Gilbert Sun News - 2.20.2022

Making sense of home market

NHRA fans get pumped PAGE 28

REAL ESTATE An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com

Farmers ask Sinema for Eeny, meeny, etc. help at Gilbert meeting

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

NEWS................................ 4 Gilbert reps vote against helping schools.

COMMUNITY......... 16 At 88, Banner Gateway nurse not slowing down.

O

ver the decades, Schnepf Farm in Queen Creek, the largest peach grower in Arizona, has branched into other avenues for income such as hosting weddings, staging festivals and recently selling off 13 acres for rental housing.

But one of the biggest financial hurdles the fourth-generation family farm faces this year is a cut in Central Arizo-

Gilbert couple ready to make you sweat.

COMMUNITY....................................... 16 BUSINESS.............................................23

OPINION................................................ 25 SPORTS..................................................26

GETOUT.................................................28 CLASSIFIEDS.......................................34

na Project water due to the long-term drought.

“All of Pinal County (water) districts are involved with trying to drill new wells, trying to rehab old wells,” said Mark Schnepf, the farm’s patriarch.

“But the water isn’t where it needs to be so we are going to have to build pipelines to help improve the distribution system with each of the existing districts.”

Although the nearly 5,000acre farm is in Maricopa

see SINEMA page 8

Experts question town ban on feeding stray cats

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

BUSINESS................ 23

Sunday, February 20, 2022

S

andy Browne said she didn’t realize stray cats were becoming an issue at the 2,035-home Trilogy Golf Club at Power Ranch until she met another resident Margaret Graham who was also feeding them.

“That is when we thought, this is a problem and started TNR,” the Gilbert woman recalled. “Over the years up until now we’ve trapped 86

cats.”

TNR or Trap-Neuter-Return is a method where traps are baited with food to capture feral cats that are then spayed or neutered, returned to the location and fed until the colony dies off.

Removing the cats creates a vacuum effect where unsterilized cats move into the area and start breeding and cause nuisance behavior like spraying, yowling and fight-

see TNR page 6

Gilbert officials are sampling public opinion on a design for the Ocotillo Bridge that would cross over Gilbert Regional Park. To learn about the poll and make your voice heard, see page 7. (Town of Gilbert)

2

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

NEWS

3

For Gilbert Legionnaire, flag program is special GSN NEWS STAFF

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Gilbert Sun News is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Gilbert.

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Main number: 480-898-6500 | Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641 Publisher:

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F

or seven years now, Gilbert resident Fred Meyer has been part of a program put on by two century-old organizations that teaches tykes in local schools about the American Flag.

It’s a labor of love of country for Meyer, a member of both American Legion Post 39 in Gilbert and The Society of Forty and Eight, a now independent organization that’s a year younger than the 103-year-old Legion and that dates back to the French Theater in World War 1, when 40 doughboys and eight horses were crammed into narrow-gauge railroad cars for transport.

The Legion and Forty and Eight took to Patterson Elementary School in Gilbert last week, where Meyer, Legionnaire Doug Adamson and national Forty and Eight Secretaire-Treasurer Don Reed of Chandler presented their 45-minute Flags for First Graders program.

“We teach the children how to respect the American Flag,” Meyer explained. “We ask them some questions and allow them to ask some questions – unfold and refold the American Flag, telling them the meaning of each fold.”

At the end of the program, they hand out a comic book that in plain language explains the flag and why it deserves respect as well as a miniature flag.

The little flag is also marked by a labor of love on Meyer’s part: He goes around town gathering pieces of wood that he fashions and paints as little stands for the flag so that the kids can put them on a shelf in their bedroom or on their desk.

“It’s a fair amount of work,” he said.

“Right now I’ve probably got about 700 blocks at home, but we hope to visit three or four more schools this year.”

An Army veteran, Meyer is proud

Presenting the Flags for First Graders program at Patterson Elementary School last week were American Legion Post members Fred Meyer and Doug Adamson and Don Reed of Chandler, secretaire/treasurer for the national Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses. (Jonason Pauley/Gilbert Public Schools) of the Legion, not only because of the flag program but also of $50 million in scholarships it has awarded to nursing students.

“My daughter happens to be a fourth-generation nurse,” he explained.

Though not all Legion posts have a Flag for First Graders program, Meyer estimates 70 percent of them do.

But it requires time, not only to make arrangements with schools for a visit but to organized the materials and find some fellow Legionnaires who have the time to go out to the schools.

Meyer himself said he tries to prod posts that do not have the program to consider starting one, though he admits some that he has contacted in the past don’t carry through on their assurances they’ll begin one.

But ultimately, Meyer and the volunteers who help him do it because if offers a chance to be personally involved

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in demonstrating their patriotism.

Indeed, his work earned him a kind of statewide designation as a kind of ambassador for Americanism, one of four pillars the American Legion was founded on and continues to promulgate, along with national security, children and youth and veterans affairs and rehabilitation.

“It’s fun and I enjoy doing it with the kids,” he said for Flags for First Graders, adding that besides his love of country, he has a very personal reason for carrying on, at least for the next few years.

The first time he participated in a flag program was also at Patterson, when one of his grandchildren was a student.

“I’ve got to do it for at least a good six or seven more years,” he said, “because I got two more grandkids that will turn 2 on April 29. I’m gonna be an old guy still doing this stuff.”

4

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Gilbert lawmakers oppose lifting school spend cap

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

B

oth Gilbert LD 12 representatives in the state House were among the 14 Republicans who voted against a bill to waive the expenditure cap that is stopping Arizona public schools from spending all the money they already have for this fiscal year.

Despite the no votes by Reps. Jake Hoffman and Travis Grantham and their colleagues last week, the House’s 45-14 approval of the measure means it’s up to the Senate to spare school districts across Arizona from making cuts in their current budget totaling more than $1.1 billion.

Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, said she has yet to line up the necessary votes in her own chamber and unless senators act by March 1, the House vote won’t matter – and schools will be barred from spending cash they already have and need to finish the school year.

That would force Gilbert Public Schools to make $40 million in spending reductions while Higley Unified is looking at a $16 million reduction and Chandler Unified faces $54 million in cuts.

“This could be fairly catastrophic,” said Bill Parker, Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board member at its Feb. 1 meeting. “My concern is the impact on students and our employees. We already have a teacher shortage in the state, a significant shortage. If we have to lay people off we might not have them back.”

Higley Chief Financial Officer Tyler Moore told his board earlier this month, “This reduction would wipe out all our contingencies from our current budget.” By depleting its reserves, the district won’t have to make any cuts this current year but Moore added: “We would have to make some reductions in or eliminate some of those ad-

GOT NEWS?

Gilbert Reps. Travis Grantham, left, and Jake Hoffman were among 14 House Republicans who voted against lifting a crippling spending lid for schools. (Special to GSN) ditional budgeted FTEs (full time equivalent),” he said. “We would also have to propose no compensation increase as well as hiring and salary freezes.

“With no budget contingencies in our budget we would be at risk if there was any sort of catastrophe. We would be at risk of having to furlough. It’s just not pretty. I don’t want to go down the list of stuff but this is potentially what we are preparing for if this were to come to fruition.”

The House vote occurred with all Democrats in favor.

None of the 14 Republicans who opposed the move explained their decisions. Nor did any respond to requests after the vote by Capitol Media Services for comment.

The measure had bipartisan support and one of its champions was Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, D-Chandler, whose district includes a portion of west Gilbert.

Pawlik told colleagues there was no reason for them to refuse the one-time waiver.

“The override is a temporary fix that will allow schools to spend the money

they have already been allocated,’’ she said.

“They have not done anything wrong,’’ Pawlik continued. “And they certainly have not overspent their budgets.’’

Instead, it simply recognizes – as has the l Legislature at least twice before – that the aggregate expenditure limit approved by voters in 1980 needs to be waived in certain circumstances.

House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, echoed the sentiment that the action should have been routine.

“Every year or other there’s some issue that is politicized,’’ he said. “No one ever said that the schools were doing something wrong.’’

The delay in acting, Bowers said, was to make sure that the waiver did not affect other issues, like the fate of Proposition 208, a voter-approved measure that sought to raise over $800 million for K-12 education through a surcharge on the incomes of the most wealthy.

In an earlier ruling the Arizona Supreme Court said the funds cannot be collected if they would force schools

to exceed the expenditure cap. Bowers noted, though, that issue is about the 2022-23 school year; Tuesday’s vote is about the current school year.

That leaves it to Fann to line up the votes in the Senate. And she declined to tell Capitol Media Services how many votes she is short.

But, even counting her own support, she needs at least six of the remaining 15 Republicans to go along.

That’s because it takes a two-thirds vote of both chambers even for a oneyear waiver of the expenditure cap. And there currently are only 13 Democrats in the Senate, what with Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tucson, not having been present since the beginning of the session as he chose to stay home and avoid the possibility of infecting his newborn child.

The limit was imposed by voters in 1980 as part of a multi-pronged effort to curb government spending. It set a baseline of total K-12 expenses, with annual adjustments for both inflation and student growth.

That growth figure, however, is based on attendance in the prior school year.

And the COVID outbreak resulted in many students not attending classes.

Complicating matters is a 0.6-cent sales tax first approved by voters in 2000 to supplement teacher salaries.

The original 20-year measure put those revenues outside the expenditure cap. But when lawmakers approved an extension through 2041 they did not include the same exemption.

That action alone amounts to more than $600 million of the excess.

Education officials have said the failure of lawmakers to waive the limit by March 1 means each and every school district will need to trim about 16% of what they budgeted for the entire school year. The cuts will need to be made in just three months, a move that could result in having to lay off teachers and consolidate classes.

Contact Cecilia Chan at 480-898-5613 or cchan@timespublications.com

5

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Town panel OK with industrial project rezone

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

H

opewell Industries jumped the first hurdle and easily garnered approval of its request to convert 12.81 acres from general office to light industrial use near American Furniture Warehouse.

The Gilbert Planning Commission last week unanimously voted to recommend that Town Council approve a rezone and minor General Plan amendment for the vacant property located west of the southwest corner of Swan Drive and Warner Road.

“Staff is in support of it,” planner Josh Rogers said. “This is within the Power Road Growth Area, which is an area along Power Road from Elliott to Williams Field that the Town in our General Plan we are looking to promote the development of industrial business park and commercial shopping centers.”

Rogers added that staff received no comments from the public regarding the proposed land use.

According to staff, when the subject site was initially annexed into Gilbert in 2006, it was zoned light industrial to meet the Town’s vision for an industrial and commercial corridor within the growth area that could easily take advantage of the nearby Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

However, after sitting vacant for nearly a decade, the property owner got the land rezoned to general office to accommodate a senior-care facility that never came to fruition.

Chairman Jan Simon acknowledged that it was still early in the approval process but wanted to know what potentially could end up on the site.

“We anticipate a very similar product to what … you see south in the Power Commerce Center,” Rogers said. “And, also what was approved on the Hopewell Industries phase one.

“So, very similar uses in incompatible with the overall direction this area is going and what’s anticipated.”

The 12-acre site is adjacent to a 19.97acre site Hopewell Industrials already got Town approval for industrial use.

Rogers said the company is well underway on phase one of its project, a small

industrial commerce park.

Hopewell Industries for phase one planned to build two light industrial buildings, between 55,000 and 83,000 square feet each, according to its rezoning application to the Planning Commission last June.

The buildings will be able to accommodate multiple tenants, likely small- to medium-sized distribution companies with ancillary offices, showroom retail users or similar facilities, according to Hopewell.

Commissioner Tyler Jones questioned the impact the rezone might have on homes to the west, saying he was concerned about “a difference in height re-

ing, according to experts.

Browne said since the first trapping in December 2013, the number of free-roaming cats in her community has dwindled from approximately 50 to about 20-plus.

“I honestly believe that if Margaret and I had not started the feral cat program here in 2013, we would have very serious problems,” Browne said. Graham died in 2021.

TNR is endorsed by Trilogy’s HOA, which pays for the spaying and neutering. Initially there was pushback from some residents but over time they saw the benefits and have even donated money toward the food, Brown said.

The 16 current volunteers raise additional monies through garage sales to pay for the cats’ medical care, testing for feline leukemia and vaccinations like rabies.

Browne said if it weren’t for people who practice TNR in Gilbert, the town would be overrun by cats.

But the Town remains unmoved on the issue of allowing it on its properties.

In 2018, Town Council adopted an ordinance that prohibited the feeding of stray cats on public property. Staff at the time explained the ban addressed nuisance issues rising out of cat food dumped on town property and public

TNR from page 1

The Gilbert Planning Commission recommended that Town Council approved Hopewell Industries’ request to rezone the area outlined in blue. (Town of Gilbert)

strictions going from office to light industrial and also any potential changes in setbacks.”

Rogers said the light industrial use would require more of a setback than office use – at least 75 feet, “which is quite substantial.”

“In terms of height, if the buildings are within 100 feet of residential and above 30 feet in height, anything above 30 feet within that 100 feet of residential has to be stepped back,” Rogers said.

“So, there are a lot of considerations in our code in regards to proximity to residential and then also just the size of the building that is allowed within a certain distance.”

Jones still wanted assurances.

“So, would you view this as less impactful to adjacent residential neighbors or worse off or the same?” Jones asked.

“How do you see that?”

Rogers said he didn’t now to respond to his question “because in terms of impact it’s dependent on the use.”

“There’re also the stipulations in our code just in regards to the building separation and the limitations on height and the adjacency that are meant to balance out the light-industrial use,” he said.

“Whereas a general office they’d be allowed to be a lot closer to the residential.

“So, I believe our code does a really good job of trying to balance out that impact going from general office to light industrial.”

By the end of the discussion, the commissioners agreed and said the proposed use was consistent with the current use in the area. rights-of-way.

But cat caregivers say the law hinders their ability to help reduce the feral cat population in town because they can’t bait their traps with food on public property.

The caregivers have pleaded for the Town to repeal or amend the ordinance and have asked Parks and Recreation

see TNR page 10

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Town seeks public input on Ocotillo Bridge design GSN NEWS STAFF

R

esidents will have until Feb. 25 to voice their favorites among four preliminary designs of a bridge that will cross over Gilbert Regional Park.

The bridge will connect Ocotillo Road between Higley and Greenfield roads, providing direct access to the 272-acre park in the southern portion of town.

The public’s feedback will help whittle the four designs down to two with updated renderings by April, according to David Rutkowski with consultant Kimley-Horn. Rutkowski gave a project update and details of each design for the Parks and Recreation Board last week.

The final two choices may consist of existing concepts or a hybrid of those and will be put to another public poll later this spring, according to officials.

Council in early summer is expected to pick the design to proceed with construction, which was expected to begin in the

fall or winter of 2023. The bridge was anticipated to open for use in spring 2024, according to the town’s timeline.

Each of the four concepts – Cascade, Palo Verde, Waterfall, and Water and Stone – is designed around a desert oasis theme, Rutkowski said. The theme came out of public outreach.

The 545-foot bridge will have four travel lanes along with bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways on both sides. The overall budget for the project was $67 million with the construction portion at $54 million, Project Supervisor Ryan Blair told Council last September.

The town website also allows residents to leave comments on each design and a few have done so.

The Waterfall design incorporates giant dragonfly statues on the bridge that one commenter said poses a “potential safety hazard with people trying to climb it,” while another called them “ugly.”

But one person wrote, “I like the dragonflies, but maybe another option like a

hummingbird or butterfly. They add color and dimension. The bridge is more appealing from this vantage point. The shade provided is very appealing.”

The Water and Stone design with blue wavy curves attached to the bridge was likened to a “slinky that got tangled up” by one person while another said it was nice but wished there were some shade spots.

And, “this looks the most expensive with whatever system will be used to clad the bridge making the design,” another said.

The Palo Verde with giant green arches that can be lit up at night got two thumbs up for its design while one person wrote, “Colors are terrible as well as the design.”

While one person called the Cascade with its giant towers the “most appeal of the four,” others were less kind with the comments – “Kind of plain,” “reminds me of a rest stop” and “So ugly. I live where I can see this often and it’s not what I’d want to look ,” one person said. “It looks

like every other Pheonix underpass.”

Rutkowski was asked by the commission which of the four designs he liked.

“I like the Waterfall out of the four,” he responded. “I think the simplicity of it; it’s loud but not everywhere and from both sides you get something special.”

He added he would like to see the controversial Gilbert logo on top of whatever bridge is picked so people “can see from a distance where you are.” He added the Cascade design originally had the logo.

A bridge is needed to connect Ocotillo Road because it’s separated by a number of natural barriers such as the Queen Creek Canal, East Maricopa Floodway and a Roosevelt Water Conservation District canal.

TAKE YOUR PICK

The deadline for residents to pick two of four proposed designs for the Ocotillo Bridge is Feb. 25. To vote, go to glbrt.is/OcotilloBridgeVote.

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

SINEMA from page 1

County, it’s served by New Magma Irrigation and Drainage District in Pinal County.

The federal government for the first time declared a water shortage last year, triggering a mandatory reduction that hits farmers the hardest with Pinal County reportedly losing two-thirds of its CAP water. Nearly all the reductions within Arizona will be borne by CAP water users.

Schnepf and a small group of farmers and ranchers met with U.S. Sen. Kyrstn Sinema, D-AZ, at the Arizona Farm Bureau in Gilbert to discuss their challenges and what she can do to help.

Sinema was in the East Valley on Feb. 11 touting the goodies that are coming to Arizona from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill she helped shepherd to President Joe Biden’s desk.

“We’re facing the cutback in CAP water right away,” Schnepf told the senator.

“We have a 40-year-old distribution system, which is an aging system. We need resources in order to upgrade the system. We also would like to underground the system for more water efficiency.”

The farmers’ concern specifically is getting the funds from the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART grant program, which is capped at $5 million and requires a 50% match, he said.

“This is very limiting, especially in today’s world when we’ve got so much to do,” he said. “We are literally facing down this drought and we have ideas and plans to get it done. It’s just a matter of getting the financing.”

He asked if Sinema can help raise the cap and lower the local match.

Sinema made note of his request and said there is funding in the new legislation that could help them.

The five-year spending measure includes $8.3 billion for western water projects that includes addressing aging infrastructure and building new surface and groundwater storage and conveyance facilities.

“What’s exciting about this law is that we passed a $1.2 trillion piece of legislation without raising taxes,” Sinema said.

“It is going to upgrade aging infrastructure throughout the country, the biggest job investment in over a generation. It’s

U.S. Sen. Kyrstn Sinema, flanked here by PHX East Valley Partnership President/CEO John Lewis, left, and Mesa Mayor John Giles, met with East Valley and other leaders and then with farmers. (Cecilia Chan/GSN Managing Editor) wonderful.

“The downside is it’s $1.2 trillion and when you flood that much money into the federal government the opportunity for there to be waste or problematic implementation is very high and so oversight is something we’ve started.”

Sinema said she and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, are working together to safeguard against preferential treatment and ensure a fair share for states out West, which historically were underserved when it came to federal allocations of dollars.

“And we want to make sure the money isn’t being wasted or used inappropriately,” she added.

Nancy Caywood, a fifth-generation farmer in Pinal County, who grows cotton, barley and alfalfa, also agreed that funding was needed to put infrastructure in place like wells and canals.

“Everybody has to eat,” she said. “If we lose jobs in agriculture, everybody will be affected.”

Third-generation farmer David Sharp emphasized the importance of agriculture, saying 90% of the winter produce comes out of Yuma County from November to April, amounting to a $3.5 billion industry. Agriculture is estimated to be a $23.3 billion industry in Arizona, according to the state agricultural depart-

ment.

Sharp then asked Sinema for help in dealing with Yuma County’s 30-plusyear designation as a “PM10 nonattainment area,” which means it fails to meet federal air quality standards. As a result, farmers and ranchers are required to help reduce dust with measures such as erecting wind-barrier fences at a cost to them.

“Nonattainment is hanging over our heads,” Sharp said, adding it was not just affecting farmers but the entire county.

He added that every time the area exceeded air quality standards, it was due to an outside windstorm and not from farming or ranching practices.

Sinema said she would be happy to help on that problem.

Wes Kerr, who owns a fourth-generation diary operation in Buckeye, raised the issue with the worker shortage.

“It’s really a very pressing issue on our farm,” Kerr said; “and all of our neighbors, as well. Just this week two of our neighbors who are dairy farmers have started milking their cows from three times a day down to two times a day just because of labor.

“So, when we talk about food inflation, cows that are milked only twice a day give less milk. So, we are going to have less milk supplied to our population and

the prices continue to rise. Anything we can do to really increase the availability of labor is huge.”

Kerr noted that all the employees on his farm were born and raised on farms in Mexico and have the experience of working with large animals.

“These people are very, very skilled and these are the people that we need,” Kerr said.

U.S.-born citizens don’t want to work on a dairy and lack the experience to do so, according to Kerr.

“Foreign labor is vital to our farms,” he said, adding that he spoke with a multi-generational dairy farmer who’s selling his business.

Kerr added that when he graduated from college in 2005 and began managing the family farm, there were 75 dairy families in Arizona. Today, there are 35 left.

Sinema said she has long been a proponent of immigration reform so that Arizona has the labor it needs.

“I’ll be real honest with you, Congress hasn’t shown a lot of interest in actually addressing the problem,” she said. “And this has been my top priority my entire time in public service.”

On one hand, there’s the Republican Party that only wants to do enforcement, which in her opinion greatly discriminates against border states like Arizona that rely on immigrant labor to do the work that it takes to feed people throughout the country, Sinema said.

And her party “in recent years has shown interest only in legalization and has been less interested in providing actual security measures to protect us from the bad trafficking and the dangerous commerce that is occurring across the border,” she said.

“We need to provide for a labor market in our country that is orderly and safe and we need to have security so we can keep the bad guys from doing the illegal trafficking back and forth across the border.”

Sinema said she has been working closely with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on this issue.

“He and I have been trying to build

see SINEMA page 9

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

State could get $76M for vehicle charging stations

9

rizona stands to get up to $76.5 million over the next five years to develop electric vehicle charging stations along interstate corridors, in hopes of increasing EV ownership by reducing range anxiety for drivers.

The grant is the state’s share of a fiveyear, $5 billion program unveiled last week by the U.S. Department of Transportation that aims to expand the number of charging stations from the current 47,055 to more than 500,000. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program is part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last fall.

The first round of funds will come this year, with Arizona in line to get $11.3 million in fiscal 2022, money that electric vehicle advocates say is badly needed in a state with large rural areas that lack stations.

“It’s going to really help to have these new charging stations that hopefully …

fill in some of these holes,” said Jim Stack, president of the Phoenix chapter of the Electric Auto Association. He said EV owners are eager to see the infrastructure in more rural areas where “there aren’t too many charging spots.”

The first phase of the program will target interstate highway corridors to help with long-distance EV travel. A second phase, expected to be announced later this year, will focus on underserved and rural areas.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the program will “help to create jobs, fight the climate change crisis and ensure that this game-changing technology is affordable and accessible for every American.”

All six interstate highways in Arizona have been designated alternative fuel corridors, making them eligible for the charging station program, according to the Federal Highway Administration. No state highways in Arizona have been given the designation.

Garin Groff, a spokesman for the Ar-

izona Department of Transportation, said the agency is studying the federal program and “it’s too early to go into detail.” But Groff said the department plans to meet the Aug. 1 deadline for states to submit proposals for funding to the federal government.

“To determine what will be in the plan, ADOT will work with other state agencies, municipal planning agencies and the public to develop a proposal for electric vehicle charging stations along designated alternate fuel corridors,” Groff said.

“The work will include determining proposed locations for the charging stations.”

Buttigieg said federal partnership with states and the private sector could help accelerate and “build a nationwide network of EV chargers by 2030.” But he also said the program is flexible enough that states can use the funding for operations and maintenance of current stations.

Arizona currently has 861 public charging stations, which offer 2,211 ports where an individual vehicle can plug in, according to the Energy Department’s Al-

ternative Fuels Data Center.

The center said Arizona also had 28,770 registered electric vehicles by the end of 2020, the seventh-most among states. It was in sixth place among states for EV ownership per 1,000 residents that year.

Arizona has also recently become home to three electric vehicle manufacturers: Lucid Motors and ElectraMeccanica, which produce cars, and truck maker Nikola.

Even though states will have to go through the federal government to get funding for the charging station program, that extra layer is “essential,” said Marc Geller, a spokesman for the Electric Vehicle Association. He said federal oversight of charging infrastructure will ensure that the system is compatible nationwide.

“We want to have a complete and functioning network of charging stations across the country,” Geller said. “It’s not going to help someone who’s driving in Arizona, if they cross into New Mexico and suddenly there’s an incompatibility.”

some bipartisan support to do just even the smallest of measure to ensure we are keeping border security, that we are dealing with the asylum, the refugees but also dealing with the fact we have major labor needs in our country,” Sinema said. “It’s been difficult to find partners who are willing to have reasonable, moderate discussions to do both security and a path to labor.”

Earlier in the day, Sinema met with

East Valley Mayors Bridgett Peterson of Gilbert, John Giles of Mesa, Kevin Hartke of Chandler and Gail Barney of Queen Creek at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, which is receiving funding from the infrastructure bill.

Sinema later said what she took away from that meeting was the group’s excitement about the infrastructure law and their request for help in navigating it.

“There’re a lot of funding pots available for things like roads, bridges, water storage, aging water infrastructure, obviously money for airports,” she said.

“But I think one of the challenges that local governments face is learning how to get access to those dollars in a way that is timely and efficient. “ Some of these are smaller cities and towns. They don’t have a huge staff that can comb through thousands of pages of

federal legislation. They need someone to help them, ‘here’s a grant you can access. We’ll help you.’

“That was the biggest takeaway from today and I wanted all of them to understand my staff and our team are a resource for them at any time to help them identify funds that they are (eligible) for and get those dollars into their community.”

BY EMILY SACIA Cronkite News

A

SINEMA from page 8

Bucks for Arizona

President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package in November. U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, helped negotiate the bill.

Her office provided the following investment coming to Arizona and said federal agencies were still working on the implementation of the law and have not determined local municipalities’ share.

• $500 million over five years for clean

and drinking water, pipes.

• $82.5 million in Arizona water systems and environmental infrastructure through the Army Corps of Engineers in 2022, including $65.75 million for the full funding of the Little Colorado River Flood Control project in Winslow.

• At least $50 million for drought relief in 2022 (possibly a higher amount).

• Fully funded all currently authorized Indian Water Rights Settlements in

Arizona.

• Up to $76.5 million over five years for electric vehicle charging.

• Up to approximately $26 million for orphaned oil and gas wells.

• $100 million in 2022 for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

• At least $100 million for rural broadband.

• $969 million in 2022 ($5.3 billion over five years) for roads and highways.

• $45 million in 2022 for bridges.

• $903 million over five years for public transit.

• $78.9 million over five years for commercial motor vehicle highway safety.

• $348 million for all Arizona airports over five years (including a total of $22 million for Phoenix-Gateway – the airport will receive $4.5 million of that total amount this year) .

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TNR from page 6

Director Robert Carmona to exercise a provision in the ban enabling him to make an exception in cases of “animal rescue, rehabilitation or management,” which he’s been reluctant to do.

Although town officials maintain the ordinance doesn’t prevent people from practicing TNR on private property, caregivers argue that cats don’t know boundaries.

“I spoken to staff and there are no new problems to date that would change our current polices,” said Councilman Scott September, who was not on the Council in 2018. “I have to rely on the professionalism and experience of our staff.” The reason why Gilbert isn’t seeing a problem with stray cats is likely due to caregivers practicing TNR secretly on public property, driven underground by the ordinance.

A few caregivers have been cited and police arrested resident Paul Rodriguez in 2019 for running afoul of the ban.

Rodriguez agreed to a settlement of his criminal case, which cost him over $12,000 in attorney fees. Like most caregivers, he paid for the food and medical care.

One longtime caregiver said last week he still puts out food for a cat colony on town property but not as often since the ban took effect in fear of being caught. He didn’t want his identity or the location revealed.

“That would not be smart for a feeder/trapper to do as that would be an admission of guilt with proof provided on a platter,” he said. “I would be outed and have cops hounding me.”

Town officials are mistaken if they think there’s no feral cat problem in Gilbert, said Michael Morefield, spokesman for Altered Tails, the state’s largest nonprofit spay/neuter clinic with locations in Mesa and Phoenix, “How is it 512 cats came from Gilbert last year to our clinic?” he asked.

The total number of TNR surgeries performed at both clinics in 2021 was 11,339. Of that, the Mesa Clinic accounted for 4,724 surgeries, which means 11% of the surgeries were performed on cats from Gilbert, Morefield said.

“Those (cats) are either through rescue partners or through concerned cit-

Linda and Dennis Boedeker put fresh food in the box for feral cats at the Narrowleaf feeding station within the Trilogy Golf Club at Power Ranch boundaries. (David Minton/GSN Staff

Photographer)

Unneutered cats are capable of generating a legion of felines over a few generations. (Solano

County, California, Community Cat Program)

izens whose addresses are in Gilbert,” he said. “If the address is in Gilbert, you have to assume they are trapping in Gilbert. People don’t travel for TNR.” Maricopa County has an estimated 350,000 feral and homeless cats, according to H.A.R.T or Homeless Anmals Rescue Team in Mesa.

“So Phoenix is affected, Tempe, Mesa and Anthem but not Gilbert?” Morefield said. “It’s disingenuous of Gilbert to say they are not affected.”

Left unaltered, the 512 Gilbert cats in two year’s time can reproduce to 9,000

felines, according to Morefield.

Cats are prolific reproducers with an intact female able to produce up to three litters a season with two to four kittens per litter, according to The Wildlife Society.

Because the breeding season for cats in the Phoenix area is practically yearround, “you can have adult cats who have kittens in the beginning of the season and those kittens have kittens by the end of kitten season,” Morefield said. “So, you’re talking about litters upon litters.”

Morefield said one unsprayed female and her offspring over a period of seven years can populate Gilbert with 279,000 cats – higher than the number of people who live in Town today.

“It’s crazy the growth that can happen,” he said.

Morefield addressed the concern that putting out food attracts outdoor cats to an area.

“Lot of people look at it as a chickenand-egg problem,” he said, adding that people don’t leave food unless cats are already present. “People don’t wander around with food looking for cats.

“It’s not the food that’s attracting cats but food was placed to manage the cats.”

He said homeless cats are drawn to a location such as a park because of the resources it provides –foliage for shelter, a water supply and food such as rodents.

“So, cats came here for a reason,” Morefield said. “Cats don’t wander aimlessly. They explore and establish a territory and it’s defined by something they can have and continue to have.”

If the Town partnered with a TNR group, it would be able to educate the public on how to put out food and not cause a nuisance, according to Morefield.

“Working hand in hand with a responsible group would give the best resources, best education and ensuring people aren’t dumping a bag of food next to a library,” he said. “When Gilbert says you can’t trap in a public area or can’t feed on city property they are taking away a tool to control the issue, assuming they don’t want to have outdoor cats.

“It’s such a weird thing the Town would be insensitive to people who want to help the community and do TNR on their own time and own money.”

Nonetheless, Council members Laurin Hendrix, Yung Koprowski, Kathy Tilque and September all said they don’t have enough information about TNR to make a decision.

“I don’t have a position one way or the other,” Koprowski said. “I would be

see TNR page 12

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

4 nabbed in rash of vandalism to Gilbert, Chandler vehicles GSN NEWS STAFF

C

handler police have arrested an adult and three juveniles in connection with a dozen of some 67 acts of vandalism to vehicles totaling more than $75,000 in Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa that occurred between Feb. 1-17.

Arrested on Feb. 17 following an intensive investigation was Davion Lacy Lacour, 19, of Chandler. He was booked into the County Jail on 12 counts of criminal damage while the three juveniles were booked into the Durango Juvenile Detention Facility.

Police said the four suspects drove around residential neighborhoods in the three municipalities, breaking windows and slashing tires on parked vehicles.

The most recent series of incidents occurred shortly before their arrest a little after midnight Feb. 17 at Alma School Road and Mesquite Street as police went to investigate damage done to 12 vehicles in the area.

Police heard windows being broken and saw Davion’s vehicle leaving at a high rate of speed, according to a release.

Witnesses to various acts of vandalism described seeing a car with a missing hub cap and police put out a bulletin about the suspect vehicle.

Police began zeroing in on the culprits on Valentine’s Day, when they had stopped Lacour’s car and saw that it had a hub cap missing on the same wheel as described by witnesses. They also noticed a hammer and flashlight in the car, but apparently did not have enough evidence to detain Lacour at the time.

But subsequent investigation also showed that clusters of the incidents occurred near some of the suspects’ homes.

Police began following Lacour and stopped him after the latest round of incidents.

According to the arresting officers, police found a hammer, tire iron, two knives and a pole inside the car.

Police said that Lacour admitted they were out damaging vehicles and had done so on about a half dozen occasions the past few weeks. “Davion said he mostly just drove the other subjects around, but he did damage about five vehicles on his own and kenw what the other subjects were doing,” a police report stated.

Police are continuing to study video tape of other incidents to identify the suspects and are asking anyone who has not reported any vandalism to their vehicle to call 480-782-4130 and file a report.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

TNR from page 10

open to further conversation with the mayor and other council members if it becomes a major problem that would threaten the health of our residents or the health and wellbeing of our animals.”

Tilque also said deeper conversation is needed by the Council about feeding cats on town property. She also is concerned about the liability for allowing TNR. “I have a problem when releasing (cats) back out to town property,” she said.

But, she added, “I’m perfectly willing to have a study session on it and get the facts and look at all the opportunities.”

Vice Mayor Aimee Yentes and Councilman Scott Anderson did not respond to requests for comment.

Anderson, however, in 2020, while running for re-election, told the Gilbert Feral Cat Coalition that he “would be hesitant to support a TNR program in Gilbert unless it is practiced according to current law and supported widely by Town residents.”

The local group had queried the candidates for their position on supporting a town-wide TNR program.

Mayor Brigette Peterson during her 2020 campaign said she was willing to take another look at the ordinance that she helped passed as a councilwoman.

Trilogy HOA supports TNR and feeding stray cats to trap them for neutering. Many residents believe that pro-active stance by the HOA has controlled what could easily become a major problem in the community. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer) When Peterson took office in 2021, she began working with staff on a potential solution, according to an email she sent the Gilbert Feral Cat Coalition earlier in February.

Peterson said staff “reached out to the Town Council and the members did not wish to have a follow-up discussion about feral cats or the wildlife-feeding ordinance.”

September, Tilque, Hendrix and Ko-

prowski said they recalled meeting individually with Carmona last year, who gave an update about the cat situation in Gilbert but did not ask for their position on TNR. Peterson also said in her email that she had reached out to a council member and “I do not have any support on this topic. It would take four members to approve any changes to the ordinance.

And the majority of lawmakers on the panel said they were unconvinced by claims that sometimes it is in the interest of the cat – and an owner’s ability to keep that cat – to allow the procedure.

The legislation, crafted by Rep. Amish Shah, D-Phoenix, is being advanced by some animal rights groups.

Dr. Steve Hansen, president of the Arizona Humane Society and a veterinarian, said when he first graduated from medical school he declawed cats when requested by owners. But he told lawmakers that was before he got to see the effect it had on the animals.

Hansen said the reason the declawing process involves amputation of the last third of the finger at the joint is that the

alternative of removing the claw itself is largely ineffective.

“It’s likely to regrow’’ in many circumstances “and cause the cat great discomfort walking and great pain.’’

But Colleen Bell provided a different perspective.

She told committee members about Salem, who belonged to her mother, Jan Dougherty. Bell said the cat would jump on her mother’s lap and scratch her, “not out of meanness but just because she wouldn’t retract her claws quickly enough for the landing.’’

Bell said it was a doctor treating her mom for a cut who suggested having the cat declawed to avoid future injuries.

“Taking away the declaw option

“I’m very disappointed that I can’t find the support needed on this topic.”

While Gilbert is reluctant to embrace TNR, its East Valley neighbors are not.

Mesa not only educates the public about benefits of TNR on its city website but lends out traps for people and Chandler has a grant program that gives up to $1,000 to a registered neighborhood in the city to help with TNR. Tempe in 2020 designated an employee to oversee a pilot program that’s helped 600 cats so far, according to city spokeswoman Nikki Ripley. The city has a contract with Altered Tails to provide TNR services and staff is pursuing a budget request for the 2022-23 fiscal year to add another person to assist with the program.

“TNR is the humane and effective approach for stray and feral cats,” Ripley said. “Studies show that TNR improves the lives of feral cats, helps the neighbors who live near them and decreases the size of colonies over time.”

A key part in preventing overpopulation is teaching residents the effects of cat colonies on neighborhoods, according to Ripley.

“If caregivers can understand the impact feral cats have on their neighbors and things that can be done to keep cats

see TNR page 13

State House moves toward ban on declawing cats

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

A

House panel voted to make the routine declawing of cats in Arizona illegal after the chairman of the committee called it “gruesome and unnecessary.’’

The 10-3 vote came after the testimony of several veterinarians who told members of the Government and Elections Committee that the practice, once considered routine, is unnecessary.

More to the point, they provided in some graphic detail that this is more than removing a nail. Instead, they noted, it actually involves amputating part of each of the fingers on a cat’s paws.

would have been an emotional nightmare for numerous families as well as my own,’’ she said. The alternative, Bell said, would be having to surrender the animal.

“I saw the comfort Salem gave her in the last days of her life,’’ Bell said of her mother. “And it was priceless.”

Hansen, however, said that some cats, reacting to the lack of claws to defend themselves, will instead turn to biting.

“And cat bites are much more serious than cat scratches,’’ he said. Anyway, Hansen said, there are other options, like trimming the cat’s nails.

The measure also got support from Dr.

see CLAWS page 13

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

13

Phoenix Children’s to open clinic at Bell Bank Park ell Bank Park has become an oasis for East Valley youth who flock to the numerous fields, courts and other amenities on a weekly basis to partake in their favorite sport.

Now, it will also be home to a firstclass facility to care for them should they suffer an injury while playing the sports they love. And parents living in the far eastern stretches of the region also have a Phoenix Children’s facility far closer to their home for emergencies that don’t necessarily involve sports.

Phoenix Children’s will open a sports medicine and urgent care clinic onsite at the $280 million park in East Mesa. The clinic, which will cater to young athletes

injured in play and other children and adolescents across the East Valley, is scheduled to open in mid-2022.

Once opened, the clinic will officially be known as Phoenix Children’s – Bell Bank Park.

“Phoenix Children’s is proud to be a founding partner and official medical provider to Bell Bank Park,” Phoenix Children’s CEO Robert L. Meyer said in a release. “As our community grows, so does Phoenix Children’s, and providing sports medicine and urgent care at Bell Bank Park is an extension of our mission to serve all children throughout the region.”

The clinic will be located onsite at the park near Pecos and Ellsworth roads near Mesa’s Eastmark community and will offer comprehensive urgent care

Jennifer Conrad, also a veterinarian and founder of The Paws Project, which she describes as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to ending declawing.

“Cats no longer have to suffer the 10 to 18 or more amputations that are totally unnecessary to manage a cat,’’ she said. And she said a majority of people support a ban.

“I would argue that’s probably not true,’’ said Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek.

“Every cat owner that I’ve ever known has gotten their cats declawed because they don’t want to have to deal with scratches and things like that,’’ he said.

“They don’t want to deal with scratches on furniture, they don’t want to deal with scratches on themselves.’’

Wayne Anderson, who said he is a retired veterinarian, complained that the measure lacks needed exceptions and said the procedure of amputating the end of the digit is not as traumatic as others have said, calling the language about cutting the toes off “very inflammatory.’’

The measure also drew opposition from Susie Stevens who lobbies for the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association.

She said cat owners are informed of the risks and benefits of the procedure

before agreeing to do it. And that, Stevens said, goes to the point that this is about the desires of the owner.

“The client’s decision is really what this needs to be about,’’ she said.

Rep. Frank Carroll, R-Sun City West, said that point is important.

“Cats are not citizens,’’ he said.

“They’re actually the property and responsibility of their owners.’’

But Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that doesn’t preclude the need for the legislation.

“Gruesome and unnecessary,’’ he said of the procedure. “That really just sums it all up.’’

He also noted the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control does not advise declawing as a method of preventing cat scratch disease, which is a viral infection.

Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, said she shares the sentiment.

“It’s cruel and inhumane,’’ she said.

Martinez said that owners concerned about scratching should pursue other options “even if it is a little more expensive, even if it is a little more difficult with trainers and people who are able to help with the grooming.’’

The legislation now requires a vote of the full House.

BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

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CLAWS from page 12

services for a variety of minor medical conditions, including influenza, allergies, wound care and more.

It will be staffed by doctors, nurses, physical therapists, pediatric sports medicine specialists and other healthcare professionals that have the ability to cater not only to minor medical issues but sports injuries as well. Concussions, fractures, meniscal and ACL tears all have the ability to be diagnosed – and in some cases treated – on site at the clinic.

The clinic will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment for children and adolescents with sports injuries. From 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, it transitions into an urgent care clinic handling minor medical issues.

During sporting events at the park, on-call physicians from Phoenix Children’s will have the ability to provide support for athletic trainers who need guidance on caring for injuries.

“Being there in that facility puts us in a position where we can help them right away and gives them access,” said Dr. Jeffrey Vaughn, orthopedic surgeon at Phoenix Children’s. “If they get hurt or think something wrong, or if something is wrong, they have access right there.

“That’s one thing we’ve done building these clinics, we wanted to find a space like this where we can be right there for families.”

Vaughn, a Gilbert resident and father to six children – most of which play or have played sports – has worked for Phoenix Children’s since 2008 and has seen the growth of Phoenix Children’s sports medicine clinics.

In 2019, Phoenix Children’s opened a physical therapy center near Val Vista Road and the San Tan 202 freeway – next door to Gilbert Mercy Hospital.

The location offered convenience for child and adolescent athletes rehabbing a sports-related injury. Other Phoenix Children’s specialty clinics have opened in Mesa, Chandler and Avondale over the course of the last decade.

Vaughn, who makes weekly stops in Phoenix, Mesa and Gilbert, said he will add Bell Bank Park to his rotation. He believes with the pure number of youth sporting events happening at the park on a weekly basis, providing initial care at that facility allows parents to follow-up with Phoenix Children’s at other facilities across the Valley.

“The East Valley has really expanded with Eastmark, Queen Creek and new high schools going in. Especially when you’re talking about downtown and expanding east, it’s a bit of a drive for someone to get that care,” Vaughn said.

“Now parents who want to get that specialized care for young athletes, they don’t have to drive 45 minutes away.”

out of neighboring yards, it would help make a difference,” she said. “Teaching caregivers how to humanely trap cats for inclusion in the TNR events is also key.

“Over time, with consistent TNR events and diligent efforts, we believe that Tempe will be able to help control and decrease the colonies.”

Leslie Prast, chairwoman of the Feral Cat Coalition, has been trying to per-

suade the Town to get on board with TNR. “Our volunteers know how many cats are there and they keep reproducing,” Prast said. “We are trying to put a finger in the dike by performing TNR in Gilbert because our hands are tied in the parks and public rights-of-way.

“Cats don’t know what is public property. They just have their colonies where they have them.”

TNR from page 12

GOT NEWS?

Contact Cecilia Chan at 480-898-5613 or cchan@timespublications.com

14

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Republican Senate OKs voucher expansion

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

S

tate senators voted Wednesday to make more taxpayer dollars available to more parents to send their children to private and parochial schools.

The 16-12 vote came over the objections of Democrats, who said SB 1657 is built on the fallacy that the vast expansion of the voucher program is designed to help students from poor families.

They pointed out that much of what is proposed by Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, has no income caps.

Boyer acknowledged that the measure would grant automatic vouchers to children of first responders and first-line health care workers. And it would also make vouchers available to any student living in the boundaries of a Title I school – those serving a large percentage of low-income children – regardless of their own financial status.

Still, he said, it would provide a “lifeline’’ to students in schools that are not meeting the needs of students.

But Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales, D-Tucson, said that ignores the fact that even many students who come from poor families really won’t be able to take advantage of the $7,000 vouchers and not just because the tuition at many private schools is higher than that. Gonzales said those in rural areas simply don’t have the option of a nearby private school.

Then there’s the transportation issue.

“This doesn’t work for families that are working two jobs, sometimes three jobs, just to keep food on the table and a roof over their families’ head,’’ Gonzales said, parents who lack the time to drive a child to a private or parochial school.

“They can’t just hop on a city bus,’’ added Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale.

And then there’s the fact that these private schools need not take all applicants.

“Eligibility does not equate to the ability to use it,’’ he said. More to the point, Quezada said, the “choice’’ in this program is not for parents but for the schools who get to pick and choose who to admit.

“It’s not our kids with disabilities, it’s

not our kids with discipline issues, it’s not our kids that are behind in their classes,’’ Quezada said. “They’re going to pick the kids that are easier and cheaper to educate and so that will raise their scores and make them look like a high-performing school.’’

But Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, said the opposition to making more vouchers available ignores what already is happening.

“Parents are not walking away from public schools,’’ he said. “They are absolutely running.’’

He said that’s why already existing law provides vouchers for students attending schools that are rated D or F. Foes of the measure argued the solution is spending the money to fix schools with low academic achievement. But Leach said that often is fought as school boards call it an issue of “local control.’’

Ultimately, he said, there’s nothing wrong with the state providing funds so parents have more choices.

Quezada said Leach’s arguments undermine the need for more vouchers.

“If it’s happening already, why do we

need to expand it?’’ he asked.

What most Arizonans want is subject to debate.

A prior bid by the Republican controlled Legislature to vastly expand the voucher system was rejected by voters in 2018.

But Boyer said that was because some voucher supporters feared that ratifying what lawmakers had approved would impose a permanent limit on how many could be provided in the future. And he cited polls he said show strong support for what he is proposing.

Quezada said he sees vouchers as a method of promoting segregation, with the parents of some students who have the means to be able to take advantage of them moving their children to private schools.

Boyer called that contention “preposterous,’’ arguing that vouchers are just the reverse in providing parents and their children alternatives to neighborhood schools.

“Assigning families to inferior schools based upon their home address is true segregation,’’ Boyer said.

Over the past six years, the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association has collected data from school districts and charter schools at the beginning and midpoint of the school year.

“The unfortunate news is that there’s no new news,” said Justin Wing, former president of the association. “The trend is pretty consistent. About 25% of teacher openings going into the year and in the middle of the year, remain unfilled.”

As of January, 31% of teacher positions in the surveyed districts remained vacant, the survey said, and 47.7% of teacher positions were filled by individuals who did not meet standard teacher requirements. Wing said Arizona has some of the largest class sizes in the nation and some of the lowest funding, which forces teachers to take on additional roles at their schools.

“They are the teachers, they are the

counselors and they are the social workers,” he said. “Past couple of years during COVID, they are the safety and health officials for their classroom. They are wearing a lot of hats, where if funding was appropriate, we could provide more support to the teachers so they don’t have to wear as many hats.”

Wing attributed the shortage in teachers to low teacher pay and the decline in standard certified teachers as well as a decision to return to college for another degree.

Wing also said that many schools use their pool of substitute teachers to fill in job vacancies, limiting the number of available substitutes for teacher absences. According to the survey, 671 vacancies in the surveyed schools were filled by long-term substitutes.

Diana Diaz-Harrison, founder and executive director of the Arizona Au-

tism Charter School, said COVID-19 has caused schools to further struggle with the teacher shortage.

“I think it made a lot of people kind of operate in a fear-driven way,” she said.

“Also, many people chose to not engage in work and there were a lot of opportunities not to engage in the workforce and not engage in school. I think that was very detrimental.”

Diaz-Harrison said her school reopened after a short pandemic-induced closure in June 2020 and has found creative alternatives to recruit teachers during the shortage.

“We have sought teachers from around the country and around the world so that we are not short staffed,” she said.

In addition to recruiting teachers from other states and countries, she said, Ar-

Teacher shortage continues confronting state

BY ERYKA FORQUER Cronkite News

A

n Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association’s annual survey shows at least 6,347 positions are vacant in the current school year.

As of January, nearly 2,000 teacher positions remained vacant, and 944 teachers have resigned since the start of the school year, according to the survey of 143 school districts and charter schools.

“Today’s release of ASPAA’s survey results are startlingly, but not altogether surprising,” said Morgan Dick, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Education. “Arizona classrooms have faced a critical teacher shortage for years, and like many issues of inequities and underfunding, COVID-19 has impacted our educator workforce.”

see TEACHER page 15

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

15

Violent crime increase higher in Arizona than nation

BY EMILY SACIA Cronkite News

W

ASHINGTON – Violent crime rates in Arizona rose faster and remained higher than the national rate in recent years, according to the latest data from the FBI. Violent crime – which includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault – rose 4.6% in the U.S. between 2019 and 2020, to a rate of 398.5 crimes per 100,000 people in 2020. The rate in Arizona climbed 8.6% to 484.8 per 100,000 in the same period, according to data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.

To address that surge, lawmakers on Wednesday called for action on a bipartisan bill that would allocate $100 million a year for the next decade to support police agencies and increase assistance to victims and their families, which Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Sedona, called a “step in the right direction.”

“We cannot afford to disinvest, we have to continue to invest in our officers in our society,” said O’Halleran, a former Chicago police officer. “Because when we invest in training, and support of our officers, we invest in the community and the safety of those within our community.”

O’Halleran joined other House members and representatives of police organizations on Capitol Hill to push for the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods ACT, which aims to improve clearance rates for homicides and other shootings.

The VICTIM Act would require the Justice Department to administer a grant program for local police agencies that would allow departments to hire and retain police officers – particularly homicide detectives – provide training and equipment.

It calls for officers to be trained to address the needs of victims and their families, and it requires sufficient funding and staffing for victim services, including relocation, counseling, funeral expenses, lost wages and more.

Andy Edmiston, director of government affairs for the National Association of Police Organizations, said the funding is needed to help underfunded depart-

This chart shows the stark difference between the increase in violent crime in Arizona versus the nation at large. (FBI) ments battle the surge in violent crime.

“Homicide rates has jumped nearly 40%,” Edmiston said. “Police departments across the country are fighting to contain this increase in violent crime but they are understaffed, under-resourced and struggling to hire and retain good, qualified officers.”

Sgt. Hector Encinas, spokesperson for the Tempe Police Department, said he is not familiar with specifics of the bill, but that “any type of support, financially or otherwise is good, it helps us do our job.”

“What’s today’s issues may not be next year’s issues, but if there’s money and training available … we can respond much more effectively,” Encinas said.

The FBI data has drawbacks: Not every police department in the country – or the state – provides information to the voluntary Uniform Crime Reporting system, and the FBI attempts to fill in blanks for those which do not. But the report has the advantage of building on decades of data from across the country.

According to the FBI, the national rate of 398.5 violent crimes for every 100,000 Americans in 2020 was the most since 2010, when the rate stood at 404.5. Arizona’s 2020 rate of 484.8 violent crimes per 100,000 was the second-highest for the state in that decade, exceeded only by 2017’s rate of 505.7 crimes.

2020 was the last full year for which data are available from the FBI. The bipartisan bill has 30 co-sponsors, including O’Halleran and Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix. Its backers bristled when asked whether the bill clashes with the belief by some that Democrats are more interested in defunding the police than directing funds their way.

“When we talk to communities, particularly those in some of the most highcrime areas, they will say, ‘No, we don’t want to defund the police, we want to fund the police,’” said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., and lead sponsor of the bill. “We don’t want to see less police, we want to see more police.”

That was echoed by Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who said that if “you take a survey among the Democratic Congress members, most people are not saying defund

the police.”

The bill has not moved since being introduced in October and assigned to the Judiciary Committee. But Demings said she is confident, as the bill’s sponsors are “laser-focused” on getting it passed.

“This bill has bipartisan support and you better believe we’re going to work with leadership and everybody that we can to get this bill … signed into law,” she said.

O’Halleran said he is optimistic, even though the bill is not an “end-fix” to Arizona’s increasing violent crime rate.

“Our citizens need to be protected. Our officers need to be protected,” he said.

“That goes with training, picking out the right officers, making sure we have follow-through and the investment in our society that this Congress should be doing.”

izona Autism Charter School also has sponsored teacher visas and is applying for a teacher self-certification program so it can certify individuals through training at its own school.

With 78.7% of teacher positions remaining vacant or being filled by individuals who do not meet the standard requirements, according to the survey,

Dick said that solving the teacher shortage issue should be a priority.

“In light of this critical teacher shortage, state lawmakers and leaders must reprioritize efforts to ensure that every Arizona classroom has a highly qualified educator working with our students, and those teachers stay in the classroom,” Dick said.

TEACHER from page 14

16

COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

For more community news visit gilbertsunnews.com GilbertSunNews.com

|

@Gilber tSunNews

/Gilber tSunNews

At 88, Banner nurse keeps on healin’

wood and Red Mountain High Schools.

She has been with Banner Health for over 42 years and started in the postpartum unit at Banner Gateway when it opened in 2007.

Ucci, who has three daughters, seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, said she enjoys working with young mothers and getting to see them expand their family.

“I give that grandmother image and they tell me they love that I’m taking care of them because it feels like their grandmother is with them,” said Ucci.

“They learn from me.”

When COVID-19 hit, Ucci said wasn’t scared.

Throughout her years as nurse, she said, she has worked through several epidemics including polio, tuberculosis,

meningitis, and the swine flu.

“During the Polio outbreak, the only things we really had to protect ourselves were gowns and masks,” said Ucci. “But now, I trust my vaccines and feel like the hospital is the safest place to be because we know what we’re dealing with.”

While there have been several changes to the healthcare system and nursing throughout Ucci’s career, she said she learns to adapt, saying it’s a good way for her to keep her mind sharp.

“I always tell myself I can do it,” she said. “I do all the programs that the 30 year olds do. It’s good for my brain. It takes me a little longer but I do it.”

Ucci will turn 89 in May and although she admits she has some aches and pains, she said, “Physically I’m very blessed as far as health. I have some arthritis but I get up and go and keep moving and that helps. I’ve never been one to sit still.”

Ultimately, Ucci said it’s her passion for caring for others and her love for the profession that keeps her going.

“My family calls me a workaholic but I say it’s a good thing to be,” she said.

“My nursing career has really been a blessing. I have never been disappointed that I became a nurse.”

donors to fill the needs of 62 hospitals, we need donors of all blood types,” said Sue Thew, spokeswoman for Vitalant, a Snonprofit that provides blood to 900 hospitals across the U.S., 62 in Arizona.

In January, the American Red Cross declared its first national blood crisis, noting the number of people donating had dipped 10% since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

In Arizona, school and business closures have forced thousands of blood

drive cancellations, and blood drives remain 33% below prepandemic levels, Vitalant said.

Type O blood, which can be substituted for other types in emergency and trauma situations, is especially needed.

The Red Cross, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies also are urging more people of color to donate to help fight conditions like sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately

affects African Americans.

Platelet donations are also desperately needed.

East Valley resident Richard O’Connor, who has given blood the past 45 years, said, “It’s your civic duty – it’s your ethical duty – to donate,” he said. “My parents taught me way back in high school that it’s an honorable thing, and to do it while you can.”

Information: redcross.org or vitalant. org.

BY MONIQUE SELEEN GSN Contributor

F

or Ellie Ucci, age is just a number.

At 88, the Mesa woman still works as a postpartum nurse at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert and has no plans to retire.

“I have purpose,” said Ucci. “I don’t come to work for the money. I love what I do.”

Ucci’s nursing career dates back to 1954 when, right after graduating high school, she attended a diploma-based program in Chicago, where she was living at the time.

“When people asked me what I wanted to be, I’d always say a nurse,” said Ucci.

She began working as a psychiatric nurse in a military hospital during the Korean War, where she remained for the first six months of her career.

Later, she went back to school to obtain a dual degree in Nursing and Psychology and moved to Arizona with her husband.

Once in Arizona, Ucci worked for Mesa Lutheran Hospital and Mesa Public Schools, gaining experience in the emergency room, labor and delivery, and with high school students at West-

Ellie Ucci is 88 but she’s nowhere near the end of her nursing career. She is a postpartum nurse at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Blood donations, drive hosts needed desperately

BY JENNA SAUTER Cronkite News

A

mid what the American Red Cross is calling the worst blood shortage in over a decade, blood providers are issuing urgent calls for volunteers to come forward to donate – and for organizations and businesses to host blood drives.

“Right now, with as low as blood supplies are, with a daily need of 600

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

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Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed It’s important to determine the cause of these neuropathy symptoms, oftentimes it’s PAD (peripheral artery disease). PAD is caused by the buildup of fatty material inside the arteries which hardens into plaque. When this occurs, it limits the amount of blood that passes through the arteries.

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PHOENIX –Neuropathy is a condition that involves damage to the nerves in your hands and feet. “Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms people living with neuropathy experience on a daily basis,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is these symptoms are very similar to those of PAD. They are so similar that in many cases, people are given a diagnosis of neuropathy when in reality it isn’t.”

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Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore that blood flow without surgery, without scalpels, without stitches.”

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Heel Pain Is On The Rise The weather has a big impact on heel pain. As the days cool down, our activity levels heat up. Going for a walk, playing a round of golf, and hiking are all possible again with the temperature below 100 degrees. But you need to pay attention to your feet. “Getting back to a normal lifestyle can be a shock to your feet, especially to your heels,” says Dr. Shah Askari of CIC Foot & Ankle.

More than two million Americans suffer from plantar fasciitis, a sharp, stabbing, sometimes burning pain in the heel or arch of the foot. It’s anticipated this number will rise as people start taking advantage of better weather.

It typically hurts when first getting up, may lessen after a few steps but always returns. In the past, a cortisone injection was the treatment of choice.

“Cortisone manages the pain, but it doesn’t address what’s causing the pain,” explains Askari. Now, treatment focuses on the condition, not just the symptom.

“Regenerative medicine is one of the most promising ways to deal with pain, because it triggers the body to heal,” he explains. “Prolotherapy is an option that uses a natural irritant which starts the healing process.”

Growth factor therapy also jump starts and maintains regeneration of new tissues.

In addition, the FDA recently approved cold laser therapy for plantar fasciitis.

“Laser treatment is another way to treat heel pain, because it increases circulation, which promotes healing,” says Askari. “It’s all about healing.”

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

REAL ESTATE

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

re1

What makes sense in this crazy real estate market

BY MINDY JONES GSN Columnist

Y

ou can’t stop into a coffee shop, settle into the reclining chairs at the movies, or pick up fresh produce at the farmers market without overhearing a conversation about real estate in Arizona: How expensive houses are, how hard it is to find one, how interest rates are rising and speculation about when it will all come crashing down.

Contrary to the universal law of gravitation, not everything that goes up must come down – which is likely going to be

a disappointing revelation to those who have spent the 18 months waiting for prices to start falling like Newton’s apple from the proverbial real estate tree.

In fact, in that time period, not only have housing prices gone up on average of 38% but interest rates have increased by 28%. That made the housing market in Arizona about 20% less affordable in that same time period according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index.

And yet, in that same time period Arizona home owners have accumulated more equity in their homes than their domestic peers topping the S&P/ Case-Shiller Home Price Index, making it one of the most profitable real estate markets in history.

So, what gives? Is it a good time to buy or not?

There’s a method in cognitive therapy, for those of us that geek out on personal development, that is roughly called facts and feelings. It includes the process of stating the facts, independent of the feelings, in an effort to control and clarify your response.

This would be a good exercise for all of us to follow when discussing the real estate market because so much of our interpretation of the data is skewed by our own personal feelings about mon-

ey, our upbringing and relationship to generational wealth, and our lived experiences around particularly triggering events like a stock market crash, the housing bubble, or even the inflation hikes of the early 80s which determine our risk profile.

What we know to be true about the real estate market is that supply is 75% below normal, demand is 19% above normal, the median sales price is up 2.5% over the last month alone, and re-

see MINDY page RE2

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NEW Listing in Power Ranch, Gilbert, Arizona. 2,640 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 2 flex rooms, 2.75 baths, directly across the street from the park.

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REAL ESTATE

Luxury living

This 4,500-square-foot house on E. Lark Street in Gilbert’s Whitewing at Germann Estates community recently sold for just over $2 million. The five-bedroom, 4 ½ bath home, built in 2019, features a courtyard entry with fountain and over $300,000 in exterior goodies, including a custom pool, spa, fire pit, outdoor kitchen and landscaping. Inside is just as stunning, with wood plan tile floors, high-end kitchen, a guest suite with separate entrance, a game room and an office. (Special to GSN)

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

MINDY from page re1

gardless of whether mortgage rates increase or not (which they will), property values will continue to rise as long as supply remains below normal, and yet most consumers still FEEL now is not a good time to buy a home.

So, where is the disconnect?

The pressure of inflationary costs, supply chain delays and the extreme difficulty in finding and securing labor, appliances, and building materials are overshadowing the opportunities presented by a real estate market that is on a speeding, inclining train – until it’s not.

Think about this: many home owners have significant equity in their home but until realized, this unseen value carries no benefit just as your home price will not matter until you sell it. What if you could leverage that

equity you’ve accumulated in your home and hedge against the future of inflation by securing hard real estate assets that work over time every time and putting your money to work now?

Home owners who have done this are taking advantage of today’s values and today’s interest rates to pay off debt, build a portfolio of rental properties with historically low vacancy rates while accumulating more equity and increasing their cash flow, moving up into houses that meet the space demands of their families that may become unobtainable or unaffordable at higher interest rates, and downsizing while leveraging the funds to build savings accounts for retirement or other unexpected life changes – like

see MINDY page RE3

REAL ESTATE

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

MINDY from page re2

when the market corrects itself, which it cannot do until supply rises to a point where it can satiate demand.

The alternative to home ownership is renting or homelessness, both populations being the most vulnerable at the current moment.

In addition to renters sitting on the sidelines while money is accumulated on paper or leveraged by their home owning peers, rental prices have increased an astonishing 30% in the last two years and supply of available rentals has plummeted to nearly 50% of normal. That means that affordability and supply issues extend to the rental market but without the benefit of equity accumulation.

Programs abound to help renters who qualify, but the ones who are bypassing home ownership by choice are leaving money on the table while a shortage of all housing types presents a unique challenge for particular sectors of our employees, recent graduates, low income, very low income, and our homeless population where the Family Housing Hub

has been reporting an eight-12 week wait list for emergency housing over the last two years.

While policy advocates work to encourage creative solutions for injecting supply into our market, we can expect prices to continue to rise whether consumers think it’s a good time to buy or not as long as we have deficient supply.

Buying will always win in the long game over renting and real estate will continue to be one of the most recommended investments for hedging against inflation. Separating facts from feelings is understandably difficult as real estate for primary home owners will always be deeply personal. The challenges of the current market are robust and the rewards can be life changing – as they say, the train is moving whether you are on it or not.

Mindy Jones, a Gilbert Realtor and owner of the Amy Jones Group at Keller Williams Integrity First, can be reached at 480-250-3857. Mindy@AmyJonesGroup. com or AmyJonesGroup.com.

30 Days Down from 31 Days Last Month 307 Down from 318 Sales Last Month $591,366 Down from $613,205 Sales Last Month

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139 417 0.5 Same as 0.5 Monthly Supply Last Month

re3

re4

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

SPO OTLIGHT home

Welcome to Bridges!

Welcome to the highly sought after Bridges community in Gilbert, Arizona. This beautiful single level 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home plus den sits on a desirable North/South facing lot. Elegant yet casual kitchen features stainless steel gas range & appliances, stunning large granite island, glass tile kitchen backsplash & under cabinet lighting. Master suite has large walk in closet & upgraded oversized master shower. ‘’Disappearing wall’’ sliding glass door opens to an entertainer’s dram backyard with covered patio and private pool. In the front of the home you will find two bedrooms connecting through a Jack & Jill bathroom, while the 4th bedroom is currently used as a large office. Pristine flooring & plantation shutters throughout plus a RO & new water softener make this home ready for its new owner! Still looking for more? You can step outside and enjoy many of the amenities that the Bridges community has to offer. Catch and release fishing, walking trails, picnic ramadas with BBQ grills, 8 tot lots, 3 splash pads, plus volleyball, bocce ball and basketball courts all directly across the street from the extraordinary new Gilbert Regional Park which will be Gilbert’s largest park with 272 acres of family fun and entertainment when completed. Located in the top rated Higley School District and within minutes from shopping, dining and access to the 202 this home is perfect for any famly!

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3638 E Donato Dr, Gilbert, AZ 85298

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Erik Geisler REALTOR® Your Real Estate Agent

BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

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/Gilber tSunNews

Gilbert couple opening infrared sauna studio

BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

I

t’s no secret that the pandemic posed nearly crushing hardship on local businesses while creating an opportunity for some.

It did both for Gilbert residents Steve and Dodie Bell.

Homing in on their 36th wedding anniversary, the Bells saw their 27-year-old brand management company, called TAG MEDIA & INK take a major hit during the pandemic and business shrink to a trickle.

“Not only did we have no business for a week straight, once it was clear that COVID was here for a while, we started to have clients cancel orders that were already in production,” Steve recalled.

“It was a scary time… We waited a bit before cutting staff along with every expense we could think of to save money but we were drowning in red ink.”

They did more than survive the pandemic, however: they discovered a franchise opportunity they believe will appeal to people as the pandemic has

made many become more health conscious.

Tomorrow, Feb. 21, the Bells will open Perspire Sauna Studio at 4865 Higley Road, Gilbert – a studio that boasts its red-light therapy and infrared technology “combine to detox the body, burn calories, improve sleep, ease pain and more.”

With plans to open five more saunas – including Chandler, Tempe and Ahwatukee – the Bells believe they’re on to a promising business.

Considering they had never been in a sauna before, they’re now pros at explaining its benefits.

When first introGilbert residents Steve and Dodie Bell are opening Perspire Sauna Studio Feb. 21, convinced its infrared technology will duced to the franchise appeal to health-conscious people. (Special to GSN) about a year ago, Steve

said, “We didn’t understand it and had never ‘saunaed’ before. We had to try the infrared sauna first to see if we liked it and felt we benefited from it. We tried it three more times and loved how we felt after each 40-minute session.

“Neither of us sleep well. We go to bed tired and wake up tired but after each sauna session we slept through the night and woke up refreshed and with energy for the day. Now our bodies crave the sauna. We feel like melting butter after each session yet refreshed.”

“Perspire Sauna Studio offers various health benefits through infrared sauna therapy, but in addition to that, we are also all about giving guests the best experience possible,” said Steve. “For every person that walks through the door, we will make sure that they are known, cared for and able to relax in an upscale, non-intimidating environment.”

That means, Dodie added, not only are patrons getting a chance to “boost their energy and immunity,” they’re getting “a completely private oasis where one can

But it was his fluffy cream puffs that became a hit and today, there are more than 400 Beard Papa locations in 15 countries.

He perfected the art of his pastries by making a double layered puff–choux on the inside, and pie crust on the outside. Then, he proceeded to make the perfect filling, made with a mixture

of whipped and vanilla custard cream.

Beard Papa’s stores still use the recipe to this day, along with a ton of new recipes.

Yasmin Rahimi, who owns the pain management clinics BackFit Health + Spine, was looking for something to do in her “free time.” She is into nutrition and thought, maybe, a boutique yoga or fitness studio would work.

Different concepts and ideas were presented to Rahimi, but she decided on Beard Papa’s after she and business partner, Jeet Mukherjee, crunched the

see SAUNA page 24

Popular cream puff bakery opening in Gilbert GSN NEWS STAFF

A

popular cream puff bakery that has been a global hit is opening its second Arizona location in Gilbert this Saturday.

Beard Papa is opening Feb. 26 at 2196 E. Williams Field Road and if its Scottsdale location’s experience is any indication, customers can expect a lot of company looking for the tasty treats.

Beard Papa started in 1999 in the small town of Osaka, Japan, where bakery owner Yuji Hirota got that nickname because of his fluffy white beard.

A variety of cream puffs will be available at Beard Papa when it opens in Gilbert on Saturday. (Special to GSN)

see PAPA page 24

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BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

PAPA from page 23

numbers.

The fresh and natural cream puffs chain, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1999, has grown to 400 locations in 15 countries and territories, while gaining global recognition for their light and airy cream product.

“The cream puffs are far from your traditional frozen puff found in the freezer aisle. The recipe is simply addictive. I’ve never met anyone who has tried Beard Papa’s who doesn’t crave it again the days following,” said Tucker Kaufman, a marketing representative for the franchise.

The Japanese dessert chain specializes in creating customizable cream puffs in one of six shells like regular, chocolate, green tea, and then one of eight cream fillings, such as chocolate, mango and ice cream.

“We have six shells,” he said. “You pick the shells you like and inject them with the different fillings. The common one is the original shell with no frosting and fill it with vanilla custard. Over here, in Arizona, the chocolate and strawberry are

Yasmin Rahimi and Jeet Mukherjee own a Beard Papa’s bakery in Scottsdale and are now opening their second Arizona location in San Tan Village. (GSN file photo)

Chandler Gilbert Arc has been serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the East Valley since 1975, providing community living, community based employment and day services and training. We help people with varying support needs to achieve their fullest potential while improving their quality of life.

popular.”

Rahimi added, “People can eat more than one cream puff.

The dough is really light. It’s not a typical American dessert.

Most people who are dessert connoisseurs, they know this is the best. They know the product isn’t going to be overly sweet.”

The menu does, however, extend beyond just puff pastries with offerings such as chocolate fondant and an exclusive blended drinks menu.

Rahimi and Mukherjee have seen up to one-anda-half-hour lines at their shop. Guests were given chairs to

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sit outside of their Scottsdale bakery waiting to try the desserts. Lines aren’t that long anymore, they said, but “there is a steady flow during the nice weather months.”

As for why they picked Gilbert for their second locale, that’s a no-brainer, they said.

“We wanted a family friendly spot that serves the East Valley in a centrally located spot,” they said.

“Beard Papa’s has a cult following,” Mukherjee told a reporter after the opened in Scottsdale. “We’re the first Beard Papa’s in Arizona. We have California transplants who are here locally now. They’ve been waiting for this brand to come here.”

The cream puffs and custard are made in-house, said Mukherjee, who is a data analyst.

“The two ovens in the back are always going,” he said. “Whatever we bake today, we sell today. We bake fresh the next day. Nothing stays overnight.”

Information: beardpapas.com.

SAUNA from page 23

ease muscle pain, detox, improve skin conditions, release toxins or relax while watching an episode on Netflix or Hulu.”

There are nine private sauna rooms at Perspire with flat screen TVs and premium streaming channels. Sessions last 40 minutes and come with towels. And, Steve noted, “With Infrared heat, ... there is no stink or smell after your session.”

And he’s buoyed by the fact that medical professionals “want to refer their patients to us since our saunas and redlight therapy are medical grade.”

The parents of two children, the Bells will still be running their brand management business while their son Andrew, also of Gilbert, will manage the studio.

Perspire will be open 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday. Currently, it is offering reducedpriced memberships at $119 a month for unlimited sessions and $49 a month for four sessions per month.

Information: 480-596-4555 or southgilbert@perspiresaunastudio.com.

OPINION

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Opinion GilbertSunNews.com

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Simple law of supply and demand driving rents

BY COURTNEY GILSTRAP LEVINUS GSN Guest Writer

T

he law of supply and demand is a basic principle of economics, seen in action daily at the grocery store and gas pump.

When demand rises and products grow scarce, prices jump. When supply is high and demand is low, prices fall.

That same principle governs the Valley’s housing market.

On an average day in the Valley, nearly 300 people move in, according to Census statistics.

Last year, the metro area added more than 106,000 new, pushing the Valley population to 5.1 million. Thousands of new residents require thousands of homes. Developers have not been able to build new rental housing and single-family homes quickly enough to match this surge in humanity.

The population explosion has sent rent surg-

FREE

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$

ing upward, along with rising costs for construction materials, payroll and property taxes.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying 18-month eviction moratorium also drove rent higher, with a majority of single-family rental homeowners reporting they suffered from the inability to collect rent – including 23 percent of property owners who were forced to sell off some or all their properties.

How can we help Valley housing prices go down? We must build more housing at all price points, and do so quickly and cost-effectively. If we fail to correct this shortfall in supply, Arizona’s renters, would-be homeowners, our workforce and economy will pay a heavy price.

Economist Elliott Pollack, speaking at a Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce 2022 Economic Outlook event, framed this year as a pivotal moment. Pollack reports the Valley needs to build about 34,000 new housing units annually to keep up with the population surge.

Beyond that, there’s a shortage of 25,000 homes and 15,000 apartments, the economist explained.

“That’s a big hole and it’s going to take years to fill,” said Pollack.

This shortage of homes creates enormous competition for the few rentals that are available. In 2021, there were 20 applicants competing for each vacant apartment in Phoenix, according to RentCafe. If this shortfall in the housing supply remains unaddressed or grows – while demand continues to rise, as expected – more people will be priced out of the market.

The state’s economy is equally in peril if the new employers we count on to create jobs and revenue cannot find homes for their employees.

As obvious as that may be, the reality has been anything but simple. Cities like Scottsdale, Gilbert, Surprise, Goodyear and Buckeye have been resistant to building new homes and

apartment communities, while proclaiming the need for more affordable housing.

In Scottsdale, Mayor David Ortega has been a formidable stumbling block, constantly playing politics in an effort to foil new housing. His opposition may play well with the “not in my backyard” NIMBY crowd, who oppose virtually every new home or apartment community, but it ignores the impact of constantly saying no or demanding costly changes to projects: This resistance forces the price housing higher by stifling the marketplace or raising overhead costs in a business already operating on razor-thin profit margins.

Supply and demand says a price that goes up will keep going up until there’s enough of the product to go around. We must build accordingly.

Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus is president and CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association.

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Perry High alum blossoms at Santa Clara

BY GRANT GREABELL Cronkite News

H

is Twitter bio reads simply: “Just a rose who grew from the concrete.”

It’s the perfect metaphor for Jalen Williams, one of college basketball’s best kept secrets who is blossoming into a star at Santa Clara.

The 6-foot-6 junior guard has been dismantling opponents for the Broncos, who are 17-9 overall and 7-4 in the West Coast Conference, trailing only nationally ranked Gonzaga and St. Mary’s in their league.

“It doesn’t really matter what the defense does, he’s able to read and react and make plays. He’s able to use his IQ and talent to be successful out there,” said Jason Ludwig, an assistant men’s basketball coach at Santa Clara It’s no accident. Years of hard work and dedication to his craft are paying off for Williams, who grew up in Gilbert and played at Perry High School there after his family moved from Colorado when he was 7-years old.

Despite those Arizona and Colorado roots, Williams grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan, idolizing the late Lakers superstar, Kobe Bryant. He even wears No. 24, which was Bryant’s number from 2007-16.

“Kobe is my reason for picking up a ball and wanting to play the game. I try to model his mentality and I try to take bits and pieces from how he may have approached the game and incorporate it into something that I feel is relatable,” said Williams.

Both of his parents were members of the U.S. Air Force, so discipline was hardwired into Williams’ DNA. Combine that with his modeling of Bryant’s legendary “Mamba Mentality,” and it is no surprise that Williams has developed a Bryant-like work ethic.

A point guard listed at about 6-feet

Williams sprouted from less than 6-feet tall to 6-6 in a matter of a few years.

The Broncos still listed him as a 6-3 guard when he signed his national letter of intent.

Jalen Williams sprouted from less than 6-feet tall to 6-6 in a matter of a few He needyears. Santa Clara still listed him as a 6-3 guard when he signed his national ed some letter of intent. (Photo courtesy of Don Jedlovec/Santa Clara Athletics) time to mature into his new frame after the growth spurt but retained the same playmaking skills. The result is scary for defenders. Few players possess the ability to stop a 6-6 guard with the blend of length, ball-handling, shooting and strength that Williams has.

His game has grown as fast as his body.

“It’s a steady growth,” Ludwig said. “He’s able to score at every level. He’s shooting it well. He’s finishing at a tremendous rate.

He’s a tremendous passer, and he can create for himself and others.

Our system fits him very well.”

Using an array of step-backs and spin moves in the lane, Williams has a trick up his sleeve to get a shot off in just about any situation, whether he is on the perimeter or driving to the hoop.

Shooting 52.1 percent from the Santa Clara guard Jalen Williams grew up in Gilbert field and 39.5% from three-point and fine-tuned his skills at Perry High School. (Photo range, Williams is averaging an courtesy of Don Jedlovec/Santa Clara Athletics) efficient 18 points a game for the Broncos after struggling with his tall at Perry High, Williams experienced shot as a sophomore, when he hit just 27 something unexpected. He grew. A lot. percent from three-point range.

And fast.

It didn’t help that he was coming off an injury that kept him from playing for a couple months heading into his sophomore season. Plus, COVID-19 protocols forced the Broncos to live out of a hotel for the entire season with limited gym access.

Despite it all, Williams’ belief in himself never wavered.

“Not shooting for months, then playing right away with no certain gym time, it certainly didn’t help,” he said. “But it’s just more of a confidence thing. I know I can shoot the ball, so I wasn’t too worried about it. I knew once I got back in the gym, I’d be fine.”

He was right.

With players and coaches living together in a hotel for an entire season, there was also the potential for division within the team. Instead, the experience brought the team closer together.

It’s something that Broncos coach Herb Sendek, a former Arizona State head coach, doesn’t take for granted. During the preseason, he called the Broncos “reinvigorated.” And their play this season supports the notion.

“Compared to last year, we feel like we are in heaven because we are actually able to be in the gym together,” Sendek said. “We have a tremendous group of young men. They get along with each other exceptionally well.”

By breaking through the cracks this season, Williams has caught the attention of NBA scouts, according to Ludwig.

While he is humbled by the attention, Williams is concentrating on the Broncos’ season – and winning – for now.

“I’m kind of going through life just as everyone else is, trying to be as genuine as possible,” he said. “I think I’m playing very well, but I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to win. There’s going to be some nights I don’t score a ton, but I’m just trying to do the little things that help lead us to Ws.”

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NHRA’s Leah Pruett loves racing in the Valley

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor

T

op Fuel driver Leah Pruett and the Valley have a mutual love.

She has won the NHRA Chandler event twice and recently joined Tony Stewart Racing’s new drag racing team.

“Phoenix is in my top three racetracks and races,” said Pruett, who married Tony Stewart in 2021. “There’s always an extra amount of excitement. Phoenix fans have always made me feel like I was their champion.

“A lot of it has to do with winning. I won in 2016. When you go to a track only one time a year, that’s why they remember. If you have a repeat winner, it creates a big buzz. The next year, when I go back there, it’s like I never left.

That’s a really cool feeling they definitely instill.”

The NHRA Arizona Nationals are set for February 25 to February 27 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The NHRA Arizona Nationals traditionally serve as the second event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour.

The facility has seen record-breaking performances and is a fan-favorite of the circuit.

“With over 35 years of NHRA racing history at the Motorsports Park, we are eager for the Arizona Nationals to return to Wild Horse Pass and the Gila River Indian Community,” said General Manager Henry Moreno. “We are dedicated to making the event the best possible experience for the fans and racers alike.”

“We missed the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2021,” adds Glen Cromwell, NHRA president. “We are thrilled to return to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and put on a great show for the Phoenix fans.”

out at the Sandbar in Chandler and Radford Racing School, formerly known as Bondurant. She “keys up” there to form a road course perspective and get a feel for the high horsepower car.

“It’s usually what I do on Thursday,” she said. “I get some horsepower time in there. It puts me in the zone.”

The same goes for a little gift she sees along the I-10 and Loop 202.

“For the second or third year, they’ve had billboards along the freeway with my car Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett can’t wait to put her peddle to the metal at the NHRA Chandler event next weekend. and I on it,” she said with a laugh.

(Special to GetOut) “I think that really helps drive the fanUpdates for 2022 include free event “The hardest thing about my job base. It’s seen for two months, and they parking at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports right now is making sure that I haven’t get to see me until I get there. There’s Park with the purchase of an NHRA Ar- dropped any balls,” she said. “We want extra enthusiasm by the fans because izona Nationals ticket. to hit the scene running as a new team I’ve been in their face for two months.

The Redlands, California, native, while not looking like a new team. We It’s totally weird. At least I’m not up started racing when she was 8. Her fa- want to look like veterans, experience there pimping attorneys at law. I’m tryther, Ron, who died in early 2021, was a championship caliber team. ing to help people know about drag racland street racer and a street racer but, “For me as a ‘professional racecar es.” she’s quick to add, not a drag racer. driver,’ I want to be the best in the He wanted Pruett and her sister to world. That’s what I think is the most start something “safe.” So, Pruett ven- challenging.” tured out on her own and built cars.

To maintain levity, she’s living in a NHRA Arizona Nationals “It was my father who put the me- motor home in the parking lot of the When: 7:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, to Sunday, chanical aptitude within me,” she said. race shop. Pruett, who otherwise reFeb. 27 From there, she sat behind the wheel sides in Lake Havasu, Arizona, works Where: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, to drag race. She said she enjoys her ca- with her team daily to order parts and 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler reer because her job description chang- take care of other maintenance and orCost: Tickets start at $44 for adults; $20 for es. Previously it was “just,” she said, a ganizational issues. juniors ages 12 and younger racecar driver. Now she’s a team manPruett said she’s ready for “a fresh Info: nhra.com/schedule/2022 ager and in business development. breath of Phoenix air,” and hanging

IF YOU GO

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

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King Crossword ACROSS 1 4 8 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 26 27 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 45 46

Fine, to NASA “Misery” star James Garbage barge -- -mo (replay speed) Taj Mahal city Ocean motion Sunbather’s goal Insect organ Oklahoma city Patsy Cline song Shoe width Little rascal Brilliance 6 on a phone Gaiety “Dream on!”

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

Homemade peppermint patties make life sweeter

V

alentine’s Day may be over, but homemade peppermint patties are always a special treat for the sweetest person – or persons – in your life.

If you love store-bought peppermint patties, you’re going to flip over the homemade version. The best part is, it only takes five simple ingredients to win someone’s heart.

Ingredients: 3 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons softened butter 2 teaspoons peppermint extract 4 tablespoons cream 12 oz. Melting Chocolate Wafers (dipping chocolate) Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract and cream.

On medium high, beat with a paddle attachment. (Mixture will be crumbly at first.) Turn mixer on high and beat until it becomes creamy and smooth. Candy should be soft but not sticky.

If too sticky, add more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the consistency is that of Play-Doh. Roll out a long piece of plastic wrap. Scoop out mixture onto the wrap and form into a long thin roll about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. (This will be the size of the inside of your peppermint patty.)

Roll it up tightly in the plastic wrap and twist or tie off the ends. (Jan’s Note: I divided the mixture up into two logs and wrapped

each in plastic wrap to keep one log chilled while working with the other.

Tip: To keep your candy round, cut a slit all the way down an old cardboard paper towel tube, and put the candy inside which will help keep the bottom from flattening as it sits in the refrigerator.

Chill the candy until it is very firm, at least one hour. Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and place in refrigerator to chill. When candy has hardened, remove from plastic wrap and, using a sharp knife, slice off rounds about 1/4 inch thick.

Melt the dipping chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring to prevent overheating.

Using a fork or dipping tool, dip a patty into the melted chocolate, coating completely. Let the excess coating drip back into the bowl. Set on chilled parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the candy slices. Immediately refrigerate to harden.

Store in airtight container in frig or at room temperature. Servings approximately 30.

See my how-to video: facebook.com/jandatri1

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Obituaries Mardella Ruth “Mardy” Kopp

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Deadline for obituaries is Wednesday at 5pm for Sunday. All obituaries will be approved by our staff prior to being activated. Be aware there may be early deadlines around holidays.

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Deadline for Sunday’s Edition is the Wednesday prior at 5pm. Please call Elaine at 480-898-7926 to inquire or email your notice to: legals@evtrib.com and request a quote.

Mardella Ruth “Mardy” Kopp, age 99, died in Prescott, Arizona on January 30, 2022, in the loving care of the staff of The Cottage at Highgate Senior Living and the staff of Maggie’s Hospice.

She was born May 31, 1922, in Sidney, Ohio, the daughter of Clarence and Velma (Fogt) Monroe. She was united in marriage to Paul Kopp in Sidney, Ohio on June 16, 1941. Paul preceded her in death on October 10, 2003.

Paul and Mardy moved to Arizona in 1954, where they raised their son and three daughters and resided for the rest of their lives. Mardy worked at Motorola and later at Angels Home Store. She enjoyed weekend outings with her family, including boating and camping trips to the lakes and to the mountain country of Arizona.

In her retirement years, she was always on the go, enjoying bus rides and outings with friends to the casino to play Bingo.

She never passed up an opportunity to try something new. Among her memorable adventures were riding in the gunner seat of a WWII bomber and making a tandem parachute jump at the age of 82. Her most precious possession in her later years was a large photograph of over 30 family members who were on hand for a celebration of her 95th birthday.

Mardy is survived by her daughters: Linda Ortega of Mesa, Arizona and Barbara Shaneyfelt and her husband Jim of Chino Valley, Arizona. She is also survived by her Grandchildren: Marc, Kim, Deanna, Steven, Mike, Beth, Shannon, Stacey, and Meghan, 20 Great-Grandchildren, and four Great-Great-Grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Paul, she was preceded in death by her brother, Bob Monroe, her son, Steve Kopp and her daughter, Peggy Stewart.

Cremation services are being provided by the Cremation Society of Arizona. A celebration of Mardy’s life will be held at the Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery in Scottsdale, Arizona at a date to be determined.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Mesa Arizona or to Maggie’s Hospice in Prescott, AZ.

36

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoenix San Tan Scottsdale Tempe West Valley

MetroPhoenixClassifieds com To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or email Class@TimesPublications.com Employment

Employment General

Employment General Certified Nurse Assistant CNA One on One Patient Care Full-time and Part-time hours available $18.00 per hour - Private duty caregiver Benefits at 30+ hrs/week $500 Sign on Bonus To learn more and Apply go to cnscares.com/careers/ EOE Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting, Senior Solution Specialist in Gilbert, AZ & various unanticipated Deloitte office locations & client sites nationally to drive software development and implementation services to address manufacturing, financial, human resources, customer relationship management, supply chain, and other business needs, utilizing SAP products. 15% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XBAL22FC0222GIL260 in “Search jobs” field. EOE, including disability/veterans.

Scrum Masters: Phoenix AZ & various unanticipated locations throughout USA: Plan, guide team to perform data extract frm sources. Create, onboard teams, intr into org, pvd prdt vsn. Mng timelines, reslv prob, coach teams on Agile methodologies. Auth impl manuals, enhncmt modules to prep docu.

Work w/product team, owners in idtfy, prtz bklgs.

Inv in deplymt, integr. Skills reqd: Oracle, SQL, SQLServer, Unix, Jira, Rally, Confluence, Scrum, SAFe, TFS, ServiceNow. Master’s in Sci, Tech, or Engg (any field) w/1yr exp in job offrd or rltd occ reqd. Bachelor’s in any of ab-mntd flds w/5yrs exp in job offrd or rltd occ reqd in lieu of Master's +1yr exp. Any suitable combo of edu, train, exp acceptable. Mail resume: 4 Peaks Business Solution LLC. 1345 E Chandler Blvd., Bldg 2, Ste 107, Phoenix AZ 85048.

OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. FIND THE BEST TALENT. EASILY POST JOBS. COMPETITIVE PRICING AND EXPOSURE More info: 480-898-6465 or email jobposting@evtrib.com

Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com

J BS.EASTVALLEYTRIBUNE.COM

Join our experienced inside sales team!

Do you have print media/digital advertising selling experience? We may be looking for you! The position is in Tempe ( Br o ad w ay cu r v e area) includes lots of outbound calls selling advertising all over Phoenix Metro and even Tucson!

Our 20 local publications, newspapers, magazines and digital solutions fit pretty much every need!

Great team environment Our small team wants to grow with you! Do you get excited when you sell? Do you talk louder when you are selling something you believe in? We get it it's exciting to sell!

Do you learn quickly, like to stay organized, multi-task, are you familiar with Gmail, Google Docs/ Sheets/Voice, Word, Excel, internet browsing and other software programs?

This is a full time job with benefits. 8:30-5pm Mon-Fri. If you think you are the missing puzzle piece, please apply!

Wait, did I mention we are a FUN team?

Send resume with over letter to Elaine

Employment General Hiring Photographers and Photographer Assistants.

School Pictures - Early Risers, Must Love Kids.

Will Train. Call Tim 480-239-0656

Announce

ments Prayer Announcements Thank You St. Jude For Prayers Answered - JRH

Auctions & Estate Sales 3 SISTERS ESTATE SALES LET US SELL THE CONTENTS OF YOUR HOME 19 YRS EXPERIENCE IMPECCABLE REFERENCES LOCATED IN MESA 763-443-0519 ALSO DO PRICING FOR YOUR SALES

Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand.

Will pay top dollar.

Call Pat 480-323-8846

Sell Your Stuff!

Call Classifieds Today!

480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Garage Sales/Bazaars Superstition Sunrise RV Resort (an active adult community) located at 702 So Meridian Road in Apache Junction will hold their twice-yearly patio sales on Saturday, February 26th from 8am-Noon. Pick up a resort map at the gate house to see where individual sales will be held.

Real Estate for Sale

WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO SERVE YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS

480.898.6465

Manufactured Homes

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Lost & Found Boats & Marine

CLASSIFIEDS and LEGALS Deadline: Thursday at 10am for Sunday 480-898-6465 Email Your Ad: class@times publications.com

gilbertsunnews.com

THE LINKS ESTATES Why Rent The Lot When

2019 Clayton, 16x60, 2B/2B, Like new, Central A/C, Large Living Room, Laminate Flooring, Carpet in BRs, Microwave, Dishwasher, Refrig, Gas Range (All Black Appliances), Pantry, W/D Hookups, Front Porch, 2" Blinds, Recessed Canned Lighting in Kitchen, Concrete Driveway with Awning. Located in Meridian MHP, a 55+ Gated, Active Resort Community with Tons of Activities. Within walking distance of banks, groceries, shopping and restaurants.

YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home

2003 Lund Explorer 1800. 115HP. Includes shoreline trailer. $5500 obo Call 480-686-4121

ecota@times publications.com EOE

Manufactured Homes

Wanted to Buy

Stolen dog 1/29/22 Cross roads n Alma School rd and w Galveston st Chandler AZ Stolen out of the front yard around 2pm.

Black truck, older couple. 2 young girls in the car too.

Her name is Brooklyn, 7 years old. Yorkie Maltese mix. 4 pounds.

White with black patch on back. She was wearing a pink collar with our phone number on it.

Cash reward for safe return.

If seen or found please call 978-798-5178

FROM THE UPPER 200’s

ASK US HOW YOUR $150k-180k CASH INVESTMENT AND OUR SENIOR LOAN PROGRAM ENABLES QUALIFIED 62+ SENIORS MAKING THE LINKS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAVE NO MORTGAGE PAYMENT & NO LOT RENT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE IN HOME.

Gawthorp & Associates

4046 N Green St. • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140

602-402-2213

www.linksestates.net

2022 Champion Park Model 12x33, 1b/1b, with a front porch view of the beautiful putting green and pool, concrete carport w/awning, skirting, steps, and central a/c, SS/black appliances, built-in pantry, dual kitchen sinks, walk-in shower, laminate flooring throughout, matching shed with w/d hookups all set in Shiprock RV resort, a 5 star, 55+ community in Apache Junction, AZ. $68,000.

CALL 480-228-7786 FURNITURE FOR STAGING PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT INCLUDED

37

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Carpet Cleaning

Drywall

Hauling

JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest!

Air Conditioning/Heating

QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL! 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates

Family Owned & Operated

480.266.4589

Three Phase Mechanical

josedominguez0224@gmail.com

480-671-0833

Not a licensed contractor.

www.3phasemech.com Sales, Service & Installation

NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED ACCREDITED BUSINESS

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $5,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

Over 1,000 Five-Star Google Reviews ★★★★★

• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932

Cleaning Services

480-405-7588 Appliance Repairs

Appliance Repair Now

If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed

We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.GilbertSunNews.com

480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Glass/Mirror

GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS

Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you.

QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates

Best Auto & Home Insurance Brokers Rates in AZ. One Agency with 20+ companies Like Progressive, Safeco and more, that will shop Instantly & Save you money.

Call/Text Ed Caceres 480-717-7277 www.TheFreedomInsurance.com Ed@TheFreedomInsurance.com

Hauling

Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

Handyman

10 OFF

$

Your First Recurring Cleaning

Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

Call Classifieds Today!

Insurance

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

Need to hire some help?

WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR Call 480-306-5113 wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

Electrical Services

ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured

HAULING LOW RATES! $20 AND UP BRUHAUL JUNK REMOVAL 480-639-6142

LLC

License #000825-2018

480-550-8282

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm • Closed Weekends

www.twomaidsgilbert.com

Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465

• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

All Estimates are Free • Call:

520.508.1420

• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris

• Old Paint & Chems.

• Yard Waste • Concrete Slab • Remodeling Debris • Old Tires

Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!

Classifieds 480-898-6465

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Concrete & Masonry

www.husbands2go.com Painting • Flooring • Electrical

Licensed, Bonded &•Insured • ROC#317949 Plumbing Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More!

Ask me about FREE water testing!

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More!

Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, Roc #057163 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” Serving Entire Valley ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry

Block Fence * Gates

602-789-6929

Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens ✔ Bathrooms 2010, 2011 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Afford And More!

2010, 2011 Small Man!” 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014 Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor 1999 Since Ahwatukee / References Work ty Affordable, Quali 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor 2014 Bruce at 602.670.7038 rk Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Wo 1999 ceBSMALLMAN@Q.COM able, Quality Work Sin

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST! Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

Home Improvement

General Contracting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198

One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.

Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!

38

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Home Improvement HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING Move a wall; turn a door into a window.

From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all.

Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more.

All trades done by hands-on General Contractor.

Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable.

40 years' experience.

Call Ron Wolfgang Pleas text or leave message Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934

Landscape/Maintenance

LEGAL NOTICES

Deadline for Sunday’s Edition is the Wednesday prior at 5pm. Please call Elaine at 480-898-7926 to inquire or email your notice to: legals@evtrib. com and request a quote.

Painting

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

ALL Pro

T R E E

S E R V I C E

L L C

Prepare for Winter Season!

LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

480-354-5802

Voted #1

10% OFF

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

NTY 5-YEAR WARRA

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

Landscape/Maintenance

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

480-338-4011 PAINTING

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

Free Estimates!

Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM

CALL US TODAY!

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740

(602) 502-1655

ROC#309706

Pool Service / Repair

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Plumbing

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Roofing

All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

480-477-8842

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

10% OFF

Interior & Exterior Residential/Commercial Free Estimates Drywall Repairs Senior Discounts References Available

— Call Jason —

Irrigation Repair Services Inc.

HYDROJETTING

www.eastvalleypainters.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

Please recycle me.

Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

480-688-4770

Painting

Your newspaper.

Your community.

Your planet.

Plumbing

Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced & remodels.

Rapid Response.

If water runs through it we do it!

602-663-8432

East Valley PAINTERS

Family Owned & Operated

Irrigation

Plumbing

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6564

Serving All Types Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service of Roofing: • • • •

FREE ESTIMATES

Tiles & Shingles sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com Installation Repair Re-Roofing

602-471-2346

CALL CLASSIFIEDS

480-898-6465

We'll Get Your Phone to Ring!

We Accept:

39

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

NOTICE TO READERS:

Roofing

PHILLIPS

ROOFING LLC COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona

623-873-1626 Free Estimates Monday through Saturday Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured

PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net

Most service advertisers have an ROC# or “Not a licensed contractor” in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law.

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers.

What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www.azleg.gov/ars/ 32/01165. htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words “not a licensed contractor” in the advertisement.

Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.

Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman’s exception.

Reference: http://www.azroc.g ov/invest/licensed_ by_law.html As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC status at: http://www.azroc.gov.

Roofing

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof

MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

aOver 30 Years of Experience

aFamily Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION United Access, LLC hereby provides notice that this vehicle: 2103 Honda Odyssey VIN: 5FNRL5H65DB073389 will be sold at public auction on March 1, 2022 at United Access, 1825 E Germann Rd, Suite 24, Chandler, AZ 85286 at 1PM. All bids must be in cash and the winning bid must be paid at the time of the auction.

Published: East Valley Tribune /Chandler Arizonan, Feb 20, 2022 / 44715

It is understood that the Arizona Museum of Natural History (AzMNH) made an agreement with now deceased Mr. Richard Hupfer in Mesa, AZ to house archaeological material uncovered in the Riverview complex. The agreement was made in 2004 or 2005.

It is the intent of AzMNH to claim title to these artifacts if no valid claims are made by May 10. To make a claim or for further information, please contact Dr. Emily Early at emily.early@mesaaz.gov or (480)644-5907.

Published: East Valley Tribune, Feb. 20, 27, 2022 / 44597 OUT WITH THE OLD, CHIP RETURN RETURN YOUR TABLE GAMES CASINO CHIPS AT HARRAH’S AK-CHIN BEFORE THEY EXPIRE! If you have Table Games Casino chips received before July 7, 2021, please redeem them at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage no later than March 31, 2022 for a full refund.

Disclaimer: Any discontinued Table Games chips not returned by March 31, 2022 will be void and hold no cash value. Redemption must take place at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage in person. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is not responsible for any unreturned Table Games chips.

Roofing

Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

Public Notices

SHARE WITH THE WORLD! Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today!

Call us for details.

“Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising” - Mark Twain

Valley Wide Service

480-446-7663 FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded

class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465

480.898.6465

class@timespublications.com

40

GILBERT SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 20, 2022

#1 Rated Shop in the East Valley

Se Habla Español

Your Trusted European Car Specialists We at Huffs Automotive are specialists in:

• Mercedes Benz • Land Rover • BMW • Jaguar • Porsche • Audi • Volkswagen

Serving the East Valley since 2009!

Family Owned and Operated

BESTOF

2021

VOTED #1

EAST VALLEY AUTO REPAIR

Call 95 N. Dobson Rd. • Chandler, AZ 85224 480-726-8900 • huffsautomotive.com AppFoor An intment! info@huffsautomotive.com