December 20, 2014 – January 2, 2015 www.SanTanSun.com
2014: Celebration and sadness fill the city inventors in the East Valley. The new makerspace also furthers Chandler’s reputation as a focal point of innovation and creativity in the Southwest.
BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER
Each year we like to step back and celebrate what the past year has meant to us and our community. The City of Chandler continues to shine as our residents and businesses enjoy an improving economy, which has afforded us the opportunity to continue providing services and amenities that improve our City’s quality of life. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from 2014.
February 2014
Entrepreneurship espoused at mayor’s state of city
January 2014
Vice mayor chosen One of the City Council’s first big decisions of the year was the naming of a new vice mayor. By a unanimous vote, Councilman Rick Rick Heumann. Heumann was Submitted photo chosen. He began his tenure on the City Council in January 2009 and his term as vice mayor expires Jan. 8.
Police chief hired Sean Duggan, an assistant police chief with the Scottsdale Police Department, reported for duty Jan. 13 as Chandler’s new police chief following the retirement of Sherry Kiyler. Duggan earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees
ASU TechShop. Submitted photo
in justice studies from Arizona State University and is a member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Committee and the Arizona & International Associations of Sean Duggan. Chiefs of Police, Submitted photo and was selected for the FBI’s Police Executive Fellowship Program.
ASU TechShop grand opening The City, in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), launched a first-of-its-kind opportunity in the nation for college students. TechShop, a membership-based, do-it-yourself workshop and fabrication studio with locations nationwide, celebrated the official grand opening of its Chandler location at ASU’s Chandler Innovation Center on Friday, Jan. 17. The state-ofthe-art facility also provides students with opportunities to forge relationships with a community of entrepreneurs and
Mayor Jay Tibshraeny presented the annual State of the City address on Thursday, Feb. 6, where he shared news about the surge of business growth in Chandler. He reinforced the City’s commitment to boosting longterm economic growth by supporting entrepreneurship through innovative individuals and companies. Tibshraeny highlighted businesses from the hightech sector, such as General Motors and Infusionsoft, and reiterated the City’s plan to support continued college and university relationships and publicprivate partnerships. March 2014
New assistant city manager named The City’s Communications and Public Affairs Director Nachie Marquez was selected as the new assistant city manager. She filled the position left vacant by Assistant City Manager Pat McDermott, who retired in February. Marquez became the City’s first communications director in September SEE CHANDLER
2014 PAGE 4
Kevin Hartke makes big impact on education, community
Holiday season depression brings rise in suicide attempts
BY CURT BLAKENEY
BY TRACY HOUSE
Since moving to the Valley in 1985, Chandler City Councilman Kevin Hartke has served the community’s needs at the state and local levels in a myriad of ways. From his work as a pastor at Trinity Christian Fellowship, to his direction of the statewide nonprofit For Our City, to the time he dedicates to individual children at Galveston Elementary School—and everything in between— Hartke has more than earned the title of Outstanding Volunteer, which was awarded to him on Dec. 3 by the Chandler Unified School District. “Councilmember Hartke has
Addicted to heroin, unemployed, suffering from relationship problems and feeling overwhelmed by it all, “Jack” thought the only way out was suicide. So the Chandler resident put a knife to his throat. “I was uneasy where I was at in my life,” says Jack, who wished to withhold his last name. “I had a lot of things going wrong in my life and I didn’t know how to express it to anyone; that I needed to talk about it or to let anyone know I was going through something.” He cut himself, leaving a twoinch scar, but stopped and called his grandmother. He paused not only to
SEE HARTKE PAGE 5
VOLUNTEERING: City Councilman Kevin Hartke, right, participates in a Project Connect event hosted by Chandler and the Valley of the Sun United Way. The program brings together more than 30 human services providers in one location to assist the homeless. Submitted photo
List with Confidence! Awarded Top Producer at Remax Infinity 2011, 2012, and 2013
speak with her, but because he saw a glimmer of hope in his future. “I realized that I had so much more going for me, that I understood it took me to get to that low point to really realize how much I really do have,” he says. Jack, now 22, was taken to the hospital for evaluation and then spent five days in a psychiatric center for observation. “I didn’t know what else to do, so I just thought that was the best idea,” he says. Jack’s story is not uncommon— especially during the holidays. “We do see suicide attempts go
F E AT U R E STO R I E S Weninger named to three state legislative committees . . . .COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 Local Realtors focus on teamwork and client support . . . . .BUSINESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Animation student credits Seton for success . . . . . . . . . . . . . .YOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 27 ‘Foxy grandma’ dances away dementia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS . . . . . . . . . . .Page 43 Zoppé circus returns to Chandler’s big top. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 61
CLIP-IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Center Section
SEE SUICIDE PAGE 7
More Community . . . . . . 1-20 Business . . . . . . . .21-26 Youth. . . . . . . . . . 27-36 Opinion. . . . . . . . .41-42 Neighbors. . . . . . 43-54 Spirituality . . . . . .55-59 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . 60-68 Directory . . . . . . 69-70 Classifieds. . . . . . .71-72 Where to eat . . . .73-74