbling, Passing, and lots of Shooting.
For more information call or email Coach Brian Wohlsein
480-784-7485
brianwohlsein@yahoo.com soccertrainingphx.com
Desert Vista senior running back Tyson Grubbs had three touchdowns in the Thunder’s 44-0 rout of North. (Cheryl Haselhorst/AFN Contributor)
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a t i s propelled using the knees or feet Tying- Lying in a prone position on a budding cart, following the budder, the employee secures the bud scion to the stoc k using plastic budding tape, creating an air-tight seal cleaning and maintaining facilities Lift cartons approx 60 lbs Be able to work in Arizona climate with extreme temperature, humidity, wind, and times exposure to high levels of pollen Temperature during w o r k i
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work week, M-F, 6 hr/day 5hours per day is normal on Saturday and Sunday. Employer guarantees each worker the opp of employment for at least ¾ of the workdays of the total period of work contract & all
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