Gilbert Sun News 03-19-2023

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Tracking the trains PAGE 9

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Inside This Week

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Gilbert hopes all’s well as it digs for water

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

COMMUNITY............18 Duo pen history of the region’s most famous Easter event.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

G

ilbert has sped up its timeline to dig for more wells in anticipation of more drastic cuts in Colorado River water next year.

Currently 41% of the town’s portable water supply to meet demand comes

from water high up in the Rockies. The rest comes from the Salt River Project, 40%; groundwater, 4% and reclaimed water, 15%.

The town bumped up three wells for construction this year and three more next year at a potential cost as much as $56 million, though some factors may make the total cost less than that.

The six wells originally were scheduled for Fiscal Years 2025-31. The town last year met its portable water demand with 24% of water pumped from wells.

Gilbert currently has 20 groundwater wells throughout its service area and the majority are in Zone 1, where the North

see WELLS page 6

Call to arms led Gilbert man to a business he loves

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

BUSINESS..................19 Sonson owner happy with new Gilbert pasty shop.

GETOUT .................... 26 Gilbert couple star in regional symphony.

COMMUNITY............................. 18 BUSINESS .................................. 19 REAL ESTATE ............................ 22 SPORTS ...................................... 25 GETOUT .....................................26 CLASSIFIEDS ............................29

M

ike Reber used to build custom acrylic aquariums until the housing market crashed and his business hit a slump.

“Nobody wanted aquariums anymore,” the Gilbert resident recalled. “My wife said, ‘do something you love.’”

And that’s what Reber has been doing for the nearly 15 years – selling antique and modern firearms.

He recently relocated his business Arizona Arms Sales from Chandler to Gilbert to a historic house converted to commercial use, half a mile west from the Heritage District. The 2,200-square foot brick home was once the residence of Otto and Edna Neely and part of the Neely Family farmstead, a working dairy farm until 1972.

“I’m getting older and I’ll not do this forever,” the

see REBER page 4

Mike Reber, owner of Arizona Arms Sales LLC in Gilbert, holds an 1860s-era Henry Rifle, one of many vintage firearms he sells. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

REBER from page 1 An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Gilbert Sun News is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Gilbert.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Main number: 480-898-6500 | Advertising: 480-898-6559 Circulation service: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Display Advertising:

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67-year-old Giolbert resident said.

“We downsized from a 12,000-squarefoot warehouse to this small property to basically have a mom-and-pop shop. It’s not stark and white. It’s a nice, quiet little place.”

Visitors who enter the shop are greeted by two life-size cardboard cutouts of actor John Wayne in his cowboy persona and autographed photographs of the costumed actors from the 1993 movie “Tombstone,” hanging on the wall – testimony to Reber’s love of the Wild West.

Reber says his customers comment how comfortable they feel in the store.

Helping with that comfort level is employee Joy Triplett, an avid shooter who started off skeet shooting while in high school.

Most gun stores are staffed by men, which is intimidating to women, especially as firsttime gun buyers, she said.

“Women tend to sell better to women,” said Triplett.

Women increasingly are buying guns nationwide and Reber is also seeing the same: 25-30% of his customers are women looking for protection.

Women accounted for about half of all gun purchases between 2019 and 2021, and that new gun owners are more likely to be female, according to a survey by Harvard and Northwestern universities.

Gun manufacturers such as Smith and Wesson are taking note. The Massachusetts-based company released the Shield EZ in 2018 with an easy-to-rack slide and guns now come in all colors of the rainbow.

Americans own more guns per capita than any other country and 46% of U.S. households own at least one, according to the University of Chicago in 2022.

Arizona Arms Sales stocks about 2,500 guns and offers an array of choices, half modern and half collectibles. The store also sells ammunition and some gun accessories.

“We sell lot of collectible firearms, lot of historic firearms,” Reber said.

There’s a black-powder revolver dated 1860, an 1882 and an 1887 single-action Colts and an M1 Garand sniper rifle with scope and a funnel-like fire hider attached to the muzzle end that was used during the Korean War. “It’s one of the more unique pieces he has because it has all of the originals,” Triplett said of the M1. That weapon retails for

Arizona Arms Sales owner Mike Reber has a mix of vintage and modern firearms at his Gilbert store.

(David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer)

$5,200.

An 1865 engraved Henry Repeating Rifle in pristine condition also is for sale for $35,000.

“I’ve sold five of them already,” said Reber, who acquired them from a collector.

One of the oldest pieces in the store is a flintlock rifle circa 1830s but that belongs in Reber’s private collection and isn’t not for sale.

Reber has been collecting guns for 40 years and has amassed a personal collection of 300.

“I love the Colt revolvers, the Winchesters,” said Reber, who works seven day a week and doesn’t have the time to go shooting anymore. “There’s history there and I like history.”

For the collector preferring something more modern, Reber offers a custom “MAGA AR-15” stamped with “Trump” and “MAGA” on it that comes in a variety of colors such as red and purple, retailing for $1,195.

Reber has sold eight of those so far.

Besides the brick-and-mortar location, Arizona Arms Sales has a big internet presence – selling on gunbroker.com under “acrylictnk.” Another venue for his business is the weekend gun shows, like the one he’ll be attending this coming weekend in Queen Creek.

Reber said he attends 35 to 38 events a year, all in Arizona.

The shows comprise the biggest portion

of his business at 50%, he said.

His wife, Judy, mostly works the weekend gigs, and also has a business she runs out of the shop.

Judy Reber has owned Merino Skin Care USA for over 35 years and although the bulk of her sales is from online, she’s stocking her product at the shop.

“A lot of these gun people need this for their hands – especially the guys because they don’t go to a beauty supply to get something good,” she explained.

A bestseller is the “Crack Blaster,” which is great for outdoor shooters because their hands dry out in the Arizona sun or for people cleaning guns because the oil tends to eat up the hands a little bit.

Changing careers midstream isn’t new for Reber, who raised lions, tigers and bears for 20 years while living in Ohio.

He would get the exotic animals when they were 2 weeks old, raise them and take them into schools, nursing homes and the like for education presentations.

Federal regulations eventually made it increasingly difficult to run the business and Reber sold it.

He said the same thing is happening to gun sellers as increasing restrictions are placed on them.

He said that the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau already can revoke a firearms license for any one of the five vi-

see REBER page 10

5

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

Gilbert plans to build three more wells over this year and next, as this map shows their locations. (Town of Gilbert)

WELLS from page 1 Water Treatment Plant is located near Guadalupe and Higley roads. The plant also treats water from the Salt, Verde, and Colorado rivers.

But the town’s water system is hampered in its ability to deliver water from the North Water Treatment Plant to south Gilbert due to factors such as water resources limitations, pumping and reservoir configurations.

So, the six new wells are planned for zones 2 and 3, which are served by the San Tan Vista Water Treatment Plant near Ocotillo and Recker roads, according to Jeanne Jensen, projects supervisor. San Tan Vista also treats Colorado River water delivered by the Central Arizona Project.

“The cost per well is just under $9 million,” Jensen said. “But it could be less expensive if it’s easy to drill, we

already own the land or potentially take over an existing (irrigation) well.”

Treating the water from the wells is not included in the cost. Each well is anticipated to produce 2 million gallons of water a day. Well sizes in Gilbert range from half a million gallons a day to over 4 million gallons a day.

Jensen said staff hasn’t gone out yet to ask for bids for the three wells but anticipated something coming to council in August for approval.

Building a groundwater well typically takes three years from start to finish – up to six months to identify the land, up to six months to acquire the land and up to two years for construction, depending on the needs of the site.

The three new wells being dug this year are anticipated to be operational before June 2026.

Before any drilling begins, finding

a suitable spot that yields the highest quality of water in the greatest volume falls to the hydrologist, who understands the ancient river alignments and rock formations, according to Jensen.

“The hydrologist will determine how deep we need to go for water” with exploratory bores, she said.

For instance, the town is currently digging a well at the southwest corner of Ocotillo and Val Vista roads. The first exploratory bore went down to 1,500 feet and came up with no water and only clay and a second try farther west found water around 400-500 feet, according to Jensen.

For the Waterston well project, one of two currently underway in town, staff is in the process of acquiring four home lots from the developer and hiring a designer. The two wells are expected to produce water by the end of

2025.

The size of land required for a new well depends on “where we come in and the land available,” Jensen said.

“We try to have ¾ to an acre to be able to lay down the piping into the ground.”

Once a site is identified and acquired, drilling begins into the aquifer and once that is completed, the next steps include dropping a casing into the hole along with a pump apparatus and building a water-delivery system.

The lifespan for a well that is regularly inspected and refreshed is about 50 years, Jensen said.

But various issues can dramatically affect the timeline to get the wells up and operational – such as a shortage of materials across the construction

see WELLS page 8

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NEWS

WELLS from page 6 market and getting a driller on board as everyone is trying to drill – and not just in Arizona, according to Jensen.

Staff acknowledges that the wells are just a short-term solution for the Colorado River deficit.

“In the longer term, we will have more water we can treat at the North Water Treatment Plant that will increase the amount of surface water to offset that as well,” said Jessica Marlow, Public Works director.

The treatment plant, which provides drinking water to most of Gilbert’s residents, is undergoing a multi-phase, multi-year project to do necessary upgrades and expansion, which began in March 2022.

The reconstruction, which is expected to finish in December 2027, will increase the plant’s capacity from 45 million gallons per day to 60 million gallons per day and allow for the town to fully use its SRP surface water.

As the Western states come to term with a 23-year-long megadrought, the

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

Arizona Municipal Water Users Association is sounding the alarm.

“Under the best-care scenario, the AMWUA cities should expect a 40% to 50% cut to our highest priority Colorado River water starting in 2024,” said Warren Tenney, AMWUA executive director in a Feb.9 letter to the board of directors, which includes Gilbert Councilman Scott Anderson.

Ten municipalities, including Gilbert belong to AMWUA, which advocates for sound water management strategies and policies and promote responsible water stewardship.

Tenney warned that because the Central Arizona Project has junior priority it “opens the possibility of having zero Colorado River water.”

“Under the worst-case scenario, Central Arizona Project supplies would be cut completely if shortage reductions are applied via the priority system,” Tenney said. “The AMWUA cities have 10 months to actively prepare our communities for the deep

The town began digging the Waterston well plast year and the project is one of two currently underway in Gilbert. (Town of Gilbert)

see WELLS page 14

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

24/7 unit ready to roll if a train derails here

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Staff Writer

C

oncern over the safety of hauling cargo on trains is foremost on the public’s mind following the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that spilled toxic chemicals into that community.

And more recently, a freight train carrying corn syrup, initially reported as hazardous material, derailed last Wednesday in Mohave County near the California border.

East Valley officials say a task force of first responders is trained to handle any such emergency that may occur in the region.

“From a Valley perspective, we are extremely well-prepared to handle any type of hazardous materials leak, whether it’s by rail or industry or on the road – and I’ve had far more over-the-road incidents,” said Mesa City Councilman Somers, who spent 27 years with the Phoenix Fire Department.

A similar incident occurred locally in

Witnesses described the 2020 derailment over Tempe Town Lake as a “scene from hell.” (GSN file photo)

2020 when a broken rail on Tempe Town Lake bridge derailed a train causing it to catch on fire.

Somers called the Tempe wreck “the largest risk” to the community, primarily because it was a flammable chemical leak and was close to the city’s downtown.

As the Union Pacific Railroad tracks also slices through Gilbert, including close to

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the often-crowded Heritage District, the town’s Fire & Rescue Department has a fully trained hazardous materials response team staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Fire Station No. 5.

“The team has a support apparatus that carries all the equipment needed to mitigate hazardous materials incidents,” said Fire Chief Rob Duggan. “Mesa and Chan-

9

dler Fire Departments also staff hazardous materials response teams. In a large-scale incident, these teams support one another to mitigate the incident.”

Although all hazardous materials technicians get a basic level of rail car emergency training in their initial 200-hour class, advanced training is provided in Gilbert.

Duggan said the department has partnered with Union Pacific for the past two years to provide the advanced “Tank Car Specialist” certification to all firefighters in the Valley.

Union Pacific even donated a tank railcar to the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility in 2021 that is used to train first responders on railcar emergencies.

“The tank car was involved in the 2020 Tempe derailment and is a particular style of railcar that transports approximately 70% of the hazardous materials on the rail system,” Duggan said. “Union Pacific has

see TRAIN page 15

10

NEWS

REBER from page 4 olations, including transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, failing to conduct a required background check and falsifying records.

“So, the goal is to get rid of gun dealers,” Reber said. “That is the goal. And they’ve gone probably over the last 30 years, gone from almost 500,000 dealers to probably 60,000 now.”

The Giffords Law Center reported that over 52,900 individuals currently have “Type 1” federal firearms licenses that allow them to act as firearms dealers.

Another 7,000 have “Type 2” licenses, which allow them to buy and sell guns as pawnbrokers, and about 74,251 individuals have other types of federal firearms licenses.

According to the nonprofit, which works to enact stronger gun safety laws in the country, “dealers are subject to very little federal oversight” and claimed that “gun dealers represent a major source of illegally trafficked firearms.”

The organization was formed from a merger between a California legal group

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

and the group formed by former Rep. Gabby Gifford, D-Tucson, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011.

The American Progress, an independent, nonpartisan policy institute, stated that guns are diverted into illegal gun markets in three common ways – straw purchases, secondary sales through private sellers, and theft from individual gun owners or firearm dealers.

Just last week, President Joe Biden, who has a long record of pushing for gun control, signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to move the country as close to universal background checks as possible without additional legislation.

The order also directs Cabinet members to expand existing federal campaigns and other efforts to promote safe storage of firearms and it helps catch shooters by accelerating federal law enforcement’s reporting of ballistics data.

An unsettling fact is that more Americans – 45,222 people -– died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, which includes murders and suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But more legislation is not the answer to stopping the gun violence, Reber said.

“Punish the people – that is the first start,” he said. “If they would just enforce the laws that are on the books already, which they do not.”

He recalled that a former employee stole “many guns” from his business and he reported it to the police and the ATF. “They didn’t even make any attempts to contact him at all,” said Reber, who gave the agencies the accused thief’s identity. He said he was basically told that his case was a low priority.

Reber said he and other gun dealers also have told the ATF about a dealer transferring weapons to buyers at a gun show without doing a background check because the computer system was down.

At the end of the show when the computer system came back up, the dealer then submitted the background checks, which was “1000 percent illegal” but he’s still in business, Reber said.

And, he said, the ATF agents who do annual audits of his business give conflicting information.

“They do not have a single clue about

their own laws and I know that for a fact,” said Reber, who knows the gun laws inside-out and is often called upon by media for commentary whenever there is a mass shooting. “All the laws are subjective to whoever is doing the investigation.”

Triplett added that it’s getting to the point that nobody wants to be in the business because of the hassle.

But it will take a whole lot more before Reber walks away from his business.

“After I spent 11 months fighting to get my business license, they’re going to have a tough time putting me out of business,” he promised.

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

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GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

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NEWS

WELLS from page 8 cuts we will face in 2024 and beyond.”

He also advised against using groundwater and SRP supplies to meet long-term demands.

“A strong collective stance to reduce outdoor water usage needs to be a priority,” Tenney said, adding that municipalities need to activate further stages of their drought plans and implement more aggressive ordinances and development standards.

Gilbert last June activated the first stage of its four-stage Water Supply Reduction Management Plan – educating the public on how to save water.

It’s possible that Stage 2 will be implemented this year, according to Marlow. “We are having the discussions when that might be,” Marlow said. “It might depend on updated news on the Colorado River and how deep the shortage is.”

The Bureau of Reclamation is expected to announce the level of cuts for 2024 in August, which is when

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

town staff will likely recommend the council activate Stage 2 to help reduce reliance on groundwater.

Stage 2 includes removing turf from non-recreational areas in town, reducing the total area of over-seeded turf and encouraging customers to conduct water-efficiency audits.

Should the town see its share of Colorado River water cut in half, it can still meet its portable demands by increasing pumping from existing wells, spokeswoman Jennifer Snyder said.

“We cannot increase our legal supply of SRP water,” Snyder said in an email. “But we are working with SRP on creative solutions to move the town’s banked water through SRP facilities to utilize Gilbert’s existing capacity in the North Water Treatment Plant. We are also participating in opportunities to secure new surface water supplies.”

Gilbert is No. 2 in the state for banked surplus underground water, which is equivalent to approximately nine years of the town’s annual portable demand, Snyder said.

But “it would never be used that quickly because stored water would only be used to supplement renewable supplies – which will not all be reduced to zero at once,” she said, adding that the accelerated well projects will increase the town’s access to this stored supply.

“We do not currently have the infrastructure in place to access as much of that stored water as we might need in a year,” she said.

Snyder said given the declining conditions on the Colorado River, Gilbert is and has for many years actively prepared with ramped-up efforts over the last year, including offering rebates for smart-irrigation controller installations and turf conversions and doing more educational outreach with water workshops and social media.

The town just formed a Community Water Shortage Team of non-residential stakeholders who’ll share ideas on how to reduce water use in Gilbert.

The applications for serving on the team closed March 2 and plans are to

hold the first meeting in April.

“The combination of enhanced water conservation and added infrastructure is necessary for Gilbert to adapt to the future, which will be drier and more variable for water supplies,” Snyder said. “We are also participating in regional efforts to address both short-term and long-term reductions in Colorado River water.”

Gilbert is participating in the SRP to CAP Interconnect Facility project, which would allow SRP supplies to be delivered into the CAP canal, Snyder said.

“This will provide us operational flexibility to move supplies throughout our system,’ she said.

And, the town is participating in the Bartlett Modification Feasibility Study with SRP and other water providers in Arizona to look at enlarging the reservoir to restore lost capacity in the system and capture additional runoff from the Verde watershed, which is a renewable surface water supply and would decrease groundwater pumping.

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NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

TRAIN from page 9 provided an assortment of other props to the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility.”

Duggan added that his department constantly updates and adds new equipment to its HazMat truck in order to better combat those rail car emergencies.

At the state level, the Arizona Corporation’s Office of Railroad Safety keeps a watchful eye over public rail and highway crossings through its jurisdiction and investigates accidents, including train derailments.

The safety division does annual inspections of over 3,000 miles of track and conducts unannounced “worker protection” drop-ins, according to a spokesman.

Although two freight lines run through Arizona – BNSF and Union Pacific – it is the latter that traverses the entire Valley from Queen Creek to Buckeye as it travels the width of the state from Yuma to San Simon.

Union Pacific carries goods to and from the Valley, including metallic minerals, sulfur, building materials and grains such as wheat and flour.

From 2017 to 2021, Union Pacific reported seeing a 13% uptick in rail cars originating in Arizona and during that same period the company spent $301 million on infrastructure such as tracks, structures and facilities in the state.

Union Pacific spokeswoman Robynn Tysver said the company uses a heap of technology to monitor its rail cars and tracks, including GPS, specialized sensors and, in some areas, Positive Train Control.

That advanced system is designed to automatically stop a train before certain incidents occur, such as train-to-train collisions and derailments caused by excessive speed or movement through misaligned track switches.

“This commitment to providing a safe and efficient network allows Union Pacific to be a valuable resource in attracting new business and industry,” Tysver said.

Another helpful tool is the AskRail app launched in 2014, which gives over 25,000 first responders from across the country immediate access to accurate, timely data about the types of hazardous materials a railcar is carrying so they can make an informed decision about how to respond to an emergency.

The app came about through a collaborative effort among the emergency-response

community and all North American Class I railroads.

The app uses a simple railcar ID search to see whether a railcar on a train is carrying hazardous materials.

From there a user can view the contents of the entire train and emergency contact information for all Class I railroads, Amtrak, and available short lines.

For security reasons, only qualified emergency responders with rail emergency training sponsored by one of the Class I freight railroads or with the Security and Emergency Response Training Center in Colorado, can download and use the restricted features in the AskRail app.

Additionally, railroads can offer the app to known emergency responders along their routes.

Federal law requires common carriers, including Union Pacific to transport chemicals and other hazardous commodities that Americans use daily such as fertilizer, crude oil and chlorine and haul approximately 20% of the chemicals used in the United States.

In 2021, freight railroads transported 2.2 million carloads of plastics, fertilizers and other chemicals, the Association of American Railroads said.

The highest-volume chemical carried

by U.S. railroads is ethanol and over half of all rail chemical carloads contain various industrial chemicals, including soda ash, caustic soda, urea, sulfuric acid and anhydrous ammonia, according to the industry trade group. Plastic materials and synthetic resins account for nearly a quarter of rail chemical carloads and most of the rest are agricultural chemicals.

“Union Pacific shares the same goals as our customers and the communities we serve – to deliver every tank car safely,” Tysver said. “It is important to remember that 99.9 % of all hazardous material shipments by rail reach their destination safely.”

Union Pacific’s HazMat teams perform about 5,000 tank car inspections annually, auditing everything from tank car fittings and car markings to safety appliances, Tysvers said.

For more information, visit Union Pacific Railroad at up.com or AZ Corporation Commission Office of Railroad Safety at azcc.gov/safety/ railroad

15

NEWS

16

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

50 years late, Vietnam veterans in region to be saluted

BY JOSH ORTEGA GSN Staff Writer

I

n March 1973, the last U.S. combat troops withdrew from Vietnam and returned to a divided country where many veterans didn’t receive recognition for their service.

Starting at noon Saturday, March 25, the 50th Anniversary Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event looks to remedy that by honoring area veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from November 1955 to May 1975, regardless of their location at the time.

Veterans are invited to receive free haircuts and other services from approximately 100 education and informational vendors.

The public is invited to join the celebration, which will include live bands, Native American and Mexican folk dance troops, military equipment displays a Wreaths Across America educational trailer, food trucks, and a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Nancy Fassbender, Jerry Sullivan and Trio Caldwell show off the pins they will be giving to Vietnam War-era veterans. (David Minton/GSN Staff Photographer) Organizers encourage people to contribute a small donation of a non-perishable food items to benefit the Superstition Community Food Bank.

Starting at 10 a.m., ceremonies will take place, including a color guard by the

Apache Junction High School Navy JROTC. Additionally, students from Patterson Elementary School in Gilbert will be on hand holding signs with supportive phrases like “Welcome Home” and “Thank you for your service.”

From February 1961 until May 1975, approximately 2.7 million U.S. service members served in Vietnam, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.. is inscribed with the names of over 58,000 service members killed in the war.

In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a presidential proclamation designating March 29 as the annual observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day. In 2017, President Donald Trump signed Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act,to include National Vietnam War Veterans Day as an occasion for raising the flag on all public buildings.

In 2012, Nancy Fassbender of Gold Canyon started to hold an event that drew more than 1,500 veterans every March to the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet to honor veterans.

The Lincoln, Nebraska, native joined the Army National Guard in 1975 as a helicopter mechanic and although an injury

see VETS page 17

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VETS from page 16 ended her military career three years later, Fassbender said she’s still “very proud” of it.

Fassbender spent much of her career as an accountant and moved to Arizona in 1998.

An office manager for a tax preparation company in Gold Canyon, she organizes a variety of veterans events and even penned a book,“My Fallen Hero,” which chronicles the stories of all the service members from Pinal County who died in combat, starting from World War I to present day.

“I encourage the public because I want them to welcome home the Vietnam veterans,” Fassbender said. “This is why in Iraq and Afghanistan we didn’t lose as many soldiers as we could have, because of what the technology and everything that we learned happened in Vietnam.”

Fassbender has partnered with Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemeteryin Mesa on other projects, including the Wreaths Across America, which offers people a chance to sponsor a wreath for placement on a veteran’s grave during the Christmas holidays.

She approached Mountain View about hosting the Vietnam veterans celebration and was surprised by the response.

“I didn’t get one sentence out before they’re saying, ‘We’re in, we would be honored to work with you on this,’” Fassbender said.

Elisa Krcilek, vice president of Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, said that while she holds a special place in her heart for all veterans, those who served in Vietnam hold a special distinction.

“I come from a very long history of military and the people serving today are treated and respected far greater than they were 50 years ago,” she said.

Krcilek and her sister were born on base at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, while her dad served as a heavy equipment operator in the Marine Corps. She has two sons serving in the Navy.

Along with the importance of the half-century anniversary, Krcilek said events like this allow the community to come together, regardless of political views of the war, to honor men and women who came home and found no respect or grati-

tude for their service.

“It gives our cemetery the opportunity to say thank you, to show reverence and respect to those that served during a very difficult time,” Krcilek said. “These guys, no matter what role or what job they had, during Vietnam, they’ve all come back with some heavy weight on their hearts.”

Krcilek’s dad served four years in the Marines and went to boot camp with many men who deployed to Vietnam, including two cousins, one of whom was featured on the cover of Time Life Magazine and in a documentary.

Because he never deployed himself, Kriclek’s father displays his Marine Corps pride with hats and shirts but never wears a Vietnam veteran cap.

“My father was always very proud of his cousin, but weirdly a little disappointed at the same time that he did not serve in the same capacity that they did,” Krcilek said.

Krcilek said events like this tell those veterans they are appreciated and their service has not been ignored.

She recalled an incident in a supermarket that occurred while she was wearing a “Proud Navy Mom” T-shirt and a elderly

17

gentleman walked up to her “clearly choked up” and thanked her son for his service.

Krcilek said the man told her, “You have no idea how prideful it is, but how sad it is, there’s not a day that goes by in my life that I do not think about that war.”

“I said, ‘Well, I’m really grateful you came home,’” she recalled, “and he said, ‘you have no idea what that means. So many of my friends and so many of the men I served with didn’t.”

That’s one reason that when Nancy Fassbender approached Mountain View with her idea, Krcilek said they “just fell in love with the idea.”

“So, it’s a very honorable thing to be able to do for our veterans and their families,” Krcilek said.

50th Anniversary Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day

When: Saturday, March 25 Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Where: Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7900 E. Main St., Mesa.

Information: Nancy Fassbender at 520-280-4715.

18

COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

For more community news visit gilbertsunnews.com GilbertSunNews.com |

@Gilber tSunNews

/Gilber tSunNews

Labor of love captures Mesa Easter Pageant history

BY SRIANTHI PERERA GSN Contributor

L

ocal journalists Jill Adair and Cecily Condie have covered the Mesa Easter Pageant for over 30 years.

The two members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turned their inside knowledge and history of the spectacle into a book last year.

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, the duo will promote The Mesa Easter Pageant: 80 Years of Sharing the Story of Jesus the Christ at the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitor’s Center. The presentation will feature a brief talk by the two authors, a slide show, photos and a question-and-answer session.

Writing the book was no easy task.

They culled 80 years of pageant history into a workable narrative and added hundreds of individual stories from a cast and crew of nearly 500 that participated each year.

“The biggest challenge was deciding what to include,” said Adair. “Almost everyone has a beautiful story to share, whether they watched it from the audience, participated in the cast, or helped behind the scenes. We also had hundreds of photos from over the decades from various photographers.”

Added Condie: “Truly, in all the interviews and stories we had done over the years, you could say that we’d already written a book.”

Among their interviewees, Grant Gunnell’s story stood out. At 96, Gunnell holds the distinction of being about the only person alive who had participated in the pageant the farthest back in time.

He was 17 and a senior at Mesa High School when he sang in the choir for the Easter Sunrise Service on the temple grounds in 1944 during WWII. He also met his future wife singing in the choir.

“It meant a lot to us to be there and sing.

Cecily Condie and Jill Adair combined their energy to produce a history book on the Mesa Easter Pageant and will be on hand to autograph copies this Thursday at the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitor’s Center. (Scott Adair/Contributor) It was a testimony-builder. I was about to graduate and go into the service. It makes you think about what you believe in. I think being in the chorus really strengthened my conviction of the gospel,” he said during his interview with the authors.

When the Mesa Temple was built in 1927, the city’s population numbered about 3,000.

In 1938, Arizona’s population was under half a million and Mesa had fewer than 7,000 people.

A group of young people from the church held a statewide gathering for peers in Mesa that culminated with an Easter Sunrise Service on the temple grounds.

The following year, the Easter Sunrise Service was repeated as a standalone.

From there on, the sharing of the Easter story on the temple grounds became an annual family and community event.

“For decades, the service began at the precise moment when Christ’s resurrec-

tion from the tomb was described and celebrated in song, the sunrise broke over the Superstition Mountains to the east, illuminating that side of the temple grounds,” Adair said.

Condie added: “It became a beloved tradition in Arizona, as people came from all over to attend.”

Today, the 70-minute, free outdoor musical dramatization highlights the poignant moments of the life of Jesus Christ, as found in the New Testament.

Organizers deem it the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world as it draws more than 100,000 people to the Temple’s north lawn. The 70-minute pageant will be presented March 29-April 1 and April 4-8 at 8 each evening this year.

Admission is free as the church considers this a gift to the community.

Mesa’s history is intertwined with the history of the pageant.

Mesa and the Easter celebration grew tremendously over the decades. The Mesa

Temple was the only temple in Arizona until a temple was built in Snowflake in 2002, so church members came to Mesa from around the state for decades.

As its fame grew, the pageant drew spectators from out of state and even abroad, Adair’s research indicated.

Newspaper reports from 1994 indicate the economic benefits of the pageant at no cost to the city. That year, for example, a Chamber of Commerce spokesperson estimated a $250,000 benefit from the event.

It was reported that spectators had come from Germany, England, Norway, Japan, Iran and Mexico.

Condie and Adair gleaned knowledge of the pageant’s history as publicity directors. But they also have had a closer look.

In 2009 and 2010, Condie was in the pageant as a “multitude woman” or bystander. In 2010, she was also asked to be in the crucifixion scene as a “mourner at the cross.”

“It was a surreal experience for me to put on a costume and to be transported in my mind’s eye, at least, to the time of Christ and to ponder what it may have been like to walk with Him then,” she said.

Adair performed in 1979 and 1997.

“I was cast as an angel and we danced on top of the old visitors’ center, she said.

“Nearly 20 years later, in 1997, my family –husband Scott and three children Clint, Krystal and Justin – auditioned and was cast in the crowd scenes,.”

The Mesa Easter Pageant: 80 Years of Sharing the Story of Jesus the Christ, written by Jill Bishop Adair and Cecily Markland Condie and designed by Leslie Thompson, is a 280-page, full-color, hardcover book published by Inglestone Publishing.

Available at mesaeasterpageantbook. com and also at Deseret Bookstores, three Costco stores in the East Valley and Amazon.

BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

GilbertSunNews.com |

@Gilber tSunNews

19

/Gilber tSunNews

Sonson’s Pasty owner calls Gilbert store a ‘blessing’

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GSN Staff Writer

J

ulie Mercer is living her dream – one pasty at a time.

In 2018, she unveiled Sonson’s Pasty Company in Northeast Mesa. Five months ago, a second location in Gilbert debuted.

“The response has been great,” Mercer said about the store at 1430 W. Warner Road, Suite 134, Gilbert.

It’s a blessing, as the opening date was fluid, due to supply chain and licensing issues. Once it was finished, the Cornwall, England, native quickly opened the doors and started selling her Cornish pasties, a pastry shell filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, rutabaga and onion and then baked.

Sonson’s Pasty Company features a small menu of pasties, cakes and sausage rolls. Mercer said many Americans need to be schooled on pasties.

“The history of the pasty is very interesting,” said Mercer, who moved to the

United States in 2002. “They were made by miners’ wives to take to the tin mines for their husbands hundreds of years ago.

“The men would eat the pasties with their hands, but they had to throw away the crimp because their hands were filled with arsenic. They are a delicious meal in one.”

Mercer learned to make pasties by working in a bakery, one of five in her town of 3,000 people. She worked for them from age 22 to 30.

“The owner offered to sell me her other one, but I was too young,” Mercer said. “Instead, I moved here, worked for a company for 18 years, good company, good pay. I stayed with that until I was laid off in January. If I did this in my 20s, for sure I would have failed.”

Mercer took her severance pay and invested it in her pasty shop. She learned about finances and business during her 18 years as a retail manager. Her shop

see PASTY page 20

Julie Mercer is pleased with the success of the Gilbert locationn of her Sonson’s Pasty Company, which she opened five months after her first location in Mesa. (Special to GSN)

GOP senators vote to give new businesses tax break

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

S

tarting a new business?

Arizona lawmakers apparently want to help you succeed.

On a party-line vote, the Senate on March 14 voted to exempt new businesses from having to pay any state income taxes at all in their first year of operation. That tax break would taper off to 50% in the second year and 25% in the third, by which point it should be clear whether a company will make it or not.

SB 1559 is the brainchild of Sen. Steve

Kaiser, R-Phoenix, who told colleagues of his own experience trying to start a business – he has since sold it – and the problems in arranging financing. What this is designed to do, he said, is provide a bit of fiscal breathing room.

But Democrats were opposed even after he added requested language to ensure that companies don’t simply dissolve and reform on an annual basis to take advantage of the tax break.

“Of course, we support small businesses,’’ said Senate Minority Leader Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe. “Arizona businesses are so important to every part of our economy.’’

But Epstein said that carving out a special tax break for those who start a new business is not good policy. And she noted that it’s not like lawmakers are providing similar relief for people who start a new job.

“Why is it only a person who owns a business that gets a tax break?’’ she asked.

Epstein said she believes that special carve-outs are not the best way to encourage economic development. Instead, she said, the state is better with low rates that apply to all.

“Everybody pays a fair share,’’ Epstein said.

Kaiser, however, said his legislation simply recognizes the hardships of starting a business from scratch.

About five years ago, Kaiser said he bought into a franchise that does junk removal.

“We had some pretty heavy capital investment when it came to the dump trucks,’’ he explained.

“I leased my warehouses, but we had three of them,’’ Kaiser continued. “We had all the franchise fees.’’

Kaiser said he grew it during the time he had, to the point he had 15 employ-

see TAX page 20

20

BUSINESS

PASTY from page 19 is named after her mother, Sonia, who moved to Mesa in 2007. Mercer and her mother worked in the same pasty shop in Cornwall.

It took Mercer a year to get to the point where she felt comfortable selling her pasties. Still, she doesn’t believe she’s at her best.

“I think I’ve improved since I started making them in February,” Mercer said.

“It took me a while because I was trying to find out what meat to use, what shortening to use, flour and all that good stuff.

It was different in England. I have to like what I’m making. If I don’t like it, I’m not

TAX from page 19 ees.

“But I still had capital problems every year,’’ he said.

The problem, Kaiser said, is not unique to him. He said that’s why most businesses fail in their first few years because of cash flow – or, more to the

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

going to sell it.”

Her menu is simple, and the pasties start at $9. Offerings include steak (traditional), ground beef, steak and cheese, cottage pie, Cornish “cheezy,” Philly cheesesteak, breakfast, chicken pot pie, chicken green chili and chicken and mushrooms.

Vegan offerings include a medley (mixed vegetables, garlic, herb sauce and tater tots); lentil and walnut; cheese, potato and onion; and meatless sausage roll.

“The steak and ground beef pasties are the more popular ones, especially the ground beef,” she said. “Ground beef is ground beef. You know what you’re get-

ting.

“For steak, it could be flavored differently. I started with a salad bar and sandwiches, too. People weren’t coming for that. They are coming for pasties.”

Sonson’s also hosts a monthly special that is advertised through her mailing list. Former choices include chicken and bacon alfredo and chicken pot pie.

The new store serves as a restaurant and a central kitchen for Gilbert, Mesa, and any catering opportunities or future locations. Mercer has provided pasties to the Union Jack British Pub and the recent Phoenix Scottish Games in Gilbert.

So far, Sonson’s is everything she’s wanted. “I’m putting in these long hours

every day, but it doesn’t matter,” Mercer said. “This is what I was supposed to do and here it is, I’m doing it.”

But, she said, the success all comes down to her employees.

“We work together as a team,” Mercer said. “I’m very, very blessed to have that.

I try and look after them as they look after me. We keep moving forward.”

point, the lack of it.

“You can’t get financing from traditional places,’’ he said.

“You have to go to these short-term, basically payday loans,’’ Kaiser said.

“And those are really dangerous,’’ what with high interest rates that can leave a borrower even further in debt.’’

What SB 1159 would do, he said, is

allow new businesses to hang on to as much capital as possible “when they’re the most vulnerable, which is those first few years.’’

Kaiser is no longer in the junk removal business. He said he concluded that the costs -- particularly those franchise fees plus having to spend time at the Capitol make it just too much of a burden.

He also said that giving a tax break to new businesses won’t increase everyone else’s taxes, as their income tax brackets and bills would remain unchanged.

But the flip side of that is the price tag. Legislative budget staffers predict SB 1559 would reduce state revenues by close to $39 million by 2027.

The measure now goes to the House.

Sonson’s Pasty Company

1430 W. Warner Road, Suite 134, Gilbert 602-300-0344, sonsonspastyco.com 6060 E. Brown Road, Suite 101, Mesa 480-845-8485, sonsonspastyco.com

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Housing market warning not what you think it is

BY MINDY JONES GSN Columnist

O

n the heels of some pretty big banking news this week, local professionals in the housing industry are sounding the alarm.

But it might not be the warning that you expect.

While some are triggered by events that feel all too similar to “too big to fail,” the improvement in mortgage interest rates following the recent bank closures suggests that the investment in mortgage backed securities is an attractive alternative.

We learned the impact of an influx of investment in mortgage backed securities from the federal reserve during the global pandemic, artificially suppressed interest rates.

With the failures of two banks we’re seeing mortgage backed securities rally this week and mortgage rates starting to drop again.

So what’s the warning you ask?

Well, with many folks sitting in homes that no longer suit their needs after because of housing market trends, there is pent-up demand that is sure to bubble over as soon

as there is an incentive like a rate drop to make a move.

While industry professionals would welcome a higher volume of transactions, consumers can almost certainly expect a shortage of available housing and a decrease in the ability to negotiate price and terms with the sellers based on multiple offers.

And to the dismay of those still hoping for declining prices – which is ultimately the last thing anyone investing in a home purchase really wants – consumers also can expect prices to increase during the second half of 2023 leading up to that rate drop.

While mortgage interest rates continue to be a moving target, we’ve already started to see various indicators that we’re headed for another competitive market in the spring and summer with a backlog of buyers who will likely extend our peak season well into the hottest months of the year.

To say that most people are confused by the real estate market is an understatement –and with good reason.

In the last five years, the market has made rapid shifts in and out of sellers markets, balanced markets, buyers markets and ultimately back into a sellers market with a pace typically reserved for the more

volatile and unpredictable stock market.

In fact, our 2022 buyers market lasted less than a month but left a lasting impression on those considering a purchase.

The financial implications of escalating sales prices and unusually erratic swings in interest rates are matched by the emotional reactions to market instability and fear of the unknown that are driving inaction by those who likely could benefit MOST from current real estate conditions.

They highlight a massive need for education on what really impacts our local real estate market, which is supply and demand.

So the question remains: what is the warning and what do we do about it? For those with homes to sell, the rise in Valley pricing even a modest 3.5% since prices stopped falling despite being down from the peak of $308 per square foot in Gilbert.

You are likely sitting on enough equity to shore up those gaps in your recent home purchase or to put your equity to work building generational wealth while supply continues to drop.

With a higher sales-price-to-list-price ratio, the offers are clearly coming in stronger in the fourth lowest inventory market we’ve since since 2005.

And if you plan to buy and sell in the same market, the lack of supply and competitive nature on the purchase side is becoming more concerning.

Gilbert buyers and sellers are pacing on the sidelines keeping our transaction count down but even more impactful to our 2023 projections is a new listing count that is setting records for the anemic pace at which it’s offering new supply.

With fewer new listings, the multiple offers are starting to starting to stack back up, prices have reversed course and with additional rate improvements expected, and we’re projecting a surge in demand that could decimate our available inventory.

A proverbial caldron of statistics supports a low inventory market, fueled by continued job growth.

That supports the idea that home ownership in Arizona, and the East Valley in particular, will continue to be profitable and, more importantly, desirable.

The accessibility that Gilbert buyers and sellers are enjoying in today’s market will be impacted the lower the inventory falls.

The warning? It’s coming.

Mindy Jones, a Gilbert Realtor and owner of the Amy Jones Group brokered by EXP Realty, can be reached at 480-2503857, Mindy@AmyJonesGroup.com or AmyJonesGroup.com.

Roller-coaster housing market tilting toward sellers

BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

T

he year isn’t even three months old yet, and the most recent data from a leading analyst indicates the Phoenix Metro housing market is echoing national experts who see some trends that suggest 2023 will be a wild year in residential real estate.

People are still buying homes and

the demand continues to outpace supply.

Bank collapses caused mortgage rates to fall briefly on March 13 before ticking back up again, according to Mortgage News Daily‘s average rates for 30-year fixed-rate loans. But the following day, rates ticked upward.

Two weeks ago, the Cromford Report noted when rates had moved upward past 7% that people “might expect de-

mand to be very weak because mortgage rates have jumped back.”

But. it said “buyers are not capitulating and the growth of listings under contract is much healthier than we expected under these circumstances.”

It added, “The balance between supply and demand has shifted significantly over the past three months and there is now upward pressure on pricing once more.”

And for people who are predicting a Great Recession-style collapse of the housing market, the Cromford Report almost scornfully said: “The current pricing trend may contradict the claims by various amateur pundits and their daft YouTube channels, but there is almost no data that supports the theory that prices are going

see MARKET page 23

REAL ESTATE

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

MARKET from page 22 to collapse from this point.”

“Anyone who is hoping for a flood of supply from foreclosures is living on a different planet from our real world,” Cromford said last week, saying data show ”there is absolutely no sign of this becoming a possibility. In the YouTube world perhaps, but not on Planet Earth.”

Citing a wealth of data from February sales, the Cromford Report noted, “The 16.6% growth in listings under contract since the beginning of February, and the 31% increase in the monthly sales rate, are surprisingly strong.”

It said year-over-year data from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service show total active listings more than doubled in February over February 2022 with 17,937 versus 8,305 last year.

The roller coaster becomes evident in other data for the last two months: Under-contract listings by March 1 totaled 9,109 versus 12,050 March 1, 2022. While that’s down 24%, the March 1, 2023, total also was up 16.6% from 7,810 in January, Cromford reported.

Though not yet finished, this 5,135-square-foot house on S. 155th Street in Gilbert sold recently for $2.5 million. Sitting on over 1.2 acres, the four-bedroom, five-bath home sports a large kitchen, floor-to-ceiling sliders leading to the backyard and pool, and other amenities.

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It also said that while monthly sales of 5,693 last month were 29% below the 7,993 the same month last year, they were 31% above the 4,357 in January.

And the monthly median sales price

of $413,000 in February, while 7.2% lower than February 2022’s average of $445,000, nudged up above the January 2023 average of $410,000.

Phoenix REALTORS said that in Feb-

RE23

ruary, “the average sles price increased month-over month moving from $539,617 to $544,906.”

As for the Phoenix Metro market’s inventory of for-sale homes, the Cromford Report stated. “The supply of active listings has been trending lower for several months, although this is not true of the luxury sector, and particularly Paradise Valley.”

It added, “Pricing remains weaker than a year ago, when we were still in a boom period with exceptionally low supply. But the trend is now pointing higher, not lower.”

The Cromford Report also said continuing low inventory of homes for sale means no buyer should expect the bottom to fall out and causing housing prices to hit bargain-basement levels.

“For this to happen we would need to have a wave of new supply creating problems for sellers,” it said. “While this is always a remote possibility, there is very little foreclosure activity and low levels of mortgage delinquency. So where is

see MARKET page 24

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MARKET from page 23

this flood of homes for sale supposed to come from?

“The builders have cut back drastically on new home permits, so we are more likely to see a shortage of homes for sale than a glut. And rising mortgage rate discourage homeowners with mortgages from selling because that would mean the loss of their cheap loan and the acquisition of a much more expensive one.”

The report also said that among the Valley’s 17 submarkets, “looking especially strong are Gilbert, Chandler, Peoria, Phoenix and Glendale.”

Phoenix REALTORS President Butch Leiber gave a more upbeat appraisal of inventory, calling it “robust” despite a slow pace in sales.

He also advised, “the market has been red hot, so seeing huge fluctuations in the market may be nerve wracking.”

“In reality, the residential real estate market is closer to the ‘normal’ of where it should be,” Leiber added.

The Cromford Report indirectly con-

ceded that some trends in the Valley’s housing market run contrary to normal expectations.

“The improvement in the market is going to surprise many people, given the increase in the typical mortgage interest rate over the past month,” it said.

“The majority of people seem to assume that the rise in mortgage rates over the past five weeks will have caused homebuyers to reconsider and delay their purchases,” it also said.

“While there may be some, or even many who have done just that, reports from new-home sales offices suggest that orders have stayed remarkably strong. Sales incentives are not being raised and I fear that the result will be another shortage of homes to buy within a few months,” it continued, citing the fact home building permits “have been extremely few in number and trending lower.”

It noted that new-home building permits are being issued at about half the rate they were for two years through early last summer in Pinal and Maricopa counties.

“Yet new home closings are currently down only 5% year over year in Maricopa County and order books are filling up,” Cromford said. “It is obvious from these trends that homebuilders are not starting enough homes to replace the ones that are going under contract.”

Cromford also noted: “New homes have been gaining market share over resales but this will come to a grinding halt if new homes supply runs short.”

“At the moment new builds are a dominant force in the market, but they will only remain so if we see permits climb much higher in the next few months.”

It also disputed some national media, specifically the Wall Street Journal, which said the housing market is stalling.

“There is a widely held belief that rising interest rates always mean falling demand,” the Cromford Report said. “This is sometimes true but surprisingly often untrue. Housing affordability gets worse when interest rates rise, but if the buyers’ perception is that it may get even worse in the future, this brings on a fear of missing out and a desire to buy right

now before rates rise further.”

All of this spells oddly good news for sellers, the Cromford Report said, observing: “The volume may be low, but the market is operating with great efficiency and it is getting easier to sell a home, not harder.”

Adding to that optimism, the Cromford Report offered another glimmer of hope on mortgage interest rates, saying they had slipped down a few tenths of a percent in recent days.

Warning “rates are extremely volatile at the moment, so forecasting is unusually tricky,” the Cromford Report added, “but the widespread desire to own a home is unchanged.

“The main inhibitor for younger firsttime buyers appears to be coming up with the down-payment,” it said. “A surprisingly large percentage of would-be buyers can qualify based on the monthly cost.

“Now that they are feeling a fear of missing out, we might see a spike in demand which could move market volumes back towards normality.”

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Brandon Phelps a do-it-all athlete for ALA Gilbert

BY BREVAN BRANSCUM GSN Contributing Writer

B

efore kicking off their first 3A Conference Tournament game in the 2020 season, American Leadership Academy Gilbert North head football coach Randy Ricedorff was preparing for the game that his team worked all season for.

However, he got the feeling that some of his older players that he usually relies on were unprepared for the big game.

Up walks freshman wide receiver Brandon Phelps, a player who had never played football before his freshman year and was about to play in his first playoff game.

“Coach, you’re gonna see ‘Playoff Brandon’ tonight,” Phelps said.

Ricedorff was immediately puzzled at Phelps’ self-proclaimed nickname before even playing in his first playoff game, but Phelps reassured his coach that he was going to rise to the occasion.

In the team’s two conference tournament games that season, Phelps scored a touchdown and led the team in receiving in the first game and had over 100 yards in the second game.

He proved his coach right for trusting him and that his words weren’t just unwarranted confidence.

Two years later, Phelps caught 97 passes for 1,710 yards and 28 touchdowns in his junior year, all in 13 games, and provided outstanding playoff performances to lead the Eagles to the 4A Conference title. He won 4A All-Conference First Team as his receiving yards finished second statewide.

‘Playoff Brandon’ is still going strong.

“When you get in the playoffs, and you get into big games, some guys are really good when you play lesser teams, and other guys flourish when you’re on the biggest stage,” Ricedorff said. “And Brandon is the guy that shows up on the biggest stage.”

Even with all the stats and recognition, Phelps’ main takeaway from the football

American Leadership Academy – Gilbert North junior Brandon Phelps has become a multi-sport star for the charter school. His ‘Playoff Brandon’ persona came alive for the Eagles in the 4A football championship and continued as he helped the basketball team make a deep run. (Dave Minton/GSN Staff )

ALA Gilbert basketball coach Dave Novak said Phelps has always brought a certain level of energy to the team. Even when missing some games due to the overlap of football into basketball season, he comes ready to play. (Dave Minton/GSN Staff )

season was his leadership role.

“It was great, I’m glad I could be such a leader for the team,” Phelps said. “It’s just a very humbling experience having guys look up to you and being able to lead them.”

His coach added that aside from his intrinsic confidence, Phelps is one of the most hard-working, dedicated and smart players he has coached, and that these traits will lead him to great success next season and beyond.

Phelps verbally committed to the University of Arizona in December 2022. He has also gotten offers from Arizona State and Michigan State, while Ricedorff mentioned that other major schools such as Michigan, USC and Oregon have been looking at him.

Even though he rose to stardom in football, it was basketball that had been Phelps’ main sport growing up.

ALA Gilbert North’s basketball team also had an amazing season, finishing 18-0 overall in AIA play before falling short in

Of course, he was ready for the playoffs.

Phelps also brought up the unselfish attitude that helped him buy into a smaller role while contributing to the team in a very different way than football. This same attitude brings him joy to see other players succeed, such as star basketball teammates Dylan Novak and McGuire Andrus.

Phelps has now taken his talent back to the football field where he is in the middle of a club 7-on-7 season. Like many other football players, it keeps him busy and in shape in the months leading up to the start of spring ball in April.

The ALA football team will look different next season. But ‘Playoff Brandon’ will remain. He hopes he can influence others into stepping up in big-time games, too, especially with ALA making the move to the 5A Conference for the 2023 season.

“Hopefully it can turn into other people’s names, playoff whoever,” Phelps said. “I want them to bring the same intensity and fire that I do when I’m in the playoffs.”

the 4A Conference Tournament. However, with the football team’s deep run, Phelps wasn’t able to fully train for the start of the basketball season and had to start practicing and playing several games in.

“Brandon has always brought immediate energy to our team,” basketball head coach Dave Novak said about Phelps’ adjustment from football to basketball. “He still came in and contributed very well for not touching a basketball since last season.”

Phelps had a larger role on the basketball team during his sophomore year, which he wasn’t able to build on this year because of his breakout and team success in football.

As he attempted to shake off some rust, Phelps started coming off the bench and found a role there.

“My approach was like, if I’m going to get in, I’m going to give it my all in those little minutes that I get,” Phelps said. “I started getting a lot more minutes ... as much as a starter, because when I get in the game, I’m a game changer.”

26

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Symphony of the Southwest entertains for 8 decades

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA GetOut Contributor

T

he Symphony of the Southwest, a hidden gem of an orchestra with members from throughout the East, presents its season final concert on April 1.

Playfully titled Romantic Favorites for April Fools, the eclectic symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Mesa Arts Center.

Until 2008, Symphony of the Southwest was called the Mesa Symphony.

The current name better indicates not only the demographics of its 70plus musicians, but also the composition of the audience it attracts.

The Symphony of the Southwest has been under the baton of conductor Cal Stewart Kellogg since 2005. His vast experience, as indicated in his biography on SymphonyoftheSouthwest.org, spans the world.

Before moving to Phoenix in 2000, Maestro Kellogg conducted 24 opera productions over 16 consecutive seasons for the prestigious Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. The maestro is an avid believer in the power of live music.

“The symphony concert is a real thrill; you can’t match it. You can play CDs all day but they’re not the same as when you hear the symphony live.

It’s exceptional.” said Kellogg, who lived and studied in Italy for two decades right after high school.

Among the symphony orchestra’s members is Mesa resident Andrew “Andy” Bunch, who is concluding his 49th season. He joined in 1974, shortly after graduating from Arizona State University.

The bassoonist has served under seven conductors, including Kellogg.

Gilbert residents Trent and Megan Bender have played with the Symphony of the Southwest and for 12 years. (Courtesy of Kathy Roark) His first three conductors were Bill Engelsman of Mesa’s Westwood High School; Ralston Pitt, who at the time was music supervisor for Mesa Public Schools; and Wayne Roederer, string specialist for the Mesa district.

“It is always inspiring to work with colleagues that are as dedicated and talented as the musicians in the orchestra,” said Bunch.

“In the early years the symphony held its concerts at high schools and

churches, but since the opening of the Mesa Arts Center we now have a world class venue in which to perform. We have also had the pleasure of performing with a number of talented, creative guest artists.”

Bunch has also performed with the Arizona Wind Symphony for 12 years.

Chandler resident Timothy Haas, principal clarinetist for Symphony of the Southwest, is in his 18th year. He teaches clarinet and saxophone in his home studio, online with students nationwide, and as clarinet professor at Grand Canyon University.

He said he was introduced to the clarinet in sixth grade.

“When we were in elementary school, I played recorder. Sixth grade at our school was the first year band was offered. I didn’t want to do it, but my mother signed me anyway,” he laughed.

“It was awful. I stuck with it for a while and discovered I liked it,” he said, admitting by high school he was All-State California in the instrument.

He chose it for his career, earning his undergraduate degree at ASU and then his Master’s in Clarinet Performance from Florida State University.

Haas said he appreciates the mastery of his fellow symphony musicians and their conductor.

Gilbert residents Trent and Megan Bender, who’ve been with the Symphony of the Southwest since 2011, play viola and French horn, respectively.

“I love playing the music that Maestro Kellog selects. We seem to play one of my favorite composers almost every concert. Dvorak, Tchaikowsky, Brahms, they all wrote fantastic parts for the viola,” said Megan, adding:

see SYMPHONY page 27

GET OUT

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

SYMPHONY from page 26 “We’re playing selections from ‘West Side Story’ which is one of my all time favorites, at our next concert.”

The couple, who met in orchestra while attending the University of Iowa, concur that their conductor is one reason for the Symphony of the Southwest’s continuing success.

“Maestro Kellog is one of the kindest people I have ever met. He’s so knowledgeable about the music and I truly feel it is a privilege to be following his baton,” said Megan, an orchestra teacher at Mesa’s Poston Junior High and Field Elementary schools.

“The players in our orchestra are also some of the most talented musicians as well as just enjoyable people to be having fun creating music together.”

After directing a high school band and teaching music at the elementary school level, Trent Bender is dean of students at Desert Ridge High School in Gilbert.

Symphony of the Southwest musi-

The players in our orchestra are also some of the most “talented musicians as well as just enjoyable people to be having fun creating music together. ” cians as well as Kellogg say full audiences at their concerts are a boon, though ticket prices don’t begin to cover the symphony’s financial needs.

“It really depends on fundraising efforts,” said Kellogg, specifically pointing to Tempe residents Kathi Roark and Patricia Cosand, neither of whom are among symphony members.

Instead, these two women launched an Etsy shop called “Sewing for the Symphony” where they sell their handcrafted works with all proceeds earmarked for the Symphony of the Southwest.

“We’ve done many things to help raise money,” said Roark. “Patricia does a lot of smocking, mainly children’s clothing. She has a huge following in the UK. I do machine-embroidered towels, aprons; I’ve also

knitted scarves.”

Why put the profits of their labor into the symphony’s coffers? Roark doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“It’s such a good organization; our biggest issue is letting people know we’re here,” she said. “And we have enormous respect for the conductor and musicians. Actually, we have many friends who are musicians.”

The April 1 concert line-up is a varied one with presentations from Brahms (‘Academic Festival Overture’) to Bernstein (‘West Side Story Symphonic Dances’).

And though the 2022-23 season comes to an end, there are other ways to enjoy the musicians.

People can hire the Symphony’s Community Ensembles for private events, large or small.

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Their website SymphonyfortheSouthwest.org lists the various possibilities ranging from string quartets to full orchestra. There’s even a ‘Singa-long with Cal’ with Maestro Kellogg performing ‘golden Broadway favorites’ on piano.

Donations can also help the Symphony of the Southwest continue to fulfill their mission “to enrich the community through quality musical performances and educational programs for people of all ages, backgrounds and economic levels.”

It is also possible to “Sponsor a Chair” in the orchestra through donations.

Opportunities for tax-deductible donations can be made on their website, through PayPal, or by check mailed to 2109 E. Greenway Drive, Tempe AZ 85282 For more information on the Symphony or to purchase tickets for the April 1 concert: SymphonyfortheSouthwest.org.

They can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

28

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

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

HANDYMAN

FAVORITES YourValley.net

• Specializing Sprinkler/Irrigation Repairin: & Replacement • •Custom Landscapes • Lighting Sprinkler/Irrigation • Pavers • Artificial Turf Repair & Replacement • Concrete • Block • •Trees/Plants & More Custom• Rock Landscapes

LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding • Artificial Grass Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential

ROC 281671 • Bonded-Insured

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

AZIrrigation.com

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

ROC 281671 Bonded-Insured

480-338-4011

ROC# 309706

IRRIGATION

PLUMBING

Irrigation Repair Services Inc.

Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced.

Rapid Response!

Cobra Plumbing LLC

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

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

CALL US TODAY!

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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

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

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

Honey Do List Too Long?

Check out the Handyman Section!

Make your choice Everlasting

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Roofing Maintenance Specialist - Shingle & Tile Roofs Elastomeric Roof Coatings

480-654-5600

2014

EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.

www.everlastingmonumentco.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

• Trees/Plants • Rock & More Call Now!

kee Resident/ References/ Insured/ a Licensed Contractor Not a Not Licensed Contractor

ROC-326923 ROC-326924 • Licensed-Bonded-Insured

L L C

info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com

• Pavers 480-654-5600 • Artificial Turf AZIrrigation.com • Concrete • Block

✔ Carpentry “No Job Too ✔ Decks “No Job Small Too Man!” ✔ Tile Small Man!” ✔ Kitchens rk Since 1999 ✔ Bathrooms Affordable, Quality Wo 2010, 2011 1999 ce Sin rk Wo y alit Qu And2010, More!

2012, 2013, Affordable, 2011

www.professionalhomerepairservice.com

S E R V I C E

Prepare for Spring Season!

PAINTING

Call Now! • Lighting

“No Job Too Small Man!”

FREE ESTIMATES 480.246.6011

ALL Pro

480-354-5802

WINNER

EAST VALLEY

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

New Drywall - Patch and Repair Removal - Texture

H E A D STO N E S

Specializing In:

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

Painting Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs!

Painting Flooring •✔Electrical “No Job Too Water Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall •✔Small Carpentry Man!” Heaters Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Electrical 1999 e Sinc k Decks Tile • More! le, Quality•Wor Affordab 2010, 2011 ✔ Plumbing 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014 References/ Insured/ /Not a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee Resident References Insured l Ahwatukee BruceResident/ at 602.670.7038

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

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

2022

CUTTING EDGE

OBITUARIES

T R E E

All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.

Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

LANDSCAPE/MAINTENANCE

If water runs through it we do it!

602-663-8432

PAINTING

East Valley PAINTERS Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

PLUMBING

CURE ALL PLUMBING FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

Full Service Plumbing No Job Too Small!

H Drain & Sewer Cleaning H Water Heaters H Faucets H Fixtures H Electronic Leak Locating H Slab Leaks

H Repiping H Sewer Video & Locating H Backflow Testing & Repair H Sprinkler Systems & Repairs H Water Treatment Sales & Service

480-895-9838

✔ Free Estimates ✔ Senior Discounts!

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ROC #204797

Free Estimates!

Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

CLASSIFIEDS WORK!

31

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

PLUMBING

POOL SERVICE/REPAIR

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

10% OFF

All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS

480-405-7099 Classifieds 480.898.6500 CLASSIFIEDS@TIMESLOCALMEDIA.COM

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

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

Call Juan at

MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

ROOFING

ROOFING ROC#341316

Serving All Types Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service of Roofing: FREE ESTIMATES • Tiles & Shingles • Installation • Repair • Re-Roofing

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

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

Tom’s Painting LLC Roofing & Painting

sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com

602-471-2346

Family Owned and Operated | Residential & Commercial | 44 Years in Valley

ALL TYPES OF ROOFING • Wood Shingle • Wood Shake • Asphalt Shingle • Hot Asphalt • Tile (all types) • Modified Bittumen • Coating • Metal Decra

Call Phillips Roofing for Honesty, Quality, Fair Pricing and Warranties Like No Other.

• Roof Repairs • Roof Coatings • Painting Exterior • Residential & Commercial

Serving All Of The Valley

10% OFF

Need to hire some help?

FREE ESTIMATES

Call Classifieds Today!

with this ad

Why Get The Rest When You Can Hire The Best!

George Carr - Owner ROC# 197687 Bonded/Licensed/Insured 480.297.2585

480.898.6500

Classifieds@Timeslocalmedia.com

ROOFING

Since 2006

✔ Labor & Material

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

Not a licensed contractor.

Arizona Contractor Licensed

✔ 2 to 25 Year Warranties

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

480-720-3840

ROOFING

✔ No Job to Big or to Small

ROOFING

Juan Hernandez

Licensed Bonded Insured

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

ROOFING

We Service the Entire Valley

Over 30 Years of Experience

Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

Area and Beyond

FREE ESTIMATES

623-873-1626

Licensed/Bonded/Insured ROC223367 CR 42

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

32

GILBERT SUN NEWS | MARCH 19, 2023

Moving Seminar DON’ T MISS OUT! Monday, March 20th • 3:00pm ­ 5:00pm

Join Maria Hall and Accrue Wealth Designs in learning about moving and preparing your finances for the future.

Stay for happy hour and a tour of our beautiful community.

Call 480­899­8200 to RSVP for you and a friend by March 19th.

INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING

1505 Willis Road • Gilbert, AZ 85297 • 480­899­8200 • VerenaAtGilbert.com