The Chandler Arizonan 12.25.22

Chandler Council quietly OKs small pay raise

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Most politicians are very careful when it comes to increasing their own salaries, especially since most people can’t give themselves raises and taxpayers cast a leery eye on politicians who do.

Chandler Councilwoman Christine Ellis is not most politicians.

“If you have a problem with us getting a small little raise, sit down with me,” Ellis said after attending one of the many city events she attends weekly. “I’ll explain it to you.”

Chandler City Council quietly pushed through a change that would give members small, automatic raises to match those given around the Valley at its Dec. 8 meeting. The raises will not start until 2025, after this

term ends.

The item was on a consent agenda with 40 others and none of the members chose to highlight it during the Dec. 5 study session or the regular Dec. 8 meeting.

“This restoration will either be the same as city general employees receive in a [Cost of Living Adjustment] or what is the current [inflation rate], whatever is lower,” Mayor

Making Christmas merry

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editort

They had made their decision to run for the Arizona House of Representatives within a few weeks of each other in October 2021.

For Patty Contreras, newly retired after working mainly as a program manager for the city Human Services and Parks and Recreations departments for 31½ years, the decision seemed a logical step in a lifetime of public service.

Increasingly unhappy about the legacy she saw being left to her

two daughters – and children generally – scientist and military veteran Stacey Travers decided it was time for her to try and change that narrative.

And on Jan. 9 – a month after they captured a lead in the General Election that was never seriously in jeopardy – the two Ahwatukee women will be sworn in as the new representatives for Legislative District 12, which includes Ahwatukee, northern and western Chandler and south Tempe.

An eye-popping mural pays tribute to Zora Folley, Chandler first Black council member.

East Valley strip mall entrepreneur Michael Pollack of Chandler, far right, spread some Christmas cheer last Tuesday among 20 needy families selected by the Child Crisis Center of Arizona. To read about what he did and why, see page 17 (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Zora Folley mural commemorates a Chandler icon

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Perhaps the most fitting part of the mural the City of Chandler commissioned to boxing legend Zora Folley is that it’s in Southside Village, not too far from where Folley lived.

It’s not quite a stone’s throw away, but “a good golf swing,” said Peter Bugg, the city’s visual arts coordinator.

The city dedicated the large mural on the east wall of FLO Yoga & Cycle, 71 E. Frye Road, on Dec. 6, paying tribute to the man who won a Purple Heart fighting in the Korean War, fought Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight boxing crown, and was the first Black person to serve on the Chandler City Council.

Folley’s family was on hand for the dedication.

“I really appreciate the City of Chandler for honoring my dad today for his achievements and what he did to put Chandler on the map,” said Zora Folley Jr. Bugg said this is the first public arts

The family of Zora Folley stands with artist Giovannie Dixon in front of the new mural dedicated to Folley that can be found on the east wall of FLO Yoga & Cycle, 71 E. Frye Road, Chandler. (David Minton/Arizoonan Staff Photographer)

project in the new historic district of Southside Village since he started working for the city five years ago.

The mural is titled “Legendary” and was done by west Phoenix artist Giovan-

nie Dixon. It took him about a month to paint, covering the entire eastern wall of the FLO Yoga & Cycle business. It cost $20,000. Bugg said that the Chandler Arts Commission paid for half

of it, and the National Endowment for the Arts paid the other half.

Dixon said he had never heard of Zora Folley when he first learned of the project.

“It’s such a good story, you know, and I’m like, ‘How did I not hear about this guy before?’” Dixon said.

He said he has noticed a trend to highlight more Black Americans who have made significant contributions to communities in recent years. David, who is Black, credits the Black Lives Matter movement, which he said helped him make the decision to become a full-time artist.

“Black Lives Matters is happening,” Dixon said. “I’m not really wanting to be out marching, so I wanted to do my service by going to walls, and you know, actually putting up a lot more Black figures. And so that’s kind of like my battle cry at the time.”

They’ll take their seats in the House at the same time one of their predecessors in the job, Mitzi Epstein, moves into the state Senate seat vacated by Ahwatukee Sen. Sean Bowie, who decided not to run again.

The three women’s victories over three Republican males maintained the Democrats’ iron grip over LD 12, where the GOP registration lags behind voters registered as independent or Democrat.

And while roughly $300,000 was spent by both major party camps in the LD12 campaign, the outcome seemed assured from election night, when the three women seized an early lead that never wavered.

Final official results show Epstein, a businesswoman, logged 58,349 votes to Ahwatukee scientist David Richardson’s 42,008.

In the House, Contreras and Travers garnered 55,454 and 54,484 votes, respectively, to 40,024 for retired cop and termed-out Chandler City Councilman Terry Roe and 39,298 for Chandler CPA James Chaston.

Done with a long and tiring campaign that included knocking on hundreds of doors even during hot summer months, Contreras and Travers are preparing for their new jobs.

They hope they can achieve some positive outcomes for Arizona in a bipartisan way with their Republican colleagues, who hold a slim majority in both legislative chambers.

Last week they were assigned to committees where they feel their passion and experience will be put to good use when the 56th session of the Arizona Legislature begins about a week after they’re sworn in.

Contreras was appointed to the Health and Human Services and Transportation and Infrastructure committees while Travers will hold seats on the Military Affairs and Public Safety and the Natural Resources Energy and Water committees.

The campaign gave Contreras and Travers – who defeated three men in the August Democratic Primary – a chance to get to know each other a little better than the passing acquaintance they had from attending local party activities.

They had become a little more familiar with each other during regular meetings

Epstein had been holding for all the Democratic hopefuls well before the Primary.

But they already had been preparing for a run at public office since 2014, when they participated in a training program for women on how to do just that.

For both, that program got them on a road they seemed destined to travel.

“I’ve always been kind of interested in politics,” Contreras said. “I dabbled a little bit here and there, writing letters to my congressman and senator, always stumping for some cause, marching for something.”

Next month, Ahwatukee residents Patty Contreras, left, and Stacey Travers will be sworn in as Arizona House of Representatives members representing Legislative District 12, which includes Ahwatukee, northern and west Chandler and part of Tempe. (Special to Arizonan)

veterans were treated, I started to get involved.

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She also had worked as an election observer for 20 years.

But while “politics was always kind of on the periphery for me,” Contreras said what drove her was a desire to “stand up for folks who need advocacy.”

“I was always helping people,” she said of her city jobs, which covered a wide range of programs for people at different age levels – including supervisor of the Pecos Center senior citizen program.

Travers traversed a somewhat different route that nonetheless included a passion to make a difference that made society better for more people.

She had worked for disabled veterans and unsheltered in the United Kingdom, where – armed with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in geosciences – she undertook postgraduate studies at the prestigious Oxford University.

She continued to work for underserved people when she returned to the states, working in west Los Angeles and as a legislative liaison in Sacramento, California, where, she said, “I started to get a little more politically engaged.”

“I wasn’t as aware (politically) as Patty was when I was growing up,” Travers said. “I was kind of in a non-political bubble. And then just seeing the disparities and the discrepancies in the way

“And then I started to see more and more polarization and it troubled me,” she continued. “Then I had the most profound thing that’s ever happened to me in my life – I had my kids.

“It completely changed my perspective…It’s no longer about ‘you.’ It’s about them and their future and I started to get more and more unhappy about the legacy that we were leaving them – whether it was a disruptive political landscape, a trashed economy, the climate and environment we’re leaving them.

“I felt a responsibility to do something,” Travers said. “That’s what you do as a parent. You bring them into this world with the promise of a bold future and you see it slowly being taken away, whether it’s our educational system here in Arizona, or whether it’s their environment or their water rights. And you think … ‘I’ve got to do something.’”

Both legislators-elect are realizing their political aspirations at an unusual time in Arizona.

Politically, they are members of the minority party in the Legislature at a time when the Republicans have 2020 election deniers chairing the election committees in both chambers – Rep. Jacqueline Parker and Sen. Wendy Rogers, both of Mesa.

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But a Democrat will be Arizona’s chief executive, so it will be up to Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs and legislative Republican leaders to either broker some kind of truce on some issues or be locked in at least two years of constant battles.

As Travers noted, when it comes to Republican-supported measures, “there needs to be some temperance there or else it will just get shot down.”

Travers and Contreras are hoping they can be part of a more bipartisan spirit in their legislative chamber.

And both have special interests they want to pursue.

Prior to her official assignment to the Health and Human Services Committee, Contreras had already had her eye on that panel.

“I think that is the biggest one because that would be under my bailiwick – with seniors and people with disabilities,” Contreras said, noting she not only knows the issues in that sector of society but also has developed relationship with scores of organizations and experts in the field.

Contreras also feels housing affordability is a key issue that has to be addressed, though there is no formal committee specifically devoted to it.

With her background in geology and the military, Travers feels her committee assignments will give her a chance to make maximum use of her life and academic experiences.

“There are five or six veterans bills I want to work on,” Travers said. “There are two child-protection bills that I want to work on and there’s one that has come from the constituent side – a franchisee

protection bill. Franchisees are really being bullied by franchisers and Arizona has basically no strong franchisee protections.”

And while both women obviously need to focus on statewide concerns, they feel many of those issues resonate equally importantly at a district level and they hope to achieve some good results on both levels.

For example, Contreras said, “every individual city is looking at the problem of affordable housing right now” at a time when they also are trying to lure new businesses.

“So what can we do to bring affordable housing into all our communities and benefit our businesses?” she asked.

I think that’s one of those issues that is statewide but will also affect our district.”

Travers added that she and Contreras will be “trying to find the intersectionality of where different issues benefit the district in some way.

“As LD 12 representatives, one of the things that we try to do is try to build our community through small business, making sure we bring in jobs, that sort of thing. Well, we also have a water issue. So how do we address a state issue with a district issue in a way that works together,” Travers explained, adding:

“We have a company here in LD 12 that does solar-powered hydro panels, so we’re trying to do some research and development into our water problem while also allowing a business to grow and thrive in the district.

“It’s trying to look at each issue and find a way that we can help our district as well as help our state. And that’s just one example.”

Chandler

Kevin Hartke wrote in an email.

Council is restoring this automatic increase after taking it out when members gave themselves a raise in 2016. It is a feature that is part of the city’s contracts with police and firefighters to ensure their salaries remain competitive.

The mayor blamed inflation.

“Chandler Council compensation has fallen significantly behind peer cities that we compare to with other employee compensation packages,” Hartke wrote.

Chandler currently pays its vice mayor and council members $33,500 a year and its mayor $55,000. Based on information from the Arizona League of Cities and Towns, that puts Chandler above the average for the top 10 Valley cities.

Tempe, Scottsdale, Surprise, Gilbert, Peoria and Goodyear all pay their council members less.

In addition to their base pay, Chandler City Council members get a number of other benefits, including:

• Medical, dental, vision.

• Employee Assistance Program membership.

• City-paid basic life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment totaling $50,000.

• Eligible to enroll in voluntary life insurance.

• Able to contribute in a 457(b) plan with no city match.

• Retirement Health Savings Plan city contributions only while serving in their elected capacity. Eligibility for years of service for City Retirement Health Savings deposit if retirement commences at end of their term.

• Paid short-term disability as well as

long term disability through the Elected Official Retirement Plan administered by the state Public Safety Personnel Retirement System.

• Retirement through the Elected Official Retirement Plan administered through the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System.

The mayor gets use of a city vehicle. Council members must use their own personal vehicles. All council members receive a city-issued cell phone and laptop during their time in office but do not get a stipend for their personal cell phone.

Each council member also has a $7,500 budget they can direct for attending meetings, travel in official capacity, etc. That money is split in half in an election year, such as this one, and shared by the outgoing and incoming members.

Council members also have up to $450,000 to spend collectively on proj-

ects around the city to help improve quality of life. These items are voted on by the entire council.

Ellis argues the small increase approved this month is not enough and has urged fellow council members to consider voting for another increase.

“I put in more than 60 hours a week,” Ellis said. “Staff call us 24/7. Anything happens in the city, we get a phone call, even if it’s after midnight. My husband is saying, ‘Where are you?’ because I’m here, working.”

She said there’s much more to the job than attending two to four council meetings each month. She said council members are ambassadors for the city, many work on state or national committees, and they are always dealing with their bosses, the citizens of Chandler.

“The other day, I had a father call me who was very much saying ‘Hey, my son is having a little bit of a hard time’ and things like that. ‘Can you talk to him?’ Boom, I have him on the phone as a council member trying to explain to him some stuff.”

Council last raised its pay at the end of 2015 and early in 2016. Current Vice Mayor Terry Roe was the only member who voted against it. It raised a council member’s salary by about $3,000 and the mayor’s by about $4,500 per year.

In 2008, the council approved making annual salary adjustments for the mayor

and members based on market-based fiscal year adjustments city workers received.

The repeal of that went into effect in 2020. Hartke said they repealed it then as a concession for getting the higher salary.

Now, he wrote, that with inflation and Chandler being less competitive with other cities, they have fallen behind and putting the adjustment back in is needed to address both concerns.

No item for a bigger increase to the salaries of the mayor or council has been put on the agenda.

But Ellis says she won’t quit pushing for one.

“This is not going to be [put on] the backburner,” Ellis said. “We’re going to have to do this, because understand this, we need people who love to do this, and they want to do it, but because they have to make a living, they can’t.”

Chandler Councilwoman Christine Ellis may try to get Council to approve a second pay raise, saying its members do more than just attend meetings. (File photo)

Galveston school first in line for big rebuild

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Chandler Unified officials say rebuilding two elementary schools offers an opportunity to build the dream school of the future and so they’re inviting everyone to help them with the design.

“With those two rebuilds, we will go through the same process,” said Tom Dunn, the district’s executive director of support services. “Those sites, we’ll reimagine that school, not just rebuild the school as is.

“Looking at what are your needs, what is it that you could be, or that you want to be, and then designing a school that will meet those needs.”

The two schools, Galveston and Hartford, were both built about 60 years ago and need major upgrading.

District officials decided it would be cheaper to build new schools than it would be to do major renovations to improve those schools to the level they

want.

The governing board voted Dec. 14 to approve an architect to begin designing a new Galveston Elementary. They se-

lected Orcutt Winslow to do the design, but they will do so with community input.

The district has asked teachers, staff, students and community leaders to help them imagine what the new school should be.

“There’ll be plenty of community input as we move forward,” Superintendent Frank Narducci said. “Staff input has to reimagine what educational needs there are for the Galveston community, and what education could look like for our students.”

The contract with Orcutt Winslow is for $1,275,750 and is being paid with money from the 2019 bond.

Dunn said the hope is construction starts this summer and the new school ready for use for the 2024-25 school year. Current Galveston students will continue to attend classes in the same buildings they’re using now while construction is underway.

Once Galveston is rebuilt, then the district will focus on rebuilding Hartford. However, that would likely require new funding in the form of another bond election. The Galveston project is expected to cost more than $23.6 million.

The new Galveston school is planned to be 67,500 square feet and have a capacity of 750 students. The current Galveston was designed for the same number, but is currently under capacity at about 600 students.

District officials have said they expect enrollment to drop further because of overall declining enrollment in the early grades.

From left, Galveston Elementary students Amedee Makoubi, Sophia Martinez and Mathew Makoubi offer suggestions on what the new school should look like. (Chandler Unified School District)

Galveston and Hartford are among nine schools the district is looking at for repurposing to make it more attractive to parents. The others are Conley Elementary, Bologna, Hull, Frye, Navarette, San Marcos, Sanborn, and Shumway Leadership Academy.

The district put together a committee to look at the schools and decide how best to prepare for a future with declining enrollments. It may mean turning the schools into a gifted academy, or adding a language immersion program.

Five of the schools are at less than 50% of capacity. The high price of housing in the Chandler and Gilbert areas is making it harder for young families to live here. Because of that, fewer students are enrolling at the earliest grades, a trend the district expects to continue.

To combat that, they plan to be more aggressive in convincing parents to send their students to CUSD schools. The governing board increased the marketing budget. They hope the success of their gifted academies and other specialized schools will draw students away from charter or private schools.

Lana Berry, the chief financial officer and assistant superintendent for business services for the district, said, “We need to make sure that we are continuously repurposing and reimagining our schools.

“If you’re old and it costs more to replace things, we want to make sure that

then we’re replacing those schools if it costs more to remodel than to construct. We also want to make sure that we’re reimagining schools to meet the academic needs of that school.”

Narducci pointed out there is a Chandler CARE Center next to Galveston Elementary, and this might be an opportunity to incorporate the two together.

Chandler CARE Centers were started in 1995 as a school-based family resource center.

“We’re looking at really doing the school-community kind of build where the CARE Center connects right to the school,” Narducci said.

“So we’re going to augment services at the CARE Center, that will really support that community and is connected to the construction of the school. So we have a great opportunity to do that.”

The district recently invited some students in to get their ideas on what a new Galveston might include.

“This will be the first time that we’ve gone through this planning process where instruction is going to drive construction,” Dunn said. “In the past, we’ve just built schools and said, ‘Here’s your school, start teaching.’

“And we really want instruction to have input, including the community, the teachers, the students as well through this process to help understand what the needs are at that school.

“I think we’re going to see a school much different than the last 12 schools that we built.”

House panel makes teen mental health recommendations

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor

Stating that “in Arizona, suicide is the leading cause of death for ages 10-14 and ages 15-25,” a special Arizona House task force has signed off on 23 recommendations to address the problem.

But Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, co-chair of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Teen Mental Health, told panel members those recommendations may not be adopted as quickly as they hope.

Telling his colleagues their work over the last three months “is not for nothing,” Grantham said:

“Everybody now is going to have to be patient and be happy with any victories we get out of these recommendations. I’m going to just tell you we’re a divided chamber here and across the yard. We have a new governor.

“There’s going to be a period of time and as we come down here in January and February, where we have to get our feet under ourselves and figure out what’s possible. And the lobbyists will come out. The special interest will come out. The representatives who have disagreements or agreements will come out and that’s my business. That’s what I volunteered for.

“And I’ll do my best to put as much of this forward as I can with other members’ help because I can’t do it all by myself. And I just want you all to know that your work here matters and even something in here is the most important thing to you or this group doesn’t happen this year, it might very well happen next.

“These things take time,” he said, telling panel members to “be patient, pray, watch, encourage” and speak on behalf of whatever measures do come before lawmakers.

The recommendations represent the culmination of hours of hearings by the panel, which comprised educators, a variety of medical and behavioral experts, social workers and others.

Since September, the panel heard from a wide range of experts as well as from teenagers who either attempted

suicide or know teens who completed it. It also heard from parents who lost or nearly lost children to suicide or other self-harm, including drug overdoses.

According to the 2022 report by the Arizona Child Fatality Review Team, 44 of the 863 deaths of people under 18 in Arizona in 2021 were suicides. It said warning signs existed in 68% of those suicides and the majority involved children 15 to 17 years old.

Various experts told the panel that suicides aside, more Arizona youngsters and teens face a variety of pressures –and substance abuse dangers – that have imperiled their mental and emotional well-being.

Pandemic-driven disruptions of their school life the last two years only intensified those pressures, according to a report issued in May by the U.S. Department of Education.

“Many children and students struggle with mental health challenges that impact their full access to and participation in learning, and these challenges are often misunderstood and can lead to behaviors that are inconsistent with school or program expectations,” it said.

“The COVID-19 global pandemic intensified these challenges, accelerating

the need to provide school-based mental health support and leverage our accumulated knowledge about how to provide nurturing educational environments to meet the needs of our nation’s youth.”

The House panel was created by outgoing House Speaker Rusty Bowers of Mesa, who asked it to return in December with potential solutions and recommendations to public and private agencies that address teen mental health issues.

Some of its recommendations involve unspecified amounts of additional funding for a state-run Teen Mental Health Grant Program that supported school districts and nonprofits “for mental health first aid training, youth resiliency training, substance misuse awareness training” for adults and kids.

It also asked the Legislature to work with the Attorney General’s office to ensure that the millions Arizona will be getting for settlements of opioid-related lawsuits “are utilized appropriately for these specified purposes.”

It also urged the creation of a “community hub of information and support” that would address access to care, depression and mental illness; bullying and social media; and family support and substance abuse.

Some experts who testified before the panel earlier had urged such a hub, but also warned “it is not an easy lift” because it required coordination among a number of websites and social media platforms.

Among other information, the hub would address “different types of bullying, cyberbullying, social media impact and bullying behaviors for parents and students as well as strategies for students

to mitigate incidents and timely reporting to school officials.” It also would provide an array of other information related to prevention, treatment and support.

The panel also called for increased financial support for crisis and in-patient services for kids, higher reimbursement rates from insurance companies and the state Medicaid program for providers because of their specialized training and their need to have longer children’s appointments because parents have to be involved at some point.

It also called for more financial incentives that would encourage more college-bound students to consider careers in mental health programs serving children’s social and mental wellness.

It said school districts should obtain or create an app that assists in threat assessments and enables students to report safety issues or reach out for help on a 24/7 anonymous basis.

It also urged tax credit deductions for inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs “to relieve financial burden for families: and state funding for districts to have at least one staff member who would “work with local coalitions and nonprofits to coordinate youth resiliency and primary prevention lessons and training.”

Co-chair and outgoing Rep. Joanne Osborne, R-Goodyear, conceded that the problem the committee had been tasked to address “isn’t a one-size fits-all situation.”

“This is an all-hands-on-deck,” Osborne said, and that finding solutions needs the involvement of parents, medical experts and educators, law enforcement and teens themselves.

She pointed to the 400-page report the committee is issuing and ticked off a variety of actions that need to be taken not just on a governmental level but in homes and schools as well by businesses.

“Those kids need to know you’re back there,” she said, adding:

“Those are the things that we need to be doing. There’s so many great people that are doing it but we need more of them to do it.”

State Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, co-chaired the special House panel on teen mental health and warned members it may take a while to see their recommendations win approval. (YouTube)

WARNING! PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC

Mesa, AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

PAIN

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

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Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

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Aspen Medical 4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa, AZ, 85206

CUSD stepping up its mental health services

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Chandler Unified School District is stepping up its efforts to address mental health issues, partnering with three agencies to provide more services to students and staff.

CUSD officials are also meeting with a committee of parents, staff members and practitioners to determine future steps.

“We really wanted some practitioners on there, because some of this isn’t in our area,” said Dr. Craig Gilbert, associate superintendent of pre-K-12. “We want to really make sure that we have intervention all the way to post-vention.”

After putting a request for proposals to mental health agencies, the district awarded contracts to the Hope Institute of America, LLC; Lighthouse Wellhealth, and Southwest Behavioral and Health Services.

“We’re trying to bring availability to our community by making sure that, if at all possible, that we have the practitioners to do it,” Gilbert said. “It’s not just in person, but it can also be telehealth.

“That’s a huge piece right there. I think it’s a game changer, especially with the needs that we’ve been finding within our community.”

The district earlier this fall announced plans to spend $5 million to address mental health issues.

That includes adding more counselors and social workers to schools in addition to hiring the three agencies. Gilbert said the district still has money to spend.

“We’re just on the front end of spending,” Gilbert said, pointing out some of the counselors the district hired were paid for with state safety grants.

He said officials hope they have enough money to pay their three partners for at least two-to-three years – if not longer.

“When you look at, for example, the Hope Institute just needs to get started,” he said. “Our belief is once it gets started, it’s going to fund itself, because the goal for the money is really to help our students have the means and the resources.

“The goal is to try and make sure there’s no barriers for families to get support.”

The district started working on improving its mental health programs after three CUSD students took their lives in a 10-day span last May. Another CUSD student died by suicide at the start of this school year.

A student group, Arizona Students for Mental Health, formed to advocate for improved care. One of their demands was for students to have a voice, asking that they be allowed to stage a town hall to address students.

There have been no suicides publicized since the one early this school year. That doesn’t mean that everything is fine, Gilbert said.

He said not all parents want how their child died publicized.

“We have to take the approach that whether we’re hearing about it or not, we have to go with the premise that it’s happening and we have to make sure that we have these things in place,” he said.

Dr. Brenda Vargas, director of coun-

seling and social services for the district, has been meeting with the committee of parents, staff and practitioners.

She said the pandemic put a strain on many families. But she said it’s too soon to tell if that added stress has lessened.

“It’s difficult to really come to a conclusion in regards to trends without doing proper research,” Vargas said. “You know, I don’t think it’s fair for us to make a conclusion based on just this year. We’re only halfway through.”

Gilbert said district staffers are listening to students’ concerns as well.

He said Natasha Davis, CUSD prevention coordinator, has been attending club meetings and talking directly with students.

One of the ways they are responding to students’ concerns is to focus on LGBTQ students, who studies show are much more likely to consider suicide.

“One of the things that Miss Davis is going to be doing is she’s going to be reaching out in order to engage in those

groups at the schools when they’re meeting for their clubs,” Gilbert said.

He said the district is currently training staff to start more clubs – such as the Bring Change to Mind at the high school level and Hope Squad for middle schoolers.

“We’re trying to expand the reach and seeing what we can do because we know that we hear the voices of the students that are coming, which we really appreciate,” Gilbert said. “But we’re also trying to figure out what voices are we not hearing that we need to reach out to.”

Gilbert said the main issue is deciding where the district’s three partners will need offices. The Hope Institute is new to Arizona and setting up offices for the first time.

GOT NEWS?

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5631 or pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com

2022 brought many changes to Chandler

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

When 2022 dawned, the fate of a non-discrimination ordinance looked bleak and chickens were not allowed in most backyards in Chandler.

As the year ends, that picture has changed, along with the makeup of the Chandler Unified Governing Board and City Council and both city delegations to the Arizona Legislature. Here’s a look back at some of Chandler’ big news stories from 2022.

Backyard chickens

City Council approved allowing most residential neighborhoods to have up to five hens in their backyards. That goes into effect, maybe, the first week of January.

However, a group of citizens has said they will collect signatures to force a referendum in a bid to overturn the Council’s decision. If that fails, they are hoping two new council members who will be sworn in on Jan. 12 will change the math and Council might revisit its decision.

Most homeowners associations ban wildlife from backyards, so the decision mostly impacts older neighborhoods. Chandler was one of a few Valley cities to ban chickens from residential homes. It had been a long fight to overturn that. It started in 2013 where it fell one vote short at a Council meeting. Outgoing Council member Rene Lopez made it a priority to get a change to allow backyard chickens before he left office.

Non-discrimination ordinance

Supporters of a non-discrimination ordinance were not hopeful when 2022 began. Council had mostly delayed, proposing studies and offering non-binding proclamations in the face of being the largest city in Arizona to not have a non-discrimination ordinance.

Then voters backed the council candidates who supported adopting a NDO. When the diversity, equity and inclusion study was complete, it became obvious if this Council did not support a NDO, then the next one would. That led to Council adopting a non-discrimination

ordinance on a 6-1 final vote. Vice Mayor Terry Roe reversed his earlier vote to support it on the final vote.

Businesses that work with the city risk losing their contracts if they are found to discriminate against employees or clients.

Mental health crisis

The Chandler Unified School District community was rocked after three teenage students took their own lives during a 10-day span in May. The district had already been planning to upgrade its mental health services before the deaths at Perry, Hamilton and Chandler high schools.

With the deaths came more pressure to act. A student group formed, Arizona Students for Mental Health, and became regular speakers at governing board meetings. The district put out a request for proposal and partnered with three mental health providers to improve its services.

Anthony Cano case

Newly-appointed Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell decided not to file charges in the Chandler police officer’s fatal shooting of Chandler High teen Anthony Cano.

The boy was killed after a confrontation with police at the start of 2021. He was riding his bike home from the Boys and Girls Club in the Galveston neighborhood when police officer Chase Bebak-Miller tried to pull him over.

Cano fled, running into a park. He was carrying a handgun and the officer said he fired when he saw the boy pull the gun out of the waistband of his pants. The officer fired a second shot when the boy was face down on the ground.

“That second shot is hard to watch,” Mitchell said at a press conference announcing her decision. She said based on training, the officer thought he was in imminent danger when he fired the second shot.

New leaders

Chandler voters swept Angel Encinas and Jane Poston into City Council seats, replacing termed-out Rene Lopez and Terry Roe. They also reelected Mayor Kevin Hartke and Councilman Matt Orlando.

In the Chandler Unified School District election, voters chose Kurt Rohrs, who was endorsed by the Purple for Parents group that advocates parental rights. Patti Serrano was endorsed by liberals and progressives. Those two won a five-candidate race, defeated incumbent Lara Bruner, and challengers Charlotte Golla and Marilou Estes.

Both the Legislative District 12 and 13 delegations will see new faces next ses-

sion as a result of General Election voting. In LD13, which includes Sun Lakes and south Chandler, Republican Realtor Liz Harris will join Repiublican Sen. J.D. Mesnard and Democratic Rep. Jennifer Pawlik. Longtime Rep. Jeff Weninger decided to run in the Republican primary for State Treasurer but was defeated. Pawlik was the only Democrat running for the two House seats and ended up leading all candidates in the election.

In LD 12, which represents northern and western Chandler, an all-woman Democratic ticket trounced the Republican all-male seat that included Roe’s bid to move from City Council, where he was termed out, to the House of Representatives.

Rep. Mitzi Epstein moved into the Senate seat, replacing Sean Bowie, who opted not to seek another term, while Ahwatukee residents Patty Contreras and Stacey Travers – after defeating three men in the Democratic primary, hammered Roe and Chandler CPA James Chaston. Besides Bowie, Rep. Jennifer Jermaine opted to run instead for San Marcos Court justice of the peace, where she was the only candidate.

Landings project

A developer’s plan to build affordable housing apartments on Ocotillo Road ignited huge opposition.

Organizers said more than 3,000 people have signed a petition to oppose the Landings at Ocotillo project, which would be more than 500 apartments that would have the rent price controlled by the federal government

The developer is trying to build the project on a county island, unincorporated land that is inside the city’s limits. Because of that, the County Board of Supervisors have final say.

Micro-transit option

Chandler Flex gave South Chandler residents a new way to travel. The pilot program is being paid for by a grant and operates similar to an Uber or Lyft ride. Residents can call for a ride via a phone app. A van will meet them and take them

The Ostrich Festival returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. (File photo)

to a transit center.

The service is free to students. The city offered free rides for all during a trial period, but is now charging $2 for a ride.

Residents may have to walk a short distance to catch a ride, and they may have to share the van with others going in the same direction. But it’s an affordable way to get around an area with little bus service.

Ostrich Festival returns

The Ostrich Festival returned after its two-year suspension caused by the pandemic.

In 2022, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce expanded the festival to two weekends and had some big names appear as entertainment.

Chandler’s first historic district

The City of Chandler designated its first historic district, recognizing Southside Village. The area is where many African Americans and Latino Americans lived during the city’s early years.

Residents organized and pushed for the historic designation, which is mostly

honorary. It does not limit what developers can build in the area south of Frye Road and north of Pecos and east of Arizona Avenue to the railroad tracks.

The area is home to some notable residents in the city’s history, including boxer Zora Folley.

Money rolls in

The City of Chandler was doing so well financially in 2022 it decided to make a $50 million payment to the state pension fund.

Most of that extra money was caused by the continued construction at the Intel Ocotillo plant. City officials say they usually see an increase in sales taxes during the construction, but realize those good times will end.

The city also put more money into its budget, planning to hire additional police officers and improving other quality of life options.

Late in 2022, city officials warned the good times may be ending soon. In addition to the Intel expansion ending, inflation was increasing costs and the state legislature was threatening to take away some funding.

But that will be a problem for 2023.

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Southside Village in Chandler became the city’s first historic neighborhood. (File photo)

CUSD board opts for artificial turf in stadiums

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Chandler Unified School District says it is doing its part in helping to ease the impact of the drought.

As part of the district’s sustainability effort, the Governing Board this month voted to convert all six high school sports stadiums to synthetic turf, saying it will not only require less water than natural turf but it will cut maintenance costs.

They awarded a $780,000 contract to Lloyd Sports + Engineering to do the planning, design, development of construction documents, and engineering. The company will work with a committee of coaches and athletic directors in deciding which of about 10 types of synthetic turf fields to use.

“Various cities are doing their effort of coming up with tier one and tier two plans for water conservation,” Superintendent Frank Narducci said. “They really did a nice job of seeing what that

savings would be over time and us doing our part to make sure that we’re part of the solution.”

Added Tom Dunn, district executive director of support service: “You have to water it on a regular basis, especially during competition or prior to competition because they are a little warmer than natural turf. So there will be some water that’s applied two-to-three hours prior to competitions.”

Dunn said the water cools the surface for play and that there will be other maintenance issues.

“We need to brush it, they have these machines that will brush the turf three times a week, most likely,” he said. “And then the large trash needs to be picked up, those types of things.”

District officials said they expect to save CUSD about $3 million over 12 years.

Dunn said they also must run a magnet over the field to pick up any loose metals

that may have fallen off of uniforms and will need to do some infill annually, replacing the rubber pellets below grass in places where it’s getting thin.

In other action, the board got a look at its revised budget for this fiscal year, which is $4.1 million higher than what it approved in July. The total budget is now just under $652 million. Chandler Unified School District is the second largest in Arizona, with about 45,000 students.

Most of the revisions came in what the district calls other funds. It jumped by $10.6 million. Lana Berry, the district’s chief financial officer, said most of that was because of increased costs in food services.

The Dec. 14 meeting was the final full meeting for board members Lara Bruner and Lindsay Love. Several people thanked them for their service.

Jacob Marson thanked Love for being the only member of the board to respond to him after he wrote he was

concerned for his personal safety after a public speaker made an anti-Semitic comment at a 2021 meeting.

“A target was put on every Jewish student that night when that comment was made and Miss Love was the only one out of the five of you that could respond to a student who felt that their safety was at risk,” Marson told the board.

Kurt Rohrs and Patti Serrano are scheduled to be sworn in at a special meeting on Jan. 11 to replace them.

Love teared up during some of the comments from the speakers.

“Being a Black school board member is tough, and there certainly aren’t enough of us serving in that position,” Love said, pointing out she’s met all of them and you can count them on one hand. “I’m proud to have been the radical person to ignite that change within our district and see our students go on to become something greater than my wildest dreams.”

Folley was born in Dallas in 1931 and moved to Chandler in 1942. He lived in a house across the street from where Harris Park sits today. Folley Park, which is much larger, is about a quarter of a mile farther East.

He began boxing as part of the military, winning championships there. He rose to become a sergeant in the U.S. Army, earning five battle stars and the Purple Heart.

As a pro boxer he won 79, lost 11 and had six draws. He got his shot at the championship against Ali in 1967 when he was 34. Ali, a notorious trash talker to hype up his fights, complained before fighting Folley that he was such a gentleman that he was finding it hard to say anything bad about him.

Folley was appointed to City Council in 1972 but only served for a few months. He died that summer from a head injury at a Tucson motel swimming pool. Police ruled it accidental, but there has been some speculation about the circumstances that has persisted.

The owners of FLO Yoga & Cycle said they always wanted a mural on the side of their building, but didn’t know what to put on it. They said they are thrilled with the result.

“I’ve seen a lot of people come by taking pictures with the mural, already interacting with it,” said Eddie Davis, one of the owners of FLO. “And that’s exactly what we want … to make this whole community walkable and we’re proud that we can be a part of helping build everything.”

The mural recalls Zora Folley’s days as a professional boxer, which included a match with the legendary Muhammed Ali for the world heavyweight crown.

(David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

FOLLEY from page 3

Local entrepreneur brightens 20 families’ holiday season

ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

Chandler real estate investor and strip mall king Michael Pollack made the holidays merrier for 20 needy families last week.

Pollack gave each family a $1,000 gift card to buy food, toys and other necessities during a shopping spree Dec. 20 at the Target store at Baseline Road and McClintock Drive.

“We wanted to make a huge impact this year giving the gift of financial support that allows families in need the ability to purchase essential items and Christmas presents,” said Pollack.

The families were selected by Child Crisis of Arizona – which has long been supported by Pollack, who over the years has been a kind of patron saint for numerous charities in the region.

Dozens of nonprofits have been supported not only financially by Pollack over the years but also by his participation on boards and at charitable events, where he often has played with his band to entertain guests.

Saying he wanted to “make a positive impact on the upcoming holiday season” with his gift card gifts to the families, Pollack said he hoped to be setting an example for other businesses to help the needy in their communities.

Pollack has been in the real estate business for 50 years, and started in California by buying a single house.

He came to Chandler in 1990 and said in an interview in 2019 that he was “fascinated by the opportunity” he saw in the city.

His first real estate project was the revival of the Waterfall shopping strip on at Alma School Road and Galveston Street.

Since then he has been involved in more than 11 million square feet of real estate projects, specializing in refurbishing commercial and industrial properties.

“For many of our low-income families with children the holidays can be a time of extra stress. It’s pure joy to see Michael Pollack stepping forward to take care of 20 of the families we work with in order to make their lives a little easier and spread some very generous holiday spirit,” said Torrie Taj, CEO of Child Crisis Arizona.

The nonprofit has been serving the community’s most vulnerable children, youth and families for 45 years and its mission is to “provide children and youth in Arizona a safe environment, free from abuse and neglect, by creating strong and successful families.”

“The 20 families selected are typically working several jobs to make ends meet and are living well below the poverty line,” the agency said in a release.

To make a donation to Child Crisis Arizona visit childcrisisAZ.org or call 480304-9471.

What’s The Real Value Of Hearing Aids?

Hearing Aids

Hearing Protection

Hearing Testing

“Well,” said the new hearing aid user as she drew a deep breath.” my hearing loss cost me three friendships that I know of, a strained relationship with my husband, two grandchildren who think I don’t understand them, boredom at church, and lost interest in attending get-togethers.”

Target at Baseline Road and McClintock Drive in Tempe became kind of like Santa’s North Pole HQ Dec. 20 as 20 families received $1,000 gift cards from Chandler strip mall and real estate investment entrepreneur Michael Pollack to buy food, toys and other necessities.

(David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Marijuana sales steadily increasing in Arizona

BY RYAN KNAPPENBERGER Cronkite News

Sales of marijuana in Arizona soared to $1.6 billion in 2021, just one year after recreational pot was legalized in the state, making Arizona second only to California for retail sales that year, according to an industry research group.

But while retail sales of cannabis are strong, the crop is far from being added to the traditional “5 C’s” of Arizona’s economy, experts say, as production still trails far behind other states.

They say cannabis could become a strong part of the state’s economy in the next few years, but the industry will first have to overcome barriers to growth nationwide that include limited trade and restrictions on financing for a crop that is still illegal on the federal level.

“We don’t see SWAT teams busting in the doors of dispensaries,” said Aaron Smith, CEO of the National Cannabis Industry Association. “But we do have problems with not being able to take tax deductions like a normal industry, or being able to have interstate commerce, which really creates a barrier to entry for a lot of folks.”

But for now, at least, the industry appears to be growing in Arizona.

Marijuana sales brought in $221.3 million in taxes in 2021, according to the Arizona Department of Revenue, and sales in 2022 were on pace to eclipse that number, with $196.4 million in taxes in the first nine months of the year. That’s an average of just under $22 million in excise taxes a month for 2022.

Cultivation and production of cannabis as a crop, however, are not about to rival the 5 C’s: cattle, cotton, copper, cit-

rus and climate.

Alexis Villacis Aveiga, an assistant professor at the Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University, said that in order for cannabis to rival the rest of the 5 C’s, the state would need to see a much larger expansion of agricultural production.

But Arizona’s climate makes it difficult to grow cannabis, he said, and while greenhouses can help address that issue, Arizona has a lot of catching up to do with other states.

“For example, we have 35,000 square feet of indoors cannabis and hemp,” Aveiga said. “In California there are over 4 million square feet, Colorado has over 2 million and Kentucky has around

200,000.

“So Arizona is pretty small compared to other states,” he said.

Dave DeWalt, the Arizona statistician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in an email that the state had about 129,000 acres of cotton in production in 2021, worth about $156 million, and that cattle brought in $754 million that year. There were 10,031 acres of citrus in the state in 2017, the most recent year for which USDA has data available.

Acreage for cannabis production was not readily available, but the Arizona Department of Agriculture measures the production of hemp – a type of cannabis plant that contains 0.3% or less of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psycho-

active component of the plant that gives users a high.

Hemp cannot be used to get high, but can be used to create things like rope, paper, paint, beer, medicine and more.

The department said Arizona had 155.5 acres of industrial hemp growing in fields at the end of 2021, and 11,558 square feet planted indoors.

Aveiga said current state regulations make hemp less attractive as a crop, since farmers can only sell their harvest if it is below the 0.3% limit for THC. Otherwise, it counts as marijuana, which requires a separate license to grow and sell.

Smith, of the NCIA, said it’s not just farmers: Businesses trying to sell medical and recreational marijuana face legal hurdles that other businesses don’t.

He said regulations for cannabis make it difficult for small businesses to deduct expenses and find banks to work with. That means some operators cannot take credit cards for purchases and in some cases cannot place cash in checking accounts.

“It just serves nobody’s interest to have the industry operate in cash or you do not have access to these services,” Smith said.

Despite all the current hurdles, Smith said Arizona has been a pioneering purple state in terms of cannabis regulation and has shown just how popular legalization can be.

“Cannabis is used across demographics, boomers and millennials and Gen Z, people over 21 are using responsibly and we’re glad to see that,” Smith said. “Arizona law is by and large working well.”

A vendor makes change for cannabis sale at a Los Angeles marketplace in this photo from 2020, when Arizona voters legalized recreational use of marijuana. Since then, cannabis sales in Arizona have surged to an estimated $1.6 billion, second only to California, but production in the state still lags. (Richard Vogel/AP/Shutterstock)

ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

Anew analysis of the housing market says Arizona homebuyers saw a significant loss in their purchasing power this year and that Chandler was among the worst.

Point2, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc., that covers real estate trends, reported losses ranged from a whopping $174,097 in Gilbert to $73,709 in Tucson. Phoenix buyers this year lost $113,684 in buying power year over year while Scottsdale recorded the second highest loss in the state at $157,171, point2 said.

It also found Chandler buyers suffered the third highest lost in Arizona at $157,171.

That loss of purchasing power meant

less space a buyer could afford, according to point2.

In Gilbert, buyers could afford an average 2,416-square-foot home last year but lost out this year on 810 square feet of space.

Phoenix homebuyers this year could afford only 1,098 square feet as opposed to 1,661 square feet last year, Point2 reported.

Looking at the nation’s 100 largest cities, Point2 said, “The average buyer lost the equivalent of 1 to 9 bedrooms due to increasing home prices and interest rates.”

“Aggressive rate hikes (after the latest increase, the average mortgage rate hovers around 7%), coupled with sky-high home prices mean buyers are bleeding money,” it said, adding “homebuyers — and espe-

cially post-pandemic homebuyers — are also losing what they wanted the most: More living space.”

“In just a few months, buyers in the 100 largest cities lost between 92 and a staggering 1,140 square feet of space,” Point2 said, basing its analysis on a bedroom average of 132 square feet.

“With affordability eroding, the homes that cash-strapped buyers can choose from are disappearing,” it continued, adding that number has fallen to zero in most California cities and that “in 41 other cities it represents less than 10% of the total homes for sale.”

It was even worse for Mesa and Phoenix, the study found, where only 7% of available houses could be purchased by the average buyer.

“Home seekers go out of their way to find homes that are within their budget, but that usually means they end up settling for a much smaller home, a home in a totally different location or both,” Point2 said.

That trend made Gilbert 10th in the nation for the greatest loss in square footage that the average buyer could afford this year compared to last.

It said Gilbert buyers in 2021 could afford a 2,416-square-foot house and this year, could expect to afford a home with only 1,606 square feet.

Nationally, it said, Scottsdale and Chandler ranked 8th and 9th, respectively, among the 10p 10 cities sustaining the biggest losses in purchasing power, Point2 said.

“Analyzing purchasing power, Gilbert house hunters had the most to lose: Based on their income and the then home prices and rates, they were able to afford a $621,675 home in 2021,” Point2 said. “Right now, although incomes grew as well, they can only afford a $447,579 home. This translates to a $174,097 loss in buying power.

“Gilbert was followed by Scottsdale

and Chandler, places where people interested in buying were set back more than $150,000. In fact, there was only one city where buyers lost less than $100,000: In Tucson they ‘only’ lost $73,709,” Point2 continued, adding:

“Unfortunately, the share of affordable inventory — meaning the percentage of homes on the market at or below the price that the average homebuyer could afford — just adds insult to injury: With 12%, 11% and 10%, respectively, Chandler, Scottsdale and Gilbert were the only three cities where the share of affordable homes was more than 10%.”

Point2 based its analysis on a broad range of data and assumed a 20% down payment and a mortgage payment of up to 30% of monthly income.

“When the interest rate was hovering around 3%, the pain of soaring home prices was just a dull ache compared to the major burden it has become,” Point2 said. “Now, with rates crossing the psychological barrier of 7% (a level not seen in more than two decades) the consequences for homebuyers are crushing.”

As for the losss in space an average homeowner can afford, this couldn’t come at a worst time, according to Piont2, which noted:

“Although home size in the U.S had been on an upward trend since 1973, the pandemic really made everyone hungrier for space than ever. … With sky-high home prices and rising mortgage rates, big homes are becoming untouchable.”

And the Poin2 report wasn’t very encouraging about the future, stating:

“Despite the corrections from the last few months, home prices remain prohibitively high. That’s why, in 97 of the 100 largest U.S. cities, the share of homes at or below the price that the average buyer can afford is (way) below 50%. Housing affordability really seems to be eroding faster than ever.”

From Uptown to Downtown, we cover Chandler like the sun

BY DAVID MINTON Arizonan Staff Photographer

The Crayola Experience at Chandler Fashion Center persuaded Chandler Police officers earlier this month to become “shopping carts” for selected chil-

dren who had 64 seconds – the number of crayons in a box –to race through the world’s largest selection of Crayola products. Prior to the start of the shopping spree, the teams strategized what to grab.

1) JoeLynn Aquino, 5, slipped a pencil holder onto the radio antenna of Officer Fernando Gomez while (2) Officer Josh Bazzell hung onto a stack of items for 9-year-old Xochitl Salazar. 3) Gomez stacked a giant coloring book on his pile for JoeLynn as 4) Bazzell kept Xochitl close while 5) Officer Shawn Hansen coached 4-year-old Kellan Segers before they started and 6) Xochiti and Bazzell reviewed their haul.

1 3

PHOTOS

Chandler pickleball store thrives as sport’s popularity soars

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

It’s no surprise to Cheryl Megli how quickly pickleball has become a major recreation option in the East Valley. In fact, she wonders what took so long.

“We saw it coming,” said Megli, owner of the Tennis & Pickleball Cabana, which recently moved from Ahwatukee to Chandler. “The west side of town started first, we had a store over there. And we knew it was coming to the East Valley. We just didn’t know when.”

Megli’s store off Arizona Avenue, just south of the Loop 202, offers supplies for tennis and pickleball players. It also has its own pickleball court.

She bought an existing business that started in Ahwatukee about four years after it opened.

When the lease was ending on that location, she said she wanted to move farther east to the Chandler-Gilbert areas because of how much the sport has grown there.

Besides, she said, she also needed a larger location to keep up with that

growth.

“From what I hear in the pickleball world, the East Valley of Phoenix right now is the hotspot,” she said. “We are growing the fastest and building the most courts, and have the most players. It’s very exciting!”

Chandler family brings Costa Rica flavor to EV

BY GERI KOEPPEL Arizonan Contributor

Coffee is a central part of the Costa Rican culture, and one East Valley family shares that heritage with every cup they serve.

Pura Vida Grinds coffee shop on Main Street near Val Vista Drive in Mesa only serves coffee from beans imported from Costa Rican co-ops and individual farms.

The owners, Robert Lobo and his wife, Angela Vannett, and their children—Isabella, 2, and Charlie, 3—travel from their Chandler home to the Latin American country annually to try coffees. Lobo’s father, Carlos, and his wife, Cecilia, live

there full-time and facilitate the contacts.

“This year we went for the month of June,” said Robert Lobo, who’s known by his surname. “It’s really cool just to sit down and drink. They’re so proud to serve you their coffee that’s in their back yard.”

They named the shop Pura Vida Grinds because “pura vida” is a popular saying in Costa Rica. Though it translates directly as “pure life,” it indicates living your life to the fullest, Lobo explained.

Pura Vida Grinds not only sells a wide range of specialty coffee drinks for about

There are an estimated 4.8 million pickleball players in the U.S., and the sport grew 14.8% from 2020 to 2021. There are 10,320 pickleball facilities nationally according to Pickleheads, a court data provider.

Megli said the company that built the

pickleball court inside her store told her it has become the hot commodity in the homebuyer’s market.

“A lot of the new, higher-end homebuilders are putting pickleball courts into their backyards, and not as an option,” Megli said. “A lot of people in Gilbert, and the SanTan area are actually putting them in their backyards.

“And if you’re building a new senior community, you must have pickleball courts. Nobody will give it a look unless

Manning a Pura Vida Grinds coffee truck are, clockwise from top, Robert Lobo of Chandler, Charlie, his wife Angela Vannett, and his dad’s wife and dad, Cecilia and Carlos Lobo of Costa Rica.

(Geri Koeppel/ Contributor)

(Above) Cheryl Megli recently moved her Tennis and Pickleball Cabana from Ahwatukee to a larger shop in Chandler. (Right) Ben Tong restrings a tennis racket. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Jump rope game inspired Chandler eatery name

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Friends and business partners Jason Key and Tom Montgomery grew up in the New York area. So did some of their fellow investors.

When they were looking for a name for their new South Chandler restaurant and bar, they had a specific concept in mind, but the actual name eluded them.

“We wanted something that kind of touched on something American, but had a fun kind of a neighborhood feel,” Key said. “We had so many options. We were like, ‘oh, that sounds good.’ And then a couple of weeks later, it didn’t sound so good. “Maybe it didn’t roll off the tongue like we liked. And then it got down to the kind of crunch time and down to the wire.”

A childhood memory proved to be the source of inspiration for the name.

“Growing up all of our sisters and friends were always doing the double-dutch jump rope game out in the

streets,” he said. “And I was never really good at it.”

That’s how the Double Dutch Kitchen & Cocktails got its name.

The business partners had been operating The Kettle Black together in downtown Phoenix. After weathering the COVID storm, they decided to expand.

They took over an existing place in ear-

ly 2021 on the northeast corner of Dobson and Germann roads. What they liked about it was they didn’t feel it needed a lot of work.

“We didn’t have to put a whole lot of money into the place which was a selling aspect for us,” Key said. “But we ended up putting a lot of money to get our own touches and things and [making some

repairs].”

Keeping to the theme of childhood games, Key said they offer some fun things for visitors.

“We have a great patio out here to throw some beanbags or play Giant Jenga or things like that,” he said.

So far, Key said they’ve been a success with local residents, some of whom return multiple times a week. He said the next step is to make sure a wider area of Chandler knows about the place and will come check them out.

“They love our braised beef short ribs,” Key said. “They love our steaks and our seafood but first, they come in sometimes and have our street corn or shrimp ceviche.

“They really like our deals that we have – like on Mondays, we’ll do a burger and a draught beer for $12. We’ll do nice gourmet burgers. We do some Taco Tuesdays, which have been pretty well

Jason Key and Tom Montgomery wanted something that said “American” and “fun” when they opened their South Chandler restaurant last year. (Courtesy of Jason Key)

it has pickleball courts.”

Pickleball is a version of tennis, but on a much smaller court so it doesn’t require as much movement. It’s played with paddles and the balls have holes in them, so it slows the game down considerably.

It rose to prominence among seniors but Megli said that now people of all ages are playing the sport and it’s become quite popular with younger generations.

It’s become so popular that most cities and towns in the metro region have invested millions in constructing pickleball courts. And yet, pickleball fans contend there aren’t nearly enough to meet the demand.

For those who prefer the older, faster and more powerful game Megli’s store continues to sell tennis gear as well.

She said the equipment in that game has changed so much that her staff will be able to help any tennis player get the right gear for them.

One thing she stressed is that even though pickleball and tennis can be lowkey recreation options, she said it’s important to have court shoes. Megli said there have been a lot of injuries because people wore the wrong shoes while playing those sports.

Megli offers a range of supplies – from the players just starting out to the more serious types who are competing in tournament.

She doesn’t doubt that it will continue to grow in popularity.

“It’s such a social sport, a fun sport,” Megli said. And it’s a sport you can pick up the first day. So a 4-year-old can literally go out there and play pickleball today without having years and years of lessons like tennis. And then it’s a natural transition for tennis players.”

Tennis & Pickleball Cabana

1400 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler 480-598-0162 tenniscabana.com

$3-6, it also uses “micro-lot coffees” for pour-overs using a handmade, imported ceramic vandola. It resembles a large teapot with a funnel on top.

The vessel keeps the coffee warm and helps open up the flavors “like the decanter for the wine,” Carlos explained. “It oxygenates the coffee so you get the notes out.”

The shop sells the hand-painted vandolas for $160 as well as a variety of beans, starting at about $16 for 12 ounces and up to $42 for a kilogram.

In addition to coffee, the Lobo family doles out healthy doses of hospitality.

Loyal customer Randy Walters of Mesa said service is an important part of what keeps him going back.

“You can get good coffee a lot of places, but you can’t get this experience,” Walters said. “The customer care, it’s just phenomenal. It’s genuine.”

“The first time you’re in here you feel like family,” he added. “They smile, they greet you, they don’t rush anybody out, they take their time.”

Numerous customers say they drive from other parts of the Valley just to visit them, Vannett commented.

“Especially in coffee, there’s so many options for people, so you have to set yourself apart with great coffee and great customer service,” she said.

The idea for Pura Vida Grinds began to brew when a coffee franchise owner in Costa Rica approached Carlos and told him he’d like to export to the United States. “I told him my son was here and he could be the contact here,” he said.

Lobo began making plans and got a trailer, but that deal fell through. He still wanted to pursue the business, however, so he called his dad and said, “Hey, could you find me the best coffee in Costa Rica?”

Carlos located a small supplier, Cafe Forestal, and they started with that.

Lobo and Vannett formed the business in 2016 and began selling coffee from a portable cart in Mesa and at events in 2017.

They got their current space on Main Street in 2018 to serve as a prep area and for storing the cart and beans.

Also in 2018, they added a coffee truck, which was easier than wheeling around the cart and a heavy generator to serve events.

The 1963 Ford Vanette was manufactured on special order for Rainbow Bread as a delivery truck. Lobo had it wrapped with scenes of Costa Rica—including the iconic sloth, which is a national symbol of Costa Rica—by Cortez Visual in Gilbert, which also did Pura Vida Grinds’ storefront, cart and a wall mural.

Just as things were moving along, everything ground to a halt.

“When the whole pandemic hit, our calendars got wiped, and we said, ‘What do we do?’” Lobo recalled. “We decided to open this up as a pop-up shop to stay alive.”

They turned the strip mall storefront into a cafe, parking the cart inside and serving drinks from it.

And then they got a big break: As other businesses were shuttering during the pandemic, they got a boost of publicity and started to grow.

Newscaster Elías Alvarado of Telenoticias, a major Spanish-language TV station, found Pura Vida Grinds on social media. He did a segment remotely from the studio in New York in June 2020 that was broadcast all over Latin America.

It was so successful, he flew out in November and did another segment that will air this month on Telenoticias.

Soon after the initial segment aired, artisanal coffee producers and others began to reach out.

“When the interview came out, the whole world was shut off,” Carlos said, “so all these people in Costa Rica, these souvenir producers, they called and said, ‘Please help us; we have no business.’”

The family already was selling Costa Rican-made flip flops, and began importing items like jewelry, Indigenous-made decorative masks and more. Now, they’re constantly adding new items, getting fresh beans, sourcing new contacts and filling special requests, Lobo added.

“That was always my idea was to share culture through coffee,” he said. “Now that we’re here, it’s about bringing the community together. It means a lot to us. Almost every customer that comes in, we know by name.”

3820 E. Main Street, Mesa.

7 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 480-600-7528; pvgrinds.com

Chandler school

ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

AChandler woman has been elected president and chair of rhe American Association of Cosmetology Schools.

Cathy Koluch, president and founder of The Studio Academy with locations in Chandler, Phoenix and Tolleson, was elected to the position at a recent gathering of the association.

Koluch has been in private post-secondary education since 1989. She was appointed to the Arizona Post-Secondary Education Commission by former Gov. Jan Brewer and has been an advocate for career

trade schools as a viable option for those who choose not to attend traditional college and universities.

AACS was founded in 1924 and has a rich history of educating and advancing students into the beauty and wellness industry. The national nonprofit is open to all privately owned schools of cosmetology arts and science.

Membership includes cosmetology, skin, nail, barbering, and massage schools. AACS currently has more than 250 school owners as members comprising over 500 schools across the nation.

Tasked with protecting and elevat-

ing education in this industry, Koluch said her position requires advocacy at the state and federal level.

“It is important to recognize the beauty and wellness industry as a growing and evolving career path that offers stable careers that leads to flexibility and business ownership,” said Koluch.

The Studio Academy of Beauty was founded in 2006 and offers Cosmetology, Hairstyling and Esthetics education. TSAOB offers financial aid for those who qualify and is approved by the Veterans Administration and Workforce Development.

from

received.”

In the bar area, they offer craft cocktails.

“We’re an American-style gastropub specializing in some craft cocktails and you know, great beer, craft beer. You can get anything here, from burgers and sandwiches and salads to filet mignon and salmon. We have some higher-end pasta dishes and things like that, too. So we’re trying to fit all that little market.”

On weekends, Double Dutch offers live entertainment.

“We started doing it about I’d say maybe a year ago,” Key said. “And it’s been well received. People know that you can come in here on a Friday or Saturday night and know that there’s either going to be a solo musician or a duo or maybe even a trio, maybe even a band.”

Double Dutch Kitchen & Cocktails

1890 W. Germann Road, Suite 1, Chandler 480-758-5856, thedoubledutchaz.com

Any

EV athletes honored at Ed Doherty Award luncheon

BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor

The naming of the Ed Doherty Award recipient on a yearly basis is the culmination of every high school football season in Arizona.

Nicknamed “the Heisman” of high school football in the state, it’s awarded every year to the player that stood out among the rest. The event itself is extravagant. Fifty-nine players who have been nominated throughout the season with medallions for excellent play are invited to attend alongside families. Forty were in attendance this year.

They walk a red carpet and eat an extravagant lunch before finding out if they have been deemed the best high school football player in the state for the season. While every athlete aims to come away with the award, simply being one of the nominees is an honor, too.

That was the case for Saguaro senior quarterback Devon Dampier. That is, until he was named the 2022 winner of the Ed Doherty Award.

Dampier shined in his two seasons at Saguaro, the first of which he had to sit out the first five games after transferring from Pinnacle.

He led the Sabercats to the Open Division state championship as a junior when he officially took over as the starter in the postseason. As a senior, he guided his team through one of the most difficult schedules in the nation. Saguaro entered the Open Division playoffs as the No. 5 seed yet made another run to the title game. The Sabercats fell just short of another title.

Dampier passed for 2,349 yards and 21 touchdowns this past season. Even with the accolades, he prides himself on being an underdog. That’s a role he will cherish at New Mexico next year.

“I like to feel like I’m an underdog,” Dampier said. “I never think I’m good enough, it’s just the expectations I have for myself in my head.”

Dampier was joined by five other fi-

nalists for the award on stage – American Leadership Academy Gilbert quarterback Adam Damante, Higley quarterback Jamar Malone, Liberty quarterback Navi Bruzon and Basha quarterback Demond Williams. Pinnacle tight end Duce Robinson, another finalist, wasn’t present.

Three of the six nominated players won their respective state title games a week prior. Damante led the Eagles to their first-ever championship at the 4A level, beating Snowflake. Malone led Higley to its first championship by beat-

ing Cactus in the 5A game. Williams led Basha to a win over Saguaro in the Open.

“It means a lot,” Williams said. “We’re all very big players who had good seasons. There’s a reason we’re here. It means a lot. This is a big thing for me because I have been here since my freshman year.”

Of the 59 players nominated for the award throughout the course of the season, 40 attended the event last Saturday. It was an opportunity to mingle among other players, and of course be considered one of the best the state has to offer.

That meant a lot to players like Eastmark wideout Austin Johnston and quarterback Mack Molander.

They comprised one of the best tandems in the state while leading the Firebirds to the 3A championship win over Thatcher. Receiving Ed Doherty medallions and being invited to the luncheon was a nod to where they have come as players and how much they have built Eastmark into yet another power in the East Valley.

Mountain Pointe quarterback Chris Arviso was the lone representative for the Ahwatukee community. But he did it with honor and it was earned after a standout season.

He helped rebuild the Pride program the last three seasons, and he was recognized for it as one of the state’s best players.

The Ed Doherty Award, while special for the winner, also recognizes the outstanding play of a select players from most conferences across the state.

While every player aims to join the likes of Hamilton alum Nicco Marchiol, Mesquite alum Ty Thompson, Perry alum Brock Purdy, Salpointe Catholic alum Bijan Robinson and Desert Vista alums Zach Miller and Bobby Wade, simply being nominated and invited to the luncheon is an honor and experience they will never forget.

“It feels good to be rewarded,” Dampier said. “I’m just going to keep grinding, keep working to try and be the best me. I feel like I’ve proved myself.”

(Left) Basha junior quarterback Demond Williams was part of the Ed Doherty Award luncheon Saturday, Dec. 17, which honors the top high school football players from across the state for their play this past season. He was joined teammates Cole Martin, Wyatt Milkovic and Timothy Tynan. (Above) Williams was joined by several other nominations at the Ed Doherty Award Luncheon on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch. Saguaro senior quarterback Devon Dampier was the recipient of this year’s Ed Doherty Award. (Dave Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Chandler club boasts creative drinks, fun times

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor

When Chuck and Angela Fazio moved from a traditional real estate agency to a cloud-based international company, they were left with a beautiful building in Chandler. So, the couple did what anyone would do. They opened a nightclub and a lounge.

TwentyThree01 Bar & Nightclub and The Forum Lounge are hidden gems in Chandler. The Instagram-worthy club marks a full-circle moment for Chuck, who worked with nightclubs in New York.

“The atmosphere is really great,” he said. “We have two patios, the bar and a dance floor. The front part of the building is The Forum Lounge. It will have live entertainment, great food and amazing ambience. It has a large event space that will also have entertainment and is available for private events.

“We want this to be a hub where people in the Valley know they can get entertainment — whatever it is.”

The music varies from Top 40 and EDM to Latin at TwentyThree01 Bar & Nightclub.

Ladies Night is every Friday in December and January, while Saturdays see the kitchen open until midnight and hookah available all night. Soon we’ll even have cigars.

On Ladies Night, women can enjoy drinks for $5 until midnight, while everyone can take advantage of happy hour starting at 4 p.m.

The menu is elevated bar food, with Korean fried chicken, popcorn shrimp, tuna tataki, chicken pot stickers, pork and vegetable rolls, barbecue pork sliders and chicken yakatori. TwentyThree01 Bar & Nightclub also boasts spicy

French fries, spicy tuna roll, California roll, Philly roll, bang bang shrimp roll and crunchy hidden spicy tuna roll.

The drinks are creative and range from a pecan old fashioned to banana espresso martini to tequila colada.

The Fazios say TwentyThree01 Bar & Nightclub and The Forum Lounge were born out of necessity, not a dream. Chuck moved here in 1998 and met Angela through real estate. He said they were both broke and almost exited the

real estate business.

“By the grace of God, we went on to be one of the top agents in the country and the top teams in 2005,” he said.

“The next logical step was opening a brokerage. We slowly built and built and built. Then I had a vision of building the coolest real estate office. So, we started to look for spaces. I had a vision in my head.”

For the real estate office, Chuck obtained a class six liquor license and LGE,

a commercial custom builder, put its touch on the building. The bar, café and kitchen were all part of the real estate office. A game room was also featured.

“We built it to be the No. 1 single-office, independent real estate brokerage in the world,” he said proudly.

“Out of this one location, we had 906 agents, and we did about $2 billion in production and sales. We are really well known in the industry, so we were approached by a cloud-based, forward-thinking company that’s international.”

eXp wanted Chuck and Angela to work there, but, at first, neither wanted to give up the office. They prayed, looked at the options and closed the brokerage.

“The industry laughed at us because they thought we lost our minds,” he said. “It took me 16 years to go to 906 agents, and it took us three years to go to 8,000 agents worldwide. So, I have agents in India, Italy, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain and, obviously, the United States.”

“The reason why we built up such a big brokerage is we believe in the community,” he said.

“We were into entertainment and that’s the reason why everybody loved us. We like to give back, so why not do something like this?”

TwentyThree01 Bar & Nightclub

2301 S. Stearman Drive, Chandler 480-722-9800

clubtwentythree01.com

4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays

8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays theforumlounge.com

Opens the last week in January

4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays

4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Chuck and Angela Fazio have converted a Chandler building into the new East Valley hot spot for East Valley young people. (David Minton/GetOut Staff Photographer)

Ob uaries

OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES

Lillian Marie Miller

and hiking the Mogollon Rim.

1995 brought Stu to Gold Canyon at the base of his adored Superstition Mountains thus fulfilling his hiking and horseback riding dreams. He led the weekly MountainBrook Hiking Club for several years where they hiked very scenic trails. Stu’s vast knowledge of the Superstitions came from hiking Siphon Draw Trail on the west end of the Superstitions to the east end’s Rogers Trough Trail plus every other trail in between. He also hiked up and down Humphrey’s Peak in Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and trails in Utah and Colorado.

L i l l i a n f i l l e d a r o o m w i t h g r a c e , s t y l e a n d p o i s e . S h e s p e n t t h e m a j o r i t y o f h e r w o r kn g c a r e e r m a n a g i n g a d y ' s b o u t i q u e c l o t hn g s t o r e s i n C o l o r a d o S h e w o u l d e n d h e r w o r k c a r e e r w o r k i n g f o r T h a k u ' s B i g a n d T a l l M e n s w e a r i n S c o t t s d a l e A Z . M a n y o f h e r c u s t o m e r s w e r e p r o f e s s i o n a l b a l l p l a y e r s w h o r elied on her to make them look their best!

Stuart D. Thanig Jr., age 77 of Gold Canyon, Arizona quietly passed away Sunday October 23, 2022 with loved ones by his side.

“Stu” was born February 16,1945, in Mosinee, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents Stuart & Eleanora (Bittner) Thanig, his brother Richard Thanig and his favorite horse Rudy.

After graduating from Mosinee High School in 1963, Stu headed west to Hill Air Force base in Utah where he was trained in cryptology. As often as possible he returned to the Hill Aerospace Museum for a walk down memory lane.

Stu’s aerospace experience brought him to Phoenix where he was employed by Garrett Turbine Engine Company which later became Allied Signal. It was common knowledge that Stu still had his recess money from the 1st grade which allowed him to retire at the young age of 48. Stu’s entire adult life was shaped by his passion for adventure and the great outdoors. Special lifetime highlights included skiing with Phoenix Ski Club, hiking Piestewa Peak daily and biking trips to Greer, Sedona and the Grand Canyon. He also had many wonderful days and nights at the Limestone Ranch in Coconino County herding cattle, mending fences

Wearing his famous black shorts, olive green shirt, red bandana and his “Hello Kitty” cap or black hat, Stu enjoyed wishing everybody “Good Morning” and walking down to greet and groom his favorite horses. Rudy was his most favorite horse and they had many wonderful trail rides.

Whether you knew Stu for a short time or a long time, you knew he was a man who was the kindest soul to friends and strangers alike.

Survivors include; his wife of 34 years Linda Shank, daughter Kimberly Powell, stepson Ritch Shank, step-daughter Leigh Ann Mauger, grandsons Luke Shank, James Mauger, Jake Shank and Evan Powell and granddaughter Emma Leigh Mauger. Sisters Marguerite Abt and Cecile Thanig plus many many nieces and nephews living in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

A private commemoration of “Stu’s Story” will be held in January.

Stu loved being part of Superstition Fire and Medical District’s extended family. Any donations in Stu’s memory should be mailed to Superstition Fire and Medical District per the address below: Superstition Fire & Medical District 565 N. Idaho Road

Apache Junction AZ 85119

Attn: Roger Wood

Please note on the check “In Memory of Stuart Thanig” or attach a letter of instruction. SFMD doesn’t have a link for donations on their website.

H e r l o v e o f d a n c e s p u r r e d h e r v i c t o r y t o M A N Y G o l d m e d a l s co mp e tin g in all forms of Ball Room and Swing. She was t h e p e r f e c t d a n c e p a r t n e r ! W e h a v e n o d o u b t t h a t s h e i s d a n c i n g i n h e a v e n a t t h i s m o m e n t

S h e i s s u r v i v e d b y h e r l o v i n g s i s t e r Darlene (Cel) Rohr, Her boyfriend Steve, H e r 6 C h i l d r e n : M i c h a e l , E d w a r d , L a w r e n c e , B r a d f o r d ( L e s l i e ) , A n g e l ( C r a i g ) a n d C r a i g ( K a y c e e ) A l o n g w i t h h e r a d o r e d g r a n d c h i l d r e n : J D , N o e l , E d -

OBITUARIES

Robert Henry Becker

ice H u n t an d M a r g a r et R ey no l d s o n , d a u g h t e r s T e r e s a B e c k e r , B o n i t a S w e d a ( T h o m a s S w e d a ) , a n d K a t r i n a B e c k e r ( H o w a r d S c h u l e r ) , g r a n d c h i l d r e n Timothy and Jennifer Sweda, and companion Peggy Randolph

He was predeceased by wife Dorothy Chung Becker and parents Herman and Lena Becker. He is greatly missed. Bob Becker’s memorial celebration of life will be held a t S t P e t e r L u t h e r a n C h u r c h , 1 8 4 4 E D a n a A v e i n M e s a , A Z a t 3 P M o n S a t u r d a y , J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 3 .

More information and full obituary at https://everloved com/life-of/robert-becker/

Stuart D. Thanig Jr.