Gilbert Sun News 01-29-2023

Town takes big step in Water Tower Plaza re-do

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

The current preferred alternative design for the redo of Water Tower Plaza in downtown Gilbert includes a raised picnic plaza, planters around a large event lawn and a water wall feature.

For the preferred design, the project architect incorporated input from the public and town boards into the so-

Watchful eyes

called Concept A, one of two proposed renderings offered up for feedback last year.

The town set aside a total budget of $5.9 million for the project, which includes $426,712 for design services.

“I really like this rendering,” Councilwoman Bobbi Buchli said at the Jan. 24 study session. “I can see the future of Gilbert and their families loving this.”

see TOWER page 3

Gilbert man’s artistry eases grief over brother’s death

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Preston Zeller dabbled in brushes and paint when he was younger but it wasn’t his calling at the time and he went into a career of marketing for tech companies and start-ups.

“I started delving into analytical cubism in high school and I did a couple of pieces in that fashion,” the Gilbert resident recalled. “I never took it very far.”

But that changed in 2019 when his older and only brother, Colin, 35, died of a drug overdose.

“I did go to group therapy session once and I thought I would like it but I didn’t, so I stopped,” Zeller said. “But the one thing that I got out of that one session, the guy who was leading that group said, ‘you have to cry and let it out.’”

And that is what Zeller initially did.

“I started using the closet and go and unload my emotions,” he said.

see ZELLER page 10

Santana Sims and Riegann Bryant follow Gilbert Visual Art League volunteer Heather Livingston as she demonstrates an abstract paint pour at House of Refuge in Mesa during a special interaction the artists had at the nonprofit, which provides transitional housing for unsheltered families. For the story, see page 21. (Deepika Haldankar/Contributor)

Gilbert businesses topic at Sinema roundtable.

Higley basketball team heads north to Alaska.

Couple launches Valentine’s Day program for seniors.

TOWER from page 1

Since its debut in 2008, the plaza has become one of the premier open spaces in the heart of the Heritage District and attracts thousands of visitors each year who go there for events or just to eat lunch.

A 2020 town assessment of the 0.7-acre park found aging infrastructure and outof-date technology for the pump, electrical and irrigations systems.

“This plaza has been kind of loved to death,” architect Aaron Allan told council.

The project also includes parking modifications and new public restrooms, shade structures, street furnishings and a temporary staging area for food trucks during special events.

Councilwoman Yung Koprowski said she also liked the preferred design and asked a number of questions, including if there’ll be changing areas in the restrooms as there will be a splash pad for kids.

Allan responded no, just ADA-compliant stalls on the men’s side and on the women’s side but that it was something that could be considered since the western footprint of the site is still in design.

Councilman Chuck Bongiovanni asked if there was any feedback about using artificial grass versus real grass.

“Artificial turf actually during the sum-

mer time gets hotter than asphalt and so there’s that water use versus actually being able to have usable lawn,” Allen said.

According to Allen, the park with its

improvements will use less water than the average residential swimming pool, which consumes 10,000 gallons. Water at the park also will be sanitized and recirculated.

Councilman Scott Anderson suggested bird sculptures at the plaza to tie it into the town’s Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, renown as a bird watching site.

“And it also helps children as well as adults identify the kinds of birds that frequent the riparian area and come to Gilbert,” he said.

Councilman Jim Torgeson questioned how the new public restrooms will operate, stating, “it can always present a problem.”

Mayor Brigette Peterson noted that there are already restrooms maintained by the town across the street.

“I think it would probably be very similar: the doors are locked at a certain point,” she noted.

Peterson said that when the park was first envisioned, nobody thought it would be used the way that it’s being used today. Now the town is “trying to create a space for the way that we’re actually using the park

see TOWER page 11

Gilbert Town Council members favored this proposed design of the Water Tower Plaza. (Town of Gilbert)

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Peterson calls workers local businesses’ top concern

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

The No. 1 concern for Gilbert businesses right now is workforce, according to Mayor Brigette Peterson.

“They can’t find reliable workforce, they can’t get people to apply for these jobs,” Peterson said. “Gilbert’s unemployment rate is about 2.2%, which is extremely low – a kind of unhealthy low in my opinion.”

Peterson raised the concern and asked if there was any federal help during a Jan. 20 roundtable discussion with U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Sinema met with Maricopa County elected officials and employers at Phoenix Forge for an hour-long discussion about their priorities and needs.

Attendees included Maricopa County Supervisors Bill Gates and Jack Sellers, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, Surprise Mayor Skip Hall, and SRP President David Rousseau.

Sinema said the community college system provided a way to upscale the workforce and fill employers’ demand because it’s “effective, more accessible and more affordable.”

Avondale Mayor Kenn Weise said community college tuition was still high for those who also have to pay rent and car payments.

“How do we help them out?” Weise said. Sinema asked the business leaders and mayors to put together a proposal for federal help for upscaling the workforce that includes a mix of ideas – some that don’t take much money, such as adding flexibility to a program, and some that do, like competitive grants for community colleges so they can offer more programs.

“Put together a few ideas of elements or trunks of things we can do to help start a conversation about the federal role in upscaling our workforce,” Sinema said.

Outsourcing to countries that don’t share the same geo-political goals as the United States, such as China and Russia, creates a national security risk, according to Sinema.

She said she will need to persuade her colleagues that the investment in upscaling would help the county be better prepared for natural disasters such as the pandemic and better prepared for a different geo-political future.

She noted that she’s tried for years to put more flexibility in the federal Pell Grant program for students with financial need but there was no traction as it was not a top priority for her colleagues.

But she was more hopeful with the proposal if she can package it as an economic and national security imperative.

The discussion also focused on Proposition 400, the half-cent sales tax that funds regional transportation projects.

Then-Gov. Doug Ducey in July vetoed a bill setting an election to extend the tax for another 25 years. As it stands, Proposition 400 sunsets in 2025 if no action is taken.

the election.

He said since Sinema’s time as a state lawmaker, the dynamics have changed the last 15 years.

“Any advice or tips you have would be really helpful in how we can help the Legislature understand,” he said. “We are going to be at a critical juncture here in the next six months to a year because it expires at the end of 2025 and transportation in the Valley will come to a halt.”

Sinema told the group that it is incumbent on them to lobby lawmakers in swing legislative districts and let them know what the extension means “in dollars and cents to their constituents.”

She also suggested that they reach out to mayors of rural communities to talk with their representatives to get behind Proposition 400 because if that measure goes away, Maricopa County will be competing for the same limited federal dollars as those smaller communities.

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“It’s not just about economic security for our country but it would also be important to talk about how this is good for our national security.”

She said the group’s talk about a concerted effort to onshore work that’s been outsourced for years to China has wide support among many members in Congress.

Sinema acknowledged the importance of extending the tax, which she said is critical to the economic growth of the region and that they need to make that case to the voters.

Weise, who chairs the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Council, said voters understand the need for transportation but it’s the state Legislature that needs persuading to pass a bill calling for

Because it’s almost impossible for small communities to get federal funding, Marciopa County officials can help them understand that if Proposition 400 moves forward, they will benefit, Sinema said.

Another pressing issue for the group was the on-going drought and shrinking Colorado River.

For the first time ever, a water shortage was declared in 2021 and Arizona saw cuts in its allotment for the second time this see SINEMA page 12

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Among the mayors who met with U.S. Sen. . Kyrsten Sinema on Jan. 20 were, from left, Goodyear’s Joe Pizzillo, Avondale’s Kenneth Weise and Gilbert’s Brigette Peterson. (Cecilia Chan/GSN)

Job growth likely to continue in region, expert panel says

BY CECILIA CHAN

GSN Managing Editor

Insurance agents, industrial truck and tractor operators, restaurant cooks and home health aides have been the fastest growing jobs in Greater Phoenix.

In fact, the Phoenix metropolitan area recovered all the jobs lost due to the pandemic and is expected to see a job growth through 2024.

“We will continue to see a lot of job growth but not as high as we’ve seen in the past couple of years,” said Brad Smidt, senior vice president of Business Development for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council or GPEC.

The regional economic group works with 22-member communities, including Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek to help attract businesses with high-capital investments and high-wage jobs.

Smidt and a panel of experts presented the Tri-City Economic Development Update on Jan. 19 at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

He said the local market was driven by construction and retail trade in the past and “I think we kind of gotten away from that especially with these larger manufacturing announcements that we’ve seen in the last couple of years with Intel, TSMC, etcetera.

“Overall we’re seeing a much more balanced economy.”

The largest industries in the Valley were professional and businesses services at 16% and healthcare and social assistance at 14% retail trade made up 11% of the job market and construction 6%.

According to Smidt, the unemployment rate for Phoenix Metro sat at about 3% and the gross domestic product was still growing – the GDP was $262 billion in 2021 and grew by 7% over the previous year.

Smidt said the unemployment rate for the country and probably Arizona will increase. For Greater Phoenix, it could go as high as 4% or even into the low 5%-range, he said.

“We’ll see kind of where that happens in the next six months to a year,” he added.

Also in the Phoenix metro area and Arizona, overall personal income grew faster than the national average from 2020 to 2021, according to Smidt. In Greater Phoenix, the growth was 7.6% and for the state, 6.1% compared with the national rate of 3.3%.

Inflation has taken a big bite out of the local economy and has been at or near its highest rate in a decade, Smidt added, noting that metro housing prices have increased for over a decade but are dropping after hitting a high in June.

Consumer confidence nationally remained at or near its lowest level in the past 10 years, according to Smidt, who noted that holiday sales came in lower than expected and will cause it to further drop.

Additionally, the business confidence index was in a downturn, measuring 99.7 in October – the second consecutive month where the reading was below 100, Smidt said.

Although the cost of living in Greater Phoenix was 5.8% higher than the national average, it was still cheaper than competitive markets in California, Denver, Colorado and the Northeast, he said.

Only the Texan cities of Houston, Austin and Dallas along with Albuquerque, New Mexico boast a lower cost of living.

Smidt also gave a summary of GPEC’s accomplishments for the current fiscal year.

By the end of 2022, the group has helped bring in 22 companies, creating almost 5,000 jobs and $23.7 billion in capital investment just for the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to Smidt.

“In terms of active prospects, we have about 230 active deals in our portfolio right now at some stage of looking at this market for potential expansion,” he said.

If all those companies came through, it would mean a capital investment of $120.5 billion and 32,649 jobs created, he added.

“What we are seeing right now is about 80 to 85% of our projects are industrial-focused,” Smidt said. “So those are distribution, manufacturing and that includes data

see ECON page 8

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center projects that are active in the market.”

He said that since the pandemic, there’s been a huge swing in industrial projects, which captured 55% or so of the market pre-Covid.

Office users, however, went from 45% of GPEC’s portfolio down to 15 to 20%, he said.

“Where we are as a market is we probably have over 20 million square feet of sublease space that is on the market that these companies don’t know what to do with,” Smidt said. “They are not utilizing this kind of space.”

But there is still some office activity happening with the office projects coming in smaller now.

“It’s just not the 100,000 square feet, the 150,000, the 200,000-square-foot type of project that we are seeing,” he said. “But we are working on a couple of deals. “We certainly are doing everything we can to find those employers and find those types of projects in back office, in financing, in corporate headquarters.”

He said GPEC is hopeful that a return to office will happen a little later in 2023 and hopefully continue to rise in 2024 and beyond.

CEO J. Brian O’Neill gave an update of

what’s occurring at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, which he described as a 3,000-acre economic development project and job creator that just happens to have a thriving regional airport and three runways as part of its infrastructure. In 2021, the airport pumped $1.8 billion into the local economy.

“We at the airport really pride ourselves on the diversity of opportunities that we have,” O’Neill said.

The former Air Force base is owned and operated by a joint powers airport authority comprises Mesa, Phoenix, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Gilbert and the Gila River Indian Community.

According to O’Neill, over 1 million square feet of private development is underway at the airport, which includes Gulfstream building a 225,000-squarefoot West Coast service center and Virgin Galactic building two hangars, totaling 180,000 square feet.

About 1,000 developable acres are left and 660 of those acres are under professional, commercial development, O’Neill said.

“We got two large master developers that are working hard to develop the aeronautical and non-aeronautical land that is still available at the airport,” he said.

Also, there’s $70 million in private investment going into the airport’s infrastructure such as roadways, sewer, water, electricity and taxi lane extensions.

“All of that is being invested into the airport by private companies so they can unlock the remaining land for future development,” he said.

To keep pace with its growing popularity, the airport’s also embarked on a number of projects, including a $30-million air traffic control tower dedicated in August, a five-gate terminal, runway reconstruction and continued rental car infrastructure improvements.

Five airlines – Allegiant, Flair Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Swoop and West Jet – fly out of the airport to over 50 nonstop locations in the country and in Canada. In 2022, the airport set a record with 1.9 million passengers.

O’Neill said future plans for the interim portable structure, in use during the construction of the new terminal, is to turn it into a federal inspection facility, which would allow for international flights to Mexico and beyond.

Currently the five destinations in Canada are all U.S.-preclearance locations, according to O’Neill.

Gilbert Economic Development Director Dan Henderson said the town is looking at infill, redevelopment and mixed-used development.

“This idea of just wide-open growth… that is not Gilbert’s story anymore,” Henderson said.

The Phoenix metro area has seen a steady increase in jobs through last November. (GPEC)

Gilbert lawmaker defends new lid on Legislature’s emails

BY BOB CHRISTIE Capitol Media Services

The Arizona Legislature will exempt itself from state public records law and destroy all email correspondence sent or received by lawmakers or staff after 90 days under new rules adopted by majority Republicans over vigorous opposition from minority Democrats.

The Senate also completely exempted text messages on members’ personal phones, which lawmakers frequently use for legislative business, from release at any time. The House policy is not as expansive.

The House package that was adopted despite unified opposition from minority Democrats also makes major changes to many other rules of the chamber, including limiting debate on controversial legislation to just 30 minutes and requiring the Republican speaker to approve future rules changes – even if a majority of members vote to do so.

Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, a member of the Republican leadership team, defended the new rules during the vote, saying the limits on debate were needed because Democrats were using lengthy floor debates as a “weapon.’’ He also said that Republican leaders here looked to rules adopted by the U.S. Congress as a template.

“These rules are rules that were accepted and written by Democrats and Republicans,’’ he said, even though Democrats in the Arizona House were not consulted. “So to present this in a way that makes it seem that Republicans are restricting speech or stopping one side from doing business, it’s just totally disingenuous and unfair. And let’s just be honest about it.’’

He made no mention of the new records retention policy, which has the most impact on the public’s ability to learn what lawmakers are doing and who is urging them to act.

Current Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Queen Creek, was deeply involved in that effort when he was chair of

the judiciary committee.

If in place after the 2020 presidential election, these rules would have prevented the public from learning about many of the efforts to persuade Arizona lawmakers to throw out President Joe Biden’s win.

One of the most well-known of those efforts was a series of emails that Virginia Thomas, wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a supporter of former President Donald Trump, sent to a host of state Republican House and Senate members just days after Biden won the election. She urged members to throw out Biden’s delegates to the Electoral College and replace them with a GOP slate.

The changes create broad exemptions for the Legislature from state Public Records Law, which requires retention of records indefinitely and release to the public on request.

Senate Republicans were forced to release thousands of emails and text messages related to their partisan review of the 2020 presidential election, although they fought the release in court.

The state Supreme Court ruled last year that some of the emails and text messages could remain secret. The court cited the needs of lawmakers to be able to discuss and debate issues privately, and the principle of separation of powers.

And it allows Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, or Senate President Petersen to sue for any perceived slight by new Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs without holding a vote.

The debate limit in the House removes one of the few procedural moves minority Democrats have to slow down bills that are being pushed only by Republican members. The GOP has slim one-vote majorities in both chambers. No major changes to debate rules were made in the Senate, which has half as many members.

The provision requiring the speaker to vote in favor of any future rules change will block any bipartisan effort to bypass him and call for a vote on legislation he does not support.

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ZELLER from page 1

But the sadness hung on.

To process his grief Zeller turned to art for therapy.

He painted every day for 365 days straight and assembled all the canvasses into a 10 foot-by 12-foot mosaic and hung it in his home.

He also filmed his effort, which became a feature-length documentary titled “The Art of Grieving.”

Zeller’s documentary takes viewers on his healing journey as he “gives a history lesson on how humans have coped with death since the dawn of civilization.” The film also includes commentary from certified art therapist Lindsay Lederman.

“The Art of Grieving” won Best Documentary at two film festivals – Bridge Fest in Vancouver, Canada, and the Los Angeles Film Awards. It garnered an honorable mention by INFLUX Magazine Film Awards.

According to Preston, the film premiered on Amazon Prime in July and has been seen in 25 countries and debut on Apple TV this year.

“I didn’t know all the details of the documentary when I said I was going to do it,” said Zeller, who went to film school at Chapman University in California and worked in the entertainment industry for a year after he graduated.

“It was a line on paper that said, ‘paint every day and make a documentary about it.’ And I was like I would figure it out at some point. It’s very doable and that’s kind of how it turned out.”

To prepare for his year-long endeavor, Zeller had a table full of acrylic paint at his disposable where he could instinctively shift into different colors as he went through the spectrum of his emotions.

And every day, working around his day job, he sat down and painted an intuitive abstract work of art on an 8-inchby-10-inch canvas.

“Intuitive abstract art is another form of abstract expressionism,” Zeller said. “It’s easier to tap into your subconscious or unconscious mind.”

Through his daily paintings, Zeller said he got a mental snapshot of his brain.

“I have been changing over the course

of time,” he said. “I had periods where I knew I was really angry for a while and could see how that was coming out in my painting.”

For Zeller, the color of anger translated into reds and blacks in his paintings.

On the last day, day 365, Zeller painted an iris using his brother’s ashes in the artwork.

“I thought it was really fitting for the last painting to use the ashes,” he said. “Part of the reason why I did eyes, my brother was a drug addict. When I got around my brother, I could just look at his eyes and I knew he was on something. You can tell a lot by someone’s eyes.

When you make a donation to Chandler Gilbert Arc, it will come back to you, dollar for dollar on your Arizona State Taxes. Up to $800/family and $400/individual.

“The iris is more like I remembered his eyes. I’m not overly interpreting what that painting is. It’s just my recollection of his eyes.”

Zeller hung his completed pieces of his grieving process on his living room wall on Dec. 28, 2020.

“It was really unique to see it come to fruition,” he recalled. “It was a lot of catharsis at that moment.

before. It’s not like the size of it but the amount of emotional work I did.”

After he wrapped up his documentary, Zeller moved to Gilbert last year for its family friendly vibe. His kids love going to Gilbert Regional Park.

Today, Zeller still works in marketing and he’s also owner of Zellerhaus Art, where he helps those who have lost loved ones by capturing their memories through original art pieces.

Zeller is not only sharing his experience through the documentary with the public but is negotiating with museums to showcase the mosaic.

“It’s a totally different experience when see it in person,” Zeller said. “The original intent was always to have them in a public space.

“I’ve always been a storyteller and I knew this was something people would be able to relate to and perhaps they could see a different way to deal with grief.”

at

or visit

for more

“I’ve never done anything this big

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

Chandler Gilbert Arc is an IRS Section 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation, and is a Qualifying Charitable Tax Organization registered with the Arizona Department of Revenue. Our QCO code is 20245. Contact the Arizona

To view “Art of Grieving” by Gilbert resident Preston Zeller for free: tubitv.com/ movies/677718/the-art-of-grieving.

Preston Zeller Zeller painted an iris using his brother’s ashes in the artwork. (Courtesy of Preston Zller)

TOWER from page 3

currently.”

“I really love the preferred alternative,” she said, adding that she liked Anderson’s suggestion of some kind of art structure atthe plaza.

Peterson also asked how the mature trees on site will be handled.

Allen said that the trees on the south side can be protected while others – such as those in spots where the infrstructure will be placed – are too old and wouldn’t survive a relocation.

Vice Mayor Kathy Tilque said she supported Koprowski’s recommendation for a changing area in the restrooms.

Tilque said she also liked the additional shading but she was not enamored with the proposed parallel parking along Page Avenue.

“You’re losing parking down there and it’s very important to the businesses down there not to lose anymore than what we’ve already given up for the pickup areas and things like that,” Tilque said.

She said having both parallel and diagonal parking also would be confusing for motorists and that she would like to see the food trucks parked in the alley rather than on the main street.

“I think for safety, just walking out between food trucks probably isn’t the best thing to do on a small road like,” she said.

“Speaking to businesses down there, they’ve been very open about the fear of losing additional parking and anything that would appear to be permanent food trucks competing with their businesses and so I think the more we can limit it, that makes it feel very intentional would be better for the businesses downtown.”

Parks and Recreation Director Robert Carmona said they will continue to explore the parking.

“I think you know that’s been something we’ll continue to discuss with council, with the merchants,” Carmona said. “There’s still additional public outreach.”

According to Allen, the next steps include taking the preferred design alternative to the Parks and Recreation Board, the Redevelopment Commission and the public.

Following the study session, downtown resident Doralise Machado-Liddell raised concerns with the project at the regular council meeting. The public is not allowed to com-

ment during study session.

She said food trucks should be not in the alleyway, between the Water Tower and the back of Liberty Market.

“Circulation is one of my concerns,” she said. “There isn’t the appropriate circulation in that area of the park, meaning the alley. The alley is closed off and that should be considered in the planning stages of the park itself.

“The alley has an easement on it and I think it is a needed and necessary pass through for emergency vehicles if you are going to have so many people and special events. You do need a lot of outs.”

She also raised concerns with possible noise and with the park’s hours, which have not yet been determined.

Renovation of the plaza is expected to begin in November and be finished by August 2024.

The plaza is a key component of the town’s ultimate vision for the core of the Heritage District, according to Economic Development Director Dan Henderson.

And, he said, it establishes the framework for future projects as well as the redevelopment of the areas in and around the park site.

The .03-square-mile Heritage District, centered around Gilbert Road, was designated a redevelopment area in 1989 with the goal of revitalizing the downtown.

The town 30 years ago began buying up properties in the area and currently owns 33% of all the land in the Heritage District or 55 acres total, Henderson said.

Presently, the Heritage District has about 1 million square feet of existing development, which includes single-family homes, according to Henderson.

“As of this year, there’s approximately 840,000 square feet of approved development within the district, which is primarily attributed to the Heritage Park project or what’s also known as the North Anchor,” he said. “This means that the total commercial building footprint of the Heritage District will effectively double with the completion of the approved projects.”

Additionally, there are over 30 Town projects that are either active or planned for the district, Henderson said.

After removing the land spoken for future projects, about 16 acres of vacant land are left or 10% of the district remaining for both private development and future infrastructure projects, he added.

Egg price increases fry local eateries

GSN NEWS STAFF

Consumers aren’t the only ones finding the spike in a carton of eggs hard to swallow as Gilbert businesses are seeing a big impact to their bottom line.

The cost of eggs shot up 60% in December from a year earlier, according to the Consumer Price Index – largely in part to a fast-spreading avian flu wiping out over 50 million egg-laying hens. An entire flock must be killed if even one bird tests positive.

While shoppers are shelling out a few more bucks for eggs, it’s the breakfast joints and bakeries that are seeing the biggest sticker shock.

“It’s been horrible,” said Milli Hilligardt, co-owner of The Farmhouse Restaurant in the Heritage District. “That is what we use to make money. Eggs went skyrocket. It was crazy high.”

Hilligardt said the long-time eatery was paying $90 for a half case of eggs or 15 dozen and last week the price dropped to about $67.

Even so, $67 was still quadrupled what the 33-year-old restaurant was paying before inflation and the avian flu hit, according to Hilligardt, who added that the restaurant had already raised its menu prices before the egg crisis.

Although the cost has eased, Hilligardt thinks higher prices for eggs are the new normal and pointed to Arizona’s new law requiring all egg-laying hens to be cage free by 2025. “I think that’ll probably going to keep (the price) up,” she said.

Stephanie Wagner, who recently relocated Decadent Macarons to Gilbert, also found that “egg prices are outrageous.” Macarons’ main ingredient is egg whites.

Twice a week, Wagner has to fork over $300 for a box of eggs or 15 dozens for a total of $600. She added that it was the busy

season for her business, which accounted for more eggs.

“Before we could get around, depending on the workload, (and) spend around $150 to $200 a week,” she said.

As a result, Wagner’s had to adjust her prices accordingly.

“We just raised our prices slightly and we set the price break higher,” she said.

Customers before would get a break if they bought 24 or more macarons but now it’s 36, Wagner said, adding “we are still competitive with our pricing.”

With egg prices at historic highs, it’s no surprise that egg suppliers’ profits have soared such as for Cal-Maine Foods.

That company’s gross profits increased from nearly $92 million at the end of February 26, 2022 to just under $318 million ending in November 2022, according to Farm Action.

As such, the farmer-led advocacy group isn’t satisfied that the avian flu is the sole culprit for the price hike and is demanding the Federal Trade Commission open an investigation into the egg industry.

Farm Action in its Jan. 19 letter noted its concerns “over apparent price gouging, price coordination, and other unfair or deceptive acts or practices by dominate producers of eggs.”

Besides naming Cal-Main Foods, the

SINEMA from page 4

year.

Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo asked Sinema if there was any chance to get California to help and step up conservation measures. The Golden State gets the largest share of the river water and has not yet seen reductions.

Sinema said of the seven U.S. states that rely on the Colorado River, Arizona has the least rights.

She said 100% of America’s winter greens come from Yuma County and that she has been pushing hard to educate people of the interconnectivity of the Southwest region.

She said she withheld her support of the Inflation Reduction Act until it included $4 billion for water management and conser-

letter includes other dominate produces such as Rose Acre Farms, Versova Holdings, and Hillandale Farms, among others.

Prices for a dozen large Grade A eggs more than double for consumers, increasing to $4.25 in December 2022 from $1.788 in December 2021, Farm Action wrote.

“The real culprit behind this 138% hike in the price of a carton of eggs appears to be a collusive scheme among industry leaders to turn inflationary conditions and an avian flu outbreak into an opportunity to extract egregious profits reading as high as 40%,” the group said.

It claimed that although the flu killed millions of birds, the actual impact on the egg supply “was minimal” as there was “record-high” lay rates and chicks hatched during 2022 was never more than 7-8% lower than the year prior.

“In the end, what Cal-Main Foods and the other large-egg producers did last year – and seem to be intent on doing again this year – is extort billions of dollars from the pockets of ordinary Americans through what amounts to a tax on a staple we all need: eggs,” the letter said.

Farm Action wants the FTC to prosecute any violations of the antitrust laws it finds and “get the American people their money back.”

vation efforts for the Colorado River, which not only helps Arizona but the other six states as well.

She noted her other efforts addressing the drought crisis, including forming last year a Water Advisory Council of experts and key stakeholders tasked with finding solutions to Arizona’s worsening shortage.

She also pointed to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021, where she secured over $8 billion for infrastructure such as water recycling and water storage in the western United States.

Sinema also informed the group that she was working to reclassify copper as a critical mineral, essential for economic development or national security and which has a supply chain vulnerable to disruption.

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 traffic 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 on 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, D-Arizona, shows that of the nine grants 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 commit additional dollars.

see WIDEN page 14

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)

What’s The Real Value Of Hearing Aids?

WIDEN from page 13

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.

“When they do that, they drop their sales tax dollars into Maricopa County,’’ Shope said.

He also figures that the road links the three largest counties in the state where more than three-quarters of its residents live.

And Martinez said the road is used by more than just Pinal County residents. Then there’s the commerce aspect of it.

“If people in Maricopa want their Amazon packages or groceries in the grocery store, Interstate 10 doesn’t just benefit people in Pinal County,’’ she said.

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 Republican Arizona Congressman Juan Ciscomani 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 you’re going to have cross-traffic going either way, as opposed to just directional,’’ he said.

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

Amtrak last year unveiled a 15-year expansion plan to connect communities in 25 states, including trips between Tucson and Phoenix with stops in Marana, Coolidge, Queen Creek and Tempe, with extensions out to Avondale and Buckeye.

Stephen Gardner, Amtrak president, estimated the line would attract 200,000 annual riders.

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Gilbert art league helps to develop kids’ talent

BY SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Contributor

The community center at House of Refuge in Mesa was a hive of activity recently as children from 4 to 13 socialized after the school day.

Some drew cartoon characters on the large white board. Meanwhile, volunteers from Gilbert Visual Art League bustled about preparing for an art class.

e lead teacher was Heather Livingston, who, together with Donna Finter and Deepika Haldankar, taught paintpour art to about 20 children.

Seated around a long table, each child was given a small canvas. ey donned aprons in preparation but their animated chattering did not abate.

e followed Livingston pouring three acrylic paint colors into a small plastic cup. She passed the cup around so that the children saw the purple, pink and blue paints layered inside.

She placed a canvas atop the cup and turned it over. While the paint was still contained by the cup, she dabbed white paint on the canvas and spread it around.

en, she lifted the cup and let the paint pour into all corners, creating a design. Lastly, she created a bubbly effect by spraying a bit of silicone on the canvas.

Soon, the children began to create their own abstract paintings.

“Just notice how the kids are suddenly quiet now,” Livingston said. “ eir self-esteem improves when they see what they can create.”

“It’s meditative and relaxing,” Finter added.

Taylor Haught, 8, said she was attending art day for the fourth or fth time, explaning, “I meet new friends.”

Soon, the scene was a messy and colorful mix of dripping canvases, soaked paper towels and paint splatters on the

plastic tablecloth.

“I nd it’s kind of a therapy if you can express yourself on canvas through abstract. By the colors you choose, it helps to be creative,” Livingston said. “If you have problems and you want to get in

a di erent world in your mind, it’s very therapeutic.”

Aria, a 10-year-old who participates in the class frequently, said the class “is like a daycare for kids. But we don’t get to sleep. We only play here.”

e House of Refuge o ers rental housing to families who are experiencing homelessness. Families receive help from professional sta to heal from trauma, secure suitable employment and obtain permanent housing.

Gilbert Visual Art League, also a nonpro t, aims to help people develop or improve their art capabilities. It has been volunteering to teach art classes to children and adults at various venues, including HD SOUTH in Gilbert.

e league has donated 236 pieces of member art for House of Refuge’s ofces and 88 community homes. A year ago, league volunteers began weekly teaching sessions at the House of Refuge community center, with a lead teacher and two assistants.

Lessons included complementary colors, overlapping to show proportion, crayon resist, creating patterns, fabric art, printing, wearable art, paint pours, collage, stenciling and mixed media. e children use markers, crayons, acrylic, tempera, and watercolor paints, some of which were donated by the volunteers.

“We are so grateful that GVAL has committed their time, talent and treasure to love on the children at House of Refuge through their weekly art activities in our community center,” said Kayla Kolar, president of the nonpro t. “ is has given the kids a new tool to use for self-expression and to just do something fun that they don’t often get to do.

“ e bene ts of these art classes to the well-being of our children are immeasurable,” she added.

Jocelyn Pena, co-director of the community center, said attendance soars on Wednesdays. “ ey really do enjoy the volunteers who come and help,” she said.

Pena has noted changes in the children.

Riegann Bryant is happy to create an abstract art using shades of blue and white paint during an art class led by Gilbert Visual Art League volunteers at House of Refuge in Mesa. (Courtesy of Deepika Haldankar)

REFUGE from page 19

“ ey are becoming better at socializing with the other kids, doing more homework and reading,” she said. “So, it’s always nice seeing that.”

Participating in an art program means having fun, growing in art abilities, expressing thoughts and feelings visually, and increasing self-esteem through positive experiences.

“Many of the children at House of Refuge have experienced more di culties than other children, so art therapy can be especially helpful,” Finter said. “Art is a wonderful form of therapy for working through life’s challenges.”

At rst, Finter said she thought leading children’s art at House of Refuge was a way to return what others did for her as a child.

“I thought I was doing a service for the kids. However, I gain so much from my interactions with these deserving, sweet kids,” she said. “Many of the volunteers say that their time with the children is the highlight of their week. I agree.”  Details: houseofrefuge.org and gval.org.

This magical evening will include a lively cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner, live auction and of course dancing!

Owen Sipe (at left) watches while Ethan Sipe chooses acrylic paint for his abstract paint pour at House of Refuge in Mesa. (Courtesy of Deepika Haldankar)

Help for Chronic Foot Pain

Chronic foot or ankle pain interferes with active lifestyles, limiting mobility and independence. It makes even the most basic activities, like going to the market or walking the dog difficult. “I hate to hear that foot pain is keeping someone from their everyday activities,” says Dr. Kerry Zang of CiC Foot & Ankle. “It doesn’t matter if you are suffering from arthritis, an old injury, plantar fasciitis, really any type of foot pain, there are new therapies to help repair and restore tissue, ligaments and joints.”

Until recently, anti-inflammatory medication and steroid injections, like cortisone offered the best chance for relief. But, these options just reduced the symptoms. They did nothing to treat the problem actually causing the pain. “While cortisone stops the swelling and pain, it can also interfere with the healing process and further degeneration can occur,” explains Zang.

“Now, instead of just making the symptoms go away, we can deal with the underlying problem that is causing the pain. With regenerative medicine, we can help the body initiate its own healing response,” says Zang.

This form of treatment stimulates the body’s own natural healing process to repair chronically damaged tissue. “If a degenerative process has started, sometimes the body needs a little boost to encourage the regenerative process.” says Zang. “Regenerative medicine does that.”

“Don’t wait to get help. Delaying care can put you at risk for further damage,” says Zang. “However, if you have put off treatment, it’s not too late. Medicine is constantly changing, and you should never lose hope.”

Pain, Burning, Numbness, Cramping

Your feet are crying out for help! It’s time to listen.

Does foot pain keep you from your favorite activities?

Do you have pain in the ball of your foot, heel or ankle?

Do you have uncomfortable aching, fatigue, cramping in your feet or calves when walking?

Is your neuropathy treatment not working?

Do your feet hurt when at rest?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions it’s time to call for HELP!

Dr. Kerry Zang, DPM can be reached at CiC Foot & Ankle, 602-954-0777.

Dr. Kerry Zang

Jeff Weiss

Church completes expansion of EV campus

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Sta Writer

Growth continues for Generation Church in Mesa, called one of the nation’s 100 fastest-growing congregations.

On Jan. 15, Generation Church, at 1010 S. Ellsworth Road not only celebrated the grand opening of its remodel that doubled its capacity, but it also celebrated its ninth anniversary since Pastor Ryan Visconti and his father, Randy Visconti founded it in 2014.

For six of the last seven years, Generation has made the list of America’s 100 fastest-growing congregations, according to Christian publication “Outreach Magazine.”

Despite the pandemic’s impact on many the places of worship, Generation’s Communication Director Carlos Sandoval said they’ve felt “fortunate and blessed” to see growth where others didn’t.

at comes partly from Generation Church’s culture.

“I feel like our church is very welcoming, the moment you walk into the church you see a lot of smiling faces.” Sandoval said. “So, there’s like that culture where people feel welcomed, and they feel at home.”

e Mesa campus currently o ers Sunday services at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. –the most of all three of its campuses. It also has campuses in Ahwatukee and Fountain Hills.

Prior to this expansion, Sandoval said the Mesa church averaged just under the auditorium capacity of 550 for each service, or about 1,500 per week.

e seating has doubled to 1,100 in the auditorium and since their soft launch in December, Sandoval said they’ve seen around 750 people per service and are “seeing steady growth week over week.”

Sandoval said the growth has amazed the church leaders and that many people said they had been waiting for the expansion’s completion before they attended.

“We de nitely saw a big growth just in the

last couple weeks,” Sandoval said. is growth is attributed to Pastor Ryan Visconti whose parents, Randy and Dawn, had been the pastors of then-Celebration Church, founded in 1999.

Visconti served as an Army Cavalry captain in Iraq in 2010 and thought about a law career after his service until he felt a calling to follow in his father’s footsteps.

After his honorable discharge from the Army, Visconti went to New Liberty University, where he earned a master’s degree in theology and joined the Generation Church sta as an executive pastor in 2011.

After several years, Ryan and his dad discussed possible names for this new church and Randy suggested the name “Generation Church.”

“ ey didn’t realize how much the church would live up to that name, making a generational impact and demonstrating the power of a godly legacy,” according to the church’s website. “Today, Generation Church’s ministry shows the

power of the gospel to change lives from one generation to the next.”

In June 2017, Generation Church launched the South Mountain campus in Ahwatukee following a merger with New Life Church at 11832 South Warner Elliot Loop in Ahwatukee, which had been established by Ryan’s in-laws, Paul and Beth Lavino, in 1991.

After a merger with Fountain Hills Christian Center in 2017, Generation launched its most recent campus.

With more direct and bold preaching compared to other “motivational-type” churches, Sandoval said the church appeals to people’s desire to grow in their own faith and the new building helps them build that up.

“So, I think that’s where there’s a need at,” Sandoval said. “So, when they come in, they come out not just feeling good, but they feel that they’re growing in their faith and in their walk with God.”

Information: generation.church.

GilbertSunNews.com | @GilbertSunNews /GilbertSunNews

Couple aims to help seniors stay in their homes

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor

Both James and Analaura DeVary had rst-hand experience with how essential a good caregiver can be. When it came time to start their own business, they said it was an easy choice to buy a Senior Helpers franchise.

“My dad actually had a pretty debilitating stroke three years ago,” Analaura said. “So when [James] was looking at di erent franchises and things like that, I just felt like that was something that I had experience with and something that we can contribute to somebody’s quality of life.”

ey purchased the franchise for the Chandler and Gilbert area.

“I’ve been around, or been a caregiver, for quite a while,” James said. “So my brother is one of the oldest surviving patients from St. Jude’s.”

His brother, Tony, is still living, but continues to face medical challenges.

Senior Helpers is one of the nation’s leading caregiving organizations for seniors. eir employees can perform a range of tasks, from helping with light housework to driving patients to medical appointments and back.

e DeVarys o er an option to seniors who wish to remain independent, but need a little help around the house. ey can sta a client for as little as four hours, or for 24 hours a day, seven days a week if needed.

ey opened up their Chandler-Gilbert o ce in mid-December and had their rst client in a couple of days.

“Our rst client was a woman that called and she needed care for her mom that was in hospice, and she was like, ‘I need care today, now,’” Analaura said. “And that was literally what she needed.”

James says what sets Senior Helpers apart from others is the training they

provide for the caregivers. In their o ce they have a space set aside that is set up like a small apartment, with a bed, couch, bathtub and kitchen area.

Each person they hire to be a caregiver goes through training so they know what to expect and how to handle di erent situations when they are at someone’s home.

Each applicant must pass both a background and drug test before they are ocially hired.

“ ere’s a lot of competition here,” James said. “ ere really is. But to that, we chose Senior Helpers because the company started 20 years ago.”

He said having the support of the other Senior Helpers o ces in the Valley, including in Scottsdale and Mesa, helped them decide this was the right franchise for them to join.

e company currently has seven employees with hopes of growing that to 75 or so, as they continue to expand. He said they haven’t run into any issues hiring, pointing out they had 11 applicants come in last weekend.

He said the company has a reputation for giving their caregivers a lot of support, and paying them well.

“We’re rolling out what we believe to be a fair compensation package,” James said. “And we’re also doing a lot of bonuses. Right? So if you’re hit all your shifts, you’re not late to your shift, we’re going to bonus people out.”

Not everyone is cut out to be a caregiver. ere is a good chance the people they care for will die. What they hope to do is extend their lives by allowing them to remain independent in their own homes, where they

tend to be happiest.

He said they also go into every new client’s home and do a full assessment.

“ ere’s 144 risk that we’re looking for,” James said. “And we create the care plan based on that. So dementia, right, so we’re looking for, are they falling? What’s the front door look like? Are there bars? Are there steps? Is there screen doors? So we’re looking for all these little things? … What’s the proper bench to use? So all of this goes in our care plan.

“Our goal is to get them to not go into the hospital. So we create our care plan, based upon the risks that we see we make recommendations.”

IF YOU GO Valentines for Seniors

The Chandler-Gilbert Senior Helpers o ce is conducting a Valentine’s Day card drive to give to residents at senior centers in Chandler and Gilbert. The owners are hoping to get at least 500 cards donated. Address them to: Dear Senior, and drop them o at the Senior Helpers o ce by Feb. 10.

Senior Helpers

604 W. Warner Road, Unit B2, Chandler 480-908-0976 seniorhelpers.com

James and Analaura DeVary have started the Chandler-Gilbert Senior Helpers franchise. (David Minton/Arizonan Sta Photographer)

“Our goal is to get them to not go into the hospital. So we create our care plan, based upon the risks that we see we make recommendations.”

Higley basketball forms bonds, makes memories in Alaska

BY MATT NEVALA GSN Contributing Writer

When relaxing around his Arizona house, Yarell “Ya Ya”

Greer said it’s not unusual to see bugs, maybe a scorpion or rattlesnake make themselves known.

“All kinds of little creatures,” Greer said.

Greer and the Higley High boys basketball team visited Anchorage last week to participate in the 2023 Alaska Airlines Classic. At one point in between playing three times, the Knights’ wildlife game picked up dramatically when they walked out into the West Anchorage High parking lot.

A pair of moose – a bull and a calf –made an introduction. From a safe distance, mind you.

“We’re not seeing animals that big (at home),” Greer said. “Maybe some horses.”

Higley arrived in Alaska’s largest city – roughly 2,500 air miles from the Phoenix area – early ursday and departed Sunday morning. It arrived back in town in time to drop a 67-62 5A San Tran conference home game to Casa Grande on Monday night.

While in Anchorage, the Knights won twice after losing their tournament opener to East Anchorage, 52-43. Coach Kenneth Drake’s squad downed 2019 Alaska 4A state champion Ketchikan 63-60 on Friday and earned fourth place in the Classic with a 69-53 victory over Ronan (Mont.) on Saturday.

Greer averaged 11.3 points and 5 steals and was named to the Classic all-tournament team.

Grace Christian, a parochial school on the Anchorage hillside with an enrollment of 171 students, won the tournament title with a 53-50 win over Heritage Christian of Northridge, Calif. Since its

1989 inception, the Alaska Airlines Classic has featured many of the nation’s top teams, 16 McDonald’s All-Americans, eight NBA and seven WNBA players.

“We were able to learn more about ourselves,” Drake said. “ e entirety of the trip to me was really about fellowship and team bonding.”

Road trips for Higley usually involve nothing more than bus rides through Phoenix tra c, few lasting more than an hour. For the Alaska Airlines Classic, Drake monitored how his players reacted in the di erent scenarios of boarding multiple ights and what it was like to room together at downtown Anchorage’s famed Hotel Captain Cook.

“I wanted to see the togetherness and to see us come closer,” Drake said.

Freshman Noah Gloor was born and raised in Arizona.

“I was excited for the snow,” he said. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t put on much of a show during Higley’s stay.

After Anchorage’s snowiest December in 60 years, few akes fell during the Alaska Airlines Classic and temperatures hovered in the teens and 20s.

“We all thought it was going to be so cold, I packed a lot of extra clothes,” said Gloor, who averaged a team-high 13 points per Classic game. “Nothing in the negatives and really not too bad.”

e Knights made sure to see some sights, while enjoying a team snowball ght or two.

ey made the one-mile trek from the Hotel Captain Cook to the Captain Cook Monument, perched high above the shores of Cook Inlet. Captain James Cook discovered the Northwest Passage sea route between the Atlantic and Paci c oceans.

Part of Anchorage’s Resolution Park, the monument’s statue and look-out area is an ideal picture spot for special memories.

On Friday, Higley made the 60-mile

journey south of Anchorage to catch a glimpse of the Portage Glacier. e crown jewel of an area not far o from the Seward Highway, the Portage Glacier is one of many alpine glaciers in the area.

“A lot of these kids will likely never visit Alaska again, so we wanted to make sure they were able to immerse themselves into the culture as much as possible,” Drake said. “ e glacier tour was the biggest thing we were able to enjoy.”

Drake also lauded Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria for delivering the most delectable food on the trip.

“It was so good,” he said.

Higley’s players and coaching sta rst learned of the trip last summer and immediately started mentally preparing it.

“We heard a lot about complete darkness,” Drake said. “But then we heard from some locals about the location of where we were in Alaska.

“ e light was there, but the days were de nitely short.”

Millennium will make the trip in 2024, equipped with an Alaska connection. Current sophomore Kingston Tosi is the son of Mao Tosi, a 90s era Anchorage basketball and football star and one of the few Alaskans to play in the NFL. A defensive lineman, Mao Tosi played for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

“Higley seemed very appreciative of the experience,” said Don Winchester, an Alaska Airlines Classic organizing o cial and arguably the state’s top high school sports historian. “Each year when teams come up, they have things to work on and learn to get better on the court.

“But we also let them know we’re here for them to learn as much as they can about Alaska. We’re proud of this place and want our visitors to be proud they made the trip.”

Higley senior Yarell “Ya Ya” Greer said being in Alaska was a unique experience. Not only did the Knights experience new competition, but they also had a first-hand look at the wildlife that is much different from the Arizona desert. (Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Airlines Classic)

PRESENTED BY

Ireland’s We Banjo 3 coming to Chandler center

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor

Arizona hasn’t been kind to the Galway, Ireland-based act We Banjo 3. Four of their shows were postponed in February 2022 and each time it’s been to the Grand Canyon State, it’s rained.

Vocalist David Howley is hoping for a better result — and some warm weather — when We Banjo 3 returns to the state, including Feb. 4 at the Chandler Center for the Arts.

“ ese are very special shows for us,” he said.

“We have a lot of new music that’s creeping in from (the new record) ‘Open the Road.’ It’s more of an explanation and understanding as well of where the band is at. We’re probably going to ask the crowd to dance at some point. We love when people move. Movement in music is so important, particularly as we’ve had a break from it for a couple of years. We’re excited to be back.”

e two sets of brothers – Enda (banjo, mandolin and tenor guitar) and Fergal Scahill ( ddle, guitar and Bodhran) and David (banjo, vocals, guitar) and Martin Howley (banjo, mandolin, tenor guitar)

– plan an extended break from their rolling banjos, soaring ddle and mandolin

runs that swirl around propulsive vocals and perfect harmonies.

“We all have a lot of projects that we’ve been working on,” he said.

“Since coming back after the pandemic, we have been on the road pretty much constantly. So, we’re going to

do something mad and crazy that musicians never do – we’re going to take some time o .”

David has solo tours coming up. Martin plays mandolin in the Broadway show “Come from Away,” while Fergal’s talents went viral during the pandemic when he played a tune every day on social media. Enda has a “fantastic Patreon” where he has created a hub for learning Irish tenor banjo.

“We all have stu happening,” he says.

We Banjo 3 grew out of jam sessions among the four men. After Enda returned to Galway from a tour playing bluegrass and old-time festivals, he called David and Martin and asked them to come over to his house to play music.

In 2009, they started playing gigs, dubbing themselves We Banjo 3, as they all played the instrument. David added vocals and guitar, and Fergal joined later on ddle.

After a performance at Internation-

see BANJO page 29

Parkway Drive ready to share new sound

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Sta Writer

Some musicians utilized the pandemic-driven hiatus from live music to set up new records.

But Parkway Drive vocalist Winston McCall said the break gave him too much time to tinker with the Australian band’s sound.

Parkway Drive broke through the metalcore scene in the late 2000s with an early catalog of heavy ri s, blast beats, and McCall’s unrelenting guttural growl.

e band’s 2022 collection, “Darker

Still,” is a departure.

McCall hoped to create a slightly lighter-sounding album that straddled the genre lines of power metal and early-1990s thrash metal.

“We really wanted to nail down as a sound, which is what you hear and we’re really stoked,” McCall said. “ e music had to serve a purpose and it really had to drive the overall feel of Parkway’s evolution forward, however, executing that goal is where the issues came in.”

“Darker Still” was created in three parts: pure joy, absolute agony and tension.

“ ere was just a lot of work that went into it. Over the period of creating this album, we were going through di erent stages of lockdown, di erent family matters at home, and all kinds of stu ,” McCall said. “And we had a lot of time to create it, which can drive you crazy.”

Some songs saw as many as 60 revisions, he said.

“ e rst single ‘Glitch’ was literally the rst song we wrote and it was the last song nished,” McCall said. “It went through about 60 di erent versions simply because we had too much time.”

However, McCall said that the more

intricate arrangements underwent few changes.

“It was weird because there are songs like ‘ e Greatest Fear,’ which has more of an extravagant composition: it stayed very similar for the majority of its creation,” he said. “ en some of the simplest songs took a bunch of goes around the merry-go-round to nail down.”

e tune that proved to be the tallest order became the titular ballad “Darker Still.” Guitarist Je Ling approached the band early on with the ri , but the full

see PARKWAY page 29

Banjo 3 will play at the Chandler Center for the Arts on Feb. 4. (Special to GetOut)

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PARKWAY from page 26 song was a struggle.

“ ere were certain songs that eluded us for a very long time, like the title track, ‘Darker Still,’” McCall recalls.

“We’d never written a ballad before having to do that. It took us months to gure out how to create that thing and it went through so many di erent characterizations and so many di erent theories.”

e name stayed the same, however, as it describes McCall’s life.

“It’s really strange because that idea came along to me very early on – before we even had an album,” McCall said.

“It came about because of basically the journey that I’ve been going on throughout my life of confronting the reality of darkness.

BANJO from page 26

al Arts Festival, the biggest art festival in Europe, We Banjo 3 was awarded a grant from the Arts Council of Ireland, which the musicians used to record their rst album and continued to tour Ireland.

Touring the world, they’ve showed o their musicianship and recently they released “Open the Road,” a 10-track collection. Upbeat and powerful, We Banjo 3’s music is what the world needs, he said.

“Music is a very inclusive, communicative thing,” he said. “It brings people together. I think that that’s the beautiful thing about coming out to a show. You could come to our gig knowing ever lyric of every song, and you could also come to our gig without ever hearing a single song. We build the gig around the idea that both of

“It’s basically about my journey to reaching an age where all of a sudden the people I love have started passing away and I was confronted with the reality of what life is, the idea of dealing with loss, and the idea that it doesn’t ever get lighter.”

Despite the nihilistic disposition behind the lyrics, McCall said recording the album was cathartic. He’s anxious to share it during the band’s rst North American tour since 2018.

IF YOU GO

Parkway Drive w/Memphis May Fire and Currents

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1 Where: The Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe

Cost: $39.50

Info: parkwaydriverock.com, marqueetheatreaz.com

those people are included.”

David said the pandemic proved there was a lot more music within them that they weren’t exploring.

“ e statement of that album is there are no rules,” he says. “ ere’s not even a destination really in the album. It’s very much just one large exploration of what comes out of your mind if you just let yourself have fun.”

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4

Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler

Cost: Tickets start at $26

Info: chandlercenter.org

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