Gilbert Sun News - 11.7.2021

John Lewis is back

Charter coach abruptly gone

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An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

NEWS.............................10 What Phoenix Children’s did for this Gilbert cutie.

COMMUNITY......... 18 Gilbert man is a rising darts star.

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

Sunday, November 7, 2021

Gilbert elections: one dead, one nailbiter Voters reject Higley bond request to borrow $95M

Town bond OK hanging by thread as margin narrows

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

V

oters living in the Higley Unified School District last week gave the boot to its $95-million bond.

With virtually all ballots counted by Thursday, unofficial results showed 55 percent of votes rejected the bond while 45 percent approved it, according to Maricopa County Elections.

“It is an unfortunate outcome for the students and teachers in Higley,” said Ben Harrison, chairman of Yes for Higley Schools Political Action Committee.

“In the coming weeks our little group hopes to hold a retrospec-

see HIGLEY page 6

Town Council approves change to ethics probes

T

he Town of Gilbert’s $515-million transportation and infrastructure bond appeared to be eking out passage, according to unofficial results from the all-mail election, but as of Friday the election suddenly became too close to call.

Bond approval had maintained a slight lead early on election night but on by the time the County Recorder on Thursday said virtually all ballots were counted, that lead dwindled to a mere 192 votes.

County Recorder spokeswoman Megan Gilbertson said, “nearly all unofficial results are now posted,” and that all that remained

Logo in flux

see BOND page 6

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

GETOUT..................... 24 Gilbert artists take center stage at HD SOUTH.

COMMUNITY....................................... 18 BUSINESS............................................. 22 SPORTS..................................................23

GETOUT.................................................24

CLASSIFIED..........................................28

G

ilbert Town Council now has the ability to not air in public the findings of ethics violation investigations against its members.

Council last Tuesday approved that revision to the town’s Code of Ethics.

Previously, a final report and its recommendation would have to be on an agenda for discussion and possible action at a Council meeting.

“Our current code requires that all ethics complaints be investigated and then discussed at a public meeting,” said Councilman Laurin Hendrix, who spoke about his proposal before last Tuesday’s meeting. “Even an erroneous complaint without merit must

see ETHICS page 7

The Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility sports the town’s new logo but from now on, the controversial symbol won’t be appearing on anything permanent after a Town Council committee recommended it be used only on letterhead, flags and other things that make it easy for the logo to be replaced. See page 13 for details.

(GSN file photo)

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

NEWS

Former Gilbert mayor back as EVP chief

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

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J

ohn Lewis is back in the saddle.

After serving a three-year stint as mission leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cambodia, the former Gilbert mayor is returning in January as president and CEO of the PHX East Valley Partnership.

He is replacing the man who replaced him – former Maricopa County supervisor and community leader Denny Barney of Gilbert, who is stepping down to pursue his own business ventures.

When Barney was asked to replace Lewis after he answered his church’s call to serve, Barney said he would give the EVP post a try for three years and then decide what to do when Lewis returned.

“Denny has done a phenomenal job and we are sorry to see him step down,” said Adam Deguire, interim vice president in Arizona State University’s Office of Government & Community Engagement and the Partnership’s chairman.

John Lewis

Denny Barney

“The good news is that talent in our region runs deep.”

EVP is a nonprofit organization of East Valley businesses, education and community leaders that works for betterment of the region’s economy and

quality of life.

Founded 39 years ago as a cooperative effort among Apache Junction, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen

see LEWIS page 11

102-unit complex sails through Town Council GSN NEWS STAFF

A

rental housing development with 102 units is coming near the southeast corner of Gilbert Road and Civic Center Drive.

Town Council last Tuesday voted to approve a minor General Plan amendment and rezone from single-family to multi-family. The item was on the consent agenda and not discussed.

Avanterra is proposed on 10.97 acres near the Town’s Municipal Complex.

Continental 577 Fund is looking to acquire the land.

The project will include two-story standalone and tri-unit buildings with one, two and three bedrooms. The rentals are proposed to each have private backyards and one- or two-car garages with 20-foot driveways for the larger units.

Continental touted the project will be an “upscale, market-rate community.”

The community will offer amenities such as a tot lot, a fenced pet playground, a swimming pool with a sun deck, grill-

A rendering submitted to the town for Avanterra showed how the 102 units on the southeast corner of Gilbert Road and Civic Center Drive will be positioned (Town of Gilbert) ing area, and resident clubhouse, which includes a gathering room, 24-hour fitness center, kitchen and coffee bar.

Primary access to the project will be off of Gilbert Road. Currently, the site contained a recently abandoned single-family house on the site, which will be removed.

The site is surrounded by a multi-fam-

ily project to the north and the Settler’s Point neighborhood to the east.

Only one person attended the neighborhood meeting in January presenting the project and no one from the public gave input on Avanterra at the Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 1. Both the commission and planning staff are in support of the project.

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Blind hero is guest speaker at Gilbert Veterans Day observance GSN NEWS STAFF

O

n Sept. 11, 2001, as high school freshman Matthew Bradford watched on television the terrorist attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, he felt the need to serve to his country.

After Bradford graduated school in Dinwiddie, Virginia, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After training, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines Echo Company 2nd Platoon in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

In September 2006, the unit was deployed to Haditha, Iraq.

Four months into his deployment, the 20-year-old Bradford stepped on an improvised device and suffered severe injuries and wasn’t expected to live.

Three weeks later, he woke up in Bethesda Naval Hospital as a blind amputee.

However, he didn’t let his injuries define him and with the motto, “No legs, no vision, no problem,” Bradford has competed in multiple Spartans races, surfed, skydived and climbed 7,000 feet of Mt.

Matthew Bradford Rainier.

In 2010, he achieved another memorial feat, re-enlisting in the Marine Corps,

becoming the first double amputee to do so.

On Wednesday, Bradford is the keynote speaker at Gilbert’s 17th annual Veterans Day Ceremony.

The event takes place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road and will include performances by local schools and military displays.

The ceremony also will include musical performances by local schools, and military display.

This event is free and open to all ages.

Lawn seating will be available.

Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or a lawn chair. Food trucks will be on-site to purchase refreshments before and after the event.

Last year’s ceremony required reservations and attendees had to sit inside painted circles on the event lawn to ensure social distancing due to COVID-19.

Other Veterans Day events in the Valley include the annual East Valley Veterans

Parade, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11 along Center Street in downtown Mesa.

Over 100 parade entries are anticipated, along with aerial demonstrations of vintage aircraft for the event with a parade theme of “military arts and artists.”

The Veterans Day Parade in Tempe will be from 9-11:30 a.m., Nov. 11 along Mill Avenue.

Over in Chandler, the city’s been honoring veterans all month long with various events, including a Field of Honor Veterans Memorial ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m., Nov. 11 at Veterans Oasis Park, 4050 E. Chandler Heights Road.

The Field of Honor will be the first veterans memorial of its size – nearly an acre – and scope in the Southeast Valley. General parking is available at Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center, 5901 S. Hillcrest Drive, with a shuttle service to Veterans Oasis Park.

And, Phoenix is holding its Veterans Day Parade, 11 a.m., Nov. 11. The starts at Montebello and Central avenues and runs southbound, then turns east on Camelback Road and then turns south on 7th Street.

specialty in glazing made him a rare commodity.

Upon arrival at Schindler’s factory, he was assigned to a small area of the factory to work as a glazier. White survived the last months of the Holocaust at Schindler’s camp in Bruennlitz, Sudetenland, and was liberated on the last day of the war in Europe, May 8, 1945, from the camp – as shown in the movie “Schindler’s List.”

After liberation, he made his way to Germany where, in 1950 as a refugee, he earned a medical degree from the University of Munich. Soon thereafter, he immigrated to the United States.

In 1953, he married Inez Libby, a Chicagoan, and joined the U.S. Army. He received a commission as a first lieutenant and completed his medical field service training at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas.

From 1953-1955, he served as a

medical officer at USA Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He was honorably discharged as a captain in the United States Army Reserves in 1955.

Alex moved his wife and two children – soon to be three – to Chicago, where from 1956-58 he was a full-time faculty member of the Chicago Medical School. He practiced medicine in a private practice in the area for close to 50 years while continuing to teach there as an associate professor as well as a voluntary faculty member of Cook County Hospital.

He retired to Scottsdale in the late 1990s, where he has become active in veteran affairs, becoming a member of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame. At age 98, he said he remembers his military years with fondness – especially the camaraderie – and often wished he had never left the service.

Holocaust survivor is parade Grand Marshal GSN NEWS STAFF

C

apt. Alexander White, a Scottsdale resident who survived a concentration camp survivor but lost his entire family to the Nazis, is the 2021 East Valley Veterans Parade Grand Marshal.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 11, in regular format at Center Street and University Drive, Mesa, then proceed south on Center, turning west onto 1st Street and continuing to Robson.

Born in 1923, in Krosno, Poland, near the Ukraine/Slovakian borders, White as a teenager lived through the liquidation of the Krosno Ghetto, then spent a year in the Luftwaffe Labor Camp and six months in the concentration camp at Krakow-Plassow.

In October 1944, his name appeared on a list of workers assigned to German

Alexander White industrialist Oskar Schindler, who was relocating his factory from Poland to the Sudetenland to avoid advancing Soviet armies.

White surmises that he ended up on Schindler’s list because his profession was listed as a glazier and painter. His

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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NEWS

6

HIGLEY

from page 1

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

tive and reconnect with district leadership about next steps,” he said. “Higley has difficult choices to make to best meet the needs of students on the road ahead.”

The turnout for the bond’s all-mail election was 23.09 percent – a percentage similar to turnout in many other school and municipal elections in the county.

Neither Harrison nor district officials would speculate why voters didn’t support the bond. In the district’s 2019 election, 63.77 percent of the voters gave approval to continuing a 15-percent budget override.

While HUSD did not implement COVID protocols that upset parents and that could possibly affect voters at the ballot box, the district did have on dark cloud hanging over the election.

A month after the school board called for the special bond election, a state grand jury in July announced the indictment of former HUSD Superintendent Denise Birdwell, who was accused of criminal financial wrong-doings during her tenure.

Some of the charges Birdwell faces involves the construction of Higley’s two middle schools, which the district leases from a nonprofit. Higley officials hoped to use some of the bond proceeds to pay

“We will be sending a communication to our community this evening or first thing tomorrow morning indicating that these preliminary results show that the bond failed,” Foley told the board.

“We will also discuss the fact that we will remain committed to supporting the Higley Unified Superintendent Dr. Dawn Foley addressed the Gov- challenges of a erning Board about the bond election results. (YouTube) growing district and will continoff one of those leases and save millions ue to bring proposals and ideas forward and that we will continue to stay prioriof dollars.

Superintendent Dawn Foley briefly tized on teaching, learning and our stuaddressed the preliminary election re- dents in this district.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed with sults at last Wednesday’s board meeting, hoping against hope the results would the initial results.”

In her letter to the community, Foley turn around with about 2,000 left to be counted. But an elections official on thanked voters for their support while Thursday evening said the count had assuring parents that HUSD remained been completed except for some mop- focused on supporting students.

“We are a growing school district with up.

many capital needs,” Foley wrote. “We will continue to have meetings to discuss issues and develop solutions to find the best possible way to support our students and facility needs.”

The district was planning on spending the bond money over five years, including on adding more classrooms and buying land for a future school site as it continues to grow.

Higley is projected to see an enrollment increase of over 2,300 students in the next few years as a result of 5,300 new households. However, the bulk of the bond money – $32 million – was to have gone to retire one of two controversial and costly leases engineered by Birdwell in 2012. The money used for the leases now could then be directed to other district uses.

The district also planned to use the bond to pay for needed upgrades and remodeling of aging buildings.

The state during the recession cut school funding, which forced many districts to delay projects. Since 2009, the state cut $4.56 billion dollars to public schools and those cuts haven’t been restored, according to the Arizona School Boards Association.

Other proposed spending included technology and safety projects and the replacement of HVAC units.

was the verification of some signatures in the all-mail election that she expected to be complete by 5 p.m. Friday, past the Gilbert Sun News’ deadline.

However, it was unclear if a recounted will be needed on the town bond question. Gilbertson said if the vote ended up tied, the emasure by state statute would be considered defeated.

The outcome in the town’s bond issue differed sharply from neighboring Chandler, where five bond questions totaling about $272.7 million were all approved by a 2-1 margin.

Prior to the stunning turnaround in the Gilbert vote count, Mayor Brigette Peterson had released a statement lauding Gilbert’s “long tradition of supporting investments in infrastructure and quality of life projects, and I am happy to

see that continue with the likely passage of Question 1.”

“The Gilbert Citizens Transportation Task Force spent months identifying the most important and needed transportation projects, and there was a robust conversation during the campaign about how we fund these investments,” she continued. “I’m proud that Gilbert continues to be one of the largest municipalities without a primary property tax, and that voters have faith their Citizens who oppose Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson tax dollars will be spent campaigned to defeat the bond issue. (GSN file photo) wisely.”

The voter turnout was a dismal 23.5 percent. Voters overwhelming approved Proposition 462, a franchise agreement with Southwest Gas, by 66 percent.

There was opposition to the bond from some residents. They cited various reasons: some thought the bond was too big of an ask, others didn’t trust how the Town would spend the money and that it would hike their property taxes; and others were upset over recent development approvals by the town, especially those involving apartment complexes.

Some residents, including a sign company owner, tried to defeat the bond by tying it to Peterson, who faced criticism from residents at Council meetings during the summer with a few de-

BOND

from page 1

see BOND page 8

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

NEWS

CUSD was concerned about override prospects

7

oters have consistently backed the Chandler Unified School District exceeding state limits in spending by 15 percent for more than 30 years.

Last time it was on the ballot, it passed with 60 percent support. So, no reason to sweat this year’s vote, right?

“We were very worried,” CUSD spokesperson Terry Locke said.

It appears they didn’t need to worry so much. The yes votes topped opposing votes 56 percent to 44 percent, according to nearly final unofficial results. Turnout was just under 25 percent.

Although voters have consistently backed the Chandler Unified overrides in every election since 1988, were district officials had plenty to worry about with this one.

“The board has had to make some really difficult decisions, one right after the other,” Locke said. “People are upset for a variety of reasons.”

Locke pointed to votes over masks in school, quarantining students and regular comments about Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in CUSD. At a meeting in August, money was on the mind of board members when the is-

sue of re-imposing a mask requirement came up for discussion after Gov. Doug Ducey threatened to withhold some pandemic relief funds from districts that had a mandatory mask policy.

That discussion occurred before the Biden administration challenged Ducey over his threats.

At the meeting, Chief Financial Officer Lana Berry said CUSD faced an immediate loss of about $11 million and ultimately another $40 million in the dispute if Ducey made good on his threat. So the board voted 3-2 to keep masks optional.

Nonetheless, mask mandates still were raised on social media by some as a reason to oppose the override. Ditto for the nonexistent CRT instruction.

Some parents who are regular speakers at the meetings formed an opposition group to the override, but got a late start.

Those controversies plus a worry about demographics trending in the wrong direction and a lower-than-expected turnout raised the concern of district officials, Locke said.

Turnout was just about 21 percent in early totals.

Locke said most of the people voting are 65 and older, many who no longer have children in schools. They tend to be less supportive of overrides than young-

er couples who have children in school.

Locke said he was also concerned about the amount of misinformation out there. He said he saw a number of untrue statements circulating in his neighborhood.

But despite those challenges, voters appear to have backed the override, which amounts to an extra $41 million in the CUSD’s maintenance and operations budget.

If voters had rejected it, then tough choices would have been needed to be made.

“We’d have one more year,” Locke said of the previous authorization to exceed state spending limits. “Next year, we would have had to go through the same override process, while simultaneously making cuts.

“We’d have to cut $14 million. You can’t make those kinds of cuts without it cutting deep. Laying off a clerk isn’t going to get it done. That’s one of the reasons why school districts ask for the override a year early.”

Voters authorize districts to exceed the state limit by up to 15 percent for seven years. However, that amount phases out in the final two years so it’s not such a sharp reduction. That’s why districts tend to ask for the override every five

years.

On behalf of Chandler Unified, Locke thanked voters who passed the override.

Property owners in Chandler currently pay $1.18 per $100 of assessed valuation for the previously authorized override.

And that rate is not expected to change with the new override, although rising home values could increase the amount of taxes homeowners pay anyway.

CUSD has about 45,000 students and is the second largest school district in Arizona. The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Arizona 49th in the nation in per pupil funding, averaging $11,170 per student in 2020. The national average in 2018 was $14,530.

CUSD spent $10,664 per student in 2020. The district says more than 61 percent of that goes directly to education costs. The rest goes to school officers, utilities, insurance and liability, district administration and other.

The other category, which is second largest at nearly 24 percent, includes teacher training, student assessment, librarians, counselors, speech therapists, nurses, security, custodians, maintenance and transportation.

be investigated and then discussed at a public meeting.

“My intent is to eliminate the requirement for the Council to discuss a meritless complaint at a public meeting.”

The report and its recommendation by the town attorney or outside counsel, however, will remain public documents.

Also, under the proposal – unanimously passed by Council – three or more Council members within 10 calendar days must request that the report be placed on an agenda. If they don’t, the report is not aired and the ethics complaint is deemed dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled.

But if council members chose to discuss the report in a meeting and determine a violation has occurred, they can impose penalties.

The Council in a meeting last month discussed the findings of an outside attorney’s investigation that found no ethics violations as alleged in five separate complaints filed against Mayor Brigette Peterson.

Hendrix’s proposed revision originally called for allowing just one council member to find merit in a discussion after the investigation in order to place it on the agenda. But Peterson said she was uncomfortable with that because it went against current policy that required at least three council members in order to put an item on an agenda.

So, the number of members who must request discussion of the report was increased from one to three.

Vice Mayor Yung Koprowski suggested Council take more time to more thor-

oughly look at the entire Ethics Code “I don’t disagree that the Code of Ethics might need a once-over and a review.

However, I’d like some additional time and to do it all at once instead of changing small items here and there and maybe having a study session or other just more thoughtful research behind any changes made and making sure that we have consensus on those changes moving forward.”

Councilman Scott Anderson said he’s all for looking at the entire policy but time was of essence to act now because another ethics violation has been filed against Peterson.

“I was interested in doing something like this because of the exact nature of what just recently happened,” Anderson said. “We went through a very exhaustive

process on some ethics complaints, had a report done and we talked about it in a public meeting and we’ve since then had another complaint filed, which is essentially the same thing.”

Andrew Adams filed a complaint against Peterson on Oct. 27, accusing the outside attorney of doing a “softball investigation” and alleging that Peterson was “dishonest” when she allegedly deceived the public on an agenda item that would have given her the authority to limit speakers.

While honesty is not the definition of “ethical,” it is the bedrock of ethical behavior, Adams wrote in his complaint.

Town Attorney Chris Payne has recommended the Council dismiss the com-

BY KEN SAIN GSN Staff Writer

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ETHICS from page 1

see ETHICS page 11

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

GPS, builder to share cost of a $306K net “The homes were finished in spring of 2019 and foul balls began in spring of 2020,” Antestenis said. “COVID then effectively stopped the issue (but) the following spring of 2021 was when the issue became fully apparent during baseball season.”

During the season, numerous foul balls flew over the existing 40-foot barrier, causing damage to rooftop and backyards to several homes and have placed residents at risk of getting hit, according to the district.

The district – in the spirit of being a good neighbor – paid off two claims for damage at a cost of $600, according to Antestenis.

“After the second claim was paid, Gilbert Public Schools engaged legal counsel to assist in getting the attention of Blandford Homes to assist in this issue

and any additional claims were forwarded to GPS legal counsel,” said Antestenis.

“No one has been injured to our knowledge.”

Under the agreement, the homebuilder will pay about $152,979. The district will be responsible for hiring a general contractor to build the netting system.

According to the agreement, the district doesn’t guarantee that the netting system will catch all baseballs and prevent them from entering homeowners’ property.

Although the high school has been in place since 2002, long before the homes were built, the district will pick up half the tab.

“Sharing this responsibility to construct a larger net is in the best interests of GPS and the Mulberry neighborhood,” Antestenis said.

The new netting system measures 100 feet tall and 200 feet long, replacing the existing 40-foot-tall netting system, according to Antestenis.

“It’s not used anywhere else in the district,” she said. “The manufacturer’s original recommendation was 80 feet tall and GPS opted to go to 100 feet to improve the opportunity for capturing foul balls.”

Antestenis said the district also considered another option to resolve the issue – turning the field around so that home base was facing west. But that would have required in excess of $500,000 to rebuild the field and dugouts, she added.

“In addition, batters would be facing the western sun – not an appropriate circumstance for baseball fields,” she said.

The district has not yet determined a timeline for installing the new net.

cientists say a Chandler resident is the nation’s first genetically documented case of COVID-19 transmission to a pet.

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, last week announced that it has published its findings from an ongoing study in the journal “One Health.”

While there are five pilot studies nationwide examining COVID in animals, the TGen study is the only one to include genomic sequencing of the virus from

both pet and human samples.

“This level of testing resulted from TGen’s overall efforts to monitor the virus and its potentially more-dangerous variants by sequencing as many positive human samples of the virus as possible,” TGen senior science writer Steve Yozwiak said.

Hayley Yaglom, a TGen epidemiologist at the institute’s infectious-disease lab in Flagstaff and lead author of the study, said the Chandler case is “the first example we had from the project that demonstrated the likelihood of virus transmission from a pet owner to animals in the household.”

“This is a great example of using genomics to gain intelligence about pathogens,” said David Engelthaler, Ph.D., director of TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division, the branch of TGen studying infectious diseases. “This study shows that we can not only use genomics to help track COVID variants across the globe, but we can also use this technology to track exact transmissions, and in this case transmission from pet owners to pets.”

Patient confidentiality prevents TGen from saying much about man at the center of the study’s discovery, except to say that the “pet parent” infected his dog and

cat.

“The pet parent was not yet vaccinated, took little precaution to protect his cat and dog and entertained guests who were not vaccinated. The owner recovered from COVID, and both his pets were asymptomatic,” Yozwiak said.

The animals were confined to an apartment and “had little-to-no opportunity to be exposed to the virus and so it was highly unlikely that the pets infected their owner,” he added.

“Plus, in each case examined in the

manding that she resign. Peterson was recently cleared of alleged violations of the town’s ethics code by an outside attorney.

The last time the Town went to voters with a transportation bond was 13 years ago and that money’s been spent.

The Town anticipated putting the bond on the ballot last November but decided against it when COVID-19 set in and with it the economic uncertainty.

The bond money isl be used on proj-

ects to ease traffic congestion and improve safety, according to town officials.

Some of the proposed projects included connecting Ocotillo Road with a bridge over the regional park, removing and replacing 28 old and obsolete bus shelters and pads, building three trail crossings, making improvements at various locations around schools and putting in fiber optics for advanced traffic detection.

Also, a transit center for a future com-

muter rail is proposed south of Williams Field Road, west of Recker Road within the Cooley Station neighborhood.

The bond would be paid off through secondary-property taxes.

The Town said the tax rate of $0.99 per $100 of assessed value will remain the same as the new debt would replace debt that’s been paid off.

However, if a home’s value were to increase or if there are changes to the tax rates from the county, the local school

district or other overlapping taxing jurisdictions, Gilbert taxpayers would see a higher tax bill, according to the Town.

For years, residents in surveys and on social media have told the Town that transportation was their No. 1 priority.

The proposed projects still need to go to Council for approval before the bond money is spent.

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

R

esidents in the Mulberry neighborhood whose homes back up to Desert Ridge High School’s playing fields may soon see some relief from errant baseballs.

Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board recently approved an agreement with Blandford Homes to share in the $306,000 cost of buying and installing a giant net.

Blandford Homes built the Mulberry subdivision contiguous to the south of the high school’s varsity baseball field in East Mesa. Two homes were built just a few feet from the cinder block wall separating the subdivision from the baseball field, according to district spokeswoman Dawn Antestenis.

Study finds Chandler man gave pets COVID-19 GSN NEWS STAFF

S

BOND from page 6

see COVID page 16

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

How Phoenix Children’s Hospital helped Gilbert baby

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

T

wenty weeks into her pregnancy Gilbert resident Laurelin Ottesen unexpectedly discovered during a routine scan that her fetus had spina bifida – a condition that develops when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly.

Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect. Between 1,500 and 2,000 babies out of about 4 million births born with this disorder each year in the United States, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

“It was a lot of fear, a lot of the unknown, lot of anxiety and worry that it was my fault,” said Otteson, “and just kind of feeling we were thrown into deep waters and I didn’t know anything about spina bifida at the time.

“I’ve only heard the word once or twice before. So after we were diagnosed we were transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where I got a fetal MRI that confirmed the diagnosis.”

The medical staff discussed options with Ottesen and her husband, Jordan Ottesen. They could either have surgery performed in-utero to close the fetus’ back or wait and do the surgery after the baby was born.

The couple weighed their options and chose in-utero surgery, which was supported by their neurosurgeon as well.

The couple and their oldest child, Benjamin, now 4, relocated for the surgery to the Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, staying at the Ronald McDonald House in December 2019 for three months.

The surgery was successful and daughter, Norah, was born at 37 weeks, according to Ottesen.

After a four-day stay at the neonatal intensive care unit, Norah’s care was transferred back to PCH. “The transition was fairly seamless,” Ottesen said. “We love all of our experts at Phoenix Children’s. They were so

Little Norah Otteson was diagnosed with spina bifida before she was born but thanks to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the 18-month-old Gilbert baby has a good shot at a normal life.

(Special to GSN)

good at supporting me as a parent and listening to my concerns and taking actions on my concerns as well.”

Norah is now 18 months and thriving.

She uses a walker and wears braces to help strengthen her ankles.

“She’s funny and as smart as a whip,” Ottesen said. “Her life has been changed because of the medical intervention she had. Had we waited until she was born her paralysis likely would have been from the knees down if not higher. It’s not a cure. All it does is kind of helps protect some of the nerve damage that happens over time while the baby’s back is opened in the womb.”

Ottensen said Norah for the rest of her life will go to physical therapy and continue to see a menu of specialists and doctors. She currently has a team of 10 specialists overseeing her care.

“But she will likely walk independently when she gets older and strong enough,” she said. “It’s super likely she will be able to live an independent life.

Her cognition is not impaired by (the disorder). She is able to do fine at school and likely able to have her own family.”

Ottesen credited PCH for providing the family support every step of the way and giving Norah a brighter future.

“It was critical that we were transferred to Phoenix Children’s after the diagnosis,” she said. “They set us up with the specialists we needed and all the appointments we needed…and helped us chose our next steps forward.”

Stories such as the Ottesens’ highlight the importance of Phoenix Children’s Hospital as it embarked on its annual fundraiser last week.

The eight-week-long event is the hospital’s largest fundraiser of the year with donations matched by local companies. Phoenix Children’s goal is to raise the match amount of $150,000, which was achieved over the last two years.

The money raised for the Year-End Campaign goes to the Hope Fund, which provides a critical source of funding for the areas of greatest need at Phoenix Children’s. The Hope Fund helps the hospital respond to advances in pediatric health care that directly benefit patients, including state-of-the-art tech-

nology and equipment, innovative clinical programs and family-centered care.

Steve Schnall, senior vice president of Phoenix Children’s Foundation, said the hospital was seeing an incredible response from the local community.

“The last two months of the year is all about giving and we have cemented great partnerships to make sure that every dollar donated goes that extra mile,” said Schnall in a news release. “We truly cannot help these kids without support.

It takes a village to lift up the tiniest heroes in our community, and the YearEnd Campaign is proof that people can come together to do some incredible fundraising.”

Phoenix Children’s is one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems. It comprises of Phoenix Children’s Hospital–Main Campus, Phoenix Children’s Hospital–East Valley at Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, four pediatric specialty and urgent care centers, 11 community pediatric practices, 20 outpatient clinics, two ambulatory surgery centers and six community-service-related outpatient clinics throughout Arizona.

The system has provided world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families for more than 35 years. Phoenix Children’s Care Network includes more than 850 pediatric primary care providers and specialists who deliver care across more than 75 subspecialties.

HOW TO HELP

Phoenix Children’s Hospital kicks off its largest fundraiser of 2021 with its Year-End Campaign, which is now to Dec. 31. Donors will receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their Arizona state return – up to $400 for individuals and $800 for those filing jointly.

For more information on the YearEnd Campaign and how to donate. visit phoenixchildrensfoundation.org.

Check us out and like the Gilbert Sun News on Facebook and follow @gilbertsunnews on Twitter.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

LEWIS from page 3

Creek and Tempe – along with Maricopa and Pinal counties and Gila and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian communities – it has grown in size and stature.

Lewis served two terms as Gilbert’s mayor between 2009 and 2016 and is credited with leading the development of its downtown district and guiding the town through some of its most traumatic events this century – including the cold-blooded murder of Gilbert Police Lt. Eric Shuhandler in 2010 and a Nazis sympathizer’s murder-suicide that claimed the lives of four other people, including a baby, in 2012.

Lewis became EVP president in 2016 but stepped down in late 2018 to heed the call of his church.

“I’m thrilled to be back and look forward to working with a progressive group of leaders to continue to move our region forward,” he said.

During his tenure at EVP, Lewis played an integral role in making the region a mecca for business, establishing a mentoring program for small business owners and creating a fertile environment for entrepreneurs.

He also worked with regional officials and Arizona Tech Investors to catalyze economic growth by raising awareness of angel investing and enhancing access to early-stage funding for East Valley tech startup companies.

Barney looked back at his leadership

of EVP as “one of the most significant and productive times in the region’s history.”

The PHX East Valley has grown exponentially and now boasts a population of 1.6 million and a labor force of more than 717,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.

“Because of its talented and highly educated workforce and favorable quality of life, the area also continues to be a magnet for new businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in the aerospace and aviation, manufacturing, technology, financial services and health care industries,” a spokeswoman for EVP said.

Under Barney’s leadership, EVP advocated for transportation, education and other critical issues, and engaged more municipal, business, education and community leaders in the organization.

“As a sixth-generation PHX East Valley resident and a longtime business owner, I have had a front-row seat watching the region grow and mature,” Barney said.

“It has been the honor of my life to give back to the organization and the community I love.”

Barney balanced his duties at the Partnership with his role as principal of Arcus Private Capital Solutions, a specialized realty investment and finance company. He will continue to participate on Partnership as a board member.

plaint because Adams “merely repeats prior allegiant that have already been investigated by outside counsel” and makes no new allegations.

Payne, in his recommendation, said if the Council felt otherwise, he would then refer the matter to outside counsel.

Councilman Scott September said at the meeting that he saw merit in Hendrix’s proposal.

“If a complaint doesn’t rise to the standard of having merit then I don’t believe that it would warrant discussion from the dais or public dialog,” September said.

Hendrix, who attended the meeting via phone, said the current code allowed anyone to put an item on the agenda.

“Anyone – not even a Gilbert citizen but

anyone – could file an issue and call it an ethics complaint and our current code requires that it be investigated,” he said.

“And then it says we shall discuss it at a public meeting. Essentially anyone not even a Gilbert citizen is able to (put on the) agenda some topic no matter how far fetched it is.

“A single elected council member cannot put an item on the agenda but absolutely anyone on the planet could call something an ethics complaint and it would require us to discuss it at a public meeting. If not a single council member wants to discuss it, it shouldn’t be on our agenda. This isn’t a meeting of the public it’s a meeting of the council held in public.”

ETHICS from page 7

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CALL FOR CANDIDATES | SRP Elections Set for April 5 Nomination papers and petitions for candidates seeking the positions of President or Vice President or positions on the Boards or Councils of the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (the “Association”) and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (the “District”), collectively SRP, are available by request from the SRP Corporate Secretary. Email election@srpnet.com or call the SRP Elections Information Line at (602) 236-3048.

Nomination papers and petitions may be filed beginning Jan. 5, 2022 and must be completed and filed with the SRP Corporate Secretary no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2022.

The SRP elections are slated for April 5 and will fill 22 positions of the Association, which manages the water operations of SRP, and 24 positions of the District, which oversees the electric operations of SRP. Applications for early voting ballots will be accepted beginning Jan. 2, 2022. Prior to that date, applications to be placed on the Permanent Early Voter List can be submitted and be in effect for the April 5 elections. Early voting ballots will be mailed beginning March 9.

Qualified candidates must own qualified land or have been appointed to vote qualified land held in a qualifying trust that is within the respective boundaries of the Association or District and in the voting area they wish to represent as of Dec. 26, 2021; reside within the respective boundaries of the Association or District; and be a qualified, registered Arizona voter.

SRP Board members establish policy, approve annual budgets and set prices and fees. SRP Council members amend and enact by-laws and make appointments to fill vacancies on the Boards and Councils.

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ASSOCIATION: President; Vice President; one position on the Board of Governors in each of voting districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10; and three positions on the Council in each of voting districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. All Association positions have four-year terms.

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Tune In To Your Community

10/20/21 10:04 AM

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

NEWS

13

Gilbert logo apparently a fleeting town symbol

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

F

rom here on out, Gilbert’s new and sometimes maligned logo will be placed only on temporary structures such as outdoor signs, flags, trash cans and vehicles.

An internal committee of employees from key departments – such as police, fire and parks and rec – and Council members Kathy Tilque and Scott September presented recommendations last week for the symbol’s use.

How the logo was being used was a topic of discussion in a June meeting, prompting the Council to ask for the committee.

“Two of the items that we determined would be structures that we would not recommend moving forward with in terms of having the logo on them would be building exteriors,” said Dawn Prince, assistant town manager at last Tuesday’s Council study session.

“Those are obviously more difficult, more expensive to change out and then also if there’s any interior decor such as flooring where we would not recommend going forward.”

There is one town building currently with the logo embedded in its flooring.

The one exception is the Public Safety Training Facility, which sports a 15-foot reproduction of the logo on the east wall.

The committee discussed the logo on the facility quite a bit and eventually referred to the approved construction plans, which shows it scheduled for the east elevation, Prince said.

According to town officials, the logo is an abstract “G” monogram that incorporates colors inspired by Arizona’s sunsets. But detractors say otherwise, calling it “embarrassing” and “cheap” likening it to the Google G and the “Peter Piper Pizza’s symbol.”

The logo replaces the one that looked like a swirl.

Since the Council late last year adopted the logo, designed internally by staff, it is in use on email signatures, websites, business cards, ID cards, flags, ve-

hicles and street signs.

Prince said the committee also looked at how other Valley municipalities like Chandler, Peoria and Glendale used their logos, all of which are recent designs. The panel said that the various brand standards just depended on the cities and what they chose was important.

“There wasn’t a ‘we’re going to use the logo on this specific thing and not on this other thing,’” she said. “What we did find, though, is that they did have some standards for size or aspect or color that would be appropriate to use.”

Prince said the committee in considering what would be temporary items looked at things that “were not going to be expensive to change out and they were not going to be things that would really cause any imposition on the town.”

Temporary items are those with a defined life cycle and where there will be a need to be switched out after a period of time, according to Prince.

“Questions about where these items may fall would be at the discretion of the department director or the town manager,” she added.

Mayor Brigette Peterson, who was

future.”

According to the Town, the cost of the logo for the public safety building was $18,000.

Peterson’s biggest concern, however, was putting the logo on the town’s flag.

“I’ve noticed for the other cities that a flag is not something that they do,” she said. “The three cities that you used as examples Glendale, Peoria and Chandler, their flag is not something that they use the logo on.

“I don’t think that a temporary logo is something that should be Assistant Town Manager Dawn Prince ex- on our flag that represents us plained last week how Gil;bert’s new logo when we go places. Gilbert’s at would be used, and where it would not be the point in its lifespan and hisplaced. (Special to GSN) tory that we should have a flag that identifies our community and maybe that’s a whole other subcommittee and a discussion with somebody else unless nonot on the Council when the logo was approved and has been a vocal critic of body agrees.”

Tilque said the flag issue was a sepit, raised concerns.

She asked what will happen to the arate discussion if the Council chose to training facility when the current logo have it.

“I’m happy to have that discussion is replaced with a new one. separate,” she said. “But I’m comfort“We don’t have a building with this large of a logo any place in Gilbert and able with the recommendations.”

September commended the mayor so it concerns me that it’s this large and what will happen in the future when for thinking ahead as to when the logo that changes out because logos are tem- changes again and asked if the training facility will remain the one building porary,” Peterson said.

Prince said the logo could be changed where the town continues “to put gigantic logos on the side of it or would out if a new one was designed.

“We as a committee opted to not that open up an opportunity for somemove any of either the green swirls thing different.” ”Perhaps in the future when there that we had or the current logo off of any of the buildings,” Prince said. “But is a new logo and the opportunity for that certainly could be an option in the that (current) logo to come down (and it) makes financial sense, then maybe future.”

Tilque added, “One of the consider- that’s the opportunity for fire and poations of keeping the logo here on this lice to come up with a joint logo for this building is the cost to remove it after joint use facility,” September said, adding he would be open for further dialog we’ve already paid for it.

“I think in 20 years when we look at on the flag issue.

“I like the idea of maybe a seal to be the logo I think that that Council will make that decision whether they will used on something like a flag,” he said. spend the money to take that logo off “A seal conveys something about Giland replace it or just take it off,” she bert’s founding (and) values that is a said. “I feel comfortable at this point little more permanent and talks about that that decision can be made in the our authenticity as a community.”

NEWS

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

State high court iced scores of other ‘laws’

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

W

hen the Arizona Supreme Court slapped down how lawmakers approve “budget reconciliation’’ bills last week, it quashed more than the ban on schools requiring masks of faculty and students.

Its three-sentence order removed a similar prohibition against cities and counties imposing mask mandates on those in public and charter schools.

Also gone is the threat of school teachers being sued by the attorney general on claims that they used public resources, ranging from email or work time, to “organize, plan or execute any activity that impedes or prevents a public school from operating for any period of time.’’

That was aimed at efforts to get teachers to stay home during COVID outbreaks at districts that don’t mandate face coverings.

Universities are not precluded from requiring those on campus to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested regularly, as lawmakers had voted. And workers at private firms whose employers require them to be inoculated are not entitled to a religious exemption simply because they say so.

But there’s so much more that went up in a legal puff of smoke, from how elections are run to what happens when the next governor declares a state of emergency.

And it’s all because the court declared that lawmakers – and Gov. Doug Ducey who signed the bills – played fast and loose with the Arizona Constitution.

The justices, without comment, upheld

GetConnected facebook.com/getoutaz

The Arizona Supreme Court knocked down the Legislature’s effort to cram a number of measures into a budget bill without holding hearings or observing any other constitutional necessities. (Special to GSN) a lower court ruling that four separate reconciliation bills violated constitutional requirements that they have a title that adequately informs lawmakers and the public of exactly what changes in statute were being proposed. That resulted in a dozen or so challenged provisions being voided.

But the justices also found that one of the bills – labeled simply “relating to state budget procedures’’ – was so chock full of unrelated items that it also ran afoul of another constitutional requirement that all measures be limited to a single subject and related matters.

For example, there were several provisions on elections, like allowing the state Game and Fish Department to register voters and mandating that there be specific kinds of paper and fraud countermeasures on future ballots.

Yet the same measure, SB 1819, also

sought to preclude the kind of ongoing emergency declaration that Ducey declared in March 2020 and still exists.

Also stuffed into SB 1819 was a task force to study “unreported in-kind contributions,’’ setting aside $500,000 based on questions raised by some GOP lawmakers who wanted to see if social media platforms were influencing elections.

There also was a “major events fund’’ to help underwrite the costs of the 2023 Super Bowl and other sports events and even a provision removing the legal definition of what constitutes a “newspaper,’’ a maneuver that could allow free publications to accept and run legal ads.

Among the not-to-be laws was what some legislators referred to as a ban on teaching “critical race theory.’’

That phrase was not in the legislation.

And, in fact, what is critical race theory actually goes to the issue of whether there is inherent racism that effectively is baked into society and continues to have an effect.

But that didn’t stop proponents from seeking to declare it illegal to bar teaching that an individual, by virtue of race, ethnicity or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed by others of the same race, ethnicity or sex, or from teaching that any individual should feel “discomfort, guity, anguish or other form of psychological distress because of their race,

ethnicity or sex.’’

But there’s so much more that in the bills that the Supreme Court voided: Precluding the state or local governments from establishing a COVID-19 “vaccine passport’’ or requiring any business to obtain proof of vaccination status of patrons; - Exempting the Department of Public Safety from certain oversight requirements when it purchases body cameras for officers; • Stripping the secretary of state of the ability to defend election laws -but only through 2022, the time that Democrat Katie Hobbs leaves office; • Moving oversight of the State Museum from the secretary of state to the legislative council; • Allowing a condominium to be terminated only if all the owners agree; • Setting up an “election integrity fund’’ to finance election security, cybersecurity measures and any post-election hand counts; • Prohibiting the Arizona Lottery from advertising at a professional sporting event; • Permitting the auditor general, an arm of the legislature, to review the process used to maintain early voter lists -- but only in Maricopa County; • Petitioning the federal Election Assistance Commission to allow the state to require proof of citizenship on registration forms that allow people to vote only in federal elections; • Reimbursing liabilities of the Department of Forestry and Fire Management in excess of $250,000; • Converting the permits for dog racing, which was banned years ago, into permits for harness racing, something that does not now exist in Arizona; • Setting up a special Senate committee to review the findings of the audit of the 2020 election; • Establishing a “state permitting dashboard’’ to track authorization for public projects; • Changing the duties and responsibilities of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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NEWS

COVID from page 8

study, it was the pet parent who exhibited COVID first,” Yozwiak said. “Worldwide, there is no documented case of COVID transmission from a pet to its pet parent.”

Researchers were unable to tell if the dog or cat were infected first, or if one infected the other, “though that is a possibility,” he added.

The Chandler dog and cat “were buddies who had close contact with each other,” researchers said.

TGen’s infectious-disease laboratory is located in Flagstaff, and is its base for all its anti-COVID research.

In this study, Yaglom and a veterinarian from the Arizona Department of Health Services visited the homes in Coconino and Maricopa counties of pet owners who have tested positive for the virus in the past two weeks and test their pets for COVID. Arizona researchers tested 39 dogs and 22 cats in 24 households and found 14 positive cases of COVID in pets among six households.

TGen’s COVID animal study is conducted under a grant from the Arizona De-

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

partment of Health Services. Funds come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in coordination with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.

The Chandler man and his pets “all were infected with the identical strain of coronavirus: B.1.575, an early and unremarkable version” of the COVID-cuasing virus, Yozwiak said.

“Fewer than 25 documented cases exist of Arizonans infected with this strain, according to information drawn from the COVID variant tracking dashboard that TGen maintains for the CDC and ADHS,” Yozwiak added.

To date, more than 46,000 positive samples of Arizonans with COVID have been genetically sequenced, he said.

Researchers deduced that the virus spread from the pet parent to either the dog or cat, or both.

Yaglom said the findings reinforced the need for pet owners to protect their pets by getting vaccinated.

If they do get COVID, they should wear masks when they are around their pets.

“As difficult as it might be for many pet owners, they should avoid cuddling, kissing, allowing pets to lick their faces, or sleeping with them,” Yozwiak added.

Owners don’t have to completely isolate from their pets, Yaglom said, but they should minimize contact “as best they can” while they exhibit COVID symptoms.

The study will continue through the rest of 2021 and might go into 2022 if researchers obtain additional funding, which would allow them to continue education and outreach efforts, bolstering active surveillance of the virus.

Dog and cat owners who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past two weeks are eligible to participate in the study. The tests are free. Owners must be at least 18, provide consent and fill out a questionnaire. The pet must be vaccinated against rabies, mainly housed indoors, and tolerant of the handling and restraint necessary for routine veterinary care.

A veterinarian is present when samples are taken. No animals are harmed in the course of this study.

Pet owners must wear masks during

sample collection, and project staff will wear masks and gloves. Spanish-speaking staff will be available, as needed. Pet owners will be notified of test results within 3-4 weeks. For pets that test positive, owners may be asked to enable collection of additional samples. Positive tests will be reported to the Arizona State Veterinarian and ADHS. For more information about testing pet dogs or cats for COVID, or to participate in the study, emailcovidpetprojectaz@ tgen.org.

TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. The City of Hope is a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

Both institutes complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a clinical setting to advance \discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

For more community news visit gilbertsunnews.com GilbertSunNews.com

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/Gilber tSunNews

Gilbert man represents state on darts’ biggest stage

BY JERRY WALKER Cronkite News

M

any of the trophies and plaques that line the darts wall at Jester’s Billiards in Gilbert are engraved with the same name: Chuck Puleo.

Jester’s owner Daryl Chester can remember the days when he used to beat his friend Puleo at the game, although those days are long gone. Chester knew from his experience playing with Puleo when darts became a serious endeavor for his friend.

“For a while there I was able to beat him when we first got together,” Chester said. “We could keep it even. Then he started really dominating me – and I finished in the top four in the state at one point. Then he started winning the state championships.”

Puleo quickly moved up the rankings until finally joining the Championship Darts Corporation, the equivalent to the NHL in North American darts.

While darts might not be the biggest pastime in America, Puleo’s trophies prove the game doesn’t just flourish overseas.

For one weekend each year, the best darts players from around the world gather for the PDC World Cup of Darts.

Last September in Jena, Germany, Puleo was called in as a last-minute replacement to be one of two players representing the U.S. It was his third consecutive World Cup appearance.

Puleo produced his best performance at a World Cup, teaming with Danny Lauby Jr. to defeat Sweden 5-1 in the first round.

Although they were knocked out by seventh-ranked Australia, it equaled the best performance by an American pair since 2012.

He was not sure how Team USA would be treated by the crowd.

first round 5-2 against host Austria, the eighth-ranked team in the world.

“We have gotten better every year and agreed that we played better in general as a team this year than we did last year,” Lauby said. “I was totally ready for the competition and felt really comfortable.”

While Puleo has had some success on the world stage, nationally he has regularly finished among the best while competing on the CDC Main Tour, the most important darts league in North America.

Players from Chuck Puleo, right and his PDC World Cup partner Danny Lauby Jr. had across the U.S. to go from competing with each other one week to competing against and Canada each other the next. (Courtesy of Chuck Puleo) compete for a chance to “I thought they would be all over us, represent their country in the World but they were actually cheering for Darts Championship in London each us for the most part, chanting, ‘U.S.A.,’ December. calling my name,” Puleo said. “I made Only one person qualifies to represent contact with a couple guys in the front each country, but everyone who finishes just to keep them safe, be on your side.” in the top eight in the U.S. and Canadian This was the second time that Puleo standings competes in the Continental and Lauby competed together at the Cup, with the winner qualifying for the World Cup. In 2020 they lost in the PDC U.S. Darts Masters and North Amer-

ican Darts Championship.

In 2019, Puleo was the U.S. representative at the WDC in London. This year Puleo finished fourth in the standings, high enough to qualify for the Continental Cup in New York City on Nov. 20.

As the tournament approaches, Puleo, 49, has begun to mentally prepare for what is ahead.

“I feel great because I’m a hunter again, that is the biggest thing,” Puleo said. “In my mind, I can beat any of these guys, and that’s how I approach this tournament – trying to play good darts and then upset some people.”

Puleo began playing darts around 1990 as an activity to pass the time during cold Boston winters.

“My brother was playing darts and I was there doing something,” Puleo said.

“They needed a guy and said, ‘Hey you want to play?’ Back then, anything you did with the older kids that was cool. I was willing to do anything. I was like, ‘Yeah, I will play.’ I just played and that’s really where it all started.”

He eventually realized he would never go pro in any other sport and turned his full attention to darts.

Recently, Puleo entered the Phoenix Cup in Las Vegas, where he competed in three different events. He and doubles partner Juan Carlos Martinez finished seventh in the Cricket Doubles and fourth in 501 Doubles. Puleo finished seventh in the singles competition.

Now Puleo turns his attention to the Continental Cup in New York City. After that, he said he hopes to win a PDC Tour card at the PDC Qualifying School.

“As far as goals, I would have to say I take each tournament and then make a decision (about the next event),” Puleo said. “We’ll see how the Continental Cup goes, but hopefully I’ll do well. Then I’ll go to Q (Qualifying) School, but really the next goal right now is the Continental Cup. So that is really all I focus on.”

19

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COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

East Valley woman writes 2nd memoir of Africa service

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA GSN Contributor

K

ay West, co-founder with her husband John West of the nonprofit Swaziserve, has published her second book further recounting the couple’s missionary experiences in Eswani and South Africa.

“Refiner’s Gold: My Walk with God in the Rainbow Nation” is the second book the Ahwatukee resident has authored.

It follows her 2016 book, “Refiners Fire: My Walk with God in the Kingdom of Swaziland.”

West’s newest book recounts the couple’s three years as missionaries in South Africa, where they worked primarily with widows and orphans in rural communities.

The history of Swaziserve is a homegrown success story.

In 2010, after selling their three-story house, their cars and most household belongings amassed during their then 24-year marriage, Kay and John West moved to what was then Swaziland to begin their ministry among the poor.

Donations from supporters were their only income during their tenure in Africa. Even now, their ministry is dependent on donations.

“John works full time to support us so that, unlike many other nonprofits, we don’t take any salary,” she said. “Donations go directly to those we serve. We choose to live frugally so that I can focus full time on ministry.”

John West, who works in business development for a major telecommunications provider, serves as Swaziserve treasurer.

“There were many, many hard times, but God’s love never failed,” said Kay. “He is faithful, and this book is of that journey of experiencing His faithfulness in our lives in the lives of our African sisters. In addition to sharing my own memoirs, I’ve also included several pieces of their stories. While living there, I interviewed about 200 women in total, and their stories are of phenomenal suffering, strength, resilience, and faith.”

Her first book chronicles their first

Kay West, left, and her husband sold all their household goods and other possessions in 2010 and moved to Swaziland to minister to the poor. (Special for GSN) three years as missionaries in the Kingdom of Eswatini – formerly called Swaziland and located between South Africa to its north, west and south and Mozambique to its northeast.

The country’s name reverted to Eswatini in 2018 to mark its 50th year of independence from Britain.

Eswatini, also written as eSwatini, is unfortunately known for having the world’s highest rate of HIV/AIDS. “We were in Swaziland, now eSwatini, from 2010 to 2014 when God called us across the border to South Africa.

We were still ministering to the same tribe, the Swazi tribe, just in a different country,” West said. “So, ‘Refiner’s Fire: My Walk with God in the Rainbow Nation’ is about our years in South Africa from 2014 to 2017.”

She said she felt compelled to write this second book to relate the many stories of how God moved in their own lives, and those they served.

Two of the book’s themes are about bridging hard racial barriers and encouraging others who may be in the midst of their own trials.

“It’s also about having more open dialogue between us from different races, tribes, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, etc., and for Americans to understand more fully how materially blessed we are in this country and the very real physical suffering of the majority in other countries.”

For the September trip, West returned to eSwazi and South Africa to reunite with missionary partners, and to tour the various churches, mission projects and project partners they support through Swaziserve, the nonprofit founded by John and Kay West in 2009.

Another issue was a personal one for Kay West.

“Prior to the trip, I’d been unable to wear a mask for more than a few minutes at a time. When a friend asked how I’d cope with the long flights and mandatory masking, as well as mandatory masking in both countries we were to visit, I had to reply, ‘I don’t know, but I trust God,’” she said.

“I had two episodes early on with my mask,” she admitted. “The first was on the first flight, lasting only about 5 min.

and the Lord enabled me not to fling it off my face.

“The second was very intense, in an airport, and I couldn’t even see clearly for a period of time. I was in tears, and had trouble breathing. Margaret held my hand, prayed for me, and quoted scripture. Once I began quoting scripture with her, I had a miraculous breakthrough and immediately the episode passed, and I had no more problems during the remaining three weeks.”

West was referring to Swaziserve board member Margaret Reis Guthrie, who now lives in Colorado with her husband John Guthrie. An EMT, John Guthrie taught CPR while in Africa.

The three-person team visited a newly established orphanage Swaziserve assists, and met with the 40 children the nonprofit’s supporters sponsor.

During their stay, they also helped distribute food to locals.

“We were able to supply about 250 households with the “luxuries” of oil, salt, and sugar,” West wrote in an email to her Swaziserve supporters in her monthly ‘Praise and Prayer’ reports.

“One feisty prayer warrior told us that the day before she’d asked God for salt for her family, and told Him she trusted Him to provide.

“Imagine the joy we all felt when the very next day He answered. We also had the joy of providing a month’s worth of food for two single moms in desperate straits.”

West said the “luxury” gifts are unaffordable to most households there, and she credited the generosity of her home church – Bridgeway Community Church – for funds for this project.

Her newest book is available on Amazon.

Donations to help continue funding for the many projects supported by Swaziserve in Eswatini and South Africa can be sent directly to the nonprofit at PMB #46, 4802 E. Ray Road, Suite 23, Phoenix, AZ 85044-6417.

For more information, see Swaziserve. com, or visit Kay Cassidy West on Facebook. Subscriptions to the Swaziserve newsletter are available by contacting her via Facebook.

21

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BUSINESS

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East Valley weight loss clinic owners author book GSN NEWS STAFF

N

o one knows how many people are confronting the unintended consequence of trying to stay safe amid the pandemic by staying home.

But Ahwatukee resident Dan LeMoine believes it’s a lot, pointing to a recent Harris Poll survey that found 61 percent of the adults in the country reported fluctuating weight in the past year. Of those who reported gaining weight, Harris said, their scale tipped by an extra 29 pounds.

LeMoine is no stranger to helping people like that.

Since 2017, he and his business partner, Dr. Noel Abood of Queen Creek, have been helping people shed pounds at their Ahwatukee clinic, re:vitalize weight loss & wellness center at 15905 S. 46th St. Now LeMoine and Abood have written a book that incorporates the fundamental principles that have helped re:vitalize’s clients shed unwanted pounds and keep them off.

Though the two men started writing “Fear No Food: The Last Weight Loss Program You’ll Ever Need” before COVID-19 grabbed the nation by the throat, LeMoine says it hit bookstores and amazon. com at the right time when it was published earlier this month.

“We wanted to continue to scale our impact and the life change we’re seeing in our clinics,” LeMoine told AFN. “We felt like a book is a great starting point for folks who might not be at a place where they’re ready to jump fully into our program just yet, or who want to find out more about our approach and lose a few pounds in the process.

Dan LeMoine, left, and Dr. Noel Abood, who own the re:vitalize weight loss and wellness center in Ahwatukee, have co-authored a book that incorporates the principles of their successful clinic. (GSN file photo)

“The book outlines the foundational pillars we’ve built the re:vitalize program on, it inspires people to take action and do something through the use of inspirational real life stories and easy-to-implement habits, and provides scientifically proven advice on things like inflammation, detoxification, the metabolism and weight loss.”

The authors say the book “addresses the complex reasons otherwise hardworking and disciplined people struggle losing weight and keeping it off,” diving into internal biochemistry, the metabolism, inflammation and psychology and their effects on weight loss and what you can do about it.”

Both men speak from personal experience that has deepened with the development of their business.

For Abood, it was a heart attack at age 49 more than a decade ago.

“I had battled weight issues most of my adult life and know many others

share in this battle,” he said. “A common misconception is that if overweight people just ate less and exercised more they will lose weight. This is simply not true.

“With our program, and now this book, we’ve set out to demystify and remove the guesswork on how to begin fixing your metabolism and lose weight once and for all.”

LeMoine said he has “always been very dialed into health and nutrition from my past as a high school and collegiate athlete and seeing close family members struggle with their weight for most of my life.”

LeMoine, who holds two board certifications in holistic nutrition, calls “Fear No Food” “a roadmap of proven methods for the reader to begin understanding their body and food, and begin losing weight and restoring health.”

“Our target reader is the person who suspects their metabolism has slowed and the typical cookie cutter approaches to weight loss are no longer effective,” he said.

“They want to learn about food, their metabolism and how to fix it and lose weight without having to restrict themselves from fun foods like pizza or bread forever. Too many diets are so effective while you’re restricting yourself, but the moment it seems you daydream about a carb you gain the weight back.

“Our book – and our program – aim to fix this to help people keep the weight off and live normal lives.

And while the book contains the information re:vitalize’s clients get, it doesn’t have at least one thing the authors’ clinics offer: “the full customization aspect using our unique bioscan technology.”

“So this book is really for the person who has not become a member – yet,” he said.

Small wonder why the pandemic hasn’t had much of an adverse impact on their business.

“We continued to grow throughout the pandemic and the demand is unprecedented since we’ve started returning to normal this year,” LeMoine said. “Now, more than ever, people are wanting to take control of their health and are realizing the implications of being overweight — particularly with COVID comorbidity.”

“Fear No Food” is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Information: fearnofood.com and revitalizeweightloss.com

Check us out and like the Gilbert Sun News on Facebook and follow @gilbertsunnews on Twitter.

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SPORTS

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San Tan Charter parts ways with coach Kerry Taylor

BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

S

an Tan Charter High School announced Saturday it has parted ways with head football coach Kerry Taylor after just two seasons.

In a statement released on social media from the school’s official athletics Twitter account, the school said the separation was “effective immediately.”

It came the morning after the Roadrunners’ 40-22 win over Arete Prep in Gilbert, their final game of the 2021 season.

“Effective today, Coach Kerry Taylor will no longer be employed at San Tan Charter School,” the post said. “The search for the next San Tan Charter Head Football Coach will begin in the coming weeks.”

San Tan’s win over Arete ended with a minute left on the clock and an altercation at midfield.

Roadrunner players were seen on video released to social media Sunday celebrating the win against their rival.

Some players were seen stomping and attempting to deface a breast cancer ribbon painted at the 50-yard line in honor of Arete Prep coach Cord Smith’s wife, who is battling Stage 4 breast cancer. She was an honorary captain for the team and participated in the pregame coin toss.

San Tan players were quickly directed to leave the field and as they did, some players began to wave toward Arete.

San Tan Charter Athletic Director Shawn Lytle did not go on record with what happened, but he did offer an apology to Arete Prep.

“We apologize for the incident that took place,” Lytle said. “That doesn’t define San Tan or represent San Tan in any way. We are taking appropriate steps to ensure something like this never happens again.”

Taylor said in a text the game between

San Tan Charter High School head football Coach Kerry Taylor and the team have parted ways “effective immediately,” the school announced. (GSN file photo) the two teams was chippy as emotions from last year’s game boiled over. He said one of the Arete coaches began to “talk crap” to one of his players.

He added that player responded with, “scoreboard,” referencing San Tan’s lead. “... The refs tossed my player out the game,” Taylor said. “I believe we threw a pass with a minute left in the game, and they were upset about that also. It’s Arete, they’re always going to be upset at something. It’s a rivalry game so emotions are high, and we were just happy to be 2-0 against them.”

Taylor was hired to take over the program ahead of the 2020 season, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and forced him to meet his players at the time via zoom.

When hired, he immediately aimed to change the culture of the program that had previously competed and had success in the Canyon Athletic Association, another governing body of high school sports for smaller schools in Arizona. The CAA is separate from the AIA, which the

Roadrunners joined as a school in 2020.

Taylor led the Roadrunners to a 3-5 overall record in his first season. An influx of transfers from bigger schools in the area made for a promising 2021 season. Taylor told the East Valley Tribune ahead of the season he aimed to get through the first five games before unleashing his transfers in an effort to win the region and secure a spot in the playoffs.

San Tan finished 5-5 overall this year

and second in the region. It was left out of the postseason.

Taylor released a statement on Saturday following the announcement from San Tan Charter.

“I first would like to thank San Tan Charter for allowing me to lead the program the last 2 seasons,” Taylor wrote.

“Special appreciation for my players and staff that put in countless hour of work.”

Taylor went on to say he and the administration at San Tan “wanted different things for the program.” “(We) didn’t see eye to eye when it came to player accountability and preparing young men for life,” he added. “I was not going to lower my values as a coach/man and allow players to settle for less than what they are capable of.”

Taylor previously coached at Arcadia High School where, at one point, he was fired due to an alleged recruiting violation before players and parents protested the decision by administration. He was eventually reinstated before resigning after the next season.

Taylor began his statement saying his “next chapter” would come soon. He wished San Tan Charter well in the process.

“I respect San Tan Charter and their beliefs on love and logic,” he said. “They will find a great coach to move the program forward.”

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Gilbert museum showcases artists from the region professional art development and grow our online presence,” Finter said.

Opat, who volunteered as the rofessional artist Mary Opat website coordinator, redesigned has four oil paintings on a desand updated GVAL’s website on ert theme at Gilbert Visual Art a new theme recently. The site League’s fall member show and sale. wasn’t getting much traction beShe depicts the Arizona desert at cause updates were not regular twilight and colorful splashes of its and the newsletters would reach flora by day. members sometimes about three A total 115 works by 30 member months late. artists are on display until Nov. 20 She watched online videos and in the Gallery 4 within HD SOUTH, taught herself the techniques of reHome of the Gilbert Historical Mubuilding a website. seum, and through Feb. 1 online at “I find it really challenging and it gval.org. The show is not juried. sparks my creativity in a different Opat has a college degree in art education and commercial art, but Show chair Peter Eobbi demonstrates expertise in displaying the art at Gallery 4, not just on the walls but way from making art. I’m really enjoying it; I like learning,” she said. she continues to learn and benefit on screens. (Courtesy of Peter R. Eobbi) Born in a small town in Iowa, from the league’s programs and Opat received encouragement for connectivity. her artistic bent during school “I just really enjoy the camaradeyears. When her father purchased rie and the educational value and a set of paints and roll of canvas so forth, but everyone just really for her, a whole new world opened, lifts each other up and supports she said. each other,” the San Tan Valley resiAt the University of Central Misdent said. “It’s a great group.” souri, she had a good professor and During the pandemic, the GVAL mentor in the fine arts program – had a spurt in membership and is the dean of the School of Arts. at 65 this year. It is the largest re“Although abstract painting was corded by the nonprofit, founded becoming popular, he insisted that in 2003. Besides the East Valley, his students study the masters and members come from Queen Creek, spend many hours drawing from Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Apache life,” she said. “I’ll always be grateJunction, San Tan Valley and Sedoful for his solid instruction and the na. high quality of work that he deNewer members are also youngmanded.” er and not limited to retirees, He offered her a job in the graphthereby bringing in a mix of ages, ic arts department. Although cirskill levels and experiences. cumstances took her elsewhere, “Our growth is the result of a team effort,” said Donna Finter, The Gilbert Visual Art League’s fall member show is at HD South until Nov. 20. (Courtesy of Peter R. Eobbi) his faith in her as an artist bolstered her confidence and gave her who, together with Deepika Halare available in a hybrid format, online Jane Bradley creates a monthly news- hope that a successful art career was dankar, is active on social media on behalf of the league, and posts frequent- and in person, attendance is even better. letter, Art Vine, that reaches more than possible.

Those out of town or who need to be 400 people and organizations. The webOpat’s artistic aspirations were placed ly on Facebook and Instagram.

Also, during the pandemic, monthly quarantined may also attend this way. site, gval.org, is up to date and attractive on hold when she married, raised six children and worked in the corporate demonstrations were first presented The hybrid format is successful due to due to Opat’s skills and efforts.

“We hope to gain artists from more through Zoom. Initially, attendance was the technology work of Dani Kahn and locations as we continue to offer virtual see GVAL page 25 sparse, then it picked up. Now that they John Priddy, Finter said.

BY SRIANTHI PERERA GSN Contributor

P

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

GVAL from page 24

world, but the dream of an art career never left her.

Years later, a few successful public murals and commissioned oil paintings gave her the courage to take her art to the next level.

The move from the Midwest to Arizona seemed the perfect time to make the dream a reality.

In Gilbert, Opat has created three public art murals. She won a commission to create a 6x12 feet mural for the new Fry’s Food Store at the corner of Williams Field and Recker roads. It was painted on three aluminum panels in her garage and then assembled in the store.

In bright colors, she depicted icons of Gilbert’s past and present, such as the railway that was constructed in 1902; the Gilbert Elementary School, which now houses HD South; the water tower, built in 1927 and first used to aid in firefighting; modern buildings at Heritage District; and native plants.

She also designed and painted murals for Gilbert Leadership classes XXI and XXII on the American Legion Post

#39 building wall and on a shuffleboard court at Page Commons, respectively.

“I’m blessed to have the freedom to paint whenever the mood strikes,” she said.

For her efforts, Opat has received first place in the league’s juried fine art show four times, among a long list of other awards.

Oils, charcoal and acrylic are her preferred mediums, with occasional pastels and watercolors. Although the subject matter of her work is varied, they usually contain bright color and contrasts.

“It’s difficult to choose one style and it varies depending on my mood,” she said.

“I’m always looking for subjects that resonate with me and I’m drawn to painting people, above all else. Capturing the nuances of an individual’s expression and exploring cultural diversity fascinates me,” she added.

To see more of Mary Opat’s art, visit maryopat.com.

For details of the Gilbert Visual Art League’s fall show, visit hdsouth.org or gval.org.

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King Crossword

Answers on page 19

ACROSS

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

Momma’s chicken cacciatore is bliss in a skillet

B

liss in a Skillet. That’s what my momma’s chicken cacciatore recipe should be named. As an Italian girl growing up, I just thought that it was one of those dishes that everyone ate at least once a week – just like we did – with polenta or pasta.

I also assumed that all chicken cacciatore pretty much tasted the same.

But many years later, having tasted chicken cacciatore in numerous restaurants, I’m going to finally go on the record and say that momma’s is the best.

You’re going to get to try it for yourself and see if you agree.

Momma’s cacciatore is simple, inexpensive, uses only one pan and the flavors are absolutely divine. It’s about as close to a fool-proof dish as you can get with the recipe I’m sharing with you today. Momma’s chicken cacciatore was one of the first recipes we included in our first cookbook, “Momma & Me & You,” and through the years we’ve tweaked it just a bit to make it even better.

Here’s what momma wrote in our cookbook: “Almost every Italian restaurant has chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken pieces, skinless (legs and thighs) 1 cup flour for dredging ½ cup olive oil 1 cup Marsala wine ½ cube butter, cut into pieces 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce (Organic preferred) 2 cups white mushrooms, sliced 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine 3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine 3 green onions, (white and green parts) sliced thin 2 teaspoons fresh parsley ½ teaspoon fresh oregano

cacciatore on the menu, and there are as many versions of the dish as there are places that serve it. Although it’s a Southern Italian specialty, it has been adopted as a treasure throughout Italy. When I introduced cacciatore on my restaurant menu back in 1957, our customer’s fell in love with the very first delicate bite! It became one of our most popular signature dishes for the celebrity crowd and locals alike.”

I find that good quality, fresh chicken enhances the taste – and that chicken thighs and legs seem to be the most flavorful. Flavor-filled bones make all the difference. Pick up a nice bottle of wine, some good sour dough bread and enjoy one of my momma’s mainstay Italian meals!

1 tablespoon fresh basil Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Dredge chicken in flour to coat. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil, and fry chicken on both sides until golden brown. Discard most of oil, leaving brown bits in bottom of pan if possible. Add Marsala and butter, and simmer on low heat until wine begins to evaporate, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, mushrooms, onion, garlic, green onions, parsley, oregano and basil. Cover and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta or polenta.

1 5 8 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21 22 23 26 28 31 33 35 36 38 40 41 43 45 47 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 59

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Gilbert Sun News

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The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | GilbertSunNews.com

Employment Employment General Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Solution Specialist, Core Business Operations, Systems Engineering in Gilbert, AZ & various unanticipated Deloitte office locations & client sites nationally to configure and implement Health Plan and provide production support to ensure successful implementation. 15% travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XBAL22FC1021GIL2117 in “Search jobs” field.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Landscape/Maintenance Juan Hernandez

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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Public Notices IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT STATE OF NEVADA, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF ELKO CASE NO. DC-CV-21-46 Dept. I CHARLES LIZER and DENYSE E. LIZER, husband and wife, Plaintiffs, vs.

CONSECO FINANCE CORP., a defunct financial entity AND does 1 - 5; Defendant.

SUMMONS YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. THE COURT MAY DECIDE AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOU BEING HEARD UNLESS YOU FILE A RESPONSE WITH THE COURT WITHIN 20 DAYS. READ THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY. To the Defendant named above: A civil Complaint has been filed by the Plaintiffs against you. Plaintiffs are seeking to recover the relief requested in the Complaint, which could include a money judgment against you or some other form of relief.

If you intend to defend this lawsuit, within 20 days after this Summons is served on you (not counting the day of service), you must: File with the Clerk of the Court, whose address is shown below, a formal written response to Plaintiffs’ Complaint.

Pay the required filing fee of $198.00 to the Court, or file an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and request a waiver of the filing fee.

Serve (by mail or hand delivery) a copy of your response upon the Plaintiffs whose name and address is shown below.

If you fail to respond, the Plaintiffs can request your default. The Court can then enter judgment against you for the relief demanded by the Plaintiffs in the Complaint, even though you have never appeared in Court. To enforce the judgment, Plaintiffs could take money or property from you or some other relief awarded by the Court.

If you intend to seek an attorney’s advice, do it quickly so that your response can be filed on time.

Given under my hand this 20th day of April, 2021.

CLERK OF THE COURT Rebecca Plunkett, Deputy Clerk ISSUED AT THE REQUEST OF: Robert J. Wines, Esq. Robert J. Wines, Prof. Corp.

687 6th Street, Suite 1 Elko, NV 89801 Published in : The East Valley Tribune October 31, November 7, 14, 21, 2021 / 42253

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Public Notices NOTICE OF SALE: Selling a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LS 6.6L 8 Cyl Diesel LLY Turbocharged. Mileage 145474. Vin Number 1GCHC23295F881238 $15,000.00. Just had the entire fuel system replaced. Contact: Vinny at Christian Brothers Automotive 9085665343.

Published: East Valley Tribune, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, 2021/ 42482 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.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

FIND YOUR PURPOSE Keeping College Affordable GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS

GCU traditional campus students received over 157 million dollars in scholarships in 2020.

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GCU traditional student pays an average of $8,600 for tuition.*

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INCOMING TRADITIONAL STUDENT GPA OF 3.55 Fall 2019 incoming students.

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apply.gcu.edu | 855-428-7884

*Average tuition after scholarships is approximately $8,600. Scholarships may be awarded based on 6th semester transcripts. At the time in which final, official transcripts are received, GCU reserves the right to rescind or modify the scholarship if it is determined that eligibility was not achieved. GCU reserves the right to decline scholarship awards for any reason. If a student does not meet the minimum renewal criteria, their scholarship will be forfeited. GCU reserves the right to change scholarship awards at any time without notice. If a student does not meet the minimum renewal criteria, their scholarship will be forfeited. Prices based on 2019-20 rate and are subject to change. **GCU students graduate with less debt on average ($18,750 according to College Scorecard) than the average at public and private nonprofit universities ($28,650 according to 2017 data from the Institute for College Access and Success).

Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Pre-licensure nursing students who begin or resume attendance in Fall 2020 and beyond will be ineligible to utilize most GCU institutional aid/scholarships for tuition and fees once accepted into the clinical portion of the program. Important policy information is available in the University Policy Handbook at https://www.gcu.edu/academics/ academic-policies.php. The information printed in this material is accurate as of JULY 2021. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. ©2021 Grand Canyon University 21GTR0681