January 5 – 18, 2013
www.SanTanSun.com
School safety concerns spur scrutiny by Laurie Fagen
Local school officials are responding to the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, where 20 children and seven adults were killed last month when a young man opened fire before killing himself. Members of the community, which include former Newtown residents who live in the SanTan Sun area, are providing ways Chandler residents can help.
CUSD security
Saying the tragedy “has had a profound effect on every community across the country,” Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Supt. Camille Casteel, Ed.D., says there are a number of safety features in Chandler schools
and more are planned. Following phone calls and emails from parents with safety concerns, Casteel sent out a letter to all parents. “I hope this communication will help you understand what is already in place and reassure you that the safety of your children is our No. 1 priority.” Extra Chandler and Gilbert police were present on campuses during the final week of first semester classes in December, and the administration directed all elementary principals to review their site plans and enforce a single point of entry. “In the past, many parents and volunteers were upset due to the inconvenience, so we ask for your
see School safety page 8
Local volunteer aids hurricane victims
From feast to fitness by Tracy House
The holidays are over and it’s time to make good on that New Year’s resolution to get in shape in 2013. Losing a few holiday pounds, trimming down for a special occasion or training for a 5K – whatever the reason – taking the first step to better health and fitness is a popular idea this time of year. Eating healthier, getting fit and losing weight are common resolutions year after year, and with 35.7% of adult
“The first couple of weeks the gyms are loaded with people,” says Robert Leasure, trainer and owner of Spartan Training in Chandler. “By the beginning of February the gyms are a ghost town.” “Most people who have a membership have good intentions, but don’t use them or don’t typically get the results they want to get if they do use them,” explains Mark Reavley, trainer and owner of StudioFIT in Chandler.
GETTING FIT: Trainer Jacqui Hanford guides and motivates clients at StudioFIT. Submitted photo
Americans considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the growing need for better health and fitness is a concern. While plenty of people will take steps toward fitness this month, according to local experts, for many the plan just won’t stick.
SECURE: Bogle Junior High in Chandler is one CUSD school with tight security at the front of the building. STSN photo
Measuring results
Eating right and exercising needs to become a lifestyle. To achieve results and stay motivated set realistic and measurable short- and long-term goals. “New Year’s resolutions fail because they didn’t have a plan, a system to succeed,” says Leasure.
by K. M. Lang
While carolers were promoting “good will toward men” this recent holiday season, Dobson Place resident Michele Maki was putting the sentiment to practice. The longtime American Red Cross volunteer spent much of the end of 2012 on the East Coast, where she assisted survivors of Hurricane Sandy and witnessed firsthand the storm’s horrific destruction. “I’ve been on several national deployments,” says Maki, “but this is the one that’s really tugged at my heart because the devastation is just so extensive. It covers an area as big as Europe. It’s bigger than Katrina. I just couldn’t wrap my head around that until I got here and saw it myself.” Maki, communications coordinator for the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Red Cross, arrived in New York 10 days after the storm as part of the organization’s public affairs team, and reported damage and needs she saw as “eyes and ears on the ground.” She found empty lots where homes had stood, phone poles snapped like toothpicks and cabin cruisers tossed about like toys. “I went out to Breezy Point, where so many of those homes burned down, and it was such a shock to see how the ocean had brought in all this sand and how many homes were gone. It was just heartbreaking.” Maki and her fellow volunteers aided
AIDING OTHERS: Chandler resident Michele Maki became a Red Cross volunteer in 2005 after retiring from the airline industry. “I’ve been very fortunate,” explains the grandmother of six. “My children are healthy. My grandchildren are healthy. I don’t go hungry. I have a roof over my head. I just think it’s so important to give back.” Submitted photo by American Red Cross
storm victims by passing out hot meals and blankets in the Rockaways, Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as in the Red Hook housing projects, where residents were still without electricity.
see Fitness page 10
F E AT U R E STO R I E S Ellen joins veteran council . . . . . . . . . . . . Train delights young, old . . . . . . . . . . . . . Library Logo Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nando’s family fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enjoy ‘feis’ in desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page 4 business . . . . . . Page 15 youth . . . . . . Page 26 neighbors . . . . Page 45 arts . . . . . . . . Page 58 community . . .
Socially struggling children . . SanTan Family Fun . . . Center
see Volunteer page 11
More Community . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Business . . . . . . . . . . 14-24 Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-34 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . 35-36 Neighbors . . . . . . . . 45-53 Spirituality . . . . . . . 54-57 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58-61 Directory . . . . . . . . . 62-64 Classifieds . . . . . . . . 65-66 Where to eat . . . . . 67-72