QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE, NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Town freezes tax rate / P.3

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QC board candidates field questions on election’s eve

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

COMMUNITY ...........14 Hero leads East Valley Veterans Parade.

BUSINESS ..............18 ‘Plant Lady’ helps East Valley gardens grow.

Sunday, November 6, 2022

A

s Campaign 2022 barrels to a finale Tuesday, two local elections of importance to Queen Creek Unified School District appear amid high-profile state races, a U.S. Senate contest and 10 major state propositions.

Three candidates are competing for two seats on the Queen Creek Unified Governing

Legion leader has big plans for veterans

Board. Two are incumbents and one is making his first venture into local politics.

Also on the ballot is a $198-million bond issue.

The board will be faced with a host of challenges, ranging from a sharp uptick in mental health cases following the pandemic-driven campus shutdown, double-digit student enrollment growth and managing soaring student population growth with or without the bond.

Incumbent board President Ken Brague and member Samantha Davis are seeking re-election. Also running is James Knox a newcomer to Arizona politics and a former Montana legislator.

Brague has been on the board for 13 years, five as president. Davis is seeking her second four-year term.

If approved, the bond measure would help

see ELECTION page 10

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

SPORTS ................... 22 Coaches use their experience in military to shepherd teams.

COMMUNITY.........................14 BUSINESS...............................18 OPINION..................................20 SPORTS................................... 22 GET OUT..................................24 CLASSIFIEDS.........................26

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ou could easily be excused for not knowing that the American Legion has a presence in Queen Creek. Any presence at all.

Crammed in a tiny office in the back of the Chamber of Commerce building along old Ellsworth Road, 47-year-old Navy veteran Steve Cain, Post Commander of Duane Ellsworth American Legion Post 129, sits amid storage boxes, cleaning supplies, a few mismatched desks and chairs, and bags and bags of old,

see VETERAN page 5

Steve Cain, Commander of the Duane Ellsworth American Legion Post 129 in Queen Creek has a big vision for serving veterans in the region. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Central Arizona College www.centralaz.edu

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

QC Council freezes property taxes for 5 years

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

T

own Council has voted to freeze property taxes for Queen Creek homeowners for the next five years, effective the second half of 2023.

As the town grows and new houses are built, Queen Creek will collect property taxes from those houses, effectively expanding the tax base. At the same time, assessed property values will be increasing on existing homes.

The net result is that the council feels the town can afford to freeze taxes for current homeowners.

“The levy rate will drop by 5% per year as the assessed value increases by 5% per year,” said Finance Director Scott McCarty.

There are two conditions for the tax freeze.

For every $1,000 that a home is worth in Queen Creek, the owner is currently assessed $1.83 in property taxes. That rate must drop to $1.40 and stay there for five years.

(Median Value Home) Assessed Value (+5% Annually)

Levy Rate (-5% Annually)

Property Tax

FY 22-23

$241K

$1.83

$441

FY 23-24

$253K

$1.74

$441

FY 24-25

$266K

$1.66

$441

FY 25-26

$280K

$1.58

$441

FY 26-27

$294K

$1.50

$441

FY 27-28

$308K

$1.40

$441

NO CHANGE

The amount a homeowner would pay in annual property taxes would stay the same for the next five years, according to the town’s calculations. (Town of Queen Creek) The other condition is that the total amount of property tax revenue collected will have to cover 20% of the costs of public safety services.

“We believe both those conditions will be met for the next five years,” McCarty said, “which leads you to the conclusion that existing property tax payers will pay the same amount this year for the next five

years.”

Sometimes a property tax freeze has a domino effect and municipalities are forced to put a freeze on police and fire department hiring, as well as other services.

McCarty said that is not the case with the council’s decision to pass this measure.

“We believe it affirms the council’s priority about public safety,” McCarty said.

“There is nothing in this policy that would restrict you from increasing public safety expenses as you so desired.

“If you want to hire ‘x’ firefighters, ‘x’ police officers, there is nothing in this policy that would restrict you from doing that.”

According to the town’s data, Queen Creek stands to collect $16.8 million in new property taxes by fiscal year 2027-28, whereas that number is $12.5-million now.

“Yes, the amount of total property taxes that we receive is going to increase year over year, but that’s coming from new construction not from existing taxpayers,” McCarty said.

“It’s only November, but it seems like and it feels like Christmas,” said Vice Mayor Jeff Brown. “This is like June 33 of 2020 again: I’ll remind everybody is the last time that this council was able to provide the same certainty and responsibility and lower the primary property tax rate. That is a great thing.”

The discussions about property taxes in

see FREEZE page 12

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

QC schools to hire safety coordinator

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

P

rompted by safety and security concerns raised by parents, the Queen Creek Unified School District has approved hiring a safety coordinator.

The safety coordinator would work in schools and cooperate with local law enforcement and emergency responders to craft comprehensive school safety programs for all elementary and secondary campuses.

“Safety and security, as you know, are always of the utmost importance in Queen Creek Unified School District and part of our strategic plan,” said Human Resources Director Dr. Patty Rogers. “With the growth of the district it’s imperative that we continue to maintain the safety and security of all.”

In a nation that seems to have become almost numb to mass casualty shootings on its school campuses, parents have voiced concern to school officials about doing more to avert tragedies before they happen, according to district spokeswoman Jessica Bautista.

“Community feedback allowed us to reflect on our current practices and resulted in a consensus that as enrollment continues to grow, so do the safety and security needs of the district beyond the scope of duties currently assigned to the director of athletics and support services,” Bautista said.

The coordinator position would maintain a safe and secure environment for students, employees, and school visitors.

Duties would include reviewing existing safety and security procedures, developing additional in-depth risk management efforts, and “implementing fire and emergency protocols consistently across all school campuses,” Bautista said.

Valley-wide safety standards and protocols are constantly under review, but even the physical school buildings are being designed differently now.

Prior to the era of gunfire on campuses, schools used to be designed from the center out, with the administration office at the center of campus.

Such a design meant that visitors, wanted or not, had already made it deep into the school grounds before anyone even knew they were there.

As part of multi-million-dollar makeovers at Mesa Mountain View and Mesa high schools, for example, visitors are now routed directly to newly secure administrative offices. They must check in with school officials before they proceed farther onto school property, which is now bordered by fences, monitored by security guards and surveilled electronically with cameras and high-tech warning systems.

That building design will be replicated district wide, according to a MPS spokesperson.

Queen Creek schools are much newer, Bautista said, and have the advantage of

working with more up to date security protocols and close to brand new buildings. However, school violence is not going away in any schools, including those in Queen Creek.

Police are still investigating the circumstances at Legacy Traditional charter school on Barnes Parkway, where a fifth grade boy brought a gun to school in his backpack.

No one was injured in the incident in which police were notified by administrators about the gun after a fellow student alerted them to the gun in the child’s backpack.

The student with the gun told police investigators that he carried it with him because he feared “being bullied” on his way to and from school. A few weeks prior to that incident, a 7-year-old boy in Cochise County was found with two guns at school.

Once hired, the Queen Creek schools safety coordinator will oversee training and evaluation of school security and administrators in the development of safety and emergency response procedures that align with the district’s emergency operations plan.

“The individual holding this position would also represent our district at county and state school safety consortium meetings to advocate for existing and additional school resource officers,” Bautista said.

According to the district web site, the position will pay between $75,795 and $103,748 annually. 

does not prevent it. It has been proven to save lives in people who have overdosed on an opioid.

“Nurses now have access to Narcan should the unthinkable happen to a student at their school. We have also partnered with Banner Health to host an information session for the community to spread awareness about fentanyl,” Berry said.

Recent figures released by the Arizona Youth Survey show that nearly half of high-school aged teenagers in the state report having never heard of the drug, an extremely dangerous statistic according to state and federal officials.

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,”

said Anne Milgram, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration chief said on the DEA website, adding: “Fentanyl is everywhere. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison.”

Arizona has been plagued recently by what is known as “rainbow fentanyl,” brightly colored fentanyl pills disguised to look like candy. “This is another tactic that (drug dealers are) using to get more fentanyl to more people,” Milgram said.

According to the Arizona department of Health Services, 372 people died in the last week from opioid overdoses.

In Arizona, at least five people die from

QC school nurses trained to address drug ODs

BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer

I

n another response to the sign of the times, Queen Creek school nurses were trained recently on the presence and dangers of the synthetic opioid drug fentanyl.

Queen Creek schools Superintendent Dr. Perry Berry during a recent board meeting called fentanyl an “extremely dangerous drug that is devastating families.”

“Nurses were also trained in the administration of Narcan, a medication that can be proven to prevent overdoses in the event of an emergency,” he said.

Narcan actually reverses the effects of an opioid in the event of an overdose, but

see NURSES page 6

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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Bring Your Vision To Life With Custom Design Your Idea • Our Craftmanship

Steve Cain envisions a veterans center like the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance facility, a sprawling building big enough to host large community events (Special to the Tribune)

VETERAN from page 1

weathered and retired American flags.

“We have a spot where the community can drop off worn and tattered flags and we can properly retire them,” Cain explained.

“We’ve probably got close to 500, 700,” the stocky, red bearded Cain added, looking out from under his Navy ball cap.

Retiring them used to involve burning them, Cain said, until the flags started being made with synthetic materials – which released noxious chemicals and smoke when set alight.

Cain served in the Navy from 1994 to 1998 and spent time in Guantanamo Bay and Italy. His plans to be a pilot didn’t work out, which is the whole reason he joined the Navy in the first place.

“Top Gun is my favorite movie,” he said.

From this small office, Cain, along with other volunteers, helps recently retired military veterans find job training skills, financial and medical assistance, as well as other benefits they are entitled to but may not even know about.

“Our main primary purpose is to look out for veterans, making sure veterans have a place to go to seek out other veterans and guide them through the VA process,” Cain said.

When military service members go from active duty to veteran status, they are almost never made aware of what they qualify for or how to get those benefits, in addition to facing other barriers.

“First and foremost is the lack of knowledge they get coming out of the military of what’s available to them” Can said.

“Usually in their out-processing they get some kind of download, go through a program or whatever, but they don’t get many details and most of the time they weren’t really paying attention to what’s provided to them. That is where we could potentially help with where to point them for job services and educational opportunities,” Cain said.

The American Legion office is small. The budget, $2,000 to $3,000 a year, is minuscule. At about 200 vets, the membership base pretty modest, too.

But the vision and the dream are huge, Cain said, as he described the goal of creating a one-of-a-kind service center known as the Southeast Valley Veterans and First Responders Alliance where all the veteran service organizations in the Southeast Valley can come together under one roof, providing a more efficient process to access services for ex-service members and their families.

“My hope is that with this veteran’s center, the American Legion will have a home there. We can actually bring in the VFW, the DAV and all the other veteran service organizations,” Cain said.

“Because down here in the Southeast Valley, we don’t have anything except us. It will be the place for veterans to go to find services.”

But access to veterans’ services is just a small, though vital, part of the new facility as Cain imagines what he said will be a “several million dollar” facility spread across “4 or 5 acres.”

“It’s gonna be costly,” he said. “But with our fundraising efforts that we are antici-

see VETERAN page 6

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Valley folks find better ways to dispose of Halloween pumpkins

BY OLIVIA DOW Cronkite News

H

alloween decorations are coming down, returned to their boxes to collect dust until next year, but the shelflife of our beloved pumpkins is fleeting.

Throwing them out isn’t the answer.

When incinerated or left to rot in a landfill, pumpkins and other food waste emit carbon dioxide and methane, which are major drivers of climate change.

Luckily, groups around metro Phoenix have alternative solutions that are climate friendly.

In Tempe, Rover Elementary School is collecting pumpkins through this weekend for Rihba Farms in San Tan Valley to compost and feed to livestock.

“The pumpkins are actually highly nutritious food for the animals on the farm,” Rover Elementary Principal Dana Lineberger said, “and so it’s part of the partnership we have between farmer Mark (Rhine, from Rhiba Farm) and our school.”

The school started the Great Pumpkin Rescue last year. Rhine took videos of his sheep and chickens digging into the pumpkins, which were shared with students and the Rover community to see where their donated pumpkins went,

VETERAN from page 5

pating, we’ll get it done.”

Cain said the Alliance has applied for non-profit, tax-exempt status, which will allow them to ramp up fundraising efforts next year, focused on constructing a center that can offer community events.

Cain is not just talking about a veteran’s hall. He is talking about a big facility capable of hosting large community events.

“Anywhere from concerts to banquets,” Cain said. We don’t really have a venue in the Queen Creek area for large scale events. “We’re hoping that we’ll have a

NURSES from page 4

opioid overdoses every day, and so far this year, 372 opioid-related deaths have been reported, according to the state Department of Health Services.

Arizona has been aggressive in addressing this issue in schools. It’s one of only six states, along with Washington, Oregon, Rhode Island, Maryland and

Jimmy, a farm hog, is hand-fed pumpkin by Danielle Betterman at Better Piggies Rescue.

Betterman says pumpkins provide great nutritional value for pigs and help with digestion.

(Samantha Chow/Cronkite News)

Lineberger said.

Donating pumpkins is one way to keep them out of landfills. Composting pumpkins is another way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while putting nutrients back into the environment.

“Composting is really nature’s way of recycling and something that humans have been doing for 1,000s of years,” said Claudia Fabiano of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “It returns valuable nutribar environment, a grille, possibly some museums in there, devoted to the military service and first responder service.

“We’ll have an outdoor amphitheater, outdoor, patriotic events. I think part of the idea is to have war era memorials around the amphitheater,” Cain said.

The proceeds from any events at the new facility would go to the veterans’ organizations that are part of the alliance.

Cain said there is no place like this in the state and the center is being designed with the whole region in mind.

“We’ll be contacting Gilbert, Mesa, San Tan Valley, Florence. All the local fa-

Tennessee, that requires schools to have a naloxone policy, according to a 2020 report by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association.

Meanwhile, the Queen Creek school board also voted for a substitute teacher pay raise for the first time in over a year.

Queen Creek’s certified substitutes will be paid $145 a day, up from $120, and classified substitutes will earn $112/day, up

ents like carbon and nitrogen back to our soil. And so it’s really a powerful solution that we can take to ensure that food does not end up rotting in landfills and releasing methane, which will help address climate change.”

In the U.S. in 2019, 54.2 million tons of food waste was generated from a variety of sectors, including residential and farms.

That’s according to ReFed, a national nonprofit organization that works to reduce

cilities because they could all come and use the facility; we’re not just limiting it to Queen Creek.”

With the American Legion budget of just a few thousand dollars a year, Cain has a plan to raise the money necessary to make the facility a reality.

“We’ll be reaching out to big time donors,” Cain said. “If things go the way we expect them to, it will be a self-sustaining project.”

Cain declined to talk about a potential location for the 4 or 5 acres that he mentions, although he is counting on the help of a local church and said planners and ar-

from $100 daily.

“Substitutes are an integral part of the continuity of our students’ education,” said Rogers.

The board also approved an incentive and retention plan to attract bus drivers.

According to Rogers, the district is short 35 drivers and this signing bonus and retention plan would save Queen Creek $775,000 because the district will no lon-

food waste.

Fabiano said the Environmental Protection Agency joined the Department of Agriculture in 2015 to set a goal to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030.

“That is an extremely ambitious goal,” she said. “And because so much of food waste in the United States is actually coming from our households, each of us have a really big role to play in helping to reach that goal.”

Besides composting or donating pumpkins, Fabiano said small changes at home can have a big impact. Changing food storage techniques, like storing herbs like cilantro in a glass container with water rather than in a plastic bag, and being aware of what has already been purchased are two ways food waste can be reduced, Fabiano said.

Painted pumpkins or ones with glitter are not safe for animals or for composting, Fabiano said.

“Definitely don’t send it to the compost pile and don’t feed it to animals,” she said.

“Some of the ingredients and paint or glitter can be toxic.”

Near Cave Creek, Better Piggies Rescue collects pumpkin donations for over 150 rescue pigs.

see PUMPKINS page 12

chitects are in place.

He said Queen Creek has borrowed plans from an American Legion post in South Dakota that has done something similar. On its website, the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance bills itself as a “national model for military, veteran, and civilian relations.”

While that facility is already a reality, the Southeast Valley Alliance remains in the planning stages and will require cooperation, coordination, and patience.

“I’ve been trying to build this for years,” Cain said.

Info: SouthEastValleyAlliance.com  ger be relying on third party contractors to fill the bus driver positions.

The most highly qualified drivers can receive a signing bonus of up to $2,500, but even drivers with no professional driving experience are being offered a $1,500 sign on bonus.

New drivers who refer someone else who winds up taking a driving job get a $500 referral fee. 

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Distemper outbreak closes Mesa dog shelter

BY CECILIA CHAN Tribune Staff Writer

M

aricopa County Animal Care and Control’s shelter in Mesa remains closed to the public for the unforeseeable future as testing for distemper kicked off for over 200 dogs.

County pound officials reported that they feared they “are on the cusp of a distemper outbreak” after multiple dogs tested positive for distemper and several others started showing symptoms of the illness.

“Thanks to the amazing support of our community, there were several adoptions and rescues this weekend and we are now testing 213 dogs today instead of 300plus,” said department spokeswoman Kim Powell last week.

“We do not have an estimate yet on when the East Shelter will reopen,” she said. “We are using three different vendors to run the lab tests, so result wait times may vary.”

Powell said she didn’t have available the number of tests that have been completed yet but as of Oct. 28, there were 21 dogs that tested and eight came back positive for the highly contagious viral disease.

“Unfortunately, dogs who test positive for distemper are humanely euthanized,” Powell said, adding that the last major outbreak at the East Shelter was in 2019.

In September, the department issued a call for adoptees and fosters due to an overload of dogs at its two shelters – 855 animals in 755 kennels – prompting some dogs to bunk together.

There is no cure for canine distemper, which is often fatal. Dogs that do survive usually have permanent, irreparable ner-

Some dogs have to be doubled up in cages at the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control’s shelter in Mesa as the number of animals increases. (Sophie Op-

pfelt/Cronkite News)

vous system damage, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

However, other experts say it’s entirely possible to recover from the disease, depending on the strength of the dog’s immune system and the strain of distemper. It can take up to two months to fully recover.

Initially, infected dogs will develop watery to pus-like discharge from their eyes and then develop fever, nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, reduced appetite and vomiting, according to the association.

As the virus attacks the nervous system, infected dogs develop circling behavior, head tilt, muscle twitches, convulsions with jaw chewing movements and salivation, seizures and partial or complete paralysis, it added.

All unvaccinated dogs, regardless of age, are vulnerable to distemper and it’s an issue facing many shelters throughout the country this year, according to Powell.

However, critics were quick to bash the county.

“These poor dogs,” one woman wrote on social media. “This is all just gonna get worse for them. It was going on for a while. Last year I adopted a sick pup I couldn’t meet because he could possibly have distemper!”

And another wrote, “what happens to the remaining dogs at East today?

“I can answer they probably leave in trash bags… this group doesn’t care. If they did we would have proper protocols back to protect the dogs from exactly stuff like this.”

Powell discounted the criticism.

“Everyone has the right to express their opinions on social media,” she said. “Distemper has been in our community for a long time.

“It finds its way into the shelter because dogs come in under-vaccinated,” she continued. “It is not a productive use

of our time to review and respond to online comments.”

Powell outlined the shelter’s protocol with new arrivals.

“When an animal enters our shelter, we often do not have the vaccine history, which is why they are vaccinated on intake,” she said. “One of the vaccines given is for distemper (DA2PP), which requires a booster after about two to four weeks.”

She said dogs entering the shelter are not initially quarantined typically as the shelter doesn’t have the space to make that possible but that there is an area to quarantine dogs.

And, until further notice, all dogs at the East Shelter will remain in their kennels to help reduce the potential spread of illness, according to Powell.

Dogs will not be permitted to leave their kennels for walks, enrichment and meet and greets, she said.

Infection spreads through airborne exposure through sneezing or coughing. The virus also can be transmitted by shared food and water bowls.

Powell said it’s business as usual at the county’s much larger West Shelter in Phoenix with adoption fees waived until further notice.

“There are currently no signs of a distemper outbreak at our West facility, however once testing is completed and East is reopened, we may look into testing dogs who are showing signs of illness just to be safe,” she said, adding: “It’s important to note, dogs who are showing signs of illness may also have a different upper respiratory infection, like kennel cough.”

see DISEMPER page 12

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

QCUSD, other districts faces massive cuts

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Q

ueen Creek Unified and most other Arizona schools districts will have to cut their current spending by nearly 18% unless state lawmakers act to authorize them to actually use the money they already have.

State schools chief Kathy Hoffman warned legislative leaders last week that the constitutional spending limit for the current school year is $6.4 billion.

Only thing is, lawmakers have approved more state dollars than that. Moreover, districts already have prepared budgets and are on target to spend nearly $7.8 billion based on those actions.

Absent legislative action, however, that nearly $1.4 billion difference remains off limits to them.

Only thing is, current Republican legislative leaders are showing no interest in acting before the end of the calendar year, saying the issue can wait until the next legislative session.

“When session begins in January, the is-

sue will be taken care of, just as we have done for numerous years in the past,’’ said Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott.

House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, said he’s willing to consider bringing lawmakers back to the Capitol after the election.

But he said he’s “not optimistic’’ that he can find enough support for such a session, particularly as it would take a twothirds vote to waive the limit.

And C.J. Karamargin, press aide to Gov. Doug Ducey, said his boss won’t call a special session absent a showing of support.

“Show us the votes,’’ he said.

It is true that schools have bumped up against the limit in prior years. And there have been what amount to last-minute, one-time fixes.

But Fann and Bowers will not be coming back. And with a fresh crop of legislative leaders, that runs the risk that this won’t be a priority.

What makes that particularly problematic is the possibility of having to cut $1.4 billion with less than a full fiscal year left.

So even if lawmakers were to act in January, that effectively would force schools

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to cut 36% of what they were planning to spend in the last half of the school year.

“A lot of schools will be shut down,’’ said Chuck Essigs, lobbyist for the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, as the law requires those cuts to be spread among all schools, large and small.

Hoffman said the need for immediate action by lawmakers is acute.

“They’ve already waited far too long and this issue needs to be addressed immediately,’’ she said.

Hoffman said legislative inaction “is strangling the decision making of our school leaders who want to move forward with budgeting and want to be implementing the additional funds the legislature allocated last session.’’

“They want to put that money into teacher raises and operational needs,’’ she said.

It isn’t just Hoffman who wants to avoid that possibility with a more immediate solution.

“This is the only issue with which I agree with Kathy Hoffman,’’ said Tom Horne, the Republican candidate running against Hoffman.

And Horne said he’s not convinced that the plan by GOP leaders to shelve the discussion until next year is a good idea.

“It’d be a lot safer if they do it now,’’ he said.

The limit was approved by voters in 1980. Based on figures at that time, it is adjusted annually for inflation and student population growth.

What is causing the current problem is the convergence of several unusual factors.

First, the limit is always based on the prior year’s school numbers. Enrollment remains down due to COVID. The bigger problem is actually due to one the legislature created in seeking to provide financial help.

In 2000, voters approved Proposition 301 to levy a 0.6-cent sales tax to fund education, including teacher salaries, for 20 years. Voters exempted those revenues from the aggregate expenditure limit.

Facing expiration of that tax, lawmakers agreed in 2018 to a new, identical levy to pick up when the old one expired. That would keep the money flowing through 2041 without interruption.

Only thing is, the Legislature never exempted what the new levy would raise

from the expenditure limit. Essigs said that alone amounts to anywhere from $600 million to $800 million of the money now coming into schools.

Moreover, to balance the budget last decade, lawmakers cut dollars from various capital funding accounts.

With the state flush in revenues, those accounts are now fully funded. But the additional dollars that were restored to schools also helped to push total statewide expenditures above the constitutional limit.

Lawmakers can and have raised the limit in prior years, but each time only on a one-year basis, and each time waiting until there were just months remaining in the school year.

Essigs said there are dangers in waiting until next year in hopes there will be the votes to waive the limit for the current school year. And it starts with the anticipated turnover of lawmakers.

“We’re going to have a lot of new people at the legislature,’’ he said.

And Essigs said while there was an understanding among the lawmakers who approved the current education budget to follow up and raise the limit, many who are familiar with that arrangement – which does not exist anywhere in writing – will be gone.

Complicating that is the requirement for a two-thirds vote.

“You’re going to have a whole bunch of new people, depending on what happens next Tuesday, who have not addressed this problem before,’’ Essigs said.

“Hopefully they will understand the problem,’’ he continued. “But I don’t see that there’s any guarantee.’’

House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding, D-Laveen, who also will be gone next year, said he hasn’t given up hope there will be a special session to address the problem.

“Hopefully, after the election, cooler heads prevail and we can actually get this thing done,’’ he said. And Bolding said it’s only appropriate that the current crop of lawmakers deal with the issue.

“This Legislature is the one that approved the spending,’’ he said. “So we need to go ahead and finish the next step.’’

Bolding also said he believes that two-

see SPENDING page 12

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ELECTIONS from page 1

pay for two new elementary schools, expansions, renovations, and upgrades to athletics facilities at existing schools, the completion of Eastmark High and major renovations to Queen Creek High School.

It would also help fund the addition of classrooms and sports fields at Crismon High, security upgrades district wide, better Fine Arts facilities and more buses. A $296-million bond measure failed last year.

Here are how the candidates each responded to a series of questions posed by the Tribune.

Queen Creek has faced staggering growth in the last five years. What is the best strategy for Queen Creek to manage the double-digit student population growth the schools are experiencing?

Ken Brague: “The best strategy is to pass the bond and build new schools and renovate old ones. One might ask, ‘I don’t have kids in QCUSD schools, why should I vote for a bond?’ Great question! Strong communities depend on strong schools.

“When people decide where to move, the 4th highest factor in deciding where to live is quality of education. Queen Creek

SAMANTHA DAVIS

KEN BRAGUE

JAMES KNOX

has the second highest per capita income in the state behind Paradise Valley.

“We need the schools to match that quality. Without adequate funding, our property values will drop, businesses will not come here, and we will look like other communities that don’t pass bonds. I am a taxpayer, and I am very proud of our fiscal responsibility.

“We have built every project on time and on budget. We have lowered the tax rate

over the last five years. No one wants to raise taxes but all of us want nice neighborhoods, nice roads, safe communities, and great schools.”

Samantha Davis: “The Queen Creek district has done a phenomenal job acquiring grants from the state and funding from the Schools Facility Oversight Board.

“In the last seven years the district has built over 400,000 square feet of school space. This has been in partnership with

the Schools Facility Oversight Board and the help of local tax payers through bonds.

“Our district has worked daily at trying to build and stay ahead of the growth. Being that Arizona is funded 48th in the nation in education it is very difficult to get qualified for new school construction quickly. Districts do not qualify for state funds until they are already over capacity

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ELECTIONS from page 10

and schools are not built overnight.

“Fortunately, Arizona property taxes are relatively low in comparison to other states in the nation. With that being said local tax payers are charged with helping to build the schools through bonds. Lucky for the Queen Creek Unified School District.

“Our communities are in a hyper growth situation which will help alleviate the tax on individual homeowners as each new family or business moves in and takes on the tax as well.”

James Knox: “We should focus on the qualified use of ARS 41-574: New school facilities fund, capital plan, and reporting requirements. It is a state statute requiring the state to fund new schools based on current and future projected growth.

Though funding follows the student between districts for annual costs, funding schools does not.

“I’d like to see if there are areas of overspending or building educational spaces that may exceed the functional need, which would be a potential abuse of public funds.

“If we can realistically align the new classroom and new school needs, we may be able to fund the need with the funding we have.

“I would like to see the district focus on saving for the future. The need for additional schools and classrooms is not a new concern.”

Specifically, what are the three areas most challenged by the huge growth?

Brague: “The obvious challenge is being able to build schools and pay for them. The state does not fund schools until you’re overcrowded and then they only pay for half. Asking voters to approve bonds can be a huge challenge. Educating the public about school finance is really the challenge.

“Before I got on the board I would always vote against the bonds because I didn’t understand how the system worked and just assumed the state would pay if it got bad enough. I was very wrong.

“Building schools, buying buses, and paying for upgraded technology services

t o G s? w e N

to meet the needs of the third fastest growing town in the nation is challenging without appropriate funding.

“Another challenge of hyper-growth is volume of teachers/staff we are required to hire to serve our students. We take great pride in recruiting and retaining our staff within QCUSD. I have been very active in increasing the pay of our staff year over year. I want to pay as much as I can for our teachers. Our student success is our top priority. We want to have the best teachers available for our kids.”

Davis: “1. Limited classroom and athletic space. 2. Acquiring funds to continue building. 3. Supply shortages that slow construction.”

Knox: “My three most significant areas that are challenged as a result of the ‘huge growth’ are the availability of classroom resources (funds for pay and supporting materials), administrative support for the classroom, which includes student discipline and a district/board and probably last would be the lack of quality expectations upon the superintendent.

“QCUSD is administrative heavy, pulling funds and support away from the classroom while not supporting classroom discipline. These extra administrative roles are not resulting in increased classroom support.

“But it is the latter issue of not having quality expectations of goals for the superintendent, which are the greatest threat to educational excellence.

“With QCUSD testing at 63% for math and 57% for reading, we accept D- and F as acceptable results. Honestly, these numbers are higher than the statewide average. This issue is not a direct result of the high growth rate, but the growth is distracting from the root issue.

“We do not set expectations for excellence and, as a result, are failing our students and community. I’d like to see a three year goal for the superintendent is to have our district wide scores at a 80% or higher.”

Do you support or the $198-million bond measure on the ballot?

Brague: “I absolutely support the bond for QCUSD. …The state does not provide

the money necessary to build schools, so they put it on the local community.

Davis: “I absolutely support the bond.

This bond will benefit all 14,000+ students in the Queen Creek District. It will allow for so many more opportunities in the arts, athletics and extracurricular areas.”

Knox: “I am not a supporter of bonds in general when we have not shown QCUSD has been good stewards of the public funds. Bonds are used as an easy solution instead of doing the hard work, prioritizing funds, and planning for the future.

What are the top three actions you would like to see the board take regarding mental health issues in teens and adolescents?

Brague: “As a board we prioritize the overall health and safety of our students, which includes their social and emotional well-being. A few areas I will continue to address are: Find ways to get kids connected/engaged in the school setting.

“Finding ways to get kids connected to programs and activities to make them successful happens through a variety of extra-curricular activities, career exploration, etc.

“Continue providing training to staff members that help them identify at-risk students and address the various challenges facing our youth. Continue involving the community agencies, faith-based communities, non-profit organizations, etc. in a variety of initiatives, partnerships, etc. that bring awareness and positive action to our school and entire community.”

Davis: “The district has made some great strides in educating parents and students on managing their mental health.

All of our teachers take a course to be able to recognize signs of a student’s struggling with their mental health.

“I think an overall message of kindness, respect for others and erasing any negative stigma behind mental health issues would go a long way. I think continuing to educate parents, students, teachers, and having open and honest conversations will make a huge difference.”

Knox: “Discipline in the classroom at an early age, to confront the mental health crisis facing teens in schools today, estab-

11

lishing clear expectations and boundaries, which assist in character-building and mental stability. …

“Promoting a philosophy of getting out of B.E.D. (blame, excuses, and denial) and grabbing an O.A.R. (ownership, accountability and responsibility) to help direct this education adventure and row as a team.”

Should there be a cap on open enrollment?

Brague: “The state has open enrollment as a state law and the entire stat embraces the idea of parent choice. QCUSD loses students to open enrollment and we also gain students due to open enrollment. We embrace every kid/family who chooses our district through an application process.”

Davis: “I am happy that we are able to offer high quality education to all students no matter where they live. Typically, open enrollment isn’t widespread enough to be able to eliminate an entire group of kids from the same grade at a single site. It spreads out to a few kids from each grade.”

Knox: “A district should consider what that cap should be, but I suggest, at a minimum, that no classroom should exceed a teacher-to-student ratio limit established by the board.”

How long have you lived in Queen Creek, and do you have kids in QC schools?

Brague: “Over 15 years. All five of my kids have graduated from Queen Creek High School. One child was valedictorian, 3 Pommies, 1 best-selling author. So far 3 graduates from ASU so far.”

Davis: “I am a Mesa resident. The Queen Creek District extends into South East Mesa up to Warner Road. I have lived in the district boundaries for the last seven years. I have two kids who attend QCUSD schools.”

Knox: “Our two sons are homeschooled, a choice my wife and I made many years ago as we found my career requiring frequent moving. This provided consistency in education quality. However, my one son is enrolled in EVIT (Public school), supplementing his homeschool and dual enrollment in Liberty University Online Academy 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com

12

NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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Queen Creek started under former Mayor Gail Barney, who passed away in June. He was instrumental in starting the momentum toward a tax freeze.

“Thank you to the six fellow members of the council,” said Councilman Robin Benning, before correcting himself.

“Five. One person missing, I’m sorry to say. His influence was really felt. I feel like he’s sitting here next to me tonight,” Benning added, glancing toward the empty chair that Barney had occupied. “And I just say thank you, thank you, thank you.

We’re there.”

Benning’s comments prompted other council members to express gratitude to Barney for what they said was his leadership and vision for cutting property taxes while not reducing services.

“I appreciated Councilmember Benning bringing up the mayor,” Brown said. “I appreciate that nod to how we got here and under whose leadership really it would be said to have occurred.”

Brown added in an email to the Tribune; “I think Councilmember Benning and I view this 5-year plan in part as a way to close out Mayor Barney’s service and extend his legacy beyond what would have

PUMPKINSfrom page 6

“We’re running a couple different days, Saturday and Sunday, where people can come drop off their pumpkins from Halloween,” founder Danielle Betterman said.

“They can be carved, but they can’t have mold in them, or they can be whole, either way, the pigs will love them. Pumpkins are

DISTEMPERfrom page 7

Animal activist Lorena Bader said “many of us knew it was just a matter of time before this would happen again.”

Bader, a retired school teacher, is circulating a petition on change.org demanding change at the county’s two animal shelters, including its management staff.

“They did nothing after the 2019 distemper outbreak at East except to give dogs a booster shot,” Bader claimed. “Then in

SPENDING from page 8

thirds of lawmakers would vote to approve the waiver if a special session is called and the item is put up for a vote.

That, however, would be contingent on

been his final meeting in January 2023.”

“It’s just a great thing when you get to reduce taxes, right? said Councilwoman Dawn Oliphant “How often do we get to say that, being a growing community and needing funds to build so many things. I’m just excited to be part of this council that gets to reduce taxes.”

Mayor-elect Julia Wheatley, who will begin her term in the new year, credited the town finance staff, including McCarty, with finding creative ways to freeze property tax rates while providing a level of “comfort and security in such a rapidly growing community” and doing so while looking beyond the short term.

“Not only are we looking at this one year at a time,” Wheatley said, “but the next five years, knowing that there are so many expenditures in our future. It’s really unprecedented.”

Councilwoman Emilena Turley added: “We’ve had a lot of passionate conversations in the past over property taxes.

What I love most about this thing that we are doing as a body is that we are doing it together. It has been thoughtful. There’s no strong-arming or pressure or uncertainty.”

Added Oliphant: “Yay for us. Yay, for the community. How exciting!”

really good for digestive tracts.”

“We saw pumpkins being just thrown in the garbage. And these are great pumpkins still usable, still have a ton of good nutrition to them,” Betterman said. “There’s no reason to be throwing them in the garbage. You have a pig or an animal that enjoys eating those pumpkins, we’ll give it to them. That’s the need.” 

June 2021, West had an outbreak. I had an anonymous staff member send me several emails detailing conditions that led to the outbreak. They quarantine dogs for over two months in some cases. I do not feel that they ever got rid of it, but what they did was quit testing and quit tracking dogs that likely had it.”

Bader, who used to volunteer at the county shelter, said there are shelters that have had outbreaks and have “saved the vast majority of dogs.”  Ducey, who also will not be back next year, who has the power to call lawmakers back to the Capitol to address the issue.

Hoffman said the lawmakers who want to address the issue now are being “hamstrung’’ by his inaction. 

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COMMUNITY

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

For more Community News visit QueenCreekTribune.com QueenCreekTribune.com

|

@QCTribune

@QCTribune

EV Veterans Parade honors those who served TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

R

aise the Flag” is the theme of the 2022 East Valley Veterans Parade on Friday, Nov. 11, in downtown Mesa.

“Throughout our history, raising the Red, White and Blue has been an enduring symbol of freedom, sacrifice and unity,” organizers said in a release, adding:.

“As a nation, we have stood for the U.S. flag since June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress declared that our flag would have 13 stripes, alternating between red and white, with 13 stars on a blue field… As we Raise the Flag at this year’s Veterans Parade, we join together as Americans to remember, salute and honor the service of our military veterans, active military and their families.”

Gilbert is hosting its 18th annual Veterans Day Ceremony, 5:307:30 p.m. Thursday Nov. 10, at Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road.

The keynote speaker for the free event is Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, who served two tours in Vietnam. Brady flew over flew over 2,000 combat missions and evacuated over 5,000 wounded. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and retired in 1993 after 34 years of service.

The event includes musical performances by local schools, and military displays suitable for all ages.

Lawn seating will be available.

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

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Col. Bruce Crandall (ret.) is the 2022 Grand Marshal for the East Valley Veterans Day Parade.

He received the Medal of Honor for valor in the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot and company commander in the 1st Air Cavalry and some of his heroic actions are recounted in the movie, “We Were Soldiers.”.

On Nov. 14, 1965, Crandall’s flight

of 16 helicopters took troops on a search-and-destroy mission from an area called Plei Me to Landing Zone X-Ray, a remote spot in the Ia Drang Valley.

As depicted in “We Were Soldiers,” Crandall waited under intense fire for wounded men to be loaded into his unarmed Huey, refusing to take off until he had filled the cargo bay with soldiers in desperate need of medical attention.

As he headed back to base, he heard radio chatter from infantrymen still on the ground, badly outnumbered by enemy soldiers and running low on critical supplies and ammunition.

After unloading the wounded back at base, he and Captain Ed Freeman, who also earned the Medal of Honor, volunteered to return with their helicopters loaded with as much water and ammunition as they could carry.

Taking enemy fire inside the actu- The East Valley Veterans Parade is the region’s tribute to those who served our nation. Here’s a map of the parade see PARADE page 15 route. (Special to the Tribune)

Chandler business recreates TV game show experiences Connor Wareing is one of the hosts at Chandler’s new Game Show Battle Rooms, which lets patrons compete against each other. (Special to the Tribune)

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

I

t’s not unusual for someone to come up to the staff at Game Show Battle Rooms after competing against their friends and ask the same question.

“People come in all the time and they say, ‘When is it going to air? I can’t wait to be on [TV],’” said Jennifer Jewett, who runs the Chandler location.

Sorry, you won’t be on TV. But it’s easy to see why some patrons might believe that. Game Show Battle Rooms tries to recreate the TV game show experience, with sound, lights, professional emcees and hosts.

The company started seven years ago

in Minnesota. It opened its first Arizona location in West Chandler on Oct. 14.

Here’s how it works: Groups of 18 or fewer can book a time in one of the two battle rooms. It costs about $35 for the 90-minute show. After a brief introduction they enter one of the battle rooms and are split into two teams where they will compete in three games. Points are given for winning each round. At the end of the three games, one team gets to pose with the championship trophy.

The company has other locations in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Dallas, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio.

They also offer a virtual game room for

see GAMESHOW page 16

COMMUNITY

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

PARADE from page 14

al landing zone after they off-loaded the supplies, they reloaded their helicopters with wounded men and raced back to the base hospital.

Many considered the 22 flights made

by Crandall and Freeman in the first 14 hours of the three-day battle to be suicide missions.

The “Medal of Honor” third edition states that Crandall “kept coming back into the heavy enemy fire because he knew there was only a ‘magic minute’ to get badly wounded soldiers off the battlefield and into medical treatment.

“That day, Crandall and his wingman evacuated more than seventy wounded and delivered the ammunition and supplies that kept the Americans from being overrun.”

In total, Crandall flew 900 missions during the Vietnam War. In honor of and recognition for his courage, valor and service, he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart, in addition to the Congressional Medal of Honor.

He has been nominated for a second Medal of Honor.

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Col. Bruce Crandall (ret.) is the 2022 Grand Marshal for the East Valley Veterans Day Parade. (Special to the Tribune) “We are honored to have Colonel Bruce Crandall serve as this year’s Parade Marshal,” said East Valley Veterans Parade Association President Lisa Sandoval. “He typifies the outstanding work and sacrifices made by our veterans and active military who we seek to recognize and thank through this annual parade.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Dode Morris Post 1760 and Disabled American Veterans East Valley Chapter 8 comprise the leading entries in the East Valley Vet-

erans Parade.

The beginnings of the East Valley Veterans Parade came directly from the concerned members of the post, led by Gunny Frank Alger and others in 2006 when the City Council of Mesa decided they would not hold or fund a parade that year.

The Dode Post veterans came together with the community to organize what is now known as the East Valley Veterans Parade Association.

This year’s parade entry honors the “Raise the Flag” theme and is the result of the efforts of a large group of volunteers.

Dode Morris Post 1760 also calls each year for volunteers to canvas the parade route and sponsors an open house all day at the VFW Post “for people to come and meet the veterans who have served our country and who continue that mission by serving our community.”

“VFW Dode Morris Post 1760 of Mesa encourages the region to come out and experience the camaraderie and celebration of our common values that are key to maintaining our freedoms, and to salute our veterans.,” the post said in a release.

Disabled American Veterans East Valley Chapter 8 is dedicated to empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with

15

respect and dignity.

It works to ensure that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fight for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educate the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life.

Participating in the East Valley Veterans Parade is “an important way for us to show solidarity with other Veterans organizations and the organizations/companies that support veterans,” said Dr. Carl Forkner, CDR, USN(Ret), Commander of DAV East Valley Chapter 8. “Veterans represent both the history and future of our community and our nation.”

Forkner said, “Support for the parade provides an opportunity to show the value of our veterans and our Armed Forces to the next generation of service members, while providing an opportunity for Veterans to reflect positively on their service.”

The U.S. Department of Defense contirbuted to this report.

Parade info: evvp.org, VFW info: mesavfw.org, Disabled American Veterans info: azdav08.org 

COMMUNITY

16

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Who will stand up to Big Labor?

Every day, hundreds of thousands of working Americans are forced to pay tribute to a union boss just to earn a living and feed their families.

Union chieftains funnel this hard-earned money into the campaigns of Tax-and-Spend politicians who protect and expand Big Labor’s compulsory unionism power and the BILLIONS in forced–dues dollars it generates.

Nearly 80% of Arizonans think that’s just plain wrong.

Who is Right for Arizona?

Game Show Battle Rooms in Chandler enables clients to even sing in contests reminiscent of real TV vocal competitions. (Special to AFN) Mark Kelly l

Mark Kelly has admitted he supports the goals of the PRO Act, which would wipe out every state Right to Work law in the country, including Arizona’s.

Blake Masters l

l l

This same bill would help union bosses impose their so-called “representation” on workers without a secret-ballot vote.

l

Pledged to cosponsor the National Right to Work Act, which would remove from federal labor law the authorization for forced union dues.

Opposes monopoly union bargaining in the public sector.

Supports the Freedom from Union Violence Act.

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GAMESHOW from page 14

people who live outside those cities.

The games are different depending which room you book. You probably have not heard of the games, but if you’ve seen TV game shows they should be recognizable as distant cousins. Because of licensing rules, no one at Game Show Battle Rooms will say the names of the more famous games.

Survey Battles sure looks a lot like Family Feud. That’s the one game that is played in both rooms. The other games are What’s the Cost? (think Price is Right), Spin & Solve (Wheel of Fortune), Match Up and Time Rush.

Match Up is a word play game where you fill in the blank of a sentence and hope your teammates come up with the same word. Time Rush challenges the teams in a series of skill competitions, such as stacking three cups after pulling away two cards that separated them in less than a minute.

While the games are fun, Jewett said the key to the experience is the interaction between contestants and hosts. She should know, she’s been on three actual TV game shows.

“The interaction between the host and the contestant is so important because you create a connection that has a lifetime memory with laughs, and a relationship

that people love,” she said. “So that’s what we do here is we create a bond between the host and our customers, our guests.”

Jewett said they hired some stand-up comedians and actors to play the role of hosts and emcees. Liz Frisius is one of them.

“We’ll talk with the audience, we get their take, their feel, bring the energy up and realize that life’s not about tragedy,” Frisius said. “Life is about connecting and enjoying yourself and finding the beauty in the moment and finding the hilarity in the moment.”

Jewett said the most popular of their games is Survey Battles. To get the answers for their questions they ask online and ask groups as they compete.

In addition to being a recreation activity for friends and/or family, Jewett said they also do team-building events for companies. She said they can handle large groups of up to 32 per room if they book in advance.

Just don’t expect the competition to be broadcast on TV. 

Game Show Battle Rooms 6909 W. Ray Road, Chandler 480-624-8099 gameshowbattlerooms.com

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Pinners Conference returning to the Valley

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Tribune Staff Writer

R

oxanne Bennett and her husband Kendall always had an affinity for hosting events and the creative social media platform Pinterest.

Then, nearly a decade ago, the Utah resident created an event where Pinterest creators could host arts and crafts workshops and local creators could sell their crafts.

And once the Pinners Conference and Expo began gaining traction in Utah, the Bennetts picked Scottsdale for a similar event.

The Pinners Conference and Expo will return for its sixth year next weekend, Nov. 11-12.

“I love Arizona so much and we just felt like there are so many creators there that it felt like it was a good extension to what we were already doing and that the people would love it,” Roxanne said.

For the sixth year, the Pinners Conference and Expo are set to bring 150 local businesses and creators to WestWorld of Scottsdale on Friday, November 11, and Saturday, November 12.

(Special to the Tribune)

“There are over 200 booths on-site.

Some will be teaching and some will just be showcasing their goods,” Bennett said.

Seminars will look at subjects such as how to create wreaths, Christmas stars, soaps, and candles as well as makeup techniques.

“I mean, there is so much there’s fun, there are boutiques fun gift ideas and there’s food,” Bennett said Bennett hopes guests are able to not only create a cute craft but learn about a craft that could blossom into a hobby.

“Our main objective is this total ability to create since our tagline is “learn, create and connect,” she said. “I think when we empower someone to try something new, create something, and walk away with a product that they made, that just totally changes everything.”

On the flip side, a mixed bag of local

The expo is set to pack WestWorld of Scottsdale with 250 vendor booths – 50 of

which will be occupied by local small businesses – and hundreds of Pinterest fans.

horticulturist, Johnson said her first jobs at Eagle Mountain Golf Club and Rio Verde Country Club became like “a playground to learn.”

Though she worked on everything but the grass, Johnson said residents still admired her work and asked for her help with their own gardens.

“I didn’t set out to do this,” Johnson said.

“I was just hired because of people knowing the work I did around the golf course.”

After losing her job as a horticulturist in the Great Recession, Johnson started a blog in 2009 because “that’s what everybody was doing.”

“I saw a need for showing people how to garden the right way in the desert,” she explained. “Because we’re different from all other parts of the country.”

Noelle Johnson’s first garden died, and that put her on a path that led to her becoming known as AZ Plant Lady. (Special to the Tribune)

see PINNERS page 19

‘Plant Lady’ helps people grow a green thumb

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

N

oelle Johnson didn’t set out to do any of this but the fruits of her labor have really paid off.

Over the last 20 years, the Chandler woman has watched Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting blossom. With her first book set to hit store shelves early next year, Johnson said it all started with her own gardening faux pas.

“In fact, all the plants I added when I had my first garden – they all died,” Johnson said. “And so that’s what kind of inspired me to go back to school.”

Johnson said that inspired her to go back to school and earn her bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Arizona State University in 1998.

Starting her career in January 1999 as a

see PLANT LADY page 19

BUSINESS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

PINNERS from page 18

businesses will be selling a wide variety of wares, such as art kits, kitchen utensils and household tools.

Because of this, Bennett hopes attendees come with a desire to support small businesses this holiday season.

“It’s just a crazy time that we’re living in and for a year, we were all put out of business,” she said. “These local women are (also) still pounding the pavement and if we can put our dollars in a place that is going to feed our economy and our local business owners, that’s a great way to do it.”

Bennett also hopes her expo becomes a place where business owners can forge a bond with prospective customers.

“This gives you a chance to connect face to face with these online, local people and (learn) how great it is to support and shop local and women-owned businesses,” she said. “I think it’s an incredible opportunity to support that community.”

In addition to local vendors offering unique products and sales, Bennett touts that two big-name brands will be offering an exclusive deal and class at the Pinners Expo and Convention.

“One of the new things that we’re doing this year, and I’m excited about, is Ryobi –

PLANT LADY from page 18

Johnson said her interest in landscape consulting came from the amount of misinformation and gardening advice out there that doesn’t apply to Arizona’s climate.

“There’s a lot of misleading information out there,” Johnson said. “And the typical gardening rules that apply to other parts of the country don’t really apply here.”

Over the last 36 years of living in the desert, Johnson said she has come across many misconceptions about growing a beautiful garden in the desert.

One of those fallacies is that the dry landscape means there is a lack of beautiful flora to build out a desert garden.

“There’s a lot more variety in the types of plants available to us that will thrive in our hot, dry climate,” Johnson said.

Before the City of Mesa enacted the

19

creators.

“JoAnn is working with local influencers to come in and teach workshops, using products that are from other businesses,” Bennett said.

Bennett also highlighted that this event could be a good opportunity for shoppers looking to get ahead on their holiday shopping.

“I think you can get all your Christmas shopping done in one place, how great is that?” she said emphatically.

Above all, Bennett hopes that shoppers enjoy themselves and make great memories – and crafts – with their friends.

“I just want people to have a good time with their friends, have this experience and spend the day trying to figure out ‘what’s inspiring to me?’” Bennett said 

If You Go...

Attendees at the sixth Pinners Conference and Expo will have plenty of opportunities to create gifts and knickknacks or purchase items from a plethora of local businesses .(Special to the Tribune)

a big national brand – has created a craft and bobby tool line that is 100% made for the women creators,” Bennett said.

“They’re all cordless, battery-driven, and

Stage One Water Shortage awareness in May, Johnson said she had already seen a dramatic shift in many people’s efforts to reduce their water usage.

Along with not wasting time and money, Johnson said drought-tolerant plants also don’t waste on looks.

“There is this myth that landscape lower water-use plants are ugly,” Johnson said.

“Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Johnson said one of the best resources to find gorgeous low water-use plants are local plant nurseries.

Like most of her gardening advice, Johnson said she looks to dispel some other common misconceptions, including that what may work in other parts of the country may not work here in Arizona.

“If you read a plant label and it says full sun, it doesn’t mean it can handle full sun in the desert necessarily,” Johnson said.

will be offering an incredible deal exclusively at Pinners.”

Joining the fun, JoAnn Fabrics will be offering classes and support for small

For that reason, Johnson said every fall brings an onslaught for her consulting business because cooler temperatures help create ripe conditions for gardening.

“But that way it gives plants three full seasons in which to establish a good root system so that it can handle the heat and stress of the coming summer,” Johnson said.

In 2019, Johnson said she saw such an increase in customers, she decided to start an online class, called “Desert Gardening 101,” on her website.

In the three years since starting the class, Johnson said she’s had nearly 1,000 people go through the course.

Her biggest tool since starting has come from social media, where she’s known as “AZ Plant Lady.”

Johnson said she constantly posts on her website and social media because she enjoys showing people what’s possi-

HAVE BUSINESS NEWS?

What: Pinners Expo and Conference Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale When: Starts at 10 a.m. Nov. 11, and 9 a.m. Nov. 12 Cost: $10 Info: az.pinnersconference.com ble for people to grow in the desert landscape they live in.

“It’s so fun to dispel the myth that the only thing that you can have in a desert garden is cactus and rocks,” Johnson said.

“It’s so rewarding to show people, and very easy to do with pictures.”

Along with her other outreach efforts across the East Valley including for the City of Mesa, Johnson said there’s a heap of resources for people interested in desert landscape for their own yards.

That includes her book “Dry Climate Gardening: Growing beautiful, sustainable gardens in low-water conditions” debuts on February 7, 2023 on Amazon, but is currently available for pre-order for $28.99.

Information: azplantlady.com, amwua.org/plants. 

SEND YOUR BUSINESS NEWS TO PMARYNIAK@ TIMESLOCALMEDIA.COM

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Pelosi attack used to distract from issues

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

W

ithout a doubt, the timing was purely coinci-

dental.

In late 1964, Shirley Ellis recorded a memorable melody, with a nod toward novelty.

“The Name Game” zoomed up the charts, and into childhood memories. For kids then, as well as kids now, it has become a staple of youthful singalongs from daycare to day camp.

Unintentionally, its title also captures the essence of an enduring campaign tactic brutally and effectively employed in that American election year.

Child’s play it ain’t…but name-calling it is.

For Lyndon Johnson, who had longed

for the presidency from boyhood, only to assume it in sudden and awful fashion, the goal was obvious.

LBJ had to find a way to move past the trauma of Jack Kennedy’s assassination to his own electoral confirmation.

That path went right through Arizona’s Barry Goldwater.

To detract from his own Texas-sized flaws, Lyndon sought to bury Barry by calling Goldwater an “extremist.”

Aided by a press corps eager to serve as an “echo chamber,” (Sound familiar?) and an infamously memorable TV ad that juxtaposed a little girl pulling petals off a daisy with the detonation of a nuclear bomb, it worked.

That’s why virtually every GOP nominee in almost every campaign since has been hit with the same sobriquet.

Conservatives may find this particular political “Name Game” lame, but that

doesn’t mean they haven’t fashioned their own. In fact, Republicans simply tagged it with a more businesslike title. GOP’ers say they “define” their opponents, while Democrats decry such definition as defamation.

But it is difficult to dispute the devolution of the Democratic Party. What was once a collection of classic “New Deal” liberals has morphed into a sanctuary for socialists sympathetic to the so-called “Green New Deal.”

Of course, the “green” of that newest deal isn’t our environment; instead it is the green of money. The wealth transfer from taxpayers to “alternative energy entrepreneurs,” also known as top Dem donors, adds up to what should really be called a “Raw Deal.”

And speaking of raw deals, what about the “Bidenizing” the American people have endured over the past two years? Record inflation has devalued paychecks, and in-

creased the cost of gas and groceries.

An open border has resulted in a record influx of illegals, jeopardizing both our economic and national security. And our military policy, enmeshed in adherence to “woke” doctrine, sleepwalks right past clear and present dangers.

And enabling Ol’ Joe at every turn have been Democrat majorities in the House and Senate. Look for that to change on Election Day. While attaching a label to political opponents may help define them, documenting their performance in office—or lack thereof—is a crucial factor in defeating them.

But as this column is being written, another important tactic has unfolded in real-time: the “October Surprise.” And, as befits its arrival on Halloween Weekend, the details are as sadly shocking as they

other candidate is Lucifer. I’ve already mailed in my ballot.

I’ll admit I copped out on a few races, writing in the late Grant Woods, our state’s former attorney general, in a couple of instances.

I did so for two reasons: One, Grant was the funniest guy I know and he would have appreciated the irony. And two, even dead for a year, Grant would do a better job as a leader than many of the purportedly alive candidates who made the ballot.

That’s because Grant, a Republican throughout his political career, was cut from the same cloth as John McCain, the last politician I truly admired. In 2008, during his second unsuccessful run for President, Parade magazine asked McCain to define patriotism. His answer is one I believe with all my heart.

“Patriotism,” McCain wrote, “is deeper than its symbolic expressions, than

sentiments about place and kinship that move us to hold our hands over our hearts during the national anthem.

“It is putting the country first, before party or personal ambition, before anything. It is the willing acceptance of Americans, both those whose roots here extend back over generations and those who arrived only yesterday, to try to make a nation in which all people share in the promise and responsibilities of freedom.”

Country before party? It’s the sort of slogan you might see on a political button from the 1950s beside an “I Like Ike” pin.

This election – even before the inevitable weeks of warfare over the results – feels like two sides bombing each other with heavy artillery, destroying the village to save it.

Meanwhile, the rest of must live amid the ruins.

Many of you have written to me over

the years to tell me off for being too rabid a conservative (when I write in favor of the death penalty) or a flaming liberal (when I dabble in social issues like gay marriage).

The truth is, I am both of those things, not unlike about 1.4 million of our Arizona neighbors. I don’t swill the Kool-Aid on Fox News. Nor do I follow the party line as espoused by MSNBC and the grating likes of Rachel Maddow.

I don’t think you’re a badass because you have an “FJB” sticker on your bumper or a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag on your porch. At the same time, I have shaken my head pretty much non-stop for the past two years of the Biden presidency.

Even so, if the alternative is Donald Trump in this “lesser of two evils” system of ours, then yes, I’m glad the 2020

see HAYWORTH page 21

Both parties in Arizona serve thin gruel on ballot

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

O

n Election Day 2022, our state had precisely 2,707,396 registered Republicans and Democrats.

This column isn’t for you.

This piece is for the rest of us, the dregs of Arizona politics, the 1,436,533 registered voters who belong to neither political party, but still must pick from the measly buffet of candidates served by the R’s and the D’s.

To quote a Democrat president who won this state in 1996, “I feel your pain.”

Deep in my guts. Because voting this year is the political equivalent of a starvation diet.

I’m writing a few days before we go to the polls, amid the usual onslaught of last-minute TV ads warning that the

see LEIBOWITZ page 21

OPINION

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

HAYWORTH from page 20

are maddeningly “evolving.”

When reports of an attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi first appeared Oct. 28, there was the immediate and understandably human response of concern and compassion.

People of all political persuasions set aside argument for prayerful appeals that Paul Pelosi would recover from an apparent hammer attack by an assailant who

LEIBOWITZ from page 20

election ended as it did – with a Biden victory because he won, not because he stole it in some far-fetched fantasy.

It has become popular in GOP circles to scream “Stop The Steal.” I agree.

Not the theft of an election, which didn’t happen.

Stop the steal of our country by two parties who put their own interest before America’s. That’s the real steal and there seems to be no stopping it. 

somehow gained entrance to the Pelosi family home in San Francisco.

And then, it started.

Rahm Emmanuel’s Rule—“You never let a serious crisis go to waste”—was followed at a frantic pace. Joe Biden used the “bully pulpit” of the presidency to place the blame directly on the GOP. Press accounts claimed that the alleged attacker, David DePape, operated “Far Right websites,” though that would seem difficult for a man described as a homeless

drug addict who occasionally sought refuge in a broken-down bus parked outside the home of his ex-wife in Berkeley.

Moreover, a neighbor regarded DePape and his former spouse as “very Left…all about the Black Lives Matter movement…

Gay Pride…detached from reality.”

The reality is that this attack—despite its tragic nature—has served to distract and detract from the issues heretofore front and center in the campaign.

The timing? Sadly coincidental. 

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Tribune edition of the East Valley AnAerial) Out time soon. (Tom Sanfilippo/Inside will be slowing down any portion saw and there’s no sign growth 125% in the past decade while the Maricopa has soared by more than he came to the town from the Mar- Creek to that growth since deadline Friday, results 10,482 ballots.

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BY JOSH ORTEGA The threshold for icopa County Recorder’s of votes Oliphant with 27% the total number of can handle it.

Tribune Staff Writer manager in 2007. incumbent Dawn then Travis volves dividing has matured in growth projection, of available seats, Bryan McClure, 25%; “Despite this rapid He said the community 23%. by the number the next five by the Pi- the vote; commercial secof Friday, the whole 8-10 percent over mid yet another snafu 25% and Matt McWilliams, its residential and dividing by 2. As Creek grew averaging Department, Padilla, a very manage- both ahead of McWilresults had Oliphant he population of Queen or so, this is actually nal County Elections The Pinal County numbers put Padilla 10 Kross, who municipality years three Queen 25%; McClure, see GROWTH page for Queen Creek,” said faster than any other at least one of the with 27%; McWilliams, liams, 6,100-5874. to 2020 able rate witnesses 2010 local from seats could be headbe further compliarea longest 23%. the in the metro Creek Town Council But the math may has been one of the 24% and Padilla, NEWS .................... 4 available data, at a rapid rate but run-off following According to the latest ed for a November and continues to grow road 6 ballots Council discusses QC primary. see ELECTIONS page that a total 2,559 results of Tuesday’s still Pinal reported median headache. of Queen countywide portion its ballots in With some had been cast of the Tribune’s print nearby were given being counted as residents in the area town Ltd won the State to provide comment, LG Energy Solution local the opportunity prompting Halonen-Wilson Land Department auction, spokeswoman Constance

BY KATHLEEN STINSON hail the deal – which Tribune last week. and state officials to Tribune Staff Writer SPORTS ............... 24 of jobs to told the spoke at the April said would bring thousands and GerBut residents who coach complaints Korean energy they Casteel girls basketball Ironwood meeting – echoing BUSINESS ........... 18 he day after a South northeast corner of ready for challenge Dairy Farm 20 council bid of $84.44 the A jet engine may another council session run unique Lego company cast the sole roads near Zimmerman

BY PAUL MARYNIAK made by others at QC women seem a bit of an of igof state land mann officials southeast of Phoemillion for 650.5 acres sight at a store.

CMC Steel Arizona, Tribune Executive Editor weeks earlier – accused unusual and two manCOMMUNITY ........................14 a lithium battery Airport. high school, but in Queen Creek for in the last nix-Mesa Gateway BUSINESS ..............................17 6 a dozen angry citast Valley municipalities Dec. 1 approved the a plane may soon see LITHIUM page OPINION .................................20 Town Council last of unanticiufacturing plant, nearly be on the way at Council to oppose employment after fiscal year took advantage REAL ESTATE ........................22 4 izens confronted Town site’s rezoning to urban revenue increases the new American SPORTS ...................................2 pated general fund Leadership Acadethe $1.4 billion project. payments on their GET OUT .................................26 to make big additional my campus in east by thousands of CLASSIFIEDS ........................27 Mesa. The sprawling debt to pensions earned and firefighters.

223,000-square-foot retired police officers SPORTS............... 22 Chandler and charter school is takBut Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, to go before last ing a new approach to QC dad, son cherish a long way Scottsdale still have vocational education, season together. unfunded liabilities. as you’ll read on page they erase their huge still owe a to8. (Enrique Garcia/Tribune Those five municipalities 955 COMMUNITY........................16 Contributor) pensions covering tal $1.4 billion for and BUSINESS ..............................18 cops 1,471 retired retired firefighters, OPINION.................................20 Queen Creek’s population

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Veterans apply military experience, discipline

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor

V

eteran’s Day has a different meaning for everyone who has served in the military.

Some use it to reflect on those who enlisted before them, who gave them the opportunity to choose their path to fight for the country. Some honor those who they fought or trained alongside. Others begin to think about those who will serve after them.

It’s a special holiday honoring the men and women in uniform. And it becomes more special when veterans are able to share it with high school-aged kids they now coach.

“It means a ton,” Eastmark High School defensive coordinator Mike Huddleston said. “We’re in a time where about one percent of the population serves their country these days. That’s a small percentage.

“Anyone who signs their name and does something greater than themselves, I take my hats off to all of the branches and all of those men and women who serve.”

Huddleston enlisted in the United States Army shortly after the Gulf War in the early 1990s. He served in an artillery combat unit for four years.

He was never deployed, but the experience of being in the military taught him many life lessons he has since applied to himself as a teacher at Eastmark and a coach of a Firebirds football team that was the No. 2 ranked team in the 3A Conference heading into the postseason.

The most important lessons Huddleston teaches to his players is accountability and discipline. They are required to be on time. They are required to treat each other and coaches with respect.

His time in the Army gave him those lessons, and he was preparing to teach

them in the military before his military career ended.

“Right before I got out, I was preparing to be a drill sergeant,” Huddleston said.

“Discipline, being on time, doing things you don’t want to do and the physical aspect are things I got out of it. Those are things that blend from football training and military training, so I bring that out here and teach it to these guys as well.”

Huddleston remains an advocate for military veterans. Typically, right around the holiday he will go spend time with veterans at the Carl T. Hayden Veterans’ Administration Medical Center in Phoenix. He takes time to visit and speak with them, but most importantly let them know they’re appreciated.

It’s a tradition that started when one of Huddleston’s friends had a father, a Vietnam veteran, in the hospital. Given Huddleston’s status at the time as a soldier, he shared many stories and trusted him.

“He felt comfortable to talk to me about his experiences and he didn’t necessarily open up to other people like that,” Huddleston said. “That’s something us veterans have, it’s that inside with one another and understanding. That’s why I wanted to get involved.”

Myron Blueford shares the same values with his players at Arizona College Prep High School less than 4 miles away from Hamilton.

Blueford enlisted in the Army in 2002 where he did one term as an Army reserve.

After basic training in Virginia, he came back to Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona to finish his term. His family has a history of military service, and Blueford saw it initially as an opportunity to forgo school.

He quickly realized the level of discipline it takes to succeed in the military.

Simply put, it isn’t for the weak-minded.

“They really do test you,” Blueford said.

Eastmark defensive coordinator Mike Huddleston cherishes Veteran’s Day. He, an Army veteran who was on his way to becoming a drill sergeant, said discipline, respect and physical aspects often translate from the military to the football field. He now teaches his players how important that is to be successful. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff) “When I got out and got into coaching, I used that. If you have a strong mind and a strong background, you’re going to be able to be successful. I use a lot of that in how I coach and how I approach things.”

Along with coaching, Blueford has become the go-to person on campus for kids with questions about what they can expect if they were to enlist. He’s had students outside of his football program come to him at times. He’s also had current players question whether it’s a route they should consider for a specific career path.

While he enforces that it is their own decision, he explains the pros and cons of

what it could do for them as individuals. His goal is to leave them with enough information they can then present to their parents to make a decision that is best for them.

“I’m a huge advocate for a lot of different reasons,” Blueford said. “I’m very patriotic but I think what you get out of it, there’s no other environment you’re going to get that.”

ACP in the past has honored veterans by wearing special American Flag-themed jerseys. This year, they plan to put special decals on their helmets to go along with

see VETERANS page 23

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | NOVEMBER 6, 2022

VETERANS from page 22

the American Flag.

They also have a presentation or conversation about his experience or the experience of another veteran he brings in to speak with the team. He wants to make sure his players understand the significance behind the holiday and what it means.

“I have a lot of friends that are active and a lot that aren’t here anymore,” Blueford said. “Just like football, you’re in the trenches with these people. The thought that they went out and sacrificed for me to be able to do this and have what I have, I don’t take it for granted.

“I make sure anyone I encounter or anyone I have an influence over, they understand that, too.” 

Have an interesting sports story?

Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@ timeslocalmedia.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

Arizona College Prep head coach Myron Blueford, who served one term in the Army, makes sure to always share the significance of Veteran’s Day with his players. To him, it honors those who give him the opportunity to be a head coach.(Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)

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Marc Broussard brings the blues to Chandler

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor

B

ayou Soul” singer-songwriter Marc Broussard recently explored the Grand Canyon State. As he and his family left, he got emotional.

He’s thrilled to be back in Arizona to play the Chandler Center for the Arts on Saturday, Nov. 12.

“My wife and kids and I passed through the area about two or three months ago,” Broussard said.

“I cried when we left, to be honest with you. We went to Slide Rock for a day and then Sedona at a beautiful resort there. I didn’t want to leave.”

Broussard is previewing new material from a forthcoming EP during this jaunt.

The first single, “Fire,” is out and he’s expected to release a second track soon.

“Fire” is Broussard’s love song to his wife, and he has a salacious tale about it.

“To be honest with you, my wife just gets hotter and hotter,” he said. “I cry thinking about. She’s so hot that she gets me going in every way conceivable. I wanted to write a song that really summed that up.

“I had been chasing that vibe for quite a long time, a number of years. I never really

see BROUSSARD page 25

Singer-songwriter Marc Broussard is excited about his upcoming concert at the Chandler Center for the Arts. (J Augur)

Actors mix booze and The Bard in new show

BY ANNIKA TOMLIN GetOut Staff Writer

W

illiam Shakespeare’s masterpieces are known for their tragedy and drama.

Hundreds of years later, in 2014, Scott Griffin and David Hudson put a comedic spin on those tales by creating a drunken character in the telling “Drunk Shakespeare.” It runs through January 14 at The Rose Theatre near the Arizona Center in Downtown Phoenix.

“One actor takes five shots at the start of the show and then they attempt to perform a Shakespeare play,” said director Lisa Klages.

“It’s a cast of five and it’s an interactive comedy that changes every night based on pop culture, the audience and who’s drinking. The drunk actor can influence the events of the evening by issuing challenges to the rest of their sober cast.”

LISA KLAGES The comedy is rich throughout the show as actors are directed to say their next lines in the voice of a Disney character or swap out a prop mid scene.

“I feel like the shows are varied and different,” Klages said.

“Each actor in Phoenix — I don’t want to

RACHEL MCKENZIE reveal too much of a surprise because it’s part of the fun — is really bringing their unique voice and a very unique skill and particular moment of talent that they show off.

“But for me, the most exciting part of watching Phoenix has been the way the audience enjoys the interactive elements

of the show. Some of them come to me at the end, saying they’ve never seen anything like this.”

Racquel McKenzie plays an undisclosed lead female role. Her resume includes formal Shakespearean roles and various productions in Chicago, Nigeria and England before coming to Phoenix six years ago.

“It’s like doing a parody because it is the actual show, but there’s some modern English woven throughout,” McKenzie said about “Drunk Shakespeare.”

“A lot of it was releasing the idea of what I thought Shakespeare was supposed to look like and what the seriousness of the show is supposed to be about and go in with a different viewpoint.

“There are funny bits and people are going to laugh and say that in the regular text it would be very, very serious but in our show it’s funny. Also letting go of the idea

see DRUNK page 25

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BROUSSARD from page 24

got there until I heard the track for ‘Fire’ and I immediately jumped into action. I have this little home studio and I got as high as I possibly could and dove right in.”

The new collection comes on the heels of his 2019 release, “A Lullaby Collection,” and serves as a bridge to a new studio album produced by blues legend Joe Bonamassa to be released in early 2023 “It’ll be my first foray into the blues,” Broussard said about the album. “It’s part of an album series I use to raise money for charitable organizations. I called up Joe and said, ‘Take me to school on the blues.’

He jumped at the chance, and he ended up producing the album for me.

“It was going so well that we had to establish some rules because we were going too fast. We threatened to burn through the entire thing in two days. We had to slow everything down and enjoy each other’s company more. He’s a doll of a human being, a very, very gifted individual and extremely humble.”

DRUNK from page 24

that people are just going to laugh because it’s funny and not to take it so seriously, but also remaining true to the text.”

Normally a whisky drinker, McKenzie switches to chilled tequila when it is her night to imbibe.

“Working with this group of people has been so beautiful and refreshing,” McKenzie said.

“I love the care from the actors in the show to the higher ups. It’s a good feeling to know that you’re not just working.

You’re not just doing the job. But you’re in a space where people care about how you feel.”

Klages said she realizes that directing

The two used Bonamassa’s band and tracked the songs at Sunset Sound in Hollywood.

“It was just so much damn fun,” he said. “There’s something about the blues that’s very in my wheelhouse in a lot of ways. Some of these tunes fell right out of my mouth onto the microphone and onto the tape.

“It was really, really a natural fit for Joe and I to get together on this thing. His band is a world-class band. They knocked it out of the park.”

The son of Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard of The Boogie Kings, Broussard nurtured his musical gifts at an early age, and the vibrant Lafayette, Louisiana, music scene allowed him to practice his craft consistently from childhood through early adulthood.

After releasing a successful independent EP at age 20, Broussard made his major-label debut with “Carencro.” The album featured the hit “Home” and sent him into the national spotlight.

Broussard released multiple albums with

a drunken actor is different than a sober one. That leads to an ever-changing show.

“I sort of like to describe it as when a new season of your favorite TV show comes out,” Klages said. “You think you understand all the characters, all the motivation, all the backstory and then a new season comes out and you get all new information about how that story works. That’s what it feels like to extend the show this way.”

The Rose Theatre was designed specifically for this type of show, said Paola Cicuttini, vice president of marketing and corporate communications for the Arizona Center.

“It was built for the Shakespeare production that you see in that sunken theater block,” she said.

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major labels over the next 10 years but has recently returned to his independent roots, having released several acclaimed original and charitable cover albums via his SOS Foundation (Save our Soul).

The beneficiary of the new album is still tentative. Broussard said he is vetting an organization that advocates for post-incarceration work. He longs to educate businesses about the benefits of hiring ex-cons.

“That may sound crazy to most people,” he said. “The state of Louisiana has billions of dollars for vocational training and it’s going to waste. These guys are getting the training and not getting hired. We’re looking to make those connections to the business community.”

After all, everyone deserves a second chance, he adds.

“They ‘served their time’ and paid their debt to society,” he adds. “If you have the kind of life that requires sitting behind bars for a decade or more, they’re probably the kind of person who could hold down a job and be grateful for the opportunity. They are indeed good people, just

“There are three tiers to it, but all of the tiers keep you close to the action and to the performers and the performers walk through and interact with everyone.”

The three tiers house 130 guests. A pair of seats at the head of the stage offer the royal experience.

“It comes with admission to the show, as well as caviar, chocolates and hand massages, a very fancy bottle of champagne and the ability to influence the events of the evening,” Klages said about the $500 price tag.

The entrance to the Rose Theatre is off the valet parking area in the Arizona Center with a rose sticker on door 1010.

“I think people should know that if and when they’re coming to the show, it’s a

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caught up in a wrong spot.”

Broussard is looking forward to bringing his views and music to the Chandler Center for the Arts.

“I’m negotiating with a team of jugglers.

They juggle knives and chainsaws,” he said with a hearty laugh.

“Seriously, we like to have a good time.

We like to make sure people have an opportunity to dance. That’s what can be expected. Bring your freaking dancing shoes.

We’re going to try our best to burn up the dance floor. It’s an old school, wholesome kind of a party with some making out in the back row. That’s about it. It’s a G-rated party. I don’t want drunk creepy guys feelin’ up the gals.” 

If You Go...

What: Marc Broussard w/Walden Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 Info: chandlercenter.org

much easier and fun way to experience Shakespeare,” Mckenzie said. “It’s not going to be the standard classic three-hour show, it’s going to be fun.

“It’s going to be quick. It’s going to be the story but it’s going to be lighthearted and they’re not going to experience anything else like it.” 

If You Go...

What: Drunk Shakespeare Where: The Rose Theatre, 455 N. Third St., Phoenix When: 37:30 p.m. Thursdays; 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Cost: Tickets start at $39 Info: drunkshakespeare.com

Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoe

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With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Columnist

T

Add this dessert to your Thanksgiving menu planning

here’s always room for another dessert with pumpkin spice around this time of the year, right?

If you love pumpkin pie or tiramisu, this is a fun and delicious recipe to try.

My favorite part of the process was making the lady fingers. (They’re also a tasty snack and great for dunking in your pumpkin-spiced latte!) If you’re looking to change up your tradition Thanksgiving feast or just want to celebrate the season, Pumpkin Tiramisu will be a fun way to spend time filling your kitchen with delicious aromas and flavors of fall!.

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Ingredients: For the ladyfingers (You will need 48 cookies for three layers) • 1/2 cup butter, softened • 1 cup sugar • 1 large egg, room temperature • 1/4 cup honey • 1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin • 1 teaspoon dark rum • 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

• •

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make the pumpkin lady fingers. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. Gradually beat in the egg and honey. Add pumpkin and rum, mixing well to combine.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cloves and salt. Gradually mix into creamed mixture and beat well.

5. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a 3/4in. hole or tip. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working in batches, pipe dough to form 2-inch logs about 1 inch apart.

6. Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat process until all of the batter is used up and the yield is 48 cookies.

7. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree,

cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

8. In a small bowl, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

9. Fold one third of the whipped cream mixture into pumpkin mixture.

10. I n a small bowl, beat the mascarpone until smooth. Add the remaining whipped cream and blend until well combined.

11. Assemble the tiramisu. In a 13x9 inch casserole dish, arrange one third of the cookies in a single layer.

Brush lady fingers with one third of the rum. Top with one third of the pumpkin filling. Spread with one third of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layers two more times, sprinkling with a small amount of cinnamon or nutmeg.

12. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight.

Serves 10-12. .

1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the tiramisu • 2-1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin (2 X 15 oz cans) • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 3 cups heavy whipping cream • 1 cup sugar • 12 ounces mascarpone, softened • 1/4 cup dark rum • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg

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