Queen Creek Tribune 07/02/2023

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

Chandler Police have filed assault charges against the former interim head baseball coach for Queen Creek High School for his alleged actions against a player.

In papers filed with the Chandler City Prosecutor’s office, police allege that ex-coach Da-

vid Lopez punched a player in the chest and verbally assaulted him in the dugout after the player made an error during a playoff game this season.

Lopez continued coaching after the incident was reported to police, during the team’s run to the state championship game.

In a statement, the Queen Creek Unified School District said Lopez is “not currently involved with the baseball program.”

Queen Creek resident Marilyn Crosby shows how she helps calm her horse Gypsy by holding its bridle and steadying the steed. It’s a technique she’s used when her horses get scared by fireworks, which can be a problem for animals of all sizes, as you’ll read on page 5. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

The Chandler police report names “Daniel Lopez” as the alleged perpetrator throughout it charging documents, but the victim’s father confirmed the alleged incident involved interim head baseball coach David Lopez – not Daniel.

The police report states that between 4-6 p.m. May 3, David Lopez “reportedly assaulted

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer

Southeast Mesa’s 320acre Legacy Park has seen several management shake ups this year, and another one could be coming for the bankrupt mega park built with municipal bonds sold via the Arizona Industrial Development Authority in 2020 and 2021.

take over the park’s management and business affairs from owner Legacy Cares, citing “evidence of dishonesty, incompetence or gross mismanagement” before and after Legacy filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May. Currently, Legacy Park is operating on emergency financing while Legacy Cares seeks a buyer.

In her blistering 23-page filing, U.S. Trustee Ilene Lashinsky accused Legacy Cares of

The U.S. trustee monitoring Legacy Park’s bankruptcy case last week asked the judge to assign a trustee to

see LEGACY page 4

New softball program sets up first season in area

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

Anew recreational softball program is preparing for its inaugural season catering to the Queen Creek and San Tan Valley area.

CRUSH Softball, under the umbrella of the East Valley Sports Academy (EVSA), is preparing for its first season catering to 6- to 18-year-olds in the Florence, San Tan Valley and Queen Creek communities. The program will finally offer a recreational program for youth players, shifting away from the club circuit that often requires a tryout process, competitive play and hefty price tags.

Tracy Werner, the founder of CRUSH, said her program will provide kids the opportunity to see the field and have a topnotch experience learning the game rather than going through a rigorous selection process at the club level that doesn’t always guarantee playing time.

“There’s something about rec ball that allows any kid to play ball and be successful,” Werner said. “That’s where my heart

is. In club ball you may make the team but hardly play. Whereas rec ball everybody plays. Everyone has a chance to be a standout athlete.”

Werner first founded CRUSH when she started coaching recreation softball and was given orange and black uniforms. The color scheme reminded her of Orange Crush soda, and her players loved the idea.

She went on to continuously request the orange and black color scheme to carry on the name.

Werner had always wanted to create her own organization, so branding it CRUSH was an easy decision. She helped create EVSA along the way, a growing youth and adult sports organization that plans to launch baseball along with softball this fall, as well as flag football and football.

Werner said soccer and other sports will be added, too, catering for now to the Queen Creek and surrounding communities. Though they hope to grow.

“People are just learning about us,” Werner said. “We have a feeling we’re going to get pretty big, though.”

CRUSH will feature multiple teams for

various age groups chartered through the Babe Ruth League, an already well-established host for youth softball program in the Valley that has yet to make its way to the Queen Creek area. The league is an alternative to Little League but still provides programs like CRUSH to compete in regional and national tournaments, including a World Series. Co-ed coach pitch and T-ball are also offered for younger age groups.

The Cal Ripken League will host EVSA baseball programs.

CRUSH is open to kids within the designated age groups with any level of experience in softball. Werner’s main objective is to provide an opportunity for every player to experience the game. So, she established rules that gets every player on the field each game.

The teams will play a regular season beginning in early September and run through the middle of November. It will be followed by an All-Star team selected to play in the state tournament.

For kids who still wish to have the club experience, CRUSH will also deploy a competitive team where tryouts are man-

datory to make it and games will take place in the same tournaments other clubs in the state compete in. This also involves travel outside of Arizona.

“It’ll be a little bit more competitive,” Werner said. “However, it will only be the registration fee. It won’t be monthly like a club team. It’ll be a more affordable option.”

Werner has already seen a large number of individuals interested in joining CRUSH. Some club owners have even expressed interest in bringing entire programs over.

Werner hopes to one day expand beyond the Queen Creek boundaries into Chandler and Gilbert. But for now, she’s content with providing an opportunity in a part of the Valley that hasn’t yet had a softball program establish itself in the heart of the community.

Until now.

As is the same with any organization, registration fees still apply. However, Werner’s philosophy of giving every kid the chance to play has led her to establishing

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failing to disclose conflicts of interest, improperly diverting assets, failing to justify a budgeted $708,000 management fee to Elite Sports Group, overpaying executives and employing multiple family members of people connected with Legacy.

If the court is not inclined to assign a trustee, the filing asks the judge to consider dismissing the bankruptcy case and end the nonprofit’s temporary protections from its creditors.

The U.S. Trustee said these moves are justified because Legacy Cares has acted “either dishonestly or with a level of ineptitude that renders them completely incompetent to manage the debtor’s affairs.”

Legacy responded by saying, “The U.S. Trustee has filed an unnecessary and reckless motion.”

The nonprofit also promised a formal response ahead of the July 27 hearing on the trustee’s motion.

The trustee’s request seems to have been precipitated by new information that the government believes raises doubts about the ability of Legacy Cares to protect the park’s value. That value is important for builders and other creditors to maximize how much they will ultimately recover.

The park, which is losing about $1 million per month, is currently operating with supplemental funds from a $9 million emergency loan the bankruptcy judge approved in June.

Among Legacy Park’s creditors are unpaid contractors who have filed $33 million in liens on property. If the bankruptcy case is dismissed, those contractors could proceed with other legal remedies to collect their secured debt, including foreclosure on park assets.

Legacy said the trustee’s new filing “undermines Legacy Cares’ efforts to sell the park and maximize recovery for the creditors.”

Since Legacy Cares is paying all of the operating expenses of the park, Lashinsky said the six-figure management fee represents “pure profit” for Elite, which is owned by Brett Miller, a former executive of previous park manager Legacy Sports USA and son of its founder Randy Miller.

Shortly before filing for bankruptcy, Legacy Cares terminated its management agreement with Legacy Sports and replaced it with Elite Sports Group because Elite was “better situated to manage this amazing facility,” according to Legacy’s release at the time.

Since that announcement, it’s come to light that Elite Sports Group is a new company incorporated in Delaware a short time before Legacy Cares hired it and it wasn’t registered to do business in Arizona when it took over the park’s management.

The trustee was critical of Elite’s association with Brett Miller, whose professional and familial connections with prior manager Legacy Sports were deemed troubling.

The trustee also identified family connections among other Elite employees. Brett Miller’s wife serves as “Director of Community Outreach,” the daughter of Legacy Sports’ former legal counsel is employed at Elite, and the wife of another former Legacy Sports employee works at Elite as “Controller – Sports Revenue.”

The filing faults Legacy Cares for hiring Elite instead of “hiring a wholly new entity to manage the park.”

Despite disappointing profits and financial woes, the park remains a centerpiece of regional tourism efforts, particularly by Mesa and Queen Creek.

A Legacy Cares representative said the park “has been operating in the normal course of business as hundreds of events are scheduled to take place through 2030,” and all amenities will remain open.

The trustee lobbed potentially more serious accusations in the motion.

The filing claims Legacy Cares made $7.28 million in “improper loans” or cash advances to Legacy Sports in 2021 and 2022. It noted that Legacy Cares was a nonprofit loaning money to the for-profit Legacy Sports.

Lashinsky characterized this as “unauthorized … diversion of assets,” which is “well-established ground for the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee.”

The trustee also claims that Legacy Cares President Doug Moss failed to disclose his ownership of KingDog Enterprises LLC, which was to be paid a fee of 0.5% of the to-

tal capital expenditures on Legacy Park for “technology advisory services” at the same time he was leading Legacy Cares.

In documents provided to investors, KingDog was described as an “independent” company. But the trustee claims that Moss’s ownership failed to meet the standard of “independent.”

It’s not clear whether the advisory fee, which would be in the high six figures, was ever paid to Moss.

Legacy claims the trustee’s basis for many of the accusations arose from a recent “creditors meeting” conducted with Moss.

“During that meeting, which was conducted by phone, Moss was hit with a series of random questions without having the benefit of access to the relevant documents. Many of those questions involved documents Moss did not prepare,” Legacy said.

Legacy continued, “the U.S. Trustee was given the opportunity to speak with Legacy Cares’ Chief Financial Officer, but she declined that opportunity.”

Legacy Cares also argued that it couldn’t have misappropriated bondholder funds because, among other controls, the project retained an “independent construction monitor … to supervise the progress of construction and review all pay applications.”

The trustee’s latest filing attacks this defense, noting that Legacy’s “independent” monitor, Jim Neal, had a prior business relationship with the park’s builders and that he was “was “actively involved in Legacy Sports’ efforts to obtain financing to fund the project as early as 2019.”

Legacy Cares said, “The Bond Trustee, the Park’s landlord and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors ... have supported Legacy Cares management’s efforts to sell the park for the highest price possible to maximize the return for creditors. Legacy Cares believes the U.S. Trustee’s motion will only hinder that process.” 

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Queen Creek Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Queen Creek

The U.S. Trustee in the bankruptcy case involving Legacy Park, the mega sports complex in East Mesa, said the nonprofit Legacy Cares is either too corrupt or too incompetent to run it. (Tribune file photo)

Fireworks provoke warnings for pet owners

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

With Fourth of July celebrations underway, part of the fun associated with the holiday can terrify lots of animals big and small.

“Every year on Fourth of July, we get calls from clients and customers,” said veterinarian Dr. Scott Meyer, owner of two Queen Creek clinics – Desert Mountain Equine, which focuses on horses, Revel Vet, which takes care of smaller animals.

Because of fireworks’ noise, he said, “these animals are like children, and when they’re upset, they’re fearful.”

There has historically been very little focus on animals on the Fourth of July, said Meyer, noting fireworks noise can be especially dangerous for horses.

“There’s always the neighbor that has the large-bore fireworks that are going off over the top of a barn or by their house and then that stresses out their pets,” Meyer said.

“Whether they’re worried about injury, whether they’re worried about anxiety.

That animal is displaying what it is being scared of.”

Meyer said neighbors are not always as cooperative as one might think they would be.

did not intend to change his plans,” Meyer said. “It’s like, ‘you know, we don’t really care. It’s the fourth of July. We get the right to celebrate it, we’re just going to do it the way we want to.’

“It was a lack of compassion or compromise,” he continued. “Where’s the respect for your neighbor, just to have a little bit of courtesy, so that we don’t create a terrible catastrophic event?”

Meyer recalled an owner whose horses was in a field that was so frightened by fireworks it ran through wire fencing.

He said a wire fence can do major damage, lacerating the horse and threatening a joint or artery.

Horse owners can protect their animals by keeping plenty of hay in front of them as a distraction from the noise, using earplugs designed for horses, playing loud music or creating other distractions throughout the day on the Fourth so that by the time the fireworks start after dark, the horse has been desensitized and may

QC Police prepared for illegal fireworks use

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

The Queen Creek Police Department will deploy additional patrol officers to help mitigate against the use of illegal fireworks and respond to disturbance calls from residents on the Fourth of July.

“Fireworks that go into the air or detonate are illegal,” town officials said, noting that discharging them is a civil offense.

“Any devices that rise into the air and explode/detonate or fly above the ground are illegal. This includes skyrockets/bottle rockets, reloadable shell devices, aerials, and single-tube devices that are shot up into the air,” officials said in an email.

“Illegal fireworks are never permitted within the Town limits.”

The town says residents should report the use of illegal fireworks to the department’s non-emergency line at 480-358-3500.

State law requires an officer to actually witness the offense before issuing a citation. Queen Creek will dispatch an officer

He cited one of his clients whose horses are known to be spooked by fireworks. The owners asked their neighbor to launch their fireworks someplace else or, at the very least, not project them over the barn where his horses stayed.

to a fireworks-related call to investigate.

Legal consumer fireworks include ground displays and sparkling devices, and their use is restricted to June 24 through July 6.

Queen Creek police responded to nearly 60 fireworks related calls on New Year’s Eve and nearly 100 calls last July 4. Three calls also required fire and medical personnel to respond.

Fire and police departments recommend keeping spectators at a distance when igniting fireworks, and having a bucket of water nearby to douse the fireworks after they are used.

Fireworks were responsible for igniting more than 12,000 fires in the U.S. in 2021, according to the most recent statistics from the National Fire Protection Association, but that number was down from previous annual averages of 19,500 fires.

The association also reported that fireworks related blazes caused an estimated $59 million in direct property damage in 2021.  

“The neighbor told the horse owner he

see ANIMALS page 7

Marilyn Crosby laughs as her horse Guacho rubs his head against her. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

17-year-old Queen Creek baseball player by grabbing his shirt and punching him multiple times in the center chest, in the dugout, at the Basha High School varsity baseball field.”

The player’s father, identified only by his first name in the police report, said his son told him he did not want to file a report but that the dad believed the incident was serious enough to warrant police action.

“I want to hold him accountable so this doesn’t happen to anybody else,” the victim’s father said in an interview.

The report, submitted by Chandler Officer Darrin Vigesaa, said the player “told me that he made an error during the game today, and was mad, so he threw his baseball glove at the wall of the dugout when he got in there and that his coach came up to him, punched him in the center chest once and then grabbed him by the jersey and punched him in the center chest three more times, while telling him something like ‘stop bein’ a bitch.’”

The case was assigned to the Chandler Police Family Crimes Unit, which conducted further interviews.

During those interviews, the player told investigating Officer Jerry Zywczyk that David Lopez walked up to him in the dugout “giving him a short fist strike to the middle of his chest,” the report said.

Other players who were interviewed corroborated the physical nature of the incident.

One player said, “Coach Lopez struck hard enough that he appeared to struggle to get his breath back for a second,” the police report said.

The alleged victim said that he was taken back when he was struck, according to the report.

“Coach Lopez did not wind up when he delivered the strike to (the player’s) chest, so the impact caused some discomfort,” the report said.

“After striking (the player), Coach Lopez started yelling at him. (The player) said he couldn’t remember exactly what Coach Lopez said, but it was similar to telling (the player) he needed to make a (expletive) play and get out of his head.”

The report said the purported victim “reacted by looking down and adjusting his pants and socks. (The player) told me he could not recall what Coach Lopez said to him because was trying to ignore

Coach Lopez.

“Coach Lopez told (the player), ‘Look at me when I am (expletive) talking to you.’

It was at that time, the report said, that David Lopez grabbed the player’s jersey “and hit three times in the chest with the hand he was clenching the jersey with.”

The report said the player looked up at David Lopez, who released his jersey and walked back to the other coaches as the player sat down next to the water jugs.

The freshman team coach sat next to the player soon after and tried to build his confidence back up, according to the report.

Freshman Coach Jeremy Strong was in the dugout at the time of the incident and observed Coach Lopez “getting on him” by grabbing the player’s jersey and pulling it back and forth, letting go once the boy responded, according to the police report.

“Coach Strong watched the conversation between Coach Lopez and (the player). Coach Strong said Coach Lopez was encouraging, telling (the player) not to get down on himself and letting him know how much he meant to the team,” the police report said, adding:

“Coach Strong saw Coach Lopez give an open-hand pat on the chest but compared it to when someone pats another on the back.”

report was unfounded.

“As soon as the District became aware of new developments in the case, QCUSD administration promptly took steps to suspend any future involvement in the baseball program or presence on campus by the individual pending the outcome of the case.

“To protect the privacy and constitutional rights of those involved in and related to the investigation, the district will not be able to provide any additional information.”

David Lopez’s lawyer released this statement:

“Coach David Lopez, who has coached Arizona baseball teams for over 16 years without a single complaint, wholeheartedly denies these bogus allegations. This incident was fully investigated by Queen Creek High School Administration following the initial report.

The report said Strong recalled that Lopez was encouraging the boy during the incident and told him that there was still a lot of game left to play and that he was a “great player.”

The player had made an error by overthrowing first base on a ball hit to him, which allowed a runner to reach base, but no runs scored that inning.

Queen Creek Unified released this statement:

“Queen Creek High School administration was recently notified by the Chandler Police Department that charges were submitted to the City of Chandler Prosecutor’s Office regarding an incident that took place during a baseball game this season at Basha High School.

“QCUSD takes seriously all reports and allegations of misconduct by staff or students, and fully cooperates with law enforcement agencies during investigations. The individual named in the allegation is not currently involved with the baseball program.”

“When the initial incident was reported to school officials in May, district administration immediately began an internal investigation into the report in cooperation with the Queen Creek Police Department School Resource Officer, administrators, student and adult witnesses, and concluded that the initial

“The allegation that coach Lopez hit one of his players was found to be baseless. David was quickly reinstated to his coaching duties and within 48 hours of the initial complaint, he was back on the field coaching his team.

“He continued to coach the Bulldogs, including the player who made the false report, leading the team to an improbable state runner-up finish.

“David is a devoted family man and leader of young men. He volunteered to take on the coaching responsibilities at Queen Creek High School when the team was in a tough spot and needed a trusted leader.

“Not only did he produce success on the field, his family, players, and assistant coaches continue to stand behind him for his character and integrity.”

Lopez had been the interim baseball coach at Queen Creek, filling in for head coach Mikel Moreno, who volunteered to serve a one-year suspension after violating Arizona Interscholastic Association pitch count rules last year.

Lopez had previously been the head baseball coach at Chandler High School for nine years prior to the interim job at Queen Creek.

“He holds the boys to a high standard and he should be held to a high standard,” the boy’s father said of Lopez. “He is in a position of influence and leadership.

“For him to behave that way is unacceptable. My son is a quiet kid as it is, and as a father I know my son and he has kind of shut down a little bit.” 

Former Queen Creek High interim head baseball Coach David Lopez faces possible charges for allegedly assaulting a player. (Tribune file photo)

CRUSH from page 3

grants and scholarships through the program. So, if families struggle to pay fees, CRUSH will help cover costs.

It’s another way Werner and her team are trying to create opportunities for youth in the far southeast Valley.

“We aren’t going to turn people away no matter how big we get or how small we stay,” Werner said. “Everybody that wants

ANIMALS from page 5

not react much, Meyer said.

He explained that when a horse reacts to fireworks, it is often just trying to figure out where the loud noise is coming from.

“When we say ‘spooked,’ they’re frightened,” Meyer said. “And not knowing where it’s coming from, their tendency is to run away from where they perceive the danger is coming from.”

Meyer said that can often result in a horse bolting in an open field, which can be full of holes, irrigation ditches, farm equipment or other dangerous obstacles that horses cannot see in the dark, causing them to twist an ankle, break a leg or face other dangerous consequences.

“Taking off into a sprint … a 1,000 or 1,200-pound animal can’t necessarily stop on a dime,” he said.

Meyer said there are also medications available to “take the edge off ” of severe anxiety.

He also pointed out that the danger does not just stop with horses.

Pregnant cows, for example, have suffered spontaneous abortion from the frightening trauma of fireworks explosions, he said.

The consequences may not always be as dramatic, but small, domesticated animals, especially dogs, also suffer major anxiety from fireworks.

“I think people are just starting to become a little more aware of it,” said Laurie Corbin, the hospital manager at Revel Vet. “The consequences of fireworks on animals vary from one to another but they are all negative.

“When a dog is suffering from a noise phobia, their behaviors are often characterized by intense avoidance or other anxiety behaviors, such as pacing or restlessness, lip licking, panting, drooling, trembling, or shaking, excessive alertness or hypervigilance, cowering or hiding, freezing, or becoming immobile, refusing to eat, yawning or vocalizing,” she said.

to play is going to play.

“It gives me chills. We do this because we love it, and we love the kids and want to make a difference. The more people you can touch, the better.”

For more information about CRUSH or any other program, contact Tracy Werner at crushsoftballaz@gmail.com or 480-577-1070. To register: evsainc. org/registration/c/7414. 

Corbin and Meyer recommend moving dogs to a closet or room that can absorb sound and give a dog a safer environment.

If the pet needs to go outside, they should be leashed and have some identification, preferably microchipped, in case they bolt and run away.

Just as is the case in large animals, Corbin points out that medications are also used for smaller, domesticated animals too.

“If your pet is nervous around loud, unexpected noises, a short-term sedative before the fireworks start may be just the ticket,” Corbin added.

Corbin and Meyer reminded pet owners to never use their own human prescriptions because the dosage may be potentially harmful.

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Horne threatens CUSD, other districts for language programs

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has put Chandler Unified School District and 25 other school districts across the state in his crosshairs, accusing them of violating state law by operating 50-50 dual language programs for some students.

Horne threatened to withhold their English Language Learner funding and noted parents or others can sue to remove school board members or administrators from their positions if a district does not stop teaching children 50% of the time in their native language before they achieve proficiency in English.

The 26 districts that Horne put on notice teach a total 1,029 students who receive instruction a half day in their native language, usually Spanish, and the other half in English. Queen Creek Unified School District is not among the districts cited by Horne.

CUSD has 43 students in such a program, according to Horne, and the district spent about $158,000 for ELL education in 2022-23.

The total amount of funding represented by all 1,029 was not provided by the Department of Education.

Most of the districts targeted by Horne have fewer than 100 kids in so-called 50-50 programs. Only three Phoenix districts – Creighton, Osborn and Cartwright – have 106 to 117 students in such programs.

And of the 26 districts identified by Horne, all but four are located in Maricopa County.

Horne accused the districts of violating the voter-approved Proposition 203, which was passed in 2000 and made Arizona the only state in the Union with a law requiring all students to be taught in English only.

Horne noted that his warning applies only to students who have not yet attained proficiency in English” and that once they do, “we encourage dual language…programs that will cause them to be proficient in more than one language.”

Chandler Unified has dual language immersion programs at six schools. Spanish is taught at Bologna Elementary, Chandler Traditional Academy Liberty, CTA Free-

dom and Arizona College Prep Middle School. Mandarin is taught at Tarwater Elementary and Bogle Junior High schools.

Asked for the district’s reaction, Chandler Unified’s Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Stephanie Ingersoll released this statement:

“Currently, Chandler Unified is reviewing the state’s new direction and our practices. As with all matters, Chandler Unified will always follow state and federal laws.”

Chandler Rep. Jennifer Pawlik joined Stand for Children Arizona and a group of education advocates and representatives of the Arizona Dual Language Immersion Network at the Arizona Board of Education meeting last week to share their concerns, urging it to reinstate the 50-50 or dual language model as an approved structured English immersion program for English Learners.

“We hope that going forward Superintendent Horne will engage in transparent and inclusive discussions with all members of the State Board of Education about these issues. It is essential that decisions of this magnitude are made collectively and thoughtfully – not unilaterally by a corrupt politician like Tom Horne,” stated Rebecca Gau, executive director of Stand for Children Arizona.

In Chandler’s dual language programs, students receive instruction part of the day in English and part of the day in either

ally liable for damages and fees and cannot be indemnified by any third party. Any official found liable shall be immediately removed from office and cannot hold a position for five years.”

“When I started my first term as state Superintendent of Schools in 2003, the initiative was unenforced, and bilingual education was a method of teaching in Arizona schools,” Horne said. “As a result, a pathetic 4% of students became proficient in English in one year.

“At that rate, almost no one would ever become proficient, and they would fail in the economy.”

He said his structured English immersion propelled proficiency rates to 29% and that “at that rate within three or four years, almost everyone would become proficient in English.

Spanish or Mandarin.

Teachers are unlikely to be impacted by any changes because the curriculum itself is not in question. It’s only a concern for the dozens of students who have not yet achieved proficiency in English.

Horne’s unexpected threat to CUSD and the other 25 districts followed a May 31 question from state Sen. Sonny Borelli, R-Lake Havasu, asking if the 50-50 immersion model adopted by the state Board of Education violated the law.

In response, Legislative Council attorney Hannah Nies replied that if the 5050 programming “allows students to be taught subject matter in a language other than English as part of structured English immersion, the model likely violates Proposition 203.”

The proposition allowed for “sheltered English immersion” learning “during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one year.”

Horne called 50-50 dual language classes, “an obvious violation of this initiative.”

“A reduction in structured English immersion from four hours to two is okay, but the rest of the day must be spent in regular classrooms with the English-speaking students,” he said.

He noted that any parent “can sue any school board member or other elected office or administrator responsible for the violation and that person can be person-

“Professors who are ideologically motivated and are quoted as favoring bilingual education are simply oblivious to the real-world data,” Horne stated.

“When we taught these classes, a number of teachers arrived hostile, because of ideology. But by the end, our structured English immersion teachers were getting standing ovations and very high evaluations.”

He also cited an article that appeared in Education Next, a periodical sponsored by Harvard and Stanford universities, that said “Hispanic ESL students, when compared with their counterparts in bilingual education programs, obtained three-quarters of a year more education, were 50% more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees, earned significantly more in the labor market, and entered high-skill professions at almost twice the rate.”

Horne said regardless, “voter passed and voter protected initiatives are binding. Any district or school that continues placing English Language learners into dual language classes, without the requisite parental waivers, should “

“Knowing multiple languages is beneficial, and develops the brain in ways that help learn other subjects. But the first priority is to become proficient in English. The data shows that structured English immersion is the best way to achieve this, and the law requires it.”

Managing Editor Ken Sain contributed to this report. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne warned Chandler Unified and 25 other school districts about dire consequences for continuing dual language programs for children who have not gained proficiency in English. (File photo)

Radical GOPers hinder EV tax for roads

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Gov. Katie Hobbs wants state lawmakers to enact new laws to ensure that the drivers of electric vehicles pay their fair share of road construction and maintenance.

But the governor said she doesn’t have anything specific in mind, at least not yet.

Hobbs’ willingness to take on the issue could provide some impetus for efforts that go back nearly a decade to equalize the levies paid by motorists whose fuel comes from a charger with those who pay the state every time they fill up with the 18-cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline.

That issue has evaded solution amid arguments ranging from personal privacy to who should bear the costs as what people drive shifts.

Still, changing trends will put pressure on lawmakers to resolve it.

The latest figures from the state Motor Vehicle Division show that the number of all-electric vehicles registered in the state ballooned from fewer than 35,000 in 2020 to more than 58,000 last year.

None of those owners, who are using state roads, pays a penny toward the $538 million generated last year in gasoline taxes, much of that earmarked for road construction and maintenance.

“I recognize this is a huge issue as we look at depletion of highway funds and to make sure that everyone who uses the highways are paying their fair share,’’ she continued. “And electric vehicles are a part of that.’’

Hobbs acknowledged, though, this isn’t a simple fix.

But this isn’t a partisan issue.

In fact, it is a dispute between two Republican lawmakers that has resulted in the current stalemate.

And it has been Republicans, who control both the House and Senate and, until this year, the governor’s office who have been unable for years to come up with a solution.

They have had some success.

Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, spearheaded efforts that resulted in repeal of laws that set annual registration fees for alternative fuel and electric cars at a rate just a fraction of what a similarly priced gas-fueled vehicle would require. Now the

owners of cars and trucks pay fees on the cost of the new vehicle.

In 2016, Bob Worsley, then a senator from Mesa, proposed a “vehicle mileage tax.’’

Dave Williams, a vice president of Knight Transportation, the trucking industry already uses global positioning to track their vehicles and that it’s possible to cheat using a GPS jammer.

But he questioned whether members of the public would be OK being tracked like truck drivers.

That hurdle remains today to the dismay of Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“We all pay at the pump for the Highway User Revenue Fund,’’ he said, the special account into which all gasoline taxes flow.

But that “all’’ doesn’t include those drivers of everything from high-end Teslas and Lucids to all-electric Ford F-150s, the Chevy Bolt and the Nissan Leaf.

Cook said that leaves one option being a mileage fee – which he said is neither complicated nor intrusive.

But Cook and supporters of a mileage tax have run headlong into the Arizona Freedom Caucus.

Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, its chairman, crafted legislation that would have made it illegal for any level of government to not only track someone’s movements through things like traffic cameras or license plate readers but also through any other data from private sources.

His SB 1312 included a specific bar against imposing or collecting any mileage fee or tax, a per-mile charge or anything else based on the miles driven by anyone.

Hoffman said such restrictions on government are justified.

“One thing we know for certain is that taxing and tracking people’s movements is a significant infringement on Arizonans’ freedom of mobility, something we can all agree is a highly undesirable and anti-freedom outcome,’’ he said.

Hoffman’s bill died in the House when Cook would not provide the required 31st vote.

Cook said one alternative proposed by foes of a vehicle-mile fee that would help capture lost revenues would be a tax on electricity. That, he said, is not an option.

“So now everybody gets a tax on electricity to pay for electric cars, even if you don’t have

one,’’ Cook said. “It’s not well thought out.’’

He said, though, there are options to get what he thinks would be appropriate without tracking the comings and goings of individual motorists.

One, said Cook, parallels the fact that drivers of most gasoline-fueled cars and trucks need to take them in, at least on a biennial basis, for an emissions test.

He said owners of electric vehicles could be required to bring them in to a state-operated facility where what’s on the odometer could be recorded, with a fee assessed based on the miles driven since the last time.

And if that’s too intrusive, Cook said the state could compute what is the average number of miles driven in Arizona, what that would have generated in fuel taxes in a regular car, and then levy a fee that, like the gasoline taxes, would go into the Highway User Revenue Fund.

The bottom line, he said, is “how do we get them to pay their fair share.’’

Hoffman, however, said all those ideas are based on what he said is the flawed as-

sumption that roads and highways should be built and maintained only with fuel taxes and the like.

It starts with the fact that vehicles are becoming more efficient, needing less fuel for every mile traveled. And then there’s the fact that the state’s 18-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax has not been hiked since 1991.

So what’s needed, Hoffman said, is an entirely different paradigm.

“Building and maintaining roads is a foundational responsibility of government,’’ he said.

“The simplest and most responsible way to ensure this happens in the least financially oppressive manner possible is for the gas tax to be completely eliminated through innovation and higher efficiency vehicles,’’ Hoffman said.

And that would require governments “to properly reprioritize this important public asset in their baseline expenditures.’’

But Hoffman offered no suggestions of what other current spending might be cut given the opposition of the Free Enterprise Club to virtually any tax increase.

Bottled Blonde uncorks resident furor in Gilbert

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Tribune Executive Editor

The announcement by a nightclub conglomerate that it is coming to the Heritage District has uncorked a wave of protests on social media from Gilbert residents.

Gilbert officials reacted quickly to the opposition from residents that spread like wildfire over Evening Entertainment Group’s plans to open a Bottled Blonde Pizzeria + Beer Garden on the site of the old Bergie’s Coffee Shop at 309 N. Gilbert Road.

Its planned two-story restaurant-bar and rooftop patio would replace a building that dates back to 1919 but it wasn’t so much history that spurred the negative reaction as it was concerns about scantily clad women and drunk patrons invading the district.

The town posted a notice on its website that warned its hands are pretty much tied when it comes to blocking Bottled Blonde.

“The proposed use by the property owner would be allowed through the current Heritage Village Center zoning under Gilbert’s Land Development Code,” the town stated.

“Just as we’ve done with other new businesses in the Heritage District, the Gilbert Police Department will work to ensure that safety is a top priority,” the town said, adding police “will provide input to help enhance the safety and security of any new or existing business in the Heritage District.”

That announcement failed to quell support for an online petition started June 22 by a woman identified only as Ashley B.

The petition ripped Evening Entertainment Group owners Les and Diane Corieri’s plan to replace the one-story coffee shop just north of Topo and Joe’s Real BBQ.

The change.org petition to Town Council drew over 3,300 signatures in a matter of days with a goal of 5,000. It stated, in part:

“We believe that this bar will have a detrimental impact on our community, and we respectfully request that you reconsider its introduction. We believe that the negative consequences outweigh any potential benefits, and we implore you to take our concerns into serious consideration.”

The couple through a spokeswoman declined comment on the burgeoning controversy.

Numerous people chimed into the

Patrons in this picture posted by Bottle Blonde Forth Worth are carrying this bikini-clad woman on a pedestal with a description posted by management states, “This is how your Friday Night should look like.” An almost identical photo is displayed on Bottled Blonde Scottsdale’s Facebook page from that establishment. (Instagram)

change.org petition with statements of their own.

Many bemoaned the loss of what one poster called “a beautiful quaint little place like Bergie’s” while another begged “please do not destroy this historic building.”

Far more opponents on change.org referenced Scottsdale, with one declaring, “Based on the crowds in Scottsdale this venue would be disruptive and sexually suggestive.”

Evening Entertainment Group also owns the Sandbar restaurant in San Tan Village, which has generated a number of complaints about noise and safety from neighbors.

Two non-fatal shootings occurred there last year and a Gilbert Police spokeswoman last fall told the Gilbert Sun News the department reviewed recent calls for service at the business and planned to meet

with the Sandbar management team to “discuss community concerns related to safety and identify solutions that will promote a safe and welcoming environment.”

Plans for Bottled Blonde Gilbert have been in the works since at least the beginning of the year, judging by data from Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com.

It reported that the 74-squarefoot Bergie’s and .2 acres were purchased for $3.1 million on Jan. 3 by Utahbased Wags Capital and subsidiary WAGSCAP LLC. WAGSCAP is partnering with Evening Entertainment Group in Bottle Blonde Gilbert and grew out of a food-and-beverage business.

The Gilbert transaction came about a month and a half before Evening Entertainment Group announced plans to invest $50 million in construction of a Bottled Blonde on the Las Vegas Strip in the Grand Bazaar Shops, an open-air retail hub outside the former Bally’s Casino.

That three-story Vegas venue, slated to open in late 2024, included a website statement that said: “When the lights start pulsing and your favorite song comes on … the dance floor becomes the hottest destination because according to Vodka, You can dance!”

The Corieris opened their first Bottled Blonde in 2014 in half of an Old Town Scottsdale disco and have since opened venues in Nashville, Tennessee; Miami, Florida and three major Texas cities.

They also owned one in Chicago they shut down in 2020. That city revoked Bottled Blonde Chicago’s license in 2017, triggering a lengthy legal battle that included a countersuit by the Corieris.

After the establishment closed, a Chicago restaurant blog called Chicago.eater. com described the “five years of turmoil” Bottled Blonde had created for the Chicago neighborhood of River North, a popular arts and music district.

“Neighbors waged a battle against the ‘contemporary Italian restaurant’ even before it opened in 2015,” eater.chicago wrote. “While licensed as a restaurant, neighbors complained it was operated like a nightclub.

“There were noise complaints to police and frustration about traffic congestion as patrons lined up near Wells and Illinois streets. Videos showed patrons exiting the venue late at night and vomiting on sidewalks,” it said, adding:

“Bottled Blonde brought a college spring break mentality to Chicago… Bottled Blonde management has maintained it wasn’t treated fairly by the city. They’ve tried to work with neighbors by hiring additional security. But ultimately, it was the business climate that led to the closure.”

The Chicago Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department provided a statement to eater.com that said Bottle Blonde “has a history of egregious license violations, including over-occupancy, noise violations, public urination, vomiting, and other problematic conditions that have had a serious impact on neighbors and the surrounding community.

“The City is pleased that yesterday’s action will end three years of legal proceedings with the permanent closure of this problem business.”

Such descriptions differ sharply from what the Corieris have promised to bring to the Heritage District and what a Miami blog said about their Bottled Blonde in the Florida city.

Bottled Blonde was described by a Miami newspaper as a concept that “embodies the couple’s version of a ‘high-energy’ establishment that offers up a sports bar, Italian-themed lunch and dinner menus and a late-night venue under one roof.”

see BLONDE page 13

CUSD board member finds 1 a lonely number

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

Kurt Rohrs was part of a wave of parental rights school board candidates who had success in the last election.

He’s finding that being a pioneer can be lonely at times.

Rohrs’ proposal for Chandler Unified School District to come up with a policy for handling its financial reserves died at the Governing Board’s June 28 meeting because none of the other members would give it a second.

Without a second, there was no discussion and no vote.

It is not the first time a Rohrs’ proposal has failed to get a second. It appears that on at least some issues, Rohrs is in a minority of one with the four other board members united against him.

Rohrs was one of 38 candidates the parental rights group Purple for Parents endorsed in the 2022 election across Arizona. Of those hopefuls, 20 won seats.

“Reserve funds help the district through contingencies such as the financial crisis of 2009-2010 and through periodic delays in the delivery of annual state funding for use by the district,” Rohrs wrote in prepared remarks he hoped to give during debate on the issue.

Since there was no discussion, he was unable to give them.

“This important issue also points out the need for a formal financial policy on operating reserves that establishes target balances for our contingency reserve funding, reporting current balances, how these funds are held, and how they are managed,” he said.

One question Rohrs said he’s been trying to get an answer to is how much extra money the district has.

Lana Berry, the district’s chief financial officer, said the answer is complicated and did not provide a number.

She said CUSD does not have a contingency fund, but 65 different funds and each with their own restrictions on how they can be used.

In some of them, the district cannot roll money over from one fiscal year to the

next. In others, it can.

Berry told Rohrs last year that the district has less than 15% of its aggregate budget, which would be about $70 million, in unrestricted reserve funds.

However, that number does not include all the rollovers in the restricted funds.

Rohrs in his remarks said he’s been trying to track down that number. He has settled on $153.6 million.

“Another much simpler way to calculate operating reserves is to take the year end cash on hand – which would be unspent monies, less capital funding, debt service liabilities, and accrued expenses – to determine how much extra cash is available before the new fiscal year funding is received,” Rohrs wrote.

That’s how he came up with $153.6 million.

He also said there are no “restricted” funds.

“Funds are designated as either “non-spendable” or not in spendable form,” he wrote. “

He said the funds are “’Restricted,’ usually by Arizona statutory requirements; ‘assigned,’ where funds are intended, but not required to be spent for certain purposes, and ‘unassigned’ which are all other funds not otherwise designated.

“Operating funds held by the district are separated into distinct categories. There is ‘general fund’ and ‘other monies.’ There are no funds designated as ‘restricted’ in the general operating fund.”

During her presentation, Berry explained the process the district follows when a board member, or any member of the public, suggests a policy change.

First, staff must fully research it to make sure it does not conflict with any existing policies or procedures. Then, lawyers must examine it to ensure it complies with all state statutes.

Rohrs had expressed frustration with how long it took to get his proposal that he made in mid-May on the agenda.

For now, he is in the minority. He may not be alone for long. There is an election in 2024 where three board seats will be decided. 

Expires 7/31/23.

Abortion may effectively be decriminalized in Arizona

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

She won’t use the word “decriminalization’’ to describe the fact she won’t ever prosecute any doctor who performs abortion in Arizona.

But in an extensive interview with Capitol Media Services, Attorney General Kris Mayes acknowledged that a new executive order by Gov. Hobbs gives her –and her alone – total say over enforcement of all criminal laws that govern the procedure.

County attorneys are stripped of their ability to decide whether to bring charges.

Mayes made it clear she will never pursue such cases as long as she holds that office.

In signing the executive order two weeks ago, Hobbs said she wanted to be sure that there was consistent enforcement among the 15 counties amid legal wrangling over which of two competing laws restricting the procedure would be enforced: One banning all abortions except to save the life of the mother and the other allowing it through the 15th week of pregnancy.

That fight is currently before the Arizona Supreme court.

But Mayes told Capitol Media Services said she is taking all prosecutorial power away from the 15 county attorneys, not just on that one dispute over the two conflicting laws.

Mayes said she is assuming the exclusive right to enforce – or not enforce – other laws, including one that makes it a crime to terminate a pregnancy because of the race or gender of the fetus.

Ditto with a law that criminalizes abortions in cases where the sole reason a woman seeks to terminate a pregnancy is because of a genetic defect.

And with county attorneys stripped of their ability to enforce those laws, that means no doctor or health professional who performs any abortion at all will end up in court.

That even includes late-term abortions, those after viability of the fetus, which always have been illegal under Arizona law.

With local prosecutors now preempted, would Mayes pursue charges?

“I think the premise of your question is a red herring,’’ Mayes responded.

“You’re talking about a hypothetical that almost never happens,’’ she said. “And

when it happens it is almost always a medical emergency’’ which she said is allowed under the still-disputed law permitting abortions through the 15th week of pregnancy.

But there are other statutes which have been enforceable until now.

There’s the 2011 law makes it a felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison, for a doctor to terminate a pregnancy “knowing that the abortion is sought based solely on the sex or race of the child or the race of the parent of that child.’’

A federal judge dismissed the challenge saying he would not consider it until there was an actual woman who was denied an abortion under the law. To date there is no record of such a case.

More recently, a different federal judge refused to block enforcement of a 2021 law that carries a one-year prison term for a doctor to terminate a pregnancy if the woman is seeking the procedure because of a fetal genetic defect.

That same law allows the father of an unborn child who is married to the mother to file suit on behalf of that child for violations of the law, or for the parent of an unmarried minor to take such legal action.

Mayes, who became attorney general in January, has refused to defend the law. The federal judge has since allowed Republican legislative leaders to step in in her place to mount a defense.

Mayes told Capitol Media Services that she would not prosecute anyone under those laws even if their legality is upheld.

“You understand what my position on abortion is, which is this is not a place for government intervention,’’ she said. “You

also understand that I believe that prosecutorial resources should not be spent on trying doctors in jail.’’

Mayes said Hobbs, in issuing the executive order, shares those positions.

That order, Mayes said, “centralizes the authority over abortion-related criminal prosecutions,’’ taking away the ability of the 15 elected county attorneys to pursue charges against those who violate any of those laws and giving it to her, someone who already has said she won’t prosecute anyone.

Still, Mayes declined to call it “decriminalization’’ of abortion laws.

“I don’t know that I accept your terminology,’’ she said. “But I have been clear that we are not going to prosecute doctors and women in the state of Arizona for abortion, period.’’

That part about prosecuting women, however, is a red herring of its own: State lawmakers voted two years ago to repeal statutes that make women who seek or obtain an abortion criminally liable.

Of course, all that presumes the decision by the governor to give Mayes all power over all abortion cases is legal.

Mayes insists it is, starting with the statute that gives the attorney general “supervisory powers’’ over county attorneys.

More specifically, Mayes is relying on a state statute that says the attorney general, at the direction of the governor, can prosecute in any proceeding in state count in which the state is a party or has an interest.

But there is nothing in that provision that at the same time removes the prosecutorial authority of elected county attorneys.

“County attorneys would be prosecuting under state law,’’ she said. “And so this is

essentially the governor and I centralizing the prosecution of state law where it belongs – in this matter, under the attorney general’s office.’’

Mayes sidestepped the question of whether that allows her, at the direction of the governor, to wrest control from county attorneys the ability to prosecute any other law based on a claim of ensuring equal enforcement among all counties.

“What I would say to that is, this is not something that the governor and I took lightly,’’ she said.

“And it is also something that I think should be rarely utilized,’’ Mayes continued. “And I think this was one of those instances where it was very appropriate and necessary to invoke this statute and for these potential prosecutions to be centralized under one roof.”

Mayes also claims there is precedent for the action the governor took in wresting these cases from local prosecutors.

It goes back nearly half a century, to charges brought against John Harvey Adamson, who lured Arizona Republic reported Don Bolles to a hotel in 1976 with the promise of a news tip. A bomb exploded under the reporter’s car and he died 11 days later.

Raul Castro, who was governor at the time, directed fellow Democratic Attorney General Bruce Babbitt to take over the prosecution from Maricopa County Attorney Don Harris.

But Rachel Mitchell, the current county attorney and a Republican, said what’s missing from Mayes’ precedent is why.

A judge had declared a mistrial in the first bid to prosecute Adamson, an action Mitchell said was caused by public statements being made by Harris.

“Only then did the attorney general ask the governor to allow the Attorney General’s Office to prosecute the case,’’ Mitchell said.

Babbitt, in an interview with Capitol Media Services, confirmed the events, including the concerns about undermining the possibility of a conviction if Harris was left in charge of the prosecution.

Under his office, Adamson was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, though his sentence was reduced after he agreed to testify against others.

What’s different here, Mitchell said, is that Hobbs, by executive order, removed not just one case but an entire category of

see ABORTION page 13

Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, pictured here from a different press conference earlier this year, may be decriminalizing abortion in Arizona. (Special to the Tribune)

In their announcement, the Corieris said Bottled Blonde Gilbert would feature a full-service family restaurant, bar and beer garden.

“Bottled Blonde will also be a hub for sports and entertainment thanks to the expansive space decked out with oversized TVs, and state-of-the-art light and sound installations,” their announcement said.

Heading up design is the Dalke Design Group, which the release said has “worked to ensure an ideal t within the Heritage District while collaborating with renowned acoustic engineers to ensure the good times stay within the four walls.”

“We’re honored to bring Bottled Blonde to the East Valley, and have been looking for just the right space in downtown Gilbert for several years now,” Les Corieri said in the announcement.

“We love what Joe Johnston has pioneered out here, and are looking forward to joining other incredible operators like Upward Projects and Fox Restaurant Concepts to continue leveling up the East Valley experience.”

“I can’t wait to invite everyone over for some pizza and pints, kicking back at the communal tables watching the big game and soaking in the good vibes.”

e change.org petition supporters weren’t so enamored by the prospect of “good vibes” and told Town Council that Bottled Blonde will generate anything but.

“Families and individuals alike will be a ected by the increased noise, disruption of peace, and potential rise in unlawful activities associated with such establishments,” the petition alleged.

“ e peaceful and safe environment that we have all come to cherish in Gilbert

ABORTION from page 12

potential o enses from the purview of locally elected county attorneys.

ere is currently no one accused of violating any abortion laws.

Mitchell also said while this order is about abortion, she said the precedent Hobbs and Mayes are setting would allow a future governor to take unilateral control over entire categories of which cases will be pursued and which will not, regardless of whether state law has been changed.

And that, she said, could lead, on one extreme, to decisions made to target police o cers for prosecution to making a poli-

This photo posted by Bottled Blonde Miaimi on April 25 included the comment from management: “your #1 destination to watch all sporting events! who’s coming tomorrow to watch the US Open Cup?!” (Instagram)

will be compromised, and the well-being of our community members, particularly children and the elderly, will be put at risk,” it also said.

A few days after the town’s initial reaction, Mayor Brigette Peterson posted her own.

She stated that while no applications for the project have yet been submitted to the town, an architect and unspeci ed others related to Evening Entertainment Group met with Gilbert planners, police and economic development sta .

But Peterson warned residents that he “has no jurisdiction over private land sales.”

Echoing the town’s own advisory, Peterson said that Bottled Blonde Gilbert would be allowed “through the current Heritage Village Center zoning under Gilbert’s Land Development Code.”

cy decision not to bring charges against those accused of retail theft.

Mayes brushed aside the question, saying this should be seen only in the context of abortion laws.

She said none of her actions and that of Hobbs to block enforcement of those laws should be a surprise to anyone who was paying attention during the 2022 campaign in which both were elected.

“It’s, I think, the culmination of our collective promise to the people of Arizona to defend their fundamental right to make their own private medical decisions without governmental interference,’’ she said. 

sign review process does not require Town Council involvement unless the Redevelopment Commission’s decision is appealed.

“And even then the Town Council would only have the latitude to discuss/vote on design review items – not the use/user,” Peterson wrote.

Scottsdale Police could not immediately say whether Bottled Blonde in Old Town has presented any more problems than any of the other bars and nightclubs in that district.

e concept’s Instagram pages for Scottsdale venue and those in Miami and Texas feature numerous photos of scantily clad young women, some carried by men either on their shoulders or on pedestals.

Peterson also said “any proposal for a new building or expansion more than 5,000 square feet in the Heritage District is required to go through the public review process within the Redevelopment Commission’s design review.”

But Peterson also warned that the de-

While a few pictures focus on menu items, most re ect a party atmosphere at the establishments with virtually no families gathered around a table watching a game and eating pizza.

Perhaps the thought of that atmosphere was what prompted one resident on change.org to write:

“Our family- rst community, does not need scantily clad employees for passerbys to see.” 

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Gabriel’s Angels seeks volunteers to comfort kids

BY GERI KOEPPEL Tribune Contributor

When the term “pet therapy” comes up, most people think of animals visiting hospitals, assisted living centers, and maybe even dentists’ o ces to make people feel better, but schools and shelters don’t generally come to mind.

Gabriel’s Angels, however, is dedicated to providing a di erent type of pet therapy: It sends registered teams comprising a person and their pet—almost always a dog—to provide free animal-assisted activities to at-risk kids.

e nonpro t works to improve social and emotional development, using the natural bond children have with animals.

“We know that the unconditional love of a dog can heal a child, and that’s really the basis of everything we do,” said Melissa Steimer, CEO of Gabriel’s Angels, which was named after a dog that spurred the creation of the nonpro t.

Founded more than two decades ago in Ahwatukee Foothills to help kids experiencing trauma and neglect, Gabriel’s Angels now serves about 75 schools and facilities throughout the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

Another 20 locations, including nine in the East Valley, are on a waiting list, so the group is putting out a call for more volunteers to meet the need.

“We know coming out of COVID … there is a mental health pandemic among youth,” Steimer said. Arizona has “youth suicide, gun violence—all of the things that are obstacles for kids to learn and become healthy adults.”

Gabriel’s Angels has grown over the years and at one point in 2019 had about 185 teams, Steimer said. But it lost about two-thirds of them during COVID and now is only up to about 105.

Even if they rebuild to the earlier numbers, Steimer said, it wouldn’t be enough because the demand is greater today than it was pre-pandemic.

And volunteers can’t just drop in now and then when it’s convenient. Even though the visits are only for 60 or 90 minutes, volunteers must make a weekly or bimonthly visit for a span of time.

“ at is the hardest thing for us is we need committed volunteers who can stay with a child for at least 12 weeks,” Steimer explained.

Amy Vericker, director of communications for Child Crisis Arizona, the rst facility Gabriel’s Angels ever served, said interacting with pets is important in not only comforting kids but breaking the cycle of generational abuse.

“’Love,’ ‘attention’ and ‘comfort’ are not words these kids are familiar with,” she noted.

Working with pets gives them “the tools to know what safe, loving households and relationships look like and sound like,” Vericker added.

Gabriel’s Angels has opportunities for people to work with kids of various ages and in di erent settings, from reading to them one-on-one to working in groups and doing activities. e group gives volunteers

ongoing training, materials and support. e group aims to teach kids seven core behaviors: Attachment, self-regulation, afliation, respect, tolerance, empathy and con dence.

“Once those core behaviors and social/ emotional development are there,” Steimer added, “that’s the bridge to learning.”

Volunteers say they immediately see the bene t they bring to children.

Ray Ritchotte of Chandler and his English Springer Spaniel show dog, Blake (named after Blake Shelton), work with autistic kids at Chandler schools.

Some kids can be out of control while others might sit in a corner and not interact at all, Ritchotte said. But when he and Blake arrive, he said, “It just change[s] the kids.”

Students hug Blake and calm down so they’re either no longer aggressive or come out of their shells, he noted. Ritchotte shows them how to brush and care for an animal and explains that they have feelings, too.

“To know I made a di erence in that child for the day,” Ritchotte said, “it gives you a good feeling to see the smiles on

these kids instead of the frowns.”

Virtual information sessions about opportunities to assist Gabriel’s Angels are available on the last Tuesday of each month.

People without pets can volunteer as a “Helping Hand,” and all humans must get a ngerprint clearance card. Pets must be registered through the Alliance of erapy Dogs or Pet Partners.

“ ere’s a test that [dogs] have to pass and you have to make sure they’re up with their shots and they have to be properly groomed,” said volunteer Kristine Kassel of Ahwatukee, who was a Gabriel’s Angels board member from 2006-14.

She added that dogs have to learn to sit and stay and not react to other dogs or food.

Also, they should not be prone to nipping, jumping or other high-energy behaviors, she said, and Steimer mentioned dogs need to be patient with kids petting and even pulling on them.

Kassel and her labradoodle, Teddy, go to Carlson Elementary School in Chandler every other Tuesday, and she calls the visits “Teddy Tuesdays.”

e biggest challenge she sees nowadays, she said, is that the students have a lot of stress and anxiety, and pets help calm them down.

“It’s a heartening feeling,” to work with kids, Kassel said.

“I feel like Teddy did something today; we did something today. We reached a milestone here with making this child feel a certain way today.” She added, “You can see how content and happy they are.”

And helping kids bene ts volunteers, too.

“Life is so much better when you’re doing something for someone else,” Ritchottte said. “I recommend anybody who wants to do something for people, for kids, [to] go and learn how to do therapy work with your dog. Have the dog certi ed. It’s the greatest thing in the world to do.”

For more information about volunteering with Gabriel’s Angels, visit gabrielsangels.org or call 602-266-0875. 

Coco, a registered therapy dog with Gabriels Angels, gets a hug from a student at the school she serves with her owner-handler Vickie Healey. (Courtesy of Gabriel’s Angels)

QC couple anxious to open their new restaurant here

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Sta Writer

For Queen Creek newcomers Kayla and Peter Lardakis, it all started over feta cheese, something native North Dakotan Kayla had never had before.

“My mom put the brick out and we were gonna cut it,” Peter remembers of the time he took Kayla home to Chicago to meet his parents, immigrants from Greece. “Kayla took a bite of a piece,” he chuckled. “We let her eat the whole brick.”

“I was born and raised in the city of Chicago. A city slicker,” he said. “I met a farm girl. And there you go, crazy Greek and allAmerican white girl.”

Kayla still loves Feta cheese. It was among her go-to foods when she was pregnant.

And Peter Lardakis still loves to connect with people through their stomachs. ey went on to become experienced restaurateurs in Chicago, but moved during the pandemic to Arizona to be close to her parents.

But they did not get out of the restaurant business, as so many people had to during pandemic, but to double down on it by opening a new place.

“It is a di cult time. But we like a challenge,” Kayla said. “ e world has thrown a lot of curveballs at us. And we’ve, so far done all right with it.

ey are set this fall to open the Badlands Bar and Grill in the former Lone Star Café at Ocotillo and Ellsworth roads, ve minutes from their home.

“We’re hoping that this spot, can really be the neighborhood spot for everybody, our friends, family,” she added.

ough they own a Badlands Bar and Grill in Tempe, the couple is quick to point out that Badlands will not become a chain.

It is a local restaurant, run by local people to serve local people – and anyone else who happens to come along.

“We try to go for a really authentic like home cooking type of feel,” she said. “Everything that we serve, we try to serve from

scratch. ... It’s predominantly American food, but with a little air of where both of us are from.”

Added her husband: “American food with a Greek twist.”

For example, Kayla’s good, old fashioned North Dakota meat loaf recipe will be on one line of the menu right next to a traditional Greek gyro, Mediterranean style.

“America is used to lamb and beef gyros,” he said. “But the authentic gyro is actually pork. So, we’re going to try both options and see what the people love.

“And just give people good quality food. at’s my thing. We want to make sure people come in there, and they go home happy with excellent quality food and great service.”

Genuineness and authenticity have always been the Lardakis mantra. ose qualities play out in their food and service, but there is even meaning in the names

of their restaurants, starting with the rst place they ran together in Chicago, the Dakota 94.

Peter said of U.S. Interstate 94, the main artery connecting Chicago to points west, including North Dakota:

“When we were dating, we would take that 94 for 16 hours all the way to her house,” Peter said. “We have a lot of memories from that drive.”

Peter and Kayla told their family in Chicago that, despite the pandemic, they were heading west to try their hand in the restaurant business in a state with fewer COVID restrictions.

Kayla was an Army medic, but more importantly for their business, she was a math major in college.

“I love numbers,” she said. “So that’s kind of my biggest asset with our team is that I love to do the numbers. I love to crunch the numbers and gure out what

you have to charge for things.

“You have to go down to the amount of garlic powder you put in something, you know, and gure out what it all costs with the overhead. You just really have to be very diligent about every little cost.”

One area that has always surprised Kayla is how hard it is to attract and retain a good sta .

“It’s very di cult right now to nd people to come to work and it’s not just the restaurant industry. I think that’s everywhere,” she said. “Every time, I say hiring is the worst part of my job.”

While she keeps a keen eye on the books, she is also just as likely to be in the kitchen helping the cooks, behind the bar, or waiting tables if that is what needs to be done. If she is still in over her head, there is another strategy.

“I love my rosé,” she chuckled. “And we have rosé on draft there too.” 

Peter and Kayla Lardakis only let their kids Sia and William behind the bar at Badlands for photo shoots. (Courtesy of the Lardakis Family)

Has County Recorder hurt his re-election chances?

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

Harry Truman had this advice for opponents who objected to his roughand-tumble political attacks: “If you can’t stand the heat, le a lawsuit!”

Wait a minute…that’s not right.

Our 33rd President actually said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”

Instead, it is Maricopa County’s 30th Recorder who has responded to the heat of political criticism by pursuing a litigious strategy.

County Recorder Stephen Richer has led a defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake, the 2022 Republican nominee for governor.

One local political blog describes it as an “after-the-fact senseless internecine battle,” which is partially true.

Medicare should pay for new Alzheimer’s treatment

Seeing your loved one pass away from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can be crushing. It’s a slow, painful experience, not just for the person living with the disease, but also for their family and loved ones, who often feel as though they have no hope.

I saw my own mother pass away from dementia. But I also saw her last years ex-

e litigation is also intended to put Lake in legal jeopardy, but it may instead expose the Recorder to genuine political jeopardy.

Richer rolled out his announcement of the lawsuit via Twitter, concluding his lengthy tweet by thanking former Arizona Republic reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, now writing for e Washington Post, and her colleague, Mariana Alfaro.

He then added these two sentences before linking the piece from the Post: “It is the rst interview I’ve given on this. And it is the only one I will give today.”

Now why would Richer choose to trumpet his “exclusive” for the Post? Politics.

A quick check of the Richer’s personal Twitter feed reveals a “pinned tweet” under his pro le – an invitation to “contribute today to Stephen’s re-election campaign.”

As a candidate for re-election, Richer’s political instincts told him his treatment

tended and her quality of life improved thanks to experimental treatments from Johns Hopkins University.

Treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease patients has improved after the FDA approved monoclonal antibodies that have been shown safe and e ective at reducing amyloid plaque, a major cause of Alzheimer’s, from the brain.

Unfortunately, this important treatment isn’t available to enough patients because

by the Post would be “friendly.”

Sure enough, the Post obliged, faithfully passing along Richer’s assertion “that misinformation spread about him by Lake and her a liates has harmed his relationships with friends, family and past political supporters.”

But one candidate’s misinformation can actually be a passionate opinion shared by many and based on valid observations.

Or, as Gerald Rafshoon, Jimmy Carter’s White House communications director put it, “perception is reality.”

e reality is that Stephen Richer’s 2024 campaign will center around the perception that he is a “victim.”

Unfortunately for him, that will be difcult, as many 2022 voters believe they were victims of real di culties they experienced on Election Day.

Richer himself ran into Post-Election Day di culties in 2022 that could also harm his chances in ’24. During a special public meeting of the Board of Supervi-

the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), won’t cover these monoclonal antibodies for patients su ering from the disease.

is level of overreach by CMS is unprecedented: they haven’t restricted access to treatments for other life-threatening diseases like cancer and HIV. In those instances, they’ve let patients and their doctors pursue the course of action that most makes sense for them. Just like those

sors on Nov. 28, he was dismissive of the criticisms and concerns expressed by several citizens in attendance, disdainfully describing the grassroots skepticism as “conspiracy theories promoted on social media by people who know nothing.”

In so doing, Richer violated a simple political rule espoused by the late Jack Kemp: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Richer’s educational resume’ re ects academic rigor: a bachelor’s degree from Tulane; a master’s from the University of Chicago; and his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School.

Undoubtedly, his legal training leads him to believe he can prevail in the defamation lawsuit he has led against Lake.

But whether he will prevail in his re-election bid remains doubtful.

What may be the nal step in Richer’s civic education comes down to this: Politics ain’t beanbag…and losing ain’t fun. 

other diseases, the earlier treatment is started for Alzheimer’s and dementia, the better the outcomes will be for the patient.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been a leader when it comes to caring for Alzheimer’s patients, and I urge her to be a leader again by telling CMS to change their coverage determination that is preventing so many Alzheimer’s patients from accessing the treatment they need.

- Kevin Sloan

Boys’ Section 7 weekend bigger than ever

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

It all kicked o ursday night with a rst for most high school basketball players: a 3-point contest and slam dunk competition, much like what is seen during All-Star Weekend in the NBA.

But that’s what the goal of Section 7 was this year and has been since it moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale in 2021, to provide an All-Star atmosphere for the over 160 teams invite from across the country.

e event featured 12 courts sprawled across the concrete oor where the Cardinals’ playing eld usually sits.

e schools, with rosters out tted with college talent for every level, had the opportunity to play in front of more than 400 college coaches. But Section 7, which seeming gets bigger every year, got even bigger this time around.

“When I look at this, what I see is unbelievable players, I see tremendous high school coaches and we’ve always looked at it as an opportunity to serve them,” King said. “ ey’re the heroes of the story. We just kind of set the table, get out of their way and do their thing.

“Section 7 has become what Section 7 is because we have great players, great coaches and west coast basketball is really good.”

New to Section 7 this year was the implementation of a play-in style qualifying tournament. Over 90 teams from Arizona were invited to compete in the quali er, with 12 brackets created. e winners of each bracket moved on to the weekend session, where some of the top teams and players competed over the course of three days.

Casteel was one of those teams that made it out of the quali er by winning its bracket. e Colts then went on to nish 2-2 at Section 7, beating teams from out of state. ey’re long, athletic and physical in the paint. eir bigs have the ability to out-rebound teams and they have shooters along the perimeter.

Head Coach Aaron Windler was glad his team could showcase that at Section 7.

of a kind.

Like his teammates, he wanted the chance to make it to the weekend and play in front of college coaches to showcase his talent. At 6-foot-5, he will play a pivotal role for the Colts this upcoming winter.

“I wanted to hurry up and get to the big games,” Casteel junior guard Amare King said. “It’s a big opportunity.” is year was Eastmark’s rst taste of Section 7 as a program. Like Casteel, the Firebirds were invited to the qualifying tournament to play their way into the weekend.

“It’s something we look forward to,” Windler said. “ e quali er is a unique, competitive way to get to the weekend. It’s a great opportunity to do this at the high school level and not at the club level.

“We see them a majority of the year. Club coaches see them for a few months out of the

year. I think it’s really bene cial for us and bene cial for the kids. ey’re enjoying it.”

Casteel junior Amare King said he felt like a star walking into Section 7. e light show in the players’ tunnel gave o an AllStar feel, while the atmosphere playing on the 12 courts inside the stadium was one

Eastmark fell short of qualifying for the tournament, but Head Coach Joe Babinski said the opportunity to play in that environment was special for his players and specifically for some of the leaders on the team. It was their opportunity to show how they react to a stressful environment, while also showcasing what they can do on the oor to college coaches.

“We’re a new school so anything positive like this, getting into something like this, really helps the kids’ con dence,” Babinski said. “Last year we didn’t get the chance to play to get in. is year, we did.”

Eastmark returns several of its starters from last season, including junior guard Rhys Walcott and senior forward Tim Gorham.

Babinski believes how they conduct themselves on the oor is also a key trait college coaches look for. ey did well at Section 7.

“ ey’re better leaders and more outspoken,” Babinski said. “ ey’re more positive, which is what I like. Sometimes last year we had too much negativity among players and these guys are positive.”

King said Section 7 was an idea he had while sitting on his couch one night. He doesn’t know what the future holds for the event next year, or how much it will grow as it has on a yearly basis. For now, his goal is maintaining its success.

“When you build something, you work so hard to establish it,” King said. “Now, I think most of our work will be to protect it. 

Eastmark junior guard Rhys Walcott showcased his skills on the court and ability to lead the Firebirds while at Section 7 in the qualifier. Even though they fell short of making it to the weekend, Head Coach Joe Babinski believes his team still made progress in their first appearance at the event. (Dave Minton/Sta Photographer)

Casteel junior guard Amare King said he felt like a star walking into Section 7 with all the lights in the tunnel. Then, he and his team got to work, winning their qualifying bracket to advance to the main weekend, an opportunity he wanted. (Dave Minton/Sta Photographer)

July 4th brings a plethora of nearby events

GETOUT STAFF

As the town’s premier agritainment center, Schnepf Farms, 24810 South Rittenhouse Road, is not about to let Independence Day go by without a bang.

Its Hometown 4th celebration on Tuesday promises an evening lled with food trucks, craft vendors, patriotic programming, live music, water in atables and reworks. e fun starts at 4 p.m.

Tickets start at $40 a carload and to mitigate tra c, guests will be given an arrival time slot to enter the farm. Once on the site, guests are encouraged to stay for the duration of the event.

VIP tickets include a catered barbecue dinner, unlimited soda and water, a private bar and an air-conditioned barn, front-row seating to the grand reworks display and more.

Info: schnep arms.com/events-on-thefarm or 480-987-3100.

Here’s a roundup of other July 4 events:

GILBERT

Celebrants will ll Gilbert Regional Park for an event featuring performances by Buddy Martell and Voyager, reworks and “aerial entertainment.”

e Independence Day celebration at the park, at 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, runs 4-9:30 p.m.

It’s free but $25 will get you a VIP experiences that includes premier seating to live performances, a bottle of water, reworks, exclusive food and drink vendors, “luxury restrooms” and “Gilbert swag.”

But parking is not included and is rst come, rst serve. Speaking of parking, passes for Gilbert’s 4th of July Celebration will be required to park on-site and will be

on sale that night for credit-card purchases only.

e entire park will be closed starting on July 3 at 10 p.m. through 4 p.m. July 4 to every everyone.

Info: gilbertaz.gov.

Here’s a look at other Independence Day celebrations in the region:

CHANDLER

If you’re in the mood to end Independence Day with a bang, you won’t nd it at Chandler’s 4th of July celebration

Chandler plans a big party to celebrate the Fourth of July, but there will be no reworks because it’s being held in AJ Chandler Park and there is not a big enough drop zone to set reworks o safely, according to a city spokesman.

But there will still be lots of free family friendly o erings at Chandler’s All-American Bash takes place from 7-9:30 p.m. Local band Turn It Up will perform two

60-minute sets on the main stage. A ve-minute pyrotechnic show will be part of the concert.

People can park for free and bring food, non-alcoholic drinks, coolers, and lawn chairs. Alcohol and reworks are not permitted.

MESA

e East Valley has plenty to o er on Independence Day and one of the biggest July 4 events occurs in Mesa, where the AT&T Fiber Arizona Celebration of Freedom is more than a reworks show.

e event features two outdoor stages for entertainment and patriotic programs and additional unique patriotic programs that are out of the heat and inside the Mesa Convention Center.

Stage America will be on the grass outside the Mesa Convention Center, featuring Cold Shott and e Hurricane Horns. A brief Salute to America program will be

on the stage at 9:15 p.m. followed by reworks at 9:30 p.m.

e Mesa Amphitheatre will host Revolutionary War reenactments from We Make History at 6:45 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Patriotic music will be performed by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Arizona Band in between the reenactments.

Other outdoor activities include the Patriotic Military Showcase with various military vehicles on display; the Great All-American Car Show and e BMX Patriotic Superhero Stunt Show with performances at 6:30 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 8:10 p.m.

Several patriotic programs will be inside the air-conditioned Mesa Convention Center, including the Let Freedom Ring Laser Light Show. e spectacular laser displays, photos and patriotic music will be at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

e Fallen Soldiers Memorial is a breathtaking memorial honoring the Arizona fallen heroes from the war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Historic ags of the U.S. will be presented at 6:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Information: azcelebrationo reedom. com.

For people who have Monday o , world-class marching music groups meet in Mesa for the 2023 Drums Across the Desert competition beginning at 8 p.m. at Mesa Community College Riggs Stadium, near the southeast corner of Dobson Road and Southern Avenue.

e event features Broadway-style choreographed programs of spectacular music, dance, color and precision formations - presented by skilled groups of brass, drums and ags, whose members are age 16-21.

Tickets begin at $19 and can be purchased online at.arizonaacademy.org.

Schnepf Farms plans to celebrate the nation’s birthday Tuesday with a spectacular family friendly Hometown 4th. (Vimeo)

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