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Music Makers Workshop teacher a global performer

AFN NEWS STAFF

Like other the teachers at Music Makers Workshop in Ahwatukee, Louise Baranger has had a storied career.

But one might probably expect that for someone called “The Trumpet Lady.” “I was lucky to be the first woman in numerous musical situations, including live performance and recording,” said Baranger, whose credits indicate far more than luck influenced her career.

She played on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and became friends with his band leader Doc Severinsen and Severinsen’s second in command, Tommy Newsom, who wrote arrangements for her first symphony orchestra pops show and her first album.

She performed for a TV special with Barry Manilow called “Big Fun on wing Street” with some iconic musicians like Stanley Clarke and Kid Creole.

The list goes on and on for Baranger, who is on a faculty at Music Makers Workshop that includes many highly educated and accomplished teachers, five of whom hold doctorates and several of whom also have had successful performing careers.

Baranger has been playing trumpet ever since fourth grade, picking up the moniker of “the Trumpet Lady” from women she played with later in her career.

“I kind of came from a show biz family,” she said. “My grandfather wrote Broadway shows for the Shuberts. He moved to Hollywood where he wrote screenplays

seeTRUMPET page 25

Louise Baranger is called “The Trumpet Lady” for a reason. She mastered an instrument that has opened the door to performing on stage around the world. (Special to AFN)

Ahwatukee revving up for 2 charity car shows

GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

Gearheads, get ready: Two big car shows benefiting local charities are coming to Ahwatukee in November offering prizes, raffles, food trucks and a variety of makes, models and generations of cars and trucks to ogle.

First, the 18th annual Ahwatukee Car Show hosted by the Ahwatukee Community Swim, Tennis and Event Center will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at Ahwatukee Park, 4700 E. Warner Road. It’ll benefit Dogs 4 Vets.

Susan Rast, the center’s director, said the show attracts a wide variety of cars and trucks, from classic cars to hot rods to more contemporary models with unique paint jobs or “daily drivers” that are in perfect shape.

“It is amazing, the condition some of these vehicle are in,” Rast said. “They’re The annual Ahwatukee Car Show at Ahwatukee Park features everything from antiques to

hot rods to stock “daily drivers” of all kinds. (Courtesy Ahwatukee Swim, Tennis and Event Center)

just pristine.”

A second major Ahwatukee Car Show, this one to benefit Hope for the Homeless, will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 26 at Mountain Park Church, 16461 S. 48th St. It’s organized by the Goodman Taylor Team.

Both shows are free to attend, and it’s free to register a vehicle online at ahwatukeecarshow.com for the show on Nov. 26. That show will raise money by raffling a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible. For the show Nov. 12 at Ahwatukee Park, vehicle owners can register online this year at ahwatukeecommunitycenter. com (click “events” and “car show”) or in person at the center and up until 8:45 a.m. the day of the show. Cost is $20 in advance; $25 the day of the show per vehicle.

Last year’s show at Ahwatukee Park was one of the biggest ever, featuring about 75 cars, Rast said. Because it is held the day after Veterans Day, the event will have patriotic elements, and registration is free for veterans.

“We’ll begin the show with ASU Air Force ROTC and raising the flag,” Rast said. “We’ll have a bagpiper again. It’s always a

AFN NEWS STAFF

Another signature event in Ahwatukee is returning after the pandemic shut it down the last two years.

The annual Arts and Crats Fair at Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive, will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 19.

Admission is free so people can get a head start on their holiday shopping with unique hand-made items that include stained glass and glass, jewelry, quilts, woodwork, clay and pottery, greeting cards and other paper gifts, candy, ceramics and more.

While most of the items are made by some of the 29 clubs that are based at the ARC, organizer Patti Burke and her team also selected six outside vendors, each with unique offerings that can be used for gift-giving or personal use.

They include Peg J Designs of Chandler, Memory Expressions of Gilbert, URockEveryday of Glendale, Custom Cookies By Lyn of Central Phoenix, A Cut Above Creations of Scottsdale and Nancy Derrig of Mountain Park Ranch.

A look at the ARC clubs that will be offering their work will be published in next week’s Ahwatukee Foothills News. Here’s a preview of the six outside vendors and One of the show’s six outside vendors is Julie Brown of URockEveryday in Glendale, who makes and sells painted rocks. (Special to AFN)

what they will be offering:

Peg J Designs. Peggy Matanich will be selling greeting and note cards, wine gift bags, and note pads.

“My love for making these products all started 15 years ago while working at a stationery store in California,” she says on her website. “It was fun learning how to make products from start to finish. So much fun I decided to start my own business after moving to Arizona a couple years ago. That was when Peg J Designs was established.

Custom Cookies By Lyn. Lynette Geake offers 70% dark Belgian chocolate covered Oreos in an array of hand-painted seasonal designs and flavors. The business began over seven years ago when she was asked to create favors for her son’s wedding and she began taking chocolate classes.

This led to a passion for creating delicious chocolate treats in a wide variety of

Lynette Geake, owner of Custom Cookies by Lyn, designs Oreos with 70% Belgian chocolate to make customized cookies. In about seven years she has made and sold 20,000 of her customized cookies for a variety of occasions. (Special to AFN) flavors, including a salted caramel flavor seeARC page 26

Ahwatukee Boy Scouts host carwash this Saturday

AFN NEWS STAFF

If you’ve been too busy to put a shine on your vehicle for the holiday, Ahwatukee Boy Scout Troop 78 is poised to help.

The troop will hold a car wash fundraiser 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, next to YOASIS, 1304 E. Chandler Blvd., in the Foothills Center.

While keeping your vehicle looking nice, the donation “will support the troop in many ways, including a week-long summer camp where the boys will work on merit badges and rank advancement, as they earn their way towards becoming Eagle Scouts,” said Ruston Conley, the troop’s assistant senior patrol leader.

The troop also uses the money from fundraisers to complete service projects in the community.

Recent Eagle Scout service projects have taken place at local schools, a loBoy Scout Troop 78 members ready to clean some cars are, from left, BACK: Aiden Kirkpatrick, Austin Irvine, Carl DiGiovine, Ruston Conley and Jack Blodgett; FRONT: Justin Porter, Jackson Irvine, Jace Hyduchak and Danek Kehoe. (Courtesy

Troop 78)

cal church and the Humane Society, said Ruston, noting:

“These service projects require months of planning, preparation, leadership, and hours of hard work. Each project benefits many in our community.

“Troop 78 chose to raise funds through their carwash because doing so is consistent with many of our values,” he added. “With a carwash the boys must plan, prepare, budget, work as a team, serve the public, and have fun doing so.”

“It’s really like running a business for a day,” Ruston continued. “We aim to do a really good job for our customers. At our last car wash many customers said it was the best car wash their car has ever had. We do a good job and our customers are really happy. We also get lots of guidance from our parents.”

The troop also is always welcoming new members. Boys in the 5th grade and into high school can join the troop, led by Dave Merrill and George Hyduchak.

Parents and their children can learn more by dropping by the carwash, where the scouts and their moms or dads will be on hand to answer questions.

They can also attend the next troop meeting at Esperanza Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14. 

for films and some lyrics for TV show themes. My grandmother studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NY and appeared in TV commercials.”

Growing up in Southern California, one of her first teachers was Harold “Pappy” Mitchell, former first trumpet at the MGM studios who played in films like “The Jazz Singer,” the first talkie movie, as well as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone With the Wind.” “Another great influence was Bobby Shew, arguably one of the world’s finest jazz players and educators. Bobby took me under his wing when I was about 16 taught me about life, music, and how to survive in the music business,” Baranger recalled.

She started her career in an all girl band and that led to an invitation from another legendary band leader named Harry James.

“In those days if you played with a famous band like Harry’s, you are assured a career,” she said. “After Harry passed away in 1983, I went to Las Vegas to play a show at the Union Plaza Hotel, then came back to L.A. where I embarked on an incredibly busy music career playing with the who’s who of the business.”

She eventually ended up playing on Broadway for such stage hits as Les Miserables and “Carousel” and, not surprisingly, also performed in Carnegie Hall.

“I played there a few times and it always felt so amazing to be on that hallowed stage where so many legends performed,” Lousie Baranger teaches a high school master class at Music Makers Workshop in Ahwatukee and records each student’s weekly assignments so they can listen and learn from them. (Cour-

tesy Music Makers Workshop)

she said. “Plus the acoustics are amazing.”

To a degree, Baranger also forged a path through a male-dominated world. “At first, I had the challenge of being accepted as a woman playing a traditional male instrument,” she said. “In almost every band I was the only woman, so I figured out how to be ‘one of the guys’ but still keep the respect of the men around me. It was like walking a tightrope.

“I have spent a lifetime having people ask me things like, ‘You play the trumpet, but what do you do for a living?’ or ‘Can women really play the trumpet?’”

“That being said, most of the guys I’ve worked with have been professional and respectful, and I’ve worked with some amazing players and made some fabulous friends over the years,” she added.

“I’ve been paid to see the world, play music in interesting places, and played for two sitting Presidents. Hanging out in the NY Yankees dugout before performing the National Anthem was pretty cool too! What more could I ask?” she said.

Baranger teaches a high school master class at Music Makers Workshop.

“From day one I treat students as if they can learn the fine details of music,” she explained. “I expose them to theory and the language of music while they learn to play the trumpet. I remember having so many

CAR SHOW from page 22

great way to start the show.”

Owners can register a vehicle in one of eight categories: antique classic (pre1965), classic (1965-85), custom cars, trucks, convertibles, exotic cars, muscle/ hot rod (1965-75) and daily driver (stock, non-modified). Trophies are given for first and second place winners along with best in show and sponsor’s choice. Judges base their decision on the number of points an entry racks up.

Thomas Berkebile of Ahwatukee entered his black 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup truck in the trucks category and his burgundy 2011 Chevy Camaro SS as a daily driver.

He’s had the Silverado since it was new and bought the Camaro seven years ago, and says they’re special because they’re all original and still look new.

“Both of them have won there before,” Berkebile said. “It might happen again— you never know.”

The Camaro also is eye-catching because of its metallic paint, which came stock from the factory, and the Silverado has a Z71 off-road package—not that it gets out much.

“They’re kept in the garage and I have a Toyota I use to get around,” Berkebile said. “They hardly get used. The only time they get out is when I go to car shows.”

He added, “If you look at any vehicle that’s used every day, most of them are beat up, and that’s why mine are a little bit special.”

The paint on both vehicles is “like a mirror,” Berkebile said, because he uses a clay bar to keep it looking snazzy. Clay bars remove contaminants embedded in the clear coat that make it feel bumpy and helps prevent scratches.

Berkebile’s advice for anyone who wants a show-quality vehicle is to prep the paint with the clay bar and then use a good wax, and to keep the interior fresh with a product such as Meguiar’s or Mothers for leather treatment and interior detailing.

And he did admit he plans to drag race the Camaro on a track at some point.

“It’s fast enough that it ought to do pretty good,” he said, because of its 450-horsepower engine.

But, he noted, “Any more that’s nothing,” because the Dodge Demon has an 840-horsepower stock motor.

Rast said car owners enjoy their show because “we are respectful of their vehicles and take extra steps to make sure their cars remain clean,” she said. They put down tarps so the dirt won’t get on tires.

She encourages people to ask questions about the cars, saying people learn something every time they come. Most owners

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questions a young player, and I want to answer all of those questions for my students, even before they know what to ask.

“I think music is taught in most schools at a glacial pace, which underestimates the learning ability of students,” she continued. “The cool thing about private lessons is that each student can move at their own comfortable pace. I do push my students a bit, but I also remind them that music should never feel like a burden.”

She records her students’ assignments every week so they can listen to them,” calling that technique “a really valuable learning tool.”

People can get a chance to hear and watch Baranger work her magic at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Phoenix’s premier jazz club, The Nash.

She will appear with her husband, Fred Tregaskis, host of National Public Radio’s “A Moment in Wine” during the first of three shows in a series called “Wine & Jazz, The Ultimate Pairing.”

The theme for this show is “Wonderful Wines for Thanksgiving.” Each show –”Holiday Wine Tasting” will be Dec. 11 – features a unique theme with Tregaskis narrating a tasting of four wines, complimented with music played by Louise’s jazz quartet. Included are backstories about the wine and music, “plus lots of audience participation,” Baranger said.

There are special ticket prices for students and non-drinkers. Tickets and information: thenash.org/event/winejazz-matinee-the-ultimate-pairing-ofwine-and-jazz-2.  sit in chairs next to their vehicle and are happy to chat.

“It’s like they’re talking about their child,” Rast said. 

If You Go...

What: Ahwatukee Car Show to benefit Dogs 4 Vets Where: Ahwatukee Park, 4700 E. Warner Road, Phoenix 85044 When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 12 Cost: Free to attend; $20 to register a car in advance; $25 day of event Info: ahwatukeecommunitycenter. com/car-show or (480) 893-3431

What: Ahwatukee Car Show to benefit Hope for the Homeless Where: Mountain Park Church, 16461 S. 48th St., Phoenix 85048 When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 26 Cost: Free to attend; free to register a vehicle Info: ahwatukeecarshow.com

Sun Valley Church, Kyrene Foundation launch holiday drive for needy families

The Kyrene Foundation has launched an annual drive to help needy families have a traditional Thanksgiving and a merrier Chirstmas.

The foundation hopes to provide each designated family with a co-branded Foundation and Landings Credit Union visa card for groceries for theTurkey & Trimmings and Winter Wonderland efforts as well cards for gifts for each of the kids for Winter Wonderland.

In addition, organizers are sorting through toys collected from the previous live event and will be distributing those as well at Winter Wonderland.

“We anticipate the need to be much larger this year,” foundation member Rick Richardson said.

People are asked to consider cash donations only as organizers are not collecting gift cards or items.

The foundation said its 2021 donation drive “was a great success due to a tremendous outpouring of generosity from our community and partners. The Kyrene Foundation, Sun Valley Church and the Kyrene District were able to ensure over 200 families and 700 children did not go without the simple joys of the holiday season.”

To donate, go to kyrenefoundation.org.

Armer Foundation launches toy drive for Banner Children’s at Desert Center

The Armer Foundation – an Ahwatukee-based non-profit that helps families with children who have extreme medical needs – is hosting its fourth annual holiday toy drive to benefit the Banner Children’s at Desert Medical Center’s pediatric ICU and oncology Unit.

The foundation is looking for Valley business that would host a donation bin and serve as a drop-off location for the unopened toys to bring smiles and hope to children battling for their lives.

“A brand-new toy can mean the world to a sick child and as parents who have been through this we know what a difference just one toy can make in a child’s life when they spend several weeks in hospital,” said Jennifer Armer, the foundation’s founder.

The foundation also is hoping for toy donations. “It can be as big of a toy or as small as you can afford, but every little bit helps us give back to these children and their families. We just thank everyone for helping us spread some holiday cheer once again this year,” said Armer.

To sign up for a donation box, go toarmerfoundation.org or call 480.257.3254.

Other items the Armer Foundation will be collecting include: baby dolls, blankets, comfy socks, crayons, pajama pants, hair brush/comb, hair ties, coloring books, kids’ games and books, puzzles and stuffed animals.

Information: armerfoundation.org/toydrive.

ARC from page 24

she created using Werther’s caramels and an original Oreo cookie. Over time, she has made and sold over 20,000 chocolate-covered Oreos for weddings, showers, birthdays, business promotions and other special occasions.

URockEveryday. Julie Brown started

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Ahwatukee women’s organization slates author as brunch speaker

Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors will be hosting a brunch at Sivlik Grill from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 28 with Carol Sampson, an AFFAN member, talking about her book “Horse Wrangler Shenanigans.” It is her story of becoming a wrangler at the Pointe Resort in 2003.

Contact affanwomensgroup@gmail.com for more details and to register. The cost is $22 and a prepaid reservation must be received by Nov. 19.

AFFAN is a local women’s club serving Ahwatukee since 2001, offering members opportunities for dining, card games. gardening, books, exploring Arizona day trips, etc. Information: affanwomensgroup.org/public.

Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club plans evening bash at Wild Horse

The Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club, open to women 16 and up has scheduled Putting on the Ritz 6:30-10 p.m. Dec. 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 hor’s d’ourves, entertainment, dinner buffet, raffles and dancing. Cocktail attire is optional and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are available at sendomatic. com/AWSCRITZ.

Tukee Trot lining up walkers for big post-Thanksgiving run/walk

The third annual Tukee Trot 5K is back on for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 25 starting at Desert Vista High School and the walk chip-timed and USATF-sanctioned. 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: tuke-

Desert Vista Yoga alumni and community event slated Nov. 24 on football field

The Desert Vista Yoga Program and yoga teacher training track has been growing since 2011. Amanda Goe, a Desert Vista teacher and the program’s founder and teacher, recently added to her existing training and education with a master’s degree in yoga studies from Loyola Marymount University and a Chopra Center Meditation Teacher Certificate.

Goe will be offering a complimentary yoga class on Desert Vista’s football field 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 24 for DV alumni, friends, and family. Desert Vista Yoga wants to continue to contribute to building a healthy community with this first annual “eternal gratitude flow,” she said. Bring a yoga mat or large towel and water.

For information, reach Goe on Instagram @eternalhealthandwellnessllc or stop by Forever Yoga at Rural and Elliot roads. The new studio was opened by a gastroenterologist and physician assistant to offer wellness classes to the community. They are currently running a special for two weeks of unlimited classes for $25. Goe teaches flow classes Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. and the studio offers chair yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga by candlelight, and sound healing meditations. Information: foreveryoga.studio.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages this month

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. Tuesdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families. There is no Babytime Nov. 29.

Toddlertimes

Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun. Thursdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families. There is no Toddlertime Nov. 24.

Full STEAM ahead for kids

Children ages 5-11 can explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent. Saturdays, 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 Nov. 26.

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 Nov. 15, 4-5 p.m. Read with Raven on Nov. 10 and 17, 3:304:30 p.m.

Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee hosting speakers at its weekly meetings

The Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club invites interested people to attend one of its weekly meetings at 7 a.m. Thursdays at Biscuits Restaurant in the Safeway Plaza at 48th Street and Elliot Road. However, the meeting on Nov. 17 will be held at the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, 1030 E. Liberty Lane.

The lineup of speakers includes: Nov. 10, Vicki Fiorelli, United Way; Dec. 15, Shirley Coomer, Kyrene Foundation.

Democrats and Donuts speakers next week will discuss election results, 2024

Nancy Schriber, chair of Maricopa County Democratic Party, and Ne’Lexia Galloway, its executive director will speak at the 8 a.m. Nov. 16 Democrats and Donuts breakfast at Denny’s, 7400 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler.

They will discuss the Nov. 8 election results, and what’s in store for 2024. Although the start time of the meeting is 8 a.m., attendees are asked to arrive a little earlier to get seated and get your breakfast order in. The hosts will be there by 7:30 a.m.

Information: Julia Fleeman at juliafleeman@cox.net.

Submit your releases to pmaryniak@ timespublications.com

painting rocks as a hobby. As an outdoor enthusiast, she said, “combining the hunt for the perfect rock and then turning them into colorful works of art was a perfect match.” She has been teaching classes, selling and hiding rocks for the past four years. Her specialty is mandala design, saying, “the more colors, the better.”

A Cut Above Creations. This vendor will be selling woodwork, and baskets.

Memory Expressions. Janice Radakovich will be selling scrapbooks.

Nancy Derrick. She will be offering potholders, aprons and dishtowels.

The ARC is a happening place this month, as it also is presenting a special concert by one of the state’s most popular “sugar groups” – The Arizona Highwaymen – at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12.

The celebrated band will be playing its own tunes and those of Country Western’s legends like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.

Tickets are going fast for the show at the ARC’s 200-seat main hall and are on sale for $25 online at purplepass.com/ ARC or at the center 9-11 a.m. today through Saturday. 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2022

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New bridal store aims for ‘delight, surprise’

BY JOSH ORTEGA AFN Staff Writer

With the pandemic subsiding, wedding bells have been tolling more frequently this year – much to Shayna Clute’s delight.

Clute is president and owner of True Society Bridal Shop, a global retail collective that opened its eighth location in Mesa.

The wedding industry expert said she draws upon her own experience to help brides of all shapes and sizes walk down the aisle in style.

“We just want to delight her senses as much as we can surprise her,” Clute said.

According to The Wedding Report, experts predict 2022 could see nearly 2.5 million weddings in the U.S. Many of those ceremonies were rescheduled from 2020, when the pandemic force months-long shutdowns of any public gathering spot.

Clute has worked in the wedding industry for more than 20 years, nearly the same amount of time she’s known her husband, Scott.

She said that while some traditions remain, more couples want to make their weddings unique – including their attire.

“They’re still clinging on to tradition, but I feel like they’re infusing more of who they are as a couple into the wedding,” Clute said. “And they’re making their day their day.”

Clute said the dress “sets the tone for the day” and remains the focal point for most brides today.

She reminisces on her own experience in selecting her gown as she helps her clients. “I draw upon that moment, like finding my dress and my dress shopping experience, because it makes me stay grounded,” Clute said.

Clute said her stylist helped make her wedding special and that’s why she has carefully picked her team of stylists – the ones who help a bride pick the right gown and accessories.

That’s also why Clute “painstakingly” picked accessories that coordinate with Shayna Clute recently opened the True Society Bridal Shop in Mesa. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

the gowns, so every bride can experience their signature “say yes” moment with no regret.

“I’ve been in the industry for so long that I’ve tried just about every collection that’s out there,” Clute said.

Clute opened Luxe Bridal shop in Minnesota in 2010 with her husband. It sold wedding dresses for plus-size women and was even featured on the Today Show in 2013.

Now, Clute joins the international True Society brand, which presents itself as “a positive and inclusive destination for brides of every shape, size and style,” according to a press release.

“I think a woman’s shopping experience should not change because of her size,” Clute said.

Clute brings new levels of luxury to the Valley with international award-winning designers Essense of Australia, Stella York, Martina Liana, All Who Wander, and Oxford Street.

From classic to boho, lace to sparkle, the shop offers styles to meet a variety of tastes and budgets and offers gowns in sizes 2-34.

“I’m passionate about that because I’ve been all shapes and sizes throughout my life,” Clute said.

While wedding dress sizes derive from a European size chart, Clute said she wants to help all her customers find the perfect dress.

“So, we want to make sure that it’s less about the size, and more about the construction and quality of the gown, and the fit,” she said.

The Wedding Report also found that couples will spend an average of more than $24,000 on their wedding.

While budget cuts and guest count reductions are consistent this year, The Wedding Report found 87% of couples aren’t having issues finding what they need.

Unlike other industries when the economy gets tough, Clute said the bridal dress industry remains somewhat “recession-proof” because it hasn’t seen too much of an increase in the price of materials.

“They’re not jumping historically at all,” Clute said. “There’s just small increments that we’re seeing, but we’re really not seeing it affecting us in our stores.”

Pay attention to this recession survivor checklist

BY JOSEPH ORTIZ AFN Guest Writer

It’s unfortunate, but recessions are a fairly normal part of the economic landscape. When a recession occurs, how might you be affected? The answer depends on your individual situation, but regardless of your circumstances, you might want to consider the items in this recession survival checklist:

Assess your income stability. If your employment remains steady, you may not have to do anything different during a recession. But if you think your income could be threatened or disrupted, you might want to consider joining the “gig economy” or looking for freelance or consulting opportunities.

Review your spending. Look for ways to trim your spending, such as canceling subscription services you don’t use, eating out less often, and so on.

Pay down your debts. Try to reduce your debts, especially those with high interest rates.

Plan your emergency fund. If you haven’t already built one, try to create an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid account.

Review your protection plan. If your health or life insurance is tied to your work, a change in your employment status could jeopardize this coverage. Review all your options for replacing these types of protection. Also, look for ways to lower premiums on home or auto insurance, without significantly sacrificing coverage, to free up money that could be used for health/life insurance.

Keep your long-term goals in mind.

Even if you adjust your portfolio during times of volatility, don’t lose sight of your long-term goals. Trying to “outsmart” the market with short-term strategies can often lead to missteps and missed opportunities.

Don’t stop investing. If you can afford it, try to continue investing. Coming out of a recession, stock prices tend to bottom out and then rebound, so if you had headed to the investment “sidelines,” you would have missed the opportunity to benefit from a market rally.

Revisit your performance expecta-

tions. During a bear market, you will constantly be reminded of the decline of a particular market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But instead of focusing on these short-term numbers, look instead at the long-term performance of your portfolio to determine if you’re still on track toward meeting your goals.

Assess your risk tolerance. If you find yourself worrying excessively about declines in your investment statements, you may want to reevaluate your tolerance for risk. One’s risk tolerance can change over time — and it’s important you feel comfortable with the amount of risk you take when investing.

Keep diversifying. Diversification is always important for investors — by having a mix of stocks, mutual funds and bonds, you can reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio. To cite one example: Higher-quality bonds, such as Treasuries, often move in the opposite direction of stocks, so the presence of these bonds in your portfolio, if appropriate for your goals, can be valuable when market conditions are worsening. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification cannot guarantee profits or protect against all losses in a declining market.)

A recession accompanied by a bear market is not pleasant. But by taking the appropriate steps, you can boost your chances of getting through a difficult period and staying on track toward your important financial goals.

Joseph Ortiz is a financial planner for Edward Jones. Reach him at 480753-7664 or joseph.ortiz@edward-

jones.com. 

BRIDAL from page 29

Despite the pandemic in 2020 and inflation in 2022, Clute said brides still want to walk down the aisle looking special.

“I think it goes back to people willing to pay for experiences coming back from COVID who want to celebrate with their family and friends,” Clute said.

As a family operation, Clute said she has conversations about the business with her husband every day, though he works on the corporate side.

Clute said she’s really excited for what the future holds for the store and how she can work other small businesses in the area. Featuring custom-built fitting rooms along with all the signature touches that put True Society on the bridal map – including cupcakes, candies or cookies – Clute said she’s looks forward also to collaborating with other businesses to heighten the experience of the dress shopping experience.

“I think that’s really important to us in being a part of that collective here in the East Valley and just reaching out and working with other small businesses and helping them,” Clute said.

Information: 1837 W. Guadalupe Road, Mesa; 480-590-7988, truesociety.

com/locations/mesa-az 

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2022 Opinion

www.ahwatukee.com

@AhwatukeeFN | @AhwatukeeFN Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com

Who’s to blame when self-driving cars kill?

BY NORMA FARIS HUBELE

AFN Guest Writer

The first U.S. felony case involving a driver using a partially automated driving system began recently in California. Limousine driver Kevin George Aziz Riad had his 2016 Tesla Model S on Autopilot when it ran a red light, crashed into a Honda Civic, and killed two people in 2019.

Edward Walters, an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University law school, posed the key question in a recent article in Automotive News: “Who is at fault, man or machine?”

According to Walters, an expert in selfdriving vehicles and the law, the prosecutors will have difficulty proving the driver is guilty because “some parts of the task are being handled by Tesla.”

Yet Tesla is not facing charges in the case. Legal experts say that’s because it’s even harder to make a criminal case stick against a company.

Autopilot claims face global pressure

Instead, legal entities worldwide are moving to curb Tesla’s marketing of the Autopilot system. In 2020, a court in Munich banned Tesla from describing its system as “full potential for autonomous driving” and “Autopilot exclusive” in its German advertising.

I agree with this ruling, and so does the Society of Automotive Engineers. SAE developed the auto industry’s accepted Levels of Driving Automation, using a 0-5 scale.

Level 5 is a completely self-driving vehicle. Think of KITT, the Pontiac Trans Am Firebird in the 1980s series Knight Rider, that could plan a route and drive it, all by itself.

By comparison, Tesla’s Autopilot is at Level 2. At that level, the technology package can control the vehicle speed, braking, and steering. However, the driver needs to pay attention and be ready to assume control of the driving if something goes haywire.

A big caveat for car buyers & investors

Tesla also offers more extensive Autopilot systems called Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability.

However, all its systems come with the caveat, as stated on Tesla.com: “The currently enabled Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

In other words, the system is actually assisting, not replacing the driver.

Tesla’s self-driving claims are also facing scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice. Similar to the German judge’s opinion, the federal investigation centers on the idea of misleading the public. Namely, both car buyers and Tesla investors.

Right now, most of us are not Tesla owners and probably pay little attention to what Tesla calls its system, whether Autopilot, Self-Driving, or Robo-car. And our interest in the tragic Riad case centers mainly on its novelty.

However, the serious charges that Riad faces should give us pause. Someday in the near future, we may be driving vehicles with more partially automated features, get in a fender bender or a more serious crash, and face the blame game.

Then it will be up to the insurance companies to decide who’s at fault: man or machine.

Ahwatukee resident Norma Faris Hubele is professor emerita of Arizona State University and creator of TheAutoProfessor.com, a website that helps families make safer car choices. Her book, “Backseat Driver, The Role of Data in Great Car Safety Debates” was pub-

lished in August by Routledge. 

How Phoenix can overcome Colorado River shortage

BY TROY HAYES AFN Guest Writer

Water is an essential resource for the sustainability of any community. But water is even more precious in the Valley of the Sun, and the supply is not infinite.

We must all work together to do our part to conserve water so that future generations can enjoy the desert lifestyle that so many of us cherish.

Overallocation and climate change have created a water shortage on the Colorado River, prompting Phoenix to declare a Stage 1 Water Alert and activate its Drought Management Plan for the first time in 20 years. These steps are the first in a series of measures designed to protect water resources when there is a disruption.

Over the decades, Phoenix developed a robust and diverse water resource portfolio with multiple sources and contingency supplies to provide our customers with safe, affordable, and reliable water. While the current Colorado River shortage is a concern, it is also an opportunity. It is an opportunity to refocus on how we use water in the desert.

There are many things each of us can do to reduce our water use. Removing nonfunctional (decorative only) turf, replacing high-water-use landscapes with desert landscaping, and installing efficient outdoor watering systems are the most effective methods that residents and businesses can use to save water. Water-efficient appliances, low-flow toilets, and fixtures are also essential conservation tools, and the City will soon launch programs that help people to make these substantial changes. Phoenix is also working to promote water-saving technology for cooling systems in large buildings.

In Phoenix, we will continue to invest in infrastructure projects that provide resiliency, such as underground water storage and piping.

An important example is the new Drought Pipeline, which provides additional flexibility to move water across the City.

In addition, earlier this year, we agreed to participate in the 500+ Plan by foregoing part of our Colorado River water allotment with the goal of adding 500,000 acre-feet of additional water to Lake Mead each year through 2026.

We will also explore innovative ways to reduce the impact of climate change on our water resources, including the construction of advanced water treatment of recycled water for use in homes and businesses.

Phoenix is committed to exploring the development of additional renewable surface water supplies. The supplies will be a significant addition to our water resiliency; yet it is important to understand that the cost to acquire, treat, and deliver these water supplies will be significant.

As part of our ongoing effort to keep the public informed about how reduced allocations of Colorado River water are impacting the City of Phoenix, Phoenix Water staff are hosting a series of town hall meetings open to the public – learn more at phoenix.gov/drought.

This town hall series provides our customers with information about the Colorado River shortage and how it pertains to the City of Phoenix.

The presenters discuss the Stage 1 Water Alert and Drought Management Plan. They also focus on how the City manages its diverse and robust water supplies, new infrastructure investments, and other strategies in development to prepare for a

Help the Kyrene Turkey & Trimmings and Winter Wonderland drives

The Kyrene Foundation, in partnership with Sun Valley Church and the Kyrene School District, is hosting its annual Turkey & Trimmings Celebration in November. We are also celebrating the December holidays with Winter Wonderland. We are asking for only monetary donations for both events.

We are unable to accept tangible gift donations– no toys or gift cards please.

Our ambitious goal this year is to raise $40,000 that will provide for over 325 Kyrene families and their 950 children to be served during these holiday seasons.

Needs may vary but our community never wavers.

The Donation Drive 2021 was a great success due to a tremendous outpouring of generosity from our community & partners. The Kyrene Foundation, Sun Valley Church and the Kyrene District were able to ensure over 200 families and 700 children did not go without the simple joys of the holiday season.

The Kyrene Schools Community Foundation (Tax ID# 86-0607130) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving and providing resources to children and families in the Kyrene community.

Make an online donation or become a sponsor through Dec. 3 at: kyrenefoundation.org/winterwonderland/

-Rick Richardson, Vice President, Kyrene Foundation

Kyrene board ‘advocates trendy wokeness’ in gender remarks

The national war to capture the hearts, minds, and bodies of our precious youth in our public-school systems is being waged every day in every state.

The article in the Oct. 19 AFN entitled, “Kyrene Board begrudgingly OKs ban on boys in girls-only sports” underscores that battle right here in Ahwatukee!

The radical movement originated years ago in our universities with support from left wing activist groups including the “trusted” teachers’ unions.

In today’s vernacular they embraced CRT, cancel culture, DEI, and gender identity as they infiltrate the classroom with their incessant rhetoric.

Their “real” intent is to tear down the very foundation of our society by co-opting our children.

Many school boards, administrators, and teachers have become complicit pawns in the war.

The powerful educational hierarchy is statistically, ideologically, and politically left wing. Their financial contributions and voting patterns are factual evidence of their tendencies.

Parents across the nation are grappling with sensitive societal issues, as well as trying to ensure their children receive practical skills to compete in today’s society.

Meanwhile, Kyrene Board members are focused on gender identity issues and unabashedly stated their opposition to the law Save Girls Sports Act as SB 1165 was titled. Kevin Walsh says, “We do intend to comply with the language. It’s just a question of whether or not we want to have that in our policy.”

Michelle Fahy and Wanda Kolomyjec demurred to the law and sought the elimination of the law’s language from the district’s policy manual.

All three will “sort of “comply, but won’t make it part of the board’s policy manual?

Can you say “double talk?”

Their words are suborning noncompliance by giving administrators and teachers cover for taking ideological and political latitudes in the classroom.

Where do board members derive the statutory right and responsibility to advocate trendy “wokeness”?

The answer is they do not have the authority.

Ideological and political issues are the province of parents.

Examples of actions in public schools around the nation; male transgenders are celebrated as “heroes” for winning athletic competition against girls, biological males are given access to girl’s locker rooms, and counselors circumvent parents in discussions on gender identity.

What’s next, the board’s tacit approval for puberty blockers and transgender surgery including breast and genital removal for minors?

These board members have issued a clear, dangerous, and challenging signal to parents and grandparents alike…. We know better than you, we know better

WATER from page 31

hotter, drier climate.

In addition, attendees can ask questions about water conservation efforts and how Phoenix is positioning itself for than the law, and we are in charge of your daughters and granddaughters.

Can this happen in our Ahwatukee public schools? Who should define what is appropriate for our children’s emotional, psychological, sexual, moral, and physical well- being?

Parents of course, not a systemically liberal education bureaucracy.

They are our children; we need to be vigilant and be involved.

-Dave Neal

Sympathy for a cause does not condone lawlessness

Running the letter that touched on election denial in your last issue before the midterms gives no chance to respond in the public forum of the letters page before the election.

However, the question of election denial has to be met with a response that is truthful and measured. I am not happy about defending either person whom the letter writer alleged to be an election denier, but truth is truth.

It is true that Stacey Abrams in Georgia never conceded the governor’s race in 2018, arguing that Brian Kemp, who was secretary of state and in charge of elections, had rigged the game in his favor.

She did however acknowledge that he was the governor of Georgia as a result of the election and the rules of that election.

Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election and conceded it and called on her supporters to give the next president a chance to lead.

Every source for public election information indicates she won the popular vote nationwide, so if there’s any hint of denialism in her public speaking, it’s simply that the Electoral College system can in some cases deny the will of the majority of the nation’s voters because it gives the individual states more power to decide the presidency than it gives to the citizens of the entire United States.

Most of the time the popular vote and the electoral vote coincide. An Electoral College victory over the popular vote only happened five times in our history and 2016 was one of them. It will happen again sometime if the Republic survives all this argumentative nonsense.

These cases do not present a precedent

a sustainable future with less Colorado River water.

The Valley is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, and we expect this region will attract people and businesses for many years.

Because of historic water conservation efforts, we can continue sustainable growth. Still, we must work together to overcome this Colorado River problem.

That will require us to see water differently – not as an abundant resource – but for denying the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election and for the lack of either a concession speech or an acknowledgment that Mr. Biden is the president of the United States as a result of the election and the rules of that election.

The facts to contradict this conclusion are not in evidence.

In the interests of truth, the letter writer was wrong about the deaths at the Capitol. However, had the letter-writer said that protester Ashlee Babbitt was the only person killed in the police response to the Jan. 6, 2020, attack on the Capitol, that assertion appears to be correct.

Another protester, Roseanne Boyland, apparently was trounced to death by the surging crowd. Both died as a result of the protesters’ push beyond the barriers set up by the Capitol Police. (The other deaths all lumped together with the tenuous description of being “connected” to the attack conceivably could have happened had there been no attack.

Several died by natural causes, four police officers took their own lives later, and another officer’s own health condition may have led to his death the day after the protesters attacked him, but the medical examiner did not rule out the possibility that the stress of the event may have hastened his demise by several strokes.)

If you demand that protesters for other causes should respect the police, then it would seem very difficult to claim that the Jan. 6 protesters who breached the Capitol were within “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” as the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states it.

The attacks on property, citizens and police in other cities during widespread protests are unjustified and so do not justify the Jan. 6 attackers. It’s a grave mistake in our discourse to think that sympathy for a cause means the same thing as condoning lawlessness.

-Sal Caputo

Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com

as an essential part of our thriving desert metropolis that we must manage, protect, and conserve.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | NOVEMBER 9, 2022

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www.ahwatukee.com Pride dominates in win over Sunrise Mountain

BY LANCE HARTZLER AFN Contributing Writer

The Mountain Pointe Pride couldn’t have played much better Friday night at home against the Sunrise Mountain Mustangs. It mirrored the type of dominating performances Mountain Pointe had during its prime, when it won a state title in 2013 and was dominant up until the 2017-18 season. This year’s edition of the Pride is trying to resurrect that magic, and looked well on their way with a dominant, 49-6 Senior Night win over the 5A Mustangs from the West Valley.

And that’s exactly the goal for the prideful Pride. “It feels good,” senior quarterback Chris Arviso II said. “It’s a step on the steppingstone of bringing back the Mountain Pointe powerhouse. It feels good that I am a part of this and all my friends are a part Mountain Pointe dominated Sunrise Mountain Friday night to take home a Senior Night win and improve its playoff ranking. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

Desert Vista junior quarterback Braxton Thomas is hit as he throws by Cesar Chavez senior defensive back Marzhon Hooks Friday, Nov. 4 at Thunder Stadium. (David Minton/Staff Pho-

of this to try and bring Mountain Pointe to what it used to be.”

The Pride improve to 6-3 overall following the non-conference win and remain solidly in the playoff picture with one game left. Sunrise Mountain continues to struggle and falls to 3-6 overall.

Arviso played calm and collected all night, throwing two touchdowns and, at one point in the first half, was an efficient 10-for-11 through the air with a few dimes sprinkled in there. His two touchdowns came in the first half, one to Jaylen Johnson and one to Christian Clark.

Clark also scored the exclamation point late in the fourth, while Randle Parker scored twice (45-yard run and a five-yard run) and Jay’len Rushing (one-yard run and a 50-yard run). “I feel like our offense is elite,” Arviso said. “It’s very hard to stop because we have three running backs who are amazing. Our line blocks. Then we have athletes everywhere.”

The emotions of senior night weren’t a

seePRIDE page 37

Thunder fall in back-and-forth battle with Cesar Chavez

BY AARON HEALY

AFN Contributing Writer

Desert Vista is playing for pride at this point of the season.

The Thunder have struggled to find their footing all year, losing early in the season in blowout fashion and most recently in back-and-forth affairs that seem to slip away in the final moments of the game.

That was the case once again Friday night against Cesar Chavez as the Thunder fell to the Champions 45-36. “A lot of penalties, mistakes … those ate at us like parasites,” Desert Vista senior linebacker Antonio Delgado said. “That’s kinda been a common factor, I guess. We can play up there with some of the best teams, but we lose to ourselves a lot, especially mentally. “That’s what I feel like has been happening a lot lately, especially toward the end of this game.” The mistakes, penalties and miscues allowed for the Champions to capitalize on multiple occasions throughout the night.

Chavez quarterback Jorge Beltran and wide receiver Myseth Currie played a pivotal role in the success of the Champions against Desert Vista’s defense. But that has been the case all season for two of Chavez’s best players.

All season they’ve been in sync. “Ever since I came over here, we have been grinding all day and night,” said Beltran, who transferred from Mountain Pointe. “We wake up in the morning at like eight in the morning, get some throws in, go to practice and get some more throws in.”

Along with a healthy dose of Beltran and Currie, Chavez running back Micah Boozer found success against the Thun-