Ahefty Nov. 8 General Election ballot will be landing in early voters’ mailboxes this week and Ahwatukee voters will be making decisions on five contests that directly affect them and the community.
Three of those local elections guarantee that come January, new faces will be on the Kyrene and Tempe Union governing boards as well as the three-member Legislative District 12 delegation. The fourth race where a new face is assured is Phoenix City Council District 6
www.ahwatukee.com
because longtime Councilman Sal DiCiccio is termed-out. But the crowded field of hopefuls suggests that contest may end in a runoff between the top two vote-getters in March.
The fifth election will impact Ahwatukee property owners’ pocketbooks as it involves two override requests and a $100 million bond issue for Tempe Union.
Of course, that only captures a portion of the ballot that the County Recorder’s Office was scheduled to send out today.
Also awaiting voters’ choices are a U.S. Senate seat, a new governor, all statewide offices, a Congressional seat and 10 propositions that
affect a wide range of issues such as the Legislature’s power to change voter-approved initiatives, voting regulations, creation of a lieutenant governor’s office and limits on medical debt interest rates.
Here’s a look at those ballot items of particular relevance to Ahwatukee.
CITY COUNCIL
The field of eight candidates for the Phoenix City Council District 6 offers a wide range of candidates – including two longtime Ahwatu-
BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor
After more than 32 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, both active duty and Reserves, longtime Ahwatukee resident Steven Weintraub retired in 2019, achieving the rank of colonel.
On Friday, Oct. 14, Weintraub will be inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame, an honor only 13 other veterans of all branches will receive this year.
Founded in 2001 by the Unified Arizona Veterans, the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society honors “outstanding state veterans who have made significant personal contributions to their community, state or nation.”
His service far exceeded that threshold. During more than three decades of service,
Weintraub was deployed in the Middle East, Africa and far east Asia, earning the Legion of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal among other honors.
Since retiring, Weintraub has continued his service with his involvement in veteran’s organizations and initiatives throughout Arizona and nationwide.
He currently is chief strategy officer at the national Veteran Tickets Foundation, or Vet
U.S. Marine Col. Steve Weintraub, Ret., of Ahwatukee, pictured in his dress blues when he was honored at Frank Kush Field/Sun Devil Stadium in 2016, will be inducted Friday into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame. (Fat Sal’s Photography)
The Edge returns fire in the suit over homes on Club West
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Club West course owners assail Conservancy’s arguments
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
Club West Golf Course owner The Edge and Shea Homes last week renewed their request to a Superior Court judge to dismiss the Club West Conservancy’s effort to prevent houses from ever being built on the site.
The Conservancy contends that sales agreements signed with homeowners by UDC Homes, a previous homebuilder hShe acquired, promised an 18-hole championship course. The Conservancy, a group of homeowners opposed to homebuilding on the 162-acre site, also has alleged that UDC attracted buyers through advertising that touted the course.
In August, Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason tossed the Conservancy’s first revised complaint and suggested he’d reconsider further proceedings if it amended its complaint to include the names of its members. Shea and The Edge argued the Conservancy had no standing to sue on behalf of homeowners.
The judge at the time also refused to cut Shea Homes loose from the litigation and declined the Edge’s request for an outright dismissal of the suit.
While the Conservancy amended its complaint with a list of 50 homeowners, both The Edge and Shea last week told the judge the revisions were insufficient.
“The second amended complaint did not cure the legal deficiencies and further attempts to amend would be futile,” lawyers for Shea wrote, renewing a request to be dismiss outright.
The Edge’s lawyers said that because CWC is neither a homeowner nor a party to the declaration that sets out the uses for the site, it does not have standing to sue their client and that it “cannot resolve those deficiencies.”
Attorneys Daniel Dowd and Cindy Albracht-Cogan also told the judge that they met on Sept. 29 with the Conservancy and its lawyers and that “after the parties conferred in good faith, they were unable to
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resolve the issues that are the subject of the motion” to dismiss the suit.
The Edge’s new response contains a lengthy list of arguments that aim to punch holes in the Conservancy’s assertions as well as buttress its argument against the legitimacy of the group to even sue.
It noted that while a 1989 Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions governs the way the site can be used, “all Foothills homeowners agreed in the Master CC&Rs that they had no ownership interest in the adjacent property and that they were not relying on any representation that a golf course would be operated.”
The homeowners association also is not a party to the course’s CC&Rs, according to another judge’s ruling last year.
The Edge noted that the course’s CC&Rs state, “the ownership, operation or configuration of, or rights to use, any such golf course may change at any time and from time to time for reasons including, but not limited to: (a) the purchase or assumption of operation of any such golf course by an independent person.”
“No owner or occupant shall have any ownership interest in any such golf course by virtue of his, her or its membership in the Association; or his, her or its ownership, use or occupancy of any lot, parcel or portion thereof,” the CC&Rs also state, according to The Edge’s response.
In tracing the history of the course, The Edge’s lawyers also said that REA, the
original property owner, and UDC signed an agreement in 1993.
“REA and UDC agreed that development efforts of the Foothills (as opposed to future Foothills homeowners) would be ‘enhanced’ if the Property was developed as a golf course.”
But that agreement also states that while the site should be used for golf, the owner of the land use rights governing the site “in its sole discretion can decide that portions of the Property or ‘all’ of the Property be released from that restriction,” The Edge says.
The agreement also said the declarant, or owner of the land use rights, “shall be entitled to release or cancel all or any portion” of any agreement calling for its use as a golf course “at any time without the consent or approval of any other party.”
The Edge’s lawyers also submitted evidence showing some early homebuyers had signed an agreement that state “photographs of the adjacent golf course then being constructed were ‘conceptual only’ and all information, “including but not limited to land uses,” was ‘subject to change at any time without notice.’”
In challenging the Conservancy’s legal standing, The Edge notes that other courts in unrelated lawsuits have established that “to gain standing to bring an action, a plaintiff must allege a distinct and palpable injury.”
“Because CWC is neither an owner of the
The Club West Golf Course remains a battle ground between its owner and a group of homeowners trying to prevent it from building homes on the site. (AFN file photo)
Property or a party or third party beneficiary to the Property Declaration, it lacks direct standing,” The Edge asserts.
It also notes that the 50 homeowners on the list submitted in the amended complaint includes “at least 33” buyers purchased their houses long after Shea bought UDC in 1998 – meaning those owners could not have relied on UDC’s ads about the golf course in making their decision to buy.
The Edge claims that individual homeowners who feel aggrieved by any change in the course’s use will have to file their own lawsuit rather than rely on The Conservancy because each owner’s situation will be different.
“The distinct and palpable injury suf-
fered (if any) that is required to state a claim for declaratory judgment also differs vastly from member to member,” it states. “CWC makes a general allegation that its members paid a premium to purchase golf-course lots on which to build their homes… but 10 of CWC’s 50 members did not buy golf-course lots.”
It said seven other owners with lots on the course “will suffer no injury by the removal of the golf-course restriction on the portion of land adjacent to their homes. Indeed, the golf course restriction was removed from those parcels … over 28 years ago on July 28, 1994 by Irish Greens.
It also said 13 owners on the list bought their homes after the course after it had already withered into barren land and therefore can’t claim their property was damaged by the course’s closure.
Mark & Alexis Breyer
Tentative deal reached to sell Foothills Golf Course
course was built in 1997 and completely overhauled in 2003.
Wilson Gee and his partners have reached an agreement to sell the Foothills Golf Course.
Gee declined to discuss the sale, citing a nondisclosure agreement he has signed that remains in effect until a 45-day escrow period ends and pending a closing on the deal.
Gee had put the 166-acre course on the market earlier this year, along with The Duke, a course he and his partners own in Maricopa. The Foothills, built in 1988, was priced at $5 million and the sale included both the course and clubhouse.
Gee said he had taken the 137-acre Duke off the market because golf season is about to begin. That course had been priced at $8 million.
Multiple sources said that if the Foothills deal goes through, it will be managed by Troon, the world’s largest golf course management company.
Troon also figured prominently in the sale earlier this month of the legendary Longbow Golf Club in Mesa for $8.95 million to the Thompson Golf Group of Gilbert, which owns three courses, including on each in Gilbert, Cave Creek and Minnesota. In announcing that deal, Thompson said Troon would continue managing Longbow, a 161.5-acre course with a nearly 3,000-square-foot clubhouse and 5,000-square-foot service garage. The
Longbow Golf Club is also the centerpiece of Daedalus Real Estate Advisors’ 330-acre mixed-use development at Higley and McDowell roads that includes apartments, homes, a hotel, light industrial, commercial and “agritainment” projects.
The course was built by the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft company and was named to evoke a medieval archer’s distance and accuracy. The name also was adopted as the name of the Apache Longbow helicopter, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas in the plant later purchased by The Boeing Company across the street from Longbow Business Park and Golf Club.
Gee still owns the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course, an 18-hole executive course that is scheduled to fully re-open before the end of this month and the Ahwatukee Country Club.
In an interview earlier this month, he told AFN that the Foothills and Ahwatukee County Club courses would remain used for golf. Gee also owned the Club West Golf Course, but closed it in 2016, saying he could not afford the high cost of city potable water to irrigate it.
He eventually sold the Club West course to The Edge, a group of four men who had tried to restore it for golf if they could sell
9
The Foothills Golf Course was built in 1988 and had been on the market at a price of $5 million. (AFN file photo)
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parts of it to a homebuilder. The Edge has not yet disclosed its plans for that site because of litigation that has lasted almost the entire time it has owned the property.
Designed by Tom Weiskoph and Jay Moorish, the Foothills Golf Course has been rated 4 stars by Golf Digest Places to Play and “meanders through a very upscale desert layout combined with a links flavor, minus the extreme carries that golfers often associate with desert designs,” according to its listing on Loopnet.com.
The ad also touted the site’s “allure and challenge,” noting that the clubhouse includes a 160-seat theater, pro shop, room for restaurant outfitting and spacious patios and views of South Mountain “and an aesthetic quality that makes a round here memorable – as evidenced by the gorgeous postcard quality backdrops behind the greens and tees.”
kee residents and a third whose residency here was challenged unsuccessfully.
The candidates are Harry Curtin, who describes himself as a businessman; Ahwatukee resident and businessowner Joan Greene; Mark Moeremans, senior vice president of entrepreneurship and venture development with the Arizona Commerce Authority; Kevin Robinson, a former Phoenix assistant police chief; Moses Sanchez, a long-time Ahwatukee resident, Navy veteran and community leader; Juan Schoville, at 24 the youngest candidate and a security guard at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; Sam Stone, DiCiccio’s former chief of staff and a political consultant; and Kellen Wilson, a labor leader in the food service industry.
Robinson, who owns a home with his wife in Scottsdale, moved into Ahwatukee in September 2021 and a judge in August rejected Sanchez’s assertions that his Pointe South Mountain house was only a “shadow home.”
In a forum last month, Curtin portrayed himself as an “entrepreneur all my life, solving problems” who is also “a futurist but I’m also old school.” He said the city
“has good bones” and that he could draw people from both parties” and “definitely be the peacemaker between both factions on city council.”
Noting her grandmother was the second female to ever serve on Phoenix City Council, Greene promised to provide “a strong voice on the council” who would ensure “that your priorities are no longer ignored” and said those priorities included “a safe city with strong public services” and a “city that protects our air, land, water and wildlife.”
Moeremans noted that “Phoenix is changing rapidly” and said “if we don’t start acting on those challenges today, the future is uncertain and that’s why we need to act with urgency” on issues that include safe streets, “interesting retail and restaurant opportunities, housing affordability.”
Robinson called attention to his more than 36 years on the Phoenix police force who started at the South Mountain Precinct in 1987 and said working with various groups and city departments as Ahwatukee developed gave him experience in developing partnerships “to ensure that we have the things that make us a community.”
Sanchez said he is committed to “servant leadership” and stressed his 26 years as a
combat veteran and his four years as president of the Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club and four years on the Tempe Union Governing Board. Stating “our next city council member must come from this community and be willing to fight for this community,” he promised “accessibility, transparency and accountability.”
Schoville noted he is an ordained minister and an independent and said, “District 6 needs an anti-establishment voice who will address major problems such as homelessness, and our emergency services being underfunded.”
Stone vowed to attack City Hall’s insider politics, stating that he intends to be “the loudmouth who takes (an) issue to the public and brings attention to it because most of what the City of Phoenix does happens in the dark.”
As a mother of two, Wilson said she wants to “work to ensure that quality of life that we all moved here for” and that “my mission is to really understand the needs of the community and think about the future of my children and what our community looks like, what education looks like, what opportunity looks like.”
Mountain Park Ranch
LA CASA DE JUANA
Scottdale Springs – Old Town
If you thought you have been to a Mexican restaurant lately you probably need to reconsider and visit La Casa De Juana in Ahwatukee. The fare is authentic Mexican, and when we say authentic we mean it, unlike many of the restaurant chains that call themselves Mexican. Upon entering you’ll be dazzled by the colorful décor, the tables and chairs are beautiful, Mexican painted murals, colorful banners hanging from the ceiling and the gracious service with warm orange and yellow tones echoing throughout the restaurant will make this your favorite Mexican restaurant. With great lunch and dinner specials, live guitar player on Tuesdays and a bar with freshly made drinks, TVs, and live guitar music for all ages on the weekends and least but not last their happy hour from 2 pm to 6 pm every day $3 beer domestic and imports and $3 margaritas this place is a must. In conclusion The flavorful salsa, the delicious margaritas, the extraordinary and well-priced food will definitely keep you coming back.
Don’t hesitate to stop by the Ahwatukee location 3941 E. Chandler Blvd. (S/W corner Chandler & 40th St) to make your next reservation call 480-823-2834 www.juanashouse.com
BALLOT READY
FOR THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION
An entire community of your friends and neighbors are working with the Maricopa County Elections Department to ensure a secure, transparent and accurate election. Visit BeBallotReady.Vote more and choose how and where you want to vote in the General Election. And remember to text “JOIN” to 628-683 to track your ballot.
VOTE IN-PERSON OR BY MAIL
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REQUEST AN EARLY BALLOT UNTIL OCT. 28
ELECTION DAY IS NOV. 8
Tix, a nonprofit that provides free event, concert and sports tickets to veterans and service members with the aim of reducing stress, strengthening family bonds and encouraging connections with local communities.
His passion for ensuring that transitioning service members and veterans can connect with resources they need grows from his own experiences.
“When it comes to supporting our veterans and their families, for me it’s a way to continue to give back to those who served. I don’t want others to endure the challenges I experienced so I try to find a balanced approach to pay it forward,” he said.
His involvement with the Marines began while he was still a student at Arizona State University, where he’d enrolled following graduation from Scottsdale’s Chaparral High School.
He had just completed his sophomore year at ASU when he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves in April 1987 and began training in San Diego on May 18 of that same year, graduating on Aug. 7.
“Although I enlisted in the Reserves while in college, my master plan included
enrolling in the Marine Officer program Platoon Leaders Course while at ASU, which I completed, to be commissioned
as a Marine officer upon graduation from ASU and completion of Marine Corps Officer Candidate School,” Weintraub wrote
in an email.
Entering the Corps, Weintraub planned to make it a long-term commitment, until U.S. economics intervened.
“I did intend to make it a 20-year career. However, after Operation Desert Storm, the Department of Defense incorporated a large-scale reduction of manpower across all branches,” he said.
“After my initial four-year contract of service, I was able to extend for an additional year on active duty, however, I was not retained on active duty due to the cutbacks. Therefore, I was separated from active duty in 1995 and joined the Marine Reserves.”
During his service in the Reserves, Weintraub was mobilized to active duty three times, two of which included combat tours in Iraq – including the 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It was during the ‘down time’ between deployments that Weintraub discovered how difficult it could be on veterans leaving active duty or between Reserves call-ups.
“When I was separated from active duty in 1995, there were hardly any veteran service organizations aside from the VFW
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 antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.
The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious
As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves
cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.
The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.
Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.
Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:
1. Finding the underlying cause
2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)
3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition
Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00.
Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:
1. Increases blood flow
2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves
3. Improves brain-based pain
The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling
It’s completely painless!
THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!
Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.
The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!
Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.
Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until October 31st 2022 Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment
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and American Legion – especially veteran service organizations focused on assisting service members with their transition back to civilian life,” he said.
to forge forward,” Weintraub recalled.
Yet, as a Leatherneck, “the Marine Corps instilled in me to persevere in the face of adversity.”
I’d ever be considered for,” he said, emotionally. “Not only is it humbling, but also a responsibility to represent the AZHOF as an ambassador.”
“My transition was very challenging, the economy wasn’t good and even with my leadership experience – including in combat environments and my university education – I struggled to find meaningful employment,” he said.
“Fellow veterans who had programs designed to provide me with the tools and networks to connect me and my fellow vets with employers seeking my skill sets, willingly took my money but fell fantastically short of achieving their end of the agreement.”
When he finally found employment, it wasn’t in his skill set.
His first job was “removing and painting stripes and gluing reflectors on streets and highways throughout the state, quite often in triple-digit heat.”
Worse, his boss had been suspended by the company three times for failing drug tests that were mandated under their employer’s federal contract.
“It was a physical and mental challenge
In 2000, as a major in the Reserves, Weintraub earned his masters degree in business administration, which he put to use in his volunteer work with Vet Tix and as a board member, and as a director with the Navajo Code Talkers. He also serves on the planning board for the Navajo Code Talkers Museum project.
Weintraub learned of his inclusion in the 2022 Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in a voicemail message.
“I’d missed the call and the HOF member who’d called wanted to let me know before the weekend as she was traveling out of town and wouldn’t have phone signal access,” he related. “When I heard the voicemail, I was in complete surprise. It took me a few moments for it to sink in.
“I did later receive an official letter informing me of this honor.”
Weintraub is humbled by his selection.
“To be selected to be among such a finite number of accomplished veterans in Arizona that have achieved so much in the name of supporting veterans and their families is not something I thought
The Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame has inducted fewer than 500 of the nearly 500,000 veterans living in the state.
Weintraub’s wife, Bijal Patel-Weintraub, said she, too, was moved to learn on the honor being bestowed on her husband.
“When Steve received the call, I was quite touched. I may have teared up a bit,” she recalled. “Steve has dedicated his entire adult life to service to his country and moreover to helping those who served. To see his contributions recognized at this level is extraordinary. I am incredibly proud of him.”
The couple and their family will attend the induction ceremony of the 2022 Arizona Hall of Fame Society held at Talking Stick Resort.
They have lived in Ahwatukee since 2009 and share their home with Steve Weintraub’s son and Bijal Patel-Weintraub’s stepson, Zach.
For more information on the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame see AVHOF.org. To learn more about Vet Tix see Vettix.org
TU OKs Yaqui language studies in its curriculum
BY BRIANNA LEE AFN Contributor
The Tempe Union High School District Governing Board has unanimously adopted the study of the Yaqui language into the district’s curriculum.
Board members approved adding the language to the course catalog for the 2023-2024 school year because they had seen the impact that not having the language was having on the students from Guadalupe.
Adopting the Yaqui curriculum will significantly help those students, board member Sarah James said.
Guadalupe was founded by the Yaqui Tribe in 1975. A tiny community between Ahwatukee and Tempe that is less than a square mile, it has a rich history with traditions that often use the Yaqui language.
But James acknowledged many people have never heard of the tribe and that she herself had gone to school with many Guadalupe residents and yet had no familiarity with the community or those traditions.
“I grew up very close to Guadalupe,
and it wasn’t until I was past my student teaching that I started learning about the cultures and what occurs during certain religious holidays,” James said.
She said that when she was student teaching, she would notice that certain children were missing on test days or were not prepared because they were so
involved with their indigenous communities. However, she never noticed or realized that was the reason.
“They were doing something that was a part of their culture, and as a teacher, the more we know, the more we are enriched and the more understanding we have of other people’s lives.”
Nicole Miller said she has a special interest in the Yaqui language and how she hopes the adoption of it in Tempe Union high schools will impact other Arizona school districts.
“I suppose just bringing visibility; we thought we heard one of the students talking about how she felt like their own culture was being lost, and so being able to make them feel seen is very important, and hopefully, other schools will understand that too,” said Miller.
Board President Brian Garcia said he cared a lot about helping the community regain some of the pride he believed it has lost. Including Yaqui language studies in the district curriculum, he said, would be a good first step to helping restore that pride and preserving the community’s traditions.
“Representation matters, and I think that we are setting a good example for other unions that we, as a district, believe that representation matters, not only in our district but in all of Arizona,” said Miller.
Last year, both Kyrene and Tempe Union
Tempe Union officials say adopting the Yaqui language into the district’s curriculum not only acknowledges the unique history of the Guadalupe, but also the students from that community who attend district schools. (Special to AFN)
Phoenix earmarks 150 vacant parcels for affordable homes
BY THOMAS FRANCE AFN Contributor
Vacant city land may provide relief for Phoenix residents clamoring for affordable housing.
City Council recently approved a list of 150 parcels Phoenix already owns that can be used to build new affordable housing.
City staff already has plans to solicit proposals, with Deputy Housing Director Samantha Keating saying that “some developers have already expressed interest.”
The average cost of rent in Phoenix is $1,097, according to Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Market Rents.
Mayor Kate Gallego implemented the Housing Phoenix Plan to combat the rapid rise in rents by creating or preserving 50,000 homes by 2030.
“Ensuring that Phoenix has affordable housing options for all who desire to call our city home is a priority for the Phoenix City Council,” Gallego said when she announced the project.
Gallego noted during a council meeting last month that the private sector has also increased their own development, with multifamily permits being issued up 64%.
In a statement, the city noted that a sub-
YAQUI from page 16
governing boards adopted a “land acknowledgement” read at the beginning of its meetings that reminds the public that district facilities sit on the ancestral lands of two Native American tribes – the Akimel O’odham and Piipaash – the dominant tribes in the Gila River Indian Community.
Many government entities and organizations of all kinds adopt land acknowledge-
stantial part of the cost of a house is the price of the land.
However, it’s unclear how much lower the cost of building a home would be on city-owned land.
Experts say many factors affect the cost of land, including location, other amenities around it and topography.
Architect and interior designer Marie Gervais said that there are clear conveniences to using land owned by the city.
“It’s hard to find land in Phoenix, so they have a huge advantage in that sense,” she said. “It’s also hard to find land that’s the right type of land, something that’s zoned for residential development.”
A point-in-time survey of people living on the street in January of this year reported 9,026 unsheltered individuals in Maricopa County. That number was 73% higher over the annual survey conducted in 2016.
Of the proposed 50,000 affordable homes Gallego hopes Phoenix can achieve by 2030, the city has created or preserved 22,683 so far.
Gallego added that making the vacant land available for homebuilding “brings us a step closer to becoming the city we all want for ourselves, our children, and our future.”
ments that are read at public meetings and even included in official correspondence.
Dr. Traci L. Morris, executive director of the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University and a member of the Chickasaw Nation, told the AFN that such acknowledgements are “appropriate and respectful.”
She noted, “There are many Native Americans living in (the) district that will be honored by this acknowledgment.”
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 12
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mitzi Epstein of Tempe is seeking the Senate seat that Sean Bowie decided not to seek again while two political newcomers from Ahwatukee, retired City of Phoenix human services program manager Patty Contreras, and scientist Stacey Travers, are the Democrats seeking the House seats.
Seeking to crack all-blue LD12 are Republican Senate candidate David Richardson, also a scientist and entrepreneur in Ahwatukee, and Chandler residents Terry Roe and Jim Chaston, seeking the House seats. Chaston is a CPA who owns his own firm and Roe, a retired police officer, is winding up his second term on Chandler City Council.
During the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission debate Sept. 1, the candidates split along party lines on abortion with all three Democrats insisting it is a woman’s right and Republicans favoring restrictions. The Republican candidates did not state they favored an outright ban on all abortions, and Roe said he might go along with allowing them when a fetus is less than 12 weeks old.
The debate can be viewed at youtube. com/watch?v=sBn6hwyog_o.
Abortion was not the only issue that showed differences between the two parties’ candidates for the LD12 seats during the Clean Elections debate.
Richardson was particularly aggressive in challenging Epstein, asserting she had never sponsored a bill in her four years as
representative. She denied the allegation.
The debate focused extensively on public school financing.
The Republicans all favored the expanded voucher system, and Roe used the issue to come out vehemently against voter initiatives, saying such measures generally pass because voters get confused by misleading messages.
Travers ripped into that assertion, stating Republicans were contending, “on the one hand, we’re too stupid enough to know what we’re signing. But on the other hand, we’re smart enough to be able to make educational choices for our children. We can’t have it both ways.”
They are, Top row: Democratic Senate candidate and incumbent Rep. Mitzi Epstein and Democratic Hosue candidates Patty Contreras and Stacey Travers. Bottom row: Republican Senate candidate David Richardson and GOP House hopefuls Jim Chaston and Terry Roe. (YouTube)
Another education-related issue the candidates addressed involved the state Constitution’s Aggregate Expenditure Limit on school spending, which last school year could have provoked massive teacher and staff layoffs even though school districts had the money in the bank to pay them.
Chaston also favored asking voters to repeal the limit, but went further by arguing for a total revamping of the school system.
“The entire school-funding system is almost 50 years old,” Chaston said. “We need to revamp the way our education funding is created.”
Richardson said, “I am part of a group of incoming potential lawmakers who are already ready to take meaningful steps for improving our education system.”
He said the plan would include a $10,000 pay raise for teachers – “of course, tied to others requiring financial transparency and some other things.”
Epstein said “funding is my bailiwick” and that the main reason teachers didn’t see the full pay raise is “because year after year, my Republican colleagues have given dollars to K- 12 with one hand and taken it away with two other hands.”
And her running mates for the House seats both contended that state funding for public education was woeful and vowed to fight for more resources for public schools.
KYRENE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Governing Board President Kevin Walsh of Tempe is seeking a second term while two Ahwatukee educators, Triné Nelson and Kristi Ohman, are also on the ballot after the other incumbent Margaret Pratt opted against a second term.
Walsh, a father of two and a partner in the law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP, is a
volunteer in a number of organizations, including a member of the Phoenix One Foundation Board, a legal mentor for the small business organization Gangplank and an ambassador for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.
He is a member of the Volunteer Lawyers Program, the Clemency Project 2014, Valley Interfaith Project and chair of Jobs For Arizona’s Graduates logo.
Walsh has said he believes he has gained “invaluable experience” on the board “that sets me apart from others” and said he regularly visits the district’s 26 schools.
“I am balanced and pragmatic, with a proven track record of achieving results. I’m proud of the great work accomplished during my term on the Kyrene Governing Board, including increasing teacher/staff pay by $10.5 million last school year, while still decreasing spending.”
Nelson has been in education for 18 years and is currently the curriculum design director for Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
She told AFN, “As a mom with children in the Kyrene district for the past nine years, I have spent extensive time volunteering in classrooms, serving on PTO boards, the Superintendent Community Council, and most recently as the co-chair for Keep Kyrene Strong, whose work for integral to the success 2021 M & O override continuance election.
“As a governing board member, I will serve the community by collaborating with parents, educators, administration, and other community members to find solutions that best meet the needs of our children. I will work with other board members to build on the success Kyrene has experienced and make sure that we share progress and achievements with the community. “
Ohman, a mother of two, has been a teacher for both charter and public schools,
including Kyrene and said she is in the race “because I want to be an honest voice for Kyrene kids and truly listen to all parents, teachers, and community members.”
“I am proud to bring a current teacher and parent’s perspective to the Kyrene Board. I want Kyrene to be every parent’s first choice for their child. Kyrene is an amazing district and can reach its highest potential by focusing on education fundamentals, transparency, and accountability for all. The pandemic has left us in a severe academic slump and regression of social skills, work ethic, and behavior. We need to prioritize our Kyrene students and classrooms. The strength of our community relies on our public schools.”
TEMPE UNION
Tempe Union Governing Board also will see at least one new member after board President Brian Garcia decided against a second term. However, incumbent Andres Barraza of Tempe is seeking a second term while Ahwatukee resident Stephan Kinglsey and Amanda Steele of Chandler are wading into electoral politics for the first time.
The owner of a coffee and team import company bearing his name, Barraza is a former senior firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service who often has talked about how he rose from an early life as a drug dealer to earn a bachelor of science degree in economics from ASU.
He did not respond to the Arizonan’s candidate questionnaire or an invitation to write two Opinion Page columns on topics of his choice. He also did not respond to a request for candidate statements from the Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools, according to its website.
Kingsley has been in education for over 15 years, and is listed as an English teacher at Corona del Sol High School.
He is now a doctoral candidate in in-
dustrial and organizational psychology at Grand Canyon University. Stephan consults and collaborates on diversity and inclusion initiatives with business, education, and community leaders as well as researchers at the national and international level, according to the LGBTQ Victory Institute website.
“I’m especially passionate about ensuring vulnerable and minority student voices are represented. I’ve helped fight for teachers, and I’ve developed good relationships with families and community members,” he wrote, adding that he is “a good listener” who uses “a strength-based approach to reach across the aisle to work with everyone.
Steele is a community activist and parental advocate for public schools and students with disabilities. She is a speech therapist and President and co-founder of EPIC Disability Advocacy.
“I am running for the students, for the teachers, and for the community,” she said.
“Today more students are showing delays and/or falling further behind in their academics, social emotional wellbeing and overall development. Teachers are struggling mentally and emotionally from the trauma consumed over the last several years.”
Steele said Tempe Union “would benefit from the accessibility lens I bring as a mother to an autistic adult with an intellectual disability, a neurodiverse woman herself, and an advocate wanting to listen to your voice.”
TEMPE UNION OVERRIDE, BOND
Approval of all three measures would equal a combined tax increase from .5924% this year to .7998% per $100 of assessed valuation in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 – raising taxes by about $52 a year on a house valued at $249,642, see ELECTION page 22
Harry Curtin Joan Greene Kellen Wilson Mark Moeremans Kevin Robinson Moses Sanchez Juan Schoville Sam Stone
according to the district. Currently, that tax totals $148 a year.
The overrides include one for basic operational spending that would be 15% for the first five years, then go down to 10% the sixth year and 5% the seventh. The other is a 10% 7-year override, or $8.7 million a year, for the District Additional Assistance budget that covers equipment not included in the regular capital spending or bond program.
That budget would include expenses for items like books and furniture.
The bond package would cover higherticket items that the District Additional Assistance budget doesn’t cover.
At the time the board approved the
measure, now-retired Assistant Superintendent Diane Meulemans said some of the money could also fund some art room expenditures, updating auditoriums, refurbishing some cafeteria floors that need to be redone, curbs, some dugouts, fencing, locker room floors, restaurants, science labs, tennis courts, weatherization, and lighting.
If approved, the district would split issuance of those bonds in two – selling $50 million next year and the other half three years later.
Projected expenses in that bond issue include $1.65 million for a construction manager “to assist (us) as we go through these projects” because “we found that
Meet some of the candidates
Voters have a chance to meet some of the candidates that are in some of the local elections tomorrow, Oct. 13, and next Wednesday.
Advance Placement government students at Mountain Pointe High School will conduct free forums open to the public at the school auditorium, 4201 E. Knox Road, Ahwatukee, at 6 p.m. tomorrow for the Tempe Union Governing Board candidates and at 7 p.m. for the LD 12 candidates. Audience members will have a chance to write their own questions on cards the students will collect prior to each forum.
Even though the election of a new Phoenix councilman for the district that includes Ahwatukee is nonpartisan, only four candidates for District 6 will be at the monthly Democrats and Donuts breakfast at 8 a.m. Oct. 19 at Denny’s, 7400 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. Only Harry Curtin, Joan Greene, Mark Moeremans, and Kellen Wilson will be there and LD12 Democrats did not respond to an AFN question about why the other four candidates – including Democrat Kevin Robinson – won’t be there.
People are asked to arrive a little earlier to get seated and put in their breakfast order in before 8 a.m.. The hosts will be there by 7:30 a.m. Information: Julia Fleeman at juliafleeman@cox.net.
Triné Nelson Kristi Ohrman Kevin Walsh
Andres Barraza Stephan Kingsley Amanda Steele
Despite reforms, county pounds still under fire
BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is facing a critical overload of dogs and is taking steps to alleviate the overcrowding.
But a petition circulating online contends the county is not doing enough to protect the canines who are there.
The shelters in Phoenix and Mesa were housing a combined 855 animals in 755 kennels, which meant some dogs were sharing space in one kennel. MCACC also has added 50 temporary kennel spaces outside the West shelter facility in Phoenix with evaporative coolers to make dogs as comfortable as possible.
“The two shelters have been at critical capacity for months,” said Kim Powell, shelter spokeswoman.
To address this, the county is waiving adoption fees on most animals, holding free adoption events through the rest of the year and increasing efforts to reunite owners with lost pets.
MCACC also has an Assistance Program, which helps owners with financial difficulties keep their pets with subsidized shelter fees, spay/neuter surgery, licensing, and rabies vaccinations. Since July 1, the program has helped return 149 animals to their owners and sterilized 102 animals.
“We cannot address this from within the shelter system alone,” said shelter Director Michael Mendel. “We need support directly from the community where animal homelessness begins, which is why we do everything we can to partner with the community.”
But retired school teacher and animal advocate Lorena Bader is circulating a petition on change.org demanding the county change its practices at the two shelters.
Bader complains that MCACC fails to provide proper medical and behavior care to animals, harbors a hostile work environment that has resulted in low morale and a high-turnover of staff.
Bader criticizes the county for ending the animal behavior team, pointing to a deadly consequence in June because of that action.
A veterinarian employed at the shelter for nine years was mauled by a dog “ex-
hibiting signs of extreme kennel deterioration,” according to Bader.
“As a result of the attack, both the vet who was attacked and another vet resigned immediately,” Bader said. “One of the vets had previously emailed HR about her safety concerns following the dissolution of the behavior team.”
The dog, Kronk, was taken to an office because “he was hyper-salivating, chasing his tail, and self-harming in his kennel,” according to Bader.
Shelters are advised to use alternatives to traditional care housing such as a foster care, or office foster care for animals staying long term, according to the Associa-
tion of Shelter Veterinarians,
“Since this incident, we have adjusted our practices to ensure staff safety,” Powell said. “We are always trying to balance our desire to find good outcomes for all dogs with our public safety responsibility.”
Jennifer Bryan, founder and president of Alone No more Dog rescue, is another critic of the county shelter. The nonprofit, formed in 2020, pulls the dogs with behavioral issues off the county’s e-list.
Bryan said there’s a night-and-day difference now that the behavioral team no longer exists.
“I’ve overloaded my entire rescue because they are not doing their job,” she said. “So right now, the dogs aren’t being worked with and they are being scheduled to be euthanized when it’s unnecessary.
“These dogs are scheduled to be euthanized because there is no behavioral team any more. None of these dogs have the chance to be pulled out alive.”
According to Bryan, the owner-surrendered dogs on the kill list are actually the easiest to work with.
“If you put a dog in a shelter, it would be cowering in the corner scared of random people because it’s lived with you their whole life,” she said. “Those types of dogs are not adjusting to their environment. Those are the ones scheduled to be euthanized.”
According to county data, owners surrendered 589 dogs in 2021.
Fewer euthanizations
Bryan further claimed that no one is left in the shelter who knows how to assess the behavior of a dog.
“People are coming in and applying for jobs whether they have experience or not,” Bryan said. “And there’s no one up at the top that is qualified to train these people.”
She pointed to the dogs her nonprofit rescued from euthanasia.
“I have people who are new that are able to take them out,” she said. “Why is that? Why can’t their staff not work with them? Yet, we give them a little time and they are perfect.”
When asked for the numbers for dogs euthanized for behavioral issues when the behavioral team was in place compared with after when the group was disband-
A sign outside the Maricopa County East Valley Animal Care Center shows the capacity of the shelter in Mesa a few weeks ago. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
Nonprofit rescues are trying to help the county alleviate crowding. Rescues also help when they can provide other services. For example, Gilbert-based Friends For Life Rescue held a chip-a-thon last weekend, during which Infinity Hill brought Kohana, who was scanned for chips by Tina Sexton. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
has significantly helped the management of that additional work,” Meulemans said. It also includes a $1 million cost for actually selling the bonds.
The board’s approval of both overrides and the bond package also followed the recommendations of a 38-member citizens advisory committee that studied Tempe Union’s obligations and future needs. The committee comprised different stakeholders, from parents and community members to district staff.
Tempe Union’s current needs not funded by the District Additional Assistance budget would total $60.9 million over seven years beginning July 1,2023, according to Meulemans.
She said failure to obtain voter approval for the operations override would
Important dates for the General Election
It is too late to register to vote Nov. 8.
Oct. 28: Last day to request a mail ballot.
Nov. 1: Last day to mail your ballot.
Nov. 4: Last day to vote at an early voting location.
force the district to cut about $4.3 million in the 2023-24 school year and another $4.3 the following school year, when the current override finally expires. The district ultimately would lose approximately $12.7 million in operations spending annually.
SHELTER
from page 23
ed, Powell responded, “Our save rate has been over 95% for the entire time.”
According to the most recent data, the shelter’s August save rate was 95.76%.
Of the 1,628 pets that entered the shelter, 954 were adopted, 279 transferred to partner organizations and 171 returned to owners that month.
For August, the 2022 year-to-date save rate was 95.96%, the county said.
Overall, the number of dogs euthanized in the county shelter is a marked improvement from 2016, when 4,211 dogs were euthanized. In 2021, 537 were euthanized.
“That in itself is a good number but it doesn’t tell the story behind the scene,” Bader said. “They use that number to basically cover for everything else – you’re warehousing dogs that go crazy because they are stuck in cages days on end.”
And, Bryan claimed the county’s high save rate is due to the efforts of her nonprofit and about 10 other rescues.
“My rescue and other rescues if you look at our numbers have exponentially increased because there are so many more dogs scheduled to be euthanized,”
Bryan said. “And we are doing our best to save them all.”
According to the county, the shelter in 2021 transferred 2,624 animals to partner organizations, 3,634 in 2020 and 5,494 in 2019.
Year over year the county shelter’s save rate has been the same but “moving forward their save rate is going to be drastically different” because the nonprofit rescues are all full, Bryan predicted.
John Doherty, who’s been fighting for reforms at the shelter since Rodrigo Silva was the director, agreed that the nonprofits are doing all the heavy lifting.
“If not for the rescue units, those dogs would be put down constantly,” said Doherty, who started the Vets for Pets program.
Doherty, who said he is persona non grata at the county shelter but still has contacts there, insisted that botched surgeries are still going on.
He claimed that a dog recently bled out in a kennel after the sutures came undone. Bader also in her petition provided examples of dogs that died after their surgical procedures, including one who “internally
see SHELTER page 25
bled out after surgery.”
“These claims are false,” Powell said. “Animals are receiving proper medical care from trained vets.”
County insists staffing is OK
The county also responded to criticism that the shelter is woefully understaffed and therefore unable to provide for all the care the animals need.
Powell said three veterinarians and nine veterinarian technicians are currently on staff. The county has job postings for a chief veterinarian and a veterinarian, she said.
“There is a current job posting to attract additional staff,” she said. “Our shelter is not unique in this way. Many, if not all, local animal rescue organizations are struggling to find and hire veterinarians.”
Powell added that the department has worked with the Board of Supervisors to increase pay rates and with Human Resources to target veterinary schools to recruit more people to work in the county shelters.
“It is challenging, but our results for the past eight months tell the story,” Powell said. “We are finding positive outcomes for more than 95% of animals. This is despite the number of animals and lack of medical history when they enter the shelter.”
Powell noted that there are over 160 employees on staff, most of whom work with animals in some context.
And, there are a total of 405 volunteers at MCACC, she said.
A 2015 report by a county ad hoc task force recommended at the time the hiring of six more veterinarians and six veterinary technicians to supplement the then-current staffing of five veterinarians and 14 vet techs. The report, however, pointed to industry standards of 13 vets and 45 vet techs for an operation the size of the county’s.
Other recommendations included measures to improve the overall medical treatment to animals and the quality of
behavioral assessments such as providing more education and instituting an in-kennel enrichment program to help offset behavioral deterioration from being in a shelter environment, which was in progress, according to the report.
Some of the recommendations were not implemented because they were not practical financially or from a staffing standpoint, Powell said.
But “many of the task force’s recommendations were implemented successfully,” she said. “That’s how we were able to improve our live release rate from less than 70% to the current live release rate of 95%-plus.”
Hostile work environment
The shelter has trouble retaining employees, said detractors, attributing that partly to a hostile work environment.
“There are not enough people who want to work in that environment,” Bryan said. “It’s hostile. They feel upper management is disrespectful to them.
“So they work for other shelters and rescues and everyone keeps abandoning Maricopa County. They ran out volunteers and ran out staff members and I know that personally because people come to us and want to work with us.”
The fiscal year 2021 county data showed a 61% turnover rate for animal control officers, 67% for shelter technicians and 31% for animal health technicians.
Notes from shelter employee exit interviews in late 2021 included comments of feeling unappreciated, a stressful environment and burnout.
Powell said she can’t speak to the management under the previous director.
“People leave jobs for many reasons,” Powell said. “Despite our increase in pay, some organizations pay more. Workers have many options for their skills in the current environment.”
She also discounted claims of a toxic work environment.
“We don’t agree with that assessment,” she said. “Some former staff members do not like that our leadership team now holds every staff member accountable,
including for disparaging remarks made on social media.
“Current leadership has an open-door policy to talk with staff. Additionally, staff members are also recognized for their hard work in emails and during the morning meeting.”
Bader said she started the petition to bring awareness to the public and insisted that county superiors have turned a deaf ear to the issue.
County slams critic
County spokesman Fields Moseley said that over the past five years, Bader has had multiple meetings, phone calls and a significant volume of written correspondence with high-level county officials.
Moseley painted Bader as a fired volunteer determined on revenge, filing over 250 records requests since 2020 as a part of that effort.
“The points raised by Ms. Bader on change.org are not new,” he said. “During these years, her ideas and opinions about Animal Care and Control have not evolved, and the discussions have not been productive for the County or its residents.
“The correspondence increased after she was dismissed as a volunteer in August 2019 for trying to disrupt Animal Care operations and denigrating employees on a social media platform.”
He said Bader filed a notice of claim in December 2019 with the intent to sue for $300,000 but that never materialized.
He also said that supervisors continually support improvements at Animal Care and Control and in August approved $1.4 million to help the organization connect pet owners with other services that might prevent them from surrendering their dog or cat for financial reasons.
“Animal Care and Control has a difficult mission to treat and care for hundreds of dogs and cats on any given day while making every attempt to adopt those animals into loving homes,” Moseley said.
Due to the current overcrowding, MCACC is asking the public to exhaust every option before making an
appointment to bring stray animals to its shelters.
It has been proven that the quickest owned pet reunions begin with in-neighborhood methods such as posted paper flyers and local social media pages, according to shelter officials.
The county also recommends:
• Take found stray animal to a local veterinarian for microchip scanning. If the pet is chipped this will begin the reunion process.
• Add the pet to MCACC’s Lost & Found interactive pet map at https://www. maricopa.gov/162/Lost-Found-Pet.
• If the pet is not chipped, call 602506-PETS to make a stray surrender appointment.
• For those who want to help in person, consider volunteering to work directly within the shelter with dedicated shelter teams.maricopa. gov/294/Volunteer.
• If people have capacity in their homes to foster shelter animals, reach out to a reputable animal welfare organization or to the MCACC atmaricopa.gov/296/Foster.
• Donate to any local animal welfare organization that provides free or low cost spay/neuter, microchipping, and licensing activities to stop this issue where it starts.
New shelter offers hope
A big help for the overcrowding will be the new East Shelter currently under construction at Baseline Road and Lewis Drive in Mesa.
The Board of Supervisors in May 2021 voted to spend $36 million to build the shelter, expected to open in early 2024.
The new facility boasts 51,000 square feet of gross interior conditioned space with 369 kennels for dogs and 63 for cats, according to Powell.
The current East Valley shelter is 29,555 square feet while the West shelter is 62,350 square feet, she said.
What to do with the current east shelter when the new one opens hasn’t been determined yet, according to Powell.
Community
www.ahwatukee.com
Ahwatukee teen, 14, publishes a dystopian thriller on Amazon
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
Karina Breyer sure didn’t let a global pandemic and a months-long school closure cast her into a funk.
The Ahwatukee teen used that time to finish a 300-page novel that she started at age 11.
Now 14 and a freshman at Desert Vista High School, Karina self-published a “A 300 Step Guide to Losing Yourself,” available on amazon.com.
She hopes to get it on brick-and-mortar bookshelves soon.
Her novel centers around a girl named Faye who has lived the last 13 years in an abusive family in a poor, dystopian country. One day she awakes to find herself in the custody of the country’s president as her captors demand what she knows about a secret “portal.”
She tries to tell them that she has no idea what they’re talking about. But, as she escapes her captors, Karina explained, “she discovers a side of herself she could have never fathomed – along with a
little magic.”
As the book jacket notes, Faye didn’t
quite have all that in mind.
“The goal was to outlive my family, not find a new one. The hope was to stay in the shadows, not become one,” Karina’s heroine says.
The daughter of Ahwatukee attorneys Mark and Alexis Breyer and the next-toyoungest of their eight children, Karina was just entering Kyrene Altadena Middle School when she started her book.
“There would be days that I would write for hours as well as months where I wouldn’t write at all,” she recalled. “My schedule is packed so the quarantine was when I got most of my writing done. Once written I edited it six times.”
That schedule has stayed busy in high school. She is on Desert Vista’s student council and Speech and Debate team and off campus, she is part of the competition team at the Innerlight Dance Center.
Not surprisingly, her favorite subject is English, she said, “because I love to write.”
see KARINA page 28
3 local Young Adult fiction authors to talk vampires
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
Tis the season to be scary and two popular Gilbert authors of young adult fiction are teaming up with an Ahwatukee counterpart this Friday to discuss one of the more – pardon the pun–immortal characters in the horror genre. Vampires.
All three have written novels around bloodsuckers, and Gilbert authors Suzanne Young and Kelly deVos will be moderating a discussion with Erin Jade Lange, who just published her sixth and first vampire novel, “Mere Mortals.”
DeVos and Young also will discuss their forays into vampire lore for the under-21 set during the free session at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive on the southwest corner of Guadalupe Road, Tempe.
Lange, the nom de plume used by Erin Helm, communications executive director for Kyrene School District and a former local television journalist, wrote what’s ba-
sically a coming-of-age novel with a twist. Because her two main teen vampires in “Mere Mortals” broke “vampire law,” they are suddenly converted into normal hu-
man beings who must navigate through the highs, lows and angst of high school
Karina Breyer started her novel “A 300 Step Guide to Losing Yourself,” when she was 11 and at age 14 has published it. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)
ERIN JADE LANGE
KELLY DEVOS
SUZANNE YOUNG
KARINA from page 27
While Suzanne Collins is her favorite author “because of her use of character development, plot, and writing style is so intriguing and inspiring,” she was inspired by others in writing her first novel.
“While my imagination took over, Harry Potter and the Hunger Games inspired many aspects,” she said.
And, she added, “I didn’t have any direct help but my 2nd and 5th grade teachers are a huge reason why I am in love with
life as they try to figure a way to get back to their previous supernatural state. Young and deVos also have dabbled in vampireology.
A Mesa native, deVos several months ago published “Go Hunt Me,” praised as a “spine-tingling thriller” about seven horror movie buffs and recent high school grads who travel to a remote Romanian castle reputed to be owned by ancestors of the granddaddy of vampires – Count Dracula. Although there are no actual vampires in the book, it doesn’t take long after their arrival for their trip to become a deadly venture.
Vampires take front and center stage in Young’s next novel, “In Nightfall.” Slated to be published next year, it has already been described as “’The Lost Boys’ meets ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” a movie and a TV series, respectively, that revolves around thirsty immortals.
Young and deVos also have penned young adult novels with dystopian themes.
A Utica, New York, native and mother who moved to Arizona to escape its bonechilling winters, Young authored the New York Times best-selling six-novel “The Program” series about young love in a futuristic society where a memory-erasing
writing. I dedicated this book to them.”
As for who inspired her characters, it was a mixed bag.
“A few of the characters are inspired by my family,” said Karina. “These characters are introduced halfway into the novel and are slightly based on my family’s personalities and actions.
“My sister, Talia, has ocular histoplasmosis, a rare eye condition where she has to get shots in her eyes.
“At one point, the main character, Faye, gets a needle to her eye. I got the name for
“program” is used to combat an international epidemic of teen suicides.
A 22-year Gilbert resident and mom, deVos has written a two-novel series, “Day Zero” and “Day One,” about teens caught up in an apocalyptic society that emerges from an economic collapse.
DeVos also has written novels outside the horror-sci-fi orbit. Her “Fat Girl on a Plane” follows a teen fashion student before and after a major weight loss that she falsely believes will solve all her problems. It was named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest. Explaining that she has “struggled with the way the world treats people of size for a lot of my life,” she got the idea for the book “after I was asked to buy a second seat on a flight to Salt Lake City.”
Young’s prodigious output of 22 books includes an award-winning trio of novels with a dystopian edge about girls in a private school in the near future who rebel against men who want to control and groom them. The titles – “Girls with Sharp Sticks,” “Girls With Razor Hearts,” and “Girls with Rebel Souls” – should give you an idea that the heroines are no pushovers.
A creative writing major, Young said that when she moved to Arizona, “I was able to pursue my passion – teaching” and has taught English and creative writing for 17
one character, Taylor Skye, when I put up a snapchat story asking for someone to respond to it with their name. Taylor and Skye were the first two people to do so.”
Karina also credits her first major literary foray to her family.
“My friends and family have been extremely supportive,” Karina said.
“I am so lucky to know all of these incredible people who have helped me through the process and who have inspired me to keep working hard.”
And she’s not nearly finished with her
years, the last 12 in Gilbert.
“I started my writing career in middle school where I would write murder mysteries starring my friends and pass them around the class,” Young said, adding:
“Even so, it wasn’t until decades later that one of my stories became a published novel. Still, I think the motivation to write has always been there. The real struggle is finding the motivation to continue in the face of rejection and failure. … In the end, it’s about finding the resilience to keep putting your words out there and/or finding a new way to tell your story.”
DeVos said she had always wanted to be an author but spent many years as a graphic designer and art director in the fashion and professional beauty industries.
Though she was supposed to write a contemporary young adult novel after “Fat Girl on a Plane,” she said, “it was 2015 and the social and political climate in this country made it difficult to focus on upbeat writing. I wanted to change what I was doing. I wrote ‘Day Zero’ and ‘Day One’ which are near-future, quasi-dystopian, political thrillers for teen readers.”
DeVos describes herself as “a massive fan of horror fiction and films” – so much so she used zombies as the primary villains in “Eat Your Heart Out” – a novel about teens visiting a fat farm only to find
page-turner tale.
“At the end of the book,” she explained, “there are many plot holes and mysteries that I’m excited to unfold. I have three more books planned out and am hoping to make this trilogy happen.”
Despite her age, Karina has an idea about what she wants to be when she reaches adulthood, though she conceded, “That’s a really hard question.”
“As of right now I would love to become an author and screenwriter as well as a dance teacher on the side.”
it crawling with the undead.
She said Stephanie Meyer was her “single biggest influence” but not just because she wrote the phenomenally successful “Twilight” series.
“She was a suburban mom who turned her dream of being a published writer into a reality,” deVos said. “When I decided to focus on getting my first book published, I was also a mom with a small child at home. Meyer made me feel like I should give publishing a shot too.”
Besides the perseverance that Young says writers should have in large doses, deVos also advises would-be writers to “read as much as you can,” and that “One of the best ways to learn how to be a great writer is by reading the work of other writers you admire.”
Like deVos, Young also is excited about the chance to talk vampires and horror fiction Friday at Changing Hands Bookstore.
“Phoenix has a great cast of talented authors,” Young said, “and those interested in writing professionally should try to attend local events. We show up for each other and offer support—and trust me, after hours alone writing at the computer, that support means the world.”
Information: authorsuzanneyoung. com and kellydevos.com and erinjadelange.com.
AROUND AHWATUKEE
Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club plans fundraiser, evening bash at Wild Horse
The Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club, open to women 16 and up has scheduled two big events for which tickets are now on sale.
The first is a family-friendly Chili for Charity Cook-off to benefit the Kyrene Family Resource Center. The BYOB event will be held noon-3 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Club West Community Center, 16400 S. 14th Ave.
Tickets are $10 per person or $25 for a family. Bring a nonperishable food item and receive a raffle ticket. The family ticket includes four 50/50 raffle tickets, Fritos, hot dogs, cookies, bottled water and a voting ticket.
Entertainment will be provided by Chris Donnelly. Tickets are available with cash, Venmo or Zelle. Information: Jean at djazpa@gmail.com or Lori at Lori.battista@gmail.com
The second event is Putting on the Ritz, a gal 6:30-10 p.m. Dev. 7 at Wild Horse Pass’ Palo Verde Ballroom, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd.
Women ages 16 and up are invited to “get dolled up” and meet other women from Ahwatukee to celebrate a hear of socializing.
The $100 tickets include hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, dinner buffet, raffles and dancing. Cocktail attire is optional and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are available at https:// sendomatic.com/AWSCRITZ
Local organization is planning to mark caregivers month with various events
Care 4 the Caregivers, an Ahwatukee-based organization, is celebration November, Arizona Family Caregiver month, with events around the Valley specifically designed for people raising children with disabilities.
“Caring for a child with a disability can be a lonely endeavor and one that impacts every aspect of a person’s life,” said founder Michele Thorne of Ahwatukee. “These caregivers are regularly isolated, experience a loss of self-identity, and are unsure of their future and that of their children. They often feel unseen and unsupported.
Care 4 the Caregivers was created with one mission--to make sure that caregivers know they are both seen and supported.”
Her group has directly served over 500 families in Arizona with support groups, life coaching, parent-empowerment classes, and community events. The group also provides free online resources that include educational webinars, service roadmaps, visual tools, fitness programs, and guided meditations.
The November events include two 100-person paint nights at the Arizona Opera Black Box Theater. A 100-seat celebration dinner at the Coronado Venue and a spa day experience at Modern Allo.
“Care 4 the Caregivers is hosting these events this November in honor of our hardworking community. Each experience is designed to build connections, allow families access to essential self-care, and explore some of the supports Care 4 the Caregivers has to offer,” Thorne said.
Those interested in participating in these, or any, Caregiver events can join the mailing list or go to the events page of the website to register at care4thecaregivers.org/events.
Ahwatukee hunger walk registration is now open with aim of raising $25K
Esperanza Lutheran Church members have organized the
Ahwatukee Foothills CROP Hunger Walk through Church World Services to raise $25,000. Participants can walk for 1 mile or 3.4 miles, the average round-trip distance women and children in the developing world walk for water.
The walk starts at 3 p.m. Nov. 13 at Desert Foothills Park, 1010 Marketplace SW, Ahwatukee.
Of the money collected, 75% will be used by CWS globally to respond to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. The remaining 25% will be donated to the Kyrene Family Resource Center through The Kyrene Foundation to help stock food shelves.
Businesses wanting to sign on as supporters – as well as walkers and people who simply want to donate to the cause –can go to events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/event/phoenixaz.
The team said people can register as individuals or a group. Esperanza Pastor Annemarie Burke said people with questions can contact CROP.hunger.walk@myesperanza.org or call the church office at 480-759-1515.
McNeish revving up dance classes and planning Halloween party at Cactus Jack’s
Registration is open for Ahwatukee dance and fitness instructor Carrie McNeish’s fall line dancing and AZ Two Step Couples dance classes in both evening and daytime formats. She’s also helping out with planning Cactus Jack’s annual Halloween party starting at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the bar on the southwest corner of 48th Street and Elliot Road.
The party will include line dancing lessons and open dancing, treats, raffles and costumes. Information: dancemeetsfitness.net, cmcneish@cox.net.
Tukee Trot organizers are lining up walkers for post-Thanksgiving event
The third annual Tukee Trot 5K is back on for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 25 with the course and venue hosted at Desert Vista High School and the walk chip-timed and USATF-sanction. The nonprofit event will benefit the Kyrene Foundation. Early registration is now open at racerooster.com. There also is a 1-mile Kids Quail Fun Run around Vista Canyon Park. Event sponsors and volunteers are sought. Contact: tukeetrot@cox.net.
Democrats and Donuts meeting set for next Wednesday in Chandler
Democrats & Donuts meets at 8 a.m. Oct. 19 at Denny’s, 7400 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. Look for interesting speakers and great Bada Bing Raffle baskets by Judy Wade.
Guests are four Democratic candidates for Phoenix City Council District 6 – Harry Curtin, Joan Greene, Mark Moeremans, and Kellen Wilson; Kathy Hoffman, seeking re-election for Superintendent of Public Instruction; and Kyrene Governing Board candidates Kevin Walsh and Triné Nelson.
People are asked to arrive a little earlier to get seated and put in their breakfast order in before 8. The hosts will be there by 7:30. Information: Julia Fleeman at juliafleeman@cox.net.
Esperanza Lutheran planning two big free events in October
Esperanza Lutheran Church, 2601 E. Thunderhill Place, Ahwatukee is hold a jazz night 6:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 and the free concert requires no registration.
Meanwhile, another free event is Oktoberfest at Esperanza
see AROUND page 30
Ghost luster
Ahwatukee resident Steve Powers is ready for folks to enjoy what is now a 40-minute continuous loop of Halloween music and, of course, his ever-growing assortment of familyfriendly goblins, ghosts and other creatures. Families can walk by his home and delight in his display at 2537 East Amberwood Drive, Ahwatukee, 7-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through the end of this month. They also can pop over to Ahwatukee handyman Doug Maldonado’s home, decked out from the ground up in Halloween flair. His home, at 16210 S. 29th Ave. in Foothills Reserve, is in a gated community, but no worries: as long as you text - not call- 480-201-5013, he’ll let you in to ooh and ahh 6:30-9 p.m. Sun. through Thursday and 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)
BEAT INFLATION
Increasing food costs, pain at the gas pump and poor investment returns are causing panic and depression for many. Stop feeling helpless to do anything about it. This seminar will deliver important and effective options for reducing your taxes and fighting back against the rising costs draining your budget. Learn about:
• Why Inflation is American's #1 concern
• How continued high inflation can kill your retirement
• Ways to Double your Social Security and retirement income
• Tax saving strategies that can help you retire 5-15+ years earlier
• Which solar business leasing program returns 10-14% income for 10 years
• Why solar powered reefers are today’s most powerful tax-savings strategy
• How the solar reefer leasing program is safer than stocks or real estate
6-9 p.m. Oct. 29. The public is invited but asked to register by calling 480-759-1515.
Ahwatukee golf ladies league ready to start new season
The Foothills Golf Course Ladies League is ready to start up in advance of a formal opening Nov. 1.
The league plays 18 holes of handicap golf every Tuesday morning from September through May. Play includes weekly games, prizes and friendly competition. If you are interested email Marsha Morris at marshacmorris@gmail.com.
Ironwood Library offers free activities for people of all ages
Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, presents a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Unless otherwise noted, free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.
For more information: phoenixpubliclibrary.org.
Babytimes
Babies ages birth to 23 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun every Tuesday, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families.
Toddlertimes
Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun every Thursday, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families.
Full STEAM ahead for kids
Children ages 5-11 can explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent every Saturday, 2-3 p.m., in this Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. Space is limited to 10 families. It will not be held Oct. 18.
Next Chapter Book Club
This inclusive community-based book club is designed for people ages 12+ with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have a desire to make friends, explore their community, and read (regardless of current reading ability).
This weekly gathering is free and occurs every Wednesday, from 3-4 p.m. Registration required in the library or online in the calendar section of the library’s website.
Sit, stay, read!
Young readers & listeners can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy dog/handler team. Read with Elsa on Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. and Oct. 18. Read with Raven on Thursdays, Oct. 13 and Oct. 27, 3:30-4:30 pm.
Book Club
Adult readers 18+ can meet up with fellow bibliophiles the first Wednesday of each month, 5:00-5:45 p.m. On Nov. 2, “My Family and Other Animals” by Gerald Durrell will be discussed.
Escape Room
Sleuths from age 12 on up can flex their mystery-solving skills during one of the library’s escape room sessions on Oct. 22. Sessions can accommodate up to 12 people. Teams and solo players are welcome. Sessions are 2-2:30 p.m., 2:45-3:15 p.m. and 3:30-4:00 p.m.
Red Cross blood drive
People ages 16+ can give blood in the American Red Cross Blood Mobile in the library’s parking lot Oct. 27, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Appointment times can be found by going to redcrossblood.org and selecting the “Donating Blood” option. Masks are optional.
Tempe VFW Auxiliary seeks help to send
Christmas boxes to troops
VFW Auxiliary 3632, based at 2125 S. Industrial Park Ave., Tempe, is seeking donations for 100 boxes of Christmas gifts to troops abroad. Items can be dropped off at the post or ordered at a.co./byQfOpB for delivery to the post.
Needed items include energy mix packets and other water enhancers, instant coffee and Kool Aid, dryer sheets and Febreeze, any high protein snacks except tuna, and personal care items.
• Wondering about your Medicare plan options? • What’s new for 2022? Let me help YOU find a plan that’s right for YOU Debbie Stovall
Licensed Independent Medicare Broker
www.wecaremedicareaz.com Call or email today: 602-954-9143 (TTY:711)
HEALTH WELLNESS
Enlarged prostates affect both men and women
An enlarged prostate takes over people’s lifestyles. While men are scouting out restrooms when they arrive at a function, planning how far they drive without stopping, and waking up several times a night, their partner is right there with them…Getting up when the bathroom light turns on, waiting for them to return to the party, worrying if a car trip will be too long. What is it? Enlarged prostate is the
common name for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which occurs when the prostate gland increases in size. As it gets larger, it presses against the urethra making it difficult for men to empty their bladder completely. Symptoms include weak, slow or interrupted urinary stream, frequency or urgency, difficulty starting or straining to urinate, and getting up frequently at night to go to the bathroom.
The good news is that it’s not cancerous and does not raise the risk for prostate cancer. However, the same symptoms can
be an indication of more serious conditions, including prostate cancer, so it’s important to be evaluated by a physician. How is it treated? First line therapy starts with medication which can be very effective in reducing the symptoms but there are potential side effects like sexual dysfunction, fatigue, and male breasts. But many men can’t tolerate the side effects, or the medication doesn’t adequately control the symptoms. Surgeries like TURP are also an option but come with serious risks factors.
What’s the newest advancement in
treatment? PAE (prostate artery embolization) is an exciting breakthrough for treating BPH. It’s done through a tiny nick in the skin in the upper thigh. Small beads are deposited in the artery that supplies blood to the prostate. This reduces the blood flow to the prostate, which causes it to shrink.
What does this mean to you? PAE can reduce the size of the prostate up to 40% which relieves pressure on the urethra and improves symptoms. There is less
Lauren Ax, MSPAS, PA-C
Bradley Rasmussen, MD
Sarah Neumann, MMS, PA-C
DR. MICHAEL SWITZER
Guest Writer
MD joins award-winning dermatology practice
AFN NEWS STAFF
Dr. Mark Meyers has joined award-winning Ahwatukee Skin & Laser.
Meyers earned his medical degree at Chicago Medical School and has been practicing medicine for over 30 years.
He will be working alongside the growing team of surgeons and physician assistants at the full-service general medical and cosmetic dermatology practice located on Agave Road.
Founded in 2010, Ahwatukee Skin & Laser specializes in treating all disorders of the hair, skin, and nails, including acne, psoriasis, and rosacea, and is a leader in skin cancer surveillance and MOHS surgery.
The practice also offers popular cosmetic services including custom skincare regimens, dermal fillers, laser treatments and the innovative Femilift for women.
Ahwatukee Skin & Laser has been ranked “Best of Skincare” and “Best Med-
risk, reduced pain, no hospital visit, and a shorter recovery time than with traditional procedures. In many cases, patients begin to feel relief within a few weeks.
Are you a candidate for PAE? You may be a candidate for PAE if medication is not relieving your symptoms, you cannot tolerate the side effects of your medication,
ical Specialist” for multiple years in local polls. It was recently voted #2 in the valley for Best Dermatology Practice by Loving Life After 50 Magazine. Informmation: ahwatukeeskincare. com.
or you are concerned about the risks of traditional surgery.
Dr. Michael Switzer is an interventional radiologist who uses imaging technology and techniques to care for medical conditions that affect the nearly every organ system in the body. He can be reached at Comprehensive Integrate Care. 480-374-7354.
DR MARK MEYERS
Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed
Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very similar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.”
Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy
isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.”
It’s important to determine if PAD (peripheral artery disease) is causing the pain or making it worse. PAD is plaque in the arteries which causes poor circulation. “Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your feet which they need to stay healthy,” explains Zang, “When your feet aren’t getting an adequate supply, they start sending signals.” Those signals include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or cramping. The good news is PAD is treatable in
Don’t wait for your feet to yell at you. If your feet hurt, they are talking to you. Our doctors can help tell you what they are saying.
Do you have leg or foot cramps with activity or at rest? Y / N
Does foot pain prevent you from doing your favorite activity?
Do you have burning or tingling in your legs or feet?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, call our office today to see how our doctors can help.
an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.”
Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about finding out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”
If your neuropathy medication is not working, your symptoms may be an indication of another condition.
Stiff Joints Interfere with Everyday Living
One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activity because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases.
“People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle. “When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot.
“It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or staying home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.”
The goal is to protect your feet from the repetitive stress of everyday activities. “We have several treatment options to not only relieve foot pain but help improve how your feet work. If we can help your feet function better, in many cases the need for surgery can be avoided or at the very least postponed,” says Schulman. “Patients are always happy to learn about ways to alleviate their symptoms.”
For golfers, a stiff big toe can make their game suffer.
Business
www.ahwatukee.com
Luna’s Paw Spa grooms pets with less stress
BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor
Morgan Bailey-Bonner named her Ahwatukee Foothills grooming studio, Luna’s Paw Spa, after her anxious German Shepard mix, Luna, whom she describes as “a hot mess.”
She specializes in pets that many other groomers won’t take because they’re too fearful or have medical conditions.
“It’s a lot to do with the environment,” Bailey-Bonner said. “You have to talk sweet to them; you have to be calm. If you’re nervous, they sense it, too.”
Luna’s Paw Spa opened last spring in the Plaza@Mountainside, 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., near Trader Joe’s.
Bailey-Bonner offers full grooming services, including bathing, coat cuts and nail trims, and sells high-quality, all-natural products such as dental treats, grooming items and supplements.
One way the shop handles agitated dogs is by not keeping them any longer than necessary. While many other groomers ask clients
to drop off dogs in the morning and pick them up later in the day, Luna’s Paw Spa
sets appointments so owners can leave a pet at a certain time and pick it up as soon as she’s finished.
Also, Luna’s gives pets one-on-one attention while they’re being groomed and doesn’t allow too many animals in the shop at once.
“We limit it so it’s not a bunch of dogs running around barking,” BaileyBonner said. “It’s not like we’re checking in everyone at 9 a.m. and have everyone in kennels.”
Another way to help reduce stress is to start grooming dogs when they’re young and get on a regular schedule.
Bailey-Bonner said ideally, the first visit is when a dog is a few months old, and she’ll do a bath and a “face and fanny tidyup” to get them used to the idea.
Dogs that are brought in once a year don’t understand what’s happening, Bailey-Bonner noted. “It’s like an alien abduction,” she explained.
see LUNA page 35
First indoor cornhole venue opens in EV
BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor
Two weeks may not sound like a long time, but when Gilbert’s Hole 9 Yards owners had plans in place for a festive grand opening on Sept. 16, supply-chain issues delayed the permitting process.
That scuttled a weekend when American Cornhole League pros from around the country planned to join local aficionados of the game for a celebration.
More delays ensued, but the big day finally arrived Sept. 30, when Dr. Todd Kisicki of Mesa and Queen Creek resident Nic Feinstein opened the 20,000-squarefoot venue at 868 N. Gilbert Road, where players have 26 lanes to play or watch others while sipping a beer and grabbing a burger from Hole 9 Yards’ full kitchen
and bar.
“We are excited that we are finally open after all the planning and preparations that have gone into the project,”
Kisicki said.
Kisicki has been an enthusiastic fan of the sport, which began as an elevated form of the old bean bag tossing game and
see CORNHOLE page 35
Todd Kisicki of Mesa, left, and Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek have opened a new attraction for lovers of the hugely popular outdoor game cornhole by opening Hole 9 Yards, apparently the nation’s first indoor venue for the game. It took a long time coming for Kisicki, who with his wife has had a business for several years supplying cornhole equipment to organizers of festivals and other outdoor gatherings.
(David Minton/Staff Photographer)
Morgan Bailey-Bonner opened Luna’s Paw Spa in Ahwatukee last spring specializing in pets with anxiety or medical conditions. (Geri Koeppel/AN Contributor)
LUNA from page 34
Erica McGrady of Ahwatukee took her 6-month-old Goldendoodle, Phoebe, in for her second visit recently.
“As pet owners, we would love to be able to take care of those things ourselves,” McGrady said of bathing and haircuts, “but that is a lot easier with people like Morgan who are professional.”
McGrady added that Phoebe enjoys swimming, which mats her curly coat, and doesn’t like to be brushed.
“I can only imagine what magical powers she uses in there, because [Phoebe] does not like it,” she remarked.
On a Thursday morning, Bailey-Bonner washed and dried Phoebe, cut her hair and nails, trimmed around her face and even cleaned up the hair in her ears with a minimum of protest.
She then took Phoebe’s photo against a backdrop of autumn leaves and pumpkins—she changes out the scene seasonally—and texted McGrady to let her know
CORNHOLE
from page 34
has elevated into a sport that could one day be an Olympics event.
As the owner of KB Kornhole Games, a cornhole-centric business that hosted hundreds of events throughout the Valley since its inception in 2015, Kisicki is well known throughout the state as he’s hosted the Arizona State Cornhole Championships since 2016. Feinstein is an ACLsanctioned pro who is a leader in the sport.
Last year’s state championships at Mesa’s Bell Bank Park was organized by Kisicki and became the largest state championship cornhole event in the nation with an estimated 410 players, ages 8 to 80, competed in 15 different divisions.
Now national director for the American Cornhole League, Kisicki didn’t start out aiming to be one of cornhole’s most enthusiastic advocates.
He earned his doctorate at Arizona State University in education technology and taught there until he left to focus solely on his burgeoning KB Kornhole Games business with his wife of 16 years, Erin.
This summer, he often was jetting around the country and around the world, hosting cornhole tournaments in Europe, Canada, as well as South Carolina and California and overseeing more than 300 ACL directors nationwide.
He and Feinstein hatched their idea
Phoebe was ready.
Prices at Luna’s Paw Spa are competitive, Bailey-Bonner says, and depend on the size of the pet and how much time it takes.
Luna’s Paw Spa mostly grooms dogs, but about one cat comes in each week, BaileyBonner said.
“Putting them in a bath is super stressful for most cats that aren’t used to it,” she said. They can get haircuts, she added, but they’re sensitive, and unless there’s a pressing reason for it, it’s better not to bathe them.
Bailey-Bonner is so good with pets because she’s been around them her entire life.
“We had every pet known to man growing up,” she said. “My mom is a sucker for rescuing.”
As an adult, Bailey-Bonner worked as a mobile vet tech and did grooming at a major pet store chain.
“I decided to open my own place to offer that one-on-one [care] and better quality
products,” she said. “It’s better for their skin and coat and health.”
Also, Bailey-Bonner wanted to prioritize her time with her family; she now mainly works when her kids are in school. She and her husband, Cameron Bailey-Bonner, have two adopted children—Zaiden, 6, and Jay, 5—and are working on adopting Zaiden’s older brother, Marcus, 8.
Bailey-Bonner’s husband and sister, Taylor Gerdes, who’s a vet tech, help out on busy weekends, but on weekdays, she only sees five or six dogs a day and the shop is only open until 2 p.m.
Although Bailey-Bonner chose the location for Luna’s Paw Spa because it had housed pet groomers since 1991 and had all the water hookups and outlets, she noted that it needed major renovations before she opened.
However, customers loaned her ladders and offered to help paint.
“I have a really nice customer base,” she said. “They were all really, really helpful.”
While most of her business has been
word-of-mouth, Bailey-Bonner said she’ll have a booth at the upcoming Ahwatukee Dog Show Oct. 30 at Ahwatukee Park giving dogs temporary tattoos with special chalk that washes out.
For people with persnickety pets that resist brushing at home, Bailey-Bonner said the key is “practice, practice, practice, and don’t give in when they do naughty things” because that rewards bad behavior. “If they go to bite you, don’t just stop at that point,” she added. “Reassure them and keep going. We don’t want to reinforce bad habits.”
and not everyone was in a place in their lives to dedicate the time that was needed to make it successful,” he said.
“So I ran with it, slowly growing it to a point to where it was consuming a lot of my extra time and eventually taking some of my concentration away from my fulltime job.”
In December 2016, he recalled, “I decided to gamble on myself and jump all into the business, leaving the industry that I had spent the first 15 years of my adult life behind.”
Erin Kisicki left her full-time career as a director of training in behavioral health services, on Sept. 2 so both husband and wife can focus efforts on growing Hole 9 Yards, the national and international business of cornhole, and their daughter, Kora.
for Hole 9 Yards (H9Y) in 2019 and their concept picked up momentum during the early days of the pandemic.
By the time they opened, they not only had added a bar and full-service restaurant to their plan but also a retail section where people can buy cornhole gear and equipment.
They’re convinced they’re tapping into an activity that seems to have unlimited potential and will be making Hole 9 Yards available for league play at all skill levels,
private gatherings and open-lane rentals.
When he and his wife sponsored their first commercial cornhole event on April 11, 2015, they figured their business would be strictly a part-time, weekend gig.
“I had no idea KB Kornhole Games would ever evolve to where it is today,” Kisicki said.
“While it was initially meant to be something we could do as a family, I quickly realized that starting and running a business required a lot of effort and sacrifice
“Erin started the KB Kornhole business with me in 2015 but with her full-time job, she wasn’t active in the day-to-day operations though she helped me run the events for the first two years,” explained Kisicki.
“After a while, her job, plus having a toddler, and then me dragging her to events every weekend, took its toll and she stepped back from KB so that we didn’t have to ship our daughter off to family every weekend.”
“Our daughter, Kora, is now 8 and wants me to give her a job at Hole 9 Yards,” he chuckled.
Players heave bags at Hole 9 Yards, a new indoor cornhole venue opened by a pair of the sport’s devotees, Dr. Todd Kisicki of Mesa and Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)
CORNHOLE
from page 35
Kisicki partnered with Nic Feinstein of Queen Creek to lead the design, oversee the renovations and handle the business’s social media and marketing. Feinstein will help spread the word of cornhole, H9Y and industry news affecting Arizona.
and on four continents, and by women in no fewer than 40 countries and on three continents.
To see that cornhole is established in other countries is a major task for Kisicki.
Tournament during prime time.
Even with the success of competitive tournaments, Kisicki cleaves to the tagline he originated in 2015 for KB Kornhole: “Bringing people together, one kornhole at a time.”
“I never really needed to market with KB Kornhole Games with most of my events coming from referrals, but now with a large venue and most time slots to fill, Nic fills a void with his strong skill set that gives us a dedicated social media and marketing plan to attract new people to the sport,” said Kisicki.
As national director for the American Cornhole League, international expansion is Kisicki’s focal point. A goal of that expansion is prepping the way as a future sport in the Olympics.
If that seems a reach, consider skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing and now breakdancing – all Olympic competitive events.
It takes some doing to be included, said Kisicki.
“To be considered for involvement in the Olympics, a sport must be widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries
“One of my roles with the American Cornhole League is international development, and working with cornhole leaders in other countries to develop competitive cornhole in their countries,” he said.
“My role with the ACL is to help develop the competitive side of the sport in these countries. There’s also the WCO – the World Cornhole Organization – and they’re the ones who are responsible for getting the sport to the Olympics,” said Kisicki, currently a board member with the nonprofit WCO.
“Cornhole is a universal sport that anyone can play,” said Kisicki. “The wonderful part of the sport is that you can have young children, women, men and seniors all playing in the same event with no competitive advantage.”
Televising cornhole has already proved a successful draw. ESPN and their related channels began broadcasting cornhole tournaments in 2017, and in early September, CBS covered an ACL Pro Shootout
He said he’s seen newcomers come to give the sport a try-out, then continue coming to events as they make new friends and become a part of a community of enthusiasts.
The H9Y owners hope the 26 lanes at their H9Y Gilbert venue will expand that community with people of all ages and skill levels.
Kevin
WALSH RE-ELECT
Kyrene School Board
Keep Strong Schools in Our Community
I'm running for re-election because it's so important to keep strong public schools in our Kyrene community.
I am the father of two children in Kyrene, with a third on the way. Kyrene is at the heart of our family. My children are second-generation Kyrene kids. They come from a family of educators, and their grandma is entering her 24th year teaching in Kyrene. I've served with the PTO as a board trustee for many years, and I'm a regular Art Masterpiece volunteer in the classroom.
This is my 4th year on the Kyrene Governing Board and my 2nd year as Board President, which gives me invaluable experience that sets me apart from others. Students are my top priority with every decision. If re-elected, I’ll focus on these issues:
Support Student Achievement.
My son was in Kindergarten when the pandemic upended his education, and his classroom moved to virtual learning. To say it was difficult would be an understatement (try learning handwriting over Zoom). I’m grateful that Kyrene properly prioritized the health and safety of students and staff during the height of the pandemic, but I also recognize that, notwithstanding our amazing teachers’ best efforts, the data demonstrates what many of us already knew - many students understandably experienced less academic growth over the last two years.
It’s now imperative that the Board supports putting targeted resources in the classroom that provide the individualized academic support that our students need. Prioritizing early literacy for our youngest learners is key. It's imperative that our students build a strong foundation in math and science and have relevant curriculum. We must continue to offer robust programs in music and the arts.
Keep The Best & Brightest Teachers
Arizona is seeing a mass exodus of teachers leaving the profession, and Kyrene is feeling the impact. Our teachers are amazing, and if we don’t keep skilled educators in the classroom, our students won’t reach their full potential.
Arizona has tried to address the teacher exodus by lowering teaching standards, but that solution isn’t best for students. It’s essential that we retain the best and brightest teachers in the classroom. Competitive salaries are key. I’m proud that our Board has increased teacher/staff pay by $10.5 Million in recent months. Kyrene spends its money wisely, and the Arizona Auditor General has consistently recognized Kyrene for being among the best at keeping dollars in the classroom. We must also respect and value educators as professionals.
Put Kids First
The pandemic disrupted many students’ social and emotional development, as they missed out on opportunities to interact in-person with others. During the last school year, we saw a dramatic increase in students acting out, and we know that students who are emotionally deregulated are rarely able to focus in the classroom and succeed academically.
I commend Kyrene’s commitment to mental health. While I’ve served on the Board, we’ve funded counselors at every school. They provide immense support to students, but their caseloads are full. I support hiring more counselors to ensure that our children are thriving mentally, emotionally, and academically.
Paid for by Kevin Walsh for Kyrene School Board. Authorized by Kevin Walsh.
www.ahwatukee.com
Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com
My eyes glaze over during such tales –and not in a honey-glazed epicurean way – before I say something like, “That’s just nuts,” and wander off.
I’m an adventurous eater. I like steak, medium rare. I love cheesesteaks, cheeseburgers, cheese fries, pizza, and caffeinated beverages ordered without substituting Italian numbers for sizes. Hold the cheese on the coffee, thanks. But only there.
Seniors: Tell Congress to pass Minimum Distribution bill
On July 12, 2022 Ohio Representative Warren Davidson sponsored a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to temporarily suspend Required Minimum Distribution rules so seniors who have tax-sheltered accounts can choose not to take their Required Minimum Distribution in 2022.
The RMD was suspended for the year 2020 in the CARES ACT.
This bill H.R. 8331 (117th Congress) is sitting in the Ways and Means Committee.
Seniors (70+) who have tax-sheltered accounts and would prefer not to take this distribution this year should contact their representatives and encourage them to support this bill and get it out of the Ways and Means Committee and get it passed before it is too late.
In sum, I have always believed myself to be a typical American eater. Meaning I am not a gastronomic explorer, nor am I a big chain restaurant purveyor.
However, I don’t look down my nose at people who think Olive Garden is the best Italian food known to man. By the same token, I’m tired of hearing about Pizzeria Bianco and how it’s worth camping out for a week for a slice of Sonny Boy pizza, because, oh Lord, the soppressata is to die for!
Salami is salami, people. They do a nice pepperoni pie at Pizza Hut, too. And they have 6,600 locations in the United States, which means less waiting.
That’s what chain restaurants are for: People who see meals not as opportunities for reverie and humble bragging about their palate, but as fuel for the body and a chance to chat with loved ones, friends and colleagues.
Dining snobs will scoff, but there’s a reason that chain restaurants continue to be popular. They’re not the devil, or even Red Devil Pizza, with three locations in
the Valley and one in Pinetop. Chains are thriving, and regular people must like them, because chain restaurants comprise the majority of dining options in the U.S., according to recent data from two scholars at Georgia Tech University’s Friendly Cities Lab.
Dr. Clio Andris and Ph.D. candidate Xiaofan Liang compiled statistics on more than 700,000 restaurants nationwide, including nearly 400 chains of 50 locations or more. The most prolific restaurant in the study? Subway, with more than 24,000 locations in the U.S.
Restaurants with only one location comprised about 44 percent of the study, or about 310,000 locations total.
Liang told the Washington Post, “the foodscape is very political,” meaning the study’s big takeaway was that, “Places with a high percentage of Trump voters have a higher percentage of chains. We didn’t expect it.”
Yawn. Sounds like food snobbery to me. My big takeaway is that Arizona is not
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Rep. Davidson proposed this bill because he received calls from American retirees all over the country asking for Congress to address this issue.
The amount to be distributed is calculated based on the account balance as of December 31 of the previous year. Since the market was nearly at an all-time high at the end of 2021, and it has dropped more than 20 percent since then, the distributions from 2022 are disproportionately high.
Rep. Davidson introduced the bill to waive the RMD for 2022, much like Congress did in 2020 in the Cares Act.
Seniors (70+): if you do not want to have to take your Required Minimum Distribution this year, I urge you to call your congressional representatives.
You can find your representative at: house.gov/representatives/find-your-
representative
You can check on the status of the H.R. 8331 (117th-congress) at this link: congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/housebill/8331/text?r=84&s=1#:~:text=H.%20 R.%208331%20To%20amend%20 the%20Internal%20Revenue,referred%20 to%20the%20Committee%20on%20 Ways%20and%20Means
You can contact Rep. Davidson at davidson.house.gov/email.
-Loretta Siwik
Let’s keep trees along Elliot Warner Loop well-trimmed
Now that the City has beautified the Elliot/Warner loop by cutting back foliage and removing dead trees it would be terrific if the home owners on this route cut back their foliage growing over their fences across public property and across
the fast food capital of America, as many Valley food snobs would have you believe.
The most franchise-y state in the nation? Kentucky, where 46 percent of restaurant options have 50 or more locations. Arizona ranked 21st, with chains comprising 35% of restaurant offerings – as compared to Vermont, the least franchise-y state, where only 13 percent of restaurants had 50 or more locations.
As for metro Phoenix, it ranked 204th among more than 380 metropolitan areas, with chains comprising about 37 percent of restaurant options. So we’re not New York City, with 18 percent chains, nor are we Aniston, Alabama, with 57 percent chains. We’re right in between, not unlike the beef patty in a Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers All American Burger. CB&C has 12 Arizona locations, by the way, which makes them something of a local chain.
Regardless, they don’t serve pig cheeks, rattlesnake bites or other food snob fare, so I can’t recommend the place highly enough.
the sidewalks.
There has been a dead tree doing just this at the intersection of Elliot/Warner loop and Lakeside Blvd. for years – plus others.
-Jane Emery
@AhwatukeeFN
Emil Slovak,
Sports & Recreation
Pride controlling own destiny in second half of season
BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
This year could be the turning point for the Mountain Pointe football program.
The Pride have talent spread out across every position on the field. Many have a year or more of varsity experience at Mountain Pointe. Others transferred in from high-caliber programs.
Mountain Pointe has spent the last five weeks piecing together the talent and how to utilize it all to be successful on the field. There were some hiccups, most notably in Las Vegas against Arbor View and in a matchup with Chaparral, but the Pride have now positioned themselves to make a run at the region championship and a potential top seed in the 6A Conference playoffs. The Open Division is also not off the table.
The Pride are in full control of their destiny. Something this program hasn’t had in recent years.
“It’s interesting how your mind tries to justify things,” Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer said. “Last year it was, ‘If we lose our schedule will still get us in.’ But now, we control our destiny. It’s something we let our kids know.
“If you’re willing to put in the work, some good things will happen for you down the stretch.”
When Lauer took over in 2020, Mountain Pointe was a program coming off a one-win season and in the middle of turmoil after a former assistant leaked game plans to opponents.
The program had no youth feeder teams and overall participation in the program had started to dwindle. Lauer, who had
see DESTINY page 42
Mountain Pointe’s football program, sitting at 3-2 on the year, has a favorable schedule that could have the Pride eyeing a top spot in the 6A Conference playoffs or Open Division at the end of the year. But they know they can’t become complacent down the stretch. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)
Roan Martinez enjoying breakout year for Thunder
BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
Roan Martinez was just another player trying to make his way up to Desert Vista’s varsity football roster last spring
He spent his sophomore season on the junior varsity team primarily playing defense. When he entered the spring, his routes weren’t as crisp as he knew they had to be, he had decent size but knew he needed to get faster and stronger. Overall, he knew he had work to do before his junior season if he wanted to make an impact. So, he got to work.
Martinez ran track at Desert Vista and is just shy of a sub-11 100-meter time. His keystone event, however, is the 400. Thanks mostly to his soccer background and endurance that comes with it. He worked tirelessly to improve, and he was given the nod to be one of the Thunder’s starting wideouts this season.
Junior Roan Martinez is experiencing a breakout season at wide receiver for the Thunder despite this being his first season at the position and just his third year playing tackle football. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)
It’s an opportunity he has taken in stride.
“I wanted to play receiver so with a new coaching staff I thought I could switch
over and prove something,” Martinez said. “So, that’s what I did. This opportunity is amazing. I’m always happy when I get the
chance to be out there.”
Martinez is currently in the middle of a breakout junior season at wideout. He’s quickly become one of the top targets for junior quarterback Braxton Thomas.
The two have connected 15 times this season for 408 yards and five touchdowns. Martinez is currently averaging just over 80 yards per game. Against rival Mountain Pointe in the Ahwatukee Bowl, he had six catches for 191 yards and three touchdowns.
It was a big-time performance for a player that is quickly getting on the radar of colleges, major Division I programs included. Desert Vista coach Nate Gill believes it’s only a matter of time before schools begin to pull the trigger and offer Martinez.
A strong showing on the track this spring will likely be the time his recruitment blows up.
“He checks the box of having the physi-
spent years as an assistant during the program’s prime under Norris Vaughan, knew it wouldn’t be an overnight fix.
The Pride went 1-7 in 2020 with the lone win against rival Desert Vista at the end of the season. Lauer thought that might have been the turning point, and it appeared to be so in the early stages of the 2021 season. But mistakes on multiple occasions hampered the Pride.
They lost to Desert Vista in overtime in Week 10 last year, which took away any remaining confidence the team had heading into a first-round matchup with eventual champion Highland. Mountain Pointe was blown out in that game, and it set a new standard and mindset adopted by returning players.
The mindset is one that centers around not folding under pressure, something the team has already shown in the first half of this season. They feel they’re still not quite playing their best football, but they’re close. Which makes them a dangerous team.
“We just have to stay locked in,” sophomore tackle Kaleb Jones said. “This team wants it more than last year. We’re all still mad about what happened. We want it
cal frame,” Gill said. “The next box that needs to be checked is how well he can separate. His first year running track he goes 48 (seconds) in the 400. I expect him to go sub-11 in the 100. Once your tape matches your track time, that’s when things tend to take off.”
Martinez’s accolades this season come just two years after he started playing football. He played flag up until that point but was held out of full contact until his freshman season.
Even then, though, learning the wide receiver position was something he never did up until the end of his sophomore season.
His speed and endurance to continuously run routes and become a deep threat came naturally with his years on the soccer field. But learning how to be explosive with and without the ball was an adjustment.
Then there’s the physical aspect. Soccer has become more physical over the years. But football is a different animal.
Against San Diego Madison to open
more this year.”
Mountain Pointe currently boasts one of the top backfields in the state with senior Jay’len Rushing and juniors Christian Clark and Randle Parker. All three have Division I potential, and they all showed it by rushing for more than 100 yards each against the Thunder.
The trio complement senior quarterback Chris Arviso, who has already broken his own record for most passing yards in a single game this season. Then there’s the offensive line, a group that consists of one senior starter in Kahoua Leha at left guard. Next to him is Jones, who already boasts offers from the likes of Oregon.
The Pride offense has become dynamic, especially with weapons like Matty Braun, Jaylen Johnson and Jaden Davis catching the ball.
There’s no drop off in talent wherever one looks on the field. And they’re only going to get stronger with a pair of transfer linemen that can play on both sides of the ball becoming eligible against Corona del Sol on Friday.
“It adds a lot more depth to the team and they’re all dogs,” Clark said. “They’ll all be on the field immediately.
Clark, a Desert Vista transfer who won his hardship to be immediately eligible, has been quick to adopt the mindset set by this year’s senior class after its loss to Highland last year.
The Pride play hard. They’re physical. And they have fun.
Their losses to Arbor View and Chaparral, especially in the fashion they occurred, would have been detrimental in years past. But this group rallied around each other and stepped up at practice to enter the bye week with two wins in a row.
“After that loss to Chaparral we all came together as a team,” Clark said. “We’ve all got one goal and that’s to win state. We
the season, Martinez experienced for the first time how fast and physical varsity football players are. He said it was a bit of a shock, and he knew immediately that he had to expect to get hit every play to
be successful. His mindset changed and so did his game.
“I definitely noticed there is a big jump from JV to varsity,” Martinez said. “I wasn’t expecting that right away. I just
have to be ready for it. I’ve definitely adapted to it now. I feel like I’m supposed to be here.”
Martinez’s chemistry with Thomas was built in short order. The two hadn’t practiced together until last spring, when the Thunder joined other schools in annual spring practices. Even that, though, was limited with Martinez running track.
It took time for the relationship to develop. It also took time for the two to get their timing down on certain routes. It finally started to click against Verrado the week before the Ahwatukee Bowl. He had four receptions in that game. In the three games prior, he had five total.
Thomas said having a wideout like Martinez with a 6-foot-2 frame who can catch anything in the vicinity makes his job easier.
“It’s been crazy, I didn’t really expect it,” Thomas said. “I didn’t really know him until we started 7s. We started clicking from there. He was unguardable.
“He’s a natural route runner. I haven’t seen him drop a ball. He’s one of the most
MARTINEZ page 43 see DESTINY page 43
Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer believes his team is turning a corner now in year three of his tenure. He tells them they control their own destiny this season and if they work hard, good things will come. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)
MARTINEZ from page 41
Desert Vista coach Nate Gill believes it’s only a matter of time before Martinez’s recruitment picks up. Especially when he is able to showcase how much he has improved on the track this spring, Gill believes major programs will come for him. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff) see
DESTINY from page 42
just had to get our minds right. We got it together.”
Mountain Pointe comes out of its bye week Friday against an Aztecs team that is 4-1 and one of the toughest matchups remaining on the schedule this season. If they’re able to run the table the rest of the way, they will finish with the best regular season record since 2017. Mountain Pointe went to the semifinals that year.
MARTINEZ from page 42
sure-handed receivers I’ve played with.”
Just a year ago, Martinez would have never thought football would be his future after high school. Now, however, that has all changed.
Lauer believes his team is capable of doing that, as he has constantly reminded them that they control how they season plays out from this point on. In his eyes, they’re poised to elevate the program back to relevancy in the state.
“This is year three, and usually that’s where people want to see some growth and change on and off the field,” Lauer said. “I think we’re kinda turning the corner in that regard. We’re doing some good things.”
He has his sights set on earning a scholarship to continue playing. But he knows he still has work to do before he is ready to compete at that level.
For now, though, he’s focused on helping Desert Vista win games. He knows the individual accolades will come with wins.
“This is just the beginning,” Martinez said. “I have another year ahead of me. We’re still progressing. It’s definitely exciting. It feels good knowing my work is starting to pay off.”
Have an interesting sports story?
Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timeslocalmedia.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.
BETTER BENEFITS. BETTER HEALTH.
in
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programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on
Home & Garden Show returns to Westworld
BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff
Homeowners will find plenty of helpful displays and merchandise at the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show, the largest home show in the Southwest that is set to return to WestWorld of Scottsdale next weekend.
In addition to hundreds of home improvement vendors, holiday lighting, unique copper skillets and kitchen accessories and seminars by local pros, the Tiny Homes Street of Dreams exhibit shows off the creative bounds one can explore with a downsized home.
“It’s always just a super popular feature and people love coming to tour the homes and learn more about the rules and regulations, the area, how they can incorporate tiny living and even investments into tiny home businesses into their lives and their businesses,” said event coordinator Heather Fillipo.
feature over 900 vendors as well as 15 tiny homes on display. (Special to AFN)
Fillipo said she has seen a growing interest in these homes as more guests go in and out of the 15 tiny homes on display.
“Part of it is just the ease and portability and a lot of them are on wheels, so you can have vacation homes wherever you like
Documentary looks at Tempe band from the 1990s
BY VINCENT ARRIETA
GetOut Contributor
Unless you were there at the time, one might not realize how exciting it was to be a music lover in Tempe in the 90s.
From the breakthrough of the Meat Puppets with their career-altering appearance on Nirvana’s Unplugged special to Gin Blossoms’ jangle-pop brilliance, the national spotlight was shining brightly on the Valley’s musical riches.
One of the acts primed for breakout success has gone largely unnoticed – the Pistoleros.
Now, the band fronted by brothers Lawrence and Mark Zubia is finally getting its due with a documentary chronicling the
band’s extraordinary story called Pistoleros: Death, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll directed by Steven B. Esparza.
Filled with interviews from members of the band along with members of the Meat Puppets, Gin Blossoms, and other Tempe musical mainstays, the documentary smartly focuses not specifically on the band’s rise and instead chronicles the tumultuous relationship between brothers Lawrence and Mark, and how that relationship both made – and nearly broke – the band.
The documentary is scheduled to have its premiere with a sold-out screening on Oct. 18 at the AMC Centerpoint theater in Tempe with more screenings to follow. The film will then be available to rent on Vimeo the same day and is scheduled to
because they are small,” she said.
“Even if they aren’t on wheels, as long as the rules and regulations of the area allow it, you can kind of put them wherever you’d like and I think that’s very appealing to people. The portable ones are also
very appealing for businesses since we have many mobile businesses popping up these days.”
The show will offer over 900 vendors and could attract anywhere from 25,000 to 30,000 people over its three-day run from Oct. 14-16.
“We have several large features in addition to our tiny homes,” Fillipo said. “We have our handmade headquarters where attendees can come in and make their craft to bring home with them. We have a lot of holiday-themed crafts. We have our Halloween-themed candles. We have macramé cactus ornaments for your tree and we have nice paintings that you can do.”
The show also provides special educational opportunities for guests.
“We also have our seminar stage, which is always great for education about home improvement products and that sort of thing,” Fillipo said.
arrive on DVD and streaming platforms in early November.
Whereas many rockumentaries these days either glorify the story of bands whose trajectories are similar or simply repackage information widely known
about a certain artist, Esparza and producers Henry Eshelman and Jeff Freundlich focus on the “madness” that comes when two artistic minds bound by blood
The Maricopa Home & Garden Show is set to return to WestWorld of Scottsdale beginning Friday, Oct. 14 through Sunday and will
The Pistoleros were primed for breakout success in the 90s and a key component of the Valley’s music scene then. (Special to GetOut)
Scottsdale prepares for 2-day Italian festival
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Progress Staff Writer
Last November, the Italian Association of Arizona longed to attract Italophiles to its Pizza and Wine Festival as COVID-19 was slowing.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” said Frank Guzzo, the association’s executive director.
“We wanted to test the waters with the Pizza and Wine Festival. It was one day, as we were still dealing with omicron. In hindsight, it could have been two.”
It was so successful, the partner to The Italian Festival of Arizona will reappear this coming weekend as the Scottsdale Taste of Italy and Music Festival on the Scottsdale Canal.
The two-day celebration features live music, hand-crafted Italian items, wine tastings, authentic Italian cuisine, pizza ovens and Italian food trucks.
Entertainers include Italian-born classical crossover tenor Michéal Castaldo and accordion player Cory Pesaturo. Attendees can enjoy traditional dances,
HOME from page 45
“One that I’m excited about is our cabinet painting seminar hosted by one of our vendors Spray-Net. They’re going to show everyone the ease and benefits of spray painting versus brush and roller painting of your cabinets and how that can be much more efficient and sometimes even more long-lasting.”
PISTOLEROS from page 45
are tested by drug addiction, codependency and mental illness.
Make no mistake, though. The Pistoleros story is a triumphant one, albeit with a twist of sadness.
While it is difficult to discuss and write about the documentary without spoiling its fragile narrative, the manner in which the brothers’ respective battles with themselves and one another is quite an enlightening one – especially Lawrence’s.
“The music is almost a gateway to falling in love with the story of these two brothers,” Freundlich said. “If you listen to the lyrics in the in the songs, you realize
opera singers, live performances on two stages all day and a spaghetti eating contest for kids. Those with a sweet tooth can indulge in a variety of authentic gelato, cannoli and biscotti.
“In 2022, we planned our Italian festival to happen in Phoenix,” said Guzzo, who lives in Gilbert.
“We did that at (Phoenix’s) Heritage Square, and it was a huge success. We didn’t want to let go of Scottsdale, though. We really enjoy hosting an event in Scottsdale.
“Originally, we planned the Scottsdale Taste of Italy and Music Festival for November, but there wasn’t space available. So, we chose October and it’s now a twoday event. We thought, ‘Let’s make it a little more encompassing and offer a variety of different food.’ The Scottsdale’s Taste of Italy and Music Festival was born.”
The City of Scottsdale gave the festival $66,000 from the Tourism Development Fund established for events and event development.
“The city of Scottsdale is one of our major sponsors for the event,” Guzzo said. “They’ve really stepped up and helped
Fillipo also said the show offers is a good opportunity to look for holiday gifts or companies that can aid with home decorating for the holidays.
“We are coming up on the holidays here and so we do have several vendors that are going to be great resources for that,” she said. “We’ve got Level 5 Lighting, which installs permanent holiday lighting, and you want to stop by and talk to them.
whether it’s consciously or subconsciously, these guys are often singing about their firsthand experiences, quite frankly, with each other.
“Obviously, we don’t want spoilers, but, you know, love wins, right?”
In addition to highlighting the Zubia brothers’ literal brotherhood, the documentary spotlights the brotherhood between many of the other bands in the Tempe music scene.
One particularly heartfelt and bittersweet stretch of the documentary depicts the Zubias and other talking about the late Gin Blossoms guitarist Doug Hopkins, whose death had a profound impact on not only his own band’s career trajectory, but on the Zubia brothers’ own struggles
us financially so we could stay here and make the event happen. We’re grateful to the city of Scottsdale. That’s why it’s called the Scottsdale Taste of Italy and Music Festival.”
For the event, guests will see entertainment on two stages, along with pizza, pasta and nonfood vendors.
“We’re doing our best to make it fun,” Guzzo said. “The food is lovely. Everybody loves Italian food – the pizza, pasta, paninis, sandwiches, gelato, Italian ice, espresso. All those things are there.
“For other vendors, we have Italian women’s purses. I say that because I asked her for a men’s purse. In Italy, it’s part of the fashion. She usually sells out. We’ll have another gal who makes jewelry out of Italian coins. She’s going to be there with her products and jewelry.
“We have a variety of different things meant to get people engaged and introduce to someone or something they haven’t seen before. We want them to be entertained for a few hours and enjoy the event. It’ll be busy. It’ll be fun.”
The festival marks the first time Castal-
“We’ll also have vendors that offer great wreaths and garlands for the holidays and then we have great local artisans offering nice gifts and stocking stuffers like candles, soaps, dog treats, jewelry, and tons of other items.”
Whether guests come away with gifts, pamphlets, business cards, or just newfound knowledge, Fillipo hopes that guests enjoy themselves and make some
with mental health.
“Think about like the Haight-Ashbury scene in the 60s,” Freundlich says. “You had Janis Joplin living with the Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service living the same house, right? The Live Nudes’ [precursors to the Pistoleros] house was where all of these bands would party when they were done with their gigs.
“That’s the magic that happens when all these creative people are coming together. They’re not competing with each other, but they’re trying to lift each other up and look what happened.”
That sense of camaraderie runs throughout the documentary, from the Zubia brothers themselves to their connection with their Mexican American roots
do has performed in Scottsdale.
“I’m looking forward to seeing many of my followers and fans who have been following me on Facebook in the Arizona/ Phoenix areas,” Castaldo said.
“I perform Italian music, done in a classical style in the vein of Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Il Volo. It’s classical crossover and then I do songs with Italian flamenco guitar. I’ve been doing that style of music for quite a few years.”
He said festivals are an important way of spreading the truth about Italian culture.
“It is important because the Italian experience in the U.S. specifically has been told through the lens of Hollywood and television,” he explained.
“Generally, it’s not been in a positive light. By doing festivals and telling stories in between my songs, I try to balance the negative stereotype that Hollywood has told for many, many years. I talk about food, music, who inspired me, the great inventors and the great navigators and the great geniuses, the great painters, the renaissance. That’s something all Italians are very, very proud of.”
good connections.
“A lot of our attendees come with specific projects in mind, so we want to be able to provide them with a large number of options to get those projects done,” she said.
“We are always hoping that people walk away feeling like they had a good time but also feeling more knowledgeable and that they’ve made good connections that they will carry out into the future.”
via playing in mariachi groups with their father as children.
“The brothers are Mexican American, our director is Mexican American, and our picture editor is Mexican American,” Freundlich says. “The story that Mark and Lawrence tell about playing in a mariachi band with their father and then realizing that those chords worked for Van Morrison and The Doors, the Rolling Stones –our editor said ‘that is the experience of so many Mexican-American kids and teenagers that are embracing the culture of their family historically and then also assimilating fully into American culture.’
“For every Mexican-American kid or musician – that is going to resonate with them greatly.”
King Crossword
Blood Mary Shrimp Appetizer a
worthy addition to your party
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Since transitioning to a new career as a cooking instructor at Sweet Basil Culinary Center, my recipe repertoire has expanded considerably. I have the advantage of working with three talented chefs who bring decades of experience to the table, and I’m always the one asking them to share their tips, tricks and prized recipes. Once in a while, I sneak a peek into their classes and if I’m lucky, I get to sample some of what was being taught in class that day.
That brings me this dish. I absolutely went nuts over it! I loved absolutely everything about it; the simplicity of the recipe, the flavors and the reaction from folks when they bite into it. This Bloody Mary Shrimp Appetizer is the perfect addition to your holiday parties or any gathering. You won’t find a single person who doesn’t love it.
I wanted to share it with you now so you have perhaps a new dish for this year’s get-togethers!
By the way! Sweet Basil Culinary Center has moved to the La Mirada Shopping Center at the Northeast
• Ingredients For the tart shells:
• 24 wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• For the shrimp:
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ cups celery ( 3-4 ribs), sliced thin
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.Place wonton wrappers on a work surface and brush one side of each with melted butter.
Place one wrapper, butter side up, into each of the 24 mini muffin cups, pressing lightly. Place the muffin pans in the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Remove the tart shells from the pan.
3. Prepare the shrimp: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the Old Bay seasoning. Add the shrimp. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let
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• 1 cup scallions, sliced thinly
• For the sauce:
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup vodka
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
the shrimp stand in the hot water until cooked through ( the shrimp will be pink) about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool to room temperature.
4. Cut the shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with the celery and scallions.
5. Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, vodka, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce.
6. Just before serving, stir the sauce into the shrimp mixture. Spoon 3 shrimp pieces with the vegetables and sauce into each wonton cup ( about a tablespoon per cup) and arrange on a platter.
Makes 24 wonton cup appetizers.
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