Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler and our neighboring communities
Aug 17 - Sep 6, 2019 | www.santansun.com
Chandler gears up for crucial 2020 census BY GARY NELSON Contributor
It’s going to be easy to overlook a little postcard that will arrive in your mail next March. Between the kids, the rent, the job and the busted washing machine, it won’t seem like a big deal. Plus, it’ll probably be hard to find among all the pizza coupons and dental implant ads. All that notwithstanding, Chandler is hoping you’ll treat that card like a piece of gold. Because, in a way, it is. The card is going to come from the U.S. Census Bureau, and it’s going to ask you some questions about how many people live in your home, your ethnicity and similar stuff. Whether you respond could help
determine how many federal dollars will be used to improve your hometown, and your answers will have a bearing on who ultimately represents you in Congress, the Legislature or even your City Council. The financial stakes are huge. According to the Maricopa Association of Governments, the federal government distributes $675 billion a year to cities and states, depending on their populations. Arizona gets $13.5 billion of that, and the more people your city counts, the more money it gets. Based on how many people live where, Arizona’s congressional and legislative district maps will be redrawn after census results are in. The official date for the 2020 census is April 1. That seems like a long way off, but some East Valley cities already have been preparing for months.
Leah Powell, Chandler’s neighborhood resources director, said the city launched its “Complete Count” committee a year ago. Between that group, seven subcommittees and city staff, she estimated 30-35 people are deeply involved in the Chandler census effort. “We’re focusing on getting to parts of the community that were underrepresented in past censuses,” she said. “Across the country in the last census, Latino populations with young children were under-represented. So that’s something we have tried to focus on.” Powell said Chandler is trying to identify “trusted voices” in various subpopulations to build confidence in the census and overcome fears resulting from the debate over the citizenship question. Powell said the city has been trying to define exactly how much federal money
the city receives in census-allocated programs, but one commonly cited example is Community Development Block Grants. “Those dollars are used to support public services, they’re used to support keeping people in their homes through housing rehab projects,” Powell said. “We use them for infrastructure projects, we have been doing park improvements with it. So, it’s something that residents throughout the city can benefit” from, she added. Chandler City Council created the committee in June 2018 with an ordinance directing it to “guide staff and community efforts in the promotion and outreach of the 2020 Census.” The ordinance notes that city See
CENSUS on page 6
Hamilton High football sex assault trial delayed
BY JIM WALSH Staff Writer
The criminal trial of a former Hamilton High School football player accused of assaulting younger players in the locker room has been delayed until at least January — two months shy of two years since charges were filed. A Superior Court last week delayed the trial as lawyers seek access to sworn depositions by victims and others in an ongoing federal civil suit filed against the Chandler Unified School District. Nathaniel William Thomas, now 19, was the only juvenile charged as an adult in the case. Two boys who were charged in juvenile court have already been adjudicated after admitting to the crimes. The civil case was filed by the parents
of five teens who accused Thomas and the two others of sexual assault. Chandler police also had recommended criminal charges against three school officials — the coach, athletic director and the then principal — but the County Attorney’s office declined their request. The civil suit seeks millions in damages from CUSD on grounds that the district was negligent in allowing the assaults to happen and failing to report them to police. That accusation was the basis for Chandler police detectives’ spurned recommendations for charges against the three officials. Thomas and the two other teens were arrested in March 2017. Thomas was indicted the next month on charges of sexual See
HAMILTON on page 13
How Chandler is trying to become a 'smart city' Lifesaver BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer
It’s Friday night in downtown Chandler and residents are flocking to visit the area’s bars and restaurants. Parking starts to get scarce as cars file into lots around Chandler Park. A driver on their way to ImprovMania worries they won’t be able to find a spot. A camera scans the area, counting the number of available parking spaces left. The number is transferred up into the digital cloud. The stressed driver accesses an online dashboard that has up-to-date analytics on where to park. They find a spot. Park the car. And enjoy their night. This is a scenario city officials hope will
play out through a new partnership with Verizon Wireless. The telecommunications company entered into an agreement with the city last year that obligates Verizon to provide its parking optimization technology. Verizon will install video nodes around downtown Chandler and provide the data it collects to the city. In exchange for this free service, Chandler will waive right-of-way fees for Verizon to use the city’s underground fiber communications system. The deal’ is meant to be beneficial to both parties: Verizon gets to improve connectivity to its customers with access to fiber networks and Chandler gets data See
SMART CITY on page 10
Damien Enghauser of Chandler passed away last month at age 12, the victim of a disease that is rarely fatal, But his dying wish to be an organ donor wound up giving four people a renewed hope of living. You can read about this generous boy on page 41.
F E AT U R E STO R I E S Chandler business is a place to vent anger . . . . . . .BUSINESS . . . . . . . . Page 25 Chandler high school football preview. . . . . . . . . . .SPORTS . . . . . . . . . Page 35 Chandler Girl Scout, 6, a badge earner. . . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS . . . . . . Page 42 New music director for symphony orchestra . . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . Page 50 Ocotillo Grille revises menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .EAT . . . . . . . . . . . Page 61
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