Ahwatukee Foothills News - October, 9 2019

INSIDE: INSIDE:

CCOMMUNITY O M M U N I TP.27| Y P AROUND . 2 0 | O PAFI NP.31 ION P . 3 5 |P.34| B U S BUSINESS I N E S S PP.37 . 3 6|REAL | G EESTATE T O U TP.RE1| P . 4 0GETOUT S P O RP.41 T S |P SPORTS . 4 5 | CP.45| L A S CLASSIFIED S I F I E D P .P.47 49 | OPINION

www.ahwatukee.com

IRONMOM

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

. 20

BLEACHERS FIRST TIME CHANGES HANDS NOVELIST

@AhwatukeeFN

Lighting, fences fuel more freeway resentment here

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

P

@AhwatukeeFN |

T

he Arizona Department of Transportation and South Mountain Freeway developer Connect202Partners are quickly learning that good fences don’t make good neighbors in Ahwatukee.

As opposition grew over the installation of chain link fences along Liberty Lane, homeowners close to another freeway segment are complaining about the agencies’ seeming re-

fusal to install shields on high-intensity lights already in use at exit ramps.

State Sen. Sean Bowie said he and the rest of the Legislative District 18 delegation – along with city Councilman Sal DiCiccio’s office and Club West Community Association President Mike Hinz – will meet with ADOT and Connect 202 officials on Oct. 15, to discuss the fencing.

And homeowners whose backyards and bedrooms have been flooded by the freeway’s high-intensity lights may get some relief – but probably not for a few months.

The fencing runs along segments of Liberty Lane next to the freeway.

ADOT said such fencing is standard along freeways in Arizona, where there are no buildings or other impediments, to deter vandals from defacing freeway walls.

But Hinz and Club West residents living near the fenced areas contend similar sections of freeways in Scottsdale and Chandler don’t have fences.

see FENCE page 6

24 .. 36

P P

TIGHT MARKET

More coverage of the Ahwatukee Bowl: See the Sports section.

.

1

P RE

HOUSES TO SCARE YOU

. 40

P

Ahwatukee Bowl among state’s top rivalries

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

I

t’s the one night a year nothing else matters in Ahwatukee.

Records are thrown out the window. Friendships are put on hold. Some remain neutral, while others focus on one thing: Beat Desert Vista High School or beat Mountain Pointe.

“I don’t think any single game rivalry anywhere in Arizona can match the intensity of the Tukee Bowl,” said Desert Vista first-year principal Michael Deignan in an email. “Having experienced it as a community member

before taking this position, and now being part of it as the principal, I have a whole new perspective on it.

“The game is part of the fabric of Ahwatukee.”

His school and Mountain Pointe will face off for the 23rd time on Friday, Oct. 11, at Thunder Stadium. This year’s game will break the tie between the two schools, as both have 11 wins in this series dating back to 1997.

Game time is 7 p.m.

The rivalry between Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe has come to light as one of the best the state has to offer. It may not be as old as others, but it certainly brings high emotions

K Y R E N E FA L L S H O W C A S E N I G H T S

and tense battles yearly.

Desert Vista dominated from 1998-2008, winning all but one matchup in 2004.

Since then, however, the Thunder have just two wins against Mountain Pointe. Most of that stretch came when the Pride were led by former coach Norris Vaughan and was one of the state’s powerhouse programs.

The Thunder’s most recent victory over Mountain Pointe came last season in Rich Wellbrock’s first season as the Pride’s coach.

A miraculous throw and catch from Desert

see RIVALRYpage 17

www.kyrene.org/discover #DiscoverKyrene L E A R N I N G. L E A D I N G. A C H I E V I N G.

2

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

49 YEARS OF TRUSTWORTHY SERVICE! The Ahwatukee Foothills News is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Ahwatukee Foothills.

Times Media Group: 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway, Suite 219 Tempe, Arizona, 85282 Main number: 480-898-6500 Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641

PUBLISHER

Steve T. Strickbine

VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt

ADVERTISING STAFF

National Advertising Director Zac Reynolds 480-898-5603 zac@ahwatukee.com Advertising Sales Representatives: Karen Mays, 480-898-7909, kmays@ahwatukee.com Laura Meehan, 480-898-7904, lmeehan@ahwatukee.com Classified: Elaine Cota, 480-898-7926, ecota@ahwatukee.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny 480-898-5641, customercare@ahwatukee.com

NEWS STAFF

Executive Editor: Paul Maryniak, 480-898-5647, pmaryniak@ahwatukee..com GetOut Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, 480-641-4518, christina@timespublications.com Sports Editor: Zach Alvira 480-898-5630, zalvira@timespublications.com Copy Editor: April Morganroth 480-656-9667, amorganroth@timespublications.com Designer: Ruth Carlton, rcarlton@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Reporters: Jim Walsh, 480-898-5639 jwalshe@ahwatukee.com Wayne Schutsky, 480-898-6533 wschutsky@timespublications.com Cecilla Chan. 480-898-5613, cchan@timespublications.com Photographer: Kimberly Carrillo, kcarrillo@timespublications.com Ahwatukee Foothills News is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@ azintegatedmedia.com.

WRITE A LETTER

To submit a letter, please include your full name.

Our policy is not to run anonymous letters. Please keep the length to 300 words. Letters will be run on a space-available basis. Please send your contributions to pmaryniak@ahwatukee.com.

EDITORIAL CONTENT

The Ahwatukee Foothills News expresses its opinion. Opinions expressed in guest commentaries, perspectives, cartoons or letters to the editor are those of the author.

ADVERTISING CONTENT

The content and claims of any advertisement are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Ahwatukee Foothills News assumes no responsibility for the claims or content of any advertisement.

© Strickbine Publishing, Inc.

The southbound lanes of 48th Street between Baseline Road and South Pointe Parkway are due for expansion. (Special to AFN)

City considering wider 48th Street south of Baseline Road AFN NEWS STAFF

P

hoenix officials are hoping to widen the west side of 48th Street between Baseline Road and South Pointe Parkway next year.

Although it has two lanes, the west side of the street has long been considered too narrow and the Street Transportation Department is currently negotiating with a contractor on the project and with local businesses to secure necessary easements along the thoroughfare to execute the project.

Because of those latter negotiations, the city has no definitive timetable yet for the project but it hopes to start next spring.

Utility relocations could begin as early as November or December.

City spokeswoman Heather Murphy said the improvements would include sidewalks complaint with Americans for Disabilities Act standards, a bike lane, pavement repairs and drainage.

The project also would involve new signals at Baseline and 48th that would have the latest technology and new left-turn signaling in all four directions.

Murphy said recent traffic studies have shown that traffic volume on 48th has increased in the past couple years.

“There’s still a lot of planning and design left to go,” she said, noting that relocating utility lines along the route involves considerable work.

Pointe South Mountain resident Ed Wolf had approached Mayor Kate Gallego during her appearance in Ahwatukee several weeks ago to raise concerns about safety and traffic on 48th, particularly where it narrows to one lane at a roundabout near South Pointe Parkway.

While the widening project will not impact the area where there are only two lanes, he did get some good news from the mayor’s office: The intersection at 48th and Guadalupe will be added to the HAWK evaluation list.

The HAWK, or High Intensity Activated CrossWalK, beacon signal helps make it easier and safer for people to cross busy streets without impeding traffic, particularly in mid-block.

see S 48TH page 12

Set the Standard Event!

REBATES UP TO

YES YOU’RE SEEING DOUBLE

500 500

$ UP TO REBATES $

Hendel’s will match Manufacturer Rebates

*Subject to credit approval and program restrictions. Ask for details.

UP TO $1000!

Plus Instant Rebates or 0% APR with equal payments for 60 months on Qualifying American Standard Heating & Air-conditioning equipment

See your independent dealer for complete program eligibility, dates, details and restrictions. Special financing offers OR instant rebate from $100 up to $1,100 valid on qualifying systems only. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited. Special financing offers valid on qualifying equipment only. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited. The Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit.

The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 1/1/2019 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 10/31/19

WE SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODELS.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR NIGHTS OR WEEKENDS. Joe Sez -

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!

We Sell Parts to the Public!

Ask about: • Free in-home Educational Assessment • Multi Unit Discounts • SRP Rebates

89

$

Maintenance Inspection

Prolong the life of your A/C and heater and maintain maximum performance of your home.

Not valid with any other offers. Expires 10/31/2019.

480-813-1700 www.hendels.com 3434 N. Arizona Ave. | Chandler, AZ 85225-7707

3

4

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Judge asked to make state care for prison healthcare

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

A

special expert is recommending to a federal judge that she override a state law that requires the Department of Corrections to farm out health care for inmates to private companies.

And former Chandler state legislator Bob Robson, who now lives in Ahwatukee, agrees.

In a 138-page report submitted last week, Dr. Marc Stern detailed what he said are systemic problems in the state meeting its legal obligation to provide health services to inmates.

He told U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver, the results are directly from “severe underfunding’’ of health care, with a lack of proper staffing.

His report put current agency spending at about $195 million. Stern figures it would take an additional $73 million to bring spending up to what the state pays for similar services through its Medicaid program.

Those dollars, he said, should be used for the current private provider, Centurion, to increase staff and salaries.

Stern said there’s a more important structural change that needs to be made: It should be state employees responsible for and providing the care, not some outside contractor.

Stern’s report is the latest in a multiyear lawsuit against the state by the American Civil Liberties Union.

There was a settlement in 2014 with the state agreeing to meet certain standards for health care for inmates at prisons statewide. Since then, however, there have been charges that the agency has failed to comply.

Officials at the Department of Corrections did not take a position, noting the issues raised go to decisions made not by the agency but by the governor and lawmakers.

Robson suggested that the findings and the recommendation to scrap the private contract should come as no surprise.

“I wasn’t a fan of it,’’ said Robson who was in the Legislature in 2011 when his colleagues and then-Gov. Jan Brewer approved the mandate to contract out health services. And Robson said the ramifications of that decision go beyond the level of care being provided.

“The whole thing is they put it all on the director,’’ he said, referring to Charles Ryan who just retired, saying that Ryan was stuck implementing the decisions made by lawmakers.

“It lies square in the Legislature’s ballpark,’’ Robson said. “And it lies in the Legislature’s ballpark to fix it.’’

Stern said Arizona could save money by assuming health care of inmates.

“Switching back from privatization to self-operation would, in effect, immediately reduce that spending gap by shifting funds ADC is currently spending on the non-value-added parts of contract expenses,’’ Stern wrote.

That includes things like duplication of services and the profit margin for the vendor, a figure he estimated at $10 million a year.

Robson said one way for the state to save money would be greater use of telemedicine – a system where prison staff and lower-level medical workers can be available on-site for routine matters while essentially having doctors and specialists on call.

Stern said the current system of contracting out has made that impossible.

He said that Corizon, which had the

inmate care contract before Centurion, tried to form relationships with individuals and organizations to provide more telemedicine services.

But he said the doctors and others declined because they didn’t want to invest the resources in setting up a system to multiple prison units when the prison health care company with whom they made the arrangements might, due to the nature of the contracting process “might ... not be around long enough to make the venture worthwhile.’’

Stern said if privatization continues, contracts need to provide true incentives to reduce vacancies.

Under the current system, he said, the vendor must reimburse the state when a position was vacant on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

“Reimbursement does little to motivate the vendor to keep positions filled because at the end of the transaction, the vendor is (financially) whole,’’ Stern wrote. But that still leaves the risks to patients from understaffing.

He said any penalties should be higher than the amount of money the contractor saves.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

5

KEEGAN’S GRILL 30th Anniversary!

Thursday, Oct 17th 0

3

Come Celebrate with Cornbeef and Cabbage and $4 Anniversary Lager Drafts

30

PAM EAGAN 33 YEARS OF CONTINUALLY

PROVEN SUCCESS

WATCH THE GAME WITH US!

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner JOIN US FOR 1/2 OFF Lunch entree!

HAPPY HOUR 2:00-6:30 DAILY

AND STILL ON THE JOB 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR YOU

with purchase of a 2nd entree. Must include the purchase of two beverages.

Not valid with social hour pricing, daily/weekly specials, or any other promotions, discounts or specials. One coupon per table. Dine-in-ONLY at the Ahwatukee location. Equal or greater value, minimum $9.00 Expires 10/21/19. NOT VALID ON BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OCT. 17TH.

1/2 OFF

Sunday Breakfast served 8:00am until 12:00pm

Dinner entree!

with purchase of a 2nd entree. Must include the purchase of two beverages.

Not valid with social hour pricing, daily/weekly specials, or any other promotions, discounts or specials. One coupon per table. Dine-in-ONLY at the Ahwatukee location. Equal or greater value, minimum $12.00 Expires 10/21/19. NOT VALID ON BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OCT. 17TH.

AHWATUKEE 4723 EAST RAY ROAD

480-705-0505

Everything Made from Scratch Daily

602.390.5740 PamEagan@gmail.com

Realty Executives Associate Broker

COME VISIT US AT OUR NEW LOCATION! Alumni Of the Week “Jordan Abrams” Jordan Abrams graduated from Mountain Pointe High School with the class of 2016.

He started training at Mountainside Martial Arts under Sensei Rick at the age of 11 in 2009. Within the first year of his training, his mother, Maria, and his sister, Sara, enrolled in order to train as a family. After seven years of hard work, Maria, Sara, and Jordan all received their first degree black belt in 2015. This was a life changing moment that brought them even closer together. The experience and tutelage from Sensei Rick, as well as the other instructors, have provided him with the mental strength, endurance, and dedication to pursue a career in the entertainment industry as an actor and fight choreographer. Jordan will be graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles this coming June, finishing with a BFA.

Kathleen A. Nielsen Attorney at Law

SENSEI RICK SAVAGIAN

Family Law & Estate Planning

Head Instructor Fifth Degree Black Belt in Traditional Wado-Ryu Karate.

Serving Ahwatukee for 30 Years!

Trusts • Wills • Probate Divorce • Premarital

480.730.6469 kathleennielsenlaw.com

Southwest Business Center 4500 S. Lakeshore Dr. Ste 300 Tempe, AZ 85282 (SE Corner Rural & Lakeshore)

Serving Ahwatukee since 1979 We are a private martial arts school teaching traditional Japanese karate that is discipline and curriculum based to kids, teens and adults.

3173 E Chandler Blvd (SW Corner Chandler Blvd & 32nd St) Call or visit our website for more information www.mountainsidemartialarts.com

(480) 759-4540

NEWS

6

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

FENCE from page 1

Bowie said the meeting will be with the director of the freeway project and “other senior leadership at ADOT and will include both the fencing and lights issue.”

That was good news to Hinz, who criticized the responses he and homeowners get from front-line Connect202 community liaisons who deal with freeway-related issues raised by the public.

“We’re going to bump it up a couple of levels because they are not empowered to solve any problem,” Hinz said. “They’re only empowered to obfuscate and they don’t tell the truth.”

At the very least, Hinz wonders why the fence was installed right along the Liberty Lane curb, a good 20 feet away from the freeway.

But he also questions assertions the fence is standard, noting portions of the Loop 202 Santan Freeway and the Loop 101 Price Freeway have no fences.

The fence is a new issue to emerge as the rapidly developing freeway continues impacting Ahwatukee in new ways.

Since June, at least one neighborhood near the 17th Avenue exit continues to run into bureaucratic roadblocks, as a result to reduce glare from lights already installed and in use on the interchange.

Celebrating our ~ u nter 28thCoanniversary! top s

Chain link fencing along segments of Liberty Lane in Ahwatukee have riled Club West and Foothills residents.

(Special to AFN)

Paul and Christine Scott, along with next-door neighbor Cody Northern and others on the block, said their backyards at night look like stadiums hosting evening games and have forced them to get blackout curtains for their bedrooms.

Both the yards and second-floor bedrooms face an elevated segment of the freeway where the LED lights were erected atop towering poles.

“Why they put the lights at the highest points of the freeway when they could

ugs ~ Luxury Vinyl Car pet

t~T

a Rugs ~ Luxury Vinyl ~ C m Are ount o t s u erto ~ Tile s~C ps ~ Wood ~ Laminate ~ Shower

Cu wers ~ ile ~ Wo od ~ Laminate ~ Sho

SHOWROOM HOURS Monday to Thursday 10 a.m to 6 p.m OWROOM HOURS Friday to Saturday nday to Thursday 10 a.m to 5 p.m 10 a.m to 6 p.m Traci Tartaglio Traci Tartaglio iday to Saturday or by appointment Owner Owner 10 a.m to 5 p.m by appointment

Our gift to you is top s $28 carpet install.

s ~ Luxury Vinyl Area Rug ~ Cou stom nter

Valid thru 10/31/19 not valid with any previously bid or sold jobs.

Visit our showroom to feel what we mean:

have put them just a bit farther west where the freeway dips makes no sense,” said Paul Scott.

Added Christine: “What’s amazing is that ADOT made a big show three years ago about being like ‘we’re gonna try and accommodate the neighbors.’ They could be a little more accommodating but they’re not.”

In July, Scott wrote Connect202 telling the agency “the amount of light pollution coming from these fixtures is stunning”

and that the responses he has received from them comprise “the same boilerplate reply that says nothing.

“We all realize that freeway lighting is a necessity and that our close proximity means we will obviously be somewhat impacted. This is well beyond that though,” he continued. “Putting supplemental shields on these lights is definitely not something that is an extreme engineering feat.”

In a July 22 response to one of several emails the Scotts sent, a Connect202 staffer explained ADOT, since 2016, is converting all freeway lighting throughout Maricopa County to LED lights.

“Not only will this reduce ADOT’s energy consumption and costs across the county,” she wrote, “but the LED roadway lighting may result in better driver reaction times and improved visibility, having a positive impact on safety.”

Scott’s plea for shields was never addressed.

The City of Phoenix has been doing the same thing and has completed the conversion from high-pressure sodium lighting to LED lights.

But when neighbors complain about the glare to the city, the Street Transportation Department installs shields.

see FENCE page 7

Jeffery A. Kohler, D.D.S. Aesthetic Family Dentistry

RECEDING GUMS? We provide the new Pinhole Surgical Technique™ as seen on “The Doctors” Call for a free consultation today!

K

• Revolutionary Laser Technology • Invisalign • Porcelain Veneers and Crowns • Digital X-Rays and Imaging • Tooth Colored Fillings • Perio-Protect Non-Surgical Gum Therapy and Much More!

Complimentary Cosmetic Consultation

baby-soft carpet options even styles with Traci Tartaglio texture, patterns, and a multitude of colors.

Owner

Traci Tartaglio Owner 480.598.9811

480.598.9811 15215 S. 48th St., Ste 185 480.598.9811 5 S. 48th St., Ste 185 ahwatukeecarpets.com Licensed ~ Bonded ~ Insured 15215 S. 48th St.,Phoenix, Ste 185 AZ 85044 hoenix, AZ 85044 Phoenix, AZ 85044

15215 South 48th Street, Suite 190

480.893.2474 www.jakohlerdds.net

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Pride coach details discovery of email scandal

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

N

early a month after a former Mountain Pointe coach found to have shared game strategy with opponents, Pride football coach Rich Wellbrock is ready to move forward with the season.

“With our situation, I told (players) yesterday that this was happening today, and we are moving forward. Period,” Wellbrock said in a press conference held at the Tempe Union High School District office last week.

“Come the time we are done with this we are moving forward as a collective whole,” he said. “We are going to keep grinding to get to where we want to be as a football team and a football program.”

It was the first time Wellbrock addressed the media since an investigation

by Tempe Union officials revealed former Mountain Pointe girls’ basketball coach and assistant for the football program Justin Hager had shared plays, formations and player information with opponents of the football and boys’ basketball programs using an anonymous email address dating back to 2017.

of the district’s findings on Sept. 13, but his resignation was denied by the board.

It was also during that Sept. 13 meeting with district officials Hager admitted to using the email address walterpayton12@yahoo.com to send anonymous emails to opposing coaches.

Hager initially denied being behind the account. A motive for his actions is still unknown.

“He did not say why he did it,” Wellbrock said. “From my standpoint, I don’t Mountain Pointe High varsity football head coach Rich Wellbrock said it’s time to know why he did it. put an assistant coach’s betrayal behind, (AFN file photo) He said, ‘I don’t know The Tempe Union board voted unan- why I would do this.’ I said, ‘I don’t know imously Wednesday to terminate Hag- how, this isn’t you.’” er, who was hired at Mountain Pointe in Wellbrock was notified three times of 2016. the anonymous email account sending inHager initially resigned after a review formation about his program.

The first instance came in 2018 from a Brophy Prep football coach. At the time, Wellbrock thought it was nothing more than a disgruntled former coach of his. He was notified again in March 2019 by current Mountain Pointe offensive coordinator Mark Mejia.

Again, Wellbrock thought it was nothing more than a disgruntled former coach.

But after Faith Lutheran Coach Vernon Fox in Las Vegas alerted Wellbrock to the severity of the information sent to him in August, the Mountain Pointe staff knew the situation needed to be reviewed.

“We didn’t know the depth until Vernon Fox from Faith Lutheran let us know,” Wellbrock said. “I didn’t quite realize the depth of the information that was going out. When we found out what the depth was, that got pretty serious because of the detailed information.”

According to a statement of charges against Hager released by Tempe Union officials on Wednesday, Griffin Wellbrock, Rich Wellbrock’s son and assistant coach on the football team, attempted to get into the account.

After a few steps on Yahoo’s system,

CURRENT MORTGAGE RATES 30 yr fixed: 3.875% 20 yr fixed: 3.75% 15 yr fixed: 3.25%

(APR of 4.02%) (APR of 3.89%) (APR of 3.39%)

This rate is based on a loan amount of $250,000. Restrictions apply.

Naveen Vadhwa

NMLS #203016

see WELLBROCK page 18

Use this coupon toward an appraisal refund at a successful closing.

A $450 Savings!

Senior Mortgage Loan Officer

Office: 480.339.8568 | Mobile: 480.570.5691 Fax: 1.833.406.2115 nvadhwa@bellbanks.com www.naveenvadhwa.com 4435 E Chandler Blvd. | Suite 201 Phoenix, AZ 85048

bellbankmortgage.com

This statement of rates is for real estate professionals only: it is not intended for consumer use. Rates current as of 10/09/19.

Examples listed are typical principal and interest payments based on a 45-day rate lock on a $250,000 purchase with 20% down payment. Payment estimates do not include amount for taxes and insurance: therefore, the actual payment obligation will be greater.

Rates are based on borrowers’ ability to quality and are subject to market fluctuations which may change the rates without notice.

Christine Scott, standing in her backyard, said the lights behind her make the yard look like a stadium during a night game. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)

FENCE from page 6

Connect 202 has told the homeowners lights are installed “according to approved design and construction plans.”

“The lights are pointed down to illuminate the freeway. They do not have supplemental shields,” wrote a different Connect202 representative. “Any mitigation of nuisance lighting outside the freeway right-of-way would be jointly determined

by ADOT and C202P.” The Scotts and Northern say it’s likely homeowners near other interchanges in Ahwatukee are grappling with the same lighting problem – and the same response from the highway agencies. Moreover, they expect the problem will only worsen since ADOT has yet to turn on the lights along the freeway path itself.

see FENCE page 12

7

NEWS

8

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Bill Watson

Gets Results.

Top 1% of Agents in Arizona.

THE Hardest Working Real Estate Professional.

I CAN SELL YOURS TOO!

MOUNTAIN PARK RANCH $510,000

Prepare to be amazed! Come and see this lavish 5 bed, 3 bath property now for sale in Mountain Park Ranch sitting on stunning mountain preserve lot! Upgrades included slate floors, updated kitchen cabinets, with quartz countertops and backsplash. All lower cabinets have pull outs, soft close doors and drawers. Brazilian cherry floors in living/dining room and up staircase. Custom gas fireplace with slate hearth and wood mantle. Some windows replaced with highly energy efficient Andersons windows. Updated bathrooms with travertine. Large covered patio over looking beautiful mountains. New 16 seer HVAC’s installed in 2016. Large master bedroom with balcony! Charming front yard patio with water feature. MPR has 3 pools, tennis, volleyball and parks. This home is a 10!

ACTIVE

MOUNTAIN PARK RANCH $519,000

ACTIVE

Wow! What a beautiful home sitting on an absolutely amazing preserve lot in the heart of Mountain Park Ranch. This 3124 square foot home has 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms, pool with waterfall, spa and more. Large eat-in kitchen with built-in micro opening to nice family room with fireplace. Upgraded tile flooring through out bottom floor. Huge master bedroom with sitting room attached and balcony over looking beautiful mountains, large master bath with separate shower/tub. Oversized secondary bedrooms with plantation shutters. 4th bedroom set up as office with built in furniture and a closet. Other features include, wet bar, Life Source water system, security system, intercom, fridge, washer, dryer, freezer convey. Roof 2010, HVAC 2017, Windows and doors 2014.

FOOTHILLS

$435,000

ACTIVE

Winner of the Best Home for Value and Presentation on Ahwatukee Home Tour! Absolutely gorgeous upgraded Foothills home with desirable 1-story split floor plan! Beautiful mountain views with high walls surrounded by 1-story homes allows for great privacy. Great entertaining backyard with built-in BBQ/Kitchen and Pebble Tec salt water pool with waterfall. New paint inside and out. Private office/ den with separate A/C. Vaulted ceilings with skylights. Maple cherry wood kitchen cabinets with granite countertops. Built-in master bedroom entertainment center. 18" custom floor tile throughout.

Dual fireplace, plantation shutters throughout the house. Sunscreens and patio screens. Built-in garage cabinets. Walking distance to elementary school.s.

AHWATUKEE CUSTOM

$715,000

SOLD

Wow! What a beautiful custom home located in Ahwatukee Custom Estates. This property sits on a great corner lot with circular driveway in front and 3 car garage on side. Single level, split floor plan with 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms! Large eat-in kitchen with island opens to huge family room area with wet bar and two way stone fireplace to living room! Large master bedroom with separate exit and private patio in backyard. Plantation shutters. Backyard paradise with travertine paver patio and pool deck, glass tile pool and spa. Also don’t forget to notice the sports court, RV gate and amazing views of South Mountain. Close to hiking trails, excellent schools, shopping and much more. Roof underlayment replaced in 2017, HVAC installed 2016, Anderson Windows installed 2010.

EQUESTRIAN ESTATES

$850,000

SOLD

kw

®

Wow! Don’t miss this elegantly remodeled custom home in prestigious Equestrian Estates of Ahwatukee! 5 bed, 5 bath over 4500 sqft sitting on a 31,494 sqft lot! Soaring ceilings and windows as you enter this home into a huge open great room/living room combo with beautiful wood floors and custom fireplace. Leads to open kitchen with updated cabinets and granite counters overlooking the huge backyard.

Downstairs includes 3 very over sized bedrooms and remodeled baths.

Dramatic staircase leads to huge master bedroom with fireplace, classy master bath with separate shower and tub. All leading to large balcony with awesome mountain views. As you enter the enormous backyard you will notice the beautiful paver covered patio leading out to the large pool with slide, outdoor kitchen and more!

SONORAN LIVING

South Phoenix businesses want city financial help

BY MIRANDA CYR Cronkite News

T

he neon “Open” sign in the window casts a weak glow across La Olmeca, as Georgia Martínez rushes from the kitchen greets customers with her trademark passion.

“Practically my whole life is here, and I sleep at home,” Martínez said.

It’s been 24 years of this life, but now the restaurant owner is worried about the changes to come.

After Phoenix voters rejected Proposition 105, which would have stopped the expansion of light rail in south Phoenix, Martínez and other business owners fear they won’t be able to stay afloat during the project’s years of construction.

Phoenix officials said they will continue to help businesses stay open.

But some owners are demanding direct economic help from the city and say they support provided so far has been insufficient.

There also are fears the light rail will gentrify south Phoenix – one of the metro area’s most racially and ethnically di-

verse communities.

“I have seen these constructions, and it’s difficult because it becomes congested, there’s a lot of traffic,” Martínez said, adding that potential customers, despite some streets remaining open, likely will get discouraged. “There’s been good seasons, bad seasons, like that of the recession, but now we’re worried.”

Martínez’s 15-table restaurant, just south of Southern Avenue, is among 415 shops along Central Avenue in south Phoenix that would be affected. But the response to the changes varies.

“There’s so many restaurants in the avenue who are going to be struggling because they’re right next to the road,” said Carlos Castillo, the owner of El Castillo Chino. “My plan is just to advertise as much as I can, and maybe see if I can get some of those customers over here.”

Castillo, who has only been open for six months, thinks longtime owners fear losing their life investments.

That sentiment was made clear during a recent community meeting of business owners and residents opposed to the 5 ½-mile extension.

GOT NEWS?

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

www.TheBillWatsonGroup.com

O 480.706.7211 • C 602.469.0388

Professionalism • Integrity • Communication

Merchants in South Phoenix still display signs from the campaign over the referendum question on expanding light rail in Phoenix. (Cronkite News)

Each office is independently owned and operated.

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

LIGHTRAIL from page 8

The group was organized, in part, by Salvador Reza, a local activist known for his work organizing a union of taco shops and his fight with city officials for the creation of a center for day laborers.

Nearly 20 business owners and community members discussed their concerns about next steps after Prop 105’s failure.

Construction will begin in November.

According to Valley Metro, the regional public-transit authority, the project will last until 2023 and extend the light rail from downtown Phoenix south to Baseline Road.

The expansion includes Central west to the state Capitol and west from 19th and Dunlap avenues to Metrocenter.

The 26-mile-long system now runs from Phoenix to Tempe and Mesa; regional transportation officials want to expand it to 66 miles by 2034.

City and project representatives said that the expansion is going to improve many aspects of the community.

Last month, city, government and Valley Metro representatives discussed support programs during a Spanish-language presentation – the first of its kind to be offered – at the South Mountain Community Center.

The 30 or so city and Valley Metro employees outnumbered the 25 community members who attended.

Markus Coleman, light rail administrator, said Phoenix and his department started working with affected businesses about 1½ years ago and will continue to help business owners and residents.

But some south Phoenix residents say the city doesn’t go far enough.

Reza said that the businesses want a compensation plan, some form of legal aid to negotiate potential rent increases or a fund that would directly support businesses that lose customers during construction.

“Currently, we don’t have a program in place� to provide financial compensation, Coleman said, but city officials will consider options.

They will look at the effects of construction and explore whether city or federal funds could be used.

Sylvia Herrera, community adviser for the Barrio Defense Committee, an activist group that focuses on issues affecting neighborhoods and families, said she has seen these problems before. “People are not going to want to go to eat down on Central, or shop on Central because they know that the traffic is going to be backed up,� Herrera said. “ Herrera and her organization have worked with communities in Tempe and Mesa affected by light rail, and she saw how it changed those communities. She thinks the same thing could happen in Phoenix. “It’s going to change the character and the type of people that are going to be living there,� in south Phoenix, Herrera said. “Really, it will be what is called gentrification.�

Coleman said that for 1½ years, city representatives have been meeting with more than 400 business owners, offering them information and support financed by a federal grant and local funding reaching $2.4 million provided by the Federal Transit Administration.

Half of the grant goes to planning and evaluation to support businesses, with the rest on concrete actions.

Phoenix and Valley Metro offered assistance programs, such as accounting resources, marketing, website development, finance and loan packages, facade renovation and leveraging community resources before construction begins.

Herrera is not impressed. “They offer publicity or business cards that they’ll print for you and different things in the guise of saying, ‘Hey, we’re helping you, we’re really concerned about you,’� Herrera said. “It was very artificial.�

Find GetOut in

GetOut. GetConnected. ahwatukee.com/arts_life/ facebook.com/getoutaz twitter.com/getoutaz

PP PP P P EEOEEOEEOEEOEEO O SHRSHRSHRSHRSH SH RFKRFKRFK RFK RK OO O O WW W W

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Â

Â

Â

Â? Â? Â? Â

Â? Â? Â?

Â? Â?  ­ €  Â

Â? Â? Â? Â? Â?  ­ € Â

Â? Â? Â?  Â? Â?  ­ € Â

Â? Â? Â? Â? Â?  ­ € Â

Â? Â? Â? Â? Â?  ­ € Â

Â? Â?  ­ € Â

Â

Â

Â

   � � � �

  � � � �

Â

  � � � �

Â

  � � � �

  � � � �

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER Â Â Â? Â? Â? Â?

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER

WHEN: WHEN: WHEN: WHEN: WHEN: WHEN:

WORKSHOP

WHERE: WHERE: WHERE: WHERE: WHERE: WHERE:

WORKSHOP Q&A

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER

WORKSHOP Q&A

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER

Q&A WORKSHOP

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER

(480) 706-0177 (480) 706-0177 harold_wong@hotmail.com (480) 706-0177 harold_wong@hotmail.com (480) 706-0177 harold_wong@hotmail.com (480) 706-0177 harold_wong@hotmail.com LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE TODAY! (480) 706-0177 harold_wong@hotmail.com LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE TODAY! G WORKSHOP BRIN Q&A R UG OIN S! BYRE Q&A WORKSHOP N I URD FR YOIN G S! BR ND FRIOEUG RQ&A Y N I S! B RE I NRD FR YOUG INNDS! FBRRIEUR YOING S! R ND B R F IOEUR Y NDS! FRIE

AHWATUKEE EVENT CENTER

harold_wong@hotmail.com LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE TODAY! LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE TODAY! LIMITED SEATING, RESERVE TODAY!

Š

Š

9

10

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Lisa Miguel

Extraordinary Real Estate Services Call me for a FREE Home Value Report!

Top 1% in Sales

480-444-6058 • www.Lisamiguel.com

Foothills Club West Listed for

$545,000

Rare find five bedroom, 3.5 bathroom 3,293 sf home with main master suite downstairs. Kitchen is upgraded with granite slab counters, stainless steel appliances, island, breakfast bar, eat-in dining nook and pantry. Kitchen cabinets were professionally refinished in a trendy white color with new ORB hardware in 2019. Newer Bosch dishwasher (2018) & microwave (2017).

Wet bar conveniently centered between the dining & family room. Master bathroom was recently remodeled with granite vanity top, new white Shaker cabinets and new sinks and faucets. 2019 interior paint. 2018 exterior paint. 18’’ tile in traffic areas & wood in formal living room and in upstairs master bedroom. Wood flooring on the stairs & landing. Plantation shutters.

Beautifully landscaped front and back yards with shade trees & palms, extended covered patio, pebble finish play pool.

Foothills Listed for

$399,000

Beautifully maintained 2,165 sf home with 3 bedrooms PLUS office and 2 ½ bathrooms. Three car garage! Kitchen boasts granite slab counters, island/ breakfast bar, eat-in kitchen area and walk-in pantry. Open kitchen family room concept. Two, 2019 14 seer AC units! 2019 variable speed pool pump!

Exterior of home was painted and decorative stone added on front and back in 2016. 20" porcelain tile, carpet and 5" travertine baseboards installed in 2016. The backyard is truly like a resort with a sparkling pool with water feature, fire pit, built in BBQ, extended covered patio, epoxy coated patio floor, hot tub with custom-built pergola cover, extensive hardscape and beautiful (low maintenance) landscape and turf. The backyard gleams with pride of ownership! New sinks and faucets throughout; 2017. Upgraded lighting and ceiling fans throughout. Master balcony recoated in 2019. Wood blinds and top down/bottom up blinds on windows. The upgrades are endless!

Mountain Park Ranch Listed for

$328,500

Updated single level 1,250 sf, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home on a corner lot with north/south exposure and 2019 roof! The kitchen was beautifully upgraded in 2015 with granite slab counters, white shaker cabinetry with trendy hardware, stainless steel appliances (2016), stainless farmhouse sink, and pantry. Refrigerator conveys! Rich, dark laminate wood flooring installed 2015. 2016 vinyl frame low E energy star, dual pane windows throughout!

Professionally landscaped backyard with built-in BBQ, fire/water feature, extended flagstone patio and artificial turf (2016.) Newer blinds throughout and plantation shutters in kitchen. Water softener, R/O system. Vaulted ceilings. Ceiling fans Extra closet in master suite.

Multi Family Property

Desert Village - Mesa Listed for

$485,000

This single level 5 unit property is 100% occupied. The property features (3) one bedroom units and (2) studio units. Each unit has a full kitchen and private bathroom. All units have tile flooring. Units are individually metered for electricity. On-site laundry provides owners with additional income. 2018 washer and dryer. Two buildings on over a 1/3rd acre property. Community amenities include a Gazebo and BBQ. The grounds are impeccably cared for with large well - groomed desert landscape. The parking lot was resealed approximately three years ago. There are 12 parking spots 6 of which are under the carport. This property also has potential as an assisted living center as it is accessible for wheel chairs with a ramp in the parking lot, flat wide sidewalks to every front door and wide hallways and doors on the interior.

Ironwood Crossing Listed for

$255,000

1,670 sf single level 3 bedroom + den, 2 bathroom home. Kitchen has granite counters, stone backsplash, trendy cabinet hardware, stainless steel appliances, island and eat-in dining area. Open kitchen – great room concept.

Split master floor plan. Huge master suite with separate shower and tub, walkin closet and an Arcadia glass door exit to the back yard. Situated across from one of the many parks this neighborhood has to offer. No neighbors behind!

The beautifully landscaped backyard features a lush lawn, mature trees, and a firepit. The community amenities are unsurpassed with an Aquatic Center with multiple pools and splash pad.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra!

Audit slams state agency’s oversight of nursing homes

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

S

tate health officials are slow at investigating reports of abuse and neglect at long-term care facilities to the point where residents may be put at risk, according to a new audit.

The blistering report about the Arizona Department of Health Services found 14 of 33 complaints they examined were open for at least 229 days without an investigation.

State auditors cited one complaint, submitted by another state agency, which alleged that inadequate staffing levels caused a resident who was unable to feed or use the restroom, to be soaked in their own urine and have their clothes stained with dried food.

That complaint, the report said, was not investigated for 851 days.

The report by the Auditor General’s Office also faulted the health department for classifying a third of “self-reports’’ by licensed long-term care facilities as needing no action.

The auditors said makes no sense, noting facilities are required to report only items that are potential regulatory violations and that the department is required to determine if a violation actually occurred.

Auditors pointed to one self-report that was closed with a “no action necessary’’ conclusion on the same day it was reported.

That incident involved “allegations that a resident with ambulatory issues was being thrown around like a ‘rag doll’ by a staff member.’’

State Health Director Cara Christ disputed the findings, taking her own slap at the auditors for failing to “provide context’’ in terms of all of the roles of her agency.

“Long term care facilities represent less than 0.5 percent of total licensees under department regulation,’’ she said.

Christ said the auditors less than 1 percent of all complaints received by her agency during the two-year period under evaluation.

“Rather than articulating how the department performs across this wide

range of activities to protect public health and safety and investigating and resolving complaints within its jurisdiction, the audit findings focus on this very narrow non-representative sample,’’ she said.

Christ also said her agency evaluates facilities for the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and “is currently in compliance with those requirements.’’

“The audit establishes expectations for the department beyond those that exist in its agreement with CMS or as currently established by the Legislature,’’ she wrote.

She also said the audit sets time frames without regard to available resources.

She agreed to do more to allocate new staff or reallocate existing staff to prioritize, investigate and resolve complaints about long-term care facilities.

She said her agency is assigning two additional staffers to handle complaints.

“The department believes an additional 44 staff and an additional $3.3 million appropriation and general fund allocation will be needed to timely adjudicate the nearly 2,500 complaints received annually,’’ she said.

State auditors said that the primary responsibility for investigating allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults in Arizona is with the Department of Economic Security.

But it is the role of the health department to review the facility’s practices, policies and procedures to determine if there are “appropriate safeguards in place to mitigate the likelihood of abuse occurring.’’

The auditors cited one case complaint by a nursing student at a longterm care facility who alleged residents were being subjected to abuse, neglect, unsanitary conditions and inappropriate qualify of care and treatment. Yet, that complaint had been open and univestigated for 299 days.

“The longer a complaint or self-report remains uninvestigated, the more likely potential problems or violations will remain unaddressed,’’ the report says.

GOT NEWS?

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

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

11

12

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

FENCE from page 7

ADOT spokesman Tom Hermann said Monday, “We are aware of the concerns about lighting” and said Connect202 and ADOT “intend to minimize the amount of light that reaches beyond the freeway and are working to address this over the length of the project, not light-by-light.

“We will continue to communicate with the community to keep them informed of updates,” he said.

Northern said he told a Connect202 representative he has seen shields on other freeways’ lights.

“I grew up in Ahwatukee, between Warner and Elliot, really near to the I-10 and we never had a problem like we do here,” Northern said.

The Scotts purchased their home about four years ago and although, they knew they’d be near the freeway, the Realtor assured them it would be depressed.

A year later, ADOT said they were not building a depressed freeway afterall, because it requires more houses to be removed, would cost much more and would ultimately delay completion of the freeway.

The 22-mile, eight-lane freeway – the most expensive highway project in state history at $1.7 billion – is not expected

to be completed until early next year.

However, ADOT is still hoping motorists will be able to travel its length between the Chandler and West 59th Street interchanges on I-10 before the end of the year.

Sam Stone, chief of staff for DiCiccio, said he thinks some responses homeowners are getting as new freeway issues arise in Ahwatukee might indicate a desire by the agencies to just finish the freeway and move on.

“Honestly, this is the biggest issue we’re dealing with right now,” Stone said of freeway-related complaints. “It’s a markedly different attitude than what we were experiencing six months or a year ago.”

“The community has been very patient putting up with all the construction and all the disruption,” Stone said. “They should take care of these little things now because it’s going to make a big difference in the way people feel about this freeway for a long time.”

“I think they’re under a lot of pressure to get this thing done,” Stone said. “I think there’s a lot of resources in terms of the people working on this that the state would like to see working on other projects pretty soon.”

S 48TH from page 3

HAWK signals can be installed on streets with regular traffic signals as part of the city’s coordinated signal system.

The city annually reviews intersections for new traffic signals.

The cutoff for new requests is next March 1, and intersections are evaluated in summer and selected for installation in fall.

“Our current funding levels allow for three to four new traffic signals per year,” a Street Department spokeswoman told Wolf in an email he shared with AFN. “Intersections for which traffic signals are considered must satisfy the requirements of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, a federal standard ad-

opted for use within the State of Arizona.

Factors that are considered are traffic volumes, crash history, vehicle speeds and distances to adjacent signals.”

The HAWK resembles the flashing red lights at railway crossings and consists of a yellow-red-flashing red signal format for motorists.

Unlike traffic signals, the HAWK only operates when a pedestrian pushes a button. Vehicles are free to move when no one is crossing the street.

Ahwatukee has two HAWK signals, one of Desert Foothills Parkway north of Chandler Boulevard and the other on 32nd Street near Desert Vista High School.

The city has been installing those signals since its approval by the Federal Highway Administration in 2007. There are about four dozen across Phoenix.

GOT NEWS?

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

All your neighbors are doing it!

It’s time to

your HOME’S

COMFORT & ENERGY EFFICIENCY

$750 OFF*

any new Trane AC System! *cannot be combined with financing packages — expires 10/18/19 9/30/19

REEIS.com 480-969-7500 REEIS A/C LLC ROC# 318364, 318363

ARIZONA’S #1 TRANE DEALER

Door OPEN. Door CLOSE.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

13

Guaranteed.

CALL TODAY!

480.635.8114 Free Phone Quotes! We Can Fix Anything!

FREE Service Call (with repair)

65 Value!

$

21-Point Safety Inspection

With coupon only. May not be combined with other offers. Exp: November 15, 2019

ArizonaGarageDoors.com ROC# 173822

75 OFF

$

A Pair of Springs

Broken Spring REPAIR!

With coupon only. May not be combined with other offers. Exp: November 15, 2019

Garage Door Opener

329

$

.95

+LABOR

14

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Gila River community wary of I-10 widening

BY KEVIN REAGAN AFN Staff Writer

S

everio Kyyitan was awoken one recent morning by a thunderous thumping that reverberated through the walls of his home.

It might be an earthquake, he thought, until he looked outside and discovered a pack of wild horses running by his property on the Gila River Indian Community.

Animals have free reign on the reservation, he said, and that’s the way Kyyitan likes it.

He’s hopeful state officials will keep wildlife in mind as they plan a possible widening of Interstate 10 through the reservation.

“We know it’s a need,” Kyyitan said, adding that he doesn’t want the project to interfere with nature.

The tribe has been working with the Arizona Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of adding another lane in each direction to a 26-mile stretch I-10 from Chandler to Casa Grande that the state has dubbed the Wild Horse Pass Corridor.

This portion of the freeway – the only

spot on the interstate that has four lanes instead of six – runs almost entirely along tribal land, meaning the state will have to negotiate an agreement before construction can commence.

But ADOT said widening is essential, particularly because I-10 is a “key commercial corridor that supports significant commercial and economic growth for the region, the state and the nation.”

During a recent public meeting sponsored by ADOT and the Maricopa Association of Governments in Sacaton, tribal members expressed support for improving the freeway in order to relieve traffic congestion.

But some worry about whether enough tribal members know of the project while others have concerns of its long-term effects.

For a resident like Kyyitan, who has spent most of his life on the reservation, there are concerns about how the immediate environment could be impacted by a bigger freeway.

Central Arizona is already prone to dangerous dust storms, so he would like to see ADOT consult some weather experts.

The Gila River Indian Community has

JUST LISTED!

not always been welcoming in the past to Arizona encroaching on its land in order to extend freeways.

The tribe attempted to stop the state from building its South Mountain Freeway by filing a lawsuit, claiming the project would cut through sacred land – namely South Mountain – and it jeopardized water resources.

But the courts eventually ruled in the state’s favor and allowed the 22-mile freeway to extend from Chandler to west Phoenix. Construction is expected to be completed early next year, though the freeway is expected to open in December.

The tribe seems to be more open to the idea of expanding I-10. It has agreed to participate in a freeway study and has invited state officials to come to the reservation and gather input from community members.

“We have a lot of positive momentum,” said Quinn Castro, a transportation engineer for the Maricopa Association of Governments.

The state wants this to be an inclusive process, she added, and will be gathering input from all stakeholders.

MAG has committed funding from a half-

cent sales tax to pay for expanding the six-mile section of I-10 running through Maricopa County. But there’s another 20 miles of the freeway in Pinal County that wouldn’t be covered by MAG. ADOT has pledged about $50 million for improving the freeway, which may not cover the project’s total cost.

Castro said the year-long study will assess three alternatives: a no-build option and two options to construct improvements.

If a build-option is ultimately pursued, then the state will have to amend an easement it obtained back in the 1960s from Gila River to build I-10.

An amendment hasn’t been done before, Castro added, so it will take time to figure out the process.

“Things were much different when the freeway was originally constructed and that easement was based on line-work and right-of-way plans from that time,” she said.

The Gila River Indian Community encompasses about 584 square-miles between Chandler and Casa Grande.

see GILA page 15

Ahwatukee Equestrian Estates

12035 S Appaloosa Dr. Huge 18,870 sf Lot 3,040 sf • Single Level • Pool

$598,000

CASITA WITH 2 BEDROOMS

Mountain Park Ranch

PRICE REDUCED!

Attached Greatroom Guest House w/ 2 BR & Bath Huge Cul-de-sac Lot • Mountain Views Pool • Extensive Custom Updates 6 BR • 3.5 BA • 3G • 4097 sf

Huge Corner Lot • Pool Sweeping Views • Remodeled Kitchen Granite• Full Basement Wet Bar • Workout Room 6 BR • 4 BA • 3G • 5,028 sf

$635,000 Ahwatukee

Diving Pool • Extensive Remodel Stainless • Casita • 17,076 sf Golf Course Lot • 5 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms • 2,663 sf

$424,900

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

COMING SOON!

Cynthia Worley BROKER ASSOCIATE

$800,000

480.330.7035

Historic Mesa

cynthia@stellarealtyAZ.com www.stellarealtyAZ.com

Adorable Doll House Single Level 2 Bedrooms • 1 Bathroom 2G • 978 sf

$250,000

All offices independently owned and operated

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

GILA from page 14

With a population of only about 11,000 residents, the reservation consists mostly of a rural desert landscape that contrasts sharply with the metropolitan suburbs surrounding Phoenix.

Linda Shelde, a tribal member, was raised on the reservation and enjoys its remoteness from bigger cities. She hopes widening the interstate won’t alter that.

“I like the way it is now,” Shelde said.

“This is where we were placed, this is what we have, this is what we want.”

She knows an expansion is inevitable due to population growth around the region. But she hopes the state will have some contingency plans in place for when the time comes to add another lane.

Construction detours will likely bring more traffic through the reservation’s roads, Shelde said, and she’d like some reassurance that Gila River won’t be entirely on the hook for maintaining and patrolling this infrastructure.

ADOT recently finished adding another lane to I-10 for a section running south of Eloy.

Over the last decade, ADOT has been expanding the capacity of I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson in segments. In late 2019, after ADOT completes two widening

projects between Earley Road and Interstate 8 in Casa Grande and between Eloy and Picacho, I-10 will be three lanes in each direction between SR-387 near Casa Grande ADOT will need the help of the Gila River Indian Community to widen and Tucson.

26-mile Wild Horse Pass Corridor on I-10 between Chandler and Casa Margie Thomp- the Grande. (Special to AFN) son, an Eloy resident, didn’t recall many issues with the is studying whether it should project south of Eloy when it was under- replace a bridge on the interway last year. state that crosses over the Gila But when it comes to the part of I-10 River. running north to Chandler, she foresees The bridge was built in 1964 some challenges with building another and has endured years of floodlane and managing the current traffic flow. ing and traffic jams. Its funcAccording to ADOT, it takes about 34 tional lifespan is expected to minutes to drive from Casa Grande to run out within the next decade Chandler on the freeway. That time is pro- or so.

Clement Harvey, another jected to grow to 42 minutes by 2040 if I-10 remains unchanged. tribal member, said he doesn’t have any Thompson said she appreciates how problems with improving the bridge or ADOT is taking its time to work with the freeway.

He regularly drives over the bridge to tribe and figure out a plan.

“I like the fact they’re not rushing into get to Phoenix and thinks its narrowness it and wasting money,” Thompson said. is a safety hazard for the community.

“There’s barely enough room for two “They’re gonna take the time to study it.”

In addition to expanding I-10, the state semis to go side-by-side,” Harvey said.

GATE REPLACEMENT SPECIAL!

“I’ve seen it done, but I don’t want to be in that area when something happens.”

Residents still have the opportunity to provide input on the freeway by emailing or calling ADOT. Comments submitted by Oct. 3 will be included in its freeway study. Information/commenting: 10wildhorsepasscorridor.com

Exclusive to Ahwatukee Foothills News Readers

side yard gate (4’ - 5’ wide) $500.00 INSTALLED! RV gate (10’ wide) $1,000.00 INSTALLED!

BEFORE

INCLUDES: NEW GATE from kaiser VS REFINISHING: - our price for a new gate is equal to getting it PROFESSIONALY REFINISHed - 2 YEAR WARRANTY ON PARTS & iNSTALL - Modern Design for Great Curb AppeaL

- 3 1/2” Composite Slats - standard graVity latch - 1 1/2” POWDER COATED FRAME - Removal & Disposal of OLD GATE *tax not included. Limited-time only. Pricing and availability subject to change without notice. special pricing based on featured gate design.

mention this ad to receive our specials!

15

CALL (480) 478-1901 KAISERGARAGE.COM

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AT: 280 N Roosevelt Ave., Ste 5, Chandler, AZ 85226

ROC# 116382 B & #119480 B-2

16

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Riparian’s godfather reflects on its 20th anniversary

BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

C

arol Lang was looking for a place to take her grandson during last week’s school break when a friend told her about the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert.

“It’s just wonderful, peaceful,” the Chandler resident said. “And getting kids away from technology and into nature is wonderful.”

Her 8-year-old grandson Henry Lang agreed as he fed bird food to ducks from his hand at one of the preserve’s seven recharge ponds.

The preserve, which attracts over 200 bird species and thousands of visitors each year, celebrates its 20th birthday next weekend.

The 110-acre urban wetland habitat and water recharge site is the brainchild of Gilbert Councilman Scott Anderson.

“Way it came about was it all started back when the state passed the Groundwater Management Act,” recalled Anderson, who was the town’s planning director at the time. “Gilbert put together a policy and the one way we implemented that act

Kids can feed the birds at the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, one of the East Valley’s signature attractions for bird lovers and people looking for a quiet respite in nature. (Special to AFN)

was to recycle all of our water, reclaim all of our water, even wastewater.”

In 1980, then-Gov. Bruce Babbitt signed the forward-thinking law mandating central and southern Arizona communities pump no more water from aquifers than they put back in.

The town in 1986 began storing treated wastewater in six recharge basins at the 72-acre Neely Ranch near Cooper and El-

liot roads.

“When we were ready to build the additional five (basins) I received some input from people that it was a favorite spot for bird watching many species of birds,” Anderson said, noting: “That is when I thought, ‘why not try developing something with a dual purpose, recycling water and preserving some habitat that is fairly rare in Arizona?’”

W LO

According to the Arizona Riparian Council, 60-75 percent of the state’s resident wildlife species depend on riparian areas to sustain their populations, yet these areas occupy less than 0.5 percent of the state’s land area.

And, in the western United States, riparian areas comprise less than 1 percent of the land area, but they are among the most productive and valuable natural resources, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

So, Anderson applied for and received a $100,000 grant from the Arizona Heritage Fund.

Sweat labor created a wildlife preserve at Neely as volunteers began planting vegetation around the recharge basins and building facilities for birders to enjoy their pastime.

Finally, the Neely Ranch Riparian Preserve opened in 1990.

The idea for a second preserve didn’t come until after the town purchased the 110 acres of farmland at Guadalupe and Greenfield roads for about $10 million, according to Anderson.

see RIPARIAN page 17

ST O C

HEALTH INSURANCE

• United Healthcare, Aetna

• Individuals at $144 Monthly or less • Families of 4 at $365 Monthly • Compare our rates!

AJ Sagman

(480) 482-9949

Healthcare solutions asagman@myhst.com

www.discounthealthinsurance.info

Family managed since 1981

WHOLESALE to the TRADES

HUGE SELECTION OF OVERSIZED Southern Chandler POTTERY! 23843 S. Cooper Rd. 1/4 Mile S.Delivery of Chandler AvailableHeights Rd. PET Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.

5p.m., Sun. a.m.pm - 5 p.m.

Hours: Open-Daily 9:00 am11 - 5:00 CLOSED TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS FRIENDLY! LOWEST PRICES, LARGEST SELECTION! 480-802-1309

• Fountains • Benches • Bird Baths • Ceramics • Stoneware • Wrought Iron • Oversized Pottery • Metal Wall Decor • Indoor/Outdoor Decor • Much More!

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

17

RIPARIAN from page 16

Town leaders’ primary purpose for the land was to dedicate 10 acres for a library and use the remainder for a park or for some other community amenity, Anderson said.

“We tried to come up with an idea of what to do with it and we decided to continue with the policy of recycling water and decided to do it again and build another preserve, one that was done purposely rather than falling into it,” Anderson said.

He recalled that “we had to find somewhere to recharge groundwater because we were committed to that and that led into building another recharge site.”

He said the public demand for a park with playing fields back then when the town population was approximately 29,000 wasn’t critical but became more so over the last few years. Today, some 248,000 people call Gilbert home.

The Gilbert Riparian Preserve enabled the town to continue its water policy with seven aquifer recharge basins on 70 acres and to provide a natural habitat, where 298 species of birds have been identified on-site.

“Frankly we were the only community in the state at the time committed to do recharge in a natural manner like this,” Anderson said. “Most others did it with a direct injection of water back into the aquifer. It was really kind of leading-edge what we were doing at the time.”

This time around, the town used general fund dollars and system development fees to build its second preserve, which debut

RIVALRY from page 1

Vista quarterback Parker Navarro to wideout Dominic Shepardson late in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Thunder and gave them the win for the first time in six years and the chance to host the Ahwatukee Bowl Trophy, presented by the Ahwatukee Foothills News.

“I’ve listened to some fantastic stories about past games and really enjoyed learning about the rivalry,” Deignan wrote.

“It really doesn’t matter what current team records are as this game comes up on the schedule. Both schools will bring their ‘A’ game because it’s the Tukee Bowl!”

Outcomes like that aren’t uncommon in rivalry games, especially one of that magnitude that draws most of the Ahwatukee community.

Arizona has become a hotbed for strong prep football rivalries. And it all started in 1906 in the southern end of the state.

Bisbee High School and Douglas High School lined up against one another for the 150th time in August. The two schools

A destination spot for scorfes of bird species and thousands of tourists, the Riparian Preserve sprung from a vision that Gilbert Town Councilman Scott Anderson had more than 20 years ago. (Special to AFN)

in 1999.

That year, the town also opened the Southeast Regional Library, built on town land in a town-owned building but is staffed and operated by Maricopa County Library District.

Although Neely Ranch Riparian Preserve was the town’s prototype, access there is restricted with chain-link fencing because the water is not chlorinated for human protection like at the Gilbert Preserve.

Today, the 110-acre preserve boasts over 4.5 miles of trails, a floating boardwalk, a fishing lake, a paleontology dig site, a play area and a state-of-the-art observatory.

The observatory came about during a chance conversation Anderson said he had with Win Pendleton, a fellow Gilbert Rotary Club member who also was a retired physics professor and had worked in an observatory.

“He and I got to talking about ‘wow, wouldn’t it be great to have an observafrom small mining towns play for the coveted Copper Pick, the trophy given to the winner of the game each year.

“It starts on that Monday, both small towns know it’s the Pick Week,” said Angel Ortega, Douglas High School’s athletic director. “The atmosphere for the game is different compared to other games in the regular season. Both towns know there’s something bigger at stake.”

Ortega hasn’t ever witnessed an Ahwatukee Bowl game himself, but he’s heard plenty about the game from relatives who have. The two rivalries are alike in several ways, one of which is the number of fans that attend.

Residents of Douglas and Bisbee flood the stands whenever the two schools meet. It’s as much of a big-game atmosphere as any, despite being secluded in the far southern end of the state.

“Thousands fill the stadium no matter where it’s at,” Ortega said. “I’ve been a part of this game as an assistant coach and being on the sideline, it’s a whole different experience.”

tory dedicated just for public use,’” he said. “I had some architects work on some plans not only for an observatory but a visitor center.”

He said SRP donated $100,000 toward the project but the town hit a snag with the visitor center so the two were separated out. Anderson said $33,000 of SRP’s contribution went into buying the telescope, which Pendleton went to Mississippi and retrieved from the manufacturer.

The East Valley Astronomy Club, which Pendleton was a member, then built and gifted to Gilbert the observatory, which officially opened in 2006. The club’s volunteers manage the facility for the town.

Although a variety of wildlife live at the riparian, including cottontail rabbits, turtles, coyotes, frogs, rock squirrels and insects, birds remain a big draw.

The site is listed as one of Arizona’s 48 “important bird areas” by the National Audubon Society.

Big games that bring together an entire community or towns for one night is what rivalries are all about.

That remains the case in the eastern part of the state as well, especially when Blue Ridge and Show Low high schools meet on the gridiron.

“It’s really funny, I think the rivalry is brought to an extreme by the adults more than the kids,” said Robert London, Blue Ridge’s athletic director and head football coach. “I don’t know if its them wanting to re-live their glory days or what.”

Separated by just over 10 miles, the rivalry between Blue Ridge and Show Low hasn’t lost its luster despite both teams having players that see one another on multiple occasions in different sports throughout the year.

London said the kids still play hard against each other, but they’ve also built relationships, too.

For years, the matchup between Blue Ridge and Show Low often decided which 3A power would go on to win the conference title at the end of the season. On

“I think it went beyond what we expected,” Anderson said. “We never realized how big of an attraction it has become especially for wildlife watching.

“When I was still going out there, I was contacted by people all throughout the United States and internationally by people planning their vacations to come to Gilbert and see certain birds not seen before and find them in Gilbert. It’s gone from being a pretty obscure bird-watching area to a premier-bird watching area in the state now.”

If You Go...

What: 20th anniversary celebration of the Southeast Regional Library and the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.

Where: 775 N. Greenfield Road, Gilbert When: When: 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12.

More info: For list of activities: gilbertaz.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/20th-anniversary-celebration several occasions, both teams entered the game undefeated.

Two teams with high expectations is the case with several rivalries across the state, including here in the Valley between Chandler and Hamilton.

“The Battle for Arizona Avenue” at one point was owned by the Huskies, who dominated for over a decade. However, a resurgence by Chandler under former coach Shaun Aguano gave the Wolves momentum.

“I think ‘The Battle for Arizona Avenue’ ranks right there up at the top with the other rivalries around the state,” said Marcus Williams, the athletic director for Chandler Unified School District.

“Communities get together to cheer on their teams in their community for ‘bragging rights’ for that year and to shine a light on positive happenings in their community,” Williams said, adding: “I feel all rivalries are special in many ways specific to the communities in which

see RIVALRY page 18

18

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

WELLBROCK from page 7

Hager’s district email appeared as the recovery email for the WalterPayton12 account.

Wellbrock confronted Hager about it in his office, asking for the code sent to Hager’s cell phone from Yahoo, to access the account.

After two failed attempts, Wellbrock read the code from Hager’s phone himself and gained access. It was there district officials say hundreds of emails to opposing coaches, district staff and members of the media were found.

Only some of the emails were recovered by the district, as the account was deleted.

But the extent of the situation weighed heavily on all involved.

“Anger. Disappointment,” Wellbrock said. “The same feeling anyone in this room would have. It’s more about the kids than anything else of how they didn’t have certain opportunities and weren’t given the chance to be successful.

“Whether the information was used or not, it goes through those kids’ heads now and went through those kids’ head

in the past.”

Tempe Union released the recovered emails sent to several Arizona coaches, which sparked internal investigations, to the media and public.

Several schools came forward to say the information was not used, and most of the emails were deleted or reported to school administrators.

There’s no indication from any of the parties involved, including Tempe Union officials, any of the information was used against Mountain Pointe.

“This was never a ‘got ya!’ We wanted to stop detailed information from going out about out program,” Wellbrock said. “To our opponents, we didn’t know the depth of where this investigation was going to go. To my peers, I wanted to make sure that’s well-known.

“Whether it was used, whether it was not used, this was never meant to do this.

This was 100 percent meant to stop the information from being sent out of our program.”

Wellbrock said the Mountain Pointe community is comming together to rally behind the football team as well as

the boys’ and girls’ basketball programs during a difficult time. Students around the school are drawing closer together.

“Our kids have been resilient. I couldn’t be more pleased from them for how they approached this situation,” Wellbrock said. “When I say kids, I’m talking about our football program as well as our girls’ basketball program.

“Watching them go through this, it has really brought them together and it’s been fun to watch.”

Wellbrock is impressed by his team’s ability to fight off adversity and move forward. More than anything, he believes everyone involved in the program will be excited to play on their home field.

“I know the kids are excited,” Wellbrock said. “I know the parents are excited that they don’t have to travel anywhere. We are going to come out and get after it the best we can. The biggest thing is that it’s just adversity and how do we fight through that.

“One of the things I’ve always said after a tough loss, if this is the worst thing that has happened in our lives, we are going to be fine.”

Share Your Thoughts

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

RIVALRY from page 17

they reside.”

Chandler-Hamilton is just one of the many rivalries amongst the bigger schools in the state that have playoff and even championship implications on the line nearly every season.

Williams Field and Higley have met several times both in the regular season and deep in the playoffs. Liberty and Sunrise Mountain in Peoria draws standing-room-only crowds on a yearly basis.

“The Battle for Brown Road” between Red Mountain and Mountain View, as well as the matchup between Skyline and Desert Ridge to be crowned the “Kings of Crismon” create an electric buzz in East Mesa. Flagstaff-Coconino, St Johns-Round Valley, McClintock-Tempe, Marcos de Niza-Corona del Sol and Nogales-Rio Rico are all classic rivalries around the state.

Just about every school in the state has its designated rival, and all create an atmosphere unlike any other once a year.

Whether teams enter with a winning record or losing, most of the time each one ends up being close.

After all, nothing else matters when you’re playing for bragging rights. And the Ahwatukee Bowl is no different.

Join us for Thanksgiving Weekend Fun at the First Annual

Tukee Trot 5K Run & Walk

Friday November 29, 2019, 8:30 AM Start

• Hosted at Desert Vista HS • Chip timed, USATF sanctioned

• Dri-Fit T-Shirt & Finisher Awards

Non Non-profit event benefitting Kyrene Resource Center

• 1 Mile Kids Quail Fun Run

For registration and information, visit StartLine Racing at: https://raceroster.com/events/2019/26605/tukee-trot-5k Now welcoming local sponsors with advertisement – contact tukeetrot@cox.net

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

19 HARDWO OD � C ARPE T�LUXURY VIN Y L�TILE�L AMINATE� C AB INE T S AND MORE

UP TO $1,000 OFF * OR CONVENIENT MONTHLY PAYMENTS** of Chandler of Chandler

Your style Your style

Envisioned Envisioned

Lifetime Labor Warranty on everything we install NO SALES TAX ON INSTALLATIONS SPECIAL 12-MONTH FINANCING AVAILABLE! *OAC

FREE cabinet design

Ultra ® Series windows and doors – as the name ® Ultra Series windows andtodoors as the name implies – was designed be the– ultimate in implies – was to be the ultimate window anddesigned door frame material.

Ultra in window door of frame material. combines theand benefits fiberglass withUltra the style combines of thetraditional benefits of fiberglass with the style wood windows. of traditional wood windows.

5 cabinet brands

THERE’S A REASON WE’RE THE

MOST RECOMMENDED.

flooringamerica.com/review

4454 E Thomas Rd. 4454 E Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85018 Phoenix, AZ 85018

602.508.0800 602.508.0800 liwindow.com liwindow.com

Dale & Becci Schnaible

Ahwatukee family owned since 1997

6909 W. Ray Rd., Ste. 5 (SE Corner of Priest & Ray)

www.flooringamericaofchandler.com Mon-Fri: 8-6, Sat: 9-4

Call (480) 775-0160 Now to schedule your Free In-Home Estimates & Free Design Consultations!

20

COMMUNITY

Community

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Ahwatukee mom heading to tough Ironman contest

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

A

shley Dellosa, professional educator, mom of two and dedicated triathlete, is headed to Hawaii later this week to compete in the Ironman World Championship.

The Ahwatukee woman is one of only 14 women among 726 competing on Oct. 12.

Of the 1,724 men in the Ironman Arizona, 26 qualified for the world championship – often described as the world’s most difficult one-day sporting event.

And though training is of paramount importance before any triathlon or Ironman, the stakes ratchet up exponentially as the Ironman World Championship brings more than 2,000 top athletes from around the world to test their mettle.

“It’s not easy, that’s for certain,” Dellosa said of the 140.6-mile journey along the black lava-rock on the Kona coast, which involves swimming, biking and running.

30-34 age group.

Triathlons were familiar which Dellosa before she married and had her two daughters.

“I’d done a few triathlons with friends in college and after college.

When I signed up for the 2016 Ironman Arizona in 2015, two months after my daughter Margo was born, I couldn’t run a mile, and I didn’t even have a triathlon bike,” she recalled.

And yet, she knew she Ashley Dellosa of Ahwatukee crosses the finish line at one of her Ironman needed an outlet for grief races. She’s heading to Hawaii this weekend as one of only 14 women comand anxiety after her bepeting in a field of 726 Ironman World Championship contenders. (Special loved mother Jackie Long to AFN) passed away following an “It’s a much harder course than others, extended battle with cancer.

Though doctors have her six months and really hot. I’m just hoping to really enjoy it, and have a smile on my face when I to live, her mother’s strong determinafinish,” said Delossa, who competes in the tion and good humor kept her going for

two years before she passed away in July 2016, Dellosa said.

“The whole reason I signed up for a triathlon in the first place was to cope with her illness,” recalled Delossa.

“My first half Ironman race was in September 2016, after she’d passed, and then I did a half Ironman in October 2016 where I qualified for the Half Ironman world championships in Chattanooga and then Ironman Arizona, which was in November of 2016.”

“Being a type-A personality, and busy with work and two kids and a mother fighting a battle she knew she wouldn’t win, I needed something I had control over. Some people have different outlets, but for me, working out was a good way for me to cope and help alleviate the anxiety of it all.”

Delossa has participated in three full Ironmans and seven half-Ironmans. This is her first time World Championship.

see IRONMOM page 22

Area couple’s Goldendoodle a world-wide hit

BY TORRENCE DUNHAM AFN Contributor

C

handler residents Kimberly Elliott and Andrew Hangartner are using their special pup to encourage people across the country to embrace the unique abilities of both humans and animals.

The couple’s dog Josh is a Goldendoodle lives with cerebellar hypoplasia - an under-development of the cerebellum that controls all of his motor function.

Elliott said it’s almost like an extreme case of vertigo as Josh cannot control his movement, and suffers from spasticity, clumsiness and lack of coordination.

Elliott and Hangartner adopted the dog through a farm rescue in Mesa that was seeking foster homes for a group of three special needs Goldendoodles.

“I saw his picture and story on Facebook one morning and I immediately reached out,” Elliott said, adding she fostered numerous dogs before.

“Within about 24 hours of having him in our home, I looked at Andrew and I said, ‘you know, we’re going to have to keep this dog forever because he was just amazing.’”

Hangartner says Josh can get around the house fine because they have rugs that give him some traction.

When Josh goes outside, Elliott and Hangartner keep a close watch on him or hold onto his harness to make sure he doesn’t fall.

The two will also pick him up and take him to his water bowl, in addition to hand-feeding his breakfast and dinner.

“We just built a routine with him,” Hangartner said.

Josh will let the two of them know if he needs something by panting, making noises or slapping his paw.

A few years ago, Elliott and Hangartner decided to share Josh’s daily journey with the world – documenting the Gold-

see JOSH page 24

Kimberly Elliott and Andrew Hangartner have a two-wheeled vehicle so Josh can move around outside a little easier. The Goldendoodle suffers from a condition that makes it almost impossible for him to walk without constantly falling down. (Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer)

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Ahwatukee professor slates annual Hacks for Humanity’ AFN NEWS STAFF

A

hwatukee Professor Neal Lester’s Project Humanities at Arizona State University will host its sixth annual Hacks for Humanity hackathon Oct. 19-20.

Hacks for Humanity is a 36-hour creativity and innovation event for people of all ages and professions who create technol- Participants in the Hacks for Humanity find innovative ways to relax during the 36-hour creative marathon. (Special to AFN) ogies that address local and global issues.

The finished products must embody who risk self-harming, he said, noting it has these seven principles that Project Hu- formed its own nonprofit, HumanityX and manities identifies as Humanity 101: “continues to lead the way in improving hukindness, compassion, integrity, respect, manity through creative new technologies.”

The event includes a pitching competiempathy, forgiveness, and self-reflection.

This year’s tracks are: food, family and tion, midnight “silent disco” and pizza parfinances and anyone can join several hun- ty, catered food all weekend, therapy dogs, dred people who combine their talents to yoga and meditation, games, raffle prizes and a host of hackathon supporters. address issues in these three areas.

They include Come Rain or Shine Foun“Participation from a diverse group of people in a platform such as Hacks for Hu- dation, Lyft, Alamo Draft House, Octane manity creates a paradigm shift in technol- Raceway, Portillo’s Beef, Burgers and Salogy development, giving everyday people ads, Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Symthe power to co-build the ‘next big thing’ phony, Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, that may affect our lives,” said alumnus Pat As You Wish Pottery Painting Place, Glow Pataranitaporn, inaugural Hacks for Hu- Putt Mini Golf, Arizona Museum of Natural manity participant and team winner and History, Swingin’ Safari Mini Golf, Puffin West Foundation, Phoenix Rock Gym, FoArizona State University Biology major.

This hackathon, however, is not just cus Climbing Center, Wild West Paintball for coders and developers or technology and Airsoft Park, Sauce Pizza and Wine, geeks and invites entrepreneurs, artists, Desert Botanical Garden, Apollo, Original Geno’s Pizza, Silicon Valley Bank, Arizona engineers, designers and others.

Six social work professionals from Tur- Informant, American Airlines, Stratum, key, Spain, Greece and India – all part of Union Tempe Apartments, Live Well @ the Building Bridges Arizona program – ASU, Phoenix Rising, ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the ASU School of will be participating.

This year’s hackathon is also powered the Future of Innovation in Society.

The free event will be held at Arizona

by Amazon Web Service for all competing teams. Hackathon sponsors include State State University Tempe campus in Stauffer Farm, ASU Entrepreneurship + Innova- Communications Building B. Opportunities to mentor and volunteer tion, ADP, Honeywell, and Amazon Tempe are also available. Registration, volunSoftware Development Centers.

“The momentum from Hacks for Hu- teer and mentor signup and sponsorship manity does not stop once the winning inquiries are at hacksforhumanity.io/ team claims their prize,” said Lester. hacks-for-humanity-2019.

Information: 480-727-7030.

“Hacks for Humanity has generated sigProject Humanities seeks to connect nificant change within the lives of several of our participants. The transformative the University and local communities in power of this event has been demonstrat- talking, listening and connecting.

“We further seek to establish and lead ed through the continuing success of our multidisciplinary and inclusive public 2014 winning team, ARKHumanity.”

That created a system designed to iden- programming that engages local, national, tify specific tweets containing key phras- and international communities in humanes frequently used by individuals in crisis ities discussions,” Lester said.

21

LATIN’S HOME Great Location

Assisted Living Home

• Located approximately 1 mile from I10 at Elliott Rd. in Ahwatukee.

• Our home offers easy access to activities, shopping and more.

• Great view of South Mountain. • Quiet Neighborhood.

Affordable Prices — Professional Service

• Immediate opening for semi or private rooms. • Room can be furnished or unfurnished.

• Care plans designed based on individual needs. • Excellent DHS inspection record.

• Respite Care (short term) • CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE A TOUR!

FIRST MONTH NEW RESIDENT DISCOUNT

Medication Management | On call RN 24/7 State Licensed Caregivers | Daily Exercise and Activities Holiday and Birthday Celebrations

10601 S. 42nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85044 Ahwatukee

480.598.1003 AZ Dept.of Health Services License #AL8078H Check us out on Facebook Latin’s Home, Assisted Living Home

Room Rates

Rates are based on Level of Care

Private $4,000 $3,500 $3,000

Semi-Private $3,500 $3,000 $2,500

Level of Care Directed Supervisory Personal

NE

N OR TH A M ER I CA’S

All Levels of Care Welcome We accept Dementia and Alzheimer’s Residents

WP

1 Selling Walk-In Tub

#

Featuring our New

RO

DU

CT

Exclusive Shower Package

Now you can finally have all of the soothing benefits of a relaxing warm bath, or enjoy a convenient refreshing shower while seated or standing. Introducing Safe Step Walk-In Tub’s exclusive NEW Shower Package! ✓ First and only walk-in tub available with a customizable shower ✓ Fixed rainfall shower head is adjustable for your height and pivots to offer a seated shower option ✓ Durable frameless tempered glass enclosure available ✓ High-quality tub complete with a comprehensive lifetime warranty on the entire tub ✓ Top-of-the-line installation and service, all included at one low, affordable price

Call Today for Your Free Shower Package

1-888-224-9782 FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT

Now you can Call today and receive a have the best FREE SHOWER PACKAGE! of both FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY worlds–there Call Toll-Free 1-888-224-9782 isn’t a better, more affordable www.BuySafeStep.com walk-in tub!

With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. CSLB 983603 F13000002885 13HV08744300

Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase.

Offer available while supplies last. No cash value.

Must present offer at time of purchase.

22

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Local family joining scenic trail anniversary trek

BY ANDY LENARTZ AFN Guest Writer

A

hwatukee’s Saron family will join over 1,000 other hikers, mountain bikers, runners, and equestrians in a combined effort to hike all 800 miles of the National Arizona Scenic Trail in one day on Oct. 12.

And people can still sign up for this first-time event that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Arizona Trail Association, a non-profit group focused on protecting and maintaining the AZ Trail.

“We want to get people out to experience the entire length of the trail and

IRONMOM from page 20

“I’ve finished top 10 in my division at all but the Ironman 70.3 world championships in 2017 in Chattanooga, Tennessee,” she said. “My best result was third overall/amateur female at Ironman Arizona in 2018 and that result earned me the opportunity to take my professional license.”

Earning a professional license allows the triathlete to run for prize money at races.

The Ironman World Championship began in 1978 as a combination of three Hawai’i endurance races – the 2.4 Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the 112 mile Around-Oahu Bike Race and the 26.2 Honolulu Marathon.

According to Ironman World Championship website, humidity hovers around 90 percent.

This is the first year the Ironman World Championship is using a new swim start protocol – a wave start that separates the field into 11 groups, with each age group entering the water every five minutes thereby eliminating the prior iconic visual of a mass start.

“I’m okay with this because it should lessen the congestion on the bike course and make it a safer course for the athletes,” she opined.

Of the three Ironman components, Dellosa finds swimming the easiest.

“I was on the swim team at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and had a full

set the record for participation in a single day to celebrate our first 25 years of existence,” said Matthew Nelson, executive director of the AZ Trail Association.

“This will be the first time a National Scenic Trail will be completed in this way,” he added.

Participants in the event can choose sections that range from 2.1 to 15.6 miles covering the state from north to south and including some of the most spectacular sights in the state such as two national parks, a national monument, national forests, and a state park.

Brent and Linda Saron and their daughter Gwen, a Desert Vista High School senior, will be covering three sections of the trail together on Saturday.

Their 22.5-mile journey will take them from the Grand View Lookout to South Kaibab at the Grand Canyon on what is sure to be one of the more visually inspiring routes of the trail.

Without the Grand Canyon’s inspiration in training for the event, Brent Saron said he focused on the chance to set a family goal – a challenge they could commit to and complete together.

To train, he hikes the Pyramid Trail at South Mountain Park’s 19th Ave South/ Pyramid Trailhead for elevation practice and the National Trail for mileage.

Brent said for beginning hikers looking for good trails to learn to hike are finding them increasingly crowded with mountain bikers, runners and hikers.

He said that this creates a difficul-

week,” she said.

“The run is where I suffer.”

Dellosa practices her running and cycling in her home.

Her Cervelo P5 triathlon bike is perched on a Wahoo stationary trainer, and she said on weekends, the family turns on some music, husband Mike Dellosa makes breakfast for daughters Claire, 5, and Margo, 4, and as mom pedals.

“I also do a lot of my runs on the treadmill.

You don’t have to worry about stop signs or cars. It’s just Mike and Asley Dellosa have two daughters, Margo, 4, and Claire, 5. safer,” said Dellosa who, with (Special to AFN) her doctorate scholarship for swimming. I never was a in education, teaches online university star swimmer, but I’m good at it and now courses.

She met her husband in 2008 while train by swimming two or three times a

ty for new hikers in particular, as they must navigate around a steady stream of other users while learning to hike and getting comfortable on the trails.

One interesting solution that he proposed is for the City of Phoenix to purchase the vacant Ahwatukee Lakes and Club West Golf courses and convert those to trails for mountain biking and hiking, perhaps alternating days for users.

For those who want to participate in AZT in a Day, visit aztrail.org/events/ aztinaday-2019, email karrie@aztrail. org or call 520-261-8460.

- Ahwatukee resident Andy Lenartz writes frequently on mountain biking and hiking for AFN.

both were employed in sales with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mike is still with the Diamondbacks as senior director of ticket sales and service, but Ashley left to get her masters and then her doctorate in organizational leadership.

“Ashley is one of the hardest working yet most humble people I know,” Mike said. “She’s the rock of our family and I couldn’t be prouder of her.”

As the clock ticks down to the championship, an excited Dellosa manages to keep her calm.

“I’m still so in shock that I get to go.

And I want to really respect the fact that it’s such a hard race,” she admitted. “My two goals for Kona are to be patient and happy.”

She has a secret method of helping herself to keep going.

“Most of the time in a triathlon, I’m trying not to think, but when it gets hard for me, I really draw on my Mom. Just the fact that she knew she was dying for two years, and my brother, a high school student, was still at home – it was tough. But she was a tough lady, and was so positive and hilarious,” said Dellosa. “Nothing in Iron Man is as hard as what she went through.”

The women’s course record for the World Championship in Hawaii was set last year at 8 hours, 26 minutes and 18 seconds by Daniela Ryf of Switzerland.

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

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Desert Home Cleaning Service, Inc.

CARPET, Ahwatukee!

UPHOLSTERY, TILE & GROUT

23

CARPET CLEANING SPECIAL 5 Rooms Only $80

Combined living area and/or area over 300 sq.ft. Considered separate rooms NO HIDDEN CHARGES

• OWNER OPERATED • 36 YEARS EXPERIENCE • TRUCK MOUNTED EQUIPMENT

Cleaning includes Pre-Treating Most Furniture Moved Carpet Groomed

480.759.3361

Don’t miss school or work!

Available hours from 7am - 7pm plus select Saturdays

Protector and deodorizer available

Find Any Hidden Charges and the Cleaning is FREE!

I have dementia.

I also have a life.

Memory Care at LivGenerations Ahwatukee can bring comfort, care and joy to our resident’s lives…while bringing peace of mind to the rest of their family.

It’s a comfortable, beautiful environment designed specifically for those with memory loss—including specific amenities to provide comfort and familiarity.

WE’VE REINVENTED SENIOR LIVING. C O M E F I N D O U T W H AT M A K E S U S U N I Q U E !

(480) 485-3000

15815 South 50th Street | Phoenix, AZ 85048

www.livgenerationsahwatukee.com

WE CAN MATCH COMPETITOR PRICES. THEY CAN’T MATCH OUR SERVICE!

480.240.9393

ClearSmilesAZ.com NE Corner Ray Rd and 44th St

24

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

JOSH from page 20

endoodle with a man bun riding around in his red basket, confidently walking and running with his specially-made device, traveling around meeting people or just relaxing on the couch.

He quickly became an internet celebrity with over 91,000 followers on Instagram.

“I began receiving all these messages to my Instagram from people all over the world, Tanzania, Romania, Costa Rica, Austria, the Netherlands,” Elliott said.

“They were inspired to foster, adopt or just recognize a dog with special needs.”

“Then the messages began to change and people started opening up and telling me that Josh inspires them and they’re dealing with grief or depression, anxiety, addiction, a terminal illness or a condition like Josh’s,” Elliott continued. “People have really connected with him and they see a little bit of themselves in him.”

The couple now Josh to inspire people to follow Josh’s example of living life to the fullest despite trying circumstances.

They created the non-profit “Be Like Josh Foundation” a few months ago to celebrate dogs with special needs and educate people about the beauty of special abilities.

Elliott, Hangartner and Josh are about

to kick-off their very first “Josh tour” on Oct. 11.

“A huge component of the Josh Foundation is going to schools,” Elliott said. “We have a Be Like Josh curriculum where we teach the kids to embrace all levels of abilities, first with Josh and then seeing that amongst each other and amongst their peers.

“Josh’s challenge to the kids is to go out and make a new friend, genuinely make a new friend that’s different than you.”

Elliott added, “We teach the kids that different is okay, kindness is cool and compassion and inclusion is the way to be like Josh.

The couple’s goal for 2020 is to visit at least one school in every state.

Elliott they also team up with shelters and rescues to make it an adoption event as well as a Josh meet.

The act of providing a foster home and later adopting a Goldendoodle with special abilities not only has made a substantial impact on the couple’s lives but on thousands around the world.

“He’s helped us meet a lot of new people, a lot of special people have come into our lives,” Hangartner said. “When we’re out and about, a lot of parents with young children come up to us and want to meet Josh. They sense there’s something spe-

Reduce your clutter!

Store that extra stuff here!

• • • •

24/7 Access Video Surveillance Propane Moving Supplies

• UHaul Trucks • RV & Boat Storage

Covered and Uncovered

• Contractor Storage

Mini Storage

Mini storage with an adjacent parking space

Serving the Ahwatukee Foothills

• 5x8 • 8x10 • 8x20 • 8x40

$49.95 $89.95 $149.95 $199.95

(480) 252-6670

www.PecosStorage.com

Despite his malady, Josh is a happy-go-lucky dog whose owners find him an inspiration for anyone who deals with a disability. (Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer)

cial about him.

“All the love and kindness that has come into our house and our lives has been the best part for me at least.”

Elliott added, “He’s taught me so much.

It’s hard to articulate and it may even sound a little strange that an animal can be so life-changing. For me, being his main handler and being his mouthpiece

and connecting with the rest of the world, how they feel about Josh has just really softened me.

“It’s softened all my edges. I’ve always kind of been a tough chick and Josh has rounded out all my hard edges and I’m grateful for that.”

Information: belikejosh.org

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

25

AROUND AHWAUTKEE

Ahwatukee Tennis Club holding open house for member recruitment

The Ahwatukee Tennis Club is kicking off a membership recruitment with an open house and member appreciation social 6-8 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Ahwatukee Tennis Courts, 12432 S. 48th St. Tucked away behind green wind screens, the newly renovated courts have served people of all ages for 35 years.

Tennis Pro Mike Henneberry, a club coach for 25 of those years, said, “A lot goes on at this cozy tennis club: clinics, leagues, doubles nights, lessons, and most importantly people coming together to play the great sport of tennis. We love tennis and want to share our passion with the community”.

His junior tennis program has developed many young players who have gone on to play in high school and college.

The member-based Ahwatukee Tennis Club is owned and operated by the Ahwatukee Board of Management and recently has renovated the courts.

At the social, people can meet Hennberry, participate in drawings for gift cards and two-month free membership, play round robin and enjoy refreshments.

Information: 480-893-3431.

Ahwatukee historian to address Friends and Neighbors group

Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors will hold its next luncheon Oct. 28 at the Sivlik Grill at Whirlwind Golf Club, 5692 N. Loop Road, Chandler.

Social is at 11:30 and luncheon is at noon.

Guest speaker is Marty Gibson and he will present “Historic Tales from Ahwatukee Foothills.” Gibson has written two popular books on the history of Ahwatukee.

Reservations must be in by Oct. 22. For more info contact: affanwomensgroup@gmail.com or go to afanwomensgroup.org.

Annual free shred-a-thon coming soon, courtesy of local Realtors

Shirley Coomer and Gregory Stainton of Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living will be holding a free shred-a-thon 9-11 a.m. Oct. 19 at Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary School 15221 S. Ray Road, Ahwatukee.

Offered as a community event, this twice-a-year event gives local residents a chance to protect their identity by having important but outdated papers permanently destroyed.

The only “cost” is a food donation for the Kyrene Resource Center.

Besides healthy snacks for students, people also can donated canned meats, tuna, peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, dried beans, top ramen, cereal and mac & cheese.

Ahwatukee home hosting exclusive wine and fall food pairing this month

Phoenician Oasis, which offers cooking classes for all ages with a twist in a private Ahwatukee home, will be holding a fall food and wine pairing event Oct. 27.

People also can learn bread making as well as cooking low fat, low sodium, low sugar and vegan dishes in various classes. Bread making is offered Oct. 5, 12 and 26; vegan cooking classes are Oct. 6, 13 and 20.

Information: Phoenicianoasis.com or 480-888-5521.

Generations Church to hold big competition for youth tomorrow

The Tukee Campus Clash hosted by Generation

• Emergencies Welcome • Cleaning & Gum Treatment

Church’s GEN YTH student-led ministry will provide a safe space for all students regardless of athletic abilities to showcase their talents and represent their school in a positive way. There will be games, music, competitions and other activities, free Chik-fil-A for the first 150 students to show up and thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes.

The event will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Generation Church campus, 11832 S Warner Elliot Loop, Ahwatukee.

Art classes offered 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, dropins 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 Smart Driver course for seniors slated Oct. 17 at Pecos 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

Time to think about Ahwatukee’s biggest outdoor party next month

The Festival of Lights is gearing up for the next “Kick Off Party” on Nov. 30, the annual festival that starts the million white light display along Chandler Boulevard and also helps raise money to defray the cost of the display and fund grants for selected nonprofits.

Planning meetings have begun and occur approximately every two weeks on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Desert Foothills United Methodist Church, 2156 E. Liberty Lane, Ahwatukee All volunteers are welcome even if they are going to be out of town Thanksgiving weekend since there is plenty of advanced planning to be done. Meeting dates are Oct. 22 and Nov. 5 and 19.

Fall events at Art in the Garden Studio include children’s workshops

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.

see AROUND page 26

• Dentures & Partial Dentures • Relines & Repairs

• Implant Placement & Restorations

• Insurance Processed For You

• Fillings & Cosmetic Bonding

• Teeth whitening

Since 1998

• Digital Impressions

• Crowns & Bridges

Stacey Zittel, DDS, PC COMPLETE FAMILY DENTISTRY “Gentle Dental Care...Our Specialty” Gental Care and Beautiful Smiles Is Our Job...Confidence In That Smile Is Your Reward

480-598-5510

4530 E Ray Road, Suite 180 | Ahwatukee (Located in the Foothills Health Center)

New patients welcome | Monday through Friday Hours Available

NG

SERVI

!

TUKEE AHWA

In-Home Care for Total Peace of Mind We Care Every Day, In Every Way.® Caregive

• Meal Preparation • Errands • Friendly Companionship • Respite Care for Families

• Light Housekeeping • Bathing Assistance • Up to 24 Hour Care • Medication Reminders

r Employment Opportunities are Available!

480-886-1165 • 16815 S. Desert Foothills Pkwy. • Suite 123 www.VisitingAngels.com/SouthPhoenix Each Visiting Angels agency is independently owned and operated.

Retire Early and Happy Without Wall Street Risk!

• Maximize Retirement Income • Reduce / Eliminate Taxes on current income and RMD’s from your IRA’s and 401K’s

Serving 18 months to Pre-K Monday through Friday AM and PM classes Dr. Harold Wong

480-706-0177 | www.drharoldwong.com | harold_wong@hotmail.com

26

COMMUNITY

AROUND from page 24

Ahwatukee’s newest art studio is providing a peaceful 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.

New local martial arts academy to offer anti-bullying workshop

The new Marcio Andre Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy 1t 14647 S. 50th St., Ahwatukee, is sponsoring a free seminar on five techniques to stop bullying for kids 4 to 16 and their parents.

The seminar, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 12, “is more than self-defense. It’s about giving your child anti-bullying tools,” said Andre, a world-champion black belt who opened the academy in August. He and world champion black belt Sarag Black will coinduct the seminar.

Andre said bullying was common when he was growing up in Brazil and that he “joined a local jiu jitsu gym to make him tougher but he did not expect it to give him a great respect for others and a new perspective on life,” according to a release.

The Rio de Janiero native noted that October is National Bullying Prevention Month and that his techniques are aimed at helping children and teens “deal with, cope with, avoid and defend against bullies.

Registration: marcioandrejijitsu.com/lp/antibully.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

JesterZ Improv class isn’t not just for laughs

BY GLENN SWAIN AFN Contributor

T

en people sit in a semicircle at JesterZ Improv Theater in Mesa, listening intently to owner and improv professional Jef Rawls caution them about the critical voice within.

“Don’t let your inner saboteur write rules that are not there,” Rawls says.

The group has signed up for JesterZ’s eight-week Level 1 improv class. The course is designed to teach basic improvisational skills through different exercises and games.

At the end of the eight weeks, students perform a showcase in front of a JesterZ audience. JesterZ has four levels of ascending classes.

The Level 1 class is a diverse mixture of young and older students consisting of teachers, a restaurant worker, an IT specialist, a heating and air professional, an empty nester, a 17-year-old who celebrated her birthday at JesterZ, and a high school junior.

Each has a specific reason for taking the class. For some, it is a desire to step out of their comfort zone.

Others say that while they feel relaxed

“If you’re looking for confidence, this is the place to get it,” said Rawls, a professional actor for 23 years. “Some are held back in social situations by fear of being judged by others, or they feel they don’t know what to say.

“The skills learned in improv training help people conquer those fears and make them better conversationalists,” he added.

JesterZ Improv Theater owner Jef Rawls, left, watches his students “We can bolster someone’s perform. (Special to AFN) voice to stand up and share communicating with family and friends, in front of an audience. My goal is to prothey are nervous and introverted around vide tools to assist students in being awestrangers. Two admit interest in improv some.” after attending a JesterZ show.

“I watched an improv show and saw While a handful of improv students can where you really had to step out there advance on to be JesterZ understudies and be vulnerable,” explained dietician and main stage performers and profes- and culinary chef Michele Redmond, who sionals in other forms of comedy, many took her first improv class a year ago. students simply experience personal “I started taking the classes to get over breakthroughs that help them cope with this self-talk I had about being judged. I social anxiety and shyness. was holding myself back because I was Others take the classes to develop work judging myself. I feel more connected presentation skills and increase self-consee JESTERZ page 27 fidence.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 43

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Mountain View Lutheran hosts Asian ministry

BY GENE ADELE HOGE AFN Guest Writer

A

sian Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the USA since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

About 47 percent of the nation’s Asian Americans reside in the western, according to the Pew Research Center.

The Asian community makes up a little over 4 percent of the population in Maricopa county and almost the same for the United States population.

Chandler has the highest Asian population percentage – more than 100,000 people comprise 8 percent of the population.

For Gilbert and Tempe, approximately 6

JESTERZ from page 26

with people than I ever did before,” she added.

Improv differs from standup comedy.

Standup comedians perform a rehearsed set of jokes and stories. Improv is live performances where characters and plots are created on the spot with no script or preplanning.

At JesterZ, audience members suggest different storylines and character names to the performers, who then act out the situation in the moment.

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

percent of their population is Asian. For Mesa, Surprise and Tucson, around 2 percent of their population is Asian.

The Asian American community is an active and growing presence within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregations in the Grand Canyon Synod.

Though there are not enough of one particular country or language to warrant a specific Asian Ethnic congregation, it is the desire of ELCA and the Grand Canyon Synod to celebrate the Asian culture within its current communities through the Pan-Asian Ministry.

This ministry will allow congregations to refer their current members who identify as Asian American to a ministry that celebrates their unique cultural heritage, JesterZ instructors only teach and promote clean comedy.

Rawls believes improv is learning the art of reacting to others and listening with the eyes and responding to another’s body language.

“Improv exaggerates reality,” he said.

“There is comedy within truth, and truth comes from reality. To be funny, there has to be some foundation in truth so an audience can understand and relate to it. The trick of improv is to explore reality, then play with it.”

Pairing the students in dyads, Rawls

while at the same time retaining their Lutheran identity.

This exploratory, synodically-authorized Worshipping Community Ministry will connect Asians in the ELCA congregations in the Phoenix Metro Area, offering them a way to build grace-filled relationships through fellowship, and to develop disciples of Jesus Christ through the building of community together.

The host church of the Pan- Asian Ministry is Mountain View Lutheran Church in Ahwatukee.

As this ministry develops in the Phoenix metro area, churches around Phoenix are being asked for their support and participation.

The Pan-Asian Ministry is holding its

27

next event on Sunday, Oct. 13, 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee.

The event begins with a worship service at 4:30 p.m., followed by a potluck dinner at 5:30 p.m.. Please bring your favorite Asian dish to share.

RSVP by Oct. 13. Information/RSVP: Rev. Cora Aguilar, Pastor Developer, PanAsian Ministry, pastorcora@hotmail.com or 520-280-6102 Mountain View Lutheran Church is a Christ-centered, multi-generational church that has been serving the Ahwatukee community and beyond for over 40 years.

Information: mvlutheran.org, or 480893-2579.

led them in a game where one pretends to hold a large basket while their partner reaches in to pull out imaginary items and then names them as quickly as possible.

The exercise is designed to activate idea flow.

“The more you can get ideas out without hesitation and self-criticizing, the better,” Rawls says. “When you’re able to pull many ideas at once, you have more choices to make better decisions.

“And, what works in improv works in everyday life,” he continued. “You can take that same process and use it in business

and in solving problems.”

Rawls said improv teaches students how to be a “yes, and…” person, which opens them up to exploring options.

“The fundamentals of ‘Yes, and’ are noticing another person’s idea has merit no matter how much we may disagree with it in the moment,” he explained. “That works on stage and in life. Being a ‘yes, and’ person opens up communication and collaboration.”

The next class starts Oct. 16. Information: 480-423-0120, jesterzimprov. com.

Blvd. Ages: Adult. Free. Registration is required online at phxlib.org.

vent 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.

CALENDAR

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

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.

SUNDAY, OCT. 27

Welcome Home Sunday

Lamb of God Church will hold “Welcome Home Sunday” for families and friends. Enjoy lunch prepared by members of the congregation.

DETAILS>> 9:30 a.m. worship, 10:30 a.m. meet and greet, 11 a.m. lunch. Free.

SUNDAYS TinkerTime

Explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment and in-

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.

DETAILS>> 9:15 a.m. Mountain View Lutheran Church. 11002

see CALENDAR page 30

28

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019 Work with an Attorney to Prepare your Living Will & Healthcare Power of Attorney RSVP required to reserve your appointment time

602-264-4357 CENTRAL PHOENIX, AZ

© 2019 Area Agency on Aging, Region One 1366 E. Thomas Road, Suite 108, Phoenix, AZ 85014 | aaaphx.org

LovinLife_Oct2019.indd 1

9/19/19 1:45 PM

Real Estate Guide Homes for sale tough to �ind in 85044, report indicates AFN NEW STAFF

I

f you’re looking to buy a house in Ahwatukee, expect slim pickings in 85044.

The Cromford Report said last week the Ahwatukee ZIP code is one of 10 in the Valley that have shown significant declines in single-family home supply on the market between since Sept. 1.

Cromford, which closely studies the Valley’s housing market, said supply dropped by 20 percent in the last month in 85044. That decline wasn’t nearly as steep as it was in one of the North Phoenix or one of the west Mesa ZIPs, where supply plummeted 40 percent and 39

percent, respectively.

On the other hand, Cromford reported that supply was up sharply – by 67 percent – in the South Phoenix ZIP of 85034 and by 52 percent in the east Mesa ZIP of 85208.

Meanwhile, it looks like the traditional holiday slowdown that occurs in the market in the last quarter of the year has kept a leash of sorts on the market, according to the Cromford Report.

“The market remains hot and very unbalanced in favor of sellers but the situation did not get more extreme,” it said.

“This is largely due to seasonal factors.

��� MARKET ���� 5

Outstanding custom home, perched on large hillside lot showcasing spectacular city lights and mountain views.

Mike Mendoza

Listed for $1,100,000

See Page 6

SPOTLIGHT TLIGHT home

Experience extravagant living in the heart of Ahwatukee! This elegant single level property is located in the highly desirable Canyon Verde Offered at $839,900 See Page 6 Bonny Holland

Amazing remodeled custom estate with mountain views.

Listed for $2,025,000 See Page 6 Geno Ross

Ahwatukee’s #1 Team for Over 30 Years 480-706-7234

www.MendozaTeam.com

Mike Mendoza

D!

L SO

MacDonald Acres

MacDonald Acres

Extraordinary views of Mummy and Camelback mountains from private hillside lot in Paradise Valley. Redesigned custom Territorial home by James Rodgers boasts a main house of 3,502 sq. ft. and a guest casita with 686 sq. ft. including 4 br, 4 ba plus den, bonus room and tandem 6-car-garage. Stunning Santa Fe finishes throughout. Make this incredible location your own secluded sanctuary.

Listed for $1,395,000

Tapestry Canyon - Front

Tapestry Canyon - Back

Magnificent mountain luxury retreat perched high on elevated hillside lot in exclusive gated Tapestry Canyon. 5 br, 5.5 ba with 5,002 sq. ft. This dramatic view home has endless entertaining possibilities. Fabulous custom build offering privacy with expansive mountain views plus city lights.

Listed for $1,510,000

re2

REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Luxury home falls $100 short of 7 �igures

This six-bedroom, 5,800-square foot home in the 3400 block of East Equestrian Trail in Ahwatukee barely missed the "seven-figure club" after it was sold for $999,900 but it still looks like a million-dollar property. Built in 1989 with two exterior levels and three inside, the custom house's lowest floor is actually a basement home. With vaulted ceilings, a remodeled custom kitchen with enough high-end appliances to make any chef drool, three indoor fireplaces, an impressive office with built-in shelving and expansive rooms that extend to huge walkin closets, the house was aptly called "absolutely gorgeous" (Special to AFN)

R

Revelation Real Estate

Ron & Coleen Tompkins

Your Home...

Start Our here!

Expertise

Starting to look for real estate?

www.TompkinsAZHomes.com Each office is independently owned and operated.

602.690.6903

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

re3

FEATURED LISTING

$2,349,000

28 E OAKWOOD HILLS DR, CHANDLER, AZ 85248 5bed+5bath • 7,003 sq ft • 57,939 sq ft lot • MLS#5848927

$299,000 3007 E MUIRWOOD DR, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85048 4bed+2bath • 1,692 sq ft • MLS#5967489

WHETHER YOU’RE BUYING OR S E L L I N G , W E ’ R E H E R E T O H E L P.

MARKETING HOMES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL C O N TA C T U S T O D AY.

Our team offers consistent support, innovative technology and always puts you first. $545,000 E LAVENDER LANE, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85048 4bed+3.5bath • 3,318 sq ft • MLS#5886928

$363,000 8650 S 48TH ST, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85044 3bed+2bath • 1,733 sq ft • MLS#5982568

$384,500 1434 E NIGHTHAWK WAY, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85048 3bed+3bath • 2,039 sq ft • MLS#5978060

$410,000 1335 E REDWOOD LANE, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85048 4bed+2bath • 2,134 sq ft • MLS#5981018

$384,900 16615 S 16TH DR, AHWATUKEE, AZ 85045 4bed+2.5bath • 2,437 sq ft • MLS#5976495

1345 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 119 Phoenix, AZ 85048 | © All Rights Reserved.

rachaelrichards.com 480.270.5782

re4

REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

This is still a great time for Ahwatukee home sellers

BY ALAN HENDERSON AFN Guest Writer

I

n September, 138 Ahwatukee homes sold for an average price of $391,352 – a 10.6 percent increase of the average in January, when 75 homes sold an average price of $353,794.

We are still averaging 143 closed listings per month in 2019.

Only 67 listings came on the market in August – still less than half of the average number of sales per month in Ahwatukee.

Our current daily inventory of active listings is still hovering around 170 units. At the current 143 average number of sales per month, our inventory of 170 active listings would last 1.19 months.

The listing inventory remained well below normal in September. The 10.6 percent price increase that we have noted since January is directly attributable to the low listing inventory.

The law of supply and demand appears to be in full play.

Anything under a six-month inventory is considered to be a strong seller’s market.

The inventory is very low but the num-

ber of sales remains strong and definitely favors sellers. Nicely updated, well-priced and well-maintained properties, that are marketed effectively with video and HDR photos are going under contract in a matter of a few days and often a few hours.

If you are planning to sell an Ahwatukee property, the numbers are certainly in your favor and there has never been a better time to sell.

When we look beyond September and review the year, we see the real estate

market is strong and prices are trending is upward as well.

Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 of this year, 1,248 properties closed escrow and the average sale price for the period was $373,343.

In the same period in 2018, Ahwatukee saw 1,328 properties sold at an average price of $356.052.

The average value of an Ahwatukee property in 2019 is up 5.4 percent over the strong performance in the same period in 2018.

The number of units sold in 2019 is down 9.6 percent from the number of units sold in 2018 and prices are increasing.

But even in this strong seller’s market, 515 of the 1,248 properties that were closed – or 40 percent of the Ahwatukee listings – required a price reduction before they went under contract.

Obviously, these properties came on the market listed at a higher price than buyers were willing to pay.

We are in a strong seller’s market, but buyers are still not willing to pay a huge overvalue premium to get a home.

Our advice, as always, is to price a property no more than 3 percent over the com-

parable recent sales.

Listing higher than value, as 40 percent of Ahwatukee sellers found out again this month, leads to increased marketing time and may even cause properties to sell at a lower price than if they were priced accurately at the start.

One of my sayings is that “you have to be in the ballpark to play the game.”

The best way to get in the ballpark, get in the game and “win” is to price your property effectively, within 3 percent of comparable closed sales.

So, in summary, the Ahwatukee-Foothills real estate market is healthy and strong.

The average value of a property is rising monthly, interest rates are holding under 5 percent and typically lower.

The active listing inventory is at record lows and it is definitely a seller’s market.

We are entering into the fourth quarter and we are poised to finish the Ahwatukee real estate year strong.

It is an excellent time to list and sell an Ahwatukee-Foothills property.

Ahwatukee resident and Realtor Allen Henderson of Henderson Real Estate can be reached at 480-392-2090 or allen@ homesahwatukee.com.

MARKET ���� ���� 1

Between September and December, we always see active listings grow each year.”

But potential buyers shouldn’t necessarily get their hopes up despite the fact that, as Cromford noted, “October, in particular, is a very popular month for creating a listing.”

Cromford noted that while “almost every year” shows a shift in favor of buyers in the last three months of the year, “this year it looks to be slight, though it still exists.”

For example, active lists were down 13.4 percent Valley-wide from last year but they were up a tenth of a percent from the beginning of September.

“Compared with August 2019, September gave us a slight increase in active listings, a noticeable drop in demand numbers (sales, pending, under contract), very little movement in sales pricing, a large upward movement in for-sale pricing and a large upward movement in under-contract pricing.”

The two large increases in for-sale price and what a home finally sells for “are not so common and are the first sign of the sig-

Leading Luxury Home Experts

t? o G ws Ne

This five-bedroom, three-bath home on East Tere Street in Ahwatukee recently sold for $955,000. Built in 1987, the 3,900-square-foot home sits on an acre-lot and offers stunning mountain views from its location abutting South Mountain Preserve. (Special to AFN)

nificant uptick in pricing that inevitably follows” the supply data that Cromford tracks.

Cromford’s analysis is echoed by national outlooks by Realtor.com and S&P CoreLogic.

CoreLogic, a real-estate data firm, sug-

gested that that annual home-price growth will increase by 5.4 percent by July 2020.

“That would represent a shift from what has happened over much of 2019,” Realtor. com said, noting that home prices in this

CANDLEWOOD VIEWS

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

SUMMERHILL

SOLD!

AHWATUKEE CUSTOM ESTATES

1117 E Thunderhill Place

$836,500

3,195 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Uniquely Beautiful Mountain Top Home, located in the quaint 12 home gated community of Candlewood Views. Gorgeous Single Level home bridges indoor living with outdoor living. A functional floor plan allows for flexible living. Gourmet Kitchen, Pool and Views of the the Foothills as far as the eye can see!

16425 S Presario Trail

CANYON VERDE

AUGUSTA

FEATURED LISTING

3302 E Tonto Drive

$1,349,000

6,606 sqft, 7 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms. This pristine and elegantly crafted Santa Barbara style custom home sits on an enormous half acre lot and boasts spectacular mountain views. Nestled in the highly sought after Ahwatukee Custom Estates, this home is an entertainer’s dream!

SOLD!

CLUBHOUSE ESTATES

1257 W Briarwood Terrace

$360,000

1,650 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. This lovely home has a little something for everyone. A beautiful eat in kitchen which continues into the great room with a cozy fireplace, relaxing master en suite and secondary bedrooms. Enjoy your outdoor living with views of the golf course and lake while unwinding in the over sized spa/spool.

Upgrades and recent remodels throughout!

EAGLE RIDGE

SUMMERHILL

SALE PENDING

2025 E Clubhouse Drive

$859,900

4,202 sqft, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.Exquisite Custom Home positioned on the Foothills Golf Course with City Lights and Mountain Views. A striking foyer with high ceilings and in-line glass baluster staircase welcomes you into the main floor of this elegant home boasting a spacious formal living room with a gas fireplace and wet bar including large picture windows allowing for a profusion of natural light and gorgeous views.

RICHMOND HEIGHTS

$1,050,000

4,068, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Elegant single level custom estate has a stunning great room with entertainment built-ins, custom stone fire place, full custom wet bar and incredible mountain views. Gourmet kitchen, bonus room, tons of up grades with a large lot and amazing mountain views!

BONNY HOLLAND Ahwatukee Resident and Realtor since 1995

NEW LISTING

112 E Amberwood Drive

$839,900

Experience extravagant living in the heart of Ahwatukee! This elegant single level, 5 bed, 3 bath property in is located in highly desirable Canyon Verde. Spectacular interior showcasing amazing views from every room. The master suite offers luxurious master bath featuring his and her sinks, jetted tub and large walk-in closet. Backyard is a paradise offering resort-style sparkling pool, boulder water feature, fabulous mountain backdrop, putting green, built-in BBQ, multiple seating areas and more!

602.369.1085

Bonny@LeadingLuxuryExperts.com

NEW LISTING

14621 S 1st Street

421 E Windmere Drive Lot 41

7,303 sqft, 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms. Located in the Hillside gated community of Summerhill, this custom luxury estate has it all! Gorgeous exterior boasts stone facade with tumbled paver sidewalks, driveway, patio. Professionally landscaped yard by Mike Karmo welcomes you to the 7,303 sqft home which has 6 bedrooms, executive office, 4 full bathrooms and 3 powder rooms, wine room plus a basement! Chef’s Gourmet Dream Kitchen, Spacious Rooms, Amazing Resort Style Backyard with Mountain Views.

33,463 sqft, .77 acres. Amazing Opportunity to build your Dream Home in coveted Eagle Ridge in the Foothills.

Eagles Ridge sits majestically high above in the Foothills with it’s sweeping panoramic city & mountain views!

Large flat building envelope. This parcel is already beautifully landscape with a tree lined from are. panoramic City lights and mountain views. One a few lots left to build in the sought after gated, hilltop community.

$1,740,000

www.LeadingLuxuryExperts.com Each Keller Williams Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

$399,900

re5

year rose only about 2.1 percent over last year – when prices rose 6.3 percent.

Cromford said plummeting mortgage rates this year have created “an unexpected jolt of affordability into the housing market” though it also said “there are now significant signs of weakness in the US economy and the rest of the world.”

“The Federal Reserve will often cut interest rates in a faltering economy and if they do, and if these cuts translate to even lower mortgage rates, we could see continuing jolts of affordability for the housing market,” Cromford said.

“If we are to enter a recession, then the housing market will not be the leading cause like it was in 2008,” it added.

Cromford said data reflects that Maricopa County and other parts of central Arizona “Central Arizona “should remain in pretty decent shape as long as the current employment trends hold reasonably steady.”

“Unlike last time, the Greater Phoenix housing market looks well placed to weather a mild to moderate economic storm,” it said.

#1 Agent in Ahwatukee Closed Volume 2018

2016 & 2017 BREA Award for Most Sales in Ahwatukee!

SOLD!

REAL ESTATE

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

SALE PENDING!

1407 E Desert Broom Way

$649,900

3,835 sqft, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Semi-custom Catalina model home located in the beautiful community of Richmond Heights. Beautiful setting at the base of south mountain with views in every direction. Great Ahwatukee location, walking distance to schools. Close to trail access to South Mountain Park

re6

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

SPOTLIGHT TLIGHT home

112 E Amberwood Drive

Experience extravagant living in the heart of Ahwatukee! This elegant single level, 5 bed, 3 bath property is located in the highly desirable Canyon Verde. Great curb appeal with flagstone pathway and spectacular interior showcasing amazing views from every room, tiled floors with granite inlays, pillar accents, plantation shutters, fireplace, gourmet kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar, study niche, remote control outside shades and breakfast area. The spacious master suite offers luxurious master bath featuring his and her sinks, jetted tub and large walk-in closet. Backyard is a paradise offering resort-style sparkling pool, boulder water feature, fabulous mountain backdrop, putting green, built-in BBQ and multiple seating areas one with a firepit!

This is a must see! Award winning Kyrene schools.

Ahwatukee Foothills Voted #1 2019 Best Places to Live in the Phoenix Area by the Phoenix Business Journal!

Offered at $839,900 Bonny Holland 602.369.1085 www.LeadingLuxuryExperts.com

kw

®

SONORAN LIVING

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

AHWATUKEE CUSTOM ESTATES

TAPESTRY CANYON 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.

Listed for $1,100,000

kw

®

SONORAN LIVING

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

Mike Mendoza

480.706.7234 • www.MendozaTeam.com

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

REAL ESTATE

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

re7

Thinking of remodeling? Consider cost, return AFN NEWS SERVICES

S

hould you modernize your outdated kitchen or install that beautiful, new hardwood flooring? Is it wiser to convert the basement or the attic into an additional living area?

Or should you forgo the more glamorous jobs in favor of replacing the boring – but temperamental – heating and cooling system?

Homeowners want to ensure they’ll enjoy the finished product – and it will add to the resale value – before undergoing a costly and time-consuming remodel with the sound of buzz saws and workers tramping through the home for months on end.

Those who are looking for a two-in-one should probably do a full remodel or at least upgrade the kitchen, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors.

A sleek kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances is most likely of any interior home improvement project to appeal to buyers and increase the value of a home, according to the report.

“Homeowners were both happy and satisfied with the outcome of their” kitch-

480-706-7234

en renovations, says Brandi Snowden, director of consumer research at NAR. “A kitchen renovation is a great way for new owners to customize their home and incorporate their personal tastes into a room that they will use every day.”

The report is based on three surveys.

The first is a survey of nearly 2,200 consumers in June and July done by homeownership site HouseLogic. NAR did the second and third surveys. The second survey garnered nearly 400 responses and was conducted in March and June.

The third had nearly 2,500 responses and was held in July.

When it comes to kitchens, homeowners who replaced worn-out surfaces and installed new finishes and materials were the happiest of the remodelers.

About 93 percent of those who did complete remodels and 85 percent of folks who upgraded just the room wanted to spend more time in their home once the work was finished.

But a new kitchen won’t come cheap.

NAR estimates folks will shell out an estimated $68,000 on a full remodel. But they should expect to recoup only $40,000, or 59%, of their investment.

Meanwhile, those who simply upgrade

ICE ED PR UC D RE

Listed for $1,510,000

3 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,127 SQFT Desirable split floor plan on oversized corner lot in Chandler with upgrades throughout.

Great backyard with sparkling pool.

Sun Groves

This report was provided by Realtor. com.

Mike Mendoza

MendozaTeam.com

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

!

LD O S

more exciting, also led to profits. It was estimated to cost about $4,700 but added $5,000 to the price of a home. That’s a 103 percent return. Those who refinished hardwood floors, at the cost of $2,600, broke even.

“While installing new roofing, hardwood flooring, or refinishing hard wood floors are large projects to tackle, we found that these were the top projects for recovering costs,” said Snowden, who adds that they’re durable and long-lasting.

Homeowners shouldn’t overlook the smaller, cheaper jobs either.

Upgrading a home’s insulation cost only an estimated $2,400. But homeowners were able to recoup about $2,000, or 83 percent, of what they laid out. Meanwhile, installing a new garage door cost an estimated $2,100 – of which the homeowners got back about 95 percent in a sale.

“Homeowners are able to recoup the majority of the project cost, create a more comfortable interior living space,” said Snowden. And it “improves the energy efficiency of their home.”

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

Tapestry Canyon

a space spend an estimated $38,300 on the job – and get back only about $20,000, or 52 percent, in the resale value.

Meanwhile, renovating that other home staple, the bathroom, sets homeowners back an estimated $35,000.

Of that, they’re typically able to recover about 57 percent of their investment. But those adding a new bathroom to the tune of $60,000 can expect to get only half that amount back.

Master suite renovations were the costliest of the renovations, totaling an estimated $150,000, but still were popular.

About two-thirds of homeowners said they enjoyed their home more and had a greater desire to spend more time there after it was finished.

But folks can expect to recoup only about half of what they sunk into the project, $75,000, at resale.

The most unglamorous work was the most lucrative The most lucrative improvement homeowners can make is putting in a new roof, according to the report. Those who spent an estimated $7,500 on that essential upgrade got back $8,000, or 107 percent, in resale value.

New wood flooring, which was a bit

Listed for $374,500

5 BR / 3.5 BA / 4,839 SQFT 4 BR / 3 BA / 3,015 SQFT

Amazing mountain and city light views from outstanding custom home on hillside lot in exclusive gated community.

Sprawling custom ranch home in sought after Tempe location. Serene backyard with updated Pebble Tec play pool.

Bradley Haciendas ICE ED PR UC D RE

Listed for $495,000

4 BR / 2 BA / 2,280 SQFT Exceptional single level UDC split floor plan with new AC, Pebble Tec pool and great mountain views.

Tapestry Canyon !

LD O S

3 BR / 2 BA / 1,750 SQFT Charming single level on corner lot in Tempe.

Updated kitchen, new paint, 2017 roof and water heater plus 2011 AC.

Listed for $399,895

Club West

Listed for $1,100,000

Pecan Grove Village

Listed for $335,000

re8

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

29

VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS TO CONSULT ON LIVING WILLS AND MEDICAL POWERS OF ATTORNEY Crises can’t be scheduled. After all, if the State Bar of Arizona are partnering you could put one on your calendar, it to provide pro bono consultation to develop a living will and healthcare power wouldn’t actually be a crisis, would it?

But you can prepare for a medical of attorney at the “Night of the Living emergency, particularly for the sake of Will” event on Saturday morning, Oct. those family members or friends who 26.

“Night of the Living Will” is open to may be called upon to care for you. Two key documents critical to that prepara- anyone 18 years or older, but appointtion are a living will and a healthcare ments are required by calling the 24Hour Senior HELP LINE at (602) 264power of attorney.

Called an advance directive in tech- 4357.

“It’s never too early to have a plan in nical legal terms, the living will and healthcare power of attorney clearly place so that personal choices are deindicate your healthcare choices in the termined about who will manage your event you’re unable to speak for your- medical affairs if you are unable to,” said self, perhaps because of an injury, ill- Area Agency on Aging President and ness or disability. The purpose of the CEO Mary Lynn Kasunic. “We are grateDesert documents is to appoint a personal ful to the attorneys who volunteer their Hometo act on your behalf in time to make this opportunity available representative makingCleaning healthcare and end-of-life deci- to the public.”

Unfortunately, more often than not, sions. Service, Inc. these actions are put off until it’s too To that end, the Area Agency on AgCARPET, Ahwatukee! ing and the Elder Law, Mental Combined Health late.

A national survey living2016 area and/or areaby the ConUPHOLSTERY, and Special Needs Planning Section of servation Project reported that more

CARPET CLEANING SPECIAL 5 Rooms Only $80

TILE & GROUT

• OWNER OPERATED • 36 YEARS EXPERIENCE • TRUCK MOUNTED EQUIPMENT

over 300 sq.ft. Considered separate rooms NO HIDDEN CHARGES

Cleaning includes Pre-Treating Most Furniture Moved Carpet Groomed

480.759.3361

Find Any Hidden Charges and the Cleaning is FREE!

Protector and deodorizer available

than 90 percent of people think it’s important to talk to a loved one about their health care and end-of-life wishes, but less than 30 percent have actually done it.

“In preparing these documents, you should discuss your wishes with your personal representative so that you can be confident that your feelings and intentions about all medical decisions will be carried out, including those that may prolong your life,” Kasunic said. “And the only way for your loved ones to know your feelings is with this type of advance planning to provide for all eventualities. These steps are critical when it comes to ensuring that you are taken care of in the manner you would like.”

It’s important to understand that a living will is not the same as the type of will that indicates how your assets will be distributed upon your death. A living will is a written expression of your wishes about receiving life-sustaining

medical treatment if you are terminally ill, permanently unconscious or in the end-stage of a fatal illness so loved ones and doctors can decide how aggressively to use medical treatments to delay your dying.

Individuals participating in the event should bring a photo ID and full name and contact information for the persons designated as primary and alternative representatives.

Participants also should be prepared to discuss funeral arrangements for burial or cremation, organ donation and any pre-paid burial plans already in place.

Once an appointment is made, a central Phoenix location will be provided for the consultation.

Attorneys will only be able to discuss healthcare power of attorney and living wills during the hour-long sessions and cannot provide counsel on other legal issues.

30

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR from page 27

S. 48th St., Ahwatukee, 480-893-2579. mvlutheran.org/classes.

MONDAYS

Gentle yoga at Pecos

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 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>> More information: 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.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

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 Street #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 Ah-

watukee 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

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

CALENDAR from page 30

S. The assigned classroom varies signs will be on premises. It is a 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.

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 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.

DETAILS>> 6:20 PM, Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 South 48th Street, Ahwatukee. 480-893-2579, mvlutheran.org.

Economy discussion

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 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

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.

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/

MOPS – Mothers of Preschoolers

This group is designed for moms whose kids are aged birth to kindergarten. They meet in a safe place “to navigate the world of motherhood, faith and life together.” Free child care for ages 0 to 5.

DETAILS>> 9-11 a.m. every other Thursday starting Aug. 23.

Foothills Baptist Church, 15450 S. 21st St., Ahwatukee. Information: 480-759-2218 or foothillsbaptist.org/mops.

Networking group meets

ACT Networking Group, standing for Ahwatukee, Chandler and

year! th 4 3 r u o in Now

31

Chandler artist purges dark feelings in exhibit

BY KEVIN REAGAN AFN Staff Writer

K

arolina Adams admits she’s not the best communicator.

That’s why she uses her artwork to express her innermost thoughts and feelings.

Her drawings demonstrate a minimalist aesthetic – often portraying faceless figures in blank landscapes.

Some pieces are sweet and charming, like the one depicting a friendly elephant. But others are darker and delve deep into Karolina Adams’s artwork is on display at Vision Gallery in Chandler Adams’s thoughts on de- Artist City Hall. (Special to AFN) pression and anxiety.

“My endless need to purge out my emo- communicate best.”

A collection of Adams’s pieces will be on tions is what creates my artwork,” Adams told SanTan Sun News. “I’m not a great see ARTIST page 32 verbal communicator so drawing is how I

RE! EXPO IS HE G IN N N U LONGEST-R ARIZONA’S

& | Financial g in iv L t n e m Retire Healthcare | Education | ir a p e R e Leisure | Hom d More... n a l e v ra T & r Casinos | Tou IZONA . SENIOR AR S M & ES N E SILVER TO FROSTY & TH ent by

Entertainm

2 pm 1 m a 8 • 13th . v o N , y a d enter Wednes C n io t n e v n Co Mesa

sa, A Z 85201 e M | t e e tr S r 201 N. Cente

FREE PARKING! Lots of P rizes and Give !

Y R T awa FREE EN INCLUDIN ys G

59-1566 9 ) 0 0 8 ( • 0 50 m (480) 898-6 iorexpos.co

www.sen

a

$100 CAS H DRAWING

Ever y Ho ur!

32

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Exam & Digital X-rays

Something to Smile About!

$29

Coupon must be presented to receive discount.

Offers may not be combined. Exp. 12-31-19.

Crowns

$750

Coupon must be presented to receive discount.

Offers may not be combined. Exp. 12-31-19.

Harvey Arnce, D.D.S.

• General Dentistry • Orthodontics - Invisalign • Teeth Whitening - Zoom • Implants

480.704.0701

• Crown / Bridgework • Dentures • Oral Surgery / Extractions

15425 S. 40th Pl., Phoenix, 85044 40th St. & Chandler Blvd.

Implant

$1,400

Coupon must be presented to receive discount.

Offers may not be combined. Exp. 12-31-19.

www.ironwooddentalcenter.com

r i a H

Fight

loss

Do you suffer from male or female pattern hair loss, hormonal hair loss, and or alopecia?

We offer a multitude of treatment options.

Call to schedule an appointment with Brittany our in-house hair loss expert!

Brittany Kasprzyk, MPAS, PA-C

4425 E. Agave Road, Suite 148 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 w w w. A hwa t u ke e S k i n C a r e . c o m

480.704.SKIN (7546)

Karolina Adams uses her artwork to express some of her deeper reflections on life and living. (Karolina Adams)

ARTIST from page 31

display this month at the Vision Gallery in downtown Chandler.

The Chandler artist named her exhibit “Work in Progress” because of her fascination with personal growth and her lifelong pursuit for self-improvement.

“I’m always working on accepting and loving myself with all the quirks and shortcomings,” Adams added. “I think that’s true freedom.”

The works are intended to be raw and thought-provoking, the artist said and almost serve as a window into her mind.

One of the artist’s favorite pieces examines the obsessive need to please others and seek their approval.

The drawing, which Adams calls “My Endless Need for Approval,” portrays a faceless humanoid tethered to a jumble of giant letters which spell out “approval.”

A large hand enters the picture’s foreground with a pair of scissors to cut the humanoid loose of their baggage.

“It’s about feeling confident in your own skin,” Adams explained about the drawing. “I’m a people-pleaser, so this one is hard for me to shake.”

Another drawing shows the humanoid being pushed down by a giant finger – a symbol for the pressure everyone puts on themselves.

Metaphors are commonly deployed throughout Adams’s portfolio as a means to illustrate an abstract idea.

In one piece, the artist displays her fear of change by drawing a caterpillar and a butterfly on opposing sides.

Insomnia is captured in another drawing, depicting her humanoid character perched upon a crescent moon.

Though her artwork is introspective and personal, Adams says she attempts to project relatable feelings by telling stories through simple objects.

“Every one of us goes through strengths, weaknesses, limitations and triumphs in life and we all deal with different feelings,”

she said. “People who view my work get lost in the stories while finding themselves in the emotion of it.”

Art served as a comfort to Adams throughout her childhood, as she found herself better able to connect with the characters in her paintings than with other kids.

She put her artistry on hold to study interior architecture at Chicago’s Columbia College.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, she spent a few years working as a commercial designer before she got burned out by the rigid work schedule.

Adams quit her job to devote more time to creating art and has had her work displayed in galleries and festivals across the Phoenix area for the last few years.

She was recently part of a group of female artists who contributed their work for the “She Tempe” public art project in downtown Tempe.

“Work in Progress” will be on display at the Vision Gallery from Oct. 12 to Nov. 15.

More information about the artist can be found at karolinaadams.com.

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

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

tt Ask Ma

Matt Tobias General Manager

PLUMBING Hi Everyone, Just a friendly reminder that if your toilet water supply has a thin white plastic nut, you should consider changing it to a steel braided, steel-tipped supply line. We have been seeing these plastic ones crack at the fitting and they can do a large amount of flood damage to your house, especially if you’re not home when it happens. If you are unsure if yours should be changed, please give us a call. Thank you!

Matt

Call us today with your question!

$35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

We Repair or Install

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured

*No other offers apply.

704.5422

(480)

ROC # 272721

Voted “One of the Best” a Record 20 years in a row!!!

1st Place “Best Dentist” 9 times!!!

Foothills Family Dental P.C. We have registered therapy dogs Bella and Mia available for patients!

• Implants • Cosmetic Dentistry • Emergency Care • Digital X-rays/Scanning

• Invisalign Certified • Root Canals & Crowns • Dentures & Veneers • Bridges

Celebrating 25th Anniversary in the same location!

Accepting New Patients

Located On The NW Corner Of Chandler Blvd & Desert Foothills Pkwy

(480)460-0484

1238 E. Chandler Blvd. • Ste. #101 Phoenix, AZ 85048

www.foothillsfamilydental.com

33

OPINION

Opinion 34

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

The most important exam a child must pass

BY JANELLE MOLONY AFN Guest Writer

D

id you know that vision is directly involved in attention to tasks, interpretation of words, sensory input regulation, social-emotional learning, developmental progress and delays, handwriting and other �ine motor skills needed in a classroom?

Many parents overlook the critical impact vision has on brain development in children.

A comprehensive vision exam could be a top contributor to your child’s academic success in school. But don’t look to the schools to take the �irst step for you.

Each year, some schools elect to pro-

Foothills group calls for meeting on reforms

In August, I wrote an open letter warning that the Foothills Community Association HOA was in trouble.

Now I am pleased to announce that the team of concerned homeowners with whom I am working is ready to launch its campaign to reform the FCA. We will hold an open meeting in the Multipurpose Room at the Pecos Community Center, 17010 S. 48th Street, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17.

We will discuss our �ive-point reform package, and we will begin our drive to collect signatures on a petition that will compel the Board to put our reforms up for an open vote.

I will describe these reforms brie�ly below, and much more information about them and other issues are on our website: thefoothillsinfo.com.

There are many serious issues facing the FCA, and we will need a serious Board to deal with them. I have addressed some previously, such as its procurement policy. Here are a few other examples: • Properly addressing the 14th Way and Dry Creek Road problem could be quite expensive, but it needs to be done.

• Some homeowners are having problems with exterior walls. The FCA can-

vide a basic vision screening with an eye chart against a doorway down a hallway they deem to be long enough. The school’s nurse or other non-professional eye examiner determines the student can read well enough according to their interpretation of the state’s standards.

No offense is intended towards school nurses, but they aren’t vision pros.

No referral is made to an optometrist unless the child scores 20/40 or sometimes even as low as 20/50—a score which indicates “below average eyesight” and needing glasses.

I spoke with Dr. Kelly De Simone of Eye Priority, located in Ahwatukee about her approach to vision in regards to children’s health and education.

At Eye Priority, she specializes in vision therapy, a neuro-optometric treatment that resolves eye behaviors and enhances the eye-brain communication processes.

She claims that vision therapy can change your child’s life.

“Those standards [for school vision screenings] were written before whiteboards and smartboards,” she explained, which “does not account for the amount of time kids are looking at screens within arm’s reach.”

She described how parents might spend several thousands of dollars on reading tutors, behavioral treatments, occupational therapy, medications and more, without consideration for what the eyes might be seeing in the �irst place.

It’s no longer a matter of if you can see, but how the brain uses that information which enables learning to occur.

Parents, a 20/40 test is simply not good enough anymore. An in-depth pediatric vision assessment could be the answer your child needs to pass more than just an eye test this year.

If your child has an existing or suspected learning or behavioral problem, vision therapy could radically correct their symptoms. It’s well past time to look into the future of our children’s eyes.

Janelle Molony, M.S.L., is a former occupational health & safety trainer, and a former K-12 teacher in Arizona. She is the author of AdoptionToLife.com.

LETTERS

not simply tell them that they must pay the entire cost of repairs.

• The landscaping has deteriorated in many areas and needs to be restored.

• The Foothills Golf Club is in �inancial trouble, as evidenced by its overdue property taxes. The board already is not enforcing the existing agreement for management of lakes. We have no idea how much this may be costing the FCA. And there has been no discussion of how the board would cope if the Golf Club suffers that same fate as the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course.

• There are serious problems with numerous electrical hazards on the FCA property. At the July meeting, the board president repeatedly tried to cut off a homeowner who was describing the various electrical safety hazards in a presentation. The president was shouted down by the interested audience several times so the homeowner could �inish.

We have developed a package of �ive reforms to the FCA’s bylaws which will address key immediate problems and lay the groundwork for addressing these looming problems: • Implementing a procurement policy that conforms to industry best practices standards

•

Implementing an election policy that ensures free and fair elections • Implementing electronic voting • Updating the FCA’s very outdated Bylaws • Establishing term limits Over the past several months, we have seen the effect of homeowner pressure. First, we compelled the board to reverse its position on the requirements for bylaws amendments, thus making our reform package viable.

We have now pushed the board into producing a procurement policy (which falls short of what is needed, but it is at least a start), exploring electronic voting, and agreeing to have a vote on term limits.

This leaves only two items on our reform package about which the board has not taken some position: a proper election policy and updating the bylaws. These both should be non-controversial.

We are pushing forward with our reform package so that these reforms will be memorialized in the bylaws (so there can be no backtracking) and so that they will be in place for the April 2020 election.

We invite all FCA members to our public meeting on October 17. This includes both homeowners and corporate members.

Working together, we can take these �irst crucial steps to �ix our HOA. - David Randolph

Cyclists in Ahwatukee should ‘stop being victims’

I am incredulous. Most all paved roads in the world are made for automobiles not bicycles. Road cyclists are fortunate and take advantage of these paved roads. For these people to say they want the roads �ixed to be safer for bikes when drivers are not making the same complaint means that these cyclists: 1. Need to be more skilled 2. Should simply avoid these particular dangerous sections 3. Ride a different bike that won’t have trouble in these sections I ride six to eight hours a week but strictly mountain bike and almost always up on South Mountain. Only about an hour a week is on the paved road to get to and from the mountain. The common complaint that most moutain bikers usually have is when the off-road trails are made too easy/safe.

These privileged road cyclists worked with the City of Phoenix to have Desert Foothills Parkway made into one traf�ic lane and one bicycle lane. Fortunately, this ridiculous proposal did not come to pass.

Road cyclists, adapt to the situation and stop being victims.

-Scott Lideen

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

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

35

TILE ROOFING SPECIALISTS Flat and Foam Roof Experts!

Elizabeth Estes

PRACTICING SINCE 1998

ESTATE PLANNING FAMILY LAW

FREE ESTIMATES 602-736-3019 desertsandscontracting.com

REAL ESTATE

FLAT ROOFS | SHINGLES | TEAR OFFS | NEW ROOFS | REPAIRS TILE UNDERLAYMENT | TILE REPAIR | LEADERS | COPPER ALUMINUM COATINGS | GUTTERS | SKYLIGHTS 10% OFF COMPLETE UNDERLAYMENT

BUSINESS TRUST ADMINISTRATION PROBATE

Call for a Free Consultation

480.656.3733 | www.esteslawfirmaz.com 4505 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 260 | Phoenix 85048 | Located in Ahwatukee

Commercial & Residential | Family Owned & Operated AZROC #283571 | CONTRACTOR LIC. AZROC #312804 CLASS CR4 FULLY INSURED

e e k tu

W N! wa O N PE e Ah OBarr

e r u P

If you are new to Pure Barre, Pure Foundations is the perfect place to start!

foundations

Call or text now to book your complimentary Pure Foundations class.

602-903-7340

Reserve your spot at the barre today!

402 5 E. Ch a n d le r B lv d . , # 6 | P h oe n i x , A Z 8 5 0 4 8 | purebar re. com

36

BUSINESS

Business

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Bleachers changes hands, but the vibe remains

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

B

leachers Sports Grill is under new management and above all else, Tedi and Cristina Georgescu want you to know one thing.

They aren’t changing much at the venerable Ahwatukee bar-restaurant at 15410 S. Mountain Pkwy.

They like it just the way it is.

“This is a great neighborhood bar,” Tedi said, likening the atmosphere and location to Pier 54, the other restaurant they’ve owned the last six years at 5394 S. Lakeshore Drive in Tempe.

“I’m not on the main street,” he continued. “It’s a little bit hidden. But everybody in the area knows it’s here. It’s welcoming and it’s warm for every age.

“Before we bought it, we came here as customers and we saw people with kids coming in and having dinner and having a good time, watching sports. The patio is beautiful here. It’s fun.”

It’s also loaded with TVs for sports buffs, particularly Nebraska Cornhusk-

Cristina and Tedi Georgescu just took over Bleachers Sports Grill in Ahwatukee as the new owners. They say they like the sports bar’s neighbohood vibe, which reminds them of their other restaurant along the shore of Tempe Lake. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer)

er fans since Bleachers is an official gameday gathering spot.

Indeed, on the last Saturday of Septem-

ber – the first weekend that the Georgescus were officially in charge – the couple had to be prepared for more than 50 Uni-

versity of Nebraska football fans.

The Romania natives bought Bleachers last month from Mark Clarke, who decided to retire after 13 years of ownership that capped a career of more than 40 years in the restaurant industry, including a stint as regional vice president for the Carl’s Jr. chain.

In the time he owned it, Clarke upgraded the establishment with new booths, a pool table and dartboard, the patio with its lake-front seating and TVs – lots of TVs. Indeed, the Georgescus are getting accustomed to a kind of majority-rules, home-teams first approach when deciding what games should be on the larger flat screens among the 40 that hang from the walls both inside and on the patio.

“The services that you offer here in a sports bar, they are different than a regular restaurant,” he said. “That’s why they are so many TVs.” One group of fans might want to watch their team on a big screen while another

Ahwatukee native’s cake shop turns 4

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

A

fter baking her special cupcakes and cakes for sale in her licensed kitchen at home, Ahwatukee native Chelsea Mellor took a big step.

She found a storefront at 1490 E. Williams Field Road #103 in Gilbert, on the northwest corner plaza at Val Vista Drive and Williams Field Road and opened Iced for Life.

Four years later, she’s more than thriving, with 7,000 loyal customers bringing repeat business and hundreds more coming to see her imaginative spin on cakes and cupcakes.

And do they get imaginative.

“Just the other day I made a Sesame Street cake with all the characters,” said Mellor, who giggled when she recalled a specialty order for a 3D rotisserie chicken with a side cake made to look like a raw potato.

Then there are innumerable “gore

cakes” with red icing splashed across a white icing, surrounded by figurines from popular horror movies like “Chainsaw Massacre.”

“There are a lot of requests for blood and gore,” she said.

Then there are the odd ones like a honey badger for a toddler’s first birthday.

“They’re scary,” Mellor remarked.

“I’ll make pretty much anything the customers want,” added Mellor, who graduated from Arizona State University with honors and a degree in management and entrepreneurship. She uses X-Acto knives to make many of her creations and believes “baking from scratch is most important when it comes to cake.”

On Saturday, Oct. 12, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mellor will be celebrating Iced for Life’s fourth anniversary as a brick-andmortar bakery with treats, prize-wheel spins for purchases and some tasty giveaways Several people will win a free baby-

See BLEACHERS page 38

Chelsea Mellor of Iced for Life cakery in Gilbert makes “baby cakes,” her tasty and imaginatively decorated version of cupcakes, as well as full-sized cakes. (Special to AFN)

cake a day for a year – a prize valued at more than $1,100 if the winner indeed

goes there to pick up a cake a day. Babycakes are her version of a “cupcake” – 6” square and stunningly decorated.

Things have changed a lot since Mellor opened Iced for Life four years ago, doing most of the baking

See ICED page 38

BUSINESS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

The Peach Truck adds a second Ahwatukee stop AFN NEWS STAFF

J

ust as Julius Caesar saw France’s predecessor as divided into three parts, Eric Amadio looks at Ahwatukee as three distinct communities.

The Laveen farmer and his 1964 oneton, cherry-red truck is already a presence in one part, the southernmost around Chandler Boulevard.

Last Saturday, he and his partner-andwife Christina set up their once-a-week produce-and-baked goods Amadio Peach Truck in the easternmost portion of Ahwatukee, leaving the western portion of the community for perhaps another time.

But just like Caesar conquered Gaul, one can’t help feeling it’s a matter of time before Amadio brings seasonal fruit and vegetables from his and other Laveen farms to that area as well.

For more than a year, the Amadio Ranch owner is a weekly presence from 3:306:30 p.m. Friday evenings in the parking lot of Century 21 Arizona Foothills, located at the northwest corner of 40th Street

and Chandler Boulevard.

As of last weekend, he will now be a presence from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at the ballfields near the northwest corner of 48th Street and Warner Road.

“We feel like there are three Ahwatukees: around Chandler and Ray, El- Eric Amadio and the fruits of his Laveen farm are now available two days a week in Ahwatukee. (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer) liott-Warner and the Foothills,” said the Chandler High of the season – onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes, garlic, Armenian cucumber, egggraduate.

Stating he noticed many people in those plant, okra, dates, and watermelon – as areas “don’t go too far out of their neigh- well as pies, cobblers fruit preserves and borhood” to shop for items like what he other sweet treats made from scratch.

During other seasons, expect tomatoes, sells, so, he decided, “We wanted to bring sweet corn, squashes including zucchini our produce to them.”

Right now, he has an array of vegetables and butternut, as well as cantaloupe.

37

In a matter of months, winter will bring lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, kale, collard greens, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, radishes and carrots.

For people who can’t get to his truck, he also has the Amadio Ranch Farm Store at 4701 W. Dobbins Road, a family-owned and operated organic foods farm that opened in 2010.

The Amadio Farms Peach Truck also carries raw honey produced by his own bees and organic eggs laid by scores of family’s chickens. There also are preserves There are actually several Peach Trucks, however, the Big Red is the one that rumbles into Ahwatukee with nature’s bounty.

Both Amadio Ranch and its vintage business logo – a picture-perfect ripe peach against a background of green rolling hills and orchards – hearken a simpler time.

He designed it to look like turn-of-thecentury fruit-box labels and also reflects the fact his farm is primarily a peach farm.

See AMADIO page 39

Ahwatukee car dealer gets big Ford honor AFN NEWS STAFF

A

n Ahwatukee man has been elected vice-chairman of the Ford Dealer Council.

Tim Hovik, owner-operator of San Tan Ford in Gilbert who has been involved in community activities throughout Ahwatukee and the East Valley, also will be chairman of the Desert Ford Dealers Association for Arizona and Southern Nevada.

The Ford Dealer Council is an elected group of 27 dealers who represent all Ford dealers throughout the country.

The council’s primary goal is to work with Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit “to set company policy to better serve our customers, both in sales and service,” a spokeswoman said.

Hovik will eventually chair the group and the spokeswoman called his new vice-chair position as “the second-highest individual honor and recognition that a Ford Dealer can receive.”

Ford noted that San Tan Ford “has an impressive record since its inception in 2009” and in the top 40 of all Ford dealerships in the nation.

“We hope to achieve even greater things by bridging gaps between Detroit and the West Coast dealers,” Hovik said. “Basically, my goal is to put the brand people into the shoes of our customers and dealers.”

Ahwatukee resident Tim Hovik picked up a new honor from the Ford Motor Co. with his election to a national coucil of dealers. He owns San Tan Ford in Gilbert. (AFN file photo)

Hovik has been a strong supporter of philanthropic and community activities for years.

He has been a strong supporter as well of Arizona State University and his support of Sun Devil Athletics has been “worth north of seven figures” in dollars.

Devil Athletics that, according to ASU, were “worth north of seven figures” in dollars.

In acknowledgment of his support, Hovik was presented with the Alumni Appreciation Award at ASU’s 2017 Homecoming.

As an upperclassman at ASU, Hovik had planned to take a gap year while earning money as a car salesman working with Tex Earnhardt.

He stayed with Earnhardt for 13 years, rising to general manager.

In 2007, he was offered a partnership at a Las Vegas Ford franchise.

“I’d kept my home in Ahwatukee, and San Tan Ford had just opened, and after a couple months, they asked me to come over and I finally agreed.”

In the ensuing years, Hovik and the

firm’s parent company, The Richardson Group, continue to grow. The parent firm owns five Ford franchises in California, New Mexico and Texas.

His San Tan Ford store at 1429 E. Motorplex Loop in Gilbert has grown from 70 employees eight years ago when he arrived, to more than 230.

Sales at San Tan Ford have skyrocketed from approximately $49 million in 2009 to more than $200 million. Ford posted nearly $160 billion in revenue last year and recently came out in support of curbing CO2 emissions “consistent with the Paris Accord.”

He is on the boards of both the Ahwatukee Foothills and Gilbert chambers of commerce.

A resident of Ahwatukee for more than 20 years, Hovik has also chaired the Arizona Ford Dealers Association has been a member of the Ford National Dealer Council for several years.

“I think by nature, I’m pretty competitive and competitive with myself,” he told AFN in an earlier interview.

“You strive to succeed, but you always want to balance that drive. At San Tan, we take care of each other. If there’s a Little League game an employee’s kid is playing in, we try and arrange schedules so they can go. We want to be supportive, and help the next generation.”

38

BUSINESS

BLEACHERS from page 36

group wants to watch their team.

They all get a chance to watch the game, but whether it’s on a larger or a smaller screen can depend on the number – except when it comes to Arizona teams.

“Of course, Arizona wins because it’s our team,” Tedi said. “If you’re 49er fan, you have to watch on the smaller screen.

It is what it is. I mean you have to make those choices.”

Even so, Tedi added, the nice thing about Bleachers is that the patrons might be ardent sports fans but they’re not disrespectful ones.

“It’s a welcoming atmosphere and vibe that’s in this restaurant,” he said. “And that’s not very often in a sports bar if you think about it. You have fights. Everybody’s yelling. We don’t do that here because it’s not good for kids. We have to be neighborhood friendly, family friendly.”

But sports TV isn’t the only draw at Bleachers – and the Georgescus plan to keep it that way.

With a big selection of beer and booze,

ICED from page 36

herself and running the business with the help of three people.

She now has a manager who handles most of the day-to-day business as well as social media and she’s taught some of her employees her recipes.

“I have more of an owner role,” she said, explaining that includes working on specialty orders, usually on the weekends.

“That’s a full-time job in itself,” she said, noting customers submit a wide array of specially designed cakes and babycakes for special occasions, inside jokes or parties.

Now in the running for an appearance on a television food show, she declined to identify, Mellor also helped develop a new app for her regu-

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Bleachers also has built up a reputation for its food that the Georgescus plan to enhance with some Romanian specialties.

They include stuffed cabbage rolls and a ground beef sandwich that looks like a hamburger except for its sausage-like shape.

Some vegetarian and vegan dishes are being added, said Tedi, who sometimes will spend a little time in the kitchen making up customer orders.

“I love cooking, but it’s not my forte,” he said “I like it, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.”

This month in honor of Octoberfest, the accent will be on German fare such as brats with sauerkraut nestled in a pretzel hoagie roll and Weinger Schnitzel..

But the couple won’t be bringing the entire menu from Pier 54 because they cherish the differences between the two establishments.

Pier 54 has no indoor seating, though all tables are protected on the bilevel patio from the elements.

Instead of being drawn to cheer on a team, the Pier 54 clientele come to their

Tempe establishment to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of a lakeshore setting.

“It’s a unique setting,” Tedi said. We have a more private area on the lower patio and the lower deck is right on the water level. And we have turtles, fish, duck.”

The Georgescus relocated to America nine years ago, though they had started visiting Arizona and the western states as tourists in 2008.

They ran an export-import business in Romania and also owned a restaurant.

When they finally decided to take the plunge and move to America, they started a shipping business but eventually became frustrated with the length of time it took the goods they shipped to reach their destination in Romania.

They discovered what is now Pier 54, bought it, remodeled it and this year began looking for a second place.

When they saw Bleachers was for sale, they checked it out carefully, coming in as customers to get a feel for the place.

They liked what they saw and now they’re ready to committed to carrying on the legacy Clarke established over

more than a decade.

And that includes making the neighbors happy with their neighborhood bar.

“All our food is made fresh from scratch,” Tedi said.

The couple, who have a daughter at Arizona State University and a son in high school, are splitting their time between the two restaurants – Cristina and Tedi each taking one.

And despite the differences between the two establishments, Tedi explained, there is one essential common ingredient.

“There are differences but the core is always the same – the quality of the drinks and the quality of the food,” he said. “No matter what type of restaurant you have, even a fast food restaurant, it doesn’t matter. You have to have good food and good drinks – always – and a good staff.

That’s the core and we’re making sure we keep it.”

Bleachers: bleacherssportsgrill.com, 480-759-4034 Pier54: pier54az.com, 480-820-0660

Chelsea Mellor’s imagination is limitless when it comes to designing theme cakes requested by customers. She gets a lot of requests for “gore cakes” like the one above right, as well as more playful ones. (Special to AFN)

lars and creating a new approach to her loyalty program.

Her babycakes come in over 100 flavors and she’s expanded that line with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. And she now makes baby cheesecakes, signature square cake pops, pup cakes (treats for dogs), fresh gelato, smoothies, teas and full coffee bar menu with fresh ground local favorite Peixoto coffee beans.

“I got into this business because cake

makes people happy and if I can make someone’s day better with a delicious treat, then that makes me just as happy,” Mellor said.

“Anyone can bake from a box,” she said.

“I think the problem with many franchises in my industry is they always end up ‘commercializing’ everything, sacrificing the quality of the product. And by commercializing in baking terms, I mean using cake ‘mix’ that often only requires you to ‘add water.’”

Is she at a point yet where she might be thinking of a second location?

“I’m thinking food truck,” she said. “If I get on that television show and win

enough money, that’s where we might go next.”

Information: 480-786-8858, icedforlife.com and info@icedforlife.com.

GOT NEWS?

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

BUSINESS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Ahwatukee lawyer hires a virtual neighbor AFN NEWS STAFF

A

hwatukee attorney Patrick MacQueen continues to expand his Phoenix firm, Macqueen & Gottlieb with the hiring of a relative newcomer to the community.

M&G hired Carrie Thompson Jones from her own practice, where she counseled and advised entrepreneurs and innovators in the tech venture and startup business space.

Thompson is bringing a wealth of international experience to the firm, a

39

rising real estate law firm that also provides other legal services.

Born in Mesa and raised in Saudi Arabia, Thompson Jones has practiced in a variety of legal fields and is a certified arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; a mediator for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Mortgage Modification Mediation Program; a member and Phoenix Chapter chair of the Government Blockchain Association and a member of the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations.

She lived and worked in China and

earned her law degree with honors at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2009.

Prior to law school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University in international relations, where she focused on political science and Arabic studies.

Thompson Jones also has extensive experience in the world of business both nationally and internationally.

“The highlight of my business career was moving to China in the late 1990s

to assist with the creation and implementation of a joint venture agreement between and American company and its Chinese counterpart,” she said in a release.

“Carrie’s wealth of experience in a wide range of fields, from financial services to real estate to transactional and international law will make her a perfect fit here at M&G,” founding partner Ben Gottlieb said.

rewarding;” 31 percent said “most challenging”; and 11 percent said “most expensive.”

For parents with kids in the elementary to high school age, 20 percent said that this stage was “most rewarding;” 57 percent said “most challenging;” and 44 percent said “most expensive.”

For parents with adult kids: 29 percent said this stage was “most rewarding,” 12 percent “most challenging” and 45 percent said “most expensive.”

At the infant-toddler stage, 51 percent “most rewarding” vs 11 percent “most expensive” is a 4.64 benefit-cost ratio.

At the adult children stage, 29 percent “most rewarding” vs 45 percent “most expensive” is a 0.64 percent benefit-cost ratio.

Parents with infant-toddlers enjoyed 7.19 times the benefit-cost ratio compared to parents with adult kids.

Parents with adult kids spend an estimated $500 billion on them – twice what they contribute to their own retirement accounts. Of this, one-fourth is helping with their kids’ college expenses.

The average cost to raise a kid to age

18 can be over $230,000. In addition, five years of college could be $130,000 total for an in-state public school and double for a private school if the parents paid all the cost.

Case Study: If a family has 2 kids and pays half their college expenses, the total cost is $590,000. Assume they have completed these expenses by age 50 and they could have earned an average 5 percent annually on any savings.

If they had no kids and had saved this $590,000 by age 50, they would have $1,565,445 more retirement funds by age 70 than if they had kids.

The $500 billion that parents spend annually on their adult kids does not even include the occasional big-ticket items.

About 60 percent help pay for their kids’ weddings and 25 percent help pay for their kids’ first home purchase.

For parents with adult children age 1834: 60 percent pay for all or some of their food; 54 percent for their cell phone; 47 percent for their car expenses; 44 percent for school or vacations; 36 percent for rent or mortgage; and 27 percent for student loans.

Parents make amazing financial sacrifices for their adult kids: 50 percent would pull money from a savings account; 43 percent would live a less comfortable lifestyle; 26 percent would take on debt; 25 percent would pull money from a retirement account; and 19 percent would work longer and retire later.

Asian, African-American and Latino parents are all more likely to sacrifice their own financial security to help their kids.

Conclusion: Many parents face a retirement crisis because they have helped their kids too much. Yet, many of their kids will not either want to or be able to return the favor if the parents run out of money in retirement.

Free Seminar: “Your Financial Future: Lessons from Warren Buffett” will be held 9:30 a.m.-noon Oct. 19 at the Ahwatukee Event Center, 4700 E. Warner Road, northwest corner of 48th Street.

Call 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@ hotmail.com to RSVP. - Dr. Harold Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at the University of California/Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs.

Information: 602-533-2840 MandGLawGroup.com.

or

How parenting can impact retirement income

BY DR. HAROLD WONG Guest Writer

“T

he Financial Journey of Modern Parenting: Joy, Complexity and Sacrifice” was conducted by Age Wave and funded by Merrill Lynch.

In June 2018, there was a survey of more than 2,500 people over 18 and parents to children of any age.

Of those, 93 percent said that parenting is the most rewarding aspect of their lives and 92 percent say that their best memories are with their children.

While parenting is expensive, 94 percent said that it’s worth every penny.

However, 72 percent of parents said that they have put their kids’ interests ahead of their retirement savings and 63 percent reported having sacrificed their financial security for the sake of their kids.

There is a very interesting analysis concerning three factors: most rewarding; most challenging; and most expensive.

For parents with infants or toddlers, 51 percent said that this stage was “most

AMADIO from page 39

“We’re primarily a peach farm. Peaches are what we’re famous for more than anything and it’s what makes us unique,” he once told AFN. “We farm more varieties of peaches and have a longer season than any other peach orchards in Phoenix. Actually, there are only two others left – Schnepf Farms and Pinnacle Farms,” he said.

And Amadio Ranch is the only local orchard that offers May, June, July and August peaches as opposed to just in May. The family found their ranch property while living in downtown Phoenix but,

through diligent work they turned an abandoned, neglected homestead into a thriving farm.

Even though neither came from a farming family, the Amadios built a livelihood from the property – which they initially purchased because Christina loves horses and wanted to keep them nearby instead of at a costly stable.

Each of Amadio Ranch’s Peach trucks is unique with its own backstory.

The Big Red, which arrives Friday afternoons in Ahwatukee, had a ‘frameoff’ restoration by a Verde Valley classic truck enthusiast; their white Lil’ Joe is a 1966 Chevrolet and was the first truck

purchased to convert into a Peach Truck; Bertha, a yellow 1949 Chevy two-ton, was formerly a farm truck in Casa Grande; Sandy, a GMC two-ton, was bought new by Glendale’s Sanderson Farms in 1948 and was lovingly restored by the Amadios, who painted it the original teal blue color as shown in old photographs.

The Ranch’s oldest Peach Truck is a 1941 GMC two-ton named Pearl. It was one of the last trucks built before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, after which GM began building military vehicles.

“These trucks hearken back to a time when things were smaller and more local,” Eric Amadio said in an earlier interview.

“It’s difficult to stand out in an industry that can do things so much cheaper and more efficiently than a small family farm can. The Peach Trucks help us promote an image of old-fashioned ways and values, which is at the core of how and why we do all this.”

Amadio is looking forward to the opening of the South Mountain Freeway, which he figures will cut his 40-minute drive each away between Laveen and Ahwatukee from 40 minutes to less than 15.

Who knows? Maybe that will inspire him to take on that third part of Ahwatukee.

Information: amadioranch.com and Facebook.

40

GET OUT

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019 Like us:

Follow us:

GetOutAZ @GetOutAZ

www.ahwatukee.com www.ahwatukee.com

Taco Festival marks decade of good eating

BY SAMANTHA MOLINA GetOut Contributor

T

he Arizona Taco Festival is marking its 10th anniversary by moving to bigger confines to accommodate lovers of the traditional Mexican dish.

The popular Scottsdale happening will move from Salt River Fields at Talking Stick to WestWorld of Scottsdale for the party Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13.

“We are really excited to see everyone come out and celebrate the culture and their love of tacos,” said Rick Phillips, the festival’s founder.

“Especially with our fantastic new venue. Our home this year will allow us to expand and enhance the experiences of our guests.”

To celebrate the decade mark, the festival is launching a taco truck in anticipation of the nationally recognized event.

The mobile festival will visit various Valley locales and serve free tacos and festival tickets.

At WestWorld, more than 50 taco teams

Tacos for every taste will be available at the 10th annual Arizona Taco Festival, which will be held at WestWorld next weekend. (Special to AFN)

will sell $3 beef, chicken, pork, seafood and veggie tacos. The restaurants are competing for a $10,000 prize along with the “best tacos” moniker. Among the flavors this year are street poke and sushi tacos, as well as pineapple and mango.

One of this year’s vendors, Dos Gringos Mexi-Grill, has been in Arizona since 1984

and is a favorite among college students.

Amber Cesena, the restaurant’s marketing director, said the taco chain has been competing in the festival since 2012 and doesn’t intend to miss this year’s event.

“The festival is a way for us to remind locals of who we are,” Cesena said. “While we are all about food, fun and good times,

our dishes aren’t just meant for drunken nights. It’s an elevated experience.”

Her staff will serve chicken and carnitas tacos, and chips and salsa to the expected 35,000 guests. Besides feasting on Mexican cuisine, guests can enjoy tequila, Lucha Libre wrestling with bleacher seating, a DJ, indoor bar and a hot sauce expo.

“One of the more popular attractions we have is our tequila expo where guests can sample more 100 different kinds of agave-based spirits,” Phillips said. “It’s also extremely fun to watch our hot chili pepper contest. There’s always a lot of tears and red faces.”

The hot sauce expo is new this year and curated by Vic Clinco, the owner of the largest hot sauce collection.

Foodies can test their love for tacos by entering the Taco Gordo-eating contest.

Those brave enough to compete will only have 6 minutes to chow down six stuffed tacos as fast as possible. The person with the fastest time wins the contest.

Horrors! Houses getting scary for Halloween MIKENNA YARMUS-GANNON AND CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Staff Writers

Z

ack Busse knows the haunted house industry well. He practically grew up around Phoenix’s 13th Floor and Fear Farm.

This year is Fear Farm’s 20th anniversary and it’s kicking it old school for the celebration.

“Back in the day—quick history lesson—it was just one really huge corn maze and we decided to throw actors in there for fun,” Busse said.

“People really loved it. Over the years, we grew and we built the haunted house. Everybody’s favorite thing, though, was the haunt-

“new feel, look and vibe.” This year, classic monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula, werewolves and mummies are roaming the property.

“I think it’s going to breathe new life into the haunted house,” he said.

As for Fear Farm, The Plague is inThe Sanctum of Horror in Mesa offers spine-tingling thrills for Halloween cleebrations fected with zomthroughout October. (Special to AFN) bies and interactive displays. ed corn maze. We’ve brought it back for The property owner is Busse’s great one year only. It’s an amalgamation of uncle, who sold it to 13th Floor Entertaineverything that’s worked over the last 20 ment Group. The family leases the propyears—all of our favorite actors and char- erty now. acters and gags and scares.”

“My entire life I had big goals and asBusse and his team try to mix up the pirations,” Busse said. “I wanted to go to Halloween destinations each year. At medical school and be a doctor.”

13th Floor, a new production crew replacHe decided it was too much work, and es the eight-year employees to give it a he wanted to do what he was good at:

�ee TACO page 42

haunted houses.

Absolutely. It’s been my entire life pretty much I had big goals and aspirations.

Go to medical school and be a doctor.”

He tossed that aside and got into the field of fright.

“It’s pretty crazy looking back on the 20 years,” he said. “The industry has changed so much. It’s hard to put words to it. If you could describe it, it started as a small mom-and-pop family business and we really made it a staple of the Valley.”

Haunted house guide

The smell of candy corn is in the air and the season of shocks and horrors is upon us. Experience the thrills and cryptic stories that local haunted houses have to share with those who dare venture through, or just grab a pumpkin from a patch if scary isn’t your style.

Listed here are some of the Valley’s best (scariest) attractions.

�ee HORROR page 41

GET OUT

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

HORROR from page 40 Sanctum of Horror

Those who enter the Sanctum of Horror enter the twisted mind of Lenore and relive her terrifying past. Navigate through an ancient graveyard and through St. Charlotte Asylum where the inmates have taken over. The only way out of this realm of horror is through Lenore’s cell, but beware of her terror.

Sanctum of Horror, 6555 E. Southern Ave., Mesa, 480-200-8163, sanctumofhorror.com, various days and times through Nov. 2 $22, and $35 for fast passes.

Scarizona Scaregrounds

This year the Scarizona Scaregrounds features four haunted houses with Startled Darkness, Epic Fear, Slayer’s Slaughter House, Operation Zombie Storm and Virtual Terror. Attendees can purchase merchandise, a snack deal or a scaredycat care package upon arrival. Fast passes are also available for those eager to skip the long lines.

Scarizona Scaregrounds, 1901 N. Alma School Road, Mesa, 480-444-2590, scarizona.com, info@scarizona.com

various days and times to Nov. 2, tickets start at $15.

Fear Farm

Located on a vast 30 acres of land, Fear Farm invites guests to jump into one of their six main attractions, if they dare.

Come with friends or family and enjoy the largest outdoor haunted attraction in town.

Fear Farm, 2209 N. 99th Ave., Phoenix, 623-866-5378, fearfarm.com, info@fearfarm.com, various days and times to Nov. 2, $24.99-$32.99 for general admission, $10 for a fast pass and $20 to skip the line.

13th Floor Haunted House

Welcome to Phoenix’s most horrifying haunted experience. Attempt to find your way out and away from the horrific nun, Mara in The Possession or fight your way out of decayed town where the virus PL4GU3 has taken over the remainder of its population within the Shadows. The 13th Floor may not be suitable for children 12 and younger.

13th Floor Haunted House, 2814 W. Bell Road, Phoenix, 602-456-2250,

AZ Field of Screams

The AZ Field of Screams features a haunted corn maze that’s planted over a long-forgotten cemetery where the dead seek to raise terror on anyone who dares trespass. Also featured is a less spooky family maze and pumpkin patch where you can purchase your Halloween pumpkin.

AZ Field of Screams, 5726 N. 75th Ave., Glendale, 602-999-3276, azfieldofscreams.com, 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 2 to Oct. 31 $15-$25.

Jack & Jill’s Haunted Hill

This “psychological thriller” enters its eighth season in the Valley at a hilltop in Sunnyslope. Groups are sent into the 100,000-square-foot, two-story building and experience original theatrical effects and scenes from a live and story-driven cast. Other attractions include pool tables, a dance floor, full-service bar and grill.

Jack & Jill’s Haunted Hill, 3401 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, jackandjillshauntedhill.com, various days and times to Oct. 31, $25-$35.

Terror in Tolleson

Nightmares turn into reality in Tolleson, with 20 new scare zones and themes. Escape the tortured asylum where deranged doctors test toxic waste on patients. Then try to survive the Zombie Apocalypse that follows.

Terror in Tolleson, 8609 W. Preston Lane, Tolleson, terrorintolleson.com, 7 to midnight Friday to Saturday from Oct. 4 to Nov. 2, $14-$55.

A PRODUCT OF AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

The 2020 Lifestyle & Living in Ahwatukee Newcomers’ Guide publishes October 25!

41

13thflooraz.com, various days and times to Nov. 2, $24.99-$32.99 for general admission, $10 for a fast pass and $20 to skip the line.

Readers will find: • Doctors • Retail Establishments • Restaurants • Service Businesses • Special Events • Education

Find the businesses and services you need in Ahwatukee!

Ahwatukee.com

42

GET OUT

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

TACO from page 40

Along with lots of tacos, festival goers can also enjoy a costume chihuahua beauty pageant, featuring 20 well-dressed dogs.

(Special to AFN)

Dog lovers will be in for a treat with the Chihuahua beauty pageant hosted by Miss USA. More than 20 costumed chihuahuas from around the state will strut their stuff on the runway.

A pop-up exhibit, Taco-topia, is an interactive museum that features a mechanical taco, a lime wedge swing and a series of Instagram ready backdrops.

The festival is giving away a Day of the Dead-themed wedding that will take place on Sunday with a licensed officiant, a hair and makeup stylist and 10 passes to the VIP Cantina and Tequila Expo for the lucky couple’s wedding party.

Music is a large part of the festival. Regional music acts will perform various

genres live throughout the events duration, including multiple sets from festival favorite DJ Sean Derek.

The general admission ticket buys your way into the festival as well as Taco-topia. Food, drink and other items can be bought separately, using purchased tokens. The event is cashless, and there will be no ATM machine provided at the event.

IF YOU GO What: Arizona Taco Festival.

Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale.

When: Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets: $7.50-$220.

Info: aztacofestival.com

Cool air brings chili and costume contests OCTAVIO SERRANO GetOut Staff Writer

I

n the Valley, there may not be crisp, falling leaves or cider mills to get into the fall spirit.

The desert does boast the Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party, Oktoberfests, balloon festivals and Day of the Dead.

Check out our list of top fall events below.

Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party

OCT. 1 TO OCT. 27 Schnepf Farms offers fun activities through Oct. like a 4-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch, pig races and its famous chili. Don’t forget to enjoy a tasty burger or chili dinner after taking a spin on the farm’s train.

Schnepf Farms, 24610 S. Rittenhouse Rd, Queen Creek, 480.987.3100, schnepffarms.com, various times, $22.

Four Peaks Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake

Offer ends 11/01/2019. *For consumer use only. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date at 17.90% APR if the purchase balance is not paid in full within 9 months or if your account is otherwise in default. Subject to approved credit. Some restrictions apply; other special rates and terms may be available. Offer subject to change without notice. z2Offer ends 11/01/19. Interest will be charged to your account at 17.90% APR from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within 12 months or if your account is otherwise in default. Call A to Z Equipment Rentals & Sales for financing options. z1

A0B02BYCU2N65754-00063794

OCT. 11 TO OCT. 13 For those looking to combine their love for beer and Oct. festivities, Four Peaks Oktoberfest fits the bill. People can enjoy their cold drinks with live music, carnival rides and wiener dog races.

Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy. Tempe, 480.350.8181, tempeoktoberfest.com, times vary, prices vary.

Balloon Spooktacular

OCT. 25 AND OCT. 26 Experience more than 20 hot air balloons on display and passing out over 4,000 pounds of candy. The event will feature live music, food and beverage, and a free kids’ zone, where they can expend the energy from the candy.

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 480.270.5000, srfballoonfestivals.com, 5 to 9:30 p.m., $10-$15.

Halloween Spooktacular

OCT. 25 Trick-or-treat through Downtown Chandler with witches, goblins and ghosts.

Scary pinatas, witches broom races and spooky carnival games like skee ball. Let the Halloween spirit take over on this spooky night.

Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, Stage Plaza, 3 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480.782.2735, chandleraz.gov, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., free.

Dia de los Muertos Phoenix Festival

OCT. 27 Experience the famous Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, at Steele Indian School Park. Guests can participate in mask-making, community altar, sugar skull decorating, and other activities.

Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, diadelosmuertosphx.com, noon to 6 p.m., free admission.

GET GETOUT OUT GET OUT

THE SUNDAY EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE | OCTOBER 6, 2019 OCTOBER 2,9,2019 | |AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS OCTOBER 2019 AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

King KingCrossword Crossword With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

How to make your own wheat thins and hummus

H

ere’s to homemade all the way. If you love hummus, here is a recipe that you can whip up in just a few minutes. A great way to enjoy the hummus is it with my homemade wheat thins.

Make these once, and you may never buy store bought again!

Easy hummus

ingredients: One 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup Sesame Tahini (I used Joyva Brand)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Directions: In a food processor, combine chickpeas with the liquid, garlic, lemon juice and sesame tahini. Puree to a thick paste. Scrape down sides. Add olive oil, salt and paprika and puree until smooth and creamy. Spoon into serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley. Serve with crackers, pita chips or crudités.

The hummus can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Makes about 1½ cups.

Homemade wheat thins

ingredients: 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour 5 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon paprika, (Sweet or Hungarian paprika if possible)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Salt and various seasonings for topping

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and paprika. Add small pieces of cold butter. With electric beaters, blend butter and flour mixture together.

(If mixing by hand, combine dry ingredients then cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks.)

Add water and vanilla. Mix well. Dough should begin forming into a ball. If necessary, add a little more water to bind.

Divide the mixture in half and form into balls.

On a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough as thinly as possible, about 1/16th of an inch. Sprinkle with sea salt or other desired seasonings. Cut into 1 inch squares and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 7-8 minutes or until browned and crisp. (For extra crispy wheat thins, turn oven off and let wheat thins stay in oven for 2 hours or until oven cools down.

When completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe makes about 5 dozen pieces.

Watch my how-to video: jandatri.com/recipe

ACROSS ACROSS 1 1 Donkey Bar order 4 5 Portion of an act Stick out 9 8 Mischievous String tie tyke 1212 Incite Hawaiian garland 1313 Overuse mirror Blonde the shade 1414 Ultra-modern prefix Disney’s “-- and the 15 Detectives” Clarified 1715 Auto O orfuel W 1817 Upper Even,limb as a score 1918 Lack “-- Abner” 2119 Gap Uses tweezers 2421 Long storyhorse Charley 2524 AMilitary billion years status 2625 Tatters Male offspring 2826 Jockey’ handful Quites attractive 3130 Past “No -- luck!”

3331 Phone bk. data Paycheck extra 3532 Winter forecast Altar affirmative 3633 Different Artist Rene 3835 Toppled Charlotte’s creation 4036 Commotions Greek H 4137 War godchapeau Jaunty 4338 Tray Muffle 4541 Help Landi of 1930s movies 4742 Neighborhood Plant bristle 4843 Lair Mississippi flower 4948 Didn’t “The vote, View”perhaps alumna Lisa 5449 Gorilla Rd. 5550 Shunned St. Louisone team 5651 Wall climber Shakespeare’s shrew 5752 Central Bow the head 5853 Obliterate Pumps up the volume 59 Grant opponent DOWN DOWN 1 Lazy person 1 2 Heady brew Historic period 2 3 Ovum Gender 3 4 Kingdoms Taste a drink 4 5 Hoosegow Activates 5 6 Shade of red Tars’ org.

6 7 Still, in verse city Netherlands 7 8 Requirements Cause to go 8 9 Ingratiate Leave out 9 10 Stead Deep-seated 1011 Vegan’ s no-noRansom Eli -Automaker 11 16 Speed Luxurious 1620 Hostels Fond du --, Wis. 2021 AStudy long time at the last minute 2122 Mexican Sitarist’smoney offering 2223 Enthusiastic Lummox 2324 “Django Carries--” on(film title) 2726 Promptly Subway employee 2927 Layer Brief letter 3028 Pavlova portrayal Between jobs 3229 Towel embroidery Filly’s brother word

3431 Wait Tranquilizes 3734 Devastate Auction, so to speak 3935 Caveat word hat Indy Jones’ 4237 Crib Cavalry sword 4438 Blackbird Polio vaccine pioneer 4539 Cheese choice Met melody

4640 Jeans-maker Strauss Fasting period 5041 Hot tub On in years 51 44 Zero Mil. address 5245 First ladys flight Felon’ 5346 Coloring agent Little devil 47 Fool

PUZZLE ANSWERS ononpage page 2026 PUZZLE PUZZLEANSWERS ANSWERSon page15

25 4143

44

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

FIND YOUR PURPOSE Private. Christian. Affordable. Nonprofit.

OVER 100 Generous

undergraduate programs, including in-demand STEM degrees

SCHOLARSHIPS and early graduation opportunities

AFFORDABLE

tuition has remained unchanged for the last 11 years

NO OUT-OF-STATE tuition means that a private Christian education is attainable for all

21 NCAA D1 sport teams and 24 competitive club sports teams

855-428-7884 | gcu.edu

Club sports are not regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and do not have varsity status at the intercollegiate athletic level. However, club sports are organized and administered by their respective national sport governing body. For more information about the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please visit our website at gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org). GCU, while reserving its lawful rights in light of its Christian mission, is committed to maintaining an academic environment that is free from unlawful discrimination. Further detail on GCU’s Non-Discrimination policies can be found at gcu.edu/titleIX. The information printed in this material is accurate as of JULY 2019. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. ©2019 Grand Canyon University 19GTR0576

SPORTS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

45

Sports & Recreation @AhwatukeeFN |

Check us out and like the Ahwatukee Foothills News on Facebook

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Impact players to watch in the 23rd Tukee Bowl

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

O

nce a year, the football programs at Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista high schools meet as part of one of the best running rivalries in the state.

The game brings out most of the Ahwatukee community regardless of affiliation. Things can become heated at times.

But at the end of the day, every player on the field is out there to claim bragging rights for the year and for the right to chant, “We run ‘Tukee!”

What happened in the weeks leading up to the Tukee Bowl goes out the window, as each team’s impact players set out to represent their respective schools and pick up a win.

Here are the impact players to watch in this year’s Tukee Bowl at Thunder Stadi-

um.

Desert Vista

Parker Navarro, quarterback Navarro does it all for the Thunder this year, passing an impressive 990-yards with 12 touchdowns. He’s also accumulated for 370-yards on the ground resulting in three touchdowns. He improves each game and solidified himself as one of the best in the state.

Elijah Ervin, wide receiver Ervin quietly surpassed the 100-yard mark in four of the Thunder’s five games this season. He is

Navarro’s top target, hauling in 21 receptions for 592-yards and eight touchdowns.

His 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame presents a matchup nightmare for opposing defenders, as he has the height and physical attributes to overpower cornerbacks.

Tyson Grubbs, running back Grubbs suffered a lower-leg injury against Desert Ridge last week. As of right now, his status is unknown. However, if he is able to play Friday, he will be on a mission to prove himself after suffering a season-ending foot injury just five weeks into the 2018 season. So far, he’s done just that. This senior rushed 556-yards and eight touchdowns in five games this sea-

son. He’s also become a dangerous kick returner, as evident when returned one for 99-yards against Highland.

Colby Humphrey, athlete Should Grubbs not be able to play against Mountain Pointe, Humphrey will be the one to step in and carry the load along with sophomore Devon Grubbs.

Humphrey played a majority of the season on defense, helping shut down opposing wideouts. But his speed and athleticism can be used anywhere on the field.

see IMPACT page 46

Dan Hinds, Rich Wellbrock recognize importance of Ahwatukee Bowl

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

D

esert Vista coach Dan Hinds and Mountain Pointe coach Rich Wellbrock have different experiences with the Ahwatukee Bowl.

One has been involved in every installment of the rivalry, while another is only entering his second season. No matter the tenure of the coachs, they both recognize the importance of the game to players and the surrounding community.

“This game means a lot,” Hinds said.

“These kids all grew up together. It’s become a really cool thing for Ahwatukee.”

Hinds has coached in every Ahwatukee Bowl dating back to when the rivalry first began in 1997. He was an assistant coach back then, under legendary coach Jim Rattay, and watched the first handful of meetings between Desert Vista and Mountain

Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds has been involved in every Ahwatukee Bowl at some capacity and has several lasting memories from each game. (Cheryl Haselhorst/

Mountain Pointe coach Rich Wellbrock recognizes the importance of the Ahwatukee Bowl despite only entering his second season leading the Pride. (Cheryl

AFN Contributor)

Haselhorst/AFN Contributor)

Pointe from the coaches’ box.

It wasn’t until 2002 when Hinds took

over the Thunder program as head coach.

He coached against another legendary

Mountain Pointe coach, Karl Kiefer, who Hinds played for at McClintock High School.

Some of his fondest memories from the game came when he went up against his former coach, but one in particular, came when he was an assistant.

“We only had juniors on the team,” Hinds said. “(Mountain Pointe) was so excited they beat us that the kids rushed the field and it turned into one of these things where they got up on one of our goal posts and tore it down. It was out of pure excitement, but it was just like what you saw on TV. “I remember thinking how huge the game was going to be. I think that’s what got it going.”

No goalposts have been ripped down since that night in 1997, but other memo-

see COACHES page 47

46

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Ahwatukee Bowl a special game for seniors

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

I

t’s the last chance several of them get to play against those they grew up with. It’s the last chance to claim bragging rights they can carry with them for the rest of their life.

The Ahwatukee Bowl is more than just a game for seniors of Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista. It’s a game commemorating their careers, regardless of how they finish the season.

“Growing up in Ahwatukee, you know what this game is all about,” Desert Vista senior wideout Colton Grover said. “We talk to them a lot and we know they’re ready for this game. They’ve been looking forward to it just as much as we have.”

For seniors such as Grover, the game has a little more meaning than others.

Grover’s older brother, Noah, was a star quarterback in the 2016 Ahwatukee Bowl, but he played for Mountain Pointe.

The younger Grover thought he would follow in his brother’s footsteps, as he always looked up to him and dreamt of helping his team to victory.

Only he didn’t imagine it would be for Desert Vista. Until the end of his freshman season, he thought it would be for Mountain Pointe.

“Especially with my brother playing there, I was so engulfed in that program,” Grover said. “But coming over here and being a part of this brotherhood means

IMPACT from page 45

Eddie Weigl, offensive and defensive line

Weigl returns from injury this week and will be the anchor for a banged up offensive line. On offense, he will play a vital role in opening running lanes for all of Desert Vista’s running backs. On defense, he demands double-teams from opposing linemen, opening up lanes for his linebackers and secondary to make plays.

Mountain Pointe

Landen Powell, quarterback Only a sophomore, Powell shows flashes of success behind a banged-up offensive

so much to me. I can’t wait to play them.”

He’s not the only one, however. Desert Vista senior quarterback Parker Navarro was right there with Grover as a freshman, imagining that one day he would lead the Pride to a win over Desert Vista.

Last year, however, it was Navarro who led the Thunder on a game-winning drive to beat the Pride.

“Going there my freshman year, I really got to know everyone and then coming to Desert Vista, I want to show them how much work I put into this,” Navarro said.

“The thing we were preaching right after the D-Ridge game is we want to just out-prepare them.”

Stories such as this encompass the rivalry on both sides. They think of themselves as family. On every other night Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista root for one another, hoping they can both represent the Ahwatukee community in a strong way.

But when they meet on the field once a year, all of that goes out the window.

“This determines who runs Tukee,” Mountain Pointe senior linebacker Rashion “Chunka” Hodge said. “Last year it was close. This is the game we come together as a team and take a step forward as one.”

Hodge came through the ranks of Mountain Pointe’s football program behind his brother, Rashie, who is now a linebacker at New Mexico State. The older Hodge was part of the 2015 and 2016

line. He’s thrown for 823-yards this season and four touchdowns. His best games came when he is able to get the ball to senior wideout Dominique Davis. The duo can be lethal for any opposing secondary.

Dominique Davis, wide receiver Davis may very well be one of the best athletes in the state, let alone on the Mountain Pointe roster. He’s able to make plays with the ball in his hands, even when surrounded by opposing defenders. He’s caught 32 passes this season for 434-yards and a touchdown. He gives Mountain Pointe big-play ability when he’s on the field.

Resi Shank, running back Shank transitioned over to running back this season after playing linebacker in

Mountain Pointe teams that made it to the semifinals and championship game under former coach Norris Vaughan.

Not much needed to be said about this game, as the two had a deep understanding for what it meant. But they often talked about what it was like to have bragging rights.

“There’s a different type of click with this game,” Hodge said. “We always try to have a dog mentality, but this game there’s that plus more. The Tukee Bowl brings more out of you.”

Like Hodge, Desert Vista senior athlete Colby Humphrey also experienced the Ahwatukee Bowl through the eyes of his older brother, Caleb, who now plays for the Air Force Academy.

“The game is self-explanatory,” Humphrey said. “This is my first time playing them at home so it’s definitely special to me for that. I’m just looking forward to another great game.”

Like the bond the Grover, Hodge and Humphrey brothers have, a similar one is felt among players from Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe.

Pride senior offensive and defensive lineman Steven “Big Steve” Williams compares the smack talk to that with his younger brother, Jared.

Despite being only a year apart, the Williams brothers attend different schools. While Big Steve attends Mountain Pointe, Jared attends Chaparral. The two often bicker about who will win be-

2018. He’s had several solid outings and like Davis, has the ability to make a big play anytime he has the ball in his hands.

Shank rushed for 504-yards this season for five touchdowns.

Rashion “Chunka” Hodge, linebacker Hodge is the unsung leader of the Mountain Pointe defense, which has performed well this season despite a few lopsided scores.

Hodge has 49 total tackles, 15 of which resulted in loss yards, which he leads the team in. He, Zach Hay and Jaylous Horton create problems for an opposing offense.

tween the two schools when they meet, just like Big Steve does with his friends at Desert Vista.

“Parker Navarro, Colton Grover, they’re good friends of mine but this comes down to bragging rights,” Williams said.

“Winning this game is something you can bring up forever.”

The playful banter gives way to a heated battle on the field. That’s how it’s been since the inception of the rivalry in 1997, when Mountain Pointe famously tore down one of the goalposts at Desert Vista when the Pride won.

“Everyone takes this game in their own way,” Mountain Pointe senior wideout Dominique Davis said. “We all know people who have played in this game and it’s an honor to be able to do it. This is our last year to put Mountain Pointe on top.”

Mountain Pointe has struggled this season, losing five straight games since the first game of the season.

But the Pride turn a new leaf every week. Day-by-day they try to improve on their mistakes from the previous day, a sentiment echoed by Desert Vista.

Both enter the Ahwatukee Bowl after a loss for the first time since 2014, when Mountain Pointe lost to Hamilton and Desert Vista to Cienega.

It won’t, however, be the first time one team is favored over another, that’s been the case several times before. But like any other intense rivalry at any level of football, anything can happen.

Steven “Big Steve” Williams, offensive and defensive line With senior Will Haire sidelined due to a lower leg injury, Williams is the only starter from last season’s team on the offensive line. The center anchors the line so far this season, opening up holes whenever he can for Shank to run. On defense, Williams uses his 6-foot-3, 300-pound frame to wreak havoc on an opposing offensive line.

Have an interesting story?

Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@ timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ ZachAlvira.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

47

These skaters perform on concrete instead of ice

BY AMY-XIAOSHI DEPAOLA Cronkite News

T

he whirl of wheels, interspersed with sharp commands and bursts of laughter, punctuate Sunday prac-

tice.

Before they step out to perform, the 12 members of the Phoenix Roller Sports Club sit down to lace their skates under a disco ball suspended from the ceiling and the glow of hot-pink lights that speckle the rink’s gray floors.

Most of them had come into the Skateland rink in Mesa dragging bulky sports bags through double doors illuminated by fluorescent bars overhead.

The skaters are not into roller derby, the competitive and well-known contact sport. These are figure skaters, similar to those we see gliding on ice – except they do it on concrete and on wheels.

Roller figure skating is a sport many have never heard of, at least not in the United States, even though it’s where Tara Lipinski, the famous Winter Olympics gold medalist, got her start.

Before she began her figure skating career on ice, Lipinski was a national competitive roller skater, winning a primary United States Roller Skating Championship freestyle event at age 9.

Unlike ice skating, there are no big crowds watching the roller skaters practice their routines. This is mostly a close friends-and-family affair.

Club member Brock Turner, 16, said only a handful of his friends know of his skating – but they often confuse it with ice-skating until he sets them straight.

“They just say, ‘Oh, so cool! Never heard of it,’” Turner said with a self-deprecating

COACHES from page 45

rable moments have impacted the rivalry over the years.

From a five-overtime thriller in 2000, to a weather-delayed game resulting in a forfeit for Mountain Pointe in 2011, and a student who streaked in 2012, the rivalry has had its fair share of good, bad and downright ugly moments.

But all of that, to a certain extent, is to be expected when teams separated by just three miles in a secluded community meet on the gridiron.

“The kids are excited about it and the staff is excited about it,” Wellbrock said.

“When you know the history behind it, you want to have your kids ready to go.”

The players for each team often grow up together, playing youth football on

Brock Turner and rika Martinez, both 16 are new to skating but are quickly learning their routines as a pair. (Amy Xiaosht DePaola/Cronkite News)

laugh.

Still, Turner and his fellow skaters persevere. They begin warming up by weaving through faded orange plastic cones that have been neatly aligned by a parent volunteer, one of several who shows up at practice. They’re usually the only spectators in the stands.

Members of the Phoenix Roller Sports Club practice speed-skating, figures, dance and freestyle under the watchful eye of their coach, Polly Parks.

Roller figure skating is serious business to Parks and her team, but it’s clear that the Phoenix Roller Sports Club plays second fiddle at this rink in Mesa.

Their practices, especially their extensive Sunday ones, are sometimes cut two hours short because other events at the rink take precedence.

the same team until going their separate ways in high school.

When they meet on the field, it resembles what one might see in a small town in northern or southern Arizona, as most of the community comes to either support one of the teams or just to be involved.

Even for coaches who have never experienced the Ahwatukee Bowl, they recognize the importance and overall impact of the game. That was the case for Wellbrock, who coached at Desert Edge and Basha before he was hired to take over the Pride program in 2018.

“The biggest one that this game reminds me of is Cactus-Peoria just because the schools are so close,” Wellbrock said. “There were packed houses. That’s the one that I think is the most similar to this game.”

That’s different from some European countries, Parks said, while her skaters crowded around a tablet watching the live-stream of a national championship event in France.

“They have government rec centers with skating,” she said. “They sell out stadiums in France, Spain, and Italy for competitions.”

In the United States, Parks said, “rinks are now amusement centers rather than sports facilities,” adding that there are now half as many rinks in the country than there were in the 1970s.

Karen Shumway, 68, a member of the Phoenix Roller Sports Club, remembers the sport being much more popular in her youth.

Over time, as participation in roller figure skating dropped, the number and

The game has a different meaning than other contests on each team’s schedule.

No matter what, the Ahwatukee Bowl is always circled.

Both teams could be undefeated or winless, everything else going on in the season is put on hold for one week.

It’s this game, seniors often base their legacy in addition to winning state titles.

Each player wants those bragging rights for the rest of their lives, and of course to say they run Ahwatukee.

“We talked about it after the Mountain View game, we talked about how we want our picture painted,” Wellbrock said. “We want them to give everything they have in terms of effort and they’re doing that. This is a game between two very good programs that like to get after it.”

types of events began to change. She believes that the male skaters drifted away in pursuit of more “macho” sports, such as football.

“We girls were left without partners,” she said, chuckling. Even boys that compete now, Shumway said, like their ice counterparts, often focus more on the technical aspects, such as jumps, than the artistic components.

Roller figure skating is a costly sport and requires serious commitment.

The team’s skaters use hand-me-downs given to them by skaters who have left the club or outgrown their skates, or they bought their skates at half price online.

Unlike ice figure skating, roller skating requires different pairs of skates for each discipline.

There are serious competitors who get custom-made boots molded to their feet.

But even those among the Phoenix Roller Sports Club members who have been training and competing for years aren’t there yet.

“For a lot of people here, there are financial difficulties with roller skating,” said skater Samantha Rinker, 27, one of the skaters.

“If you want quality equipment, you’re looking between – for the wheels, the bearings, the plates in the foot – $800 to $1,000,” Rinker said.

On top of that, Parks said, skaters pay $55 a month in club dues, $30 or more for an hour of private lessons, and $80 for an annual membership to the Roller Skating Association.

Still, she says, it’s less expensive than ice skating.

Competitions begin at 6 a.m. and can

see ROLLER page 48

Hinds and Wellbrock know what this game means to their players, regardless of how long each has been involved in the Ahwatukee Bowl.

It’s a staple in the community and one that will not fade in the foreseeable future, regardless of how each team performs throughout the season.

“We did something a little different this week,” Hinds said. “We normally bring the boys in and watch film from the night before. But this week, I just talked to them.

“We put everything behind us and now we are focused on getting ready for Mountain Pointe.”

The 23rd annual Ahwatukee Bowl between Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe will kick off on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. from Thunder Stadium.

SPORTS

48

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

ROLLER from page 47

– David Chestnut, 11, still makes time for roller figure skating, which he has practiced since he’s “learned how to crawl,” he said.

Joe Kirchhevel has never competed, only roller skated casually on dates with his now-wife but wants roller figure skating to make it to the Olympics.

Parks shares that dream of adding the U.S. to the world stage of figure roller skating, noting that it’s mostly speed-skaters who transition from rink to ice.

Still, Parks said, people go into roller skating not for the Olympic glory, but for fun.

“It’s cheaper than ice,” she said. “Not so cold. Not so ‘cutthroat’ atmosphere.”

last until the late afternoons or evenings.

Turner has been skating for a little over a year. He practices six days a week, often for four hours and in between attending classes at Mesa Community College.

He’s competed in more than seven regional and national competitions, and in dance, figures, freestyle and pairs events.

To many members, the costs and inconveniences don’t matter.

Parks recalls being introduced to the sport at a young age by her parents. Her father and sister roller-skated, and the sister even landed a national placement in team dance.

Eventually, she gained a partner – her husband – and they both qualified for the national team-dance event together.

Despite being in three other sports – football, high-diving and speed-skating

David Chestnut has been skating since he was 2 and is an accomplished speed-skater. (Amy Xiaosht DePaola/

Cronkite News)

VarsityXtra the home for prep sports in the Ahwatukee across the East Valley and Ahwatukee.

Due to publication deadlines, all Ahwatukee Foothills News game

Voted Best Sports Bar, Happy Hour & Burger!

AHWATU KE L• IL

E

ER N & GR TAV

The Ahwatukee Foothills News VarsityXtra brand will be the home for all Friday night game stories, previews and features from teams

One of the Best Wings and Restaurants and Mom & Pop! One of the Best Server/Bartender Brittany, Kate & Brenda

appetizers • wings • burgers • full menu

Live Music By 2 Night Stand

CKs 16th Annual

HALLOWEEN BASH Saturday, October 26th

Cash Prize Costume Contest at 11:30pm

$5.00 OFF

Any Order of $25 or More Valid Mon-Thurs. Excluding alcohol. With this coupon. Dine in only.

Not valid with any other offers or discounts. Exp. 10/30/19.

Sun 9am-1am • Mon-Thurs 11am-1am • Fri 11am-2am • Sat 9am-2am

www.ckgrill.com • 4142 E. Chandler Blvd • (480) 706-5564

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.

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

49

A comprehensive course for young drivers that combines verbalized driving technique, defensive skills, classroom instruction and high performance, behind-thewheel practical training.

Use promo code hpt50promo to receive a 50% discount off the class!

SAM SANCHEZ Professional Defensive Driving Instructor 4435 E. Chandler Blvd. | Suite 200 | Phoenix, AZ 85048 480-616-5515 | sam@hptdriving.com | hptdriving.com

Are you invested properly?

Get a second opinion Joseph B. Ortiz, AAMS , CRPS ®

®

Financial Advisor

4902 E Warner Rd Suite 1 Phoenix, Arizona 85044

480.753.7664 Member SIPC

www.edwardjones.com

ORDER YOUR MVP CAKE! Phoenix • 4722 E Ray Road #14 • (480) 753-1121 Good Luck Pride & Thunder!

DESIGN CENTER

PENTAIR SPECIAL! INTELLIFLO® VSF Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump

99 Install*

$

Plus Tax

*After discounts and rebates

1,399 MSRP with 3 yr warranty Offer expires 10/31/19

-MSRP $1399 - $100 Pentair Visa Card** - $100 Instant Savings from Barefoot Pools

BRING IN A WAT ER S A MP L E F OR A F RE E A N A LYSIS. SEE STORE DETAILS

**Pentair rebate requires proof of FOR purchase. Offer must be redeemed within Pentair guidelines to qualify for Pentair Visa Prepaid Card.

Pool Resurfacing Experts Specializing in pool service, maintenance & repair

602-546-POOL (7665)

1241 E. Chandler Blvd., Ste. 124, Phoenix, AZ 85048

www.barefootpoolman.com (SW corner of Desert Foothills Parkway & Chandler Blvd.)

Ahwatukee!

Voted Ahwatukee’s “Best Of” Pool Service Ahwatukee Owned & Operated Company 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015, Licensed, Bonded & Insured 2016, 2017 & 2018!

ROC# 272001

50

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Classifieds

Ahwatukee Foothills News

1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com Deadlines

Classifieds: Monday 11am for Wednesday Life Events: Friday 10am for Wednesday

The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | Ahwatukee.com

Real Estate

For Sale

Home Health Providers

Publisher's Notice:

All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise "any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preference limitation or discrimination." We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

YOUR CLASSIFIED SOURCE

Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today!

Call us for details.

Cleaning Services

Pete Meier

EUROPEAN STYLE CLEANING Honest & Responsible European lady Provides Quick, High Quality At Your House or Business 602-750-5971

Homes For Sale

Amethyst Homecare LLC offers in-home caregiver services for elderly people: companionship, light housekeeping, meal prep, walks, etc.

Call Sandra Laura at 480-907-6987 or email info@amethysthc.com

SHARE WITH THE WORLD!

Homes For Sale

480.898.6465 CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Merchandise Pets/Services

Associate Broker, CRS, GRI

602-690-3361

Appliance Repairs

Need More Houses to Sell! Call Pete!

Call us for a FREE Consultation

Appliance Repair Now

$245,000 3br/2ba split, great room, fp, lrg covered patio across back of house. 55+. Near shopping, banking, dining.

$275,000 55+ Popular Paiute flrpln w/ out sunken liv rm, 3BR, Den, 2ba, 2cg + Golf cart Gar in back. Don’t forget Ahw Rec Center!

While Your’ Away Services

If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed

We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured Automotive Services

AHWATUKEE MOBILE CAR DETAIL

MOBILE DETAIL SERVICE TO YOUR LOCATION IN GREATER PHOENIX

Pet, Home & Property Checks

Voted one of the “Best of Ahwatukee” 10 Years Running!

class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465

Special Pricing on Extended Service Licensed/Bonded/Insured Ahwatukee Resident

480.287.4897 www.WhileYouAreAwayServices.com

Place YOUR Business HERE! in the Service Directory

Call for our 3 Month Special!

Starting at $145.20/month Classifieds: 480-898-6465

OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. FIND THE BEST TALENT. EASILY POST JOBS. COMPETITIVE PRICING AND EXPOSURE More info: 480-898-6465 or email jobposting@evtrib.com

Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com

J BS.EASTVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM

East Valley/ Ahwatukee

Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610

Not a licensed contractor

Handyman R.HANDYMAN Rebuild: Under sink floors, drawers & shelving.

All sm repairs, welding. Clean carpet traffic areas & stains. Fix: toilets, faucets, gates, doors.

Call Bob 480-893-9482

QUALITY WORK, AFFORDABLE PRICING DISCOUNT RATES FOR: SPECIAL EVENTS • FLEETS • COMPANY CAR WASH DAYS

480-206-9980 AHWATUKEEMOBILECARDETAIL.COM

Call Eleanor Today!

GARAGE DOOR SERVICE

ROC095639 BOND/INS'D

$405,000 OUTSTANDING ‘’Beazer’’ home in the Seville Comm. Formal liv/din rm. Den/office. Lots of amazing touches! Extra Lg Covered Patio!

Reasonable Rates

Garage/Doors

$324,900 4br/2.5ba/3cg Great mountain views, no homes behind you. Some upgraded wood and laminate flooring.

Ahw Rec Center, 55+.

Powerful Truck Mounted Soft Hot Water Extractions.

petemeier.com

Call for a FREE Home Value Analysis

ecota@times publications.com

Carpet Cleaning

Family owned and proudly serving Ahwatukee for over 20 years.

$315,000 Split level 4br 2.5ba, wood & laminate flooring thru most of the home. Desert landscaping, deck, no rear neighbors + more! Multi Mil $ Rec Center, 55+ area.

Place Your Meeting/Event Ad email ad copy to

Carpets, Tile & Grout, Upholstery, Pet Stain/Odor Treatment Residential/Commercial www.extractioncleaning.com 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!

Watch for Garage Sales in Classifieds!

You will find them easy with their yellow background.

Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa

480.460.5030

Only $27.50 includes 1 week online

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.Ahwatukee.com

To place an ad please call: 480-898-6465 class@times publications.com

CLASSIFIEDS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Cleaning Services

JB's House Cleaning REASONABLE RATES to Fit Your Budget!

Reliable! No Crews!

Owner & Helper only.

14 yrs Exp in Ahwatukee!

Call Janeth (480) 330-7579

H ouse Spouse Total Home Solutions

HOUSE CLEANING Mention this ad for

$

50 OFF

Concrete & Masonry

CONCRETE MASONRY Block Walls • Concrete • Pavers BBQ & Fireplaces • Stucco Cool Deck • Imitation Flagstone Call Garcia 602-515-6627 Free Estimates

Cell Cell

Small Jobs Welcome!

Not a licensed contractor

DESERT ROCK

CONCRETE & MASONRY BLOCKWALL CONCRETE RETAINING WALL BLOCK FENCE PLANTER BBQ

FOUNDATION DRIVEWAY SIDEWALK PATIO

AHWATUKEE OWNED • BONDED & INSURED

480-834-2905

Contractors

FREE INSTANT ONLINE QUOTE Carpet Cleaning also available.

www.HouseSpouse.com

Flooring

JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Reliable, Dependable, Honest!

QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL! 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates

480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com

ALL VALLEY FLOORS LLC 480-228-2500

sespericueta68@yahoo.com INSTALLATION OF:

Specialize in Mexican tile restoration with 20 years experience in the Valley

• Ceramic Planking • Laminate Flooring • Vinyl Flooring • Grout Cleaning & Seal • Tile removal Affordable Pricing / Free Estimates

Not a licensed contractor.

PAVER • CONCRETE REMOVAL • HARDSCAPE BONDED & INSURED • ROC#321648 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE ESTIMATES • 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE RESIDENTIAL CALL JOHN: 480.797.2985 COMMERCIAL

When you schedule your Initial Service Visit

($25 off 1st house cleaning & $25 off 2nd house cleaning)

Drywall

51

Garage/Doors Electrical Services HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY

- Ahw Resident Since 1987 -

• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932

FOOTHILLS GARAGE DOOR

Same Day Service Repair/Install All Major Brands

Call for Our Monthly Special Discount

• FREE ESTIMATES •

480-893-8091 Ahwatukee Resident • Dependable & Honest

ROC#126694

Bonded/Insured

Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Handyman Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs!

Painting Flooring • Electrical Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Marks the Spot for ALL Plumbing • Decks Drywall • Carpentry • Tile • More!

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Your Needs!

Decks • Tile • More!

PaintingHandyman • Flooring • Electrical Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! • Drywall • Carpentry Plumbing Painting • Flooring • Electrical • Plumbing Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Painting • Flooring • Electrical • Tile More! Needs!

DrywallDecks • Carpentry • •Decks • Tile • More!

Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Painting • Flooring • Electrical Decks • Tile • More!

“No Job Too Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry “No JobSmall Too Man!” Decks • Tile • More! “No Job Too Small Man!”

Not Enough Time in the Day? Call

Quality Professional Cleaning

Weekly, Bi-Weekly & Monthly

(480) 833-1027 JENNIFER BEEBE References Available 20 Years Experience Bonded & Insured

9

rk Since 199 Affordable, Quality Wo 1999 rk Since Affordable, Quality Wo

Small Man!”

“No Job Too Work Since 1999 Quality le,Small 2010, 2011 Affordab Man!”

Residential 2010, 2011 “No Job Call Bruce2014 at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012,92013, e 199 Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a LicensedToo Contractor “No Man!” Job Too Work SincAhwatukee Small QualityContractor 2014 Electrician References/ Insured/ Notle,a Licensed Affordab CallAhwatukee BruceResident/ at 602.670.7038 Small Man!”

It’s a Clear Choice!

2012, 2013,

2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014

2010, 2011 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2012, 2013, 2014 2014

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not aBruce Licensed at Contractor Call Sean Haley 602-574-3354 Call 602.670.7038

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 9 Quality Work Since 199 Affordable,Ahwatukee 2010, 2011 Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor ROC#277978 • Licensed/Bonded/Insured

Business/Professional Services

WHAT WE OFFER:

Kids Empowered 4 Life is a different kind of provider. Our belief is that your child needs intense therapy immediately, and that can be dialed back once you have the tools to do it all yourself at home, on your own time! Stop spending hours in clinics trying to gain skills that don’t transfer to home. Start looking for outof-the-box ideas that aim to EMPOWER your family to learn the skills that will be relevant to your goals NOW.

Free consultation: www.kidsempowered4life.com, kidsempowered4life@gmail.com or 602-753-7441

• Occupational Therapy & Speech Therapy • ADHD/Executive Skills Coaching • Feeding therapy - for Picky Eaters to Intensive Problem Feeders • Early Intervention evaluations/therapy • Teen Life and Academic Coaching & Groups • Homeschool Support • Social Skills groups by age • Parent Groups/workshops

Meetings/Events?

Get Free notices in the Classifieds!

Submit to ecota@timespublications.com

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

2012, 2013, 2014

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor FREE Estimates!

C. READ & SON ELECTRIC

Plumbing Electrical

for ALL your 39 years electrical needs experience

Paint 2008 through 2018

Electric Car Chargers • Fans • Troubleshooting • Remodeling • Security Lights • Recessed Cans • RV Outlets • Indoor/Outdoor Lighting • Spas • Dedicated Circuits and more Ahwatukee www.readelectricaz.com Resident ROC #158440 Bond/Ins

480-940-6400

Tile

Able Handyman Service LLC

And Much, Much More!

Not a licensed

contractor Jim 480.593.0506 Ablehandyman2009@gmail.com

SELL YOUR CAR IN THE CLASSIFIEDS! 2 WEEKS STARTING AT $20.80

480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Handyman

Home Improvement

Jaden Sydney Associates.com Visit our website!

Landlord and Homeowner Property Services

Repairs • Drywall • Painting • BINSR Items Trash Removal • HOA Compliance

AND so much more!

Ahwatukee Resident

480.335.4180

Home Remodeling • • • • • • • • • • •

BASE BOARDS DRYWALL No Job ELECTRICAL Too Small!

PAINTING Senior PLUMBING Discounts!

BATHROOMS WOOD FLOORING FRAMING WALLS FREE ESTIMATES GRANITE COUNTERTOPS CARPET INSTALLATION

Juan Hernandez

Juan Hernandez

Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!

TRIMMING

SPRINKLER

TREE

Not a licensed contractor

Landscape Maintenance Foothills Touch Landscapes LLC Lawn care/Maint.

Starting as low as

$25 per visit.

25 Years exp (480) 720-3840

25 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840

Install/Design We do it all!

Not a licensed contractor

Irrigation

Ahw. Res - 30 yrs Exp Free Estimates.

Call Pat (480) 343-0562

David Hernandez (602) 802 3600

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

MALDONADO HOME REPAIR SERVICES 480.201.5013

NTY

5-YEAR WARRA

THE HANDYMAN THAT HANDLES SMALL JOBS THAT OTHERS DECLINE

480.654.5600

✔ Painting ✔ Sprinkler Repair ✔ Lighting ✔ Gate Restoration ✔ Replace Cracked ✔ & MUCH MORE! Roof Tiles

azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 21671

*Not A Licensed Contractor

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Interior, Exterior House Painting.

Stucco Patching.

Gate/Front Door Refinishing.

Quality work/Materials Free Estimate Ignacio 480-961-5093 602-571-9015 ROC #189850 Bond/Ins'd

Arizona Specialty Landscape

New & Re-Do Design and Installation

Affordable | Paver Specialists All phases of landscape installation.

Plants, cacti, sod, sprinklers, granite, concrete, brick, Kool-deck, lighting and more!

Free Estimates 7 Days a Week!

ROC# 186443 • BONDED

Landscape Design/Installation

Ahwatukee Resident, References Available, Insured

Painting

Landscape Maintenance

daveshomerepair@yahoo.com • Se Habla Español

Not a licensed contractor.

CALL DOUG

Landscape Maintenance

NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

52

480.844.9765

CDS LANDSCAPING

Irrigation Systems & Outdoor Lighting C - Caring alls Repairs & Instuse.

D - Dedicated for long term ing S - Service No Landscap

Home Improvement

LANDSCAPING

Why re-do when you can RE-NEW?

.

Maintenance

• Evening & Weekend Service Only • You Pay Labor & Materials Only Rated 4.9 • ROC#312942 on homeadvisor.com

YOUR #1 CABINET REFACING COMPANY IN THE VALLEY 39 Years of Masterful Craftsmanship

david@swo-of-artworks.com

480-580-4419

Owner: David “Ray” Smith

WE DO ALL THE WORK

INSTALLING WINTER GRASS?

INCLUDED IN EVERY PACKAGE: • New custom doors • New dovetail drawers • Soft-close hinges, tracks and more ALL OUR PRODUCTS ARE PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA!

480-940-8196

0% DOWN (OAC)

Theplugman.com

Credit Union West

FREE HARDWARE

with any cabinet replacing project

FREE SINK & FAUCET

with purchase of a granite or quartz countertop Minimum required. Must present ad. Expires 12-31-19

WE WILL BEAT ANY WRITTEN ESTIMATE FREE In-Home Estimates

480-361-3121

Re-NewCabinets.com Visit Our Showroom!

6503 W Frye Rd, Suite 1 Chandler, AZ 85228 Licensed, Bonded, Insured - ROC#293053

SHARE WITH THE WORLD!

Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details.

Serving the Valley for over 28 years

PERIODIC FERTILIZATION • SOIL TESTING • LAWN SERVICE

ROC 282663 • BONDED • INSURED YOUR LAWN EXPERT SINCE 1995

The Possibilities are Endless

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

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

480-730-1074

class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465

IMPROVE RYE GRASS GERMINATION, REDUCE PUDDLING, AND SAVE WATER!

Bonded/Insured/Licensed • ROC #225923

NOPAL LANDSCAPE • • • • • •

Tree Trimming Removals Weed Control Winter Grass • Clean Ups Irrigation Repairs Timer Repairs & More...

Weekly • Bi Weekly • Monthly Low Rates

Mariano 480-276-5598

CLASSIFIEDS

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Landscape Maintenance

Landscape Maintenance

Complete Lawn Service & Weed Control

D&L SPRINKLER SERVICE

Starting @ $60/Month!

• One Month Free Service • Licensed, Bonded Insured for your protection.

• Call or Text for a Free Quote

kjelandscape.com • ROC#281191

480-586-8445

Artistic

LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS LLC Owner/Operator Greg Bodell-20 Years Experience

• Reliable Maintenance Services–Clean Ups • All Irrigation Repairs–Installation–Timers & Valves • Quality Paver & Travertine Installation • Landscape Design–Remodels–Installation • Landscape Lighting Installation–Repair • Artificial Turf Installation–Professional Tree Care

Misting Systems

480-459-9430

UNDER $100 We Do Installs!

★ Elastomaric Roof Coating

dandlsprinklerservice.com

602.329.3396 Not a Licensed Contractor

★ Small Job Specialist

License #ROC 298736

AHWATUKEE SPECIAL

SUN TECH

PAINTING

$

Serving Ahwatukee Since 1987 Interior / Exterior • High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction Free Est imates • Countless References • Carpentry Services Now Available

ROC #155380

PlumbSmart

Irrigation Repair Services Inc.

Plumbing Heating & Air

Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

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

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Call Lance White

Let’s get your Watering System working again!

System Checks • Drip Checks FREE ESTIMATES! CALL 24 HOURS 25 Yrs Exp. I Do All My Own Work! Call Mark

480.295.2279 Referred out of Ewing Irrigation Not a licensed contractor.

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED!

High Quality Results TRIM TREES ALL TYPES GRAVEL - PAVERS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Complete Clean Ups

Jose Martinez Not a licensed contractor.

602.515.2767

Water Heaters

A

As Iowas

.II._

A

$42Month

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

ROC 304267 • Licenced & Bonded

700 5-Star Reviews

ROC223709

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

ROC# 256752

Drip Systems Installed, Valves/Timer Repairs

Off 40work done *Any

INC.

Family Owned • Free Estimates

MD’S LANDSCAPING

Plumbing

Scott Mewborn, Owner 480-818-1789

602.625.0599

•

www.irsaz.com

Not a licensed contractor

Visit us at Suntechpaintingaz.com or view our video promo at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM5pbvpZJlg

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC#318553

480.721.4146

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call!

15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

★ Epoxy Floors

Warranty On All Work

We can do all your landscaping needs and more!

No job too small or too big!

•

“We get your house looking top notch!” ★ Interior/Exterior Painting ★ Drywall Repair & Installation ★ Popcorn Ceiling Removal

MOST REPAIRS

Affordable | Reliable | Honest | On-Time | Attention to Detail FREE ESTIMATES

Painting

Painting

Landscape Lighting Wi-Fi Irrigation & Lighting timers

53

480-338-4011

Painting

ROC#309706

$BS SAVINGS

East Valley PAINTERS

The Valley’s Premier Painters Proudly Serving Ahwatukee for 15 Years!

Family Owned & Operated

Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

Residential • Commercial • Best Painters EVER! • Epoxy Floors & Concrete Coatings • Interior & Exterior

10% OFF

“Professional, Punctual & Clean”

Free Estimates!

Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

Like us on Facebook to stay current & Receive 5% Off Services

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

SERVICE CALLS MONDAY-FRIDAY

Now Accepting all major credit cards

ACP is 100% Veteran Owned

www.AcpPaintingllc.com Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242

FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!

(480)785-6323

Nonnalbusinesshours

Nonnalbusinesshours

480-405-7099 www.itsjustplumbsmart.com www.itsjustplumbsmart.com

HIRING? People are looking in the Classifieds Every Day! Email Your

Job Post to: class@times publications.com

or Call 480-898-6465

54

CLASSIFIEDS

GREEN POOL

Pool Service / Repair

GREEN POOL CLEAN UP REPAIR

People are looking in the Classifieds Every day!

Filter Cleaning!

Monthly Service & Repairs Available

&

SERVICING THE VALLEY FOR OVER 25 YEARS

$

Email Your Job Post to:

602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5

class@times publications.com

www.barefootpoolman.com See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook

898-6465

1st Month of Service FREE For a limited time

Call Now!

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

25 OFF ALL FILTER CLEANINGS FREE Estimates FREE Pool Inspections Specializing in Expert Tile Cleaning & Acid Wash

or Call 480

Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

Pool Service / Repair

Pool Service / Repair

LLC

???

$25 OFF

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

PROFESSIONAL • WEEKLY POOL SERVICE • REPAIRS

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

480-208-1808

CERTIFIED • BONDED • INSURED

Call me, Howard:

480.231.9651

Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!

Classifieds 480-898-6465

AZPoolExpert.com BBB Member Not a licensed contractor.

Pool Service / Repair

AE &Sons Pool Plaster Company

CLR Pool Service LLC

All Complete Pool Renovations

Excellent Service...

First time, Every time!

Pebble • White Plaster • New Pool Builds Tile • Deck • Pump & Filters

FREE Estimates • BEST Prices 602-252-2125 Ofc. • 602-505-8066 Cell

Charles Rock - Ahwatukee Resident

Se Habla Espanõl

480.399.ROCK (7625)

Lic’d, Bonded • ROC #235771 • ROC #235770

charles@clrpoolservice.com

www.clrpoolservice.com

Roofing

PHILLIPS ROOFING LLC

Juan Hernandez Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR

Member of ABM

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

ROC 223367

Valleywide

CR 42 DUAL

623-873-1626

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

All employees verified Free estimates on all roofs 36 Years experience in AZ Licensed contractor since 2006

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Plumbing

SERVICE • REPAIR • REPLACEMENT We offer personalized service for our customers.

We use the best materials that we can find.

Owned and Operated

by Rod Lampert Ahwatukee Resident Serving Ahwatukee for over 25 years

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

(480)

phillipsroofingaz.com phillipsroofing@cox.net

279-4155

Remodeling

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC 189848

PLUMBING $35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

We Repair or Install ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER

Spring into Summer with a NEW Kitchen, Bathroom or Windows Put Our Experience to Work for You!

• TUB TO SHOWER CONVERSIONS • KITCHEN & BATHROOM REMODELS • MASTER BATHROOM WALK IN SHOWERS

704.5422

12

MONTHS

NO INTEREST NO PAYMENTS

Licensed • Bonded • Insured (480)

We also offer Energy Efficient Window Replacement

ABA

www.abahomeremodeling.com

HOME REMODELING

KITCHEN • WINDOWS • BATHROOMS OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE REMODELING HOMES

25 $ 500

$

Gift card to Lowe’s with Quote off project

DON’T OVER PAY! Call or text us TODAY!

480.988.1903 BONDED & INSURED • ROC#271056

OCTOBER 9, 2019 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

55

Roofing

Roofing

TILE ROOFING SPECIALISTS

Roofing

Window Cleaning

Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years

John’s Window Cleaning The Owners Clean Your Windows!

1-Story $145 2-Story $165

Flat and Foam Roof Experts!

ROC #152111

desertsandscontracting.com FLAT ROOFS | SHINGLES | TEAR OFFS | NEW ROOFS | REPAIRS TILE UNDERLAYMENT | TILE REPAIR | LEADERS | COPPER ALUMINUM COATINGS | GUTTERS | SKYLIGHTS

10% OFF COMPLETE UNDERLAYMENT Commercial & Residential Family Owned & Operated

Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident

Complimentary & Honest Estimates

480-706-1453

480-460-7602

Over 30 yrs. Experience

AZROC #283571 | CONTRACTOR LIC. AZROC #312804 CLASS CR4 | FULLY INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES 602-736-3019

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

aOver 30 Years of Experience aLicensed, Bonded & Insured

Ask us about our discount for all Military and First Responders!

www.porterroofinginc.com

Let seasoned pros

handle all your

1000 OFF when you show this ad $

on qualifying complete roof replacements

Serving The Valley Since 1996

10% OFF with this ad

inexroofing.com | 602-938-7575 Call for your FREE Roof Evaluation

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile & Foam Roofer!

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

480-201-6471

Roof Leaking?

Roofing

Let us show you the IN-EX Difference!

• New Roofs • Re-Roofs • Repairs Tile • Foam • Shingles • Patios

Mobile Re-Screening

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

roofing needs

480-446-7663

MAKE A LOT!

Call a Plumber in the Classifieds!

Monsoon Ready?

Valley Wide Service

SPEND A LITTLE…

Call our office today!

is your roof

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

Inside & Out Up to 30 Panes Additional Panes $3 ea.

Screens Cleaned $3 ea. pane

Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC # 269218

The Most Detailed Roofer in the State

TK

®

Tim KLINE Roofing, LLC Roofs Done Right...The FIRST Time!

15-Year Workmanship Warranty on All Complete Roof Systems

www.timklineroofing.com

480-357-2463

FREE Estim a and written te proposal

R.O.C. #156979 K-42 • Licensed, Bonded and Insured

56

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 9, 2019

Take advantage of fall discounts if you Dare! ** Get up to

4,325

$

Dealer MFG Utility

in Rebates

–and– Happy Holidays from all of us!!!

No interest if paid

r te -up n i e W un T

$

UP TO

3,950

69

FALL $ TUNE-UP IN REBATES REG. $99.

SPECIAL!

0% APR

in full WINTER within LIMITED TIME OFFER!

TUNE-UP 15 months $ on qualified systems.

REG. $99.

REG. $99.

FREE

64

10-Year Parts and Labor Per Includes a 16-Point Limited Warranty* system

Inspection. *On Selected Systems ($1,295 Value - No Charge) LIMITED TIME ONLY Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the Includes a 16-Point purchase balance is not paid in full withina the promotional period.

Up to $800 in Includes 16-Point RESIDENTIAL ONLY

Inspection plus a Inspection plus a condenser coil rinse condenser coil rinse if accessible if accessible RESIDENTIAL ONLY

Utility Rebates*

Your Hometown Air Conditioning Specialist OR WITH THE PURCHASE OF A NEW RESIDENTIAL ONLY * A/C SYSTEM INSTALLATION FOR 48 OR 60 MO. SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

480-893-8335

FREE

480-725-7303 480-893-8335 www.BrewersAC.com

Service Call Second Opinion (WITH REPAIR)

A+ Rating

www.BrewersAC.com SINCE 1982

ROC #C39-312643

*Up to to $4,650 Brewer’s Dealer Rebate, up to $800 Utility Rebate. The Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Financial National Bank, an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms A+ Rating apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 7/1/2017 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 12/31/2017.

FREE

Service Call Second Opinion

(WITH REPAIR) *Up Brewer’s DealerDealer Rebate, Rebate, Up to $500 MFG Utility Rebate,Rebate.

Up to $500 MFG Rebate, and Up to $1,125 Utility **The WellsFargo Fargo *Up totototo$2,200 $4,650 Brewer’s upInstant to $800 TheDealer WellsMatch Fargo Home Projects credit card is Rebate. issued

by Wells Home Projects® credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit.

Financial an Equal Housing terms apply toThe qualifying purchases charged with credit.

Thepayspecial The special National terms APRBank, will continue to apply until all Lender. qualifyingSpecial purchases are paid in full. monthly payment for this purchase will approved be the amount that will for the terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full.

The monthly payment for this purchase will be the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or ifamount you use the other For new accounts, the APR for Purchases If you are charged billingThe cycle, the for minimum interestwill charge will be thatcard willforpay fortransactions. the purchase in full in equal payments duringis 28.99%. the promotional (specialinterest terms)in any period.

APR Purchases apply to $1.00. This information is accurate as of 8/1/2019 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 12/31/2019. certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions.

For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. ***See your independent Trane Dealer for complete program eligibility, dates, details and restrictions. Special financing offers and instant rebates up to $500 valid If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the interest charge will beUnited $1.00.

ThisVoid information is accurate of 7/1/2017 and on Qualifying Equipment only. Offers vary by equipment.

All minimum sales must be to homeowners in the States. where prohibited.

Specialas financing offer expires 12/31/2019.

Instant rebate offer expires 11/15/2019. is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 12/31/2017. ^Ingersoll Rand Marketing Insights. Trane Brand Consumer Survey, October 2018.