Gilbert Sun News 01-22-2023

Higley is prepared if spending cap remains

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Higley Uni ed School District is looking at an estimated $123 million maintenance-and-operation budget – $3 million higher than the current spending plan – for the scal year beginning July 1.

CFO Tyler Moore last week gave the Governing Board a rst review of the proposed budget, which funds salaries, utilities and day-to-day operations. e board is expected to formally adopt a budget in June.

At the Jan. 18 meeting ,Moore said the budget takes into consideration that student enrollment would remain at, the base-level support per student would get an increase of 2% for in ation and that the Arizona State Retirement System contribution is going up by 0.12%, a $60,000 increase for the district.

e budget, however, does not yet have the dollar amount for the money that will have to be transferred to the capital budget to fund projects because the $77.2-million bond failed in November, Moore said.

“ is was our preliminary plan if the

bond did not pass,” he said, adding that his rst presentation of the capital budget Feb. 8 will have the transfer amount.

e initial budget also doesn’t yet have the gures for expected increases in xed costs, such as for property insurance, utilities and worker compensation.

“ e biggest area where we’re seeing a continued increase to the budget is the balance carry forward,” he said. “We have that estimated at $26 million right now. A large portion of that is again towards vacancy sav-

see HIGLEY page 4

Gilbert parents turn their grief into a campaign

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Ayear and four months have passed but the death of his 15-year-old son Christian still gnaws at Bruce Petillo’s heart.

“We are devastated,” the Gilbert dad said.

“You never come to terms with it.

“ e fact that this was a preventable accident makes it worse.”

It was Labor Day weekend 2022 and Christian was at a friend’s house on a county island in Queen Creek. e friend was showing o his mom’s

Christian Petillo’s family keeps a small memorial table in their Gilbert home with photos and keepsakes of their dead son, who accidentally shot himself at a friend’s Queen Creek area house in September 2021. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Town readies ASU contract to help with recycling

and new approaches for Gilbert’s challenges.”

ty of an in-house sorting facility versus the town continuing to contract with a vendor.

Gilbert is looking for a fresh approach in dealing with challenges in its Environmental Services Division – namely recycling.

Town sta is proposing a partnership with Arizona State University’s Project Cities Program where students would help come up with a “strategic vision” to guide the department for the next decade. e proposed $50,000 contract is on Tuesday’s council consent agenda.

“ASU’s Project Cities has the best and brightest minds from all over the globe,” town spokeswoman Jennifer Snyder explained in an email. “Collaborating with ASU provides a unique opportunity to connect research and resources of a major university with the local community.

“It also provides students with workforce development opportunities in a real-world environment. is collaboration allows for di erent perspectives

Weekly pick-ups of recyclables have become a money-loser for Gilbert.

After China in 2017 began restricting the import of most of the world’s recyclables, Gilbert and other municipalities in the country have seen their recycling programs go from being a revenue generator to where it was costing them. e town was earning money from its recyclables up until 2018.

“ e per ton cost for processing recycle material continues to be higher than the cost to land ll,” Snyder noted.

Environmental Services in 2022 collected just over 18,000 tons of recyclables, diverting 17% of waste from ending up in the land ll, according to Snyder.

e town currently delivers 100% of the collected recyclables to United Fibers for processing but some items may end up in the land ll due to the lack of demand in the marketplace for them, she said.

e study also will look at the feasibili-

A municipal-operated facility may allow for more exibility when it comes to accepting material in the recycle program or processing the material, according to Snyder.

“Discussions for such a facility are in its infancy,” she said. “A feasibility study is needed to gain a better understanding of Gilbert’s needs and opportunities.”

She said Gilbert has had discussions with the City of Mesa regarding a study to explore the idea of a joint facility and that sta will be asking for funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget to do that study.

e town also wants the program’s students to explore new, innovative ways to divert waste from land lls while creating a market for them.

“A study of the material in Gilbert’s waste stream may lead to new uses for it or even new ventures for private enterprise,” Snyder said. “If a local company needed mate-

rial and Gilbert was able to deliver, it would be a win for the community and the environment.”

e students also would be tasked with exploring how the town can manage Environmental Services’ eet and equipment more e ciently.

According to the proposal, ASU students, in designated courses, would work directly with the town to identify sustainability-related challenges, policies, and issues.

e students would then research difcult problems and propose innovative solutions to help the Town make informed decisions.

Under the contract, ASU would need to submit its nal project summary reports to the Town by Dec. 31, 2023.

ASU launched the Project Cities program in 2017.

So far four municipalities that have sort out ASU’s Project Cities Program for expertise – Apache Junction, Glendale, Peoria and Clarkdale.

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HIGLEY from page 1

ings.

“We are struggling to ll positions particularly in the classi ed hourly department – our grounds, our transportation drivers (and) our custodial sta . at’s continuing to increase that budget balance carry forward, which is one-time funding.”

e big unknown is whether the state Legislature will lift the Constitutional spending cap – or the aggregate expenditure limit – that all school districts in the state face, according to Moore. e total impact for all districts is $1.4 billion.

“I feel like a broken record but there hasn’t been anything done yet,” Moore said. “We have a March 1 deadline for this scal year.”

If the Legislature provides an exemption to the spending limit for this scal year as it has been doing, it would only be for a year.

“Until we have some concrete evidence that that has been solved or a solution has been made that is always going to be a budget implication for the district,” Moore said.

If the Legislature takes no action, the district would need to cut approximately $22.7 million in spending from its current budget, he said, adding that the $24 million in carry forward would cushion that impact.

“ e district would be in a place where any operations would not be halted,” he said. “We would be able to continue as is.

“It would wipe out all our contingency but we’ve strategically placed ourselves in a position where we would not put any of our operations at risk right now.”

And if there is no long-term x by the Legislature, the district will continue to carry a large contingency for the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

e budget also would propose hiring and salary freezes so there would not be any operational risk to the district, Moore said.

Superintendent Dawn Foley noted that HUSD was in a good place compared to some of the other districts due to its carryover.

She said the district intentionally planned for the fact that the exemption may not pass so that “we wouldn’t have to furlough or close doors.”

Newly elected Higley Unified board member Anna Van Hoek asked if any of the contingency will be used for phase 2 improvements at Higley High School, a project that was part of

Districts that didn’t have that carry forward amount held there last year would have had to cease operating if the spending limit wasn’t lifted, according to Foley. Many districts in the East Valley say they may have to layo teachers and sta to meet the spending cap this spring if it is not lifted.

“So hence, moving forward, many districts have done what we did last year in their budgeting,” Foley said. “ at’s one of the reasons why… you’re seeing many districts hold larger amounts of carryover until that’s resolved.

“In other words, they’re not allocating it for the things until they know that they aren’t going to end up losing it.”

Newly elected board member Anna Van Hoek asked if any of the contingency will be used for phase 2 improvements at Higley High School. at project was included in the failed bond measure.

Moore responded no and that the budget carry forward is being set aside for contingency.

As with previous budgets, there’ll be a transfer from the budget to capital to cover the two middle school’s 40-year lease payments. e district has been paying $4.4 million annually toward that payment.

e Fiscal Year 2024 transfer will be smaller, approximately $3.6 million, as the district has been working on re nancing that debt.

“ at’s about a $600,000 savings to our operational budget every year, which is a huge win for this district,” Moore said. “We didn’t get rid of the lease but we did eliminate a majority of the fees and we did hit the

market in a good time and got good rates.” e budget for next school year also would include some sort of enhancement for the employees’ bene ts. e district went to self-insured a year ago and is already seeing cost savings in that move along with low claims to date.

Moore said the district will be surveying its employees to see what kinds of enhancements they want to see with their insurance.

Van Hoek asked if the enhancement was something the employees were asking for or “just something that you’re thinking ahead and you’re going to go out to them and ask things that they might want?”

Moore responded that the district was proactively using savings accrued from going to a self-insurance plan and putting it back into its employees.

“We take every opportunity we can to enhance our employee compensation package, whether that means compensation or bene ts all these hit employees’ paychecks and so anywhere we can help out it’s been in interest of both our meetand-confer team and the district to put that back to the employees,” he said.

Board member Kristina Reese noted that “that money can only be used for that. We can’t move it around.”

Moore said he anticipated presenting in March the proposal for the Fiscal Year 2024 bene ts package.

e board will take a second look at the proposed budget on Feb. 28. Tentative budget approval is expected in March; capital budget action is set for April 5.

please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@phoenix.org

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

the defeated bond issue. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Board member Kristina Reese noted that savings accrued from going to a selfinsurance plan has to be put back into other benefit enhancements for employees. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

GUNS

handgun to Christian and other boys in a bedroom. As Christian held the gun, it went o , ring a 9mm bullet into his chest, according to the Maricopa County Sheri ’s report.

e high school sophomore was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead. e Maricopa County Medical Examiner determined the shooting was accidental.

e Petillos’ youngest child also left behind a brother and sister.

“As parents you’re constantly looking to protect your children,” Petillo said. “I lay awake at night thinking about ‘what if.’

“Quite frankly we were supposed to be in Hawaii that weekend and postponed the trip because I got sick early in the week…and he went with friends and the accident happened.”

Petillo and his wife, Claire, have now channeled their grief into preventing needless deaths such as Christian’s.

e couple has formed the No DoOvers organization with the goal of stopping children from gaining unauthorized and unsupervised access to guns via education, advocacy and legislation.

ey’ve also set up a GoFundMe page to raise $10,000 toward that e ort.

“One of the reasons we looked at this name for the foundation No Do-Overs is that children are going to make mistakes,” Petillo said. “Most of the time they have the opportunity to learn from them.

“When it comes to guns there are no do-overs and as we as parents look back, we know we can’t change what happened with Christian. ere’s no do-over for us.

“We do know we can take what’s happened and save the next child, the next family from having to endure the same tragedy that we’ve endured.”

e organization is pushing a bill called Christian’s Law, which requires gun owners to secure their rearms and ammunition and carries a $1,000 penalty for violation.

Petillo backed up the e ectiveness of such a law by pointing to a report by the RAND Corp.

e nonpro t think tank found that child-access prevention laws or safe storage laws reduce self-in icted fatal or nonfatal rearm injuries, including uninten-

Bruce Petillo, holding a photo of his late son Christina, has launched a crusade for gun safety laws but he faces an uphill battle with a Republican-controlled state Legislature, which has refused to even consider similar bills in the past. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

tional and intentional self-injuries, among youth and also reduce rearm homicides among youth.

State Rep. Jennifer Longdon, D-Phoenix, introduced HB 2192 on Jan. 12. Longdon is a long-time advocate for gun safety after she was paralyzed in a random drive-by shooting in 2004.

Christian’s Law is actually a resurrection of HB 2367, which Longdon introduced in the 2022 legislative session and was held up in the Republican-controlled Rules

Committee. Longdon introduced a total of 10 bills in the last session related to gun regulation, all of which were stalled in committees.

e three-term representative said she is unsure how this latest measure will fare.

Learn more and help

Gilbert parents Bruce and Claire

Petillo have formed the No Do-Overs organization, which attempts to prevent unnecessarily gun deaths among children and teenagers. For more information, go to www. nodoovers.org.

The couple also has set up a GoFundMe page for the organization. To donate, go to gofundme.com and search “no do overs.”

House Bill 2192

Here is a summary of a bill that sponsor Rep. Jennifer Longdon, D-Phoenix, hopes will get a fair hearing by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

A. A person shall not store or keep a rearm or ammunition, or both, in any residence unless the person either:

1. Keeps the rearm or ammunition, or both, in a securely locked box or equips the rearm with a device that renders the rearm inoperable without a key or combination.

2. Carries the rearm or ammunition, or both, on his person or within such close proximity to his person that the person can readily retrieve and use the rearm as if it was carried on his person

B. A person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty of at least $1,000.

been too long.”

She added that as a survivor of gun violence, she - like the Petillos – isn’t going away.

“We’re going to keep pushing this for as long as it takes, for as long as we can because honestly, that’s what we should be doing,” she said. “ is is an issue that has broad public support and it would absolutely save lives.

“But the reality is that the Republicans still control a slight majority and they overall are terri ed of the power of the gun lobby, the extremist gun lobby. So even incremental common-sense changes are a huge challenge and require political courage and that’s a rare commodity around here.

“And so it takes courage of families like

see GUNS page 8

GUNS from page 6

the Petillos and others to get this done. e issue isn’t going away. And neither are we.”

Fellow House Democrat Jennifer Pawlik, whose Legislative District 13 covers a part of Gilbert, is the bill’s co-sponsor.

“It’s a matter of being responsible and knowing where your guns are and making sure they are properly secured,” Petillo said Petillo pointed to recent stories in the Valley that’s occurred since Christian’s death such as in November when a 16-year-old boy was accidentally shot by a gun in Chandler that he and another 16-year-old boy were playing with.

In fact, in 2021, 56 children in the state died from a rearm injury and all of them were determined to be preventable, said Petillo, citing from the Arizona Department of Health Service’s latest annual child fatality report.

According to the nonpro t Brady: United Against Gun Violence, every day 22 children and teens are shot in the country.

“We have over 6,000 kids a year being injured or killed by guns and no other

Western society deals with this,” Petillo said. “ ere are lots of really responsible gun owners out there. Unfortunately, there are also a signi cant number of gun owners who are not responsible.

“Responsible gun owners would be supporting this kind of legislation…because these are the types of things that will improve outcomes for kids and start reducing injuries and deaths in children associated with guns and actually help more of these gun owners be more responsible when they are not and help the gun industry. And ultimately it doesn’t infringe on anyone’s right to

own a gun.”

Petillo acknowledged that some people may get “a little upset” when it comes to any sort of gun regulation but he compared the proposed legislation to laws on the book such as seat belt use and drunken driving – which save lives.

e Petillos also are working with the Song family in Connecticut on passing similar legislation nationally called Ethan’s Law, named after 15-year-old Ethan Song, who was fatally shot by an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house.

Petillo said friends are volunteering to

help with the grassroots nonpro t and get the momentum going.

No Do-Overs will partner with other organizations for help in passing legislation, raise awareness and “help us educate and really draw attention to this,” Petillo said.

It will also lobby the technology industry to come up with solutions to provide more safety and security when it comes to rearms and kids, according to Petillo.

“All of us love our children,” he said. “And I think if we look at this from a human perspective and understand that this is a very small step that can actually save a substantial number of children’s lives without infringing on Second Amendment right, I think it makes sense.

“It can happen to anyone. is was not something we would ever think would happen to us. We didn’t have guns in our home. It was just a personal preference. At the end of the day this is a human discussion.

“It’s really a matter of our children and doing what is right for them.”

“Responsible gun owners would be supporting this kind of legislation…because these are the types of things that will improve outcomes for kids and start reducing injuries and deaths in children associated with guns and actually help more of these gun owners be more responsible when they are not and help the gun industry. And ultimately it doesn’t infringe on anyone’s right to own a gun.”

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Gilbert lawmaker seeks to end voting by mail

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

One of Gilbert’s newly elected state lawmakers who wants to overturn the 2022 election is now trying to get colleagues to outlaw voting by mail.

e proposal by Republican Rep. Liz Harris says anyone who wants to vote has to go to the polls. HB 2229 says the only exception would be those who are physically unable or those in the military who are overseas. Harris represents LD 13, which includes west Gilbert and south Chandler and Sun Lakes.

But that’s only part of her agenda.

Harris also is sponsoring HB 2232. It not only would preclude early voting even in person but also require that all ballots be counted by hand.

And her HB 2233 seeks to expand the grounds on which anyone could sue to overturn election results and give them

and their allies the power to inspect each and every ballot. Current law permits the review of only a random sample.

But it is her bid to require people to actually go to the polls and vote in person that could have the broadest impact.

In the most recent race, more than 80% of the nearly 2.6 million voters chose to take advantage of a 1991 law that allows anyone to request an early ballot. But Harris said that doesn’t make it right.

She said the audit of the 2020 election ordered by then-Senate President Karen Fann provided access to both the ballot envelopes and each person’s voter registration card.

“ ey have a 12% mismatch rate that’s a rm mismatch rate,’’ Harris claimed. She said people “can see it rsthand’’ if they sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Harris, who lost her 2020 bid for the Legislature before winning a House seat last year, said this isn’t about Donald

(Facebook)

Trump or Kari Lake, who continues to insist that the gubernatorial election was stolen from her. She said the problem has existed since the law was adopted three decades ago.

So why would voters and lawmakers

agree to kill a program that has proven so popular? Harris said it comes down to convincing the majority that there was fraud in the election and that their votes were stolen.

“ eir vote is being canceled because there’s another vote being entered into the system,’’ she told Capitol Media Services. Harris said the reason people don’t know that is “the media.’’

Similar claims were raised in lawsuits challenging both the 2020 and 2022 elections. But challengers have failed in each attempt to persuade a judge that any laws were broken.

Harris’s legislation is based on the legal theory that the only form of voting speci cally authorized by the Arizona Constitution is in person and on Election Day. And she is hanging her hat on requirements for a “secret ballot.’’

“An election by secret ballot is an elec-

see HARRIS page 11

Republican Rep. Liz Harris, whose district includes part of Gilbert wants to end voting by mail and require all votes to be counted by hand.

10 Gilbert seniors are Flinn semi nalists

GSN NEWS STAFF

Ten high school seniors from Gilbert are semi nalists for the competitive, merit-based Flinn Scholarship, which completely pays for all expenses at one of Arizona’s three public universities as well as study abroad.

e students – Tori Barrera, Cameron Bautista, Carol Chen, Megan Dowd, Elizabeth Ghartey, Evan Hankinson, Laci Heap, Allyson Huynh, Anika Lanke, Lorraine Osterling – attend campuses in Gilbert Public Schools, Higley Unied School District, Chandler Uni ed School District and charter schools in Chandler and Mesa, according to the Flinn Foundation.

“To come this far in our very competitive process is an honor earned by just 8% of applicants from around the state,” said Anne Lassen, Flinn Foundation vice president, scholarship and education initiatives in a news release. “ ese students impressed reviewers with their academic achievement, service and leadership.”

e Foundation selected 82 Flinn Scholarship semi nalists from 1,045 applications received from Arizona’s ur-

ban, rural and tribal communities.

e semi nalists represent 59 traditional public, charter, and private high schools, and include one homeschooled student.

Arizona College Prep High School and Hamilton High in Chandler Uni ed and University High School in Tucson each have four semi nalists. Basha High in Chandler and BASIS Tucson North were next with three students apiece.

e semi nalists will interview this week and from there 40 students will be picked as nalists and interviewed again in March by a ve-person selection committee. e 20 students picked for the Flinn Scholars Class of 2023 will be announced in April. Nearly 700 students have received the scholarship over the last 38 years it has been award..

Quali cations include earning at least a 3.5 grade-point average (unweighted); rank in the top 5 % of their graduating class (if the school reports class rank); and participation and demonstration of leadership in extracurricular activities.

For the Class of 2022 scholars, the students averaged a 3.96 GPA and were in the top 2% of their class rank.

Information: inn.org.

tion in which voters are provided absolute protection against the possibility of any other person knowing how they voted,’’ Harris wrote in her legislation. And that, she said, includes family members, friends and coworkers.

“A person who is the head of a household can demand that the household vote together at the kitchen table or that any adult children allow the head of the household to vote their ballots since they live in that person’s home,’’ Harris said in HB 2229.

What in-person voting also precludes, Harris said, is the ability to buy someone’s vote, as the person o ering the money has no way to know how the other person who was paid o , lling out his or her ballot inside a voting booth, actually marked the ballot.

“ is physically protected area is the polling booth with privacy curtain, within a sta ed polling location, with the ballots

strictly controlled within the polling location and with no ballots coming in or going out,’’ her legislation reads. “Ballots are voted on site, folded and placed in a ballot box.’’

If the arguments sound familiar, they should.

ey closely parallel claims made by attorney Alexander Kolodin last year in a lawsuit led by the Arizona Republican Party. And he, too, cited that constitutional right to a secret ballot in his bid to kill early voting.

Mohave County Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen acknowledged that Kolodin presented examples of “bad actors’’ violating laws dealing with early voting.

at includes instances in Yuma County where a woman pleaded guilty to collecting the early ballots of others and, in some cases, marking how they should be voted. e judge said, however, that didn’t make the system unconstitutional.

HARRIS from page 10

Biden program passes on I-10 widening

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona taxpayers could end up having to shell out another $360 million if they want to smooth car and truck tra c between Tucson and Phoenix.

Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, said last week he is preparing legislation to have the state provide that cash after a request for a federal grant to widen a section of Interstate 10 was rejected.

He said using the funds the state already has would ensure the project’s completion – which he said is justified, given the number of Arizonans affected by the fact that a 26-mile stretch is now just two lanes in each direction.

The Legislature last year appropriated $400 million for the widening project.

Shope said his measure will have a sweetener for his colleagues who might otherwise balk at ponying up additional cash.

It says the dollars the state puts up would go back into the treasury for other priorities if and when some new source of federal dollars could be found.

Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland said that having the state front the funds fits into the scenario where there would be another bid for the grant.

“But we need to start moving on it now,’’ he said of the project. “We can’t wait for us to get all the money and begin the process.’’

Arizona’s bid for a share of National Infrastructure Project Assistance was rejected.

What appears to have happened, Shope said, is federal highway officials were more interested in funding what he called “green transportation’’ for this round of grants. That might include things like alternatives to driving, like bikeways.

“If we were talking about a central Phoenix or central Tucson project it obviously would have been more helpful,’’ he said, versus “a 26-mile stretch in the middle of the desert.’’

Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, was blunter in her comments why the state lost those federal dollars.

“To not fund an interstate because it does not have bike paths? Because it doesn’t have a trail?’’ she asked.

“That’s ridiculous,’’ Martinez said. “If the Biden administration thinks that the I-10 interstate is not as important as a bike path I think they have misjudged the situation.’’

But it’s not clear that Arizona lost out because its proposal wasn’t “green enough.’’

Information provided by the office of U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly shows that of the nine grants that were funded this year, five were interstate expansion projects. And two actually were for widening stretches of I-10, one in California and the other in Louisiana.

It may also be the Arizona ask was just too large.

The California grant was for $60 million and Louisiana got $150 million. And there was only $1.1 billion available this year.

Less clear is whether the rejection by the U.S. Department of Transportation will delay the scheduled 2026 completion of the project -- and whether Shope can convince colleagues to pony up additional dollars.

For its part, the Arizona Department of Transportation isn’t saying much. Spokesman Luis Lopez said his agency has not received official notification of the status of its grant application.

The state has been widening sections of the interstate, which stretches from Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, for years. But the last section has been an issue.

Shope, who sponsored last year’s $400 million appropriation, said some of that had to do with the fact that the stretch from Queen Creek Road on the edge of Chandler to State Route 287 outside of Casa Grande runs through the Gila River Indian Community.

He said some of that was residual bad feelings from the tribe, which felt it didn’t have any say when I-10 was cut through the reservation. Now,

Shope said, Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the community, has been a participant.

Last year’s $400 million appropriation had little trouble getting enacted, with a 27-1 vote in the Senate and 55-1 in the House, as the state was flush with cash.

That was the result of a 17% increase in revenues in the 2022 fiscal year. But legislative budget staffers predict that will moderate to 6% this year and just 2% the year after that.

But Shope said he hopes to convince colleagues that this isn’t just a Pinal County problem.

He said probably half of the residents of the Casa Grande area with jobs drive daily into Maricopa County.

Kelly said he shares the view of the importance of this project.

“Arizonans rely on the I-10 to connect them to jobs, educational opportunities and their families, which is why improving and expanding this highway is still a top priority for me,’’ he said in a prepared statement.

The guarantee of a refund to taxpayers if a federal grant comes through is based on the premise that Arizona will have more success the second time around.

“I hope so,’’ McFarland said.

“I think we’ll learn from the first one,’’ he continued. “And, hopefully, we’ll get some feedback from the feds hopefully as to what we may have not done right in the first application.’’

McFarland also called it “pretty normal’’ for applicants not to get federal grants the first time they ask for it.

An aide to Kelly said the senator is waiting for state officials to be briefed “on why projects were or were not funded this year’’ to figure out how to get the grant moving forward.

Shope said Arizona may have something else working for it in its bid for federal dollars: Newly elected Congressman Juan Ciscomani, R-Arizona, was placed on the House Appropriations Committee.

Shope also said he understands if the feds are looking to fund alternatives for transit aside from more pavement.

“I don’t believe that just the three lanes (in each direction) alone is going to solve the long-term problem that this is going to be,’’ he said. And part of that, Shope said, is the fact that the situation will become more than the current rush-hour pattern, with heavy northbound traffic in the morning and the reverse in the evening.

For example, he said Lucid Motors –which is now operating in Casa Grande –already has upwards of 5,000 employees. And many, Shope said, are driving in from the Southeast Valley of Maricopa County.

“You’re going to have the same situation with Nikola,’’ he said, which is expanding its truck manufacturing operation in Coolidge. And Shope noted that Procter & Gamble selected Coolidge as the location for its next manufacturing plant.

So far, though, intercity rail in Arizona has largely gotten no further than studies.

The stretch of I-10 would be fully widened between Phoenix and Casa Grande, making the. highway three lanes in each direction between here and Tucson. (ADOT)

CUSD program to get ahead of teacher shortages

BY KEN SAIN GSN Sta Writer

Chandler Uni ed School District has felt little impact from the teacher shortages that have left tens of thousands of positions nationwide un lled. Still, district o cials are thinking – and about to do something – about it.

“We have been fairly immune to the teacher shortage,” said Abby Druck, the district’s director of human resources, Professional Pathways. “As a lot of people know, it’s a great place to work, it’s a great place to live, so we’ve been fortunate in that way.

“But it is trickling down even to us now, particularly in some of the hard to ll areas, like special education.”

e district hopes to be fully certi ed soon for the state’s Educator Preparation Program, which they call Chandler RISE. It will allow the district to fast-track converting teachers in residence to fully certi ed teachers.

In 2017, state lawmakers allowed anyone with a college degree to teach if they had at least ve years of relative experience in the eld they would be instructing. CUSD calls these positions teachers in residence.

e district has already been approved to begin the process for general teachers in grades K-8. It expects certi cation to include special education next month.

Chandler RISE is a two-year program in which the district will provide the training to its uncerti ed teachers for free with the hopes that they will teach for at least two years in CUSD once they are fully certi ed. e district is covering all costs for that training, saving the teacher thousands they would have to pay in tuition to a college or university. at’s not the only bene t.

“ ey are working in that full teacher of record capacity, which means they’re on a full teacher salary and bene ts,” Druck said. at doesn’t mean it will be easy. In addition to teaching at a school, the participants will have to take classes and do the work re-

quired to get certi ed.

e district plans to use its own expertise to instruct these candidates.

“If we have, maybe a principal who is super strong with assessment and has taught assessment before, that’s kind of their area of expertise, we can bring that principal in for a two-hour course, and send them right back on their way to the rest of their day at their site,” Druck said.

“We’re not asking them to commit for like three months at a time, it’s really these little one-to six-hour chunks at a time.

CUSD is currently holding informational sessions to let sta know about the program. It will begin taking applications this month from internal candidates only.

O cials expect to choose the candidates by summer since classes will begin on July 5. e average salary for a CUSD teacher is $63,447.

e U.S. Department of Education released a report in August that detailed

schools have about three un lled teaching position on average. at’s means 200,000 classrooms nationwide have uncerti ed teachers. Arizona lawmakers decided to allow students who are currently seeking a bachelor’s degree to get training in the classroom in last year’s session.

Last year, lawmakers changed the law again to try and deal with the shortage. Starting this school year, people no longer must have a college degree to be a teacher.

e new law allows anyone who is enrolled in college, and working to become a teacher, to gain classroom experience by doing some teaching in a monitored capacity.

CUSD spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll said the district has not hired anyone as a teacher who does not have a college degree. She also said all the participants in the Chandler RISE program will have college degrees.

NOW ENROLLING FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR!

• Best of the Best 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 Charter School

• Voted 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 Best Charter & Preschool in Mesa

• Award-Winning Full-Day Pre-School & Pre-K tuition-based Programs ($500 / month)

• Kindergarten-8th Grade (Free Tuition)

• Free Breakfast, Lunch, & Transportation

• 8 Specials / Week (2-PE, 2-Art, 2-Music 1-Social Emotional Learning, 1-Garden)

• 3 Recesses / Daily

• Finland Educational Model Strategies (Education, Play, Family, NO HOMEWORK VS Purposeful Practice)

• 2019 KaBOOM! Playground Grant Recipient

• 2019 & 2020 NFL Play 60 Grant Recipient

• BARK to Excellence PBIS Model

• After-School Clubs / Athletics / E-Sports

• Community Events Every Month

NFL names Gilbert girl a ‘Super Kid’

GSN NEWS STAFF

Mesquite Elementary School student Julia Crossley is an o cial NFL Play 60 ambassador and will participate in community events throughout the week leading up to Super Bowl LVII Feb. 12 in Glendale, the league announced.

As an NFL Play 60 Super Kid, Julia, 12, also will be recognized during the second half of the big playo game.

“Julia’s dedication to creating a healthier school community made her a natural t as this year’s NFL Play 60 Super Kid,” the league said. “She has become a leader at school through her involvement in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, the nation’s largest in-school nutrition and physical activity program.”

With her Fuel Up to Play 60 Team, Julia volunteers and helps others learn strategies to stay healthy and be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

She also participated in a breakfast cook-o with her classmates to show other students what a healthy breakfast that includes dairy looks like and continuously helps to host fun runs at her school throughout the year to show how physical activity can be enjoyable.

Julia also plays ag football, contributing to her staying active and leading an NFL Play 60 lifestyle.

Last week, she was surprised by the hosts of ABC’s Good Morning America with the help of Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz and the team’s mascot Big Red, who shared that she is this year’s NFL Play 60 Super Kid and will serve as Good Morning America’s Kid Correspondent.

During the week leading up to the game, Julia will attend Super Bowl Experience and interview players and celebrities on the Red Carpet at NFL Honors, among other events.

The NFL in 2007 launched NFL Play

60, a national youth health and fitness initiative focused on increasing the wellness of young fans by encourag-

ing them to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

The NFL has partnered with leading organizations to increase physical activity among youth and has committed over $360 million to youth health and fitness through Play 60 programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements.

Over the past decade, with the help of NFL teams, players and partner organizations, Play 60 programming has been implemented into over 73,000 schools, and over 280 NFL Youth Fitness Zones have been constructed nationwide, providing millions of kids with access and resources to play.

The NFL and its Play 60 partners team up to provide teachers, parents and students with free online resources, which can be found by visiting NFL.com/Play60. For more information, go to http://www.nfl.com/ play60.

Mesquite Elementary student Julia Crossley of Gilbert has been named an NFL Play 60 Ambassador. (Special to GSN)

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

Mesa AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Aspen Medical in Mesa

AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling

It’s completely painless!

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!

The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!

Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until January 31st, 2023 Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 c allers Y OU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (480) 274-3157… NOW!!

We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.

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Gilbert family thankful to God, foundation

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA GSN Contributor

On Jan 10, Nash McFarland, 2½, of Gilbert was the focus of an awards ceremony on the lawn outside the Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Wearing an oversized “I Am Strong” shirt that draped to his knees, Nash smiled broadly if shyly as a gold medal proclaiming “Chemo Grad” was placed around his neck.

A framed Certificate of Bravery, like the medal, markedg the end of his in-patient chemo treatments. It was signed with well-wishes by more than a dozen medical staff members as his parents, Preston and Kendyll McFarland beamed at their younger of two sons.

Nash’s gray T-shirt with its green memorial ribbon reflects the motto, based on the verse from Joshua 1:9, the McFarland family adopted last April when their son was rushed to the emergency room with swelling in his side.

They celebrated that Easter Sunday with a large family contingency that gathered below their seventh floor window at Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s oncology floor.

They prayed together, sang joyously of Christ’s resurrection, and blew kisses up to the boy who had anticipated a much different Easter Sunday.

His parents had made a sign reading “I Am Strong” and Nash flexed his muscles. The more than 20 family members gathered below flexed back.

The McFarland family faced a long road as their son was diagnosed a few days later with hepatoblastoma, a rare type of liver cancer found in fewer than one in a million children through age 3. Four large tumors were found on his liver.

Last July, Nash was in surgery for a

liver resection when it was determined one tumor was too close to a main blood vessel, making the resection impossible. The boy was sewn back up.

Receiving that disheartening news was hard on his 31-year-old parents, who’d already faced many discouraging reports since the day before Easter 2022, when they’d discovered a lump in his stomach during an early morning diaper change.

“Kendyll and I had great trust in the surgeon working on the resection – Dr. Ramin Jamshidi. We fully believed, and continue to believe, he’d act in the best interest of Nash from the get-go. So, when he told us a resection was not possible, we knew it was for good reason and it was the right choice,” said Preston.

“From the very start, Kendyll and I fully expected hiccups and major setbacks throughout Nash’s journey. And, unfortunately, we know the future will be far from easy or normal as a cancer-free future is not promised. But stressing about something that you have absolutely no control over never helps and always hurts.

“So instead, we release it. Talk about it. Ask for help. Don’t do it alone. Hand it over to whatever or whoever you choose. As I said early in our journey, we don’t believe in coincidences or the right place at the right time. We know God is good and He’s got us.”

The couple moved forward with their search for a liver donor.

At least two were presented yet not chosen. They also went to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to be placed on their transplant list.

“Nash’s team was very selective of the liver,” Kendyll explained. “We waited two months for the right one, and we are

Nash McFarland, 2 ½, holds the medal he received after completing chemotherapy following a liver transplant for a rare form of cancer. Beside him is a plaque, signed by well-wishers.

(Courtesy of the McFarland Family) see MCFARLAND page 20

very grateful to the family who donated their child’s liver. He received his new liver Nov. 3.

“God has been our strength. We’ve learned to trust His timing and not our own.”

Preston said his son’s transplant wasn’t even possible until the third try.

“Yes, there was a first and second liver prior to all the puzzle pieces fitting together, and various reasons on why they weren’t possible,” he said. “You tend to guard your heart more and more the further you dive into the transplant process.”

He said he is cognizant of the gift given his son, and the source that made it possible is unthinkable.

“In this case another family had to lose their child for ours to even have a shot. Let that settle in,” said Preston.

“A joyful moment for one family might be another’s worst nightmare. This sat heavy on Kendyll and I – an unfathomable gift and one we may never be able to return. Let me assure you, we are both organ donors in case we pass away.”

Preston expressed joy in how quickly Nash rebounded from the transplant surgery - becoming “the Nash we absolutely adore – so full of color, energy and opinion”.

It is Nash’s older brother Knox, who turns 4 on Jan. 30, who was joyful upon learning his brother was cancer-free and would be coming home. Unlike the prior eight months, they would be more able to play like they once did.

“The boys are back,” laughed their father. “The dynamic duo of Knox and Nash are in full swing – wrestling, Spidey cartoons, Playdoh, Jeep Powerwheel rides and all. Seeing Nash interact with Knox now makes us reflect on how truly sick and worn down he was the last eight months. They’re definitely making up for lost time.”

Though the family is moving back to a sense of normalcy, it will not be as it was before last April for some time.

“Nash will probably always be a medical baby,” said Kendyll McFarland. “We aren’t done. He will need scans every three months, MRI and CTs to assure no tumor growth. He also will have his heart checked with EKGs and echocar-

diograms.

“A lot of the medicines he was on can affect his heart and hearing. He needs weekly blood draws to check for liver rejection, and just to be sure everything in his body is happy and healthy.”

The boy’s hearing has been affected by chemotherapy medications, and he may require hearing aids, said his mother.

“Nothing is guaranteed and they have a whole list of possible side effects,” she admitted.

Both parents are effusive when talking about the Ahwatukee-based nonprofit Armer Foundation for Kids, a charity started by Jennifer and Matt Armer dedicated to ease some of the financial burdens to families with children with extreme medical conditions that have unforeseen financial burdens.

“Armer has been with us every. single. step,” wrote Preston in an email.”

‘“I got a call from Jennifer the day after Nash’s diagnosis and she’s been lifting our family up ever since. The resources they’ve provided our family, even outside of financial help, have been countless.

“Simply put, Jennifer and team are family. They are intentional, thoughtful, but also respectful of your journey,” he said. “The hardest part was accepting the help on the upfront – that’s me and a pride thing.”

Kendyll recalled the help provided when the family opted to try the liver donor list at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and the Armer Foundation arranged the flight through the nonprofit Angel Flight West.

“I asked Jennifer what type of budget we had as I knew we’d need a rental car, a hotel, even help with food. She said, ‘This is yours to decide how to use. Your friends and your family have given this to you; we are just stewards of it.” Her voice broke as she spoke, and tears fell, unbidden.

Armer Foundation for Kids, and the families they help, are listed on their website: ArmerFoundation.org.

The McFarland’s I Am Strong T-shirts were designed by The Armer Foundation and can be purchased on its website in several styles for men and women. To date, sales have exceeded their original goals.

“Don’t go into battle without your Armer,” Preston said.

Nash McFarland’s family includes parents Kendyll and Preston McFarland and older brother Knox. (Courtesy of the McFarland Family)

Popular EV cigar shop expands into Mesa

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Sta Writer

It only took one pu from a premium cigar in a Beverly Hills restaurant in the ‘90s and Ron Hardin became a connoisseur.

Now, as the majority owner of Maduro’s Fine Cigars East, Hardin said premium cigars sit in a completely di erent class from other smokers.

And that’s why lounges like his newest one at 1907 W. Main St. in Mesa exist: they o er an environment and a vibe all their own that makes cigar smoking an opportunity to create a small, quaint fraternity.

“ e conversation is right there with the cigar that you’re smoking, by the person asking the question ‘what are you smoking?’” Hardin said. “And it goes from there.”

Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Hardin spent a large part of his career traveling as a management consultant. After that rst pu in Beverly Hills, he made it a point to stop at a cigar lounge in every city he visited.

At every stop, Hardin said he had the most interesting conversations with the most interesting people from all walks of life, with titles that ranged from plumbers and janitors to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

“When you walk through the door of a cigar lounge, typically, you’re going to see titles drop; people don’t even get into that,” Hardin said. “It’s really about the cigars and around the cigar smoking experience.”

is month, Hardin celebrates 13 years in business for his original location at 4991 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, but he said the reinvigoration of Mesa’s business scene seemed like a natural t for expansion.

“I just heard so many good things about the evolution and being right in the reinvention,” Hardin said. “I just think it’s a huge opportunity, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Mesa’s business-friendly atmosphere has kept the city on his radar for the past several years and Hardin said it’s opened itself to businesses that historically might not have seemed welcomed in the city otherwise.

“With it being more accepting and more of a business opportunity that draws people in, I think the city has realized that places like this are really good for the vibe in the city,” Hardin said.

With that in mind, Hardin set out to create a venue in line with what Maduro’s has become known for but still have

the location that gels with the neighborhood.

“So, the goal was to create kind of a similar atmosphere, understanding that the demographic is completely di erent,” Hardin said.

Maduro – which is Spanish for “mature” or “ripe” – is one of two broad categories of wrapper leaves derived from places like Honduras, Nicaragua, and

the Dominican Republic.

It’s also one of Hardin’s favorites and one of approximately 100 brands in the Mesa store.

ough many a cionados say the best cigars come from Cuba, Hardin said the best tobacco comes from Nicaragua –where Hardin sources much of his product – along with the Dominican Republic and Honduras.

Some of that comes from the fact that many Cuban immigrants have taken their growing skills to other countries.

“Quiet as it’s kept, a lot of those immigrants have done far better than Cuban,” Hardin said. “As matter of fact, there’s a lot of tobacco that goes back to Cuba because of the worldwide demand.”

Hardin also noted that premium cigars don’t appeal to kids.

“We don’t have the cool camels and stu like that,” Hardin said. “It’s not what we do.”

Along with the higher quality of product as opposed to places like smoke shops, Hardin and his sta bring quality – such as humidi cation of the cigars and education about the products, soon to include the pairing of particular cigars with craft beers at an on-site bar.

“We pride ourselves on the knowledge that the folks working here have of our pipes and whatnot,” Hardin said. “Folks come to us rst when they want to get educated, basically Cigar 101.”

With both a member and VIP lounge, Hardin’s Mesa location also has become a place that cigar amateurs and a cionados can socialize over a premium “stick.”

Memberships run $275 a month with members receiving $200 back in store credit and access to the member lounge with TVs, lounge chairs and a quiet area to kick back and pu your time away.

see CIGAR page 34

Ron Hardin believes Maduro’s Fine Cigars & Tobacco East will draw people to downtown Mesa because of its emphasis on quality and an appropriate environment for enjoying a fine cigar. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

“So, the goal was to create kind of a similar atmosphere, understanding that the demographic is completely different.”

CIGAR from page 22

“You still have your TV’s if you want to look up for a little distraction, but it’s really meant to be more of a place within the spot that’s quiet,” Hardin said. For $500 a month, Hardin o ers the more exclusive VIP lounge with the same $200 store credit but limited to 25 people with a private entrance. Since taking over the location last July, Hardin has revamped the store’s look

and feel to appeal to a demographic that wouldn’t have necessarily come to Mesa before, especially considering Maduro’s central location can help the city draw tourist dollars from events such as Spring Training.

“I hope it becomes a hub for folks that are inside these companies, you know cigar a cionados, that want to sit and have the best selection and, you know, just enjoy the environment, the people, the music, and have a good time,” Hardin said.

Maduro’s Fine Cigars & Tobacco East provides a bar and lounge and soon will offer suggested pairings of food and cigars. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

Campo Verde enjoying underdog role despite historic season

BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

There’s something special brewing at Campo Verde High School inside the boys’ basketball program. Head coach Mark Martinez has his team playing an exciting brand of basketball, one that focuses on sharp shooting from the eld and smothering defense on the other end.

His players play together, they play inspired and ultimately, they’re playing to put Campo Verde on the map.

“ is group is so close, they play for each other,” Martinez said. “When they play for each other, it makes for a fun brand of basketball.”

“It’s nice to see Campo Verde up there in the rankings. It’s a testament to these guys’ hard work.”

Just past the midway point of the basketball season is when the grind truly begins. Teams begin region play, with two — at minimum — games a week against region opponents. Many of which rivals.

Every game brings along a playo -like atmosphere. is past Tuesday at Higley, both sides of the crowd made their presence felt during a close contest in the fourth quarter. ey were loud, and at times rowdy.

But the Coyotes never cracked under pressure. ey remained calm, stuck to the basics and ended up pulling away with free throws to beat the Knights.

“We’ve had a few close games so far and we’ll talk about it,” senior guard Isaiah Kai said. “We’ll ask each other, ‘Were you nervous at all?’ And the answer is always no. We always feel we are going to win the game, even if we’re down. We have so much con dence in ourselves, and I think that’ll help us in region games and playo s.”

Kai’s responsibility as a point guard is to keep his teammates calm, cool and

collected in any situation. He has to do the same for himself, even when he’s struggling.

Against Higley, Kai found himself on the wrong side of double teams. While he was able to dribble out of it at times, Higley forced turnovers. But he never panicked. He calmly got back on defense and set up for the next possession.

Like others on the team, Kai knows his role as a senior leader and starting point guard. He describes himself as a pass- rst player, one that also averages a team-high 18.7 points per game. He trusts his teammates to nd the bottom of the net.

But he’s also not afraid to take open shots or drive to the rim.

“ ere will be games I’ve gotta score,” Kai said. “ ere’re also games where I’m not hitting my shots so that’s when I’ll go try to get 10 assists per game. I just want to help my team win.”

Along with Kai, three other Cam-

Senior point guard Isaiah Kai describes himself as a pass-first guard, but he averages almost 19 points per game. The chemistry he has with teammates has made the Coyotes successful this season, even though they feel they are still overlooked by bigger programs in the state. (Dave

Minton/GSN Staff)

po Verde starters average double digit points this season.

Justin Garcia is second on the team with 12.1 points per game, while Ty McDowell averages 11.9. Cohen Ferguson, a junior, averages 9.9 points per game.

Even when the stat line doesn’t show it, Campo Verde also bene ts from role players o the bench. Josh Campbell, a senior guard, provides a spark and is a threat from 3-point range. Camden Gundlach is a big-bodied forward that can wreak havoc in the paint, especially on defense.

Every player has a role, whether they’re a veteran or fresh to the varsity roster. And there’s no division. eir chemistry on the court extends o it, too.

“I think most of us have been together since elementary school or junior high,” McDowell said. “We struggled a little bit our sophomore and junior years. But to see everything come full circle this year,

it means a lot to us.”

e win over Higley Tuesday night was historic for Campo Verde. It was the Coyotes 16th of the season, which is the most in program history.

e program has won 15 games in a season twice before, once last year and another 2014-15. e players knew about the record. It was in the back of their minds while trying to climb out of a hole and hold o Higley.

eir ability to win a close game against a region rival, as well as blowout victories like they’ve had all season, shows what this team is capable of. It’s also starting to re ect in the rankings, where the Coyotes were the No. 2 team in the Open Division heading into the matchup against the Knights and they remained the next day.

ey know more work has to be done before they celebrate the highest ranking in program history. ey have to keep winning to stay there. But they admit the recognition feels good, even if they are still overlooked by bigger programs now chasing them.

“I love where we’re at but I still don’t think we have respect from everyone yet,” McDowell said. “I feel like we’re still under the radar. I like that underdog mentality.”

Martinez is con dent in his team’s ability to nish strong this season. As long as they continue to play together as a cohesive unit, he believes they can compete with any team in the state.

It’s a tall task to win out the rest of the way, but his players are ready for the challenge. ey want to bring a title to Campo Verde, whether that be in the Open or 5A Conference.

“ ese guys have bought in to what we’re trying to do,” Martinez said. “We told them how good they were. I think they knew how good they were. But now I think other people are starting to recognize how well they play together.”

Western Week galloping back to Scottsdale

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff Writer

Western Week returns to Scottsdale beginning Saturday, Jan. 28, bringing a broad range of classic events that pay homage to the history of the “West’s Most Western Town.”  This year brings plenty of promise as two keystone events will be celebrating big anniversaries.

The Hash Knife Pony Express will make its 65th annual pilgrimage from Holbrook to Scottsdale to deliver the mail via pony express and the Parada Del Sol will march for the 69th consecutive year. The parade follows a route from Drinkwater Boulevard along Scottsdale Road, finishing at Brown Avenue and Indian School Road.

Immediately following the parade, Old Town transforms into a massive Western-style block party with a kids’ zone, food trucks, merchandise vendors and multiple stages with live entertainment from today’s popular bands to traditional performers.

This year’s theme – Cowboy Kickoff –recognizes Super Bowl LVII the following weekend. Guests can expect a fun melding for both modern-day cowpokes and football fans.

All the events will be restriction-free for the first time in three years.

“Last year, I was pleasantly surprised with the number of people we attracted for both Hash Knife Pony Express and the Parada Del Sol,” said city Tourism and Events Director Karen Churchard.

“You could tell that even last year, people were excited to be out again. I think this year we’re anticipating record attendance at a lot of our upcoming events.”

Western Week kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 28, with casual events like the OldTown Farmers Market and specialized

Puzzle Rides.

However, the events pick up steam as February unfolds.

One event Churchard expects staggering attendance at is the Arizona Indian

“One of the biggest things that we’re excited about is having the Arizona Indian Festival back in the Civic Center where it debuted as an annual event seven years ago and will be one of the first free events in the newly opened Civic Center,” Churchard said.

However, the cornerstones of Western Week are still the arrival of the Hash Knife Pony Express and the Parada Del Sol that follows a day later.

Because of this, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West offers a unique conversation with Hash Knife Pony Express Captain Mark Reynolds –

which Scholefield says has been a popular attraction during Western Week.

“Last year, we formally scheduled Mark to formally speak at the museum and despite the suggested guidelines we had in place to keep everyone six feet apart, we had a standing-room-only crowd in our theater,” said museum spokesman David Scholefield. “Although we advised people to be concerned about COVID, they persisted because they thought ‘this is so interesting.’”

This year, Reynolds will speak at the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust The

Western Week returns beginning Saturday, January 28 bringing western flare back to the west’s most western town. (Facebook) Festival Feb. 4-5.

“You could tell that even last year, people were excited to be out again. I think this year we’re anticipating record attendance at a lot of our upcoming events.”

King Crossword Answers on page 29

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JOB SEEKERS

Great Job-Seeking Habits

Let’s face it, looking for work can be a full-time job

Like any other time-consuming pursuit, there are best practices involved with seeking a new position.

Unfortunately, there are obvious stresses involved with the loss of financial stability, and that fear and anxiety can make it difficult to properly focus your search.

If you find yourself stuck, reach out to professional resume writers or career counselors who specialize in getting these searches back on track. Either way, incorporating effective search habits can help you better target your resume to the best-fit jobs, and that might ultimately shorten your time between employers.

HAVE OPEN DISCUSSIONS

Don’t overlook the shared experiences of those around you. Be open and honest about what led you to this moment in time, your goals for the next position and what you’re doing to make that dream come true. It’s possible that friends, family and others in your industry or former co-workers have had similar experiences, and they may be able to offer needed advice. They may even know about a new role that perfectly fits your skill set.

MAKE IT A GROUP EFFORT

Some open positions simply aren’t advertised in conventional ways, and may only be known to people who have adjacent industry jobs or friends working for your prospective employer. That’s where networking becomes a critical

tool. Join job-hunting groups to expand this search beyond your immediate circle. Whether in person or online, you’ll find a community of people who share your particular struggles but who also can provide leads for employment and critical advice about how to get the job. Social media helps us remain in constant contact, meaning you may have the chance to become one of the first to apply for unlisted openings.

KEEP UPDATING

Just because your employment has ground to a halt doesn’t mean your resume should. Continue adapting your application paperwork to reflect the requirements for individual job openings. Customizing your resume highlights the specific experiences and educational achievements that they may be looking for, and your research will help you familiarize yourself with the company — a key advantage should you be called in for an interview. You’ll also better navigate through the hurdles put in place by the computerized programs that many companies use to weed out candidates that don’t use certain keywords or meet certain qualifications.

Foster Home Providers Wanted

We are looking for caring people to welcome developmentally disabled people into their homes similar to a foster home. Homes funded by the State of Arizona, Division of Developmental Disabilities are administered by provider agencies such as ours, Consumer Advocacy Projects, Inc. (CAP). CAP was founded in 1997 and has provided services to hundreds of disabled members primarily in their group home system.

Becoming a Foster Care Provider requires several steps to become licensed as a State of Arizona approved provider. Steps include background checks, physical environment inspections and training to ensure a safe environment for the member(s). Our agency provides guidance to work through these steps with you and / or your family. Individuals or families wanting to welcome our adults into your home, should be caring, compassionate and attentive to the needs of the members.

If interested, please email ddfosterhomes@az-cap.com to learn more, or if you have questions or would like to initiate this exciting process.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

• General Laborer

• Shipping & Inventory Crane Operator

• Maintenance Mechanics/ Electricians

• Production Operator And more!

Now Hiring in Mesa!

CMC Steel Arizona has proudly been making the steel that builds America since 2009.

We are hiring immediately for all skilled operator positions to be part of building our new, state of the art micro mill from the ground up!

At CMC, we offer great benefits and provide all necessary training and certifications.

WESTERN from page 25

ater/Auditorium at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West at 9:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Feb. 3 and Feb 4. The free talks are part of the museum’s free admission days Feb. 3 and Feb. 4.

Reynolds will not be the only voice delivering an informative talk at the Museum of the West. Scottsdale historian Joan Fudala will discuss the past six decades of the Parada Del Sol Feb. 2.

Western Week will also benefit from the coming uptick of tourism brought on by the Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium Feb. 12.

Because of this, Churchard teased that there could be some cross-partnership between the Super Bowl and Western Week.

“We’re working with the Arizona Super Bowl host committee about having some components to recognize and celebrate when the Super Bowl comes into town the following weekend,” Churchard said.

More information: scottsdalewesternweek.com.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES FROM PAGE 26

One of the top attractions of Western Week remains the Parada Del Sol. (Facebook)

“We’re working with the Arizona Super Bowl host committee about having some components to recognize and celebrate when the Super Bowl comes into town the following weekend,.”

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