Gilbert Sun News - 10.24.2021

Social media and kids

Farms entertain to survive

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

NEWS. .............................. 6 RDA has mixed reaction to downtown complex.

COMMUNITY......... 13 Food and music coming to The Islands.

BUSINESS................. 16 Mega indoor pickleball venue coming soon

COMMUNITY........................................13 BUSINESS............................................. 16 SPORTS.................................................. 18 GETOUT.................................................20 CLASSIFIED..........................................23

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Sunday, October 24, 2021

Group probing Gilbert’s police, fire hiring process

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

A

national conservative watchdog organization says qualified cops and firefighters may be getting shortchanged by Gilbert’s hiring process in favor of applicants’ gender or ethnicity.

To show a pattern in town hiring practices, Judicial Watch in early August requested two years of documents – including emails, policies and social media posts of employees such as Town Manager Patrick Banger, Town Attorney Chris Payne and Deputy

Town Manager Leah Hubbard.

“We just had concerns from citizens that the town manager’s office was allowing or promoting a critical race theory-type of agenda to be the guiding principal or policy within the town of Gilbert,” said Mark Spencer, the southwest projects coordinator in Phoenix for Judicial Watch.

“Certainly, the most critical part, a very relevant part for taxpayers is the hiring and testing process of first responders. In other words, when equity is the priority instead of skill set or skill level, it could be problems for citizens dialing 911 for help.”

Council OKs controversial homes near Finley Farms

Town officials deny the claim they prioritize gender and ethnicity over test scores in hiring first responders.

“The Gilbert Fire and Rescue and Gilbert Police Departments strongly value diversity as an asset in providing the highest level of service to our citizens, and our teams are consistently looking for opportunities to expand the ability for all to become members of our first responder team,” according to a statement released from Banger’s office.

Mayor cleared

see WATCH page 9

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

S

ome Finley Farms homeowners are unhappy with having new neighbors they claim will add traffic and eliminate their backyard privacy.

Town Council last Tuesday unanimously approved a minor General Plan amendment and a rezone for Cottage Lane, an infill project of 21 two-story homes on 3.54 acres south of the southwest corner of Greenfield and Elliot roads. The site is surrounded on three sides by single-family homes.

“We’ve seen much denser projects come before us and this doesn’t strike me as a high-density project whatsoever,” said Councilwoman Aimee Yentes. “I do think this is a

see COTTAGE page 4

Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson looks on at last week’s meeting of the Town Council, which unanimously approved the recommendations in a report on allegtations of ethics violations against her. See page 3. (David Minton/GSN Staff)

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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NEWS

3

After sharp words, mayor’s ethics probe put to rest

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

G

ilbert Town Council gave Mayor Brigette Peterson a pass and accepted the findings of an investigation that cleared her of alleged ethics violations but faulted her for occasional use of poor judgment.

Three residents and a town employee, filed separate complaints against Peterson that included accusing her of feeding information to a developer who played a key role in her election campaign, trying to change policy to limit public speakers and targeting an employee she blamed for helping create Gilbert’s new logo, which she publicly criticized.

Attorney Frank Cassidy, who reviewed his findings via phone Oct. 19, had recommended the Council take no action against Peterson.

“This really does boil down to a political issue, which in my opinion is not really the purview of the Council to decide …but one for the electorate,” Councilwoman Aimee Yentes said. “I have a lot of respect for the democratic process. …

And of course there are avenues for doing that whether it’s a recall or the next election cycle or they come to Council meetings and they express their opinions.”

Before casting his vote with the majority, Councilman Laurin Hendrix questioned Cassidy’s findings in detail, stating, “Frankly most attorneys can take either side of an argument and twist it into being believable that your client is right.”

Hendrix started off with Peterson’s email correspondence with developer Howard Morrison.

According to Cassidy, it appeared to him that Peterson went out of her way to clear up incorrect or misunderstandings Morrison Ranch residents had with a proposed apartment project. Peterson told Cassidy she had reached out on a Sunday morning to Morrison because she never bothered staff over the weekend.

“Did you look at any weekend emails, phone logs, communications of any sort to verify that is factual?” Hendrix asked

Cassidy, to which he responded “no.”

“I guess we have to assume that she is telling the truth,” said Hendrix, adding that he’s texted and emailed staff on the weekends and gotten responses back.

“Since she doesn’t communicate with any town employees ever on the weekends, rather than wait until Monday, we needed to response to these emails immediately on Sunday because there were constituents that had questions.

“The investigation said she wanted to act promptly. In some places it sounds like the investigator is actually defending the mayor that she needed to act promptly on Sunday morning because she had gotten a number of emails. The best thing to do is to call Howard Morrison, the developer, the co-chair of her campaign, one of her largest donors to her campaign as opposed to waiting until Monday morning.”

According to Hendrix, Peterson in her emails to Morrison identified “the ring leader, the troublemaker” among residents opposing the apartment project and also told him of a neighborhood petition and residents’ intent to hire an attorney.

Hendrix agreed with Cassidy that the residents’ emails with a public official were public documents.

Hendrix said, “When you call an elected official or email them, there is a reasonable assumption that that could become public information but I would also assume that there’s a reasonable assumption that the person I’m taking to would make some effort to maintain confidentiality. They wouldn’t wait 10 minutes after my conversation and then go directly to the party I’m opposing and tell them everything I’ve said, tell them my name, tell them how many people (are opposed). That would be a reasonable assumption on my part.”

“I have difficulty thinking there wasn’t any hope or intent that this might influence the outcome,” he said.

He said it was the investigator’s opinion that Peterson in pointing out to Morrison the constituent she deemed the “most aggressive” was poor judgment.

Hendrix said the town’s ethics code set a low bar and that “we are using poor

judgment as something less than an ethical violation.”

“This stinks,” he said. “Not an ethical violation but it smells.”

Hendrix also said that he’s been concerned for some time about the lack of decorum by people who speak at the meetings, disparaging the mayor.

He’s raised the concern with two council members, who he said agreed with him but chose to remain silent on the issue. He said he also texted the mayor with his concern and how he can help her.

She responded it would be great but after hearing that Hendrix wanted to meet with her alone, Peterson responded, “’My people have advised me not to meet with anybody alone.’”

“When you call an elected official they meet with you,” he said. “I never was once told to go talk to my staff. I was never told, ‘my people have told me not to meet with you.’

“The path in dealing with this seems to be ‘let’s ignore it. Let’s just pretend there isn’t a problem. Everybody in town’s happy, it’s all great.’

“I don’t like it and I’ve done what I could to prevent it from getting to this point. But here we are and now we have an investigation we got to analyze that and trying to determine what the truth is.”

Councilwoman Kathy Tilque said everyone has made mistakes and should learn from them and that she accepted the mayor’s apology.

“Now that the independent review of the various ethics complaints is complete, I’d like us all to take a breath and a brief step back to reflect on how we best move forward,” Tilque said.

Peterson apologized to Council and public and said she has been working over the past several months on improving herself and recognizing the influence and the weight of her comments as mayor.

“There was never any malice in any of the choices I made,” she said with emotion. “My heart and soul go into this community every single day. I am com-

see ETHICS page 5

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

COTTAGE from page 1

good use of this space.”

Yentes, who moved to approve the requests, said infill sites are challenging for developers and that this developer made concessions to address adjacent homeowners’ concerns, calling the project “pretty outstanding.”

Annie Franklin, who with her husband owns a home south of the site, disagreed.

“We bought our home 21 years ago,” said Franklin, one of four speakers against the project. “Over the wall there was a Finley Farm homestead and we have a view of the mountains. Of course, we knew that down the road this would change and we would at one time have to welcome development, development that would reflect the Finley Farms community.

“The Cottage Lane project does not.

Single-story homes are the norm in Finley Farms; two stories are the exception.”

She said the developer was ready to “cram” in 21, two-story homes on a site that would typically accommodate half that number.

She said the developer didn’t seem eager to compromise but instead placated them with talk like raising their crumbling backyard block walls and “throw a tree at us.”

Jim Constance, president of the HOA for TH Ranch, located across Greenfield Street from the site, said, “We don’t disagree with the development itself. We have an issue with the traffic and have had an issue with traffic long before this development came in.”

He pointed to Greenfield Junior High School, Greenfield Estates and TH Ranch, all dumping vehicles onto Greenfield Road. The congestion is especially worst during the mornings and afternoons drop-off and pick-up of students and in the evenings with workforce commuters, he said.

He said residents in TH Ranch can’t make a left turn into their development and instead have to drive farther south on Greenfield and make a turn in a church parking lot and go back up Greenfield just to get to their homes. He added that apartments being built farther south on Greenfield Road are adding to the congestion, too.

“Before rendering a judgment, do a

Residents who surround the development’s location and live in single-story homes complain their privacy will be all but gone when the two-story homes show up on the site.

(Town of Gilbert)

traffic study,” Constance said.

“This is a mess and is getting worst by the day.”

And Richard Rico said there were over 200 comments on Instagram regarding Cottage Lane and he couldn’t find one in support of the project.

“It’s just too many houses,” he said.

Chris Webb, who represented the developer Vasari Asset Management, said Cottage Lane was compatible with the surrounding Finley Farms neighborhood in lot size and home value. Jim Constance of the HOA that will be impacted by the He said two-story homes traffic from the neww development addressed Town are already allowed in the Council. (David Minton/GSN Staff)

current zoning and that the surrounding homes also could go up to two stories if they wanted to.

To address privacy concerns, the developer has redesigned the floor plans so that the master bedrooms and main living areas are on the bottom floor. The developer also agreed to raise the adjoining homeowners’ walls and offered to buy trees for their backyards, said Webb, project management director for Rose Law Group.

Webb said the town’s traffic engineer has determined that traffic from the project would be “negligible” and the current traffic “existed long before this project came to the table.”

Cottage Lane also will set aside 18 percent of the site for open space and amenities and access to the development would be from Greenfield Road only so there won’t be vehicles passing through the Finley Farms neighborhood.

The company’s principals are a Gilbert father-and-son team, Norm Nicholls, president of Fulton Homes, and Brian Nicholls and that the same quality found in Fulton Homes will be the same for Cottage Lane, according to Webb.

Webb said the size of the trees has not been discussed because neighbors haven’t reached an consensus if they wanted trees purchased for their yards or have the developer put in more perimeter trees instead.

“We know we won’t make everybody happy,” Webb said. “Cottage Lane is a high-quality, compatible development.

This is a really cool infill project for the town.”

Vice Mayor Yung Koprowski said she would like for staff to follow up on the residents’ concerns with traffic on Greenfield Road and Councilwoman Kathy Tilque agreed.

“There’s nowhere in Gilbert that’s not congested right now,” Councilman Scott Anderson said, noting that’s why the town has a $515-million transportation and infrastructure bond up for a vote on Nov. 2.

“We haven’t addressed this issue for over 14 years,” he said. “There’s so much congestion, so much work that needs to

see COTTAGE page 5

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

NEWS

5

EVIT Foundation breakfast raises bucks for scholarships he East Valley Institute of Technology Education Foundation will host its annual gourmet breakfast fundraiser Nov. 3, and some of the best-known names in Valley politics are among those making an appearance.

Slated for 7:30 a.m. in the Culinary Arts Banquet Hall on the EVIT Campus, 1601 W. Main St., Mesa, the event generates funding for scholarships that help vocational and career-minded Gilbert students learn a trade while simultaneously

earning their high school diplomas.

Featuring a gourmet meal prepared by culinary students, many of whom are also scholarship recipients, the event also includes a silent auction, stories from student beneficiaries and appearances by Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and Veronica Penzone, owner of BBV Salon in Scottsdale.

Serving as emcees for the event are Kenny Sargent and Crash Gladys of SpeedFreaks, a nationally syndicated motorsports and lifestyle radio show they co-host. Sargent, a former sports

anchor in Los Angeles, has appeared on Animal Planet and other television networks. Gladys was the only female to host a full-time sports radio show in Phoenix for seven years.

The EVIT Education Foundation’s mission is to ensure that every student who wants to learn a particular trade or career path through East Valley Institute of Technology programs can do so – regardless of financial status.

The foundation was able to bring on a new partner and the title sponsor of this year’s breakfast, the Chapman Automo-

tive Group.

“We owe a great deal to our sponsors, without whom this event wouldn’t be possible,” said the EVIT Education Foundation’s Chairman Curt Krizan.

“This year, we helped send almost 300 local students through vocational or career-training programs, and it’s because of these sponsorships – and our generous donors – that we have been able to increase the number of students served year over year.”

Tickets are at EVITFoundation.org.

mitted to always doing what is best for Gilbert.”

She said she has served the community for over 20 years without any previous incidents and that she has been devastated by what she has been experiencing and witnessing in the community.

She said she and her husband have been disrespected and “he does not deserve that as my husband.”

“We also don’t deserve to be told to ‘grow a pair’ when it comes to doing business in this community,” she said.

“There is such as high level of disrespect and vitriol going on not only in Gilbert

but in this country right now. We need to all take a step back to figure out where we need to be and how to be better people. I intend to build bridges and continue to run this town with Gilbert kindness.”

Dave Rosenfeld and former council member Les Presmyk spoke on her behalf.

Rosenfeld said it was a privilege to know Peterson whom he said had integrity and called the people who posted negative signs about Peterson and the town bond and filed the complaints as “cowards.”

Frequent critic Jim Torgeson, who filed a complaint against Peterson, criticized the investigation and said the town’s ethics code was so loose that it needed revisions.

And Ryan Handelsman, who filed a complaint and was the one that Peterson singled out to Morrison, knocked the mayor for characterizing criticism of her as politically motivated.

“I remind you that we are all citizens of Gilbert, not your opponents,” he said.

“A growing majority of the community finds your conduct to be just that – unsatisfactory and unacceptable.”

be done.”

He added as the town reaches buildout in nine to 10 years, developers will be looking for infill parcels and not on the edges of Gilbert for their projects.

Most infill projects want more density that what Cottage Lane is asking for, Anderson said.

Mayor Brigette Peterson asked the police chief to look at putting some resources at the campus during the drop-offs.

She also agreed with Yentes that the “developer went above and beyond to make sure the project fit and fit the surrounding area.”

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COTTAGE from page 4

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Heritage Square project draws mixed RDA reaction

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

T

he Gilbert Redevelopment Commission weighed in on Heritage North, a proposed mixed-used project that includes a five-story hotel, and a 288-unit apartment building at the southwest corner of Gilbert Road and Juniper Avenue.

The roughly 10-acre site in the Heritage District is vacant except for an outdated Burger King, which would be removed for the project. The land was owned by the town, which sold it for the private development.

“I don’t know if it’s the power lines or just me personally but I feel like this parcel doesn’t feel like the downtown,” said Chairman Peter Sciacca at last Wednesday’s study session. “And now it does.

“I feel like the applicant has done a good job with the buildings and as the other commissioners pointed out the tiered approach of different levels of the building so it really feels like an extension, a proper extension of downtown.

So I’m really happy with the look and

Some members of the Gilbert Redevelopment Commission liked the complex proposed for the Heritage District but others raised concerns about parking. (GSN file photo) feel because right now, it’s obviously a blank canvas but didn’t really feel like a part of the soul and the heart of the actual district. I’m really excited to see this get developed.”

The applicant proposes seven buildings, a paseo or a multi-use pathway and a stand-alone, five-level parking garage with 696 spaces.

The project has undergone significant changes such as dropping the number of hotel rooms to 100 from 150, adjusting building heights and realigning the paseo through the development since the last submittal, according to staff.

Applications were originally submitted in March of 2020 and study sessions were held in the spring of 2020, but

One “challenge” by a popular TikTok user spurred some students to vandalize bathrooms and other school property.

Another challenge to “smack a staff member on the backside” prompted a stern warning from various police agencies, though not in Gilbert.

“This is not an innocent action and is considered an aggravated assault which is a felony,” Scottsdale Police warned students. “The challenges of social media fall upon parents/guardians and students to have conversations about the dangers of “trends” and the consequences that can result from behaviors and actions.”

Higley Unified spokeswoman Theresa Joseph said the district warned families “that HUSD has a zero tolerance policy regarding this type of behavior and we will press charges for vandalism. We have expressed that parents and guard-

ians should talk with their children about this trend and the consequences of participating.”

She said high schools have borne the brunt of vandalism and that “some was destructive” and “created more work for our support staff.”

While agreeing TikTok can be harmful, as well as Facebook and Instagram, McPherson has particular disdain for Snapchat, an app that automatically deletes messages shortly after they are sent. “Snapchat is the devil,” McPherson said.

While the great majority of Snap communications are innocuous, the app has been used for “sexting,” bullying and drug trade. And, due to the disappearing messages feature, “It’s an administrators’ nightmare,” McPherson said.

A recent Pew Research study found that 69 percent of those13 to 17 years

since that time staff and the applicant have been working to refine the project, according to Principal Planner Ashlee MacDonald.

The tallest building in the project would be the multi-family at five stories with amenities on the rooftop. It also would have an attached parking garage.

The 80,000-square-foot hotel at 60 feet tall is proposed to have a rooftop sign and rooftop amenities, including a pool. The remaining buildings would house office and retail uses.

Doralis Machado-Liddell, who lives in the Heritage District, voiced concerns, including one about parking.

“According to the development agreement, the developer shall be responsible to provide on-site parking for all uses located within the project through the combination of surface parking and vertical parking structures,” she said. “So all parking shall be within that and it didn’t talk about an administrative use permit to decrease parking.

“I think parking is something that

see RDA page 7

Vandalism just tip of social media perils to kids

BY TOM SCANLON GSN Staff Writer

E

arlier this month, a data scientist-turned-whistleblower blasted Facebook and the kid-friendly Instagram for ignoring its own studies that show teen girls can have more eating disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts after spending time on those sites.

Katey McPherson, who works for a company that has a parental app that can monitor social media and speaks at schools around the country, has a message: “All of the scrutiny has been on Facebook, which also owns Instagram, but it’s bigger than that,” McPherson said.

Indeed, in Gilbert over the last month, the platform most cursed by parents and teachers was TikTok.

old use Snapchat. “They don’t text anymore, they Snap,” McPherson said.

Snapchat’s quick-gone feature allows for shady uses, McPherson warned.

“We’ve had local kids who purchased drugs from Snapchat who died,” McPherson said. “We are on a total rampage to get Snapchat to take responsibility.”

Natalia Chimbo-Andrade is director of Community Education and Outreach at Community Bridges-Mesa, which provides a variety of mental health services; her program targets youth.

She is concerned about “the trends, dangers and influence social media has on youth behaviors and how they’re correlating to risky behaviors.

Do parents typically know much about Snapchat?

“They don’t,” Chimbo-Andrade said.

see SOCIAL page 7

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

RDA from page 6

NEWS

7

needs to be addressed because, yes, it will be overflow and we have problems in that as it is.”

MacDonald said concerns at two neighborhood meetings attended by 11 people – one was held two days before the study session - included issues with parking overflowing into residential neighborhoods and traffic.

She said the residential garage satisfies the parking requirement for the

multi-family building with 50 extra parking spaces that would accommodate hotel guests.

The hotel requires 110 parking spaces and there is some on-street parking available, she added.

She said the applicant was not meeting the town’s minimum requirement for parking for the project but staff is looking at solutions to address that.

Sciacca said for a future meeting he

would like to see discussed the possible foot traffic for the other buildings and maybe shared use of both garages.

“There seems to be adequate parking (for the multi-family) but across the Valley, when we see multi-family it always seems to be insufficient parking, especially if you go to a complex at night you’ll see cars parked on the street,” he said.

He said with the site being 10 acres, it’s a lot of people coming into the area.

“We actually do a tutorial where we walk (parents) through Snapchat settings.

They’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s OK, I have monitoring. They’ll give me an alert of any risky behavior.’ But that doesn’t work with Snapchat, because of how it’s designed.”

Indeed, the Bark app and others are not able to monitor “Snaps.”

McPherson, who is the director of Professional Development for Bark, explained the technical way Snap hides from monitoring: “Snapchat will not allow access to open their API (application program-

ming interface) to allow third parties/ vendors to access student data…which means parents cannot protect their students or surveil their activity within the app.”

She noted other platforms do allow API sharing, such as Pinterest, Discord, Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and Google Drive.

Though it is not technically impossible for a parent to monitor a child’s Snapchat messages, it is much more difficult to track than other apps; and clever kids can often figure out how to manipulate

settings to make them “ghost,” or invis- ter buying pills laced with fentanyl in a ible. deal arranged on social media.

And, Chimbo-Andrade noted, “You can “It’s very easy to get drugs on various make transactions on Snapchat. Teens social media platforms, not just Snap,” are savvy.”

Chimbo-Andrade said.

The nefarious possibilities of the app She encourages parents to keep a were spotlighted in February, when a watchful eye on what their kids are friend of 17-year-old Joe Seibold set up saying and doing on their phones: “Any a marijuana buy on Snapchat and got Joe type of security when it comes to apps to drive him to the location. is good. Whether it’s Bark or Net Nanny, NothingBundtCakes.com As he waited for his friend to make the which is another good one,” Chimbo-Andeal, Seibold was shot dead near South drade said.

Gilbert and Broadway in central Mesa.

Amy Neville’s 14-year-old son died afsee SOCIAL page 8

SOCIAL from page 6

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“What I love about the site is the critical mass,” he said. “I think downtowns sometimes you know they’re not viable if they don’t have critical mass and this is a good job of critical mass.”

Commissioner Boe Bigelow requested that when the rooftop sign comes back before the body for approval, that staff presents diagrams and heights of the buildings and the height and length of the sign.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

SOCIAL from page 7

Community Bridges-Mesa is seeing a rise in people experiencing depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health issues – reflecting a national trend.

According to a study published in September on Pediatrics, the official publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, “depression and suicide concerns have increased during the pandemic, especially among female adolescents.

Results underscore the importance of consistent depression and suicidality screening.”

Indeed, the study reported a 34 percent increase “in reporting recent suicidal thoughts among female adolescents.”

Chimbo-Andrade said she believes social media is a factor in the rise of mental health crises – but hardly the lone culprit.

“Social media is an influence. It can be a bad influence or a positive one,” she noted. “With everything that happened in the last 20 plus months, a lot of young people tend to go to social media as an escape, a way to connect – whatever you want to call it. I’ve seen a lot of young people using it for good,” Chimbo-Andrade said.

“I am very careful to say there are many, many factors that can lead a kid to crisis. Yes, social media can, especially if it is used in a negative way. But it’s not the whole story.”

She noted one positive trend on social media: “Influencers and public figures are saying if you’re struggling, get help.”

McPherson said Snapchat is a “gotta have it” for many teens.

“Kids are really good at convincing their parents, ‘Everyone has Snapchat.

I have to...Without it, I’m excluded,’”

Chandler educator Katey McPherson frequently speaks to parents and school officials about the dangers of social media. (Special to GSN) McPherson said. “Parents cave because they want their kids to be included.”

As for the pressure to have it, McPherson gets it.

“I have four daughters; they all have Snapchat,” she said.

Rather than constantly looking over their shoulders, she has “ongoing conversations” with her daughters about Snap. “There’s no way of supervising it,” she said.

One of the most popular of the monitoring apps, Bark offers plans for parents at $99 per year as well as school district-wide coverage While Bark is working with the Deer Valley School District and several other Valley districts, it has yet to land contracts with East Valley districts. Basic district coverage is free, though 24/7 monitoring costs $1 per student.

“We block and filter websites on the

family side as well as the school side. So parents and schools can block websites like pornhub.com, YouTube, etc. and others that kids often like to go to that are not age-appropriate,” McPherson said.

“So there is no excuse for kids ‘stumbling’ on things,” she added.

“We get alerts weekly on suicide attempts,” McPherson said. “Our No. 1 alert is bullying.”

McPherson was an assistant principal with the Scottsdale Unified School District before changing careers. She knows first-hand how limited schools are in fighting illicit social media use.

“If parents are leaning on schools to educate and make children aware of the dangers of social media, that’s not where the responsibility lies. It’s completely out of control,” she said.

“There’s nowhere to say to a parent, ‘Get online and have your child take this

mographic presentation to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board.

Among the reasons for the downward enrollment trend is that Chandler residents are getting older.

“Our population is aging,” said Rick Brammer, a consultant with Applied Economics LLC, which did the research for the Governing Board.

A closely related reason is housing affordability, which is shutting out young families with school-age children.

“There’s no such thing as really truly entry-level housing available in the district,” Brammer told the board.

There also are other reasons for the anticipated decline in the number of students attending CUSD schools: char-

course and have your kid learn how to be a good digital citizen.’ What’s lacking is awareness and education on parents’ part before they hand a 10-year-old a device.”

She rattled off some disturbing stats: “The average age of porn exposure is 8.

Average age of sexting is 11.

“This has fallen on schools to manage our nightmares,” McPherson said. “In my opinion, it’s parents outsourcing their greatest responsibility to schools.”

Shiloh Lundahl, a counselor, recommends “helping set and enforce limits with kids,” regarding cell phone usage.

“I encourage parents to not buy kids cell phones for birthdays or any kind of gift,” he said.

Giving a phone as a gift can send a message that the child is the owner of the phone; then, if it’s misused, “They’ll think, you can’t take it, this is mine.”

Like McPherson, Lundahl encourages family meetings and clear guidelines: “It’s important for a child to understand the phone isn’t completely theirs.”

He urges parents to wait out emotional rollercoasters rather than angrily taking phones away. “This is something new for us and for them. It is important to have patience and you learn along the way,” he said.

As Chimbo-Andrade of Community Bridges put it, “One thing we talk about is having proactive family communication by creating contracts, whether it’s social media contracts or technology contracts,” she said.

“Kids are like, ‘I want my freedom.’ But if you start these contracts when they’re young, it’s just going to be their norm.”

CUSD school enrollment facing long-term decline

BY KEN SAIN GSN Staff Writer

T

he City of Chandler will continue to add about 12,000 new housing units over the next 10 years, but the number of children attending public schools will start to decline.

That is the conclusion of a recent de-

ter and private schools are attracting more and more students; the birth rate in Arizona has dropped by almost a third since the Great Recession; and the city is approaching build-out so most of the new developments tend to be for smaller families, many of which do not

see CUSD page 11

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

WATCHfrom page 1

“The hiring and testing process for based on gender or ethnicity. our first responders is arduous and It also has asked for records of inmulti-faceted, based on a number of key creased costs/resources associated criteria, chief among them the ability to with the expanded fire and/or police learn and perform appropriate critical department interview pool due to addthinking and decision making in high ing ender/ethnic candidates with lower pressure environments and the abili- test scores as well as correspondence ty to perform physical life-saving and to and from the civilian diversity expert life-preserving tasks and activities,” the on the battalion chief and/or Gilbert statement said, adding: Police hiring panels.

“This comprehensive process, run The Town Clerk told Judicial Watch in coordination with current first re- that there are “no responsive docusponder employees, identifies the most ments” related to those requests. qualified candidates for our openings, But Spencer, a former Phoenix police and our hiring is not based on gender officer, said he’s been assured by first or ethnicity.” responders the documents do exist.

To support its claims, the nonprof“What will happen next is legal counit Judicial Watch has requested town sel over at Judicial Watch will format Human Resources Department records a strategy on how to address the isrelated to the use of priority given gen- sue,” he said. “Whether the town mander or ethnicity in lieu of written test ager supplies or fails to supply when scores in the hiring process. it comes to hiring practices, when it It also requested any evidence of comes to first responders and critical any decision to lower qualifying em- race agenda, doesn’t match with reality.

COLOR: Right click swatch, and ployment test scores to match the lowFront-line responders say it indeed is est scores of applicants who had been taking place.” moved forward in the hiring process Spencer said it was a strong possibil-

ily from what has been shared with him “that critical race theory existed both in the town’s hiring process and in utilizing the town’s digital media tools.”

The nonpartisan Judicial Watch, founded in 1994 to promote transparency and accountability in government, law and politics, touts itself as the most active FOIA requestor and litigator operating today.

Some of the organization’s notable efforts included its attempt to obtain records related to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her staff’s response to the 2012 attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, and Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time in office, which Justice Watch claimed was to skirt FOIA requests.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the group from deposing Clinton regarding the private account, the ensuing controversy helped sink her 2016 presidential bid. find and replace correct What Judicial Watch with has received so far includes documents related to the town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

NEWS

Team and the names of the participants – Banger, former Mayor Jenn Daniels and Dana Berchman, chief digital officer – who attended the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative in 2019 and the associated costs for attending.

The Leadership Initiative states that it equips mayors and senior city officials with leadership skills and management tools to tackle their cities’ complex challenges and improve people’s quality of life.

But Spencer said the man behind the philanthropic group, former New York City Mayor and onetime Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, pushes a “liberal political agenda on how cities and town should run.”

“Mr. Bloomberg is anti-gun, very gun-control, whereas I would think Gilbert Town Council supports and understands the value and importance of Second Amendment rights – especially color when the mayor has no problem be-

see WATCH page 10

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

WATCH from page 9

ing armed, as she has every right to. I think citizens are delighted she is able and she understands her rights and the rights of others she represents.”

And some of the documents for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group showed a push for a more inclusive environment at Town Hall with goals and ideas such as implementing unconscious-bias training, revamp Global Village and Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations to allow each to have a bigger impact and create a diversity page on the Town website.

In his FOIA letter to Banger, Spencer claimed staff used town resources to promote their political ideology.

“It is apparent that the Town of Gilbert has approved, is actively promoting and engaging in political speak by publicly supporting the BLM political and social agenda while using taxpayer funds,” he wrote, referring to Black Lives Matter.

Spencer included screen grabs of Berchman’s postings on her Twitter account – such as a picture of Police Chief Michael Soelberg taking a knee with Black Lives Matter protestors retweetong a Town Twitter account promotion of Blackout Tuesday in solidarity with the BLM movement.

“Black Lives Matter is a political agenda, a Marxist political agenda,” he said.

When the town uses resources to endorse the 1619 Project – an ongoing New York Times Magazine initiative to

Toward the end of last week’s Town Council meeting, Mayor Brigette Peterson took notice of the Judicial Watch record requests. (David Minton/GSN Staff) reframe American history by focusing on the role of slavery and the contributions of black Americans – or other critical race theories, it’s a use of public dollars to endorse a political agenda, according to Spencer.

“The town manager and his subordinates are promoting it at taxpayers’ expense,” he said. “I’m confident taxpayers didn’t sign up for that. What is unfortunate is it’s taking place and the Council is not aware of it.”

Spencer pointed out while Berchman posted comments in support of BLM

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without repercussion, it’s not so for other employees.

The organization also requested and received documents where a firefighter was disciplined for social media postings supporting Blue Lives Matter, a pro law enforcement movement.

The fire engineer was disciplined twice for violating the Town’s social media guidelines. The employee’s posting included a public video of a fire truck with a Thin Blue Line flag mounted on the back, Back the Blue comments and a disparaging remark about George Floyd, the Black man killed while in police custody.

A member from the public complained about one of the posts and called the firefighter “a white nationalist.”

The town found that the employee tagged the Gilbert Twitter account, the police department, the fire department and the police chief, holding himself out as a Gilbert employee and using “we” in expressing political opinions that gave an appearance he was speaking on behalf of the town and other employees.

The assistant fire chief noted a concern with the employee’s actions that he was undermining the department’s credibility and his ability to effectively render aid to all residents in Gilbert.

“The firefighter is disciplined for taking a stance for Back the Blue and Digital Media promotes BLM and critical race theory at taxpayers’ expense,” Spencer said. “Why is the firefighter disciplined for Blue Lives Matter and Digital Media goes unchecked for BLM? “Perhaps Town Council is not aware of what the town manager is allowing.”

Spencer said there appeared to be a real disconnect between what the town manager is doing and what Town Council is aware of.

“Also relevant to taxpayer in Gilbert is who is in charge of that town?” Spencer said. “Is it the town manager and the diversity team or taxpayers and voters and the Town Council?

“I think the town charter out there is similar to Phoenix’s where the Council runs the town and directs the town manager and not the other way around.”

Spencer said that chain of command appeared “somewhat muddled.”

Judicial Watch’s records request prompted Mayor Brigette Peterson to release a statement last week, demanding the Town investigate the allegations.

She also admonished staff for not informing the Council immediately back in August when it received the FOIA request and stated “failure to do so is unacceptable.”

The Town did not respond to a question about its protocol in informing elected leaders of record requests but did note that Banger has already authorized Pierce Coleman, PLLC to conduct “an independent investigation of the documents provided in the FOIA request.”

“Our goal is always to provide transparency, and day-to-day, our goal is to impartially carry out the policy directives set by the Mayor and Council,” the statement from Banger’s Office read.

“We are grateful for our Council’s continued efforts to foster an environment and community we are all proud to call home.”

Spencer said it’s possible the group will ask for more records from Gilbert and after it receives all its documents and reviews it, will strategize its next steps.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

NEWS

11

CUSD from page 8

have children.

That trend will likely continue.

“We’re at the normal point of the growth curve of any city the size of Chandler,” said Kevin Mayo, the city’s planning administrator. “You start by running out to your geographical borders, and once you hit them that wave comes back in.”

With fewer and smaller spaces to develop, investors are looking to get the most money they can – which means smaller but denser projects.

Any young couple looking for a home to raise a family is probably looking in Maricopa because of home prices.

The Maricopa Association of Governments reports the median price of home sold in Chandler was $165,000 in 2011.

Through July of this year that number has jumped to $419,950.

That has led to the city’s population getting older. MAG reports the median age for a Chandler resident was nearly two years older in 2019 than it was in 2014.

The number of residents 18 and younger has dropped 3,462 in that sixyear period.

All of that leads to fewer children in public schools.

With Chandler at about 90 percent developed, there is fewer spaces to build more housing. However, Scott Wilken, the senior planning project manager for Maricopa Association of Governments, says the city will continue to add housing.

“Cities will keep growing, Tempe is the best example of that,” he said. “They reached build-out years ago, but they’re still growing. The buildings are going up and they’re redeveloping older properties.”

With fewer options, younger families are looking outside of Chandler for homes.

“The demographics … show a shift to an older age group, which is somewhat natural,” Brammer said. “People are staying in their houses longer, they’re living longer, house prices … are keeping people in their houses right now, because you don’t want to move because you can’t afford to buy something else.”

Brammer says there are just under

This chart shows current and project enrollment in Chandler Unified junior high and high schools. (Applied Analytics) 44,000 students attending CUSD schools this year – an increase of only 28 pupils from the previous year. COVID-19 pandemic forced the district’s first decline since 2000.

CUSD had 45,565 students in 2019.

Brammer said officials feared many parents who pulled their children out of public schools last year would not return, and he says the data proved that to be true.

Brammer’s company predicts CUSD will have only 42,844 students enrolled in the fall of 2030. And more than 6,400 will be children who live outside of the district but choose to attend a CUSD school.

He told the Governing Board it was evidence of the district’s good reputation that 13.3 percent of their current students live outside of the district.

Still, the competition from charter and private schools will only get stronger.

“In this 10-year period, … the number of schools increased from 14 to 24, and their enrollment increased from 4,500 to 11,500,” Brammer said. “They effectively gained 7,000 students, while the district gained 5,500.”

He said that mirrors what is happening around the rest of the state, pointing out enrollment at district schools has not increased since 2010.

The biggest reason why school enrollment will drop, Brammer argues, is that not enough babies are being born in Arizona.

The state’s birth rate dropped 19.2 percent from the time the Great Recession hit in 2008 until the recovery was under way in 2011. Brammer said usually it bounces back up after a big dip.

Not this time. From 2014 until 2020 it has dropped another 16.5 percent. The result of that is in the latest Census data.

In 2000, children 13 and younger made up 22.5 percent of the district’s population. That number remained constant in the 2010 Census, at 22.2 percent. In the 2020 Census it fell to 19.5

percent.

There’s a similar drop in people between the ages of 25 and 44, which are the prime years to raise a family. They made up 47.1 percent of the population in 2000, 41 percent in 2010 and only 36.7 percent a decade later.

Brammer said there may be some short-term increase in enrollment because of a high level of construction projects already started. However, he said the district should expect a decline after that. And he expects to decline even faster as the city ages.

He gave district officials three projections. The best-case scenario for keeping enrollment high would be to get more parents to choose to public schools. And in that case, enrollment would remain about the same.

Otherwise, it’s going down.

GOT NEWS?

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

NEWS

12

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

That’s entertainment, but also survival for farms

BY SYDNEY WITTE Cronkite News

F

rom petting zoos and hayrides to corn mazes and concerts, some farms in Arizona are opening their gates to the public with farm-based entertainment to diversify revenue and stay in business.

Across the U.S., over 50,000 farms report at least a portion of their income comes from what’s known as “agritainment,” according to Penn State Extension.

“Agritainment creates the opportunity for farm owners to entice visitors to their farm, provide education about agriculture and increase their overall profits,” Lynn Kime, a senior extension associate, said in Penn State News. “The concept offers hope for small, struggling farms.”

Farm revenue in Arizona has been on a rollercoaster for years. In 2019, Arizona farms’ net income was about $1.4 billion. In 2020, that dropped to $582

now offer various agritainment experiences.

Mother Nature’s Farm in Gilbert is among those that have evolved to survive. It originated as a pig farm, started selling Christmas trees in the 1980s, and has kept growing and changing ever since.

When owner Wade Kelsall, owner of Mother Nature’s Farm in Gilbert, feeds his goats. Feeding the farmyard animals is one of the property’s Wade Kelsall took most popular attractions. (Kevin Hurley/Cronkite News) over the family farm in 1988, he plantmillion, according to the U.S Depart- ed fruit trees and soon started selling ment of Agriculture, in part because of pumpkins. Then customers asked to see disruptions related to the pandemic. behind the scenes, and offered money Arizona has about 19,000 farms, to do so, prompting Kelsall to further including Schnepf Farms and Queen expand into agritainment.

Creek Olive Mill, both in Queen Creek, The farm now features a petting zoo, Vertuccio Farms in Mesa and Tolma- hayride and tractor graveyard – all part choff Farms in Gilbert – all of which of a fall festival that runs throughout

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“Ninety-plus percent of our income is in October, and then we have December, and the rest of the year we are pretty much growing for those seasons and growing to feed our animals,” Kelsall said.

Many families like Lawrence McKinney’s come to Mother Nature’s Farm so their children can be exposed to a lifestyle they can’t find in suburbia.

“My kids like to pet the animals and feed the animals,” he said. “I also come for the pumpkin patch and the Christmas tree lot.”

Kelsall said the agritainment-style of farming provides a space for kids to learn about farming and where food comes from.

“Kids learn better by doing,” he said.

“Kids come out here, learn where eggs come from … learn where the milk comes from … learn that things don’t come from the grocery store.”

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Places to volunteer wanted by high school students

BY KEN SAIN GSN Staff Writer

T

here are some obvious aspects of the high school experience that students have missed out on during the pandemic – proms, hanging out with friends at school, even sitting in the same classrooms with their teachers.

But there have been some less obvious aspects as well.

“We are hearing from principals that students still are having a hard time going in, and being able to volunteer in spaces, because COVID is still in existence,” said Dr. Jennifer Fletcher, Chandler Unified School District’s executive director of accountability, assessment and research.

For many high school students, community service is a vital part of their learning experience. It’s also a key part of any college application.

But that’s not all it is.

“It comes back tenfold,” said Kirstin Gregg, a counselor at Perry High School.

“They get that first-hand experience in a field that they may want to pursue. For some, it confirms this is what they’re passionate about. For others, they learn

know how much I wanted to be out.”

Moira had been working with HonorHealth as a member of its Medical Explorers club throughout high school. That gave her an edge when a volunteering opportunity came up.

Last December, she helped staff a drive-through lane for people who Perry High senior Moira MacCatherin is one of the lucky Chandler Unified students seeking a community service gig: she actually has were eligible to get vaccinated against found agencies that need volunteers. (Pablo Robles) COVID-19.

“The vaccine was honestly one of the this is not what they want to be doing.”

One Perry High student who had a most fun times I’ve had volunteering hard time volunteering because of the or not in my whole life,” she said. “It was absolutely incredible. The cars, the pandemic is senior Moira MacCatherin.

She plans on being a nurse and wanted people in them, were crying because they to volunteer to work at a hospital, just were so excited to receive this vaccine.

“I know a lot of times volunteering when all hospitals were trying to keep people away to keep their staffs healthy. you don’t feel that community, like just “At first it was really difficult, because because you’re volunteering doesn’t everything was shut down,” Moira said. mean you feel community support but “For my own family’s safety, I didn’t at the vaccine clinic you absolutely did.”

It was that experience, plus her work with the Medical Explorers, that helped her land another volunteer job, this time in the neonatal intensive care unit at Shea Medical in Scottsdale.

“It was being on that nursing unit that really inspired me to apply to become a nurse,” the Chandler resident said. Moira said she’s been accepted into the nursing program at Arizona State University.

Perry High counselor Gregg said she’s one of the lucky ones to have found a volunteer job during the pandemic. Others who have been looking have not.

“It’s really unfortunate and disappointing for them, but none of us have had to live through a pandemic, at least in my lifetime,” Gregg said. “It’s definitely taken a toll.”

Gregg said community service opportunities teach students responsibility and accountability. Those jobs help them mature, in addition to giving them some valuable experience in a field they are passionate about.

“There’s infinite value in it, both for the businesses and the students,” Gregg said.

She said the highly-motivated students

The Chandler resident started singing for audiences and playing the piano when she was 4. At age 11 she taught herself guitar and started writing songs at age 12.

The 20-year-old has competed in several talent competitions and was a finalist in Alice Cooper’s “Proof is in the Pudding” and was selected to perform at Tempe Center for the Arts for its “In the Spotlight” show.

The featured food trucks this Thursday are Queso Good for a savory taste and for dessert, Kick’s Frozen Yogurt.

congregants who volunteer at homeless shelters and food banks.

“After they get their food they can plan on having some good-natured entertainment,” Hassen said.

Blackburn said the event is not a fundraiser and any money spent goes to the vendors. People also can pre-order their food three days in advance to skip the lines at streetfoodfinder.com/vs/2631/GPCFoodTruckThursday. From a cell phone, look for the “StreetFoodFinder” app.

see VOLUNTEER page 15

Gilbert Presbyterian hosts concert, food trucks GSN NEWS STAFF

G

ilbert Presbyterian Church this Thursday, Oct. 28, will begin hosting food trucks and musicians every other week in its parking lot in an effort to bring out the community.

People will have the opportunity to taste different cuisines as there will be different food vendors from 4:30-7:30 p.m., the second and fourth Thursday of the month at 235 E Guadalupe Road.

The inaugural event features local singer and/songwriter Sammi Martinez.

Queso Good touts gourmet quesadillas, tacos and nachos using the freshest local ingredients fusing spices, cultures and traditions while Kick’s Frozen Yogurt offers up soft-served frozen yogurts and non-dairy, vegan sorbets.

“We really wanted to give back to the community and let them learn more about us,” said Gail Blackburn. “There’s no strings attached.”

Fellow church member Ken Hassen stressed there will be no preaching at the event and that it is part of the congregation’s outreach. The church has 150

COMMUNITY

14

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Gilbert native serves on high-powered sub GSN NEWS STAFF

A

Gilbert native is serving aboard USS Pennsylvania, one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Maubee Q. Fountain-Eitel serves as an electronics technician and joined the Navy to open doors in his life.

“I knew joining the Navy would help with my personal development,” said Fountain-Eitel.

Fountain-Eitel attended Desert Vista High School and graduated in 2016.

Today, Fountain-Eitel uses skills and values similar to those found in Gilbert.

“Working and living in a community from all walks of life served me well in the Navy,” said Fountain-Eitel. “Submarines are like a small community with people from all walks of life.”

These lessons have helped Fountain-Eitel while serving aboard USS Pennsylvania.

Known as America’s “Silent Service,” the Navy’s submarine force operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world, in furtherance of U.S. national security.

There are three basic types of submarines: fast-attack submarines (SSN), ballistic-missile submarines (SSBN) and guided-missile submarines (SSGN).

Fast-attack submarines are designed to hunt down and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; strike targets ashore with cruise missiles; carry and deliver Navy Maubee Q. Fountain-Eitel, a Gilbert native, is serving SEALs; conduct intelligence, aboard the world’s most advanced nuclear sub. (Lt. Cmdr. surveillance, and reconnaisJake Joy/U.S. Navy) sance missions; and engage

Adam Lowe, MD, FACG

in mine warfare.

The Navy’s ballistic-missile submarines are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles.

Serving in the Navy means Fountain-Eitel is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“Nuclear powered submarines are the keystone of our nation’s defense program,” said Fountain-Eitel.

Fountain-Eitel and other sailors have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.

“I am proud of qualifying to stand watch as a reactor operator,” said Fountain-Eitel, who takes pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

“Serving in the Navy, means I dedicate my life to something bigger than myself,” he said.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

COMMUNITY

15

Gilbert concert to aid ALS victim’s treatment

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

L

eo Flake looked forward to his retirement in January after working as a truck driver and heavy-equipment operator.

But before the 67-year-old Heber resident could enjoy it, he was diagnosed with ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in February. The progressive neurodegenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, leading to eventual paralysis and death.

But there is an experimental treatment the family wants to try but it comes at a hefty price – $1,000 a week for four weeks. The treatment is not FDA-approved and therefore considered experimental so Medicare and health insurance will not pay for it, according to daughter Taia Joy Flake of Mesa.

So, in August Taia began putting out a call on social media for people willing to perform in a benefit concert to help her dad pay for the treatment.

Over a dozen performers from throughout the Valley answered her call for the benefits concert to be held later this month at a Gilbert church. Several performers are from Hale Centre Theatre, where Taia worked before the pandemic forced layoffs.

VOLUNTEER

from page 13

are pursuing opportunities in medical, engineering, and cybersecurity.

CUSD does not make community service a requirement for graduation. Both Gregg and Moira agreed with that policy, but they would strongly encourage it.

“When you make something a requirement, you might get people not doing it for the right reason, or not putting forth their best effort,” Moira said.

“People can volunteer without it being required, that’s part of the beauty of it.

You don’t have to [have it] be required to benefit your community.”

Last December, Moira helped staff a drivethrough lane for people who were eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

(Special to GSN)

has lost the use of his arms. The 5’9” Heber resident went from 230 pounds down to 188 in a matter of months.

“It went quite quickly,” Christine said. “His shoulders are like skin and bones now.”

There is no cure for the disease and the two FDA-approved drugs for treatment such as Rilutek prolongs life by three months on average.

“All they do is extend their life two to three months and by that time, they don’t want their lives to be extended,” Christine said.

Small-business owners and local artists have donated toward a silent auction to help the family.

“I have lots of wonderful friends from Hale and from the Lewo Flake is suffering from ALS and his daughter and Valley and in Gilbert that really a Gilbert church have arranged a concert and silent rose to the occasion,” said Taia.

The goal is to raise $4,000, auction to raise money for his treatment. (Pablo Robles) enough for the first month of “By the time he was diagnosed he lost treatment, she said, adding her dad has muscles in his hand and in his thumb,” remained hopeful through his ordeal.

“Mentally, he has not changed,” she said. said Christine Flake, adding her husband had gone to nine doctors for almost three “He is optimistic. It’s a battle because you lose another part of yourself and that is years before he was diagnosed.

Today, Leo has lost 42 pounds of mus- really discouraging. He is trying really cles in his chest and shoulders and he hard and doing what the doctors say and the most important thing is to stay active.”

She added her dad is a man of faith who believes in God’s plan, which keeps him going.

Christine said she and her husband were totally caught off guard by their

daughter organizing the fundraiser and the people who willingly stepped forward to help.

“These people are giving of their time and taken to help us fight this battle,” she said. “We are totally thrilled and in awe of this generosity.”

That said, Christine and Leo know they are up against the clock.

The life expectancy for someone with ALS is two to five years and doctors in February have told Leo that he was already two years into the disease’ progression.

“What was really upsetting is they literally told him to go home and eat ice cream, don’t lose any weight and do what you were going to do in the future now,” Christine said. “There are things that have been tested and the FDA will not approve them or has not. It’s frustrating for people who have ALS. There is no time to wait.”

HOW TO HELP

What: Benefits concert and silent auction for Leo Flake’s ALS treatments When: 6 p.m., auction, 7 p.m. concert, Thursday, Oct. 28 Where: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1010 S. Recker Road, Gilbert Information: Single Ticket, $15; Single ticket plus Livestream, $17; Couple ticket, $24 (two people) and Family ticket, $40 (four people). To purchase tickets now: facebook.com/taia.flake

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BUSINESS

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

@Gilber tSunNews

/Gilber tSunNews

Mega indoor pickleball venue coming to Chandler

BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

I

t was only a matter of time and Chandler resident Mike Rodrigues is seizing the moment.

Sometime in the first three months of 2022, he plans to open Pickleball Kingdom, a 16-court indoor facility in Chandler that will eliminate the biggest problem facing devotees of the fastgrowing sport: Arizona’s weather.

And not just the 100-plus-degree temps that come with it.

“For the serious and advanced player, the elements have to go,” said Rodrigues, who is retrofitting the anchor – a Gold’s Gym – of the strip mall on the northeast corner of Rural and Ray roads where an Oct. 1 gas explosion injured four men.

“I never thought of Arizona as windy until I started playing pickleball,” he explained. “Since it is a whiffle ball, the slightest amount of breeze can carry what would have been a great cut shot and land it 2 inches out of bounds. Playing indoors will take all the extraneous elements out so that the only thing that affects your game – is your game. And that’s what the best players want, to let their game stand on its own.”

“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America because it’s fun,” he added.

“What’s not fun is waiting for a court, playing in the heat, and having the wind affect your game. We’ve solved all those problems.”

Along with 16 courts and air conditioning, Rodrigues has a number of amenities planned for Pickleball Kingdom: memberships, an app to make reservations, tournaments and leagues, a pro shop, locker rooms and showers, a lounge, snack bar and even beer and wine.

And he’ll be carving out times and places for birthday parties, corporate events and similar activities that are vir-

Mike Rodrigues plans to debut Pickleball Kingdom, an indoor 16-court venue, in Chandler in early 2022. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) tually impossible to arrange at a public park.

He’ll even have ball machines, similar to those used in tennis, that will spit out the wiffle balls so players can work on their swing.

Pickleball Kingdom assuredly will be the largest indoor pickleball venue in the state and one of the largest, if not the biggest, in the country.

Rodrigues sees it as the next iteration in a sport that has taken off like wildfire – first among athletically-inclined and health-focused senior citizens and now a sport that has caught on with people of all ages.

The National Pickleball Association saw is membership increase by 650 percent between 2013 and 2019.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which tracks the popularity of sports through the sale of related merchandise, estimated that from 2018 to the end of last year, the number of active pickleball players has grown from 3.1 million to 4.2 million.

That growth included a 21.3 percent increase last year as the pandemic forced Americans to rethink social distancing and the value of socializing outdoors, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association said.

Municipalities can’t keep up with the demand for more free places to play and have spent millions of dollars over the last five years to try and feed the voracious appetite for courts.

But Rodrigues said all those facilities still have the disadvantage of weather.

“In the summer, people only play at night because it’s too hot,” he said. “But even when the weather is better, the sun is a factor since no one wants to be in for too long for fear of contracting skin cancer.”

Then there are the waits for court times at many public parks.

“For the novice player,” Rodrigues said, “it will simply be a much better experience. For them, reserving courts is everything since they don’t play that often, so spending half their time waiting for a

court to open up is a deal breaker.”

Rodrigues’ business model differs from the few indoor facilities nationally – with fewer courts – that combine restaurants and outdoor play areas.

“Those are looking to be to pickleball what Top Golf is to golf,” he said. “There’s a market and need for that. It will introduce a lot of new people to the sport and they will be able to play in a very recreational environment.

“But they will still have to deal with the sun, heat, cold, and wind. Within that golf analogy Pickleball Kingdom would be, instead of Top Golf, a championship golf course with a driving range. The environment and expectation will be very different.”

He noted that technology “has radically improved paddles, rules are being tweaked to optimize the sport and national regulatory bodies are jockeying for position. I believe the next iteration in pickleball’s evolution is to bring the sport indoors.”

A player for only about two years, Rodrigues said he was hooked on pickleball “in less than five minutes” his first time on the courts.

“What’s so enticing about pickleball is that the initial learning curve is so short,” he said. “In 10 minutes, the average person will be able to play a somewhat decent game. That’s unheard of for most sports.

“For example, I took up golf seriously about two years ago. As a former college quarterback, I foolishly believed that my hand-eye coordination would allow me to breeze through the steep learning curve of that sport. Well, after tons of practice on the range, countless rounds of golf, lessons and a new set of clubs, golf is still kicking my butt. Whether someone has athletic ability or none whatsoever, they will be able to get into their pickle-

see PICKLE page 17

BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

17

PICKLE from page 16

ball groove quickly. Then, once a player is competent, there’s a whole new level of play that they can aspire to. So, you can get good quickly, but you’ll never master it… which keeps you coming back to play.”

And his business will cater to that appetite for improvement with his drop-in times, leagues and tournaments.

“Since you can’t play pickleball by yourself, a universal problem is finding people to play with, ideally at or around your same skill level,” he said.

“What we will have at Pickleball Kingdom are daily drop-in play times, where people can sign up on our mobile app and then just show up. They will be placed into games with others who are rated at the same level as they are.”

Then, he believes, the monthly tourneys and weekly leagues will further help the pickleball community “to grow, thrive, and elevate together.”

“Pickleball’s popularity is enormous and growing,” he added. “People want to play. And once they play indoors, void of

MENDOZA Cleaning & Sanitization General Cleaning, Laundry & More 1 time • weekly bi-weekly • monthly Mike Rodrigues said his Pickleball Kingdom will eliminate the biggest bane to the game: Arizona’s weather. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) all the elements but with the comforts of a club, we believe that they’ll recognize that playing indoors on dedicated, outdoor surfaced courts is the way to go.”

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Highland’s Fisher Camac finding successful path

BY ELI GROSS GSN Contriuting Writer

F

or some, football is a form of entertainment or a fun sport. But for Fisher Camac, football is a lifestyle.

Blessed with a 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame, Camac found a love for the game at age 7.

“I played baseball,” Camac said. “I made the all-star team in sixth grade, but I told my dad I didn’t want to play … baseball is too boring.”

Camac looks like a basketball player.

Most might have pushed him toward that sport, but he did not care for it either. He also found himself performing well at hurdles for track and field. In the end, Camac concluded that there is no sport like football.

“Every football player knows there is something about football that is different from every other sport,” Camac said.

Camac was born into a football family as they are engulfed in the sport. His Camac older brother, Cade, played for the Highland Hawks before Fisher found his spot on the team. Cade was a safety at Highland, followed by Camac as a defensive end, and now Camac’s younger brothers, Cooper and Carter, are coached by their dad, Chad.

“My dad always coached hard work, he taught that to my older brother, then me, and now my younger brothers too,” Camac said.

Camac emphasized that he enjoyed being coached by his father, but that he was fortunate to learn from multiple coaches.

The coaches at Highland found that he would be an excellent fit for the team during his sophomore year. On the other hand, Camac felt like he was not neces-

Highland defensive end Fisher Camac’s journey through football involved experimenting with other sports before realizing the gridiron was where he wanted to be. (Courtesy Donna Mundy Photography)

sarily good enough to see the field.

“I would say I wasn’t very good, but they saw potential in me,” Camac said.

Defensive coordinator Jason Lyons added that since eighth grade, Camac has transformed into an all-star caliber football player.

Camac loves the speed of the game, but more importantly, the emotion that comes with the sport.

“Feeling like a hundred grand,” Camac said. “You run out that tunnel and all those hard practices and those tough days where you don’t want to play the game anymore, it’s all worth it. And when you make a big play it’s even better… Whether you’re sad, happy, or mad you can just let it all out and you can’t in

any other sport, which I love.”

Highland had high expectations for Camac because of Cade. He did not disappoint. He was able to shine with the help of his coaches and teammates, but, most importantly, his faith in himself.

He has worked hard enough to earn himself a shot with the UNLV Rebels and would be the first of his siblings to reach collegiate level athletics. He is ready to walk in and make a difference in the UNLV locker room, representing the Camac name.

“I really want to go out there and prove myself,” Camac said. “Work harder than I have ever worked and prove that I deserve to be where I am… I want to try and make a name for myself.”

The Hawks football season is nowhere near finished, and Camac still looks to make an impact. He broke his arm in a recent game against Desert Vista, but wants to be back on the field as soon as possible and finish this season on the field.

Every game, every practice, Camac leaves everything on the field for Highland. He has a new chapter being added to his journey, and fortunately football is still a page within that chapter.

“He is locked in now more than ever … he has grown into his body, and Highland linebackers coach Dominic Willis, left” and defen- he is good, man. He is sive coordinator Jason Lyons said Fisher Camac had come really good,” Willis said. into his own for the Hawks’ defense before suffering a broken arm against Desert Vista. (Zac BonDurant/AFN Contributor)

Have an interesting story? Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

19

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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Acclaimed area bassoonist spent years on road to fame

BY SRIANTHI PERERA GSN Contributor

W

hen Joseph Kluesener looked to excel in a musical instrument, he chose the bassoon.

The woodwind instrument is expensive to purchase and maintain and requires many years of dedicated learning for mastery.

“My personal motivator was to really find out what I could achieve, and if I could reach a level that even professionals admired,” said the Chandler resident, who is today one of a few acclaimed bassoonists in Arizona and beyond.

Kluesener, who holds a doctoral academic degree in music and is an adjunct faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, also runs a home studio for learners of the bassoon. He is also the founder of the local reed quintet, Paradise Winds.

The journey has been long and taken time, patience and persistence.

“And (it) comes at different points for different artists,” he said. “Committing to a structure of learning is very important, as well a structure of “going outside your comfort zone” to understand the true depth of one’s capability.

“It can be magical and rewarding for some, as well can be a nightmarish stress fest for others,” he added.

Kluesener observed the magic when as a child he viewed a Disney production of “Peter and the Wolf,” the Russian symphonic fairy tale by Sergei Prokofiev.

As the narrator told the story, the orchestra and Disney animation illustrated it with different instruments.

The deep voice of Peter’s grandfather was represented by the bassoon and the young boy found it entertaining. He was hooked.

“The bassoon has a tone quality reminiscent of mighty trees bellowing through the high mountains in the low register, a very rhythmic articulation characteristic and a sing-song/lyrical

“My students receive discount pricing and I cultivate adjustments by hand with a specific set of tools,” he said.

Considering all these factors, bassoonists are rare breeds in the Valley.

“I can count on two hands/ feet the number of professional-level artists I would invite to play paid gigs across Arizona,” Kluesener said.

The majority live in Maricopa County. Phoenix is not traditionally seen as a Western Classical output center of the US and the distinction falls to the Midwest or the East Coast metropolitan areas with heavier European migration, he said.

Joseph Kluesener fell in love with the bassoon after Academic bassoon programs watching a Disney production. (Special to GetOut) are offered widely at Arizona’s major universities as well as Maricopa Community Colleges. quality that mimics the voice,” he said.

As Kluesener seeks serious student Because his school required full instrumentation before participating in adjudi- bassoonists, he reflected on why he purcated events, Kluesener first learned the sued the instrument.

“I loved being a signature and original clarinet and switched to the bassoon at contribution to a group,” he said. “It also age 12. made for wider range of challenge, howHe hasn’t looked back.

At his home studio, Kluesener teaches ever, and that’s not everyone’s best fit.”

“It’s very important that the type of about seven students who have the same individual be considered when parents love for the instrument.

What age should one begin? “The best and teachers review options to assign age is one where the student has stature bassoon opportunities in their prothat can allow hands, posture and em- grams,” he added.

However, the attrition rate is high; bouchure to control required elements few students stick with the instrument of playing posture,” he said. and most need support from parents This is roughly 12 to 14 years.

While the instrument may be expen- and teachers to maintain their commitsive at the professional level, student ments.

“It’s a lot to manage for some, for othmodels are much more affordable.

One entity in the East Valley acquires ers, they prefer that kind of engagement and refurbishes bassoons. Local school and they can thrive,” Kluesener said.

While Kluesener’s private bassoon districts possess instruments in their school and are able to rent, loan or as- studio is thriving, so are his other pursign to students to learn to play, Kluesen- suits.

He founded the touring reed quintet, er said.

The bassoon’s double-sided reed is Paradise Winds, while in the doctoral program at Arizona State University in also an associated cost.

2009. The quartet has appeared numerous times on American Public Media’s Performance Today and local Classical Arizona PBS. He also curated a concert series for ASU Herberger Institute from 2009 to 2012, among other prominent positions.

Following the creation of two albums, “Live Beneath Stained Glass” by Jackie Myers Band with “Paradise Winds and Journey on a Comet’s Tail,” it’s working on a third, an uplifting collection with the working title, “All Things Bright and Beautiful.”

Also, with and without the group, Kluesener has performed and taught in Portugal, Germany, Spain and Tokyo, as well as toured universities and schools nationally.

But music is not his only occupation: Kluesener works in client strategy and consult with a supply chain emphasis for a global real estate firm.

He’s fond of cooking, too, and believes he would have made an equally accomplished chef, given his wife Carissa’s and friends’ opinions.

Between working full time, nurturing students, teaching music history and literature at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, developing the reed quintet and myriad other involvements, Kluesener has his schedule full.

But, getting a full calendar emerging from the pandemic, when his talents and skills were underutilized, has been good.

“It’s well beyond 40 hours a week.

Some of it is paid passion work, so that’s a relief,” he said.

To contact Joseph Kluesener, email him at jkluesener@gmail.com.

For details about Paradise Winds, visit paradisewinds.org.

To listen to the quintet’s music, visit clarinet.org/new-music-weekend-2021.

The group will appear with Chandler Symphony Orchestra in a chamber concert on February 13 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church and May 1 at Chandler Center for the Arts.

21

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

King Crossword

Answers on page 14

ACROSS

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

T

Pork tenderloin homage to the Crock-pot

hank you, Irving Naxon, for inventing the crock oot. Your cooking wonder found a place in our kitchens in 1940 when you won the patent for it, and we’ve never given it up. In fact, slow cooking is as popular as ever, especially when it produces such delicious meals like the crockpot glazed pork tenderloin with apple-bacon slaw.

(Perfect for next day pork sandwiches!)

Also, if you ever wanted to know a bit about the iconic Crock-pot, here’s an excerpt from a Huffington Post article: “Naxon called his devise the Naxon Beanery. He said his mother, Tamara Nachumsohn, inspired him. She had told him stories about a bean-based stew she used to make in her village bakery at home in Lithuania. The stew, known as cholent, is a traditional Jewish dish that cooks all day. It’s rooted in the Jewish Sabbath, the day of rest in which observant Jews aren’t supposed to work.

“The stew goes on the heat before sundown

Friday night, when the Sabbath begins, and cook all the way until the end of Saturday services the next day. As the ovens were turned off for the Sabbath, the pot of cholent would be put in the oven, and that slow residual heat over the course of the 24 hours would be enough to cook the cholent.”

Naxon sold his design to Rival Manufacturing the 70’s, which rebranded his Beanery as the Crock-pot. It was marketed toward working mothers with the slogan, “Cooks all day while the cook’s away,”

Ingredients for the pork tenderloin

last hour of cooking.

1 (2-3 lb) Pork tenderloin or pork roast Olive oil for coating 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped fine Sprig of fresh rosemary For glaze: 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey

Directions:

Brush olive oil over tenderloin. Season with garlic, salt, pepper and a few leaves of rosemary.

Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan.

Heat and stir until mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes.

Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the

Apple-bacon slaw Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 (16-ounce) package coleslaw mix 1 large apple, matchstick cut (Julienned) 1 stalk of celery, matchstick cut 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, sugar, and salt. Add coleslaw mix, apple, celery and bacon, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Check out my how-to video: jandatri.com/recipes/one-minute-kitchen

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

What’s The Real Value Of Hearing Aids?

• Hearing Aids • Hearing Protection • Hearing Testing

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PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN WARNING! Our clinic is taking every precaution and we follow strict CDC guidelines to ensure that our patients, clinic and staff are SAFE! Mesa, AZ — The most common method your doctor will recommend to treat your chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with prescription drugs that may temporarily reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure drugs. These drugs may cause you to feel uncomfortable and have a variety of harmful side effects.

Chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and the most debilitating balance problems.

This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which causes the nerves to begin to degenerate due to lack of nutrient flow.

determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. As long as you have not sustained at least 95% nerve damage there is hope!

Fig. 2

NOTE: Once you have sustained 95% nerve loss, there is likely nothing that we can do for you.

3) How much treatment will your condition require?

Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage as a public service to you and/or your family and friends. This neuropathy/ pain severity examination will consist of a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and a detailed analysis of the findings of your neuropathy.

The treatment that is provided at Aspen Medical has three main goals.

1) Increase blood flow 2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves 3) Decrease brain-based pain The treatment to increase blood flow, stimulate small nerve fibers and get you back to health is our new $50,000.00 SANEXAS UNIT!

As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms.

“Did your new hearing aids cost much?” inquired a friend.

“Well,” said the new hearing aid user as she drew a deep breath.” my hearing loss cost me three friendships that I know of, a strained relationship with my husband, two grandchildren who think I don’t understand them, boredom at church, and lost interest in attending get-togethers.”

After a reflective pause, she added: “Sure I invested some money to get these hearing aids... but it doesn’t compare with what it cost before I got them.”

480-456-0176 www.fynesaudiology.com 2058 S Dobson Rd #9, Mesa, AZ 85202

The main problem is that your doctor has told you to just live with the problem or try the drugs which you don’t like taking because they make you feel uncomfortable. There is now a facility right here in Mesa that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects.

(See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined.

1) What is the underlying cause?

2) How much nerve damage has been sustained.

In addition, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostics like the TM Flow diagnostic unit to accurately determine the increase in blood flow and a small skin biopsy to accurately determine the increase in small nerve fibers!

The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both low-frequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling.

During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy.

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT SANEXAS IS COVERED BY MEDICARE AND MOST INSURANCE! Depending on your coverage, your treatment could be little to no cost to you!

The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be

Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until October 31, 2021. Call 480274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-274-3157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.

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24

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

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Obituaries

Obituaries

Dennis Ivan Klopshinske

H E A D STO N E S

Klopshinske of Farmington, MO, formerly of Mesa, AZ, entered into eternal rest on October 17, 2021, at his residence surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 78.

He was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan on June 27, 1943, to the late Ivan and Marjorie (Denike) Klopshinske.

Dennis is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, JoAnne (Gray) Klopshinske, his daughter, Sheri (and husband Keith) George, his grandchildren, Dylan George and Kailyn George, his sister, Donna Pearson, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Dennis proudly served his country as a veteran of the United States Navy during the Vietnam era. He enjoyed camping, hiking, the outdoors, and visiting “ghost” towns. He will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Private interment will be held at Mt. View Cemetery in Mesa. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to Libertyville Christian Church, 1737 Wesley Chapel Road, Farmington, MO 63640.

Employment General

IPL/Leaktite West a leading North American manufacturer of injection-molded plastic products.

Come and Join our Production Team as a Machine Assembler. 12 Hr. Shifts, Day Shift $17/Hr. & Night Shifts $18/Hr. No Experience Necessary! Must have the ability to assemble product parts, follow directions and work as a team!

Announce

Merch

Prayer Announcements

Wanted to Buy

ments andise Thank You St. Jude For Prayers Answered - JRH

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

Will pay top dollar.

Call Pat 480-323-8846

Classifieds 480-898-6465

If you are reliable, have good attendance and the ability to work in a fast paced manufacturing environment then Apply Today in person at 105 S. 41st Avenue Suite # 200, Phoenix AZ 85009 or you may also apply by calling 480-524-0975.

Sell Your Stuff!

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480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Employment General

NOW HIRING Peter Piper Pizza

Location: McDowell and Miller Road We are now hiring Full Time / Part Time, Team Members for Day, Evenings and Night positions.

EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.

“Memories cut in Stone” • MONUMENTS • GRANITE & BRONZE • CEMETERY LETTERING • CUSTOM DESIGNS

480-969-0788 75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233

www.everlastingmonumentco.com info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com

Make your choice Everlasting

Apply at: 7607 E. McDowell Road Scottsdale, Az. 85257 (480) 947-9901 Located between Hayden Road and Scottsdale Road on the southwest corner of Miller Road.

25

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Garage Sales/ Bazaars

Garage Sales/ Bazaars

COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE

Sat. Oct 30 7am-1pm Sossaman/Baseline SunLand Village East Active Adult Comm

2145 S. Farnsworth

HUGE COMUNITY SALE! Entrada Del Oro 18437 E. El Buho Pequeno - Gold Canyon AZ 85118 Friday October 22nd, Saturday October 23rd & Sunday October 24th 7am-3pm

Need to hire some help?

Call Classifieds Today!

480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

HUGE COMUNITY SALE! Peralta Canyon – 10893 E. Peralta Canyon Dr – Gold Canyon AZ Friday October 22nd, Saturday October 23rd & Sunday October 24th 7am-3pm

Air Conditioning/Heating

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $4,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

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

For Rent

Real Estate for Sale Manufactured Homes

THE LINKS ESTATES Why Rent The Lot When

YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home

480-405-7588

Gawthorp & Associates Realty 40667 N Wedge Dr • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140

602-402-2213

www.linksestates.net

Block Fence * Gates

East Valley/ Ahwatukee

Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610

Not a licensed contractor

Car for Sale?

2021

FALL TUNE-UP SPECIAL!

69

$

REG. $99.

Includes a 16-Points Inspection.

LIMITED TIME ONLY. RESIDENTIAL ONLY

FREE INDOOR REME HALO® IN-DUCT AIR PURIFIER*

• Reduces common allergens from pollen, mold dander & dust • Eliminates pet, cooking and musty odors • Reduces airborne and surface bacteria & viruses, such as MRSA, e-coli, and Norwalk 99+%,

*With a qualified ac system purchase

YOUR HOMETOWN AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST FREE Service Call With Repair FREE Second Opinion ★ FREE Estimate

602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!

Advertise It Here!

Call 480.898.6465

Drywall

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Appliance Repairs

• Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed

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

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

480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com Not a licensed contractor.

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured

BESTOF

Electrical Services HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY

Carpet Cleaning

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

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

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932 Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

A + Rating

480-725-7303 www.BrewersAC.com SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

We offer Big Savings and Great Financing!

FROM THE UPPER 100’S

GARAGE DOOR SERVICE

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

Some restrictions apply. See website for additional information. Special rebates and financing offers are valid on qualifying equipment and pre-approved credit. Offers expire 12/31/2021.

ASK US HOW YOUR $105,000 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.

SPARKLE & SHINE CLEANING SERVICE Immaculate, Dependable Service. Affordable Rates.

Commercial & Residential services All supplies included.

Sanitized & masks worn You've tried the rest, now try the BEST!" Ask for Martha or Annie 480-495-5516 or 480-797-6023

If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

Home for rent in Painted Mountain Golf Course community.

3bd/2Ba. 64th and McDowell. Fenced yard.

No pets. $1k deposit. $2000 a month.

602-339-1555

Concrete & Masonry

Appliance Repair Now

Real Estate

Homes For Rent

Garage/Doors

Cleaning Services

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Handyman Decks • Tile • More!

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, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry

Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo y alit Affordable, Qu ✔ Bathrooms BSMALLMAN@Q.COM 2010, 2011 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo y 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Affordable, Qualit And More!

2010, 2011 Small Man!” 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee / References Call Ahwatukee BruceResident/ at 602.670.7038

2012, 2013, 2014

Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Work

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor Bruce at 602.670.7038

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014

26

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Home Improvement

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

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

Car for Sale?

Advertise It Here!

Call 480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

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

Home Improvement

Landscape/Maintenance

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.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

All Estimates are Free • Call:

520.508.1420

www.husbands2go.com

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949 Ask me about FREE water testing!

Hauling

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

25 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840

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

www.irsaz.com

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

Painting

Email Your Job Post to: class@times publications.com or Call

480-898-6465

Painting

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

— Call Jason —

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com

Plumbing

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

ALL Pro S E R V I C E

People are looking at the Classifieds Every day!

(602) 502-1655

NTY 5-YEAR WARRA

T R E E

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

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

ROC# 256752

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

480-354-5802

• Old Paint & Chems.

25 Years exp (480) 720-3840

Not a licensed contractor

480.721.4146

PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

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

TRIMMING

Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!

CALL US TODAY!

Landscape/Maintenance

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

SPRINKLER

TREE

Irrigation

Handyman

• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

Juan Hernandez

Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!

Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

LLC

Juan Hernandez

HIRING?

Plumbing

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

480-338-4011

ROC#309706

East Valley PAINTERS

ROC 3297740

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

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates!

Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

Call us to place your ad online!

www.eastvalleypainters.com

480-688-4770

Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

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

Voted #1

Family Owned & Operated

480-477-8842

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM

MISSED THE DEADLINE?

480-898-6465

HYDROJETTING

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Now Accepting all major credit cards

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

10% OFF

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

27

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

Pool Service / Repair

Roofing

Window Cleaning

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

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

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

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Roofing

Professional service since 1995

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

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

130 - One Story 170 - Two Story

$ Bonded & Insured

$

Includes in & out up to 30 Panes

SUN SCREENS CLEANED $3 EACH

MonsoonRoofingInc.com

480-584-1643

Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

Attention to detail and tidy in your home.

Roofing

aOver 30 Years of Experience

aFamily Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

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

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

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

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING Valley Wide Service

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

Place Your Advertisement Here.

Call 480-898-6465 to Advertise in the Service Directory.

Public Notices NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the Matter of the Estate of James Charles Hess, Deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as the Personal Representative of this estate.

All persons having claims against the estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or the claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented by delivering or mailing a written statement of the claim to undersigned Personal Representative at 10056 E. Keats Ave, Mesa Az 85209 DATED this 06, day of October 2021 /s/ Kristina Romero PUBLISHED: East Valley Tribune, dates of the October 17,24,31, 2021 / # 42024

BROADCAST YOUR BARGAINS. REACH THOUSANDS OF BUYERS. CLASS@ TIMESPUBLICATIONS .COM

480.898.6465

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Place your ad online!

Call 480-898-6465

Public Notices 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.

Oooh, MORE ads online!

Check Our Online Classifieds Too!

ChandlerNews.com

28

GILBERT SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 24, 2021

contemporary furniture & accessories

Gilbert location opening Fall 2021

coming soon!

2000 S. San Tan Village Parkway Gilbert AZ 85295

Architectural rendering of the future Copenhagen, Gilbert. Construction is well under way!

In the very near future, Copenhagen will be announcing the opening of our brand new showroom, to be located in the heart of Gilbert’s thriving shopping district, and directly across from San Tan Village Mall. This newly constructed, 32,000 square foot showroom will offer inspiring furniture vignettes, with a specific focus on the contemporary and modern designs you’ve come to know at Copenhagen.

Of course, our classic Scandinavian, our fine collection of teak furniture, as well as our fabulous collection of contemporary accessories, including art, rugs and lighting, will also be represented. This will undoubtedly be the area’s most unique furniture shopping experience.

We can’t wait to show it off. On behalf of the entire Copenhagen team, we looking forward to seeing you very soon!

since

join our team now hiring

apply online at jobs.copenhagenliving.com

contemporary furniture & accessories

great prices great design

PHOENIX 1701 E. Camelback 602-266-8060 SCOTTSDALE 15804 N. Scottsdale Rd. 480-367-6401 TEMPE 2346 E. Southern

www.copenhagenliving.com

(at 101)

480-838-3080