August 3 - 16, 2013
www.SanTanSun.com
Latest SRP news concerns Germann-area residents
Ball players prepping for the major leagues at area fields BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
At least five former Chandler high school baseball players are aiming to step up to the big-league plate after being drafted by professional teams. Cody Bellinger, the son of former MLB player Clay Bellinger, was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the league’s amateur draft, while Jamie Westbrook was claimed in the fifth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Other draftees include: Patrick Murphy, a right-handed pitcher from Hamilton
BY ALISON STANTON
Salt River Project (SRP) announced recently that it has reduced the number of proposed routes for the upcoming Price Road Corridor 230-kV Project. Six of the eight east-west route segments between SRP’s Schrader Substation and the proposed RS-28 Substation have been eliminated, says Tom Novy, project manager for SRP. This leaves Germann Road and Hunt Highway as the two remaining alternatives for this section of the project. While residents of the Ocotillo area and other neighborhoods no longer impacted by possible power lines rejoiced at this news, people who live in the Germann Road and Hunt Highway areas say they are extremely concerned that their neighborhoods are still under consideration. In some cases, residents say, learning that Germann Road and Hunt Highway are the two remaining alternatives was the first time they had heard about the project and proposed routes. “I was taken completely by surprise at the news,” says James Sproul, senior adults pastor at Tri-City Baptist Church in Chandler.
With first runner-up titles of Miss Cave Creek and Miss Tempe, and titles of Miss Maricopa and now Miss Arizona, Jennifer Smestad may look like a seasoned pageant competitor, but this 20-year-old Chandler High School graduate only started competing in pageants 15 months ago. In September, she’ll be in Atlantic City to represent Arizona in the 2013 Miss America Pageant. Smestad was involved in cheer, student council, Best Buddies, National Honor Society and Special Olympics at CHS. Her involvement in pageants began when her friend, Jennifer Sedler, won Miss Arizona 2011. “I went to go see her at Miss America in Vegas, to support her,” Smestad says. “After that I thought, I think I might want
Cody Bellinger Bellinger chose to bypass a college SEE BASEBALL PAGE 6
AFFECTED BY ROUTE: Hannah and Bree Browning live in a developed community off of Germann Road. The pole in the picture is about 125 feet and is a single-circuit 230kV with a double-circuit 69kV underbuild, which is similar to the possible proposed pole on Germann Road. Submitted photo
“When we found out about it we were just shocked that it was all taking place.” Sproul and three other residents of the Germann Road area—Kristina Weber, who resides in Germann Country Estates; Elska Watts who lives in Arden Park; and Anil Patel, who also resides in Arden Park— released a statement that explains their concern about the possible power lines. “The Germann route, one of the two final routes that SRP has selected, is SEE SRP PAGE 5
FAN TIME: Jamie Westbrook signs autographs for young fans during a visit to Chase Field in June. Photo by L.M. Parr/Arizona Diamondbacks
CHS grad named Miss Arizona BY TRACY HOUSE
High School, who was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays for $500,000. A pair of Chandler players from Seton Catholic High School—right-handed pitcher M.J. Villegas and outfielder Matt Haggerty— were also drafted by the Dodgers. Villegas inked a deal for $100,000, while, as of press time, Haggerty, an outfielder, hadn’t signed yet with the team.
to do this.” As Miss Arizona, Smestad is busy preparing for Sept. 15, especially the interview portion. She’s had to rest her voice since the Miss Arizona pageant, but will be singing in Atlantic City. “I’ve been mentally preparing,” she says. Smestad’s platform is one that she can personally relate to. “I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at the age of 10,” she explains. “And it was a struggle, to say the least, for about five years. Going to school was hard. There were times when, even at home, it would take me 20 minutes to step up 15 steps to go to my bedroom, because OCD tags along with Tourette Syndrome as well as anxiety and ADHD.” These symptoms were compounded by the ticks Smestad experienced.
ART WALK
MISS ARIZONA: A Gilbert resident, Jennifer Smestad says her parents and sister will be heading to Atlantic City with her for the Miss America Pageant Sept. 15. Photo by Kristina Wood
CHANDLER ART WALK: Josh Stein, with the City of Chandler, accepts donations of wine and popcorn. STSN photo by Tiera Allen
See more photos on page 56
SEE MISS ARIZONA PAGE 5
F E AT U R E STO R I E S City considers wastewater, reclaimed water rate increase . .COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Gratifying Grains lives up to its name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BUSINESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17 Kids dabble in technology with iD Tech camps. . . . . . . . . . . . .YOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 27 Singer hopes to make career of music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS . . . . . . . . . . . Page 51 Local author wins award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 62
SanTan Family Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Center Section
More Community . . . . . . 1-16 Business . . . . . . . .17-24 Youth. . . . . . . . . . .25-36 Opinion. . . . . . . . .37-38 Neighbors. . . . . . . 51-58 Spirituality . . . . . .59-61 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . 62-69 Directory . . . . . . .70-71 Classifieds. . . . . . .72-73 Where to eat . . . 74-78