SanTan Sun News - 10.24.2021 by Times Media Group

October 24, 2021 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

CUSD school enrollment facing long-term decline BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The City of Chandler will continue to add about 12,000 new housing units over the next 10 years, but the number of children attending public schools will start to decline. That is the conclusion of a recent demographic presentation to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board. Among the reasons for the downward enrollment trend is that Chandler residents are getting older. “Our population is aging,” said Rick

Brammer, a consultant with Applied Economics LLC, which did the research for the Governing Board. A closely related reason is housing affordability, which is shutting out young families with school-age children. “There’s no such thing as really truly entry-level housing available in the district,” Brammer told the board. There also are other reasons for the anticipated decline in the number of students attending CUSD schools: charter and private schools are attracting more and more students; the birth rate in Arizona has dropped by almost a third since the Great Recession; and the

city is approaching build-out so most of the new developments tend to be for smaller families, many of which do not have children. That trend will likely continue. “We’re at the normal point of the growth curve of any city the size of Chandler,” said Kevin Mayo, the city’s planning administrator. “You start by running out to your geographical borders, and once you hit them that wave comes back in.” With fewer and smaller spaces to develop, investors are looking to get the most money they can – which means smaller but denser projects.

Any young couple looking for a home to raise a family is probably looking in Maricopa because of home prices. The Maricopa Association of Governments reports the median price of home sold in Chandler was $165,000 in 2011. Through July of this year that number has jumped to $419,950. That has led to the city’s population getting older. MAG reports the median age for a Chandler resident was nearly two years older in 2019 than it was in 2014. See

DEMOGRAPHICS on page 12

Chandler takes baby step toward bias ban BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler is the largest city in Arizona without an anti-discrimination ordinance. This month, officials took a baby step toward considering one. City Council on Oct. 14 authorized spending around $56,000 for a consultant to perform a diversity, equity and inclusion assessment. The results are expected in the spring. “I’m hoping the results come back that the residents say, ‘Hey, you know what, we need an ordinance,’” Councilmember OD Harris said. “And there’s enough people in Chandler who are going to support it.” Council took the step after splitting on the need for an ordinance last spring. Some members wanted one but others thought a resolution was enough, saying they were concerned about the city having to decide what is discrimination and what is not. Both Mesa and Scottsdale earlier this year approved discrimination ordinances that pose the possibility of fines for businesses that discriminate in public accommodations, employment, and housing on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, veteran’s status, marital status, or familial status. The laws apply to businesses and

places of public accommodation, employers and the workplace, city employees and facilities, city contractors and vendors. Exclusions include businesses with fewer than five employees, federal and state agencies, religious, public and charter schools and religious organizations “when furthering (the) organization’s purpose.” Among the groups backing an ordinance were the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, State Sen. Sean Bowie, and House members Jennifer Jermaine, Mitzi Epstein and Jennifer Pawlik. The city Human Relations Commission had recommended hiring a consultant last spring. Council decided then it wanted to hear more from the community before moving forward. Harris said he will continue to push for the ordinance, though he said some of his colleagues are unsure where they stand. He urged staff to make sure they were hearing from not hundreds, but thousands of the city’s residents on the issue. “I know the City of Chandler residents are going to make the best decision, they’re going to make the right decision, and we’re going to come out OK,” Harris said. Eduarda Schroder is one of the co-founders of Chandler Pride, a See

DIVERSITY on page 3

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Mike Rodrigues plans to debut Pickleball Kingdom, an indoor 16-court venue, in Chandler in early 2022. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Mega indoor pickleball venue coming to Chandler BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

It was only a matter of time and Chandler resident Mike Rodrigues is seizing the moment. Sometime in the first three months of 2022, he plans to open Pickleball Kingdom, a 16-court indoor facility in Chandler that will eliminate the biggest problem facing devotees of the fast-growing sport: Arizona’s weather. And not just the 100-plus-degree temps that come with it. “For the serious and advanced player,

the elements have to go,” said Rodrigues, who is retrofitting the anchor – a Gold’s Gym – of the strip mall on the northeast corner of Rural and Ray roads where an Oct. 1 gas explosion injured four men. “I never thought of Arizona as windy until I started playing pickleball,” he explained. “Since it is a whiffle ball, the slightest amount of breeze can carry what would have been a great cut shot and land it 2 inches out of bounds. Playing indoors will take all the extrane-

F E AT U R E STO R I E S Chandler doc donates $1M to alma mater . . . . . . .NEWS . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 Chandler duo are hair salon kingpins. . . . . . . . . . . . .BUSINESS . . . . Page 28 Jewish War Vets slate huge auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS . . Page 34 Chandler bassoonist an acclaimed musician. . . . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . Page 38

See

PICKLEBALL on page 3 More

Community . . . 1-23 Real Estate . . . 24-25 Clip-It . . . . . . . 26-27 Business . . . . . 28-30 Sports . . . . . . . 31-32 Opinion . . . . . . . . 33 Neighbors . . . 34-37 Arts . . . . . . . . . 38-42 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Directory . . . 44-45 Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

DIVERSITY

from page 1

LGBTQ organization. “This is a really good step,” said Schroder, who has a transgender child. She said she spoke with Mesa Mayor John Giles and he confirmed this is the same process his city used to adopt their anti-discrimination ordinance. “I know they want to be transparent, which is a good thing,” she said. “I’m actually excited about this.” Council hired Cooperative Personnel Services, a Sacramento-based human

PICKLEBALL

from page 1

ous elements out so that the only thing that affects your game – is your game. And that’s what the best players want, to let their game stand on its own.” “Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America because it’s fun,” he added. “What’s not fun is waiting for a court, playing in the heat, and having the wind affect your game. We’ve solved all those problems.” Along with 16 courts and air conditioning, Rodrigues has a number of amenities planned for Pickleball Kingdom: memberships, an app to make reservations, tournaments and leagues, a pro shop, locker rooms and showers, a lounge, snack bar and even beer and wine. And he’ll be carving out times and places for birthday parties, corporate

resources consulting firm, to do the assessment. “This has been a long-time coming,” Mayor Kevin Hartke said. “What this group is going to do is basically look at the city, look across practices, not necessarily bow to anything that’s been done, and make recommendations to us.” Harris said the need for the ordinance may not be obvious, but that doesn’t mean it does not exist. “It’s all about doing the right thing,” Harris said. “When you look at the top eight cities in our state, they have all passed a non-discrimination ordinance

[except Chandler]. “People want specific examples, but if I go back historically and I talk about civil rights, because that’s what this is, … people thought it was OK for individuals to be discriminated upon.” He said people still face discrimination today. “What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong, everybody should be equal and this ordinance will further address those issues moving forward as we become a more diverse community,” Harris said. Chandler Pride started a year ago and

does most of its organizing on Facebook. Schroder said the group is in the process of qualifying as a nonprofit. She says so far they have received a lot of support. Schroder agreed with Harris, saying not all discrimination is overt. “The LGBTQ community, just like any other minority that suffers discrimination, even micro-aggressions, learns to navigate the system in a quiet way, or as quietly as possible,” she said. “And not everyone is comfortable … being open about the experiences they’re having, because that means they could be outed to friends, co-workers and family.”

events and similar activities that are virtually impossible to arrange at a public park. He’ll even have ball machines, similar to those used in tennis, that will spit out the whiffle balls so players can work on their swing. Pickleball Kingdom assuredly will be the largest indoor pickleball venue in the state and one of the largest, if not the biggest, in the country. Rodrigues sees it as the next iteration in a sport that has taken off like wildfire – first among athletically-inclined and health-focused senior citizens and now a sport that has caught on with people of all ages. The National Pickleball Association saw its membership increase by 650 percent between 2013 and 2019. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which tracks the popularity of sports through the sale of related merchandise, estimated that from 2018

to the end of last year, the number of active pickleball players has grown from 3.1 million to 4.2 million. That growth included a 21.3 percent increase last year over 2019 as the pandemic forced Americans to rethink social distancing and the value of socializing outdoors, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association said. Municipalities can’t keep up with the demand for more free places to play and have spent millions of dollars over the last five years to try and feed the voracious appetite for courts. But Rodrigues said all those facilities still have the disadvantage of weather. “In the summer, people only play at night because it’s too hot,” he said. “But even when the weather is better, the sun is a factor since no one wants to be in for too long for fear of contracting skin cancer.” Then there are the waits for court

times at many public parks. “For the novice player,” Rodrigues said, “it will simply be a much better experience. For them, reserving courts is everything since they don’t play that often, so spending half their time waiting for a court to open up is a deal breaker.” Rodrigues’ business model differs from the few indoor facilities nationally that combine restaurants and outdoor play areas – with fewer courts. “Those are looking to be to pickleball what Top Golf is to golf,” he said. “There’s a market and need for that. It will introduce a lot of new people to the sport and they will be able to play in a very recreational environment. “But they will still have to deal with the sun, heat, cold, and wind. Within that golf analogy Pickleball Kingdom would be, instead of Top Golf, a chamSee

PICKLEBALL on page 4

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Chandler OKs creation of veterans commission

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke says yes, there are already many groups that represent the military but one thing lacking is an ability to work together for the benefit of all the city’s veterans. “We have a lot of veteran groups that work with each other, but the communication could be better,” Hartke said. “The VFW and American Legion are great at addressing the needs and concerns of their members.” To help coordinate the groups that already exists, the mayor hopes to create a Military and Veterans Affairs Commission. Council approved the plan Thursday. Hartke said it will comprise seven people he hopes to name and get approved by Council in December. Their first meeting will be in January and Chandler residents can apply to be on the advisory panel through the city’s website. Chandler currently has 35 citizen advisory committees that help plan the direction the city goes. Hartke says their contributions have been important, from helping prioritize parks projects to the city’s transportation to working on a capital improvement bond issue. Some other cities in the Valley have similar military and veterans affairs commission. “This is one that I looked at for a while,” Hartke said. So what will this commission do? “It’s going to bring together a group of veterans, and some non-veterans,

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Creation of the veterans commission comes at a time when Chandler also is finally completing a memorial at Oasis Park. (City of Chandler)

and enable them to enhance some of the programs we have in Chandler,” Councilmember Matt Orlando said. “Whether it’s resume writing or whether it’s keeping the veterans memorial clean, giving tours.” One event it would likely play a role in is the city’s annual Veterans Day recognition. Because this commission would be blessed by the Council, its members would play a more active role in city government than existing veterans groups currently do. Orlando, an Air Force veteran, said the city has always made its veterans a high priority and has often been a model for other councils around the state. He said Chandler was the first city to start a Veterans Navigators program that helps those returning from the wars in the Middle East. He also said

Chandler was the first to set aside a veterans’ court. Orlando called the Military and Veterans Affairs Commission the next step for how the city cares for its veterans and their families. “A lot of these programs are piecemeal here,” he said. “One of the things that was described to me by one of the veterans ..., ‘Hey, let’s get all of the, like, American Legion, and the Daughters of the American Revolutionary War, the Korean War, and bring all those folks together and see how we can help each other. There’s only so many resources out there.’” Hartke and Orlando said the idea for the commission came from the community. As it is now, the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office has been coordinating the city’s Veterans Day events.

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PICKLEBALL

Chuck Morales III from page 3

pionship golf course with a driving range. The environment and expectation will be very different.” He noted that technology “has radically improved paddles, rules are being tweaked to optimize the sport and national regulatory bodies are jockeying for position. I believe the next iteration in pickleball’s evolution is to bring the sport indoors.” A player for only about two years, Rodrigues said he was hooked on pickleball “in less than five minutes” his first time on the courts. “What’s so enticing about pickleball is that the initial learning curve is so short,” he said. “In 10 minutes, the average person will be able to play a somewhat decent game. That’s unheard of for most sports. “For example, I took up golf seriously about two years ago. As a former college quarterback, I foolishly believed that my hand-eye coordination would allow me to breeze through the steep learning curve of that sport. Well, after tons of practice on the range, countless rounds of golf, lessons and a new set of clubs, golf is still kicking my butt. Whether someone has athletic ability or none whatsoever, they will be able to get into their pickleball groove quickly. Then, once a player is competent,

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Deadline Editorial and Advertising Noon, October 28 for the Sunday, November 7 issue

35,000

Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Mike Rodrigues said his Pickleball Kingdom will eliminate the biggest bane to the game: Arizona’s weather. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

there’s a whole new level of play that they can aspire to. You can get good quickly but never master it… which keeps you coming back to play.” And his business will cater to that appetite for improvement with his drop-in times, leagues and tournaments. “Since you can’t play pickleball by yourself, a universal problem is finding people to play with, ideally at or around your same skill level,” he said. “What we will have at Pickleball Kingdom are daily drop-in play times, where people can sign up on our mobile app and then just show up. They will be placed into games with others who are

rated at the same level as they are.” Then, he believes, the monthly tourneys and weekly leagues will further help the pickleball community “to grow, thrive, and elevate together.” “Pickleball’s popularity is enormous and growing,” he added. “People want to play. And once they play indoors, void of all the elements but with the comforts of a club, we believe that they’ll recognize that playing indoors on dedicated, outdoor surfaced courts is the way to go.” Enthusiasts can follow Pickleball Kingdom’s development on Facebook and by signing up for announcements at PickleballKingdom.com.

Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway. SanTan Sun 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.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Chandler chiropractor donates $1M to alma mater BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler couple Dr. Arlan and Judith Fuhr say the following story is not all that uncommon. “I was in Taiwan and we went up into the Tea Valley, where they do tea,” said Dr. Fuhr, a chiropractor. “We went into this place where they all have lunch ..., and I look over and here up on a riser, about a 6-inch riser was a guy doing Activator. He had my picture on the wall. “So I walked over. I had a ball cap on, and I took my ball cap off, and he looked, and he looked twice, and he went, ‘The Activator god comes from heaven!’” A moment later a woman came up to Fuhr and hugged him, saying something in Mandarin. He waited for the translation. “I was bent over for 15 years until the Activator come to the Valley and now I can stand straight,” he recalled her saying. The Fuhrs say something similar happens often. They recalled a woman in Australia who was told she would never walk again and a man in Pinetop who feared he had to go in for another back surgery. Both had happier endings. That is the power of the Activator Adjusting Instrument – an invention by Dr. Fuhr and his partner, Dr. Warren Lee, that makes spinal adjustments without surgery and with little pain. The more than 50-year-old invention is now used by 70 percent of chiropractors in the world. Such success has allowed the Fuhrs to be generous now, most recently with a $1 million donation to Logan University near St. Louis, Missouri, for the

Right: Dr. Arlan Fuhr and his wife Judith of Chandler recently donated $1 million to his alma mater, Logan University in Missouri. Above: The new center will house a number of upgrades that Logan University says will greatly benefit students seeking a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

expansion and renovation of its science center. With that expanded center, the university said in a release, the additional 14,400 square feet will house stateof-the-art anatomy labs, a simulated imaging center, technique labs, faculty offices, additional student collaboration and study areas, and anatomage tables and 3D-simulation systems used by leading health care institutions throughout the world. “These features are important and necessary as the university continues to expand, add more degree programs and enroll even more students in both the College of Chiropractic and College of Health Sciences,” the university release stated.

Dr. Fuhr, a 1961 graduate of Logan, said, “Logan University provides a strong education rooted in science, research and evidence, and its graduates are solid and balanced in their practice. I’ve dedicated my career to innovation so that we, as chiropractors, can help patients improve their health, and it’s an honor to give back to the university that has given me so much."In recognition of the generous gift, the university named the building after Dr. Fuhr. That sits well with his wife, a former Chandler Unified School District Gov-

erning Board member, who said it’s best to honor someone while they’re still living than after they’re gone. “I told the president of the college See

FUHR on page 14

At 106, she credits God, genes and chocolat SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

If Edna Margaret (Peirce) Minger isn’t the oldest woman in Arizona, she’s pretty darn close after turning 106 this month in her Chandler home. Edna, whose sister in California looks to be 102 next March, also might be paying closer attention to this story given that she spent a number of years as a newspaper reporter, according to her daughter, Sarah Auffret. Born Oct. 11, 1915, in Philip, South Dakota, Edna was one of eight children, ranking fifth in the pecking order with five brothers and two sisters. “I was the shy one, my sisters were more outgoing and my five brothers were often loud,” she recalled as she reminisced about her childhood in a small town where she walked everywhere and her family grew all their own produce. She went to college one year on a scholarship but then ran out of money and had to quit, but she continued as a pianist and church organist at her local church – an avocation she maintained no matter where she lived. That activity also led to a 52-year marriage as she met her future husband when he was a soloist at church and

Sarah Auffret and her mother Edna Minger marked a special occasion in Chandler recently: Edna turned 106, which might make her the oldest woman in Arizona. (Courtesy

of Sarah Auffret )

needed an accompanist. By profession he was a newspaperman and after stints in Kansas and Iowa, Edna and her husband wound up in Oklahoma,

where they owned a small-town weekly newspaper called The Tipton Tribune. “I wrote about ordinary people and their activities,” she said. “When new-

comers moved to the community, I’d call them and write a story about them.” “Working at a newspaper got me out of my shyness,” she added. “It was one of the best things for me, because I had to get to know people.” She remembers seeing both Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge come through town on their way to vacation in the Black Hills in Custer, South Dakota, and saw both presidents wave from the train platform. One of the historical events that she especially remembers is the explosion of the Hindenburg in May 1937 because she had just seen it up close the week before during a visit to New Jersey. She said her husband Allan “wrote the more important stories” but she got a big thrill after retiring and the editor of a paper in the larger neighboring town of Altus, Oklahoma, approached with a request. “I got to take a trip to Israel, which was a highlight of my life since I got to see so many places I had read about in the Bible,” Edna explained. “The Altus editor asked me to write a story about it and they featured it in the Mother’s Day issue with my byline and a picture of me with a camel.” See

CENTENENARIAN on page 8

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Around Chandler Sun Lakes Republican Club hosting border talk

Chairman Mike Tennant, 480-802-0178.

including its best of 715 miles per hour.

The Sun Lakes Republican Club will feature “Controlling our National Borders” with guest speakers Attorney General Mark Brnovich and National Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto at its monthly meeting 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Navajo Room at Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd. The public is invited, though seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The club also reminds people to save the date of its Cowboy Christmas Dinner Dance on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, from 5-9 P.M. in Cottonwood Country Club’s San Tan Ballroom. Music and entertainment will be provided by Harry Mathews with a “Western Gunslinger Buffet” of BBQ Chicken and Beef Ribs. Tickets will be available for $35 at the November meeting on a first come, first served basis. For more information, contact

Chandler’s iconic war plane moved again to Oasis Park

Halloween Spooktacular takes place Oct. 29 downtown

CENTENENARIAN

10 years before she retired. When she moved to Arizona in 2007, she lived in a Chandler retirement home where she quickly took over the community flower gardens. “She took pride in her roses, as she had all her life,” he daughter recalled. Edna’s husband, Allan Minger, died in 1990. They had two children, Auffret and John. Edna has three grandchildren

from page 6

Newspapering wasn’t her only passion or occupation. She also was the local church’s organist, president of the garden club and Methodist Women and worked at Altus Air Force Base as a secretary for

Chandler’s iconic war plane is moving for the third time since it was installed 60 years ago. The F-86d Sabre Dog plane has been a landmark in the city since it was loaned by the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to recognize the role the city played to Williams Air Force Base. It’s first home was at A.J. Chandler Park. It was moved to the corner of Delaware Street and Chandler Boulevard in the 1980s. That corner is where airmen often waited for a ride back to the base after visiting the city. It is scheduled to be moved this month to Veterans Oasis Park, 4050 E. Chandler Heights Road, where it will be part of the new Field of Honor veterans memorial. The F86d Sabre Dog was used from 1951 through 1961 and set several speed records during its time,

Chandler’s Park and Recreation Department is offering a scary night out on Friday, Oct. 29 for its annual Halloween Spooktacular. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and come to A.J. Chandler Park starting at 5:30 for some trunk-or-treating and other fun. The park is located on Arizona Avenue between Boston and Buffalo.

Chandler Fire invites public to open house at Station No. 10

The Chandler Fire Department is hosting an open house at Station No. 10, 5211 S. McQueen Road. It takes place from 9 a.m. until noon, Saturday, Nov. 6. The department hopes to educate residents about its services and share safety, fire prevention and emergency preparedness tips. There is no cost.

and nine great grandchildren. Though her eyesight isn’t as good as it was in her days in the newsroom, she still tries to read a newspaper every day. “I was really into the presidential election stories,” she said. “I like to read feature stories about people who are doing interesting things.” As for her longevity, she attributes it partly to genes – “I never expected

Officials will offer tours of the station, and show off a fire truck, ambulance and other gear. They will be conducting blood pressure checks and distributing drowning prevention information. For more information, call 480-7822120 or visit ChandlerAZ.gov/fire.

Play golf, help people with disabilities

Chandler’s annual golf tournament to benefit people with disabilities is set for next month. The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities 25th annual Chandler Golf Challenge is Nov. 12 at Bear Creek Golf Club, 500 E. Riggs Road. Cost for a single golfer is $85, or $325 for a foursome. The event raises about $10,000 a year for Chandler Parks and Recreation’s efforts to support people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. To register, visit chandleraz.gov/golfchallenge. to live this long, however,” she added – and “dark chocolate almost every day.” “I’ve always walked a lot and I did a lot of gardening until I was 102,” she added. But Edna also gives God the most credit for her long and happy life. “I pray every day and He watches over me,” she explained. “So I don’t worry.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Refreshed airport area plan aims for economic gains BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The airpark surrounding Chandler Municipal Airport is mostly developed, with only about 15 percent of vacant land remaining. So it’s a surprising time to update the master plan. And that’s exactly what the City Council did at its Oct. 14 meeting. “We have a series of area plans that are aging,” said Kevin Mayo, the city’s planning administrator. “They were all adopted when Chandler was in kind of the build-up mentality and growth curve. As we’re hitting under 10 percent of vacant land left in Chandler, we’re in an in-fill and development frame of mind. All of our area plans will be getting a look.” This city is running out of room to grow, so projects need to be more focused and reflect that new reality. Still, the changes the Chandler City Council made to the Airpark Area Plan last week were pretty minor, although the plan stresses the need for its existence: “The Chandler Airpark Area represents the last great chance for economic development in the City of Chandler.” Mayo said, “It wasn’t viewed as a complete rewrite. It was a refining of the 1998 Area Plan.” Mayo said one goal they had was not to change any non-residential land to residential. The Airport Master Plan, a separate document that was considered in the update of airpark area document, called encroachment by residential development, particularly apartments a threat to the airport’s viability as an economic engine for the city. “Basically, we doubled down on the intent for employment growth,” Mayo said said. Planners focused on which types of

The Chandler Airpark Area Plan seeks to make the most out of available land for innovation (pink shaded). (City of Chandler)

businesses they hope to bring to Chandler: high tech and aviation companies, research and development firms and health care businesses. The original Airpark Area Plan was adopted in 1998, when there was little but farmland surrounding the airport. The two exceptions were the start of a subdivision south of Queen Creek Road and the city’s water treatment facility. Another update Council approved to its master plan involved design standards. They are raising the bar because they want to attract top businesses and ensure the airpark is able to retain those companies.

“A previous airpark area plan did not have design guidelines, so it was all regulated on a case-by-case basis through our zoning and design review process,” Mayo said. Mayo said the hope was that all the development would have been completed around the airport by now. However, both the economic downturn caused by the banking crisis in 2008 and the COVID pandemic slowed down their momentum. “A predecessor to me, and a predecessor for our economic development director once said, ‘One of the best resources a city can have is vacant land

for uses that you don’t even know yet.'” Now, Mayo said that this update to the Airpark Area Plan will serve as a guide for the next 20 years to that part of the city. He said it would have been our earlier, but like so many other projects, it got delayed by the pandemic. Mayo said now that the airpark is done, the next area they will focus on is downtown, which he said has seen tremendous growth. And then it will be on to the next area plan. Information: chandleraz.gov/chandlerairparkareaplan.

City OKs $20M to help Intel’s water needs, other work BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler City Council approved spending up to $20 million dollars on infrastructure and water rights to support Intel’s expansion of its Ocotillo campus. The Council has also agreed to spend up to an additional $10 million for public improvements to the intersection of Alma School and Ocotillo roads if a traffic impact study shows a need. Most of the money is going to acquire more water rights the company will need as part of its expansion, which includes two new manufacturing facilities. City officials estimate it will cost $12.1 million to acquire another 1.1 million gallons per day. “All of the investments will be for the public benefit, not just for Intel,” said Micah Miranda, the city’s economic development director. Miranda said it’s those other benefits

to the community that allows the city to make the investment and therefore the agreement does not run afoul of the Gift Clause in the state constitution. The rest of the funds would pay for the design, construction and financing

Any money left unspent could be used on a future infrastructure project. Intel’s expansion will bring thousands of jobs to Chandler. “This is probably the state’s largest economic development project ever,”

One of the best selling points we have, is in “ Chandler we know how to get stuff done, our team is the best in the business. We can deliver on whatever we say we’re going to do. ”

– Micah Miranda

needed to deliver potable water to Intel. They also will cover the cost of design, construction and financing of a transmission line to move 11 million gallons a day of reclaimed water between the city’s airport and Ocotillo water reclamation facilities.

Miranda said. Intel is expanding to help it deal with the worldwide microchip shortage that has hurt supply lines globally. The company has spent millions in the past couple of years expanding its water treatment facilities so that it can

recycle all the water used at the manufacturing facilities. “[This is] the largest private construction project, not only in Arizona, but in the country,” Micah told Council. “In order to make that happen the city needs to put some public infrastructure in the works.” Mayor Kevin Hartke said this is a big step for the city. Noting that when the fabs are built, “Intel in Chandler will be the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturing plant,” Hartke gushed, “That’s really exciting and a point of pride for us.” Miranda said development agreements like this one have helped build Chandler’s reputation as a friendly place for businesses to set up shop. “One of the best selling points we have, is in Chandler we know how to get stuff done,” he said. “Our team is the best in the business. We can deliver on whatever we say we’re going to do.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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from page 1

The number of residents 18 and younger has dropped by 3,462 in that six-year period. All of that leads to fewer children in public schools. With Chandler at about 90 percent developed, there are fewer spaces to build more housing. However, Scott Wilken, the senior planning project manager for Maricopa Association of Governments, says the city will continue to add housing. “Cities will keep growing. Tempe is the best example of that,” he said. “They reached build-out years ago, but they’re still growing. The buildings are going up and they’re redeveloping older properties.” With fewer options, younger families are looking outside of Chandler for homes. “The demographics … show a shift to an older age group, which is somewhat natural,” Brammer said. “People are staying in their houses longer, they’re living longer, house prices … are keeping people in their houses right now, because you don’t want to move because you can’t afford to buy something else.” Brammer says there are just under 44,000 students attending CUSD schools this year – an increase of only 28 pupils from the previous year. COVID-19 pandemic forced the district’s first decline since 2000. CUSD had 45,565 students in 2019. Brammer said officials feared many parents who pulled their children out

This chart shows current and projected enrollment in Chandler Unified junior high and high schools. (Applied Analytics)

of public schools last year would not return, and he says the data proved that to be true. Brammer’s company predicts CUSD will have only 42,844 students enrolled in the fall of 2030. And more than 6,400 will be children who live outside of the district but choose to attend a CUSD school. He told the Governing Board it was

evidence of the district’s good reputation that 13.3 percent of their current students live outside of the district. Still, the competition from charter and private schools will only get stronger. “In this 10-year period, … the number of schools increased from 14 to 24, and their enrollment increased from 4,500 to 11,500,” Brammer said. “They effec-

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tively gained 7,000 students, while the district gained 5,500.” He said that mirrors what is happening around the rest of the state, pointing out enrollment at district schools has not increased since 2010. The biggest reason why school enrollment will drop, Brammer argues, is

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The City of Chandler will hold a Special Bond Election on Nov. 2, 2021

La Ciudad de Chandler llevará a cabo una Elección Especial de Bonos el 2 de noviembre de 2021

A bond election is an opportunity for taxpayers to decide what community improvements or enhancements they are willing to pay for through property taxes.

Una elección de bonos es una oportunidad para que los contribuyentes de impuestos decidan qué mejoramientos o realces comunitarios están dispuestos a pagar a través de los impuestos sobre la propiedad.

Will your property tax rates increase? No.

¿Aumentarán sus tasas de impuestos sobre la propiedad? No.

• Park improvements • Fire facilities and equipment • Police facilities and equipment • Improvements to bike paths and streets • Renovate community facilities

• Mejoramientos a parques • Instalaciones y equipo de bomberos • Instalaciones y equipo de la policía • Mejoramientos de senderos ciclistas y calles • Renovación de instalaciones comunitarias

Learn more about what this bond election means for you and our City at the web address below.

Aprenda más sobre lo que esta elección de bonos significa para usted y nuestra Ciudad en el sitio web a continuación.

chandleraz.gov/BondElection

COMMUNITY NEWS

DEMOGRAPHICS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

from page 12

that not enough babies are being born in Arizona. The state’s birth rate dropped 19.2 percent from the time the Great Recession hit in 2008 until the recovery was under way in 2011. Brammer said usually it bounces back up after a big dip.

FUHR

from page 6

– he asked that same question, ‘What do you feel?’ I’m glad I’m here to enjoy it, ‘cause most things are named after people after they’re gone.” “I ran into this on the school board. They were naming schools after people who were deceased,” Judith said. “And I said, ‘Why don’t we name them after people while they’re here?’” Judith was born and raised in Chandler, and recalls a time when the city

Not this time. From 2014 until 2020 it has dropped another 16.5 percent. The result of that is in the latest Census data. In 2000, children 13 and younger made up 22.5 percent of the district’s population. That number remained constant in the 2010 Census, at 22.2 percent. In the 2020 Census it fell to 19.5 percent.

was mostly farms and there was only one traffic light. Dr. Fuhr grew up in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. He chose to go to Logan, he said, because he didn’t have a lot of money then and he was offered a scholarhip. It was Judith who pushed her husband to begin thinking about teaching online years before the pandemic forced that shift in nearly every industry. They now conduct online tutorials and seminars in five different languages around the world. “When the pandemic hit, boy they

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There’s a similar drop in people between the ages of 25 and 44, which are the prime years to raise a family. They made up 47.1 percent of the population in 2000, 41 percent in 2010 and only 36.7 percent a decade later. Brammer said there may be some short-term increase in enrollment because of a high level of construction projects already started. However, he

said the district should expect a decline after that. And he expects to decline even faster as the city ages. He gave district officials three projections. The best-case scenario for keeping enrollment high would be to get more parents to choose to public schools. And in that case, enrollment would remain about the same. Otherwise, it’s going down.

I look over and here up on a riser was a guy “ doing Activator. He had my picture on the wall.

So I walked over. I took my ball cap off, and he looked, and he looked twice, and he went, ‘The Activator god comes from heaven!’

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– Dr. Fuhr

were happy to have it,” Dr. Fuhr said. “I have to thank my wife for that.” The Fuhrs said they decided to make the donation while they were doing estate planning. “I said, ‘I feel we should give something now, so we can watch it grow, and be a part of it,” Judith said. They did have one request: they wanted a museum to be part of the building. One of the exhibits will be

the original Activator that has positively changed so many lives around the world. He was one of the people who helped Logan purchase the land for its campus in Chesterfield, Missouri, where the expanded science center is located. “Logan has been a part of my life – well I graduated from there when I was 21,” Dr. Fuhr said. “Everything that I have today comes from that education.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Crippling spending cuts loom over schools in early 2022 BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Kyrene and other school district officials are alarmed over the prospect of not being able to legally spend some of the money they are receiving. And without legislative action, they will have to reduce their spending this school year by a cumulative total of more than $1.2 billion. That translates out to more than $1,300 per student than what they’ve already budgeted – a 17 percent drop. Put another way, they will be able to collect the state and local taxes as planned. They just won’t be able to spend it all. And that has implications for districts that may find themselves unable to pay for the teachers they hired and the contracts they’ve already signed. The only thing that could avert this fiscal train wreck would be the Legislature, which could approve an exemption from the voter-approved aggregate expenditure limit of about $6.6 billion. But that would take a two-thirds vote. And that vote would have to happen soon after lawmakers reconvene in January to help schools avoid having to make up that 17 percent loss in spending authority with last-minute cuts. Lana Berry, Chandler Unified School District chief financial officer, said, “It’s definitely something we need to work

on. It’s extremely important, and I think all of our legislators understand that. “This would impact our district drastically,” Berry said. “We’d have to dip into our reserves to cover that. But some districts don’t have reserves. We’re very fortunate.” When asked two weeks ago about the issue, state Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, D-Chandler, declined comment, saying she was unaware of the looming fiscal disaster for schools and wanted to learn more. But she pointed out that there was little she or her fellow Democrats could do since Republicans control the Legislature’s agenda. Other nearby district officials expressed alarm. “It’s catastrophic and it would be devastating to our budget, especially since we’ve already committed contracts for the year,’’ said Chris Hermann, chief financial officer for the Kyrene Elementary School District. He said if the district has to start altering spending plans in the spring, “it doesn’t give you hardly any time to make adjustments.’’ Hermann called the issue “super complicated” and one that dates back several decades because it involves a debt limit in the State Constitution. “It’s not new,” he said. “I’ve been here about five years and it’s come up before. We’ve hit that threshold a couple times since I’ve been here, but I

SHAPE YOUR COMMUNITY. VOTE INFORMED.

think the severity of it and all the things that have factored into it this year make it very unique.” “It’s very concerning,” Hermann added. “We need to have a legislature that is looking out for the interest of our schools.” Scottsdale Unified Chief Financial Officer Shannon Crosier said, “We find this possible funding reduction to be very alarming. A reduction of this magnitude, especially after the school year has started, would significantly impact our budget and require cuts that would directly impact students, staff and our community. “We will work with our state leaders to find a positive solution to this issue, one that allows us to continue providing world-class, future-focused education to all students,” Crosier said. “Additionally, we continuously strive to find ways to ensure we utilize tax dollars efficiently and effectively.” Higley Unified CFO Tyler Moore said, the cuts would total $23 million for his district. “A budget cut in this amount would be detrimental to the recent funding increases in public education including teacher salary increases, the restoration of District Additional Assistance (DAA), increased special education funding, and others,” Moore said. “Considering the state budget has over a $1 billion surplus, we don’t see

why the state would put public school districts in a situation where they would need to immediately do drastic mid-year cuts and possibly implement furloughs,” he said. Pima County School Superintendent Dustin Williams said he and his staff have looked for a way around the expenditure limit short of legislative intervention but haven’t found one. That, he said, leaves it up to lawmakers to come up with a plan “and, hopefully, the governor can come through and help us all as well.” But gubernatorial press aide C.J. Karamargin would not commit to Ducey supporting an exemption. “The governor is not going to comment on pending future legislation, if it is pending at all,’’ he said. Instead, Karamargin listed things he said his boss has done to improve overall education funding. But no matter how much more cash the governor says is given to schools, the expenditure limit means they cannot spend it absent an exemption from the limit. State schools chief Kathy Hoffman wants legislative action. “Needless cuts will severely hamper school districts’ ability to serve students and help them recover from the effects of the pandemic,’’ said press

Local elections are November 2

Citizens Clean Elections Commission has nonpartisan voting tools and resources for you to vote informed on November 2. Find election dates and deadlines, learn what’s on your local ballot, how to register to vote and more at AZCleanElections.gov, or call 877-631-8891.

See

SPENDING on page 18

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Left: The new Santan Mountain Casino is similar in design to the Vee Quiva farther west on the Gila River Indian Community just off the South Mountain Freeway. Right: The casino will include a BetMGM sportsbook and restaurants. (Courtesy of Gila River Hotels & Casinos)

Gila Community starts 4th casino project SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Construction is about to begin on the fourth casino on Gila River Indian Community land. Named Santan Mountain Casino and located on a 160-acre site on the southeast corner of Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway 160-acre, the $150-million project will feature more than 850 slots and table games, a BetMGM Sportsbook and dining. It also will create and will create more than 650 new jobs, according

to Gila River Hotels & Casinos, which described the new development as a “modern, inviting desert oasis” that “was cultivated to bring a desired entertainment destination and convenient location to the growing Southeast Valley.” The Gila River Indian Community operates Gila River Hotels & Casinos – which include Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva. “The development will boast lush décor, breathtaking mountain views and state-of-the-art amenities set against

the backdrop of the pristine, picturesque desert,” the release stated. “Not only will Santan Mountain bring additional revenue, sustainability and critical services to our community members, it will elevate our prestige in the gaming and hospitality industry as we continue to craft an entertainment dynasty,” Gila River Indian Community Governor Roe Lewis said. Gila River Hotels & Casinos hired international architectural and interior design firm, Steelman Partners, and The

PENTA Building Group to design and construct the casino, which is expected to take 18 to 24 months. Steelman is a designer of global entertainment, hospitality, and gaming architecture and was the lead architect for the new Resorts World Las Vegas. It has designed buildings for gaming industry leaders like including Kirk Kerkorian, Steve Wynn, Sheldon Adelson and Stanley Ho. See

CASINO on page 19

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Chandler Library unveils public ‘Makery’ BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The Chandler Library’s new Makery space allows for some amazing things, such as allowing a grandmother to show off her tech skills to an unbelieving grandson. “One time a grandmother made a 3D print for her grandson and told her grandson she created it from scratch,” said Stacey Akahoshi, the Makery librarian. “The grandson was just like, ‘No you didn’t. How do you know how to do this?’ “And then the grandmother came back into me and was like, ‘I impressed my grandson so much because he doesn’t know how to do this and I do now.’” The library’s Makery has three different rooms and some high-tech equipment that most people with a valid library card can use free of charge: a project room houses a 3D printer and sewing machine; a lab is connected to a laser writer; and a studio allows for shooting photos, videos or podcasts. The equipment must be reserved in advance and can be used for up to four hours or two hours a day, depending which room you’re using. There are some age restrictions and anyone using the equipment will need to undergo some online training for safety reasons. The library officially opened its Makery on Tuesday. It took four years to get there. Abigail Nersesian, the downtown branch administrative librarian, had the idea to upscale a project room and said the pandemic delayed the opening. But she expects it will see a lot of use soon. “We’re going to see people come in to make things for their Etsy stores or make a custom wedding gift for someone else,” Nersesian said. One possible use Nersesian suggested is for anyone who is thinking of starting a business and needs that equipment to develop a prototype.

SPENDING

from page 16

aide Morgan Dick. “We need serious leadership and meaningful action from lawmakers so our schools can get on to their critical work of providing safe in-person learning for students in their community.’’ Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, said she is personally interested in helping schools avoid a crisis. “The intention is never to do these kind of draconian cuts,’’ she said. “As we know right now, many of the schools are struggling already with the COVID issues,’’ Fann said. “We don’t need to pile more on to them right now.’’ House Majority Leader Ben Toma, R-Peoria, agreed for the need to act. “We expect to address the matter in the upcoming session,’’ he said. And

City officials and community leaders celebrated the grand opening of the Chandler Library's new Makery last week. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

They could use the space to learn the equipment and make their product without having to invest thousands of dollars into the equipment. “It is a natural evolution of our library services to create new spaces and programs where anyone can become a maker by exploring both emerging technologies, and traditional fabrication skills,” said Rachelle Kuzyk, the library’s manager. One of the reasons içt took years to open the Makery is because they wanted to make it as safe as possible. Staff had to go through specialized training and buy special equipment. For example, the laser used in the printer could reflect off some material

that someone brings in if they’re not careful. And that could start a fire or blind someone. There are two fire extinguishers near the printer, as well as a fire blanket that would be the first option if possible to try and salvage the printer. “There are plenty of libraries in schools who use that exact laser printer …, so with that one we knew that there were safety protocols already put in place by them,” said Akahoshi, who worked at a Makery in California before coming to Chandler three years ago to run this one. She said this Makery will be very doit-yourself. However, they will be offering workshops to help people learn how

to create their own jewelry with a 3D printer or use a laser printer to engrave a treasured item. To use the studio, you must be 14 or older. To use the laser printer, you need to be at least 16. Akahoshi said this fills part of the library’s mission in giving residents access to tools. “It’s all about access,” she said. “The access you have to technology is huge. … [Intel has] these things there, they have 3D printers their own staff runs and plays with all the time. But, if we don’t spark that young, or we aren’t able to teach these new skills to other people, it will be hard for Intel to continuously be able to hire.”

Toma said part of the reason an exemption is needed is “because Republicans have funded K-12 education at record levels.’’ But the current problem is more complex than that. It goes back to the aggregate expenditure limit that voters approved in 1980 for all K-12 spending statewide. Based on figures at that time, it is adjusted annually for inflation and student growth. What’s happening this year is largely the convergence of two unusual factors. First, the limit is always based on last year’s student numbers. Chuck Essigs, lobbyist for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, estimates that the drop in students in public K-12 education last year, much of that due to COVID, will reduce the spending limit by about $300 million.

But the bigger problem is one that the Legislature created in seeking to provide financial help. In 2000 voters approved Proposition 301 to levy a 0.6-cent sales tax to fund education, including teacher salaries, for 20 years. And voters made those revenues exempt from the aggregate expenditure limit. With that tax expiring this year, lawmakers in 2018 agreed to a new, identical levy to pick up in July and run until 2041 to keep the money flowing without interruption. But they never exempted what the new levy will raise from the expenditure limit. And that alone accounts for more than $632 million of money now coming in to schools --– money they formerly got to spend but, legally speaking, cannot spend this year absent a legislatively approved exemption. If lawmakers do not act, that starts

the process of determining how much each district will lose in spending authority. Essigs said the way the law is written, anything over the expenditure limit is divided up among all schools, with each forced to reduce spending by the percentage set regardless of how much they were spending. There’s something else complicating the problem. To balance the budget in the last decade, lawmakers cut dollars from the “district additional assistance’’ fund, money earmarked for schools to pay for items like books, computers and buses. That account was zeroed out by Ducey during his first year in office. That account is now fully funded. But those additional dollars that were restored to schools also helped to push total statewide expenditures above the constitutional limit.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

About Care seeks volunteers to help elderly SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A nonprofit that serves low-income and isolated senior citizens in the East Valley needs volunteers to help carry out its mission. About Care Executive Director Anne Marie McArthur said this is especially important as the holidays draw near. “About Care would encourage the residents of the Southeast Valley in Maricopa County to join us and give of their time and energy to assist many of our neighbors who might not have friends and family close by,” she said. “Maybe you are looking for something

CASINO

from page 17

Gila River Hotels & Casinos CEO Kenneth Manuel praised Steelman Partners for their innovative design concepts. “We are thrilled with the architectural renderings and design components that Paul and Steve have presented to us – they are ensuring that Santan Mountain will be a premier gaming destination for years to come.” he said. Steelman said a key focus of the project is to bring the texture, light and elements of the outdoors inside. The main casino will feature lush, blooming saguaro carpeting, natural light cascading from circular skylights, custom bubble glass and colors inspired by the rising and setting sun that bring unique

wonderful to do with your children or would like to adopt a grandparent.” Since the pandemic began, she said, “American seniors are facing a crisis to meet its basic needs…Millions of older adults, who live in areas without accessible transportation to utilize public/ ride-sharing transportation, face isolation, lack of proper nutrition and medication. “This aging population is growing exponentially, and, in many cases, these seniors lack the social supports to rely on assistance from friends or family.” About Care’s Mission is to deliver caring, compassionate support services using trained volunteers with special

concern for the elderly and disabled homebound residents of the East Valley. It was created because of the need to assist the elderly and disabled residents with services that enable them to remain in their homes, meet their basic needs, reduce isolation, and live with self-respect and dignity while encouraging independence. About Care’s program also postpones the expense of long-term care, McArthur said. The majority of requests to About Care for its free services are for assistance with medical appointments or procedures. About Care also offers assistance for shopping and errands, respite, reassurance phone calls and

minor home repairs. “About Care is looking for volunteers with big hearts who really want to help others,” McArthur said. The nonprofit also is reminding people of its need for financial support and is urging them to consider a tax-deductible end-of-year donation since About Care qualifies as an state-certified charitable tax credit organization. That means a dollar-for-dollar credit on their state tax form will be given to for up to $400 and married couples up to $800. About Care’s Tax ID is #34-2047687. Information: aboutcare.org, amcarthur@aboutcare.org or 480-802-2331.

serenity to the casino floor. The PENTA Building Group, a general contractor with extensive gaming and hospitality experience in Arizona and across the U.S., is also part of the project team along with the Casino Expansion Owners Team and Tynan Group. “Large-scale casino/entertainment projects like this are a core competency for PENTA, and we look forward to delivering a world class property we will all take pride in,” said John Cannito, president of PENTA. As project lead, the Tynan Group has been involved in projects on the Gila River Indian Community’s land for more than two decades. “The comfort of Gila River’s guests is a top priority. Whether a guest is playing the slots during the day or playing at a

high-energy, live table at night, Santan Mountain design elements will provide a striking, serene backdrop for memorable entertainment,” Steelman said. When complete, Santan Mountain will include more than 850 slots and table games including mini baccarat, craps and roulette as well as an exclusive High Limit Gaming Salon. The BetMGM sportsbook will extend the casino floor and offer plush seating, multiple large-screen TVs for viewing live games and sports betting. The new property will also provide multiple dining options and a lively bar in the center of the casino floor featuring entertainment. A hotel may be added in the future. The project also calls for road and other infrastructure improvements in

the surrounding area. Gila River’s Casino Expansion Owner’s Team \Chairman and tribal Councilman Anthony Villareal, Sr., called last week’s groundbreaking for the casino an “historic moment.: “We will have many exciting milestones ahead with Santan Mountain, and all of them will be beneficial to our community,” he said. The gaming enterprise is also slated to open a $143 million expansion project at Wild Horse Pass later this year — bringing 205 additional guest rooms, new meeting space, two pools and a rooftop restaurant and lounge to the Chandler property. The project marks the first expansion since Wild Horse Pass opened in 2009. Information: PlayAtGila.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

The current St. Benedict Catholic Church building (bottom photo) will be radically transformed into a real church edifice (top picture). Parishioners planning that transformation hope to have it ready by Christmas 2022.

(Bottom pic:: David Minton/AFN Photographer; Rendering: HDA Architects LLC)

St. Benedict’s overcomes obstacles to a church edifice BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The road to a real church edifice has been a long and sometimes heartbreaking journey for the congregation of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Ahwatukee. It began promising enough for a church that serves scores of Chandler families. In June 2018, just six weeks after launching a fund drive to cover half the cost of a $7 million, 20,000-square-foot church on 48th Street south of Chandler Boulevard, the building committee had raised $2.5 million. Hopes were high that a new building would be open on Christmas Day 2019. But in August 2018, Father Bob Binta – the congregation’s beloved pastor and chief cheerleader for a new building – passed away after a battle with cancer. Then, in May 2019, building campaign General Manager Eamonn Ahearne announced that the committee of dedicated parishioners was dialing back its schedule after some financial soul-searching. But a parish-wide determination to replace the gymnasium-like building that has served about 1,300 families for more than 15 years prevailed. And at 10 a.m. Nov. 6, Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmstead will be leading the groundbreaking for the redesigned building on S. 48th Street south of

Chandler Boulevard. Parishioners aim to open it by Christmas of next year. The groundbreaking will mark a major step in a journey that began nearly seven years ago for a few dozen parishioners who have devoted countless months to raising money, poring over budgets and hashing out design ideas. St. Benedict Building Committee Chairman Bob Prezkop said plans have radically changed over the last three years. Because of costs and some pushback by city planning and zoning officials, Pastor Fr. James Aboyi, V.C., in May 2020 urged the committee to consider making the existing building look like a church. The plans the committee came up with so radically altered the big-boxlike structure, Prezkop said, that last February “when we presented it to our parishioners, many of them said, ‘Where’s the old building? What did you do with it?’” “We had a full-blown committee and they worked through all the detailed design of what I’ll call Plan A, which was the original building," Prezkop said. “Then we had a core team of about three of us who headed the new design for Plan B.” “Once that design was accepted,” he continued, “we then brought on our interior committee and a number See

BENEDICT on page 21

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

BENEDICT

from page 20

of other committees to assist us with going into the detail.” The result of all that work is a radical transformation of the existing building’s exterior and interior that is expected to cost roughly half the estimated $7.3 million that a new building would have cost. Most of the existing building will be redesigned. The west wall will be removed to make way for new transepts, structures that are perpendicular to the nave to form a cross. There will be a new and larger sanctuary, where Mass is held, on the west side, repositioned from its current location on the building’s north side. Two sacristies are planned for priests and deacons to prepare for services and store their vestments and other essentials. A bell tower operating on a carillon system will be built and a 100-seat chapel will be added that may afford almost 24/7 access. Parishioners will be able to gather and socialize in a covered space on the northeast corner of the building or on the grassy area near the north entry. Real pews will replace folding chairs, a new altar will be built and even a choir loft wired for an organ will be added with two staircases and elevator. Plans call for a bride room, a “cry room,” new lighting and upgraded audio-visual and HVAC systems. The church’s exterior will retain the

tan color that also is on the outside walls of adjacent St. John Bosco Catholic School, although some accents are anticipated. Prezkop said the overall design will increase the nave’s capacity from roughly 600 to about 800 congregants. The pandemic has proven to be no significant obstacle to the parishioners involved in the whole process as Zoom meetings with architects could be held and “when we did have face-to-face meetings we had masks and stayed six feet apart,” Prezkop said. “One of the benefits of having a small core team was that we could move forward during the pandemic,” he added. Prezkop anticipates construction will begin soon after the groundbreaking, but added that the Christmas 2022 opening target will depend on how quickly the congregation can get the necessary building permits from the city. Then there are also the supply line hassles that could make getting building materials – and possibly more costly. “We’re always concerned” about rising materials costs,” Prezkop said, “but we seem to be in decent shape right now.” He said when the team last year realized it would have to drop “Plan A,” I was disappointed, the team was disappointed....“But we thought out of the box, came up with a great solution and were able to move forward to groundbreaking and, hopefully, our future Mass next year.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Gilbert teen addresses global health experts BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Arizona College Prep senior Sohani Sandhu has a plan to end the COVID-19 pandemic: learn the lessons from one of her least favorite subjects – history. The Gilbert resident over summer presented her plan as part of the Global Health Leaders Conference at Johns Hopkins University, one of the top medical schools in the world. Her topic was what lessons learned from the smallpox pandemic can be applied to ending the COVID threat. “This was one off the deadliest pandemics that ever happened, but it was still stopped,” Sohani said. “It took a long time, but it was still stopped because people came together and stopped it.” The Centers for Disease Control says there is evidence smallpox existed as far back as when Egypt was making mummies some 3,000 years ago, killing three of every 10 people who got the disease. A vaccine was developed in 1796 but it wasn’t until 1959 that the World Health Organization began a plan to eradicate smallpox. With mass vaccinations across the world, they succeeded. A declaration went out in May 1980 that the disease was no more. It did, however, kill between 300 and 500 million people in the 20th century alone. Sohani said the lesson from that pandemic is that vaccines work. The W.H.O. made it a priority to vaccinate everyone

Gilbert resident Sohani Sandu, a senior at ASrizona College Prep, participated in a global health conference. (Special to STSN)

who came into contact with an infected person. Doing the same for COVID-19 will not be as easy. First, when you got smallpox you knew it because the symptoms were obvious, Sohani said. That’s not the case for COVID and many people who are asymptomatic are unknowingly spreading the virus. “The huge reason smallpox was eradicated was the vaccine,” Sohani said. If COVID is to join smallpox on the list of eradicated diseases, Sohani said everyone must get vaccinated.

Sohani found out about the Global Health Leaders Conference at her school and applied to participate. She said she wasn’t sure if she would be chosen because it was open to high school students around the world and there were only 300 spots. Once she was chosen, she applied to be one of the few chosen to give a presentation. There were fewer than 50 presentations planned. Getting to that point took finding something to love about something she hated. Sohani said she was assigned a

mandatory history project in the sixth grade. “I hate history,” she said. Her teacher suggested she focus on things she likes. At that point, it was medicine because her mother was a nurse. She also enjoyed science since she had started a biology class. Her teacher suggested looking at past pandemics. And that’s when she first started researching small pox and ended up doing to her mandatory history project on the disease. Her mother, Harwinder Sohani, said her daughter is always working. “My son is in medical also,” she said. “But she’s the one interested in medical. I feel so proud.” Part of what keeps her busy is Sohani and some of her friends at school are about to launch their own medical device. As part of a 9th grade project, they invented the hydro-hat, which she calls a heat stroke prevention device. It caught the eye of Arizona State University and the Healthy Urban Environment program, which Sohani said offered them a $50,000 grant to make it. They also received a $2,500 grant from Intel for the device. She said they have a patent pending and have formed their own company. They are currently testing a prototype now. That background led her to create a research club at Arizona College Prep. “If you ask anyone at my school, ‘what does Sohani do?’ they’re like, ‘science.’ That’s pretty much it.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Market cooling, but region is still very warm BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The Valley’s housing market is cooling a bit, but buyers might not be ready to uncork the champagne. The Cromford Report, which closely tracks the housing market in Maricopa and Pinal counties, reported last week that listings have risen above 8,000 for the first time in more than nine months. But it warned, “The cooling trend is very weak compared with the second quarter, but it’s there.” Nevertheless, other national data earlier this month showed that Phoenix continues to lead the nation in yearover-year home price increases while Cromford showed the larger role investors are playing in the regional housing market. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index looked at data for July and said Phoenix led the pack with a 32.4 percent year-over-year increase in home prices in July, with San Diego (27.8 percent) and Seattle (25.5 percent) coming in second and third, respectively. Overall, the National Composite Index marked its 14th consecutive month of accelerating prices with a record 19.7 percent, the report said.

This 3,484-square-foot house on W. Musket Place, Chandler, recently sold for $915,000. The five-bedroom, three-bath house was recently remodeled and includes plantation shutters on all windows, a jacuzzi bathtub, oak hardwood floors and a number of other amenities. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

That’s had an impact on mortgage rates, which the Mortgage Bankers Association of America said “rose across all loan types” in response. “With home-price appreciation con-

tinuing to run hot, increasing more than 19 percent annually in July, applications for larger loan amounts continue to outpace lower-balance loans,” said Joel Kan, an association economist.

Meanwhile, the Cromford Report said that Phoenix also led the nation with the largest percentage the increase See

MARKET on page 25

High-end Valley penthouse can cost a bit of coin BY J. GRABER Staff Writer

For sale: Professionally decorated and furnished, 1,463-square-foot penthouse with amazing views within walking distance to Fashion Square and Old Town. Features: hardwood floors, ceilingto-floor windows, gourmet kitchen with marble counter tops and quiet balcony. Cost: Not necessarily one red cent of hard currency. Instead of cold hard cash, it can set you back roughly 47 bitcoins, or about 683 ethereum. The ultra-luxurious unit is one of four condos for sale in the Optima Camelview Village by Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty with an option for paying in cryptocurrency. “The seller realizes bitcoin, ethereum and digital assets, in general, are becoming a mainstream asset class,” said Johnathon De Young, a Realtor with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. “And it seems only appropriate for a substantial investment group to begin dipping its toes in what is likely some of the greatest financial innovation of our lifetime,” he added. Bitcoin and ethereum are two of the most prevalent forms of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency can be thought of as digital dollars. It only exists virtually

A penthosue suite in this Scottsdale condo complex is apparently the first to be offered for cryptocurrency in the Valley. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

with no central issuing or regulating agency backing it. Its value is not based on anything other than its scarcity, which is protected solely by cryptography. Of course, you can pay with traditional money, if you insist on living in the dark ages, but that route will cost you $2,048,200 for the penthouse model. No one really knows how many real estate transactions around the world

have used cryptocurrency but it’s exceedingly rare, De Young said. Cryptocurrency offers a level of anonymity in transactions – something much valued by buyers of high-end real estate, who often purchase property through limited liability corporations for privacy reasons. Aside from privacy, such buyers also are looking for properties with contemporary decor that are move-in ready. “They don’t want to do a lot of

work,” De Young said. The Hudye Group is selling the four homes, which range in price from about $1.6 million to just over $2 million each. “At Hudye Group, we realize that digital assets and cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more commonplace for investors and buyers around the world,” said Ben Hudye. “We want to help facilitate a transaction that is mutually beneficial to all parties involved so we are extremely pleased that we can offer some of the finest in luxury high-rise condominiums for sale, with the flexibility that bitcoin and ethereum provide,” he explained. “These are properties that are highly sought after and will attract a wide range of buyers locally, nationally, and even internationally.” The four units have had his phone ringing, De Young said. “Inventory is very lean and there is a tremendous amount of demand right now for this type of product,” he said. “When you combine the quality and desirability of these particular condos, along with the walkability, shopping, dining, ease to the airports, it is very well possible we could see our first real estate transaction in Scottsdale using a digital asset.” See

CONDO on page 25

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

MARKET

from page 24

in home prices from August to September. The 3.32 percent August-September increase in Phoenix easily beat those in the next two cities – Tampa (2.94 percent) and Las Vegas (2.77 percent). Cromford also shed additional light on the role investors are playing in the regional housing market. Looking exclusively at iBuyer sales, Cromford reported that purchases by institutions or large companies in the region comprised 26 percent of sales so far this year as opposed to only 10-11 percent in each of the past three years. And this year, iBuyer sales by companies and institutions have steadily risen the first three quarters, going from 19 percent of all iBuyer sales in the first quarter to 27 percent in the second and trending upward again to 31 percent in the third quarter. Noting that “iBuyers selling homes to investors is not a new thing” and that “it has been happening for many years,” Cromford said: “However, just as investors are buying more homes in general, they are also buying more homes from

CONDO

from page 24

But maybe more appropriately, the real interest in the properties is coming in from the internet. “They’re getting a tremendous num-

iBuyers. iBuyers have been recruiting specialized staff to focus on serving their investor customers.” But it also said, “Demand is improving but a lot of this is coming from investors and iBuyers so could die away quickly. “Demand from ordinary home-buyers is subdued, no matter what the media might be telling you,” it added. “If the iBuyers stop their spending spree then demand could fall quickly.” That pause in spending may be starting after Zillow announced last week that it is pausing new home purchases because of the same supply-chain disruptions that have affected their conventional competitors. Entities like Zillow, Opendoor and Offerpad paid a median price of $435,396 in September, compared to a median price of $276,000 a year ago. They also are selling at prices comparable to the overall market, Cromford’s data indicated, with a median sale price of $412,000 in September compared to $287,000 a year earlier. “If it were not for investors and iBuyers the market would be cooling much more quickly that it is,” Cromford said. Greg Hague, owner of 72SOLD, said

iBuyers’ profits in the Valley housing market have averaged more than $40,600 between May 1 and June 20 this year and that their fees drive up their profits by another $10,000 to $30,000. Meanwhile, in a somewhat cautious word for sellers, Cromford noted the average closing price in September was only .26 percent above the listing price – a far cry from the 1.82 percent above list that closings averaged in June. “There is no guarantee that the current trend will hold, of course,” it added. And that also offers no great comfort to buyers, judging by the market index Cromford developed in which scores of 100 indicate a balance between sellers and buyers and anything above that number swings toward a sellers market. As of last week, the 17 communities in the Valley that are tracked by the Cromford Market Index showed the lowest score was 214 in Maricopa – twice the number indicating a balanced market. The highest was 634 in Fountain Hills. Phoenix came in ninth among the 17 cities with a score of 333. One of the more startling finds by

Cromford in recent weeks shows how iBuyers have surged as a market force, commanding more than a third of the the Valley’s inventory of homes for sale. Cromford also indicated that investors have found a version of “flipping” with new builds. “We are seeing many examples of brand-new homes being re-sold at much higher prices shortly after their initial purchase,” it reported. “One specialist investor has resold a dozen new homes for a profit of more than $600,000. We can expect more developers imposing contract terms to try to prevent this in future.” For now, though, “the fact that developer prices are usually fixed at contract signing is limiting their ability to sell at market price.” While the median sale price for resale homes was $415,000 in September – up 26 percent from a year ago – the new home median price was $412,000 – only 11 percent higher than September 2020. Cromford attributed that to “supply chain problems and chronic labor shortages” that it said “are limiting the developer’s ability to capitalize on the market strength.”

ber of clicks,” he said. There are nuances to a cryptocurrency transaction involving real estate, such as having a title company well versed in how to process the deal. Stewart Title, which has experience in Bitcoin transactions, will serve as the

escrow company for the transactions at . To date there’s been one real estate transaction that involved cryptocurrency in Arizona, and Stewart Title handled that transaction. No matter how luxurious the condominiums are or how novel the currency

used to purchase them is, keep in mind that they are adjacent Old Town which means parking is at a premium. It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that $2 million, whether in cryptocurrency or cash, only gets the buyer one parking space.

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Chandler hair salon duo aim to be a cut above

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

The key to being a business leader during a pandemic is to put people first. So say two Chandler men who run 41 Sport Clips franchises in three states – Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Val Hill and Jared Lee met during business school at Brigham Young University. They were both working for Intel when they decided in 2005 to put their education to work and start their own business. “Going through the pandemic was certainly a difficult thing,” Lee said. “We didn’t know what the status of our business was going to be. “I would say one of the key aspects that helped us, is that we didn’t lay anyone off,” Hill said. “We continued to pay all of our people, and this was before PPP loan or any of that. We made the determination that our people are our biggest asset and we need to take care of our people.” That meant paying them both their salaries and what they usually received in tips during the time the businesses were shut down, which was six weeks in Arizona and three months in the Pacific Northwest, without some of the help the federal government offered small businesses later. The partners say they were able to do that because of how they managed

Jared Lee, left, and Val Hill, visiting the Sport Clips location on 54th Street in Chandler, own 39 Sport Clips locations in three states, including Arizona and recently won an inhouse award for their work, (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

their business before the pandemic: they were conservative and had enough money in reserves to be able to weather rocky times. “I think what that helped us do, is that helped us get us reopen quickly,” Hill said. “Once we were allowed to reopen, … we didn’t have to go try and find people that we laid off.” For those efforts, the two men were named Sport Clips Business Leaders of the Year for 2020. It is the second time they’ve won that award – and they looked at it as yet another recognition

that leaving the corporate world to start their own business was the right call. But choosing which business to go into was not easy. “We looked at Subway, and Quiznos, and other franchises,” Lee said. “We looked at buying some land, and doing development, and building houses. We were generally in the market and looking around.” It was Hill who suggested they look at Sport Clips. He said the fact that there was nothing else like it – a haircut chain that focused on men - is what ap-

pealed to him. He just had to convince his partner. “What’s that, like video things for kids?” Lee recalled saying. He said his initial reaction was two dudes in the haircut business was not the right fit. Hill suggested they go get a haircut at the Gilbert location to check it out. After enjoying that experience, and doing more research, they bought their first three franchises. They also now own that Gilbert location they checked out 16 years ago. For the first five years they poured any money they made back into the business, getting more franchises. That’s how they reached the 41 they operate today. They say the reason they can operate so many locations in three different states is because of the people they hired, and the entrust to run each location. “The key to it all is you have to have good people that you work with,” Lee said. “We have an amazing group of area managers and store managers.” Hill agreed. “We empower our people to … run things,” he said. “The store manager views that store as her store. They’re empowered to hire and fire, spend money to buy what they need. We don’t constrain them much.” Putting their people first has paid off, even during a pandemic.

Downtown cinema owner ‘looks’ to sudsy future BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Look Dine-In Cinemas has big plans as the company continues to open theaters across the nation. And the location that owner Brian Schultz opened in downtown Chandler on Oct. 14 is giving him a chance to try something new: This is the first Look Dine-In Cinema that comes with a microbrewery. Schultz says he hopes to have 20 locations open by next year – Chandler is his seventh. “We’re opening one every three weeks,” Schultz said. “It’s keeping me busy.” So why Chandler? “As I look around the country, there’s theaters that really matter, that are a center point of the community,” Schultz said. “Those are the ones that we’re selecting to stand back up. It was closed and it’s a shame that the community of Chandler doesn’t have a central gathering place that’s a high-quality theater.” The theater, at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard, previously housed Flix Brewhouse, which did not survive the pandemic. Don’t go looking for any custom-made brews just yet. Look is still in the process of getting the proper license to brew its own suds. Until then, they will offer traditional beer and oth-

Left: City dignitaries and community leaders lined up for the ribbon cutting Oct. 14 at the new Look Dine-In Cinema in downtown Chandler. Right: Look Dine-In Cinema owner Brian Schultz said the Chandler location, his seventh, is the first with its own brewery. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

er alcoholic beverages. “We’ve been talking about doing a lot of custom blends, and we can’t wait to get that back up and started,” Schultz said. To run his first microbrewery, Schultz hired the woman who did that job for Flix. “The bonus I have is I know this system,” Marisa Bernal said. “I built this system, so once we fire up, everything should be OK.”

Bernal said she often gets her inspiration for a new beer flavor from the new movies being released. “As a cinema brewery, we actually do all of our beers are going to be pushed out with big movie releases,” she said. She talked about her process by using the upcoming release of a new Spider-Man film in December. She said she could adjust the recipe dozens of

times before finding the right flavor. Schultz is hoping it will be more than beer that brings people to his theater. He said former Flix patrons should notice some big changes. First, Schultz said they should notice is the sound system. He says they invested in a much better sound system. See

CINEMA on page 30

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Couple target Chandler with their pool service SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Should any Chandler homeowner ever see Heather and Preston Gilbert doing fancy footwork around their pool, it wouldn’t be a total surprise. Heather is a former dance instructor and her husband owned a martial arts studio in Idaho. Now, the couple has opened a Pool Scouts franchise that is focused on Chandler. Past owners of a car dealership as well, the Gilberts were looking for a new business that could expand on their previous experience as well as help them be more involved in their community. That’s when they found Pool Scouts, a pool service and maintenance franchise with over 95 locations under Buzz Franchise Brands. The Gilberts’ business is the second Pool Scouts franchise in Arizona. As the pandemic set in, the Gilberts decided to set up a Pool Scouts business and target Chandler as their service area. “The majority of the homes in Chandler have pools, so there’s definitely a need for the service,” the Gilberts said in a release. “There are no other companies in this area that only focus on servicing pools and perfecting how that’s done that are as reliable and professional as Pool Scouts. Preston also has 19 years of experience in the automotive industry and spent the last eight years training, consulting and managing automotive dealerships across the U.S. and Canada.

Having spent years “assisting businesses

with adopting proven processes, we saw value in investing in a proven model that works. A family-focused brand that wants to make pools safe is something we’re looking forward to offering Chandler.

”

cant benefit during the pandemic.” Buzz Franchise Brands said the Valley is an ideal spot for an expansion of Virginia Beach-based Pool Scouts, stating there are more than 200,000 homes with pools. “We’re thrilled to have the Gilberts join the Pool Scouts family as we continue making headway throughout Arizona,” said Michael Wagner, president of the brand. “As folks continue to spend more time at home and pools provide safe entertainment, the demand for quality pool service brands like Pool Scouts will continue to increase, and we’re up for meeting that demand.” Information: poolscouts.com/chandler.

Former dance instructor Heather Gilbert and her martial arts instructor husband Preston Gilbert have opened a pool service for Chandler. (Special to STSN)

“Having spent years assisting businesses with adopting proven processes, we saw value in investing in a proven model that works. A family-focused brand that wants to make pools safe is something we’re looking forward to offering Chandler,” he

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Intel expansion likely to heat up housing market BY EUGENE QUACKENBUSH Guest Writer

Intel, the U.S.-based semiconductor chip manufacturer, recently announced big plans to invest and expand its footprint at its Chandler-based power plant. The company is dedicating $20 billion to construction for two new facilities, bringing over 21,000 job opportunities to the area. With this influx of jobs, many experts are saying the estimated threeyear project will inevitably affect the residential real estate market within the East Valley. Despite Chandler’s population of just over 250,000 people, the city has only been averaging 350 active listings per month that are on the market for a

CINEMA

from page 28

Then there is the menu itself. Schultz said they will offer everything from sushi to peanut butter and jelly sliders. But there’s something else that pa-

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short 23 days. Last month, the average home in Chandler was about $257 per square foot, bringing selling prices to around $564,000. Chandler has had a steady price increase within the last five years. However, with the projected job influx from Intel, the prices are predicted to increase rapidly. Currently, Chandler ranks #11 in terms of price per square foot – behind Paradise Valley and Scottsdale – but this demand could cause a spike. Chandler won’t be the only city in Arizona affected by this influx. The real estate market in the Phoenix Metro area is currently very competitive, and prices are at record highs. Valley home prices are up approximately 18 percent over this time last year, and Phoenix continues to be listed as one of the cities in the U.S. with the

highest year-over-year gains. The Valley is down to an extremely low inventory with just under 12,000 homes on the market. In a regular market, we usually have a six-month supply, so the market is drastically short of a typical resale inventory. This demand will eliminate the resale home infrastructure and will ultimately drive new residential construction sales. While these new homes will help alleviate part of the housing crisis, another issue arises: the lack of developable land. Gilbert and Chandler are quickly reaching build-out capacity, and in the surrounding area, Mesa is the only city left with land left to develop; in far east Mesa, there are large tracts of state land that could be used for residential development. With the inventory of homes for sale falling short, Intel will drive rental de-

mand, but the outlook on rentals is grim. Typical rental rates used to fall around $1.45 per square foot in 2020, but rental rates have shot up in recent months, reaching about $1.75 per square foot. Inventory has reached an all-time low, with limited rentals available in popular neighborhoods. Build-to-rent is the new trend in the Arizona market, and developers are constructing new single-family homes at a rapid pace, but the projects in the pipeline aren’t enough to support this uptick in demand. With Intel adding demand, the real estate market will likely remain hot. We saw homes in Chandler appreciate more than 25.3 percent year over year and with all these factors considered, it will likely continue to rise. Eugene Quackenbush is a Valley broker and founding Opendoor employee who helped create getyournest.com.

trons should notice first. “One of the pillars of Look Cinemas is the non-distracting movie-going experience,” Schultz said. “We come in and we do all of the service before the main feature begins, so we don’t do service during.”

He said people can still order from their phones during the movie. “When we are in the auditorium during the movie, we have ninja servers who are all in black. We have to be really careful. Dine-in movies are so great, but sometimes they can be a

distraction.” Each seat in the seven theaters has its own unique QR code that will bring up the menu when you aim your phone at it. And maybe by January after they get a license, they’ll also be able to bring a custom-made brew.

Contact Paul C Contact Paul P l Maryniak Maryniak M y i k at at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com p pmaryniak@timespublications.com pmaryniak@timespublications y i k@ i p bli i com 480 898 5647 or

Be in the know about events in Chandler Celebrate with Chandler! There are happenings of all kinds throughout the community nearly every day of the year. Everyone can ﬁnd something to love in the City of Chandler, from blockbuster festivals to live concerts to cultural celebrations, signature events, and family-friendly fun.

Visit chandleraz.gov/special-events Just one example of an upcoming event, the Field of Honor Memorial Ribbon Cutting Ceremony takes place Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. at Veterans Oasis Park

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Hamilton volleyball makes eye-opening statement on national stage BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

It isn’t the first time Hamilton High School’s girls’ volleyball team has competed at a national level with topranked teams from around the country. And it certainly won’t be the last. But the most recent tournament the Huskies were invited to be a part of, the Geico Girls’ Volleyball Invitational, had a bit of a different feel than those the Huskies have played in in year’s past. The tournament featured Mount Notre Dame High School from Ohio, one of the top teams in its home state. It also included Assumption High School from Kentucky which is not only one of the top teams in its home state but the No. 6 team in the country. Lastly, Marymount from Los Angeles, Calif., the top-ranked team in the nation, also took part. It was a four-team tournament that included some of the nation’s best. And Hamilton, the No. 23 ranked team heading into it, shined. “I’m so proud,” said Hamilton head coach Sharon Vanis, who almost became choked up thinking about her team’s performance. “This has been nothing but a great experience for our kids and it makes us better and better. We play like that day in and day out some good things could happen.” Hamilton kicked off the tournament on Friday, Oct. 8 with a come-from-behind win over Assumption. The Huskies found themselves down 2-1 before winning two straight sets to upset one of the best teams in the nation. The win advanced Hamilton to the

Left: Hamilton’s girls’ volleyball program made a statement last weekend in the Geico Girls’ Volleyball Invitational, beating sixth-ranked Assumption from Kentucky and going toe-to-toe with top-ranked Marymount from California. Right: Hamilton coach Sharon Vanis said she was proud of the way her team competed in the national tournament. She believes if they continue to play at a high level thay can once again win a 6A state title. (Dave Minton/STSN Staff)

points to win in dramatic fashion. Just like the football program, volleyball showed its ability to fight. “I absolutely loved playing against such high-caliber competition, all the teams here are great,” said senior outside hitter Jordan Middleton, a USC volleyball commit. “Playing against the

our chemistry is what makes us special,” “TateI think said. “We have a bond on and off the court. That bond off the court carries on to it. Especially with the talent we have, it all just comes together. ”

– Demya Tate

championship match to face topranked Marymount Saturday night. The match was televised nationally on ESPNU. It was the second time in less than a month ESPN’s cameras focused in on Hamilton. In September, the Husky football program hosted Las Vegas power Bishop Gorman, the No. 7 ranked team at the time. Down 24-7 with just over a minute to play, the Huskies scored 18 straight

No. 6 team, that was a fun match for us. I think we really learned a lot. And I thought we did really good against the No. 1 team. “It’s a really good feeling to know what we are capable of. I think it really helps us improve.” Marymount dominated the first set, but Hamilton bounced back to win the second 28-26. The Huskies continued to battle but the Sailors proved to be too

Have an interesting sports story? Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

much in a 3-1 defeat for the tournament title. Still, Hamilton’s players didn’t hang their heads about the performance. After all, they had just virtually gone toe to toe with the nation’s best team. Hamilton’s national ranking increased to 18 after the tournament. While it is nice to be recognized, that isn’t the main focus of the players. Demya Tate, who was key for Hamilton in the championship match, said the experience of playing out of state teams has led to this year’s group to be as confident as ever. Earlier in the season Hamilton played several out-of-state opponents in a tournament. Beyond that, the Huskies started the season losing three of their first five matches before rattling off 21 straight wins before Marymount. “I think our chemistry is what makes us special,” Tate said. “We have a bond on and off the court. That bond off the court carries on to it. Especially with the talent we have, it all just comes together.” Tate, who transferred from Skyline two seasons ago, never imagined she would have competed in and won a state title followed by an appearance on ESPNU in a top tournament. But

those are the types of opportunities Vanis and Hamilton, like other teams, aim to provide for their players. The national competition helps Hamilton see a variety of looks on the court. In Vanis’ eyes, that helps the team in the long run when they begin the meat of their AIA schedule. Every team Vanis has coached has had its own personality. But if it’s one thing they have in common is their works ethic. This year’s team is led by nine seniors, the most ever on the Hamilton varsity roster. It’s their leadership and experience that has helped this team emerge as a national power this year. And while it won’t be an easy road with the likes of O’Connor, Perry and Xavier still looming, Vanis believes this year’s team once again can sit atop the 6A Conference at the end of the season. “They kind of messed up showing me the level of play they were capable of, so now I expect them to play like that every night,” Vanis said. “If they do, we should hopefully win another title. But there’s teams out there that can beat us. If we bring our level of intensity, we should be OK.”

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

CUSD naming Chandler weight room after beloved coach BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Chris Chick was more than just a beloved assistant football coach for Chandler High School’s powerhouse football program. He was a friend, a mentor and an overall loving presence on campus. He wasn’t afraid to engage in conversation with anyone. And if you listened, he became even more comfortable with you. Often, a simple conversation would turn into an hour or longer with Chick. Not only did he enjoy the dialogue — especially when it was about football — but he genuinely enjoyed getting to know people. That, partnered with his football knowledge, is why his unexpected death in May sent shockwaves through the Arizona and Chandler football community. Chick was just 42 years old. “It’s still not real,” Chandler coach Rick Garretson said. “There’s not a day that goes by myself or a staff member doesn’t laugh about something with Chris. That was the influence he had on us. We are who we are because of his knowledge.” Part of Chick’s legacy at Chandler was built in the weight room. He took pride in leading the team’s strength and conditioning efforts and would even help non-football players on campus achieve their weightlifting goals. It didn’t matter if they played a sport or not, he treated them like one of his own. To honor that legacy, fellow Chandler football assistant and head track and field coach Eric Richardson drafted a proposal to rename the weight room — which had recently been fully remodeled and built — after Chick. The resolution was brought to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board at its meeting on Oct. 13. It passed 5-0. “He deserves it,” Chandler senior strong safety Devin Dunn said. “He really motivated us and pushed us to be great in the weight room. It taught us that nothing in life would ever be easy. I think he taught us a lot of great lessons in this room, off the field and on the field” Dunn and senior defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson recalled some of their fa-

From left: Chandler senior defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson, head coach Rick Garretson and senior safety Devin Dunn said there isn’t a day that goes by where they don’t think of Chick and what he did for them in the weight room and on the field. (Corey Cross/Contributor)

vorite memories with Chick in the weight room. Along with his motivating personality, he also was known to crack jokes. Often, he would enter the room and start playing his favorite rock music. The players, despite often not knowing who the artist was or the name of the song, would get amped up from the music. If they started jumping around, Chick would join them and at times, head bang. “The times with his music, yeah, that was fun,” Dunn said. “We had some good times with that.” Johnson said it still doesn’t seem real Chick is no longer with them. Every day at practice he listens for his infectious laugh or boisterous yell while on the field. But it never comes. Chick’s impact was felt on all of Chandler’s players, regardless of whether they were directly coached by him or not. There wasn’t a day that went by Chick wouldn’t gloat about the players he had in the trenches. He was their best friend, but he was also tough on

The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board recently voted to rename the Chandler High School weight room after former football assistant Chris Chick, who passed away suddenly in May at 42 years old. (File Photo)

them. But it made them successful. Johnson, who would routinely go against Chandler’s starting offensive line in practice, recalled on several occasions hearing Chick yell from across the field. Sometimes, he was cheering for something one of his linemen did well.

There isn’t a day that goes by that Garretson doesn’t think of Chick. Many referred to him as Garretson’s stepson because of their close bond. They sat together in the press box when Garretson was a coordinator under then-head coach Shaun Aguano. Both and the other

We would be hitting the bags and hear him “ yelling and everyone would stop and look, he cared about the game and made sure we knew how important every detail was. He was hard on us but once you talk to him on the side, he was easy to talk to. He’s like a teddy bear.

”

– Isaiah Johnson

Other times he was scolding a player like most, if not all, football coaches do. But they always responded. They knew he cared about them. “We would be hitting the bags and hear him yelling and everyone would stop and look,” Johnson said, laughing. “He cared about the game and made sure we knew how important every detail was. He was hard on us but once you talk to him on the side, he was easy to talk to. He’s like a teddy bear.” This season has been dedicated to Chick. Chandler is currently in the process of chasing its sixth straight state title and is the top-ranked team in the Open Division rankings for the third straight year. Even with him not physically present, players and coaches know Chick is watching over them. It’s given them an extra level of motivation to continue dominating the way Chick challenged them to do in year’s past. “(Winning the title) would feel right,” Johnson said, adding what he would say to Chick if he had the opportunity. “I would just say thank you for staying hard on us. He did it because that’s who he is and because he knew it was what he had to do for us to be successful.”

coaches made a pact when Aguano left for Arizona State they would remain intact no matter who was picked by school administrators to take over the program. The Chandler football community has a tight bond. But the bond between coaches on staff may be even stronger. That’s why when Chick’s name is officially unveiled on the outer walls of the weight room, and his Jersey from his time playing for the University of California, Berkeley is hung up inside alongside the jerseys of former Chandler players who played or are currently playing in the NFL, it will be an emotional moment. Garretson hopes to honor Chick and invite his family to the Wolves’ final home game this season against Highland on Nov. 5. Details are still being ironed out. But no matter how the Wolves honor him this season, his name and legacy will live forever inside the walls of the weight room – his paradise. “Having that cornerstone, having that rock, he was the rock,” Garretson said. “We took off when he took over the strength program. “Having his name up there, it’s going to be awesome.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Redistricting chair: We want to hear from you BY ERIKA SCHUPAK NEUBERG Guest Writer

I am the Independent, politically unaffiliated chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. My colleagues and I are tasked with redrawing Arizona’s congressional and state legislative district lines, a process that occurs every 10 years and serves as the boundaries from which our state and federal representatives seek elected office to represent us, individually and collectively. Your AIRC has been hard at work preparing for the consequential next step of drawing draft maps. We have built a talented and diverse staff whose members share deep state knowledge and speak the same languages as the communities they are reaching out to. We have gathered academics, demographers, legal consultants, mapping consultants, and others who, in a relatively short time, have seamlessly collaborated to advise us on meeting our obligations under the United States and Arizona Constitutions. We have studied our state’s racial and ethnic diversity, migration trends, economic drivers,

natural resources, and comments from the citizens as to what links us together as communities of interest. We hope the general public continues to take advantage of the trove of civic-minded information provided on the AIRC’s website under the newsroom link. Since summer, we have engaged in an extensive listening tour to identify our state’s various “communities of interest” and hear from citizens as to what they believe is important in drawing district lines. I was honored to attend each of the 19 public hearings to date across 47 locations and thank the over 1,000 dedicated citizens who participated. To be honest, I did not know what to expect at these meetings; we so often see rancor, negativity, and political extremism on traditional and social media. I am proud to say, however, that civic engagement in Arizona is strong. Time and again, individuals, diverse in so many ways, took turns respectfully and passionately expressing their views. We heard about the responsiveness (or lack thereof) of our local, state, and federal elected leaders. We learned of historical, geographical, and economic connections, such as the Copper Corridor, that unite us.

We were reminded that political compromise is still possible, such as in Yuma, where Republican leaders spoke so positively of their Democratic colleagues, and vice versa. They demonstrated how to turn division into an asset by capitalizing on additional representation. We heard from rural communities fearful that urban growth will impinge on their way of life. And we were reminded that too many minority communities still feel marginalized in their political representation. Much work remains. The AIRC will continue to hold public meetings throughout the process. The maps will be drawn in a transparent manner in accordance with our constitutions. You can follow each and every step of the map-drawing process live; up-to-date information with instructions for how to participate can be found on our website or social media platforms. Citizens can submit maps, leaving no room for interpretation as to what is important to you as to the constitutional criteria. You do not need to attend a meeting to submit your comments; simply visit irc.az.gov and you

will be directed to the appropriate links. The AIRC is open 24/7 for feedback in the language that is most comfortable for you to express your thoughts. Please consider attending an upcoming hearing, or at minimum taking the time to share your feedback. Our sincere goal is for all citizens of Arizona to be heard and counted. We are committed to conducting a transparent, ethical process that fosters as much confidence-building and trust as possible. I appreciate that there is still much to learn, and take seriously our obligation to protect every citizen’s right to representation. We have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to draw legislative and congressional maps that reflect the rich and diverse interests of our citizenry and of our shared home, Arizona. On behalf of all the IRC Commissioners, I look forward to hearing from you. Erika Schupak Neuberg is an Independent and was unanimously elected by her peers to be the volunteer chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. She is a graduate of Colorado College, and earned a master’s degree and doctorate in psychology from Arizona State University.

Support local Hispanic-owned businesses in Chandler BY RIC SERRANO Guest Writer

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and experience the wonderful foods, drinks, traditions, and strong community the Hispanic culture has to offer. As we conclude the monthlong celebration, it’s important our community continues to support Hispanic-owned small businesses all year round. I come from a long line of business owners. My great grandparents immigrated to Arizona from Sonora, Mexico, in the early 20th century. They planted roots in Chandler, opening the Serrano Brothers Popular Store in 1919 which eventually became Chandler’s oldest, family-owned business. My parents, as Mexican food en-

thusiasts, opened up La Casa Serrano restaurant in downtown Chandler in 1979. They were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm from the Chandler community for their authentic Mexican cuisine. Forty-two years later, my siblings and I own four Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants with a new fast-casual Mexican food concept, Pronto, set to debut later this year in Tempe. A huge aspect of our business is engaging with the community that has given my family so much – something that was significantly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Because of the shutdowns, we had to transition our efforts to take-out only, which previously was only a small portion of our business. We knew we had to continue engaging with our community – it was

the people of Chandler who helped us launch our business in the first place. That’s why we decided to turn to social media, to reach our customers where they were – online. We used Facebook and Instagram Stories to promote the sale of new products and dishes, such as to-go family pack meals and to-go alcohol. With no in-person dining sales for a period, marketing our menu items through social media helped us substantially grow our takeout sales. Though we have since welcomed customers back into our restaurant, we continue to rely on social media to inform our customers about new specials and upcoming events. Recently, we were proud to team up with the Arizona Rattlers and offer our followers tickets to Rattlers home games through contests held on our

Facebook and Instagram pages. As a small, family owned business, we could not be more grateful for the support we’ve received from the Chandler community, during the height of the pandemic and as we recover. We are proud to be one of the original Hispanic-owned businesses in the East Valley with 102 years under our belt. But like many other small businesses, we face unprecedented challenges ahead, including skyrocketing food prices and substantial wage increases across the board due to a labor shortage. That’s why, during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond, I encourage you to seek out and support local Hispanic-owned businesses. With your support, we can thrive for years to come. Rick Serrano is the CEO of Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Senator Sinema: Become an Independent

On Oct. 5, 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang changed his voting registration from Democrat to Independent. I think you should make the same decision. In explaining his decision, Mr. Yang said that he is more of a practical problem solver than a partisan. To your credit, you have repeatedly applied cerebral analysis to complex problems and made independent decisions that you believed were in the best interests of the majority of Arizonans. Years ago, the Democrat party may have represented reasonable policy decisions. Unfortunately, that party has been hijacked by the radical left. I provide just a few examples:

• Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum calling on the FBI to crack down on parents who complain about their school boards. • Now, parents who object to their kids being subjected to racist teachings in the form of Critical Race Theory and parents who object to schools recruiting youngsters to become transgender are at risk of being investigated by the FBI. • Many Americans cannot go to restaurants or entertainment venues without demonstrating that they have been vaccinated. But illegal border crossers can go anywhere they wish within our country without having to subject themselves to COVD tests or proving that they have been vaccinated. A com-

pounding travesty is that many tens of thousands of hospital workers, police officers and border agents are losing their jobs—thereby putting the public at tremendous risk—because they choose not to receive vaccines. • Last year we saw that there are no consequences for burning down businesses while business owners were at risk of receiving fines if they opened and operated their businesses during shelter-in-place restrictions. It is no secret that the ranking Democrat leaders and their rabid activists dislike you for being an independent thinker. Your party leaders cast you as a traitor. You are mocked on Saturday Night Live. You are heckled and harangued while teaching.

The policies pushed by today’s Democrat party are inconsistent with the majority of Arizonans’ values. I think the long-list of demands that the Woke activists are agitating for are largely inconsistent with your values as well. It seems to me that to maintain your values and practical problem-solving practices, you need to realign with a more suitable political channel. You will have much more leverage and will be able to serve Arizonans much better as an Independent. If you believe that you will lose too much in terms of committee assignments and the like by becoming an Independent, then I am sure the Republican Party would welcome you. -David Wanetick, CEO, IncreMental Advantage

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Jewish War Vets launch spectacular auction SANTAN SUN NEWS

A free three-day getaway at Cabo San Lucas, a private suite at Churchill Downs, $500 worth of hypnosis weightloss sessions and a $500 Walmart gift card are among the prizes people can win while simultaneously helping homeless veterans. Those and other goodies will be auctioned on line beginning Wednesday, Oct. 27, and continuing through Nov. 10 by Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619. Although bidding doesn’t begin until Oct. 27, so people cannot sign up until then. To sign up once the auction begins, go to bid13.io/JWV.com or call 888-577-4011. The post’s “A Hand Up 4 Vets” auction features several dozen prizes that have been assembled by a committee that has worked for months to secure more than 60 donations from generous area businesses and others. “We wanted to create a fundraiser that would be COVID-safe for all of our retired members, the majority of whom are not as young as I am,” joked 90-year-old Auction Committee Chair and Senior Vice Commander Owen Fabert. “We decided an online auction would be a perfect way for our community to help homeless veterans for

Members of Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619’s auction committee include, from left, Judy Wolin, Nancy Stutman, Carol Fabert, Auction Chair Owen Fabert, Joel Goldman, Gabe Forosberg, Elliott Reiss, Dave Wagner. Seated are, from left, Chuck Wolin and Post Commander Bob Brooks. (Courtesy of JWV Post 619)

now.” “We are thrilled about the quality and uniqueness of our auction items,” he added. “The participating organiza-

tions have really stepped up and given us a range of exciting special experiences and items.” Proceeds will go to nonprofits

such as Veterans First, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes the lives of See

AUCTION on page 36

Help sought for wreaths on veterans’ graves SANTAN SUN NEWS

The tradition started in 1992 in Maine when a family that owned a tree farm had a surplus of Christmas wreaths and donated the extras to the Arlington National Cemetery to put on its graves. And over the years, that thoughtful act blossomed into a nationwide movement in which anyone can honor deceased veterans by contributing to local organizations that place wreaths on their graves. This year, the Exchange Club of Chandler and its counterpart in Ahwatukee are working with Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery in Chandler for the sixth annual Chandler Wreaths Across America Day event on Dec. 18. Over time, the event has drawn other organizations, including Chandler Elks Lodge #2429 and the Ahwatukee-based Exchange Club of Phoenix. Their goal is to raise enough money to place wreaths on approximately 2,800 veterans’ graves at Valley of the Sun Cemetery. Last year, approximately 1,800 wreaths were sponsored and organizer Mark Whitaker said, “We will need help from the community to achieve the goal of sponsoring 2,800 wreaths.” According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Maine family that started this tradition got an eager reception to their proposal.

Last year, donations supported placing wreaths on 1,800 of the 2,800 veterans’ graves at Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery in Chandler. (Courtesy of Mark Whitaker)

“Several volunteers stepped up to help, including veterans from American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and a truck company owner who transported the wreaths to Arlington, Virginia, where a small ceremony was held at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” according to department. This remained a small yearly tradition for nearly 15 years until a photo taken at the 2005 ceremony went viral. “Almost immediately, thousands of people wanted to know how to help or how they could begin a similar tradition in their states,” the Defense Department said. By 2008, it had become a tradition at dozens of cemeteries across the country and has continued to grow, with more than 2.2 million graves

across the country now decorated with a wreath at more than 2,100 cemeteries. Chandler’s annual event consists of laying out the wreaths and a memorial ceremony. Volunteers will begin gathering around 8 a.m. for light refreshments and the laying of the wreaths will begin at 9 a.m., Whitaker said. “Each wreath symbolizes the commitment to remember and honor our nation’s veterans and teach our children about freedom and the sacrifice required to maintain our freedom,” Whitaker said. There will be an educational activity for children to help them learn about veterans. “As wreaths are laid, we ask that the volunteers respectfully remember the veteran by saying the veteran’s name aloud,” Whitaker said. The formal ceremony will start at 10 a.m. and will be streamed on Facebook Live on the Valley of the Sun Cemetery, Chandler Elks, and the Exchange Clubs of Chandler and Phoenix Facebook pages. Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery has been serving Chandler and the East Valley since 1963. Between now and Nov. 30, people can sponsor a wreath for $15. They can also sponsor a family pack of four wreaths for $60. Small business sponsorships of $150 support 10 wreaths. To make a donation: reathsacrossamerica.org/AZ0084P.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Sun Lakes Rotary Club salutes teachers of the month BY DR. HONORA NORTON Contributor

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes has named two teachers of the month. The club named Molly Garrison, a first grade teacher at Chandler’s Elementary Connect Online Academy September’s Teacher of the Month. Laurie Jensen, a second grade Teacher at Chandler Traditional Academy (CTA Goodman) was named Teacher of the Month for October. The monthly teacher awards are sponsored jointly by Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, Trust Bank and Earnhardt Auto Centers. Education Chair Don Robins said that each month, various Sun lakes Rotary Club members select from a large base of nominees a teacher from East Valley using the following selection criteria. That criteria include: total years of service in the field of education; examples of how the proposed teacher goes above the normal requirements; examples of how teacher enhances the education of her/his students; the respect for the teacher by her/his peers, students and parents; and, interest shown by the teacher to be involved in extracurricular activities and in the community. Garrison is a graduate of the College of Education at Arizona State Univer-

Left: Rotary Club President congratulates Molly Garrison, Teacher of the Month for September. Right: Don Robins, education committee chair for the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, salutes Laurie Jensen, the club’s Teacher of the Month for October. (Courtesy Honora Norton)

sity and received her master’s degree in early childhood education from Northern Arizona University. She has earned endorsements in both reading and English Language Instruction, is a Spalding Certified Teacher and has been teaching first grade since 1999. Garrison’s goal is to create a com-

munity of lifelong learners who will always value the importance of education. Jensen received her BA in English from Cal Poly Pomona in Southern California and her masters in curriculum and instruction from ASU; and this is her 13th year of teaching at CTA Goodman. Teaching children how to write is one

of Ms. Jensen’s favorite things to do. Rotary Club President Jon Lyons thanked both teachers for their outstanding support of education and youth within the East Valley. For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Education Programs and/or membership see sunlakesrotary.com.

NEIGHBORS

AUCTION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

from page 34

women veterans; MANA House, which offers transitional living for homeless veterans; AZ Veterans Stand Down Alliance, which offers resources for thousands of homeless and at-risk vets at annual events; and US Vets-Phoenix, which serves more than 1,200 homeless veterans annually. Auction Committee member Nancy Stutman noted that two of every five people experiencing homelessness live in places unfit for human habitation, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Homeless veterans require an array of services to get them back on their feet as productive, contributing citizens,” she said. “While there are service providers, they are underfunded and need support.” The benefitted nonprofits will specifically help veterans in the Phoenix Metro area. Among the major gifts are three trips for two: classroom training and a chance to drive a NASCAR Monster Energy car on a professional track; a private Jockey Club Suite at the famed Kentucky thoroughbred racetrack Churchill Downs; and a two-night hotel stay and the other a three-day, fournight stay in an oceanfront hotel suite in Cabo San Lucas. The trips do not include airfare. Another high-dollar item is an 18inch gold diamond-and-emerald neck-

This collage represents some of the goodies up for bid in the auction. (Courtesy of JWV Post 619)

lace that Fabert has donated. For more adventurous folks, the auction is offering a desert flight for five in a WW2 C-45 Expeditor or a 30-minute open-cockpit flight in a WWII biplane. Among the dinner packages is a night’s stay at Wild Horse Pass with a $250 gift certificate for Shula’s Steakhouse Restaurant. The auction also includes an assortment of sports and entertainment memorabilia –including a framed LA Lakers “Showtime” jersey signed by

Magic Johnson, three golfing experiences and a speed rep helmet signed by Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray – as well as personal care sessions such as four virtual hypnosis sessions with the Ellman Hypnosis Institute and a facial skin treatment package from Dr. David Hecht. On the home front, Joyful Downsizing has donated two three-hour organizing sessions for people’s homes or garages. And there are tickets to the Arizona

Theater, Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, the Chihuly/Las Noches de las Luminarias and others. Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619 is an all-volunteer organization and part of a national nonprofit created in 1896 by American Civil War veterans. People also can look for the auction link at Facebook.com/copperstatepost619 from Oct. 27 on. For more information, or for questions: 480-629-5100 or jwv4vets@gmail. com.

At The Village, we care. About your health, your well-being, your fitness, your goals – and about our community, too. Our employees and members work together to give back to charities and causes throughout the Valley. We also do small things that make a big impact. Like donating our old towels and tennis balls to local animal rescues and hosting annual water, sock and shoe drives for people in need. We’re committed to being a big part of your community. And we invite you to join ours.

Get your complimentary VIP trial membership at villageclubs.com

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Save for sunny days. (Not just rainy days.)

Sun lakes Rotary President Jon Lyons, left, congratulates Bill McCoach on being named Rotarian of the Month for October. (Courtesy Honora Norton)

Bill McCoach named Rotarian of the Month SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes has named Bill McCoach Rotarian of the Month for October. A Rotarian since 1993 and a member of the Sun Lakes club since 2016, McCoach has held varied leadership positions in the organization over the years, including Rotary International District assistant governor and president of the Sun Lakes Rotary Club and another in Ohio. A multiple Rotary International Paul Harris recipient, he has been active in the following areas: Membership Committee by conducting exit interviews with members that leave RCSL; organizing Dinner-In/Dinner-Out and happy hour socials; program speakers; the club’s summer social and develop the club’s weekly newsletters and social media updates. Sun Lakes Rotary Club President Jon

Lyons said, “Bill has helped me coordinate meeting presentation material, support RCSL hybrid meeting approach and always has kept a keen eye to advise me on improvement opportunities for RCSL club meetings/events.” A Sun Lakes resident and retired CFO, McCoach is an avid hiker and big baseball fan. He enjoys traveling. Information: sunlakesrotary.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Teacher to roll out new ‘Mortimer the Moose’ book

BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

Gilbert music and elementary school teacher Kathie McMahon has found the perfect way to influence kids now that she is retired. She is writing a middle-grade chapter novel series featuring fictional 8-yearold Jimmy Robertson, whose clumsy new friend happens to have a pair of antlers: A moose called Mortimer who teams with him in “Mortimer and Me.” McMahon taught children from fourth to sixth grade at Roosevelt and Kerr elementary schools in Mesa for 20 years and retired in 2005. “I realized my voice is with the kids that I taught,” she said. Hence, she delved into middle-grade fiction. Book one is “Mortimer and Me,” book two is titled “The Bigfoot Mystery,” book three is “Moose for Hire” and book four is “Moose in Space.” The first three books received Story Monsters awards. McMahon will launch book five – “The House on Briarwood Lane – during a Halloween-themed event from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Oct. 30 at HD SOUTH Home of the Gilbert Museum. The books, self-published with illustrations by Tom Tate, are available on

Left: Teacher/musician Kathie McMahon is the author of a chapter book series for 6-9-year-olds. Right: Kathie McMahon’s “Mortimer and Me” series features an 8-year-old boy, Jimmy, and his friend, Mortimer the moose. (Courtesy of Kathie McMahon)

Amazon, and suitable for kids ages 6-9. In “The House on Briarwood Lane,” an old abandoned mansion suddenly has a “sold” sign in the front yard after sitting vacant for more than five years. A light in the attic glows every night and Jimmy swears he sees a face in the window. But no one ever notices anyone going in or out. Things get even

more mysterious when Lily’s cat, Muffin, goes missing, and an anonymous ransom note is delivered. The series was born from the bedtime tales the author’s dad used to relate about a donkey named Mortimer. McMahon decided to make him a moose during a trip to Alaska, inspired by a gift store picture of a moose wear-

ing sunglasses. Because Arizona is not moose habitat, McMahon placed him in Wisconsin, where her family descended from. She moved the red-haired and freckled Jimmy from Arizona to Peabody, Wisconsin. See

MCMAHON on page 42

Chandler man has become an acclaimed bassoonist BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

When Joseph Kluesener looked to excel in a musical instrument, he chose the bassoon. The woodwind instrument is expensive to purchase and maintain and requires many years of dedicated learning for mastery. “My personal motivator was to really find out what I could achieve, and if I could reach a level that even professionals admired,” said the Chandler resident, who is today one of a few acclaimed bassoonists in Arizona and beyond. Kluesener, who holds a doctoral academic degree in music and is an adjunct faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, also runs a home studio for learners of the bassoon. He is also the founder of the local reed quintet, Paradise Winds. The journey has been long and taken time, patience and persistence. “And (it) comes at different points for different artists,” he said. “Committing to a structure of learning is very important, as well a structure of “going outside your comfort zone” to understand the true depth of one’s capability. “It can be magical and rewarding for some, as well can be a nightmarish stress fest for others,” he added. Kluesener observed the magic when as a child he viewed a Disney pro-

Joseph Kluesener of Chandler values the complicated and challenging bassoon, his favorite musical instrument. (Courtesy of Joseph Kluesener)

duction of “Peter and the Wolf,” the Russian symphonic fairy tale by Sergei Prokofiev. As the narrator told the story, the orchestra and Disney animation illustrated it with different instruments. The deep voice of Peter’s grandfather was represented by the bassoon and the young boy found it entertaining. He was hooked. “The bassoon has a tone quality reminiscent of mighty trees bellowing

through the high mountains in the low register, a very rhythmic articulation characteristic and a sing-song/lyrical quality that mimics the voice,” he said. Because his school required full instrumentation before participating in adjudicated events, Kluesener first learned the clarinet and switched to the bassoon at age 12. He hasn’t looked back. At his home studio, Kluesener teaches about seven students who have the

same love for the instrument. What age should one begin? “The best age is one where the student has stature that can allow hands, posture and embouchure to control required elements of playing posture,” he said. This is roughly 12 to 14 years. While the instrument may be expensive at the professional level, student models are much more affordable. One entity in the East Valley acquires and refurbishes bassoons. Local school districts possess instruments in their school and are able to rent, loan or assign to students to learn to play, Kluesener said. The bassoon’s double-sided reed is also an associated cost. “My students receive discount pricing and I cultivate adjustments by hand with a specific set of tools,” he said. Considering all these factors, bassoonists are rare breeds in the Valley. “I can count on two hands/feet the number of professional-level artists I would invite to play paid gigs across Arizona,” Kluesener said. The majority live in Maricopa County. Phoenix is not traditionally seen as a Western Classical output center of the US and the distinction falls to the Midwest or the East Coast metropolitan areas with heavier European migration, he said. Academic bassoon programs are ofSee

BASSOON on page 40

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Chandler Museum readies new exhibit on the West SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480-7822717 or chandlermuseum.org.Exhibits Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title. Through Feb. 13. March 22, 1967, Madison Square Garden, New York City. Two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. In the blue corner, the Champ, Muhammad Ali. In the red corner, the Challenger from Chandler, Arizona, Zora Folley. What follows is a fight at the crossroads of race, religion, sport, and the politics of the 1960s. “Bigger than Boxing” features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man, and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers. Greatest Photographs of the American West. Nov. 2-Feb. 27. Drawn from the significant holdings of the National Geographic Archive, “Greatest Photographs of the American West” chronicles the history and grandeur of the people and places that define the American West. It offers a broad understanding of a region that has long captivated photog-

Above: The National Geographic Archive’s “Greatest Photographs of the American West” exhibit begins Nov. 2 at the museum. This is the official program. (Special to SanTan Sun News) Right: The Chandler Museum store offers a variety of interesting gift items. (File photo)

ic migrants. Chandler’s history. raphers. Each image captures a different The people drawn by those images Pre-register to guarantee your spot. aspect of the West including interactions did not always find what they were eventbrite.com/e/docent-tour-tickamong the people, visitors, and wildlife, expecting. They encountered a West ets-169158306047 as well as landscapes with endless skies, Mail Week: 11/01/2021 MARTHA NEESE FOR VON HANSON S that is both wide-open and controlled, Tour MAGAZINE groups limited to eight particiboundless plains, and dramatic mountains.CLIPPER Release Area: 02503-10-21 Tempe/Ahwatukee; productive and largely arid, essentialFor bigger groups, call 480-782“Greatest Photographs of the Amer- Proofpants. MEATS SPIRIT 02504-10-21 Chandler-Greater Approve By: 10/18/21 Account #: CL112232 ly American and culturally complex. Available on Fridays. ican West” is organized and traveled by Contact2879. your Account Service Coordinator: Ad #: CL-4803266.INDD Brad Bass-Alex Richmond Explore the imagery of the West with the National Geographic Society. Martha Neese Team: 2J phone: 717-509-9495 phone: 480-917-2525 Education Coordinator Tiffani Egnor History email: 2J@cmag.comBites email: Marthaneese@aol.com and discover how it compares with the Noon-12:30 p.m. Nov. 2 fax: 480-917-2995 Programming reality of our region. Idea and reality: Deﬁning Sales the Rep: West Docent Tours Gary Millslagle After the program view the exhithrough imagery 1:30-3 p.m. Sundays. Free 45-minute bition “Greatest Photographs of the How do you picture the American tours led by our volunteer docents will West? Images❑of the West have give you insights into the architectural ❑ enticed ❑ waves of homesteaders, adventure and artistic components of the muSee on page 41 travelers, business barons and economseum campus as well as details about fax: (717) 358-2616

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

BASSOON

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from page 38

fered widely at Arizona’s major universities as well as Maricopa Community Colleges. As Kluesener seeks serious student bassoonists, he reflected on why he pursued the instrument. “I loved being a signature and original contribution to a group,” he said. “It also made for wider range of challenge, however, and that’s not everyone’s best fit.” “It’s very important that the type of individual be considered when parents and teachers review options to assign bassoon opportunities in their programs,” he added. However, the attrition rate is high; few students stick with the instrument and most need support from parents and teachers to maintain their commitments. “It’s a lot to manage for some, for others, they prefer that kind of engagement and they can thrive,” Kluesener said. While Kluesener’s private bassoon studio is thriving, so are his other pursuits. He founded the touring reed quintet, Paradise Winds, while in the doctoral program at Arizona State University in 2009. The quartet has appeared numerous times on American Public Media’s Performance Today and local Classical Arizona PBS. He also curated a concert series for ASU Herberger Institute from 2009 to 2012, among other prominent positions. Following the creation of two albums, “Live Beneath Stained Glass” by Jackie Myers Band with “Paradise Winds and Journey on a Comet’s Tail,” it’s

working on a third, an uplifting collection with the working title, “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” Also, with and without the group, Kluesener has performed and taught in Portugal, Germany, Spain and Tokyo, as well as toured universities and schools nationally. But music is not his only occupation: Kluesener works in client strategy and consult with a supply chain emphasis for a global real estate firm. He’s fond of cooking, too, and believes he would have made an equally accomplished chef, given his wife Carissa’s and friends’ opinions. Between working full time, nurturing students, teaching music history and literature at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, developing the reed quintet and myriad other involvements, Kluesener has his schedule full. But, getting a full calendar emerging from the pandemic, when his talents and skills were underutilized, has been good. “It’s well beyond 40 hours a week. Some of it is paid passion work, so that’s a relief,” he said. To contact Joseph Kluesener, email him at jkluesener@gmail.com. For details about Paradise Winds, visit paradisewinds.org. To listen to the quintet’s music, visit clarinet.org/new-music-weekend-2021. The group will appear with Chandler Symphony Orchestra in a chamber concert on February 13 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church and May 1 at Chandler Center for the Arts.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Downtown Chandler hosts Halloween Spooktacular BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

There is plenty of Halloween fun brewing in Downtown Chandler as the City’s annual Halloween Spooktacular takes over Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, Friday, Oct. 29. Gather your little ghosts, goblins and witches at 5:30 p.m. and enjoy a free fang-tastic party filled with music, food, carnival games and more. Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress in their Halloween costumes and take part in the fun-filled trick-or-treating in the park. Halloween Spooktacular includes: Catwalk Costume Parade. If you’ve

MUSEUM

from page 39

American West.” Guarantee your seat by registering: eventbrite.com/e/ history-bites-idea-and-reality-defining-the-west-through-imagery-tickets-166978183241 Museum in a Box Dive into culture, history, and art at home with a themed activity box. Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and supplies for three-five activities. Museum in a Box is available for sale in the Museum Store. Build It! Frank Lloyd Wright in Chandler. Explore architecture with a Frank

got it haunt it. Strut your stuff in our new costume parade. Boos and ghouls of all ages are encouraged to participate. No registration is required, and all walkers ages 12 and under receive a special glowing souvenir. Parade begins promptly at 6:15 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. Trunk-of-Treat. For those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, stroll through Spooktacular’s Trunk-of-Treat. It’s the place to be. With candy stations featuring more than 300 lbs. of trickedout treats, you’ll want to bring a bag to carry home your Halloween haul, Carnival games. Spooky shenanigans fill the park giving partygoers the

chance to win eek-citing prizes. Be sure to visit favorites like the Musical Headstones, Pumpkin Sack Races, and Inflatable Axe Throwing. Halloween dance party. Things are sure to go bump in the night as monsters of all ages monster mash to Halloween beats. Commemorate the evening with a scary souvenir photo. Photos will be available for purchase for $3. Halloween Spooktacular is presented by the City of Chandler in partnership with Chandler Lions Club and Waste Management. Dr. A.J. Chandler Park Stage Plaza is located at 178 E. Commonwealth Ave.,

and free public parking is available in Downtown Garages located at Buffalo Street and Delaware Street or Boston Street and Delaware Street Information: chandleraz.gov/spooktacular.

Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popular Who Was? series. $18, Great for ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users

learn about The Legend of the Poinsettia, and then follow instructions to make bright flowers out of felt. Other merry projects include: working together to design luminarias, arranging mini cotton-boll wreaths, and assembling a tree inspired by Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree! $15, Great for family members of all ages to complete together

or take the meal to go. Three different mealtimes to fit your schedule. Details at pardnersoftumbleweedranch.org. Hosted by the Pardners of Tumbleweed Ranch, a 501c3 entity, and the Chandler Museum.

Merry & Bright: Southwest Holiday Traditions The holiday season is filled with unique traditions and the Southwest is no exception! This Museum in a Box contains supplies for four Southwest-themed holiday activities and a book. Families will

Events

Chandler Chuck Wagon Cook-off Nov. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Experience a rare, up-close look at Western history during this family-friendly culinary event. Authentic 1880s chuck wagon teams from around the West use historic cooking methods to create the best five-course meals fit for the trail. Eat onsite at socially distanced tables

Drive-thru Trick or Treat

Ocotillo Village Health Club & Spa, 4200 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, will hold a drive-thru trick or treat 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31. The Ocotillo Village invites members and Ocotillo families to the free event.

Museum Store Sunday From 1-5 p.m. Nov. 28, Museum Store Sunday, a worldwide initiative encouraging communities to “Be a Patron” at their local museum stores will be held. Kick off the holiday shopping season with a unique shopping experience. The Chandler Museum Store features a variety of quality gift items including locally made pieces that capture the culture, history, and art of Chandler. On Museum Store Sunday shoppers will enjoy 10 percent off all purchases.

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ARTS

MCMAHON

from page 38

Friendship, team effort, co-education and acceptance are recurring themes in the stories because they are issues that pertain to her young readers. “Overall, the whole series is about: find out what you’re good at, and accept what you’re not good at and just shine wherever you can shine and just accept other people where they are,” McMahon said. Thanks to Jim and Mortimer’s growing clientele of fans, the author doesn’t lack for ideas. During school visits to promote the books, McMahon receives plenty. McMahon is working on another middle-grade novel about a 10-year-old on a cross country trip with his eccentric grandmother. She has also completed a first draft of a historical fiction novel for young adults based on her own family’s ancestry: her father descended from a family of Cornish miners in England who came to the United States during the Civil War. Where a genealogical search lacks, she fills the gaps with her creativity. “It’s fascinating,” she said, of the novel’s content. McMahon hails from a musical family and her primary education is in music education. “I knew from a very young age that I

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

wanted to be a teacher; my mother and my aunt and my grandmother were all music teachers,” she said. She taught music for 12 years, including a five-year stint teaching band in southern California. In Mesa, her work included writing musicals that were absorbed into the curriculum. The integration was especially for students who exhibited learning difficulties.

with four of them translating to awards. Many moons later, after serving on its board and also as an instructor in many variations, McMahon will volunteer for its 25th season this fall. It will be her last. “I’m heading the committee for our 25th anniversary celebration this year, and that will be my final gift to EVCT before retiring from the board,” she said. Her teacher husband, Don, who

That gives me a lot of satisfaction just seeing “ the kids get excited about my book, that’s more

important to me than how much money I make or how many sales I make. It’s just getting it into the hands of the kids that make a difference.

”

– Kathie McMahon

That led her to community theater, specifically the Mesa-based East Valley Children’s Theater, which workshopped one of her musicals with its students. “I absolutely fell in love with the process, as well as the group itself. EVCT was still fairly new, so I was asked to be on the board in 2000 and have been a part of it ever since,” McMahon said. She went on to compose original music for seven of EVCT’s productions, and received six ariZoni nominations,

handled its website for many years, will also step down from volunteering simultaneously. McMahon is also involved in the Ahwatukee Foothills Concert Band, where she plays the flute and piccolo. Over the years, she held many responsible volunteer positions there as well. Add travel to that, and retired life is fulfilling and busy. Ever the teacher, McMahon finds equal contentment in nudging children,

especially boys who don’t read, toward books. She meets many 10-12-year-olds without penchant for the written word. “My motivation was to write a series that was easy enough and entertaining enough to keep their interest and still be at their abilities, so it wasn’t going to be a big book,” she said. “Challenging enough that they can read it and still not feel like they were reading a lower-level book.” “Everything is supposed to be gender neutral these days, but when those boys get hooked on to my voice’s main character, the moose, that gives me a lot of satisfaction,” she said. Boys were her first audience, but increasingly, girls are also becoming readers. At bookstore events, she hands a reluctant reader her book and says “look at this and tell me what you think?” Sometimes it works, and the child wants the book. “That gives me a lot of satisfaction just seeing the kids get excited about my book,” McMahon said. “That’s more important to me than how much money I make or how many sales I make. It’s just getting it into the hands of the kids that make a difference.” For more on McMahon’s book launch with Halloween-themed children’s activities on Oct. 30 at HD South, visit hdsouth.org. More on the author at kathiemcmahon.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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God is the one equation that is constant RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. Guest Writer

Many times, people have written about their childhood and the influences which affected their lives. Here I am, computer at hand, also wondering about yesterday as well as tomorrow. It is not easy to think about the past because it conjures up so many memories. We all have had disappointments and heartaches, so there are incidents that may have relevance, and yet they are different for each of us in so many ways. Childhood, to say the least, is an exercise in independence and a search for meaning. Actually, they are synonymous because none of us can search for meaning unless we are willing to take a leap into the unknown away from the comfort of home and family. Independence requires a break from the security of familiarity. Endurance is part of the experience in self-reliance and if we can’t abide the bad, we will surely not live to witness the good.

So, each life lived goes through the best of experiences, and the worst. It is what we do with the adversity that will give us the strength needed to survive. Life is shaped by many events and people. Life continues to move forward based upon those encounters. We are all products of our environment and as we attempt to forge a new life independent of these pressures, we sometimes find ourselves falling back. Hard as we try, we can’t erase all the things that brought us to this juncture in our journey. But part of the journey also requires we do just that. There is pain and reward. We constantly question whether we have done enough, said enough, that really matters. After all, do we really make a difference? This question too reflects episodes that should be relegated to memory. How many of us remember things from the past that give us pause? Do we recall the time when the world seemed so small and insignificant? This was a period when the universe centered on our families, friends, schools and first

loves. It was a time of innocence and imagination. Looking back, it was also a time of anguish and despair. If anything has been learned, it is that now we are able to understand a little better about who we are and what gains we have made in our quest for completion as human beings. This venture hopefully, will give us the chance to see our two sides; the one in which we live in a world as it is and the other in a world that can be. Part of this exercise should contain the search for faith. After all faith is the underlying feature of our survival. We may search for independence and meaning, but this needs to include an understanding of how we got here and how we shape our destiny. God is the one equation that is constant. We all have concepts of what God is, who God is, and the part God plays in our lives. Some of us rely on words that are uttered in the confines of a house of prayer. Some of us rely on words that were written and recited frequently in schools designed to teach us the

meaning of these words and how they affect our lives. Some of us live life as it was meant to be lived through deeds of kindness and reaching out to those in need. The approach to faith may be different in many ways, as God is different to us as well, but it is not in the method but rather the intent. We use familiar avenues of understanding to help us achieve that which will give us comfort and joy, meaning and fulfillment. Labels, perhaps, just get in the way. So, while life is shaped by many events and people, we certainly can absorb all of this in a way that is fulfilling and has purpose without trying to undermine other thoughts and practices. After all, the underlying feature in all of this is love. How can we claim to love God and hate parts of His creation? Perhaps if we think about this for a while, we will better understand the real meaning of faith and memories and best of all the value of our existence. Rabbi Irwin Wiener D.D. is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

God is there with reassuring words for mankind BY LYNNE HARTKE Guest Writer

1 quart hydrogen peroxide. ¼ cup baking soda. 2 teaspoons dishwashing soap. This is a homemade solution for getting rid of skunk smell. Ask me why I know. Our rust-colored mutt, Mollie, was very timid when we first purchased our cabin in northern Arizona in 2019, jumping at every bump in the night and staying glued to our ankles when we ventured outside. Somewhere in her rescue dog brain remained memories of being abandoned as a puppy that caused her to be cautious in new surroundings. After two years, the circle she explored around the cabin had gotten wider, as she protected us from marauding stellar jays, gray squirrels, and

rock chipmunks. Queen of her domain, Mollie had discovered her best life. Occasionally, Mollie went on high alert after the sun went down, wanting to investigate a noise in the middle of the night. “It’s okay,” I reassured her, not wanting to leave my comfy blankets, but also not wanting to meet any nocturnal creatures. Who knew what could be out beyond the border of the porch light? A coyote? A porcupine? In the past, even mountain lions and black bears had been spotted in the area. But during our last cabin stay, Mollie zipped out around my husband Kevin’s feet when he opened the door before dawn. Forgetting she was a 30-pound house dog, she raced like an experienced bloodhound around the cabin, after her quarry. Kevin heard a yelp and Mollie

came racing back inside, followed with the lingering stench of skunk. She didn’t take a direct hit, but she smelled odiferous enough that she got a cold bath at 4:30 in the morning, before she had a chance to roll on the carpet or rub against the furniture. The combo of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap proved a good solution for removing the unwanted smell. The rest of the week, Mollie stayed close to my side, needing reassuring pets and back scratches. She didn’t venture far from the cabin and made no barking requests to go outside at 2 a.m. She had discovered her best life had a skunk in it. Life isn’t perfect. Even in the best seasons, a stinking situation might be lurking around the corner, spraying all who get too close. We know this. We’ve experienced this.

Cancer. Divorce. Job loss. Relationship challenges. The details are different for each of us, but the lingering smell of fear is the same, tempting us to hunker down, shut the door, and take no further risks. When we discover a skunk in our best life, our Heavenly Father is there with reassuring words and the comfort of His presence. He promises to be with us in our times of fear that cling to us like a nasty smell. In Psalm 141:2 ESV, the psalmist writes, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Prayer in times of fear is a proven stink remover. Lynne Hartke is the author of “Under a Desert Sky” and the wife of pastor and Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. She blogs at lynnehartke.com.

Something even better than biscuits awaits us BY REV. MARVIN ARNPRIESTER Guest Writer

Someone from the church handed me the following recently: “Lord, I hate buttermilk. Lord, I hate lard. And Lord, you know I don’t care much for raw white flour; But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them up, I do love fresh biscuits.” “So Lord, when things come up we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we just don’t understand what you are saying to us, we just need to relax and wait till you are done mixing and probably it will be something even better than biscuits.” I believe this just might apply to

much of what is going on in our world today. There are, after all a number of things I could list that I don’t like. But then in the melting pot we call life, in the mixing pot we call America, in the blender we call church, something happens beyond our control and out of it comes something worthwhile, meaningful, and better than we could ever imagine on our own. Maybe I just need to let things simmer a while, not become all excited about everything and let things I can do something about occupy my time and energy. Just saying. Tuesday Nights Together Be sure to mark your calendar for the return of Tuesday Nights Together at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248

E. Riggs Road (just west of the Robson Library). Topics vary from light and entertaining, to more serious and informing. Everyone is welcome, admission is free, and reservations are not required. Lessons learned from 55+ years of ministry Reflect on a lifetime of spiritual lessons and insights as Rev. Marvin Arnpriester shares stories and anecdotes, from his time as a student pastor, associate pastor, local church pastor, Iowa District Superintendent, and Arizona pastor. Find out what has changed his mind over the years, and through his many experiences. Don’t miss this insightful time with Pastor Marvin! Surviving the holidays session The holidays are that special time of

the year when we are filled with excitement and the anticipation of celebrating traditions with family and friends. For some, however, the holidays are a painful reminder of happier times when a loved one was alive to share in the holiday spirit. If you dread the approaching holiday season because you are grieving the loss of a loved one, you are invited to attend a workshop entitled “Surviving the Holidays” 9-11 a.m. Oct. 30, at Sun Lakes Methodist Church, Room 4 of the Education Building. The class provides practical ideas about how to get through the holiday season. A $5 fee covers the cost of the handbook. For more information or to register: 480-895-8766. Rev. Marvin Arnpriester is senior pastor of Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.