Panel examines Gilbert’s problems
Hunt Highway project debate
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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
COMMUNITY......... 19 Gilbert Kiwanis citizen award awes student.
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FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com
Sunday, May 8, 2022
GPS sets busy summer with $14.2 million in projects BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
N
ew flooring and roofs, restroom renovations and tennis court upgrades are some of the projects totaling $14.2 million taking place over the summer break at Gilbert Public School campuses. Funding for the projects comes from a $100-million bond that voters approved in 2019. “We are very fortunate to live in a community that supports our schools and provides us the ability to do this when there are a lot
of districts that don’t have the opportunities that we have,” Governing Board member Bill Parker said at the May 3 work study. The $13.9 million in structural projects include paint and weatherization work at five campuses such as Islands and Finley Farms elementary schools and Mesquite High School at a cost of $1.3 million; flooring upgrades at three campuses, $2.5 million and restroom renovations at nine campuses, $6.6 million. Roof work at a cost of $2.1 million is in store for thee campuses – Islands Elementary, South Valley Junior High and Gilbert
Classical Academy. “South Valley Junior High, the roof basically from inception wasn’t built up correctly. We’ve had issues pretty much since Day 1,” said Albert Dutchover, operations manager. “We combated them the best as we could and had work done under warranty but we are at the point of complete deterioration. We’re susceptible to penetration from rain and other elements.” Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Bonnie Betz said the campus was
A mother’s anguish: Son, 9, fights cancer
BUSINESS................ 23
Gilbert junk removal supports nonpofits.
SPORTS.......................25 Mesquite beach volleyball builds family.
COMMUNITY....................................... 19 BUSINESS.............................................23 SPORTS.................................................. 25 GETOUT................................................. 27 CLASSIFIEDS.......................................29
BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
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ulie Mikesell recalled her son Ethan complaining about his leg hurting and he was running a fever as well. “We thought, ‘Oh, it’s growing pains,’” said Mikesell, who nonetheless took him to a doctor. On Sept. 21, the family’s life was changed forever. And now, a Gilbert community is rallying to their aid. “I got the worst phone call,” said Mikesell, who lived in Gilbert for 15 years before moving to Queen Creek. “He was extremely anemic and we needed to get to the hospital right away. It looked like he had cancer.” Mikesell and her husband, Darin, rushed Ethan over to Banner Desert
Medical Center in Mesa. “He couldn’t walk, my husband carried him into the emergency room,” Mikesell said. “The emergency room doctor gave him morphine for the pain.” Ethan’s white blood cell count was off the charts and he was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit for a platelet transfusion to treat the anemia. More blood work was done and X-rays of the 9-year-old’s pelvic and femur were done, confirming three days later that Ethan had B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL. It is the most common type of cancer in children, involving blood and bone marrow, representing about
see MOTHER page 6
see GPS page 5
Mother’s Day is bittersweet for former longtime Gilbert resident Julie Mikesell, who now lives in Queen Creek, as her 9-year-old son Ethan fights a battle with leukemia. But Ethan has found that his mom, dad Darin Mikesell, four siblings and a lot of their former Gilbert neighbors have his back. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)