Ahwatukee Foothills News 07/05/2023

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

B

Wednesday, July

5, 2023

attle lines have formed in Maricopa County Superior Court between a homeowners association and a related sub-association in far west Ahwatukee.The lawsuit filed by the Foothills Reserve Parcels A-1 & A-2 Owners Sub-Association against the Foothills Reserve Master Own-

BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

Dr. Lynette Charity has gone from putting people to sleep in the operating room to tickling their funny bones while on stage.

Ahwatukee residents will have a chance to see the 71-year-old former anesthesiologist as she takes on a dozen other comedians at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, July 11, at Cactus Jack’s Bar & Grill, 4747 E. Elliot Road on the southwest corner of 48th Street. Tickets are $20 at tinyurl. com/HAHAFPVC.

Charity and the other comedians are vying for the title of “Funniest Comic in the Valley.” All 13 comedians survived weeks of elimination rounds at Cactus Jack’s in a competition that local comedian Anthony Solimini started several months ago to bring more laughter to Ahwatukee.

ers Association partly involves allegations of improper and unauthorized expenditures from a $6.5 million partial settlement the parent group won from the Arizona Department Transportation.

Although the suit does not specify the amount of money spent so far, it contends some of the “unfair and unreasonable” expenditures have benefitted the other two parcels in Foothills Reserve with road main-

tenance and repairs the two other parcels don’t receive.

It also accuses the master association of paying for street repairs and maintenance that it “is not required to maintain or repair” on “property owned by the Arizona Department of Transportation and possibly the City of Phoenix.”

The Ahwatukee Foothills News is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Ahwatukee Foothills.

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BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services and PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Public schools across Arizona will be inspected regularly to make sure they meet minimum standards to educate students under a new executive order issued by Gov. Katie Hobbs.

And in a separate order, the governor formed a committee to update those to 2023 levels to ensure the schools have what it takes to help protect students during a campus shooting.

Those are things the state already had been required to do more than two decades ago after losing a series of lawsuits.

Until now, however, compliance has been spotty at best. And that meant that projects ranging from roof repairs to upgrading security with fences and doors that lock from the inside got done only in school districts that had the resources.

Both of the governor’s orders could help Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts as they grapple with maintenance and other capital costs – many of them related to safety.

Although officials from both districts were not available immediately for comment, recent history underscores how Hobbs’ orders could help both school districts.

Tempe Union’s governing board last month unanimously approved a far-reach safety plan that states:

“Physical environment refers to the level of upkeep, ambient noise, lighting, indoor air quality and/or thermal comfort of the school’s physical building and its location within the community. The physical environment of the school speaks to the contribution that safe, clean, and comfortable surroundings make to a positive school climate in which students can learn.”

That not only includes fortifying physical protection from violence but also basic structural things like roofs. In May the board approved an additional $313,000 for replacing the roof on Corona del Sol High School, bringing the total project cost to a whopping $10.5 million.

Kyrene School District has to hope the

community will continue its generosity and approve a $161 million bond and an override for District Additional Assistance, a revenue source that covers less expensive capital projects.

But one of the big items the district has prioritized is enhanced security at all schools – a process that began over seven years ago and has so far included more secure front office areas, an extensive network of security cameras covering all campuses form. multiple viewpoints and enhanced lock systems.

One of the reasons the district seeks voter help to have enough money for many of these capital expenditures is that Kyrene doesn’t receive much in the way of state help. Herrmann noted that the state School Facilities Oversight Board has given Kyrene only $1 million over the last six years for infrastructure work.

The district is keeping its fingers crossed that the state board will approve some of its applications for some $2.4 million in roof repairs.

Hobbs said she found the current state of affairs unacceptable.

“A child’s ability to attend a safe and secure school should not depend on their ZIP code,’’ she said in a prepared statement.

But an attorney representing school districts and education advocates said these two orders, alone, won’t end the lawsuit they filed against the state in 2017 for failing to comply with a series of Arizona Supreme Court rulings saying it is up to the state to provide a “general and uniform’’ school system.

What that will take, said Danny Adelman of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, is getting the Republican-controlled Legislature to actually allocate what he said are hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to fund both existing standards and the new ones that will be crafted the Hobbs-ordered committee to bring them up to what is acceptable in 2023.

And getting that funding is likely to take a court order as lawmakers have, for years, fought all efforts to have a court tell them what are their constitutional obligations.

Just last year, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Martin rejected claims that he has no right to rule on the legality of the formula they decide to use to finance the funding of new schools and

repairs for existing ones.

Martin said it clearly is within the purview of the courts to determine if the state is complying with the Arizona Constitution.

The case is now set for trial next year.

Hanging in the balance is what is the legally required minimum to keep students in Arizona not only safe but in conditions suitable for learning.

Some of what’s at issue is basic, like ensuring schools have the money to fix minor problems like leaky roofs before they become expensive major repairs. But Adelman said some standards that were considered acceptable 20 years ago are now outdated.

Exhibit No. 1 are the safety and security guidelines.

“After Sandy Hook, the state studied reasonable things that schools should implement to keep their kids safe,’’ he said, referring to the 2012 shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 20 children and six adults dead before the assailant took his own life.

“It’s things like single point of entry, decent fencing, cameras in some instances, a door that prevents people from outside

the campus getting directly to children without having to get buzzed through,’’ Adelman said.

Only thing is, Adelman said, “they didn’t put any of these in the guidelines.’’ And that, in turn, meant that the state never funded them.

“We’ve got pictures of them like having to loop a chain around a door ,’’ Adelman said. “They didn’t even implement things like you could lock the door from the inside so a teacher doesn’t have to open her door in an active shooter situation to lock it.’’

The issue of the state’s role dates back to 1994.

Under the system in place at that time, school districts raised and borrowed money for all new construction and repairs through local property taxes.

That year the high court said it created illegal disparities between rich districts and poor ones.

The justices declared the funding system illegal and told lawmakers to come up with a cure.

In 1996, the Legislature agreed to put $100 million into a special fund that could

Phoenix Council approves water rate hike

AFN NEWS STAFF

Phoenix water customers will begin seeing their rates go up this fall after City Council on June 28 approved a series of increases in three stages over the next two years.

Council voted 7-2 – with members Ann O’Brien and Betty Guardado casting “no” votes – to approve a 26% increase in water rates and a 20% hike in waste water rates as well as a 25-cent monthly increase for homeowners for a water excise tax required by the federal Clean Water Act.

The rate increases themselves will come in phases: a 6.5% increase for both water

FINANCE from page 5

be tapped by poor districts for construction needs. Lawmakers also agreed to provide another $30 million a year for nine more years.

The Supreme Court found that plan flawed, too, saying it still did not meet the constitutional requirement for a “general and uniform’’ school system.

A 1997 alteration provided more cash. But here, too, the justices said that was not enough, saying that the state still wasn’t meeting its constitutional obligations.

Lawmakers eventually created the School Facilities Board which was supposed to pick up every district’s construction and repair needs.

Only thing is, legislators never came up with a new source of revenue to fund the potential $300 million annual price tag, instead absorbing the cost into the general fund.

That worked only when the economy was good and revenues were increasing. When the Great Recession hit and state tax collections tanked, one of the casualties was money for the board.

The result has been that local districts that need schools or major repairs but can’t wait for a state grant once again have to turn to their local voters for bond approval. And that brings the funding system back to what the Supreme Court previously found illegal.

That led to the 2017 lawsuit. And even with that pending, Adelman said, lawmakers this year provided only $200 mil-

and waste water will take effect in October, followed by another increase of the same percentage next March. In March 2025, water rates will increase again by 13% and waste water rates by 7%.

By the time the third increase takes effect in March 2025, the average homeowners’ monthly bill for water and waste water will rise $16.68 from what it is today, according to the Water Services Department.

The city also changed the ratio used to calculate bills by decreasing the amount of water covered by the flat base rate so they pay for more water customers actu-

lion of the $350 million in needs identified by the School Facilities Board.

He said while safety and security are crucial issues, they’re not all that schools need.

“In modern classrooms it’s just different than when everybody had a little desk and the textbooks were all in the desk,’’ Adelman said. That means different space requirements.

And not all of it is related to the physical layout.

The last time a committee met to look at what’s needed, he said, one of the findings was there should be a computer for each student.

“The problem is, they didn’t provide any funding along with that,’’ he said. And Adelman said while some schools were able to use federal COVID relief dollars, “none of that is permanent.’’

Then there’s the grander issue of the buildings themselves.

The current system essentially requires schools to apply for grants to fix major problems. Aside from the fact that there hasn’t been enough to fulfill all those requests, Adelman said it is a short-sighted approach.

He said what’s needed – and what lawmakers originally promised more than two decades ago – are regular payments to districts to use for basic maintenance on things like roofs and air conditioning systems.

“Because of the system that exists right now, we are spending at the worst possible time at the highest possible cost,’’ he said. 

ally use.

Council’s action last week doesn’t mean rate increases are over. The city Water Services Department already has projected rate increases of between 5% to 9% in each of the three years after the 2025 hike.

The city administration also sometime this summer or early fall is expected to roll out incentives to households for conserving water, and therefore lowering their use and monthly cost.

Those incentives are expected to include an enhanced toilet replacement program and a program providing a $75 credit for installing a water-saving irrigation system.

Water Services Director Troy Hayes also noted at a previous council hearing that the city works with Arizona State University to provide free xeriscaping ideas to households that want to replace or reduce grass and other greenery.

“The department will then offer a home audit where we will come out and identify areas where water can be conserved,” he said, adding that elderly customers and those households that complete an audit would then be eligible for a $150 irrigation

controller rebate.

Identifying leaks and installing an irrigation controller through the audit, he said, would reduce enough water usage to compensate many households for the higher rates.

Homeowners with outdoor pools could feel the financial impact a little more than those without them.

When asked what the impact on pool owners might be, Hayes in an April hearing said that while the change in the water allowance “is more than a family would need for cleaning and cooking and things indoors,” outdoor water use will depend on several factors.

“It’s just dependent upon their evaporation rate and what they have going on with their pool leaks,” Hayes said. “It probably wouldn’t keep up with that.”

Last week’s votes came after speakers on both sides of the increases offered their take.

Members of the city’s citizens advisory committee praised the detailed and thoughtful approach the administration sued in calculating the increases.

But opponents urged a 90-day morato-

rium on a vote for further study of ways to avoid the increase, with some suggesting grants could be sought to ease the impact on ratepayers.

City Manager Jeff Barton said some of the suggestions offered by opponents “are things that we can easily do and that we are already working on many of those anyway.

“The one thing I will emphasize is our conversations about water rates, solid waste rates and many of those things that our ratepayers pay are conversations that we need to have annually,” Barton said, adding council and citizens need to “understand the pressures that are facing our system.”

A large part of the reason for the increase stems from inflation.

In a letter to Mayor Kate Gallego dated May 10, Dr. Dave White, chair of the citizens Water Rate Advisory Committee, wrote, “inflationary pressures are significantly impacting both operations and capital program budgets, including unprecedented increases in chemicals, electricity and raw water.”

Since the 2018-19 fiscal year, the cost of chemicals has jumped 136% for water and 51% for wastewater alone, according to the administration.

Electricity costs 12% more than in 2019 for water operations and 19% more for wastewater.

Raw water costs 35% more than three years ago and staffing costs have risen 38% for water and 16% for wastewater operations, according to the city.

White also said the rate increases not only cover those higher operational costs and projected bond debt for capital projects but also address “the ongoing impacts of the Colorado River shortage.”

The administration also briefed the council on reaction it has received to the increases from residents.

It said it had received about 200 comments from approximately 440 residents at public meetings on the hikes and 414 online comments.

“It appears that residents are generally understanding of why the proposed rate increase is needed,” the administration said.

“Many people do not understand how charges are calculated for water and wastewater services. Some people think Phoenix needs higher water rates to motivate people to conserve water.

“Many people are concerned about being able to afford the higher rates because of their fixed incomes. Some people said the changes to the water allowance will impact them significantly and they think the new allowance levels are unrealistic.

“Others think that commercial, industrial, and institutional customers should pay more for water service, so the residential customers pay less.” 

shoulders of another Ahwatukee comedian, Anders Berg, who championed clean comedy at his shows when he wasn’t running his cleaning products business, Swede Clean.

Charity became a comedian late in life.

“Someone asked me, ‘How in the world do you go from that to that?” Charity said. “Honestly, I was feeling pretty depressed. When I turned 60, I’d been working as an anesthesiologist since I was 27.

“It was a long time and it wasn’t giving me the same energy, doing the same thing over and over again – sort of got into a rut.”

Charity said in her sixth decade of life, she had an epiphany – she was getting older and needed something but she was not quite sure what it was.

“I thought about it for a little bit,” the Gilbert resident said, finally recalling that a

patient once remarked how funny she was. She said she often used humor on her younger patients who “needed someone who was less stoic.”

Charity bounced her idea of becom-

ing a comedienne to a career coach, who advised her, “‘If you want to do comedy, think of a back-up plan and make sure you can get up on stage, stare at people and not poop in your pants.’”

She hired another coach and “started going on stage when I was 60,” she said.

“The first time I stood up on stage, I had to have two glasses of wine for liquid courage and did my set,” Charity said. “Some of my jokes hit and some didn’t. But just being on stage, I was on fire.”

A couple days after her inaugural stab at comedy, Charity was back in the surgical room introducing herself when the patient asked if he had just seen her do her act on stage.

“I put him to sleep and when he woke up, he said, ‘She’s good and she’s funny,’” Charity recalled, adding that validation confirmed she could actually do stand-up.

To shore up her stage presence, Charity joined Toastmasters, which helps people improve their public speaking and communication skills. (For information on the Ahwatukee Toastmasters Club, see Around Ahwatukee in today’s Community section.)

In 2014, Charity represented District 9 of

Toastmasters International in the semi-finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She won third place.

“I decided maybe I’ll do comedy and public speaking will be something I could do professionally,” she said.

She embarked on public speaking engagements, tackling serious subjects like physician burnout, suicide and depression.

“I almost died by suicide,” Charity shared. “There’s all that stuff that goes on behind medicine that nobody sees.”

With such somber subjects, Charity punched up her talks with levity.

In early 2021 during the pandemic, Charity hung up her stethoscope for good.

“What I really wanted to do was be a stand-up comic,” she said.

She took her act on the road to cities, including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. She was the headline act in Washington State, where she previously lived and practiced medicine for over 35 years.

“I got paid, which was great,” she said, adding that she doesn’t do it for the money.

see COMIC page 10

Lynette Charity sometimes wears her hospital scrubs while performing as her stage persona Dr. Charity. She gleans material from her years as a doctor and from her family life. (Special to AFN)

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“I know I do it for my mental health and I know all the statistics about laughter and humor and (their impact on) people’s lives.

“I’m doing something to elevate my mood and some people in the audience may identify with some of my stuff and it may make them feel better, too.”

She sometimes wears her hospital scrubs while performing as her on stage persona Dr. Charity. She gleans material from her years as a doctor and from her family life.

Charity wasn’t one as a child dreaming one day of standing in front of a mike, entertaining audiences for chuckles.

Her early years were a far cry from that spotlight.

“There was no time to be funny,” she said.

Charity grew up in the segregated South and, according to an interview she gave to her alma mater, she forged her mother’s signature to attend a white high school in Virginia.

“I was one of the first blacks to integrate in a white high school,” Charity said. “People would throw dog poop at me.”

She excelled in school and received a four-year academic scholarship to Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she double majored in biology and chemistry. She was accepted to Tufts University School of Medicine in her third year.

Although she grew up in the South, she said Boston at the time was wrestling with desegregating its public schools by forced busing, which led to violent protests.

“It was scary to be black at the time even though I was in med school,” she said. “I would have patients who said they didn’t want me to touch them. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

During an internship in Norfolk, Virginia, she met her future husband, Sid Sado, who was doing his residency.

Married so far for 43 years, they have two adult children.

Charity said she doesn’t test her jokes with her husband, whom she called “a nerd.” He is a retired critical care physician.

“Sid doesn’t get all the jokes,” she explained. “It flies over his head.”

For instance, early in their relationship, she took Sid to a soul food restaurant she frequented.

“I had never brought a white dude,” she explained. After they were seated, the waitress asked what they would like to eat and Sid said, the fried chicken, Charity re-

counted.

“I bet you want the dark meat,” the waitress cheekily said.

Sid responded, “I do, yes because dark meat tastes so good.”

“He didn’t get it,” Charity said. “That’s the way he’s been.”

Charity practices her jokes with an online Zoom community of like-minded individuals.

“We go on every day, one hour in each room working on one joke at a time, six minutes and get feedback,” she said.

Charity said her and Sid’s families provide ample fodder for her one-woman show.

For instance, her father-in-law was a racist and tried to talk Sid out of marrying her, according to Charity.

“He had actually gotten shot by a black guy in D.C. when he and his wife had a mom-and-pop store there while my husband was going to Georgetown (University),” Charity said.

She incorporated all of that into her stand-up.

She tells the audience that her Turkish husband had to talk to his dad about marrying her.

“Dad, I’m getting married.”

“Is she Catholic?”

“No dad.”

“Is she Jewish?”

“No dad.”

“Thank God!”

“She’s Baptist and she’s black.”

“Does she know who shot me?”

“Dad, that was a long time ago. She wasn’t there.”

“I don’t understand. She’s black. He was black. She should know him. You go ask her.”

Charity told the audience that when she heard what her future father-in-law said she thought, “Oh, my goodness that’s the most racist thing I’ve ever heard.”

She then pauses for the audience before adding, “But I knew him...his name was Clarence.”

Not to give her own family a pass, Charity said they, too, were “prejudiced.”

“She recalled how her father “couldn’t stand white people.”

Because Charity’s father was dead, Sid went to her grandfather to ask for her hand in marriage.

Her grandfather’s response was, “‘I don’t want my granddaughter to marry no

Comedian putting a comic twist on Ahwatukee

Anthony Solimini saw a comedic void in Ahwatukee, so he took matters into his own hands.

He has run several comedy shows at Cactus Jack’s Bar & Grill on the southwest corner of 48th Street and Elliot Road in Ahwatukee, including the next Tuesday’s featuring Dr. Charity.

Now, starting at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at Cactus Jack’s, Solimini is starting “Ahwatukee’s Got Talent.”

“It’s an open mic on steroids and was created for all the great comedians here in Arizona,” he said, adding people can “show up and go up.”

He figures people who think they’re funny need a place to work on their material and get “Ahwatukee’s Got Talent” will give “what all comedians need: stage time.

Solimini plans “Talent” to run once a month, giving comedians “a great place to perform, meet new comedians, fine-tune their set, try new material, and have fun.”

Registration will be at the venue starting at 6 p.m. or in advance at standupbanker.com Comedians can sign up until 9 p.m. and the show “goes until the last comic has performed,” he added.

“A week before the show I will publish the ‘theme’ for the night,” Solimini said. “Comedians don’t have to do any jokes at all on the topic, but each month we will have a grand prize of $50 for the comedian who best uses the topic for their set.

The host will decide the winner and their decision is final.

“I was trained to always stay sharp,” he added. “Trying new premises is a must for all of us. It gets the creative juices flowing.”

After the last comedian of the night, comedians can participate in a raffle to win $50.

There is no charge for the audience and no minimum drink requirements.

“This is about comedy and laughter,” Solimini said, adding people who book

for events

Born in Boston, Solimini says he’s

been “making people laugh since 1962.” Being the youngest of four, with three older sisters and an Italian grandmother Solimini adds he had no choice but to enter comedy.

This, along with his travels overseas, have provided plenty of material.

A new Ahwatukee resident, the banker by trade lived overseas for 30 years in London, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong. His resume includes stints at Groupon, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Societe General.

On the comic side, he’s been featured on Comedy Central, Asia, and in the movie “I Need You to Kill” with Tom Segura, Chad Daniels and Pete Lee.

“Right before I left the States in 1989, there was a resurgence of comedy in the 1980s in Boston — and even more in New York,” he says.

“I used to go to shows every night during the days of Steve Martin. I’m a huge comedy buff. I used to do community theater.”

Information: comedyschools.com 

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DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT WITH ITS FRESH, AUTHENTIC AND MOUTHWATERING FOOD

honky,’” she said, having to explain to Sid the derogatory term.

Charity said for a long time her mother opposed the two dating each other.

But “when she found out she could talk about her ailments to my husband, who was in internal medicine and then intensive care, he became blacker and blacker,” Charity said. “She ended up loving him until she died.

“We have two sides of families and it’s comedy gold between those two,” she said. “I tell serious stuff in the form of humor. It’s been cathartic for me to share some of this.”

Her favorite comic is Jim Gaffigan, whom she looks to for pointers.

“I love him because he’s clean,” Charity said. “I look at his stuff over and over again when I’m talking about family – how can I talk about my daughter in a way that’s not demeaning.”

“I’m not much into Kevin Hart or Chris Rock,” she said. “I don’t like men comics who demean women and call them nasty names.”

Charity has no intention of slowing down any time soon on the comedy circuit.

“I don’t think I’ve peaked yet,” she said. “I have yet to do a Netflix special.”

For Charity, segueing into comedy is a perfect ending to her medical profession.

“Medicine is your calling,” she said.

But “when I talk to people, laughter is truly the best medicine.” 

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COMIC from page 10

Comedian Anthony Solimini is filling what he calls a comedy void in Ahwatukee, where he lives. (AFN file photo)

Phoenix ethics complaints end in ‘black hole’

BY TJ L’HEUREUX, JORDAN GERARD, EMMA PETERSON AND ANISA SHABIR Howard Center for Investigative Journalism

In 2021, Diane Mihalsky was so upset by what she saw as the ethical misconduct of a local planning committee member in her uptown Phoenix neighborhood that she filed an ethics complaint with the city.

She never learned what became of it, she said.

Jeremy Thacker, a neighbor, filed a similar complaint against the same planning committee member a year later. He had to badger city officials just to get them to acknowledge receiving his complaint, he said.

Phoenix created an ethics commission to enforce the city’s ethics code for its elected officials and employees in 2017. But six years and several ethical controversies later, the city council has failed to put a single person on the commission to enforce the city’s code.

As a result, complaints from Mihalsky,

Of the nation’s 10 largest cities, Phoenix is the only one without an ethics commission. (Cronkite News)

Thacker and other Phoenix residents disappear into a virtual black hole.

Reporters from the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism in early February submitted a records request for every

complaint the city had received since the ordinance establishing the commission was adopted.

They experienced the same frustration Mihalsky and Thacker did.

The city did not produce a single complaint despite sporadic assurances the city’s legal department was reviewing complaints for redactions.

Phoenix is the only city among the 10 largest U.S. cities that does not have an ethics board or commission. Annual complaints filed in those other nine cities range from seven per year in San Antonio to over 400 in San Diego, according to their annual filings.

Phoenix officials would not say how many complaints had been filed since the commission was established or respond to questions about how they handle complaints in the absence of a functioning enforcement mechanism.

Thacker’s complaint went to the City Attorney’s office – raising questions about a different conflict of interest.

The office provides legal services to the mayor, the city council, the city’s advisory boards, city manager and departments, according to the city’s website. That means

see ETHICS page 13

city attorneys reviewing ethics complaints could be making determinations about the ethical behavior of their clients’ employees.

“A conflict could arise if a city attorney is asked to investigate an ethics complaint related to a matter in which the attorney has also provided legal advice to the city employee or official whose conduct is being questioned,” said Ann Ching, an associate clinical professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

“Even in the absence of an actual conflict of interest, the public may perceive an appearance of impropriety if the agency tasked with investigating an ethics complaint is not sufficiently independent.”

In their complaints, Mihalsky and Thacker asked a simple question: Should a member of one of the city’s local planning boards have recused himself from discussing and voting on a rezoning request because he owned nearby properties, some of which he was intending to sell?

Phoenix never answered their question.

Mihalsky’s complaint

Charles “Charley” Jones was a wellknown property owner and manager in the uptown neighborhoods of Pierson Place and Carnation when he raised the concern of Mihalsky and Thacker beginning in 2021.

At various times, Jones chaired or was a member of the Alhambra Village Planning Committee and held leadership roles in neighborhood associations in Pierson Place. On his company’s website, he listed himself as a member of a neighborhood advisory committee to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.

Jones owned 19 properties in the area, many of them rentals.

He had commercial interests, too. In late 2019, he advertised for sale three adjoining properties he owned along Central Avenue that later became part of Milhalsky’s ethics complaint against him.

To move forward, the proposal had to go before the Alhambra VPC, which Jones was serving on.

Village planning committees, such as Alhambra’s, are an early step in the city’s rezoning and land use process. Committee members have no binding authority but can make recommendations to the city’s Planning Commission and City Council.

As part of their service, VPC members

are asked to read through the city’s ethics guidelines. If they have a conflict of interest, they are asked to declare it, refrain from discussing or voting on the issue and file notice of the conflict with the city clerk.

Trinsic presented its proposed development to the Alhambra VPC on Jan. 26, 2021. Jones voted for it and did not declare a conflict of interest, according to meeting minutes.

Howard Center reporters phoned and emailed Jones for comment but got no response. In 2021, he told a newspaper he had no conflict of interest.

Mihalsky cited an example of a conflict of interest taken from the city’s own ethics handbook:

“The board member owns property in close proximity to property subject to the board’s approval of a zoning or license application that may affect the value of the board member’s property.”

Jones not only owned property near the proposed development but he also had it listed for sale since 2019.

And a buyer was on the horizon at the time of the January VPC meeting.

A second complaint

On Jan. 11, 2021, two weeks before the Trinsic development came before the Alhambra VPC, RAS Development, a Phoenix developer, incorporated a new limited liability partnership.

The new company was named Forty600 – the same street address as Jones’ property on Central Avenue. In mid-September 2021, Forty600 purchased Jones’ properties on Central Avenue for $2.43 million.

In August 2022, Forty600 went before the Alhambra VPC for an informational meeting about its plans for a new residential and commercial development at the location.

Jones participated as a member. Thacker came as a concerned resident.

During public comment, Thacker pointed out Jones’ conflict of interest because of his prior ownership, according to meeting minutes.

Jones responded that he’d divested himself of the property and therefore had no conflict of interest. He also claimed the city had cleared him of a conflict of interest regarding Mihalsky’s complaint the year before.

Two days later, Thacker filed an ethics complaint against Jones with the city.

Complaint languishes

While the city has published ethics handbooks for elected officials, board members and commissioners and employees and volunteers on the city’s ethics webpage, the “Ethics Commission” hyperlink leads to a brief sentence about the commission’s responsibilities.

But it does not mention that there is no one on the commission.

Nor does the city’s website provide clear direction on how to file a complaint or where a complaint should be sent.

“I thought there was an ethics commission,” Milhalsky said. “I thought (my complaint) would be investigated.”

In the end, the council never considered her complaint or relayed any outcome, she said.

“I did not pursue it,” she said.

City Attorney: no conflict

The city’s response to Thacker’s complaint against Jones came from David H. Benton, the then-acting chief assistant attorney.

Benton wrote a point-by-point rebuttal of Thacker’s complaint, establishing in legal terms why Jones’ involvement in the zoning application presented no conflict of interest.

The attorney dismissed the example from the city’s ethics handbook that urged an official to declare a conflict of interest if the person owned nearby property, quoting instead “Each situation will be decided on the facts and circumstances involved.”

For his analysis, Benton turned not to the city’s ethics code but to Arizona laws governing conflicts of interest.

He concluded that Jones had no conflict of interest because his property ownership could not be considered “substantial and non-speculative” under the law.

“Merely owning property in the neighborhood is not enough,” he wrote.

Benton acknowledged that the city’s ethical guidelines were intended to make board members and other officials sensitive to ethical considerations.

But they were not intended to “establish hard and fast rules,” he said.

Thacker later filed a public records request for all complaints made against Jones or his company, Corridor Living, including ethics complaints.

More than 100 days later, the city responded with a single sentence: “There

that committee approved the Judicial Selection Advisory Board’s recommendations, Phoenix City Council voted them down.

Then-Councilman Sal DiCiccio opposed the commission entirely, while Betty Guardado reportedly voted no because she wanted the commission to have more power.

Public calls for an ethics commission were revived in late 2022 after a controversy embroiled several council members who attended Suns playoffs games and concerts at the Footprint Center in a luxury suite and invited campaign donors.

enforceable ethics code.

“We’re not talking about criminal misconduct,” Mihalsky said. “The main reason there’s an ethics code for people who are making decisions or recommendations on political matters is just so people feel like they got a fair hearing.”

“Appointed citizens on boards and commissions should avoid this appearance of impropriety,” she said. “You just shouldn’t be making decisions on something that you have a special interest in. It’s really simple. It looks bad.”

This story was produced by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, an initiative of the Scripps Howard Foundation in honor of the late news industry executive and pioneer Roy W. Howard.

are no responsive final decision or conclusion records as no Ethics Commission has been appointed.”

The experience left Thacker uneasy about the city’s governance.

“I want to move, frankly,” he said. “I’m scared of running out of water, of not having the budget to pay for street and infrastructure maintenance. I think those are legitimate concerns.”

Wrangling drags on

Since Phoenix City Council adopted the ordinance for an ethics commission in 2017, its members have dithered over who to appoint and bickered over whether appointing commissioners would have any impact on enforcing the ethics code.

In addition to the ethics commission, the 2017 ordinance required city officials and staff to disclose gifts worth $50 or more.

The city’s gift disclosure webpage is the only publicly available record related to conflicts of interest in Phoenix.

Between 2017 and 2023, 86 officials filed gift disclosures. Since 2022, only seven did, a falloff that raises questions about how many of the city’s 14,000 employees are actually complying with the gift disclosure.

In March 2021, Mayor Kate Gallego created an ad hoc committee to review and recommend commissioners. But when

At the height of the controversy, Mayor Gallego said she planned to bring a vote on the commission between March and the summer break in July.

Gallego’s office did not comment directly to the Howard Center about the timing of a vote.

“Mayor Gallego and city staff are working together right now to put together a timeline and process that is both inclusive and transparent so that the commission has as much support as possible leading up to a vote,” said a spokeswoman for Gallego.

The election of Kevin Robinson, who replaced DiCiccio in April, may hold promise for an ethics commission.

Robinson told Howard Center reporters he is “a strong advocate for and a supporter of an ethics commission for the city council” and that his office is examining past failures to empanel a commission to determine his next steps.

Mihalsky, a retired judge for the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings, said the bar for improper conduct is too high without an

City Councilman Kevin Robinson, who sits on AZ Post, which judges some police officers’ right to continue their certification, said his office is examining past failures to empanel a commission to determine his next steps. (AFN file photo)

This is a timeline of an ethics case that two Phoenix residents filed complaints over, only to see them never resolved. (Cronkite News)

State trying to sell ‘border wall’ containers

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

So did you ever want your very own shipping container?

You will soon get the chance, courtesy of former Gov. Doug Ducey’s now abandoned vision to build a wall out of them along the state’s southern border.

But you won’t get your pick of color and you have to arrange to have it shipped.

The state, which is selling them, warns the containers aren’t in the greatest shape.

And you’ll have to wait your turn until after government agencies and nonprofits get first crack at them, likely Oct. 1.

Still, there should be plenty left of the approximately 2,200 shipping containers that Ducey had the state purchase so he could erect miles of double-high containers to fill the gaps left in the border fence that was started by former President Trump.

And the asking price is less than the state paid to buy them in the first place last year, even without considering the $100 million in taxpayer funds spent to erect them.

As it turns out, that wasn’t the end of the funding. Ducey was forced to agree to remove the containers – at the cost of an-

other $76 million to taxpayers – after the federal government sued the state for trespassing on federal property.

Now the state is stuck with all of these containers that are gathering dust on the grounds of the state prison in Tucson.

The state hopes to recoup some of those expenses and finally put the issue to rest.

It started with the promise by Trump to build a “big, beautiful wall’’ between the United States and Mexico.

By the time he left office at the end of 2020 there still were gaps. And on his first day in office, his successor called an immediate halt to further construction, leaving several open areas that had been part of the plan.

Last July the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it has authorized Customs and Border Protection to seal some of the openings, including a 3,820foot gap near Yuma.

That didn’t stop Ducey from just weeks later issuing an executive order directing that those gaps be filled with a line of 130 shipping containers, stacked two high, at state expense.

Months later Ducey announced a separate and more extensive contract to fill a 10-mile gap along the border south of Sierra Vista, in the Coronado National Forest and gave a no-bid contract to AshBritt Management & Logistics.

All that came to a halt when Ducey, after being sued by the federal government for trespass, agreed just days before he left office in December to remove the containers. And the state agreed to pay AshBritt even more money to undo what it had just put up.

The containers range in age from 10 to 20 years. The most expensive the state is offering is 40 feet long, 8 feet feet wide and 8.6 feet tall. It’s listed as Grade C which means the exterior will have “extensive corrosion with a multitude of dents,’’ may have prior repairs or patches, with an interior with markings, scratches and corrosion.

That will set you back $2,000 and others range from $500 to $1,500.

The state Department of Administration says the containers can be “repurposed’’ for housing, offices, classrooms or other occupancy.

But, depending on where they are put and how they are used, there are a host of other hurdles, like oversight from local officials and zoning.

The state likely will recoup only a fraction of the more than $76 million in shipping containers and their erection and dismantling that the Ducey administration spent to erect a border wall. (AFN file photo)

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PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

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 anti-depressants 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 and numbness.

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves 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 “BandAid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

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SHIPPING from page 16

And any plans to take the containers to a facility to be converted to housing for placement offsite, requires that facility to be licensed and certified by the Arizona Department of Housing.

Megan Rose, spokeswoman for the Department of Administration, said virtually all of the approximately 100 that already have been snatched up have been bought by other state agencies that want them for storage.

If the state gets rid of all the containers, it will be at a loss.

The Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, which made the purchase, doesn’t have a breakdown of what each container cost. But the total price tag was more than $13.8 million.

Even assuming all the containers being offered for sale are 40-foot Grade C, that would put the maximum recouped at just

RESERVE from page 1

The ADOT property is not identified; the city property apparently includes Chandler Boulevard and Shaughnessy Road, the main arteries in Foothills Reserve.

The suit also alleges the master association spent an unspecified amount of the ADOT settlement “to pay unnecessary bonuses to employees of its management company and to make unspecified donations.”

The company, Vision Community Management, is not a defendant in the suit.

The suit also alleges that homeowners in Parcels A-1 and A-2 have been assessed the entire cost of maintenance and repairs for common areas even though the entire community benefits from them.

The nonprofit master association has asked Judge Peter Thompson to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming the sub-association “lacks standing to bring its claims against” it.

Thompson presided in the master association’s suit against ADOT over homeowners’ easement rights to common areas the agency acquired to build the freeway.

He awarded the association $18 million after rejecting ADOT’s claim that it could not be held liable for “proximity damages” diminished the value of Foothills Reserve homes. Those damages included “noise, pollution, loss of view, and unsightliness caused by the freeway.”

ADOT settled the case, paying $6.5 mil-

$4.2 million. And the final figure is likely to be less, given there are less expensive Grade D containers and smaller ones.

Dan Scarpinato, who was Ducey’s chief of staff when the state paid to buy the containers, said his former boss “stands by the project.’’

“Arizona has been hard hit by the border crisis, and the Biden administration has ignored it even as it has gotten worse and worse,’’ Scarpinato told Capitol Media Services.

He also noted they resulted in a commitment by Washington to start closing gaps in the existing wall.

“This effort was never meant to be a permanent solution,’’ Scarpinato said. “But it did result in getting the administration’s attention when almost nothing else would.’’

Hobbs press aide Christian Slater had a different take.

“It was a political stunt and a waste of taxpayer dollars,’’ he said.

lion to the master association.

In its motion to dismiss the sub-association’s lawsuit, the master association says that it was required by state law to keep the ADOT funds rather than distribute them to homeowners because “distributing these proceeds would put the master association’s nonprofit status at risk.”

Its dismissal request attacks the entire framework of the sub-association’s litigation, saying it "lacks the power to act in the manner alleged in each case."

It also contends that the sub-association's only legal remedy is an injunction, which it noted the sub-association is not seeking. Rather, it notes, "the only claims pled against the Master Association are for declaratory judgment and monetary breach of contract/ breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing damages."

It also states money spent for patrols is permissable “if such patrols are for the common good and benefit of” all Foothills Reserve homeowners.

“The Master Association is specifically authorized to maintain land not strictly within the boundaries of Master Association owned land and provide for public services as long as such maintenance or public service is for the common good and benefit of the Master Association members and residents,” the defendant's dismissal request states.

Estate Guide

council calls for more rules

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

APhoenix City Council subcommittee wants the city to ensure shortterm rental owners are checking renters’ background for sex offender status but city staff said monitoring their compliance would be expensive because there is no staff to do that.

Several members of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee pushed for more compliance checking – even suggesting owners be required to check renters for any felony convictions –

during a June 21 hearing on city plans for imposing additional regulations on shortterm rental owners.

Staff indicated it hopes to bring the new regulations – which include mandatory registration wit sh the city – in early September.

But council members Laura Pastor and Debra Stark said those regulations may need toughening up.

Noting a short-term rental in her neighborhood hosted a party where a teenager was shot and the site was never listed as a

short-term rental, Pastor said:

“There are a lot of incidents happening within these troubled neighborhoods – and they’re not even troubled neighborhoods, just within neighborhoods, affluent neighborhoods, historic neighborhoods and every other neighborhood.

“We have to get a handle on them and be proactive in protecting our city,” she added.

City staffers told the subcommittee there are “approximately 3,000” shortterm rentals in Phoenix.

But airdna.com – which tracks the 10 million Airbnb and Vrbo rentals around the world – reports that Phoenix is home to 7,872 active rentals.

According to airdna, Ahwatukee is home to 433 of those rentals, with the most of them split between 85044 and 85048.

Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and city planner Marc Thornton laid out the plans they and staff have been developing for short-term rentals, noting that to a degree, the city is hampered by state law as to what municipalities can require of owners.

The city plans to require short-term rental owners to register with the city, paying a $250 annual fee – the maximum allowed under state law – as well as the County Assessor.

Failure to obtain the license could be more expensive than getting the permit because the city proposes a $1,000 maximum fine for every month it is not registered.

That $1,000-a-month maximum penalty also could be levied for failing to give the city the name and contact information of someone who could arrive at the rental when notified by police of an emergency –such as complaints about rowdy behavior.

The owner also would have to tell adjacent property owners of the existence of

the short-term rental, maintain a minimum $500,000 liability insurance policy and conduct a sex-offender background check on all renters.

Failure to conduct that check would carry fines up to $500 for the first violation and up to $3,500 for the third violation.

The issue of background checks triggered a wide-ranging discussion that appeared to go beyond what the city staffers had planned to talk about.

It also led to at least one citizen’s request for even more rules imposed on short-term rentals, which she said “are killing Arizona.”

The rising number of short-term rentals in the Valley and throughout Arizona has been cited as a significant driver of the affordable housing crisis, although airdna. com has pushed back on this nationwide assertion by contending they help the economy.

Indeed, Glendale has none of the regulations the 2022 state law allows municipalities to impose, and city officials there have called short-term rentals a positive economic influence.

Councilwoman Ann O’Brien asked Thornton and Stephenson who would ensure that an owner is checking the sex offender status of renters.

“The onus put on the owner-operator to conduct that background check and then to keep those documents on file,” Thornton replied.

But O’Brien asked, “How would we verify that they are indeed doing it?”

While Thornton said his department’s enforcement division would be responsible, he also noted “we are complaint driven.”

In other words, the city can’t randomly check an owner-operator’s compliance with the background check regulation but could only act if someone has complained

Although Phoenix officials say they’re award of about 3,000 short-term rentals in the city, airdna.com, which closely tracks the industry world-wide, puts the number at more than twice that. (airdna.com)

about it. Stephenson also noted that the city performs a sex offender check on the owner-operator.

Pastor questioned that process, saying, “It doesn’t sound like there’s any enforcement because I wouldn’t know if a neighbor would know whoever is renting is a sex offender.”

She wants the city to require owners to submit proof of their compliance with the background check requirement.

Stephenson said that could pose a challenge for city staff, telling Pastor: “It’s just getting in all the paperwork from the different rentals on. the individual owners that is going to be time-consuming to do and adhere to. That’s what staff was putting on the owners so that if they didn’t do it, then we would be looking at revoking their permit because they didn’t comply with those requirements.”

Pastor replied, “So how do we know if

they find one and just decide to ignore it or not do it? How do we know that other than a neighbor doing background checks on whoever’s renting? I don’t. It doesn’t make any logic to me.”

Stephenson said, “We can certainly look at that, as a proposal when we come to the full council and talk about that. It will require additional staff resources that we will not be able to pay for via the permit because the state law establishes a permanent maximum that isn’t going to cover existing staff time to administer the program as currently envisioned.

“So adding this other component will require additional staff to then monitor that, take in the paperwork, make sure that whatever that renter is on that day does not have a violation for sex offender and verify that information. And so that will be

The double-edged sword in title disputes

BY BENJAMIN GOTTLIEB AFN Guest Writer

Title disputes regarding real property are not uncommon.

Parties often have differing positions on ownership or other issues and there are times when the threat of a lawsuit can move the resolution process forward.

However, the use of one particular tool in this area offers significant risks along with that potential reward.

A lis pendens, which means “pending suit,” is a legal mechanism by which a person takes steps to record a notice with the local recorder’s office informing the public that the person has an interest in real property.

Because the lis pendens informs third parties about a dispute over title to real property, it is an effective tool to “tie up” real property and prevent it from being sold to another bona fide buyer.

The reason this tactic is so effective, of course, is that purchasing property subject to an unresolved court dispute is a

risky proposition and makes that property less attractive to prospective purchasers.

Used properly, therefore, the lis pendens is a tool that can add significant leverage to a lawsuit over title to real property, and lead to prompt and favorable settlements for parties who record them.

But if lis pendens is such an effective tool for resolving lawsuits regarding title to real property, why doesn’t every real property case have a notice of lis pendens filed? Because, while recording a lis pendens halts on the transaction and can increase leverage for the party filing it, recording one recklessly comes with significant risks.

For example, some people may maliciously record a lis pendens to get revenge on and cause harm to a former girlfriend or boyfriend.

However, an improperly filed lis pendens can result in significant liability because if it is deemed frivolous by a court, the judge can impose monetary damages, sanctions and/or court costs.

So, what makes a lis pendens wrongful?

First, it must be accompanied by a lawsuit. A lis pendens recorded without filing court

a complaint is rendered wrongful. Second, the lis pendens must include specific information pertaining to the lawsuit, the object of the action, and relief demanded. Third, the lawsuit must affect title to real property.

Even if a lis pendens is accompanied by the statutorily required information and lawsuit, however, it can still be considered wrongful.

In fact, a reviewing court will scrutinize a lis pendens to determine if there is some basis that the underlying action affects title to real property. Thus, even if all the correct information is set forth in a lis pendens, and even if the lis pendens is accompanied by a lawsuit, it can still be considered wrongful.

Such a situation occurred in Santa Fe Ridge Homeowners’ Ass’n v. Bartschi, a lawsuit between a homeowners’ association and a homeowner. There, the HOA filed a lawsuit seeking to compel a homeowner to comply with the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) regarding maintenance of the subject property. The association also recorded a notice of lis pendens.

The Arizona Court of Appeals held that the lis pendens was improper and wrongful, inasmuch as the lawsuit did not affect title to real property.

According to the Court of Appeals, the lis pendens was premature because the lawsuit sought to impose a lien on the homeowner’s home if the homeowner failed to obey. Consequently, the lawsuit was not one affecting title to real property.

In the Santa Fe Ridge case, the Court of Appeals found that the trial court correctly concluded that the lis pendens was groundless and that the homeowner was entitled to attorneys’ fees and costs incurred with respect to the wrongful lien counterclaim.

There are many situations in which recording a lis pendens is proper and appropriate.

For example, if you are under contract to purchase real property and the seller improperly cancels the contract because he plans to sell the property to another purchaser who is willing to pay more, recording a lis pendens is probably appropriate.

Four common myths about 55-plus communities

BY REBECCA HIDALGO RAINS AFN Guest Writer

Moving to a 55-plus retirement community is a great way to live out your golden years. These neighborhoods offer many amenities, privacy, beautiful landscaping, and activities to stay involved with the community.

However, people often think of 55-plus communities as senior living facilities which have many rules and restrictions.

A variety of myths surround 55-plus neighborhoods that deter people from even looking for homes in these neighborhoods when they decide to retire.

Having helped dozens of people find homes in these areas during my over three decades as a real estate agent in the Valley here are four common myths people asso-

ciate with 55-plus communities.

You must be retired. Since these communities are often referred to as retirement communities you may think you must be retired to live in them. The truth is many 55-plus community residents continue working full or part-time jobs.

What you decide to do with your time while living in these neighborhoods is entirely up to you.

So, even if you aren’t retired or decide you want to go back to work a 55-plus community could be right for you.

Complying with age restrictions. 55plus communities have certain age requirements, but they aren’t as strict as you may think. For instance, only one person must be over the age of 55.

So, if you are over 55 and your spouse is under you can still purchase a home in these neighborhoods. Often, 55-plus communities will even allow children and

grandchildren over 18 to live with you.

Lastly, if the person over the age of 55 dies, the person below 55 doesn’t need to worry about losing the home. Each community has different age requirements, so you must read the communities guidelines before selecting one of these neighborhoods.

Family and friends can’t visit. When deciding on a place to retire to you may find yourself farther away from family and friends than you have ever been before. A common misconception is that you can’t have visitors stay overnight.

Whether it is your children, grandchildren or old family friends, anyone is welcome to visit your home whenever you wish. You can even have visitors stay for extended periods of time.

The home you purchase in a 55-plus community is like a home anywhere else when it comes to having guests. You, your family and friends are free to come and go.

Don’t let this common misconception that family can’t visit deter you from purchasing one of these homes.

Loss of independence. 55-plus communities are often confused with senior living facilities. In a 55-plus neighborhood you are free to do as you please.

You have no curfews or must follow anyone’s schedule but your own. Your life will never be micromanaged when living in one of these communities. Your independence is always a priority in these neighborhoods.

As you get older and start looking for a retirement home 55-plus communities are great places to start your search.

These neighborhoods offer beautiful homes, security, great amenities, and the freedom you have always enjoyed. So, whether you are approaching retirement age or are already there, consider a 55-plus

community to live the life you want. Rebecca Hidalgo Rains is the managing broker for Integrity All Stars @Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. She has worked in Phoenix real estate for nearly 30 year. 

an expensive endeavor, given the amount of short-term rentals that we think are out there,” Stephenson added.

notification requirement extended to condo owners for people living above and below their unit – not just next door.

Before recording a lis pendens, however, a party should consult carefully with competent counsel. After all, the lis pendens can be a double-edged sword. Benjamin L. Gottlieb is a Chandler resident and the founding partner of Gottlieb Law at 2375 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 600, Phoenix. The firm may be reached online at GottliebLawAZ.com or by phone at 602-899-8188. The firm handles real estate, business transaction and estate planning law, and specializes in all forms of real estate transactions and litigation. 

To which Pastor replied, “I would greatly appreciate some type of proposal or some type of innovative way of being able to know for enforcement purposes, but I don’t know what that looks like. And I think from there, as a collective council, we can figure out if additional resources are available.”

The discussion also included a plea from Susan Edwards, co-founder of the Arizona Neighborhood Alliance, which has fought for more controls not just on short-term rental operations but on the industry’s growth.

She urged the city staffers to impose a “drop-dead date” for registering with the city because “otherwise, you’re going to have scofflaws all over the place.”

Edwards also wants the neighborhood

And she said the city police must do a better job responding to nuisance calls about rentals that become party houses.

“We have had people wait 45 minutes on hold on the non-emergency number just to get a police person and then they don’t get there until everything is calmed down,” Edwards told the subcommittee.

Edwards also said that teenagers now know that short-term rentals make ideal party houses, leading in some cases to violence.

Pastor insisted the city develop a tracking process for identifying troublesome rentals that frequently draw nuisance complaints from neighbors and visits from police.

Stephenson conceded that when an officer now visits a nuisance property, “it doesn’t necessarily show up as a shortterm rental complaint. 

AHWATUKEE CUSTOM ESTATES 5861 Sqft, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths Beautiful Santa Barbara

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Bonny Holland

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Listed for $1,225,000

Mike

Top sellers

Two Ahwatukee homes recently sold for seven figures. Above: This four-bedroom, 2 ½ bathroom home on E. Kent Drive sold for $1.02 million. Built in 1988, the 2,998-squarefoot house boasted a contemporary remodeling, a massive great room divided into distinct usable spaces and a large backyard with a pool and numerous shade trees. Below: This 4,391-square-foot house on E. Piro Street recently sold for $1.23 million, The five-bedroom, 4 ½ -bath house was built in 1994 and includes a casita, high-end kitchen, a family room with a wet bar, and numerous other amenities. (Special to AFN)

4 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,283 SQFT

Enjoy the privacy of this premium hillside view lot. Just completed new carpet and interior paint.

Listed For $497,500

5 BR / 3 BA / 2,736 SQ FT

Spacious former UDC model home with South Mountain views. Private backyard with large pool.

Listed for $625,000

5 BR / 3.5 BA / 5,079 SQFT

Impressive custom with mountain views. Abundant amenities including professional sport court in private backyard.

Listed for $1,325,000

3 BR / 2 BA / 1,361 SQFT

Updated single level. New interior/ exterior paint, carpeting plus granite counters in kitchen and baths.

Listed for $425,000

5 BR / 3 BA / 3,394 SQFT

Complete remodel. New roof, two AC units, flooring, kitchen, baths, plumbing and more.

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5 BR / 4.5 BA / 4,391 SQFT

Superb single level with detached casita. Shutters, travertine and laminate flooring. New roof in 2022.

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family room w/canterra fireplace, kitchen incs :slab granite,alder cabinets,s/s wolf appliances,gas cooktop,miele dishwasher,copper sinks,island, & subzero, most amazing custom stonework ever seen in ahwatukee consisting of marble,canterra,travertine, & granite, large master ste w/sitting area & 2 separate full baths, his/her alder & cedar lined closets, guest suite-2nd master w/ensuite bath & courtyard, extremely private backyard w/covered patio, pebbletec pool w/waterfalls, firepots, firepit, grassy play area, & fully equipped outdoor kitchen, fruit trees inc: apple, orange, lemon, & lime, this dream estate has it all!

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“Plaintiff has failed to plead as to how the Master Association was not authorized to make such expenditures or that such expenditures were not for the common good and benefit of the Master Association members and residents.”

It also claims the sub-association has provided no proof that its homeownermembers authorized the litigation.

The sub-association rejected those arguments in a motion filed June 23, accusing the master association of creating a “straw man” by stating the board members were being accused of breaching their duties.

“Of course, the complaint did not name any individual directors, nor did it make any allegations against them,” the subassociation countered.

It also rejects the master association’s claim that it is being sued for actions over which it had no power. It noted its suit is based on a "claim of breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing that are part of the master declaration that governs the parent HOA.

Addressing the isue of maintaining state and city property, the sub-association also says, “The defendant neglects to inform the court that the defendant’s right to maintain city property is limited."

It also reiterated its contention that while favoring homeowners in the other two parcels, the master association is ignoring “roughly 10-year-old storm damage and rebuilding flood-damaged trails” within the sub-association’s boundaries.

The lawsuit is the latest controversy to roil the community of about 600 homes that was born in 2002 and largely completed by 2008, according to neighborhoods. com. With a median sale price of $640,000, homes range in price from $689,000 to $1.2 million.

Earlier this year, Foothills Reserve homeowners were split on whether the master association should spend $1.3 million on a park and playground.

Some opponents of that project wanted

instead to pay the cost of making Foothills Reserve a fully gated community.

People on both sides of the debate

traded allegations of unfair and misleading statements on social media before the matter was resolved in a community vote

in April with 183 members voting in favor of the park and 80 against.

The master association immediately posted a message to homeowners, stating “Your Architectural Committee is excited to begin work to make this community improvement a reality in days ahead.”

One homeowner complained about the lack of options in the vote, criticizing “this ‘all in’ approach.”

“My biggest concern is with the splash pad,” the homeowner posted. “SO MANY concerns about this…environmental (we are in an unprecedented water crisis and there is absolutely no reason to add to this)…hygienic – I honestly see this as being a huge draw for our many dog lovers in the community…dog waste and toddlers - ewwww. Cleanliness…see previous concern. This will be recycled water.”

Still the homeowner opted to vote for the park “with the very large hope that the committee is willing to adapt to concerns voiced and make changes as necessary.”

Reflecting the tenor of the debate, that homeowner also advised neighbors “be kind to each other.

“Emotions run high but we are all still neighbors in an amazingly beautiful community. A few people posting wild and unfounded allegations of impropriety, fabricated numbers, and false statements about neighbors and their intentions caused me to be less than neighborly. I apologize for getting sucked into that, and for being less than neighborly in my recent post."

Another homeowner advised prior to the vote, “You will have to judge for yourself if there really is a well-organized conspiracy to ruin our community by adding a park to land collectively owned by all 589 Foothills Reserve member/owners.

“I agree with those in opposition on one thing, homeowners should not sit this one out. It took three years to get to this point, if this referendum does not pass, it is unlikely to be revisited for years, if ever.” 

Foothills Reserve is among Ahwatukee’s western-most communities and comprises about 589 homes. (Facebook)

Foothills Reserve is in the far western portion of Ahwatukee, abutting the South Mountain Preserve as well as the South Mountain Freeway. (Google maps)

Ahwatukee woman has contributed mightily to Y OPAS

offered free rides for seniors who lived in Ahwatukee.

A

fter many years of volunteering and helping others, Kate Bibber now also receives rides from Ahwatukee YMCA’s Outreach for Ahwatukee Seniors, or Y OPAS, when she needs them.Kate relocated to Arizona in 1987 and relocated her elderly parents to Ahwatukee also.

In 2001 her recently widowed mother was no longer able to drive. Kate had a busy career and found herself in a similar situation to many families today who find it difficult to take time from work to take their elderly relatives to medical appointments.

Her mother, Viola, required rides to medical appointments, the grocery store and to get her hair done. Not sure where to turn for help, they ran across an article in the Ahwatukee Foothills News about a volunteer organization recently started at the Mountain View Lutheran Church that

Newly formed OPAS (Outreach Programs for Ahwatukee Seniors) was exactly what the two women were looking for. Signing her mother up with OPAS helped Kate not to worry or to have to take time off work.

With limited spare time, she appreciated how valuable the program’s volunteers were in their lives. Viola became good friends with the volunteer drivers as well as other seniors in the area through the OPAS social events, including Tai Chi classes and her own book club, keeping her stuck at home while Kate was working.

Kate stumbled into technology in college. Since she loved puzzles, technology was a perfect fit for her analytical mind.

implement an online system for people to pay fines and to facilitate collection of overdue fines and fees.

Kate had just retired when OPAS moved to the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA in 2006 to become Y OPAS. She volunteered to help with the technology aspects of the transition and has been volunteering ever since.

She also volunteered to drive elderly people in the area to enable them to maintain their independence as well as have a bit of fun. She has worked at the Y OPAS office since 2006, helping seniors make appointments for services.

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

Cornhole enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels are gathering July 13-16 at 9 Yards Cornhole in Gilbert for the seventh annual Arizona State Cornhole Championships.

Often considered an informal backyard activity, the sport itself has grown exponentially in the last decade with international cornhole leagues and plans to add it to the growing pantheon of Olympic sports.

Locally, business partners Todd Kisicki and Nic Feinstein sparked greater area interest with the opening of Hole 9 Yards (H9Y) last fall.

The 20,000 square-foot venue, with 26 dedicated indoor cornhole lanes, operates year-round with food and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages available in its air conditioned spaces at 868 N. Gilbert Rd.

While working in DC, she helped implement the program for Direct Deposit of Social Security payments to financial organizations. In Arizona, she worked for the Chandler City Court and then for the Arizona Supreme Court, where she helped

Open seven days a week, the venue hosts competitions like the July 7 American Cornhole League regionals and the upcoming state championship while operating leagues and open competitive events.

Registration remains open for some of the 25 different divisions in the Arizona State Cornhole Championships, ranging from novice to advanced amateurs and teams vying for larger prizes and league points.

To determine which division would be the best to enter and register, Kisicki advises reading the “divisions” portion of arizonastatecornholechampionships. com/divisions.

“The goal of this, and any event that we direct, is to offer an inviting and competitive setting with multiple levels so that you can have the most fun competing against players or teams of similar talent level,” he said.

“We take entries until the event date or until it sells out, whichever is first,” said

Kate Bibber of Ahwatukee has been a longtime volunteer at the Ahwatukee YMCA’s Outreach Program for Ahwatukee Seniors, or Y OPAS. (Special to AFN)

She helped Y OPAS select and implement the on-line interactive Ride Scheduler system. The software allows volunteers to choose any available appointment right from their phone when they have time to help a senior by driving, changing a furnace filter, reading mail for a visually

see

Kisicki.

The 2021 Arizona State Cornhole Championship in Mesa was held under the auspices of Kisicki’s KB Kornhole Games and was the largest state cornhole championship event in the nation that year with an estimated 410 players, ages 8 to 80, competing in 15 different divisions.

It got even larger when it moved to the newly-opened H9Y.

“Last year’s event at H9Y set a record nationwide with the biggest state championships in the country, and we’re looking to do it again this year,” said Kisicki.

He founded KB Kornhole games in 2015, growing it in popularity through appearances at key community gatherings like Ahwatukee’s Festival of Lights Kick-Off Party and Chandler’s Ostrich Festival.

Kisicki, who holds a doctorate in educa-

versity, also serves as chief development officer for the American Cornhole League.

cus on KB Kornhole Games, and in the past two years has trabeled the world to His wife, Erin Kisicki, was instrumental

As a casual backyard game, cornhole can be challenging. For the competitive Angie Hallmark of Chandler is a good

cial outlet, and hopes to garner her third Women’s State Championship win and second mixed doubles state title with her

Angie Hallmark, an aviation company accountant, is shooting to win the state cornhole tournament for the third time in women’s singles. (Courtesy of Angie Hallmark)

Refreshed and invigorated

These people took advantage of Ahwatukee residents Cliff and Elena Porter’s retreat at the Porter Mountain Retreat Center in Vernon, not far from Show Low. So she’s scheduled another Refresh Your Soul Retreat July 28-30 at her family’s new 40-acre ranch in the White Mountains. The weekend is focused on yoga, meditation, music, hiking, journaling, inspirational speakers, a give-back activity and more. Cost is $250 and covers room and board. Register at PorterMountainRetreatCenter.com Amenities include a 6,000-square-foot retreat center 2,400-square-foot home and glamping tents and RV spaces. The center also can be rented for family or pirvate gatherings. (Courtesy Elena Porter)

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Meet new people, learn new things with AFFAN

Women are invited to join the Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors for a breakfast buffet at Biscuits from 10 a.m.1 p.m. July 25.

Contact affanwomensgroup@gmail.com for more details and to register. The cost is $20 and must be prepaid by July 15 to attend.

Information: affanwomensgroup.org/ public.

Find new friends while enjoying activities such as team trivia, dining on the town, wine tasting, explore Arizona trips, book club, bridge, Mah Jongg and other interesting groups.

Armer Foundation slates casino night fundraiser, blood drive

Attendees can roll the dice to benefit local families whose children have chronic or life-altering diseases

The Armer Foundation for Kids will host a casino night fundraiser 6-10 p.m. July 29, sponsored by Spencer 4 Hire Roofing, at Lights, Camera, Discover, 4825 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee.

Along with poker, blackjack and craps,

the event will also include a silent auction.

“This is a fundraiser for us to raise much needed funds for the families we support who have children with life-threatening illnesses – the treatments for which insurance does not always cover,” said foundation founder Jennifer Armer. “It’s a great opportunity to have a fun night out, while knowing that you are making a difference in the lives of so many families who are struggling to pay the bills that will save their children’s lives.”

Ticket ranges are: $500 for $5,500 in chips and five drink tickets; $200 for $2,000 in chips and four drink tickets; $100 for includes $750 in chips and three drink tickets; and $50 for $250 in chips and two drink tickets.

Purchase tickets at armerfoundation. org/casinonight.

The foundation also is sponsoring the East Valley SOS Blood Drive at the Grove, 2777 South Gilbert Road, Chandler 9 a.m.1 p.m. Information is under events at its website.

see AROUND page 24

Ahwatukee Toastmasters offers growth opportunities

For over 35 years, the Ahwatukee Toastmasters has maintained a continuous presence in the Ahwatukee community, providing the know-how, practice and encouragement to help members improve their communication and leadership abilities.

Ahwatukee Toastmasters, which promises to “develop the skills they need to increase their speaking competence as they prepare for personal growth and professional advancement,” meets 7-8 a.m. every other Tuesday at Esperanza Lutheran Church, 2601 E. Thunderhill Place, Ahwatuklee

Information: call or text Ed Prestwood at 480-603-8359, or search “Ahwatukee Toastmasters.”

Summer line dancing party slated at Cactus Jack’s today

Cactus Jack’s Bar & Grill on the southwest corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street, Ahwatukee, is hosting its annual Proud American Summer Line Dance Party to-

day, July 5.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., there will be line dancing lessons and open dancing, along with treats and raffles. There is a $5 cover charge.

Information: dancemeetsfitness.net.

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club adds speakers to its schedule

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee has speakers at many of its weekly meetings at the Original Biscuits Restaurant on the southwest corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street in Ahwatukee.

The public is invited to attend. The meetings start around 7 a.m. and usually don’t last more than an hour.

Upcoming speakers are: July 13, Luis De La Cruz, Arizona Friends of Foster Children; and July 27, Sabrina Estrada, Arizona Citizens for the Arts.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages in June

Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, presents a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Unless otherwise noted, no tickets or registration is required.

Information: phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

Babytimes

Babies ages birth to 23 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Tuesdays, July 11, 18 and 25, 10:30-11 a.m. Free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.

Toddlertimes

Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Thursdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.

Full STEAM Ahead

Children ages 6-12 explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent Saturdays, July 15 and 29, 2-4 p.m., in this drop-in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. No tickets required.

Arouna Diarra music performance

Enjoy a West African n’goni and balafon performance in the native Bambara language. Saturday July 8, 11:30 a.m-12:15 p.m.

Book Club

partner Bill Hadley.

“I started playing cornhole in 2015 as a way to meet people, and it turned into something I never imagined. It’s been an amazing ride,” said Hallmark, 42.

“Of course, my plan is to shoot for three state champ in women’s singles. It’s going to be tough with all the amazing women who’ve entered the game but it’s still one game at a time,” said Hallmark, an accountant.

An up-and-coming player, Nicole Kangas of Mesa, also started cornhole as a pastime that has morphed into competitions.

“I started playing cornhole in 2020, mostly with my husband and friends in the backyard. With a lot of encouragement and nudging, I finally started registering to play at any local venue that was hosting and fell in love with the game,” Kangas recalled.

“It was nerve racking but cornhole people are so fantastic and want to help you get better. One of the things that I think helped me develop was never using my own bag. I would use whatever fast, slow, or in between bags my partner would bring to the boards.”

That laissez faire bag attitude changed when she discovered Chandler-based

Draggin’ Bags, a company that makes and sells personalized cornhole bags.

“I’ve had the pleasure of helping grow the company over the past year and now I strictly throw Draggin’ Bags. And my game has changed a lot this year,” she said.

Adult readers 18+ can meet up with fellow adventuresome bibliophiles to share their thoughts about each month’s selection the first Wednesday of each month, 5-5:45 p.m. Today, July 5, the focus is on Vanished Arizona by Martha Summerhayes, and on Aug. 2, In the Time of Our History by Susanne Pari. No tickets required.

Sit and Stitch

Join fellow stitchers on July 15, 3-4:45 p.m. Knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, needlepoint…all are welcome. No tickets required.

Blood drive

People ages 16+ can join the American Red Cross Blood Drive at Ironwood Library on July 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Appointments are recommended and can be made at redcrossblood.org. Select the “Donating Blood” option to submit your appointment time. Walk-in donations are also welcome, as available. Masks are optional. 

This is Kangas’ third Arizona State Cornhole Championship Tournament and she enthusiastically encourages the uninitiated or backyard player to give it a go.

“I started in the novice division, moved to intermediate quickly, and now I’m finishing this season in the competitive division, she said, adding:

“As in years past, obviously, I hope to place in the top three of my events in my division. I’ve been inspired each year by so many amazing players, and hope that I inspire someone along the way this year. Anyone can compete in the sport and have a fantastic time doing it. They just have to walk through the door. “

Chandler resident Brian Brewer was an ACL pro until a dog bite and a job promotion pivoted his playing to regional and local competitions.

Brewer is currently ranked 10th in Arizona, and 22nd in the Western Conference. He and Derrick Lopez hope to rank in the top five in doubles at this year’s state competition.

“State is always a fun tournament and we get everyone who plays to come out and compete. State also signals the end of the long ACL season coming to an end,” said Brewer, 52, a senior manager at CooperVision.

His journey in cornhole began as a summer backyard game with his cousin in Pinetop.

“I played my first organized competitive tournament in May, 2017,” he explained. “By late 2018 I was traveling to play across the country.

“My play during the 2018-2019 season qualified me to earn American Cornhole League Pro status in the 2019-2020 season. The experiences and friends I made nationally over the two years made it more than worth it.”

“In 2020-21 I was fortunate enough to play with the number one female pro player in the world, Cheyenne Bubenheim,” he continued. “That season was a great experience, but a dog bite on my throwing hand 10 days before the first pro event along with increased demands following a promotion at work left that season as a ‘what might have been.’

“I was happy to not be a pro. I still play as often as I can. I travel two or more times a month for work and I still I make 90% of the regional tournaments that count for ACL standing. I’ve remained in the Top 10-20 in Arizona rankings from my first full season through this current season.”

Information: Hole9Yards.com, KBKornhole.com, or 602-885-1608.

CORNHOLE from page 22

Dr. Todd Kisicki of Mesa owns KB Kornhole Games, the leading cornhole event planner in Arizona. (Courtesy Dr. Todd Kisicki)

People can support Y OPAS by

AFN NEWS STAFF

The YMCA’s Outreach Program for Ahwatukee Seniors, or Y OPAS, will be participating in the eighth annual GIVE65 Online Event, presented by Home Instead Charities, the first and only online-fundraising platform.

Supporters can give online at give65. org/YOPAS between 6 a.m. July 11 and 11 p.m. July 13.

The 65-hour campaign is exclusively devoted to supporting nonprofits that help aging seniors live with independence and dignity.

Y OPAS is eligible for up to $5,000 in matching funds. Matching grants are limited, so donors are asked to visit the website and donate early to give Y OPAS a chance at a matching contribution.

“GIVE65 is an opportunity for the community to help Y OPAS continue to provide services that assist seniors remain living independently in their homes for as long as possible,” said YMCA Execu-

YOPAS from page 22

impaired senior, or even making a phone call or social visit.

Seeing the success of Y OPAS for over 20 years, Kate feels that by volunteering, she has helped ensure Y OPAS would still be there when she got older and needed them herself – sort of like paying on an insurance policy.

She still volunteers for the Y OPAS office and does other admin functions mostly from home, but at almost 80, she now has some physical limitations and has become a Y OPAS client herself. She’s still grateful for all the volunteers who help seniors to remain independent in their own homes.

One of her favorite memories was watching the faces of the seniors at a holiday luncheon with an Elvis impersonator that interacted with the clients while singing to them. Another favorite memory of Kate’s was in 2009 when she asked if she could get some Y OPAS clients over 90 to

tive Director Brenda Nichols.

Y OPAS provides free volunteer assisted services such as transportation to and from medical and non-medical appointments, friendly visits, grocery shopping, assistance with safety equipment installations, social events and more.

“As the senior population continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, the pace of government and philanthropic support for seniors is not,” Nichols noted.

“We must rely heavily on the generous financial support of the community to continue providing programs and services that help seniors to remain independent at home and age with dignity.”

For more information on services, volunteer opportunities, or donate to Y OPAS, call 602-212-6088 or valleyymca.org/opas. 

Y OPAS case manager Jennifer Thomas holds a blank check to promote the GIVE65 online campaign hat starts next Tuesday. (Courtesy of Y OPAS)

participate in a golf charity event by doing 100 holes on the putting green.

Kate’s mother and a friend were both 91 and played 100 holes in the tournament (with a little help picking up the balls.) Sadly, both are gone now.

Y OPAS seniors can sign up for rides to play dominoes, attend a 2-hour art class, attend lunches or go on bus trips for shopping at Fry’s, Michaels, Hobby Lobby –and even to view holiday lights from the bus.

Kate is on the Y OPAS Advisory Council and is passionate about the value Y OPAS adds to our community.

After the overwhelming success of Y OPAS in Ahwatukee, the Valley of the Sun YMCA has expanded the program’s reach Scottsdale and the Southwest Valley.

For more information on becoming a client or a Y OPAS volunteer, contact valleyymca.org/opas or call 602-212-6088. 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timeslocalmedis.com

Batter up: Korean corn dog eatery a hit

BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

Krispy Dogz, a family-owned Korean corn dog shop that also sells appetizers, coffee, tea, boba drinks and smoothies, opened June 23 on Chandler Boulevard near 32nd Street in Ahwatukee Foothills.

Locals had anticipated the deep-fried trendy treats since the sign went up nearly a year ago.

Co-owners Samnang Som and Leena Keo, who are engaged to be married, started the business in the backyard of Som’s parent’s home in Santa Rosa, California, after they lost their jobs in the restaurant industry during the pandemic.

They made corn dogs for dinner one night and they came out so well, the couple made a batch to sell and advertised them for sale on Instagram.

“It was just us and a little frying pot in the backyard in a tent,” Keo said. The first day, about 30 cars showed up.

“One day turned into two days a week; two turned into three days a week,” Keo said.

Eventually, they started selling corn dogs every day. “We spent late nights skewering and inventory shopping,” she said.

At that time, Korean corn dogs “were

trending; they were new; they were everywhere on social media,” Keo said.

The delicacy differs from its American cousin because it’s coated in puffy, sweetsavory batter and usually an array of condiments, oftentimes spicy.

It originated in Korea’s night markets in the 1980s and exploded in popularity in

the U.S. in 2021 thanks to social media.

Once Keo and Som started saving money from their backyard operation and decided to start a restaurant, Som’s aunt, Silign Yen, and uncle, Sokly Chamroeun, of Tempe suggested the couple move to Arizona due to the economic and business climate.

They used to own a donut shop in Tem-

pe and they helped fund and now co-own Krispy Dogz.

“Our family saw our potential in this business and saw how hardworking we are and gave us the potential to build a business,” Keo stated.

Although she’s only 21 and Som is 23, they both worked in restaurants and boba shops since they were 15 or 16.

The couple took over the lease in July 2022 and began renovations right away, but it took nearly a year to open due to contractor complications. However, Som said, “We decided to put the sign up right away just so people would know and keep it in mind.”

While Korean corn dog chains have opened multiple locations in recent years in the Valley, Krispy Dogz is the first place to sell them in Ahwatukee.

They start with an all-beef hot dog or a stick of mozzarella for a vegetarian option and also offer half-and-half.

“People really like the cheese pull” of the melted mozzarella, Som noted.

The dogs, which start at $4.49, are rolled in a high-gluten rice flour and deep-fried, and each one is made to order.

Krispy Dogz sells six coatings: a classic blend of sugar, ketchup, mustard and

see KRISPY page 28

Mountainside Fitness building sold for $7.9M

AWashington State company has bought the building housing Mountainside Fitness in Ahwatukee for $7.9 million.

VAC-CC LLC in Kirkland bought the building at 4820 E. Ray Road in Foothills Park Place from Next Gen Mountainside and Helix Properties, both of Phoenix, according to Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com.

Built in 1990 on 3.36 acres, the 41,576-square-foot anchors the 10.2 acre shopping. center, vizzda said, adding the sale price equaled $190 per square foot.

The transaction included a $2.3 million down payment as well as a $5.6 million loan, according to vizzda.

The sale comes about seven months after the another building in the strip mall that houses Air Adventure Park was sold by Next Gen Mountainside to a California Company for $4.2 million. 

The building housing Mountainside Fitness on the northeast corner of Ray Road and 48th Street, Ahwatukee, last month sold for $7.9 million. (vizzda.com)

The family co-owners of Krispy Dogz in Ahwatukee include, from left, Sokly Chamroeun, Samnang Som, Leena Keo and Silign Yen. The eatery opened June 23 and sells Korean corn dogs, specialty drinks and snacks. (Geri Koeppel/AFN Contributor)

AFN NEWS STAFF

house-made spicy mayo; churro with cinnamon sugar; potato with cubed french fries; plain with panko; crispy rice; and hot Cheetos, which is their best seller.

The choice of dogs is concise, for “freshness and quality,” Som explained, adding that the kitchen is closed from 3 to 4 p.m. daily to change the oil in the fryer but drinks are still available during that time.

On opening day, Som said, they were surprised by the turnout and are grateful for how patient and supportive everyone was.

Although hot dogs normally are considered fast food, that’s not the case here: Krispy Dogz requires 15 to 30 minutes for each order, as a sign on the counter says.

The dining area also invites people to stay and enjoy.

It has more than 1,000 square feet of space with seating for 34 (and more to come) in a modern, soothing, simple design, not bright and busy like many quick eateries. The cool color scheme features white walls, metal chairs, gray epoxy floors, gray wood-grain tabletops and a wall featuring real and faux plants.

Also, a hallway passes by an open kitchen.

“You can see us literally roll the corn dogs; sauce the corn dogs,” Som said.

William Drew of Ahwatukee went twice to Krispy Dogz the first week it was open and said he enjoyed two fruit smoothies and three types of dogs.

“Every one of them was really good,” he said. “It’s different and unique and the quality’s there.”

Drew added, “They did a really nice presentation with the way they applied the

coatings and the condiments. It was nice to look at as well as consume.”

He also complimented the staff for being helpful and pleasant.

In addition to corn dogs and specialty drinks, Krispy Dogz sells snacks for $4.75 and up, such as kimchi fries, crispy tofu, basil popcorn chicken and “grandma’s crispy egg rolls” with housemade sweet chili sauce.

Som’s grandmother, Nay Siem of Tem-

pe, makes the egg roll filling and the rest of the family helps roll them. The family’s heritage is Chinese and Cambodian, not Korean, so the chicken and egg rolls are made from traditional family recipes.

Also, Yen and Chamroeun, the couple’s aunt and uncle, pitch in, and Som’s younger sister, Ratana Som of Santa Rosa, who is 14, is spending a month this summer working the register.

“Our whole family works here every day,” Keo said.

Though the couple has their hands full right now getting the first Krispy Dogz up and running, they’re already thinking about expanding into other cities.

“We took a leap of faith because we’re young and we want to take chances and hopefully we’re successful,” Som stated. 

Krispy Dogz

Where: 3233 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee.

Hours: 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. daily; kitchen closed 3-4 p.m. but drinks are available

Contact: 480-284-8853; on Instagram @krispydogz

Krispy Dogz in Ahwatukee Foothills has a bright, modern seating area. (Geri Koeppel/AFN Contributor)

Solar business equipment a powerful tax strategy

BY HAROLD WONG Guest Writer

If you can save $15,000 per year of taxes for 15 years and earn a 14% annual return, you will have an extra $749,705 in your retirement fund.

If you save $30,000 a year of taxes for 20 years at a 12% annual return, you will have an extra $2,420,962 of retirement money.

If you save $50,000 at the same rate at a 10% annual return, you will have an extra $3,150,125.

Suppose you can earn a steady 8% income when you retire, and the above amounts mean an extra $59,976, $193,677, or $252,010 of annual retirement income, respectively.

In Arizona, this would allow most to retire early and afford their bucket list dreams.

Why typical suggestions from tax advisors don’t really save long-term taxes. If you were a highly-paid surgeon 30 years ago and complained about paying a lot of income tax, your CPA may have suggested these options for saving taxes.

They might include buying a bigger home with a larger mortgage so you can deduct more interest; maximizing contributions to your IRA or 401(k); or investing in rental houses.

Let’s examine why these suggestions don’t work.

After the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed in late 2017, one can deduct interest only up to a $750,000 mortgage on their personal home. With super-low interest rates of the last 15 years, most married couples find that the standard deduction gives more deductions than itemizing on Schedule A.

Maximizing contributions to an IRA or 401(k) is a ticking tax time bomb. Suppose you deducted $10,000 a year for 30 years to a retirement plan and were in the 25% tax bracket. Your total $300,000 of deductions would save you $75,000 of taxes.

You rode the stock market roller-coaster and are lucky enough to have $2 million at age 70. If you and your spouse died

in an accident, each of your two kids inherits $1,000,000 of IRA or 401(k) funds.

Now each one faces a 40% combined federal and state tax rate and owes $400,000 of taxes. You saved $75,000 of taxes but now the kids owe $800,000.

Investing in rental houses gives very limited depreciation, which is the only non-cash deduction.

Example: you buy a $500,000 rental house and typically 20% is allocated to land, which is not depreciable, and 80% is allocated to the house.

Annual depreciation is subject to a 27.5-year schedule and so is $14,545 if it was deemed a rental house for all 12 months. If you are in a 25% tax bracket, you save $3,636 of annual taxes.

Yet, to buy the house it takes 25% down to get a decent interest rate and that’s $125,000. Add $5,000 of closing costs and assume only $10,000 of fix-up costs and it takes $140,000 of cash to save $3,636 of annual taxes.

Also, when you sell that rental house, all the building depreciation previously taken is taxed at a 25% federal rate.

In contrast, $140,000 would buy two pieces of solar refrigeration business equipment. Between the 30% ($140,000) = $42,000 of solar tax credit and deducting $95,200 to $119,000 in year one, this would save about $70,000 of taxes and earn a steady 14% average return.

Solar business equipment is the most powerful tax strategy in today’s tax code. Let me show you how this works.

Free tour/workshop: at Solar Reefer (Refrigeration) Factory. 9 a.m.-noon July 8. Topic is “How solar reefers can reduce taxes to $0 and earn a steady 10-14%” Refreshments will be served. Location is at Advanced Energy Machines, 4245 E. Norcroft St., Mesa.

To RSVP for the seminar or schedule a free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com. His website is www.drharoldwong.com. Wong earned his Ph.D. in Economics at University of California/Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs. 

BY DIANE E. BROWN AND TONY DUTZIK AFN Guest Writers

While it seems that Arizonans have different opinions on almost everything these days, there’s one thing the vast majority of us can agree on: Our state and local governments need to use our tax dollars more wisely.

Fortunately, due to a confluence of factors, transitioning light-duty government fleets to electric vehicles provides a sensible way to save taxpayers a truckload of cash.

According to Electric Vehicles Save Money for Government Fleets, a new re-

Electric fleets could save taxpayers big bucks LETTERS

Failed housing bill was a holiday for developers

A June 21 column arguing the “wrong kind of bipartisanship sank housing bill” misses the mark in key ways – especially by claiming that our Sen. Mitzi Epstein voted “no” for political reasons.

We can all agree that affordable housing is a complicated issue, and that it will take cooperation from all parties to make progress.

Unfortunately, the bill’s sponsor and the legislative leadership came at it from the

port by Arizona PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group, state and local governments in Arizona could save taxpayers $283 million if they collectively transitioned their light-duty fleets to electric when they retire older vehicles.

The state fleet alone could save taxpayers $26 million.

Nationwide, the 50 states and municipalities and counties within them could save taxpayers nearly $11 billion in lifetime expenses by purchasing electric vehicles as opposed to gasoline- and dieselfueled vehicles for their light-duty fleets.

EVs cost significantly less to operate and maintain than gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, due in large part to volatile fuel costs, fewer moving parts, and fewer fluids to replace.

If the State of Arizona and local governments replace the nearly 20,000 lightduty fleet vehicles scheduled to retire over the next decade with EVs, the approximately $283 million in savings will come mostly from a 74% reduction in fuel costs and an average 37% reduction in maintenance costs.

Among Arizona state agencies, about 800 vehicles are light-duty cars and trucks that are likely to retire over the next 10 years and are in categories for which EVs are available on the market today.

Additionally, new federal incentives make EVs more affordable than ever.

The Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, adopted as part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act, provides incentives of up to $7,500 per light-duty EV and up to $40,000 per heavy-duty EV, making various models competitive with gas-powered options from the start.

Buying EVs instead of gasoline-powered, light-duty vehicles over the next decade not only saves taxpayer money.

Arizona and local governments could also save more than 1.6 million barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 462,000 tons (carbon dioxide equivalent), the same amount as produced by driving more than one billion miles in a typical car.

Of those reductions, at least 39,000 tons could come from electrifying the state fleet alone.

TO THE EDITOR

perspective of only one stakeholder and it was a majority of both caucuses that defeated the final product.

Those legislative leaders also did not allow the Senate to vote on alternative compromises that could have made some headway on the issue.

The defeated bill began as an extravagant holiday wish list for developers that would have quashed input from neighbors, cities and others.

All while doing nothing to address AF-

FORDABLE housing but offering hope that taller condos would bring housing costs down.

This left Sen. Epstein and the others to play defense. While the wish list was whittled down, the only bill brought to the floor for a vote was still developer-centric. Nine of 14 Democrats and 10 of 16 Republicans voted “no.”

So ascribing a purely political motive to all by misrepresenting one remark is wrong.

I applaud the columnist’s willingness to

Whether our state or local governments prioritize saving money for taxpayers, improving air quality, protecting public health or all of the above, each should follow the same roadmap to success.

That map: develop ambitious fleet electrification plans and stick to them; share information and resources with other state and local governments and pool purchasing power to negotiate discounts on vehicles and infrastructure; and take full advantage of federal and utility incentives.

EVs are no longer a distant dream: EVs are here and provide a unique opportunity to save money and improve air quality at the same time.

Now is the time for our state and municipalities to accelerate the EV transition.

Diane E. Brown is the Executive Director of Arizona PIRG Education Fund. Tony Dutzik is the Associate Director and Senior Policy Analyst with Frontier Group. The authors partnered on the reports Electric Vehicles Save Money for Government Fleets and Electric Fleets for Arizona, each of which can be found at ArizonaPIRGEdFund.org. 

serve on Flagstaff’s Housing Commission. I share his frustrations about the affordable housing problem.

However, his frustration leads him to target some of those advocating for a realistic and balanced approach to making progress on affordable housing.

Instead, he should hold the sponsor and the leadership controlling the legislature’s agenda accountable; they advocated for developers at the expense of the rest of us.

-Paul Weich

AZ Speed track taking over at regionals

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

Stacey Boyd admits he is still in disbelief about the growth of his AZ Speed track club based out of Ahwatukee.

Since its first season in 2022, the program has doubled in size, filling up the Mountain Pointe track twice a week. There is already a wait list for next season. He and Malia Austin, the co-founder of the club, estimate they’ll expand the roster to around 75 athletes ranging in age from 6 to high school aged.

But right now their focus is on the present. Along with doubling in size, the club has more than tripled the number of participants it is taking to regionals this upcoming weekend in Albuquerque, N.M. Stacey believes that feat was accomplished due to the coaches he surrounded himself with in the program — Dennis, Leo, Jah, J and Olivia.

“We have a number of committed coaches and we are all on the same page with the idea of supporting athletes,” Stacey said. “We have the conversations about what we need to do to support individual athletes, along with the mentoring aspect of it.

“We push our kids really hard. We push them to the limit.”

AZ Speed took four participants to regionals and nationals last season. Three of them are returning alongside 12 others.

A total of 15 athletes from the program will compete after dominating various events at the state championships. Their performance as a club didn’t come as much of a shock, however. Many of the athletes dominated all season. Some even picked up new events.

Shayden Boyd, Stacey and Malia’s 9-year-old son had perhaps one of the better seasons for a kid his age in the state. Maybe the country.

He broke two indoor track records in the 200 and 400 while competing at NAU. He broke the outdoor 400 and 800 at Mesa Community College. All four records were

previously held by former Chandler and NFL wideout Marcus Wheaton and Mountain Pointe star Paul Lucas. Both of their fathers congratulated Shayden shortly after he beat the records. Lucas and Wheaton sent him personal messages, which

included a FaceTime call.

“It felt really great,” said Shayden, who runs the 200, 400 and 800. “I was really excited for myself. I’m looking to beat some more records.”

Stacey said it’s special to see Shayden

accomplish all he has at a young age. But Shayden has big aspirations for himself.

He routinely looks at the record boards at Mountain Pointe. He said he wanted to beat Lucas’ records when he gets to that point. He now has his sights set on Jayden Davis, a 2023 grad of Mountain Pointe who set the state record in the 400 and will compete for ASU next year.

“Shayden is one of those kids who sets his own goals and asks what he has to do to obtain them,” Stacey said. “Pretty amazing for a kid that’s 9 years old and knows what he wants to do.”

Like Shayden, Cammy Kellogg has enjoyed a breakout season on the track. The Queen Creek resident has been with Stacey for more than five years, well before AZ Speed was created.

An avid soccer player and equestrian, she’s had a busy club season juggling all three sports but has still found a way to excel in the 800, 1500 and javelin. She looks forward to the opportunity to compete at regionals again. She aims to return to nationals for the second straight year.

The 10-year-old hopes with a good performance her parents will give in and buy her a ferret.

“I plan on getting one this year,” Kellogg said. “It’s been really fun. I’ve gotten a lot more first place (finishes). My goal is to get top five so I can move on.”

AZ Speed, while based in Ahwatukee, has begun to attract athletes from all over the Valley.

Trenton Matthews, Khalid and Khalia Navarro, Omega Richardson and Amarion Tasto are all from Phoenix and will compete at regionals.

Jakhari and Jayvon Russell make the drive from Maricopa for practices. They’ll also compete at regionals with Tempe resident Cam Stevenson.

Gilbert resident Niko Chattic has excelled on the track, while nearby Chandler residents Dom Brambila, Brenden Torgerson and Devyn Walker have also been

AZ Speed founder Stacey Boyd and his son, 9-year-old Shayden, have cherished the opportunity to be together in this journey. Shayden broke four state records this season, two in indoor and two outdoor. (Dave Minton/Staff Photographer)

Ahwatukee-based AZ Speed, a youth track club, is sending 15 youth athletes to compete in regionals in Albuquerque, N.M., July 6-9. All 15 have a chance to place in the top eight of their events and move on to nationals at the end of July in Oregon. (Dave Minton/Staff Photographer)

SPEED

impressive.

Sports have become a big part of Chandler resident Camden Dentz’s life from an early age. His mother, Lenica Ruiz, is the athletic director at Marcos de Niza High School. His father, Sam, is the head basketball coach at McClintock.

Dentz advanced to regionals in the 400, 800 and 4x400 relay, his favorite event.

“It’s really fun and I’ve been doing it since I started doing track,” Dentz said, adding that his goal is simple at regionals. “Trying to get first. It would feel good.”

Stacey has high expectations for his group this weekend. He expects 11 to 12 of them to qualify for nationals. Yet he wouldn’t be surprised if they all do.

Many of the athletes have also taken on a field event this season. Chattic and Kellogg are two of the top javelin throwers in their age group.

He’s looking forward to seeing them excel on the track in New Mexico and move on to do the same at Oregon’s state-of-the-art facility that hosts Team USA on a regular basis. He knows it’s an opportunity they will never forget, which is partly the reason he created the club in the first place.

He wants to provide an outlet for kids. And he’s doing that by helping them reach regionals with a chance to go further.

“I’m anticipating, I’m anxious, I’m excited,” Stacey said. “It’s an amazing feeling to take 15 athletes and see what they’re going to do.” 

Have An Interesting Sports Story?

New Earth and Space Expedition Center inspires

BY GIANNA MONTIEL GetOut Contributor

Beverly Swayman, the executive director of the new Earth and Space Expedition Center, hopes visitors understand the enormity of one’s own power.

The first astronaut who walked on the moon or the scientist who discovered the telescope, for example, should marvel kids and adults alike. They realized they had the power within them to change the world.

Visitors can study this at the Earth and Space Expedition Center at 17835 N. 44th St., Phoenix. Formerly known as the Challenger Space Center of Arizona, the all-inclusive space museum and science center opened on three months ago.

The center’s new name and expanded mission reflect its focus on the future: exploring and learning about space while protecting the world around us.

A nonprofit, the Earth and Space Expedition Center seeks to inspire a lifelong love of learning and discovery in both space and science, as well as a passion for conservation.

The center celebrates space travelers in the Hall of Astronauts, which shares the impact that each astronaut has on space history. Swayman’s personal favorite being the Deep Space Gallery, which wraps visitors in nebulae, the same it would be viewed through the Hubble telescope.

In addition, guests can peruse the Exploratorium, and the Space Museum that exhibits spacesuits, spacecraft, satellites and artifacts. Magic Planets features high-resolution, interactive globes that allow guests to explore planets and learn about their features.

Every 4 minutes, real-time information is downloaded from NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide accurate, current pictures of what’s happening on Earth.

The state-of-the-art planetarium is a favorite of David Murphy, with the Earth

and Space Expedition Center, calling it immersive and interactive. Flight directors take requests from guests to show a

particular planet giving the feeling that one is commanding their own shuttle.

“It’s a relaxing way to get engaged with the feeling of traveling through the solar system and it’s very interactive,” he said.

The center has programs for homeschoolers, offers fieldtrips, a mobile STEM outreach program, seasonal camp programs, and afterschool programs.

Evolving center

Swayman has been with the center since 2016 and has watched it go through a series of moves.

“Initially, we went to Metrocenter when the property was going to be repurposed,” Swayman stated.

Construction issues pushed the cost beyond the project’s budget. They then searched for a new location.

“We had had a long-term relationship with Paradise Valley school district’s CREST program,” she said about the Center For Research in Engi-

neering, Science and Technology.

“Because a lot of their students had been interns for us over the years. We developed some very long-term friendships with the interns, who were there who went away to college. Many of them pursued careers in aerospace and other industries, tech industries.”

Motivated and passionate about the center, these interns returned and encouraged their former instructors to find a spot for the center, which turned out to be a former elementary school. “We were pretty excited when we were able to work on this collaboration with Paradise Valley Unified School District.”

Swayman affirmed that it’s been an excellent experience over the last couple of years, creating the rebranded facility — until the pandemic hit. Like everyone else who was knocked down, the center got back up.

Children interested in any aspect of the center “really have an opportunity to develop their interests,” she said.

“If they have an interest in robotics or 3D printing or drones or a variety of other things, they have an opportunity to really explore that to a better degree. That happens in a variety of ways.”

Some students experience it on the field trips, summer programming, or special family events. It’s a perfect opportunity for people to become a part of their “extended family,” as Swayman put it.

She has watched young visitors, inspired by the Challenger Space Center of Arizona, become professionals in related careers. Many times, the teachers or parents discuss the visit with children.

“I’m somewhat humbled, but they do give us the credit for that because they said, at some point, our organization helped spark that interest that led them where they went,” Swayman said.

“I’m thrilled that we have a chance to do something like that.”

Swayman said her goal is for every

Visitors to the Earth and Space Expedition Center have a chance to learn more about the gear astronauts relied on in space.(Special to GetOut)

The Earth and Space Expedition Center in Phoenix gives kids and adults a deeper look at the pioneers of space exploration. (Special to GetOut)

Old Crow Medicine Show coming soon

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Arts Editor

It’s been nearly seven years since Old Crow Medicine Show visited the Grand Canyon State. So, it plans to give fans a healthy dose of music when it returns July 22 to the Chandler Center for the Arts.

The two-time Grammy Award-winning band plans to an adrenaline-filled show with no moment of silence.

“No dead air that’s kind of our thing,” said Cory Younts, who plays the mandolin, harmonica, keyboards and sings. “We’re really all about keeping the show moving and keeping it full of entertainment that just never stops.”

Music is continually playing, and the musicians sing or tell jokes.

“Our show has a lot of humor,” Younts said. “Some of it might be a little cheesy but as long as we’re having fun, the audience is having fun.”

Younts said he and the band encourage an exchange of energy with the audience.

“When they’re smiling and clapping it makes our job a lot easier,” he said. “It’s a give-and-take thing and as the audience is showing us that they’re enjoying it, it makes our job a lot easier.”

The band rotates through myriad instruments, including fiddlesticks, washboard, accordion, jaw harp, fiddles, piano and as many as five banjos played in unison during one part of the set.

Adding to the ensemble is an expansive discography of nine full-length studio albums. The latest release was 2022s “Paint This Town.”

Younts admits that having a 25-year broad discography has made creating a setlist a tall task.

“It is pretty hard,” Younts admits. “Over the years it does get a little bit more dif-

SPACE from page 34

child — adults and seniors, too — to have access to the Earth and Space Expedition Center.

“My thrill is to see that level playing field where I don’t care if you have a million dollars or 20 cents to your name, you still get the same educational experience, and you still get the same exposure to this kind of information and skills, so that’s how it evolved,” Swayman said.

(Special to GetOut)

ficult to try and keep playing something from every album, but we try and stick to at least one song from everything.”

Younts confessed he has felt a strong

“I don’t look at it as a job; I look at it as a mission because, to me, unless they have advocacy, they can get lost in the system where maybe they don’t have an advocate. We may be that advocate for them.”

Murphy said the staff is trying to reach parents of young children who are interested in science, technology and conservation.

“There’s a really great museum aspect to the center that shows the history of space exploration both from the Ameri-

Old Crow Medicine Show

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22

Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler

Cost: Tickets start at $49

Info: crowmedicine.com and chandlercenter.com

‘Paint This Town,’ our most recent album,” he said. “We have another album coming out in September that we’re looking forward to. We haven’t started playing too many of those songs yet, but they’ll be out soon.”

Because Old Crow Medicine Show covers a range of music and plays a bigger mix of instruments at its s hows, Younts said he enjoys playing in intimate theaters like the Chandler Center for the Arts.

“We still stick to the same rule of no dead air, but I sometimes feel that our storytelling is a little bit better and our stories get a little bit more detailed when we’re playing in an intimate environment like that,” Younts said.

“It’s a great thing to see a child’s face light up especially when we try and give away a harmonica during our set, which we always try to do,” he said. “I also hope that someone will go ‘I’m going to go buy me a banjo or go buy me a harmonica after this is over.”

But above all, Younts hopes to give fans a stellar show.

affinity for playing some of the band’s more contemporary tunes and unreleased material.

“I’m really enjoying playing songs off

can perspective and others as well. It has a lot of history of NASA as well as what’s happening with some other independent space agencies. You see how space investment has sort of changed and evolved and growing rapidly.”

Swayman added, “This is a great, lowcost, really fun, educational and inspirational way to spend a day, whether you’re a student interested in learning about space or an adult who’s just intrigued by the history and what’s possible.” 

“We want the audience to leave with a good smile on their faces,” he said. “And we want to keep country music alive. But we truly believe in the traditional spirit of country music and that’s kind of what we hope that people will still remember what good country music is.”  

Earth and Space Expedition Center

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday

Where: 17835 N. 44th St., Phoenix

Cost: Visit website for admission pricing Info: 623-322-2001, earthandspaceexpeditioncenter.org

The Old Crow Medicine Show is pump to be bringing it unique show to the Chandler Center for the Arts on June 22.

ACROSS

1 Chewable stick

4 Parisian river

9 Chaney of horror films

12 Links org.

13 Leek's kin

14 Rage

15 Food's freshness period

17 Hardly any

18 Call -- day

19 Papa Hemingway

21 Boot camp reply

24 Swelled heads

25 Curator's concern

26 Mayo ingredient

28 "Bullitt" director Peter

31 Leeway

33 Hirohito's title (Abbr.)

35 Aspiration

36 Rapper's headgear

38 "Chandelier" singer

40 Stimpy's pal

41 Christmas

43 Aged, in a way

45 As a whole

47 Perch

48 Zodiac feline

49 Novel storage area?

54 Buddy

55 Kate's sitcom partner

56 Aussie hopper

57 Fine, to NASA

58 Property claims

59 Chopper

DOWN

1 Family docs

2 "Yecch!"

3 Actress West

4 Sentimental sort

5 Blow up

6 Sundial numeral

7 Type of checking

8 Vigor

9 Biography

10 Raw materials

11 Salamander

16 Fleur-de- --

20 Ham's dad

21 Three feet

22 Slangy suffix

23 Tot's reading material

27 Baseball execs

29 Fencing sword

King Crossword

30 Fax

32 Manhandle

34 Football, slangily

37 Worldwide

39 Comes up

42 Dangerous bacteria

44 Sports fig.

45 Exile isle

46 Sleuth Wolfe

50 Flamenco cheer

51 Historic period

52 Bagel topper

53 Nemesis

IWith JAN D’ATRI

Making these French treats may test your patience

walked into my cooking class recently knowing full well what I was up against.

I was teaching the art, science… and frustration of making macarons.

I knew the class would be divided. Half of my students would want to learn how to make these tricky little treats. The other half were there because they have attempted to make macarons and failed miserably.

The pressure was on.

The first thing I tell the group is that no matter how much You Tube tutorials, Instragram posts or Tik Tok videos tout a “no-fail” macaron recipe, do not believe it.

No such thing.

The only way to make a “no fail” macaron is practice. With practice you will learn all the things that can sabotage macarons; your oven, the temperature and humidity outside, the way you fold the egg whites into the almond flour ingredients and how you pipe the batter onto a baking sheet.

Sudoku

Having said that, if you’re willing to take a little time and don’t get flustered if the first batch or two don’t turn out perfectly, you may get as addicted to making macarons as I am.

I’ve also included a delicious strawberry filling for your French delights. 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup almond flour, sifted several times

• 1½ cups powdered sugar

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature

• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1-2 drops red or pink food coloring

Directions:

Sift the almond flour several times through a mesh sieve, and then sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together through the sieve.

In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites and sugar until foamy, about 45 seconds. Turn to high, and whip to stiff peaks. (The egg white peaks should stand straight up) Blend in the gel food coloring.

With a rubber spatula, fold in half of the almond flour mixture into the whites and stir for 2-3 minutes, digging down to the bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining flour and keep mixing just until batter flows like lava. (Don’t over-mix, or mixture will be too runny.)

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a ½ inch round tip. Pipe 1¼-inch rounds onto silpat or parchment-

• Filling

• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

• 3½ oz cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 TBSP strawberry jam

lined baking sheets, about 1-inch apart. (To make it easier, look for a macaron template on line, and place it under the parchment paper or silpat.)

Rap the baking sheet firmly on the countertop, a few times, to release any large air bubbles. Let the cookies stand, uncovered, at room temperature, for 15-30 minutes, or until a crust begin to forms on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees. (Use conventional bake or convection bake, not pure convection.) When done, they should easily detach from the liner. Makes 24.

For the filling, combine the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and jam. Pipe a small amount in between two macarons and press together. 