Queen Creek Tribune 073122

Panel OKs varied projects / P. 3

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QC Town Council race heads to the finish line

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

NEWS................... 14 Queen Creek’s new Crismon High opens for business.

BUSINESS............ 18 Local Realtor gives her take on changing QC market.

GET OUT.............. 23 Local kids shine in new EV musical.

COMMUNITY.........................16 BUSINESS...............................18 OPINION..................................20 SPORTS....................................22 GET OUT..................................23 CLASSIFIEDS.........................25

Sunday, July 31, 2022

W

ith a new mayor virtually a shoein, voters on Tuesday will select three candidates from a field of four vying to flesh out the Queen Creek Town Council.

And in the race for campaign cash, candidate Travis Padilla has amassed a war chest that exceeds the combined total

Get your dancing shoes, QC ban could be lifted

raised by a triumvirate running with lone mayoral candidate and current Councilwoman Julia Wheatley, according to their campaign financial statements.

Travis’ $48,000 topped the $43,000 “Team QC” candidates Dawn Oliphant, Matt McWilliams and Bryan McClure brought in collectively.

Padilla said the issue of properly managing the town’s growth means keeping up with infrastructure, balancing commercial

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

Q

ueen Creek might not need Kevin Bacon to remove its dancing ban, after all.

On July 27, the Planning & Zoning Commission approved an amendment for entertainment activities associated with restaurants or bars.

The amendment would allow for entertainment activities including live or piped music, DJs, dancing, karaoke, or similar activities, as well as remove limitations on

see

DANCING page 6

Barreling along

see COUNCIL page 10

Kaylee Bohacik leans in the saddle as High Roller makes a turn around a barrel during the Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association Firecracker 5D race earlier this month in Chapman Automotive Group Arena at Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre.

Barrel racing has become a regular attraction for riders and spectators alike and you’ll read on page 4 how it all got started in Queen Creek. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Central Arizona College www.centralaz.edu

and retail development with real estate, and ensuring water needs are met.

While $15,000 came directly from loan from Padilla made to his campaign, he has brought in some sizable donations from local developers, including a $10,000 contribution from developers Lonnie and Debbie McCleve and $5,000 each from Tim and Audra Campbell, land developer with

Paths to Great Careers

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Planning panel OKs a variety of projects

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

M

ore projects are moving through the town’s planning process.

The Planning & Zoning Commission July 27 approved several projects, including a 66-acre industrial park with a Fry’s Marketplace and a 24-acre shopping center and two subdivisions, one with 339 homes and the other with 81.

The commission also postponed action on the 40-acre Barney Farms North residential development.

The developer wants to rezone the property, located south of Germann Road and west of Signal Butte Road, from Industrial to Neighborhood.

A proposed 65.9-acre industrial park on the north side of that development along Germann Road was

approved despite concerns by Commissioner Troy Young about possible noise from a project that could have than 1 million square feet of building space.

Young wanted to know what noise mitigation had been planned because of the project’s proximity to homes.

“When that was going through the zoning, there were conditions added for an enhanced buffer,” Senior Planner Evan Balmer said. “It was contemplated for industrial uses and an enhanced buffer was completed.”

The noise could come from the semi-trucks but the loading docks sit at the center of the space with buildings surrounding the area where they would be parked, Balmer said.

“They’re also providing over

1,600 parking spaces, which far exceeds our zoning requirements and allows for flexibility to attract users because we don’t have users identified,” Balmer added.

An 8-foot wall along the north and south elevations of the buildings on the ends of the development will keep the loading docks from public view.

The commission also continued for future consideration a proposed 4.5-acre Carvana distribution center so that the developer can refine the application for a conditional use permit and site plan.

The center and an outdoor storage area would be located within the Power Marketplace Business Park near the corner of Power and Rittenhouse roads.

But the commission approved another project in Power Marketplace

Business Park: an 18,500-squarefoot Empire Southwest construction equipment rental facility that will be located behind the Home Depot.

Vice Chair Bill Smith asked about restrictions that would keep some equipment out of public view and Planner Mallory Ress said certain types of equipment cannot be displayed in an extended position according to the terms of the permit.

“I’m thinking more like the backhoe buckets and the excavator buckets, not the lifts, which can extend pretty tall,” Smith said.

“Cherry pickers are on that list too,” Mallory Ress said. “There is not a specific top height allowed for storage on that equipment.”

Vince DiBella of Adaptive Archi-

see PLANNING page 8

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NEWS

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Queen Creek Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Queen Creek CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 480-898-6500 | Fax: 480-898-562 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@TimesLocalMedia.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@TimesLocalMedia.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 sinsalaco@TimesLocalMedia.com Advertising Sales Executive: Jane Meyer | 480-898-5633 | jane@TimesLocalMedia.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com Managing Editor: Cecilia Chan | 480-898-5613 |cchan@TimesLocalMedia.com Reporters: Josh Ortega | 480-898-5610 | jortega@TimesLocalMedia.com Ken Sain | 928-420-5341 | ksain@TimesLocalMedia.com Sports Editor: Zach Alvira | 480-898-5630 | zalvira@TimesLocalMedia.com Photographer: Dave Minton | dminton@TimesLocalMedia.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@TimesLocalMedia.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@TimesLocalMedia.com CIRCULATION : 623-535-8439 Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | aaron@phoenix.org Distribution Manager: Brian Juhl | brian@timeslocalmedia.com

Queen Creek Tribune is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation company owned & operated by Times Media Group.

The public is limited to one copy per reader. For circulation services, please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@phoenix.org.

The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Queen Creek Tribune assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement. © 2022 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

Barrel racing growing in Queen Creek

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

I

t’s a story about two women who had an idea and ran with it…around some barrels.

Jill Starkey and Stacy Portonova co-founded the Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association in 2014.

Starkey said she noticed a need for barrel racing in the East Valley and with some help from Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Center, it’s become a reality for the past eight years for riders of all ages and skill levels.

“Our little, not-so-little, association has been described as the best kept secret in barrel racing,” she said.

On July 2, the association hosted the first annual Firecracker 5D that allowed barrel racers of all skill levels to compete for cash prizes.

Racers ranged from a little boy who celebrated his first birthday on July 2 to some in their 70s, Starkey said.

“I love the thrill of barrel racing but I love that it can be a lifelong sport for all ages,” Starkey said.

Starkey said it’s been a dream of hers to start this since she used to trek across the Valley to Buckeye for barrel racing.

Now, it’s drawn attention from across the country.

She soon partnered with Portonova and former Horseshoe Park General Manager Tim Lynch to discuss some opportunities

Cindy Diaz and Dirty Harry whip around a barrel. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

for barrel racing at the facility.

Starkey said the association hosts races at John Volken Academy Ranch in Gilbert as well but HPEC facilities are “best in the state” capable of supporting the capacity.

In 2018, the association removed a membership requirement and opened it up everyone due to winter visitors who couldn’t do a year-round membership.

“We are a club that likes to listen to the riders and make decisions based on that and what is best for the majority of the riders,” she said.

She said they hold races every Thursday that can draw 100 riders to more than 300 riders for their 10 big weekend races per year. One race drew more than 400 competitors.

She said some contestants from the National Finals Rodeo have also run with them to “tune up” their horses on their way to the national competition in Las Vegas.

For Starkey, this isn’t her first rodeo.

“I grew up in Wisconsin and horses have always been part of my family’s life,” she said.

Starkey moved to Scottlyn Vandilinder rides Bullseye, a mini horse led by Madeline Queen Creek 20 years Vandeilinder, in the PeeWee Division at the Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association Firecracker 5D race. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) ago with her husband

Meghan Wray steers Jagger around barrels at Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Dean and son Garrett, and in that time has raised her daughters Taylor and Tyra to race.

She has coached for the past 16 years and watched more than 1,500 racers from the Queen Creek and San Tan Valley compete in their races.

The association is more than just about competition considering they’ve raised money for various causes including raising awareness for breast cancer and alopecia.

Portonova has lived in Queen Creek for the past 15 years and helps with many of the fundraising efforts the association gives to. Her daughter Hailey competes in the races despite being diagnosed with alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss.

“She is instrumental in helping to raise funds for other young kids with alopecia and bringing awareness to this disorder,” she said.

Information: qcbra.com

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

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NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

DANCING from page 1

the number of entertainers.

“When you take a look at our current code, we prohibit dancing,” said Erik Swanson, town planning administrator, as he presented an amendment to allow dancing at restaurants and bars.

He said the town has received multiple inquiries as to whether music could be part of a restaurant or bars business operations.

“We just started receiving feedback from restaurant operators and owners saying ‘hey, look, we really want to do this, but your code is a little kind of out of date,’” he said.

Article 4 of the Zoning Ordinance includes text stating that “patron dancing shall be prohibited” in restaurants.

“What’s being proposed tonight is to lift that restriction entirely on whether it be indoor or outdoor dancing,” he said.

Currently, the zoning ordinance permits bars and nightclubs within the Downtown Core and certain zoning districts by right.

Businesses in mixed use zoning districts require certain conditions be met, while a conditional use permit is required in other districts.

The zoning ordinance had put limitations in each of these districts and limited music or entertainment to recorded music or one entertainer.

The new ordinance would allow dancing at restaurants or bars when conducted indoors only without a time limitation.

Properties in the commercial zoning districts would allow entertainment activities until 10 p.m. and require a

conditional use permit past that time.

“We’ve not received any feedback from our general commercial retailers,” Swanson said “But that is a concern.”

Properties within the mixed-use and Town Center district would allow outdoor entertainment activities until 11 p.m. as long as they’re separated by a minimum of 300 feet from an existing single-family residential home. Anything beyond 11 p.m. would require a conditional use permit.

The Town Center area includes Queen Creek Marketplace, where a new 19,000-square-foot Dave & Buster’s is slated to open next spring, according to Vestar.

The mixed-use area includes property at the southwest corner of Ellsworth and Queen Creek Roads just south of the Costco currently under construction.

Swanson said the town plans to develop apartments, restaurants, and commercial projects that fosters the type of entertainment activity in the amendment.

“The idea behind that mixed-use designation was to have kind of the convergence of the live-work-play area,” he said.

Properties within the 70-acre Downtown Core serve as the “entertainment center” at the heart of the town.

The changes would permit outdoor entertainment activities until 11 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday and 12 a.m.

Friday and Saturday.

“We want to provide a little bit less stringent restrictions there just to get that nightlife environment,” Swanson said.

The downtown core comprises 70 acres and is envisioned as a destination area focusing on pedestrian oriented, compact development integrated with specialty uses related to retail, dining, entertainment, services, residences and recreation. (Town of Queen Creek) The zoning ordinance was originally adopted in 1999 and legal problems have come about in the area before.

In 2006, San Tan Flats Steakhouse and Saloon owner Dale Bell was cited

by Pinal County Board of Supervisors claiming he violated a commercial zoning permit by “engaging in dance hall activities” outside of an enclosed space.

This turned into a legal battle that dragged on for about two years until 2008, when a judge lifted the injunc-

tion.

Swanson said his staff reached out to restaurants, bars and commercial developers in the area to get feedback on the issue.

“Quite honestly, we only received a couple of comments,” he said. “The feedback was relatively positive and it was easy enough to make the changes.”

The amendment now goes before Town Council for a public hearing and possible approval on Aug. 3.

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PLANNING from page 3

tects, which represents Empire Southwest, said there’s no need to use the equipment as an advertising platform.

“There’s no intent to extend it,” DiBella said. “It’s going to be treated something like the cherry pickers as well – no need for advertisement. We’re not going to put signs up there.”

He also said that the equipment the company specializes in will be for general construction and comprise things like tractors, backhoes, skid steers, scissor lifts, cherry pickers and forklifts rather than bulldozers or dump trucks.

Commissioner Jeff Nielsen raised concerns about the 2,000-squarefoot building that will be used to wash returned equipment and what type of drainage system would be used.

DiBella said the company will use an efficient and sustainable system that “collects all the water and sep-

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arates the solids and the water is reused.”

“So there’s very little waste that actually goes to the sewer,” he added.

This back lot also includes a fuel service area for returned equipment and has a minimum 8-foot wall surrounding the storage yard that hides the machines from public view.

Also approved without discussion was the site plan for the 24-acre Hudson Station Commercial Center at the southwest corner of Queen Creek and Signal Butte roads, part of the 92-acre Hudson Station development.

The commercial site will have a 23,000-square-foot Fry’s Marketplace and Pharmacy, a 42,000-square-foot EOS Fitness facility, along with three shops buildings, three drive-thru restaurants, and a Fry’s Fuel Center.

Because it consists of six parcels, the developers must get a state Department of Water Resources certificate of assured water supply.

According to town documents, the

town Water Division can’t agree to supply water to the subdivision unless this stipulation is met as Queen Creek doesn’t have a 100-year assured water designation.

Also approved was the Madera Ashton Woods residential development south of Queen Creek Road and between Signal Butte and Meridian roads.

The 339-lot subdivision will have floorplans ranging between 1,500 and 4,900-square-feet.

The Rittenhouse Commons 1 gated community at the northwest corner of Rittenhouse and Germann roads also won approval.

The medium-density residential area will have three standard plans with three different elevation designs constructed on 81 lots. Floor plans will range between 1,700 and 2,400-square-feet.

Commissioner Steven Ester said it’s too soon to give prices for these homes and “they probably won’t know that until they actually start building.”

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

QC businessman hosts GOP Senate candidate TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

B

lake Masters, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate for Arizona, drew a packed crowd at the Queen Creek home of Roshena and Abe Boling last Wednesday for a town hall.

“Masters spoke a wide range of topics, including the need to secure the United States’ southern border, reforms he wants to see completed to the United States’ educational system, election integrity, and the need for “big tech” platforms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter to have more transparent algorithms on how election and political information is distributed,” Abe Boling said.

The event had over 100 local residents from Queen Creek and surrounding areas attend, along with cable news crews from “12 Arizona,” NBC, and a Tucson television station, according to Boling.

Residents asked Masters questions about his conservative reliability, one resident in attendance held up a flyer distributed by Republican rival Jim Lamon’s campaign stating that Masters had at one point written about the need for open borders and “unrestricted immigration.”

“Is this true?” the resident asked.

Masters replied “I don’t remember

writing that, I guess I could have. When I was 17 in 2005, I was a Libertarian, and I thought I had the world figured out, but guess what – I was wrong.”

He went on to say that since he was 17, his views have changed.

Masters is vying for the opportunity to face off against U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly in November.

“After the town hall, reporters asked Masters why he is pushing so hard at the tail end of the primary since he is the front-runner and considered the favorite to win the Republican nomination for the Senate seat race,” Boling said.

Masters stated “We are working harder than ever. The temptation for some candidates is that when you are in first place is to just take it easy and we’re not doing that.

“We’re holding more grassroots events, more media interviews, I’m still making my fundraising phone calls. The campaign is in overdrive, and we are on a sprint to the finish.”

Master’s most prominent supporter is Peter Thiel, a billionaire entrepreneur and venture capitalist who supported former President Donald Trump. Thiel has donated $13.5 million to the pro-Masters Super Pac, “Saving Arizona Pac.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Blake Masters drew a big crowd to Queen Creek businessman Abe Boling’s home July 27. (Courtesy Abe Boling)

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NEWS

Dawn Oliphant

COUNCIL from page 1

Finnesse Properties. He also received $500 from developer Jason Barney.

Travis also campaigned on the issue of supporting local businesses and against measures that result in the town “picking winners and losers through subsidies.”

“Our local businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and deserve council members who fight to welcome and support them,” Padilla says on his website.

For that reason, he’s drawn support from other business owners, including two dentists and a bakery owner.

Bakery owner Cheryl Standage donated $2,600, along with dentists Ryan Wallin and Clark Larsen, who donated $2,500 and $2,000, respectively.

Citizens for Queen Creek, a political action committee officially organized in June 2017, also donated more than $2,600 to Padilla’s committee July 13 as Chairwoman Natasha Schaeler filed a termination statement the same day.

While Councilwoman Emilena Turley will not seek re-election, her campaign committee donated $1,000 to Padilla, and it remains active with nearly $22,000 on hand.

The Team QC trio of council candi-

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

Julia Wheatley

Travis Padilla

dates have campaigned together with Wheatley, who is unopposed, in their bid for the three open seats on town council.

The Friends of Dawn Oliphant committee raised nearly $20,000 and spent more than half of that on marketing.

The McClure and McWilliams committees reported a total just over $24,000.

Team QC holds public safety as a top priority and it one of their biggest donations came from the Queen Creek Firefighters PAC, which donated $2,000 to each of the Team QC council candidates.

“We will support our Firefighters and Police officers with the right training, equipment, and staff to keep Queen Creek residents safe,” according to the PAC’s website.

The trio also have campaigned on keeping a strong economy, saying it comes from creating a business-friendly environment that attracts good-paying jobs and small businesses.

A slew of $1,000 contributions came from farmer and former mayor Mark Schnepf, Derby Earnhardt of Earnhardt Auto and Strategic Account Executive David Gustafson at CVS. Some of the other $1,000 donations came from David Johnson of DLJ Properties, Dan Reeb of Reeb Capital, Mark

Reeb of Reeb Group, Jessica and Jacob Jorde of Jorde Properties and John Wittrock of Marbella Homes.

A handful of $500 donations came from Josh Panfil of Smart Energy, Josh and Stacy Brimhall of Langley Property, David Cavan of Cavan Companies and Scottsdale attorney Jordan Rose.

“Our team is committed to keeping taxes low and ensuring the town government operates within its means,” according to their website.

Bryan McClure was the only candidate to fund his campaign with a $5,000 self-loan. He also received a $5,000 donation from Alyn and Brenda McClure.

Five different contributors made donations to each of the three candidates.

Donating $1,000 were Mark Schnepf and Keldy Winters of Latigo Land.

Contributing $500 each were attorney Garry Hays, Jason Barney of Landmark and Darin Barney.

Wheatley hasn’t had much to do in the way of fundraising with only about $1,500 from a self-loan spent on signs, according to campaign finance reports submitted on July 13.

Wheatley has the potential to raise campaign funds considering she raised more than $8,200 in 2018 for her town council re-election campaign.

She said her fiscal responsibility in

Know anything interesting going on in Queen Creek?

Send your news to pmaryniak@timespublications.com

Bryan McClure

Matt McWilliams her time on council has brought about positive outcomes for the town.

“Any candidate receiving a majority of all the votes cast Tuesday will be declared elected without a run-off.

However, looming large over Tuesday’s election is the Pinal County ballot mix-up.

County officials said human error in the Pinal County Election Department caused a mix-up in the municipal office races.

The problem only affected voters registered in Pinal County, including about 7,000 within the Queen Creek town limits.

County officials said their main priority was getting supplementary municipal ballots out to those who vote by mail that had already voted.

County officials said they wanted to ensure voters could participate in the municipal elections, so voters will be casting two ballots – one for the town candidates and another for statewide offices.

Queen Creek voters also will be casting votes for two propositions. Prop 464 raises the base expenditure limit set in 1979 by $5.5 million. This is not a tax increase or decrease.

Prop 465 gives Southwest Gas a franchise to operate in Queen Creek for the next 25 years.

Polls will be open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. While at the Communiversity or the Queen Creek Library. Voters in Maricopa County can go to BeBallotReady.vote for more information while Pinal voters can check out pinalcountyaz.gov/ Vote.

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cannot survive, and thus, 1. Finding the underlying cause The number of treatments slowly die. This leads to 2. Determining the extent of required varies from patient those painful and frustrating the nerve damage (above to patient, and can only be following an consequences we were talking 95% nerve loss is rarely determined in-depth neurological and about earlier, like weakness, treatable) numbness, tingling, balance 3. The amount of treatment vascular examination. As long as issues, and perhaps even a required for the patient’s you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope! burning sensation. unique condition The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

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

As displayed in figure 1 above, Effective neuropathy treatment the nerves are surrounded relies on the following three by diseased, withered blood factors: vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00.

This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results: 1. Increases blood flow 2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves 3. Improves brain-based pain The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling.

It’s completely painless!

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

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

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

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until October 31st, 2022. Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment.

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

NOW!!

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

Aspen Medical 4540 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa, AZ, 85206

*(480) 274-3157*

480-274-3157 4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa Az 85206

Petition drive begins to scuttle school vouchers

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

O

pponents have launched a petition drive to stall – then kill – the implementation of the most comprehensive system of private and parochial school vouchers in the nation.

Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this month signed the measure, saying, “Our kids will no longer be locked in under-performing schools.

“Every family in Arizona should have access to a high-quality education with dedicated teachers,’’ he continued. “This is truly a win for all K-12 students.’’

And the governor has said the law, which will allow any of the 1.1 million children in public schools to get what are called “empowerment scholarship accounts,’’ will make Arizona the “gold standard for educational freedom.’’

Ducey’s blessing was never in doubt.

He has signed every voucher expansion bill that has come to his desk since becoming governor in 2015.

But it’s not the last word.

Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona, said signature gathering is underway to force the measure onto the November 2024 – which would put the voucher system on hold until at least 2025.

The organization of teachers and education groups has until Sept. 23 to gather at least 118,823 valid signatures on petitions which would keep the new law from taking effect until the next general election. And given that date would be too late to put the issue on the November ballot, that effectively would put the whole program on hold until at least November 2024.

Lewis said, though, what’s needed is a more permanent solution.

“Arizona voters are absolutely exhausted with this nonsense,’’ she told Capitol Media Services.

What started out in 2011 as a program to provide an alternative to public

school for students with disabilities and special needs has grown as supporters have succeeded in adding more and more categories.

The current law now provides vouchers which typically are in the range of about $7,000 to children from foster homes, military families, living on tribal reservations and attending schools rated D or F. About 11,775 students currently get such vouchers.

The law that Ducey signed would remove all the restrictions so any of the 1.1 million students in public schools could get public funding to attend a private or parochial school. Parents who home school also would be in line for those funds.

Lewis said the referendum drive should come as no surprise.

Lawmakers approved a large expansion in 2017. Her organizations got the signatures to put that plan on hold until the 2018 election when voters quashed the legislation by a margin of 2-1.

House Majority Leader Ben Toma, R-Peoria, the architect of this year’s plan, said what happened in 2018 is irrelevant.

He said some voucher supporters actually voted against that earlier plan specifically because it did not actually make all students eligible for vouchers.

Instead, to get the votes, supporters had to agree to a cap of about 30,000 vouchers by 2021, a cap that would remain in place unless and until lawmakers decided otherwise.

More to the point, Toma said had the measure been approved, it would have been frozen in law. That’s because the Voter Protection Act in the Arizona Constitution precludes lawmakers from repealing whatever has been enacted at the ballot and restricts alterations only to measures that “further the purpose’’ of the original bill.

see VOUCHERS page 13

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VOUCHERS from page 12

Lewis called Toma’s explanation of the failure of voucher expansion in 2018 “complete hogwash.’’

The lobbying of state lawmakers to approve the measure featured a parade of parents and children who said they are doing a lot better in private schools.

The public campaign is likely to follow the same script.

Lewis said that won’t work for a simple reason: Nothing in the referendum would take vouchers away from students who already get them.

What the law would do is make more students eligible for the state dollars.

And, more to the point, that would include students whose parents already pay to send their children to private schools.

Estimates are that about 85,000 of these children would switch to state funding by the 2024-2025 school year at a cost of about $118 million a year.

That does not bother supporters of the plan, including the governor, who was already promoting the plan on

Wednesday on KTAR, even before he signed it.

“Everybody listening that has a child when this law goes into effect will have access to their taxpayer dollars to send their child to the school of their choice,’’ Ducey said.

“We’re the No. 1 state for educational freedom,’’ he said. “Other states are going to be following us.’’

Lewis, however, rejected any argument that people who already send their children to private schools without a voucher effectively are being asked to pay not only for the service they are buying but the service they are not getting from the public schools. She said that’s the way democracy works.

“We all pay into the system,’’ Lewis said.

“Like because I don’t use the fire sys-

tem this year, I’m lucky enough to not use firefighters, I should give that money back?’’ she continued. “That’s nonsense.’’

There is something else that could give voucher foes some ammunition.

An early version of the legislation would have required that students in private and parochial schools using these vouchers of state funds to take some standardized tests, similar to those already administered in public schools. The results, as in the case of public schools, would have been reported on an aggregate basis.

That requirement was removed from the final version by Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, who said what’s happening at private schools is none of the government’s business.

But voucher foes like Rep. Kelli Butler,

D-Paradise Valley, said the fact that tax dollars will be flowing to those schools is precisely what gives the state an interest.

“We will not know if students are using our tax dollars – $7,000 is the typical award – if they’re using that money to learn anything,’’ she said during legislative debate.

Ducey waited until the last possible day for him to act on legislation, cutting 10 days from the time that referendum backers have to get their signatures, as the deadline falls 90 days after the end of the session, regardless of when the governor acts.

Lewis, however, said she’s not concerned.

“We’re teachers,’’ she said. “We know how to plan behind the scenes and get ready.’’

Know anything interesting going on in Queen Creek?

Send your news to pmaryniak@timespublications.com For Sale in Chandler

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2022

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14

NEWS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

QC’s new high school officially opens

she’s at right now because Crismon is brand-new. There’s nothing like starting fresh and building the culture that t was the first day for everyone you want,” she said. and everything at Crismon High Torbert said one of the keys to helpSchool. ing her do that has come from the Principal Elyse Torbert welcomed staff that she personally recruited and nearly 1,000 students and 40 fullhired. time teachers to the newest high “Their positive energy, expertise, school in the Queen Creek Unified collaborative nature, has really built School District as the new school year the school,” she said. “They’ve really began last Wednesday. been able to make this work and set a “Our faculty and staff have worked positive culture from day one.” hard to prepare, and everyone’s excitShe said some work remains on ed to start new traditions at Crismon certain rooms in the building but all High,” she said. classrooms are open and occupied.

One of the biggest issues they’re Most of the unfinished work involves still working on is figuring a way to the library and media center, college efficiently move traffic through the Crismon High School Spanish teacher Mario Resek greeted students entering the building. and career center, and the performing (Courtesy of QCUSD) drop-off/pick-up line. arts center.

The architect designed a traffic loop Torbert said construction won’t finthat people will see when they turn rotary and makes “a really long loop” Torbert said that even by 2 p.m., ish on those areas until early Novemonto Crismon Road from Riggs Road. through the parking lot to the front parents line up and that causes traffic ber at the latest.

From there, traffic turns right at the entrance and toward the football field. to back up onto Riggs though parents She’s walked through every classhaven’t complained too much once room and said she feels “a really great they turn onto Crismon. energy” and has been impressed “I don’t want to be a driver of Riggs by the students’ conduct, especially and then have to wait through that, es- watching them picking up their trash. pecially if I don’t have a kid,” she said.

“I think there’s a lot of pride that This wasn’t Torbert’s first day of comes from building a new facility school as a principal, considering she and opening a new school,” she said She said students have shown reworked as an assistant principal for Hamilton and Casteel High School, as spect and gratitude for each other by well as a high school principal in Mas- saying hello to each other and to staff sachusetts. Most recently, she served and holding doors open for each other.

Give your family peace of mind with preplanned “Our goal is to be the number one as the principal for Queen Creek Eleburial, cremation, or funeral arrangements. No one high school in the state,” she said. mentary. serves Mesa and chandler with more compassion, She said she liked the feel of where “And we’re working our way towards that every day.” experience, and value than Legacy.

Teachers have set the tone Call or visit us online today. for school spirit by wearing school t-shirts and they also set up a parent/teacher organization and booster club.

Christ’s Church of the Valley has also helped with bringing donations.

“We’re focused on ‘making thinking visible’ this year,” Call today to make an appointment.

Torbert said, “and are looking forward to building our culture and community with Crismon Principal Elyse Torbert helped to direct traffic in AZLegacyFuneralHome.com the drive lane on the first day of school. (Courtesy of QCUSD) our students.”

BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

I

What Matters Most?

480-207-2286

15

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

VOTERS! OF QUEEN CREEK

IN PINAL COUNTY ONLY

An official message from Pinal County

Errors were identified on early voting ballots that have impacted city and town contests in seven municipalities which includes Queen Creek plus Casa Grande, Eloy, Mammoth, Maricopa, Superior, and the Apache Junction portion of Pinal County

How are you impacted?

If you received an early ballot, you will now be sent a municipal-only ballot that you must use to vote in your city or town contests. You should complete the Federal, State, Legislative, and County contests on your original ballot and return it by August 2, 2022.

If you voted in person at an early vote site, you will need to return to any early vote center before July 29, 2022, to complete a municipal-only ballot to vote in your city or town contests.

If you plan on voting on Election Day (August 2, 2022), you will vote your city or town contests on a separate municipal-only ballot at your Polling Site.

Questions?

Call 520-509-3555 Visit www.pinalcountyaz.gov/ballotissues or scan the QR code with your device.

Scan for FAQ and Ballot Drop Locations

VOTANTES! DE QUEEN CREEK

SOLO EN EL CONDADO DE PINAL

Un mensaje deloficial Condado de Pinal de Pinal Unoficial mensaje del Condado

Se identificaron errores en las boletas de votación anticipadas que han afectado las contiendas de ciudades y pueblos en siete municipios que incluye Queen Creek más Casa Grande, Eloy, Mammoth, Maricopa, Superior y la porcion de Apache Junction del condado de Pinal

¿Cómo te impacta?

Si recibió una boleta anticipada, ahora se le enviará una boleta Municipal que debe usar para votar en los concursos de su ciudad o pueblo. Debe completar los concursos Federales, Estatales, Legislativos y del condado en su boleta original y devolverla antes del 2 de Agosto de 2022.

Si ya votó en persona, deberá regresar a cualquier sitio de votación anticipada antes del 29 de Julio de 2022 para completar una boleta solo Municipal para votar en las contiendas de su ciudad o pueblo.

Si planea votar el día de las elecciones (2 de Agosto de 2022), votará las contiendas de su ciudad o pueblo en una boleta separada solo Municipal en su sitio de votación.

¿Preguntas?

Llame al 520-509-3555 Visite www.pinalcountyaz.gov/ballotissues o puede escanear el código QR con su dispositivo.

Escanee para las Preguntas Frecuentes y las Ubicaciones para Entregar las Boletas Electorales

16

COMMUNITY

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How Mesa twins beat odds of survival

BY MELODY BIRKETT Tribune Contributor

A

shley and Matthew Yancey of Mesa received the exciting news in early 2020 they would become parents for the first time and their joy doubled when they learned eight weeks into her pregnancy she was expecting twins.

“To say it was a surprise is probably an understatement because twins don’t run in my family or my husband’s,” said Ashley. “It was an exciting time for us.”

They were planning to share the joyous news at 11 weeks but the couple’s enthusiasm soon turned to fear and sadness.

Yancey started having complications and thought she was having a miscarriage.

“It obviously was a very scary time,” she said.

More than a little scary, in fact: It was March 2020 on a Friday, at the beginning of COVID, so doctors didn’t want to admit her to the hospital.

“I just prayed and cried out to God, ‘Save my babies,’” Ashley recalled.

On the following Monday, she went to see her doctor and was relieved when the physician heard two heartbeats.

But it was recommended she go to a more skilled doctor.

At 16 weeks, Ashley was walking to her car after a routine appointment when a medical technician ran out after her and told her to go back inside.

“At that moment, my heart dropped because you know something is wrong when someone’s running after you and saying to come back so they can get some more ultrasounds,” said Ashley.

This went on for an hour while her husband was sitting in the car, unable to come in due to COVID restrictions.

Ashley Yancey holds on tight to her twin daughters, who encountered a dangerous medical condition after their premature birth during the pandemic. (Courtesy of the Yancey Family) Ashley was told she had Twin-toTwin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and needed to fly the next day to an out-of-state to see a specialist.

“My mind at this point was spinning,” said Ashley, who didn’t know anything about TTTS. “I was overwhelmed.” Ashley was told no one in Arizona knows the procedure for treating the syndrome and only a few doctors in the country do it.

Ashley got connected to Dr. John Elliott in Phoenix, a maternal-fetal specialist known around the world for delivering multiple births.

He referred the Yanceys to Dr. Henry Galan, a fetal surgeon and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, one of a few doctors in the nation who can perform the in-utero surgery needed to save her babies’ lives.

Time was of the essence so Ashley and her husband immediately flew to Denver.

“We called everybody we know and prayed,” Ashley said. “We had no idea this fast-moving aggressive disease could be fine one ultrasound and the next ultrasound it could go downhill very fast.”

Galan first saw Ashley on May 30, 2020. He said TTTS happens in one in 4,000-5,000 pregnancies.

“But because we’re a center that these patients get referred to, we see them much more regularly,” said. Galan.

“TTTS occurs in pregnancies that have a single placenta where the two umbilical cords that come into the placenta themselves have vessels that branch out like the roots of a tree on the surface of that placenta.”

TTTS does not happen with non-identical twins with separate placentas.

“When you have a single placenta, almost universally, you’re going to have multiple connections from one side of the placenta to the other through surface vessels,” explained Galan.

“About 90% of the time there’s not a problem,” he said. “Those connections allow flow back and forth between the babies and there are no issues. There’s complete shared circulation.”

But Galan said about 10% of the time, the blood flows become unbalanced so that “one baby becomes a donor while the other baby becomes a recipient and it affects each of those babies separately and in very different ways.

“The one baby who’s receiving all that extra blood volume, that baby will end up having, for example, a vascular system in its body that’s super well hydrated.”

But the other twin’s vascular system

see TWINS page 17

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

COMMUNITY

17

TWINS from page 16

will become depleted.

TTTS can occur at any point in pregnancy, Galan said, and “it tends to be more aggressive if it’s diagnosed earlier in pregnancy than it is later in pregnancy.”

There are several stages of TTTS with the more serious stages carrying a risk of the loss of one or both twins.

But he said not all TTTS patients need surgery. Once a high-risk pregnancy is diagnosed, the patient should be followed every two weeks starting at 16 weeks’ gestation until the end of the pregnancy to evaluate for its development.

“Ashley’s stage of disease was severe enough that fetal surgery was needed,” said Galan. “ Ashley said doctors suggested choosing which baby should survive in case it came down to that.

“But I couldn’t look at that ultrasound and decide which one so we decided to go with the 30% chance of survival for both twins even though the odds were against us,” she recalled.

On June 12, 2020, Galan and his colleagues performed the in-utero surgery.

“Through a fetoscope, we can go in and with the camera, we can visualize the connecting vessels between the two fetuses,” Dr. Galan explained. “We can feed that laser fiber down and we can laser or burn those connecting vessels…It accomplishes two things: It treats TTTS and protects both babies from themselves should one baby pass away.

“At the time of surgery, we removed two liters of fluid from Ashley’s recipient baby,” said Galan. “Picture a two-liter bottle of coke. That’s how much fluid we removed from her.”

Yancey successfully gave birth to Madilyn and Addilyn on Sept. 2, 2020, 12 weeks after the surgery.

“I knew I had to take my chances,” she reflected. “I just wanted to give them every possible chance for survival. I didn’t want to cut their lives short.”

Addilyn was the baby pumping blood for her and her sister has pulmonary valve stenosis, requiring two surgeries.

“I’m glad to have her here and thriving,” said Ashley. “You can’t tell which

Mesa twins Madilyn and Addilyn Yancey will be celebrating their second birthday in September. (Courtesy of the Yancey Family)

one has a heart condition. All of Madilyn’s problems were in the placenta so she’s fine but she was very tiny.”

Ashley said the twins are very close.

“They walk around the house. They call each other ‘baby.’ If one gets something, like a pretzel, they’ll say, ‘baby’ and hold out their other hand and go give their sister one. Everything I do for one, I have to do for the other.

“They do not like being apart. They’ve only been apart a few times like if dad takes one of them to the store. They do not like it. The other one will say, ‘baby, baby’ and walk around the house super sad because their sister isn’t there. So, we don’t separate them very much.”

Ashley now wants to spread awareness of TTTS and be a help to anyone who has this disease.

“If I get connected to other moms with TTTS, I’d love to talk to them,” she said. “When I found someone else who had it, I connected with them since it’s so rare.”

Galan and the Yanceys developed a special bond. He routinely checks in on them.

“The most gratifying part is getting the periodic updates and pictures and videos of these kids as they unfold later in life,” he said.

Madilyn and Addilyn are very close, their mother says, explaining “Everything I do for one, I have to do for the other.” (Courtesy of the Yancey Family)

18

BUSINESS

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QC couple opening fitness studio in Chandler

BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor

Q

ueen Creek resident Darin Day said he was a regular in his old gym, worked out often and thought he was in pretty good shape for his age.

Then he was invited to visit a Fit Body Boot Camp by a neighbor.

“I tried it, just blown away,” Day said.

“I mean, the workouts are 30 minutes, so you’re in, you’re out, you’re sweaty, you’re worn out.”

He became hooked, so much so that he’s about to open his own Fit Body Boot Camp in South Chandler at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Riggs.

Day and his wife, MJ, plan to have their first official workouts on Aug. 1.

Day said his previous workouts focused on weight training, building muscles. He said the Boot Camp workouts are more about all around fitness level.

“Getting into this, it’s about strength, it’s about building a different kind of muscle, it’s about building that lean muscle that burns the calories and

keeps you trim,” Day explained.

“And so that’s what really appealed to me because since I joined two years ago, I’ve lost 20 pounds, but I’ve gained, you know, mass and muscle, but I’ve also dropped like 10% body fat.”

Day had worked for someone else in corporate jobs most of his adult life and the idea of owning his own business was appealing.

Since he enjoyed the Fit Body Boot Camp, he checked out their website and came across a chance to buy a franchise.

The company gives discounts to veterans. MJ served in the Army, so they qualified.

As someone who has gone through a real boot camp, MJ said their workouts are not that intense and no on should be scared off by the name. She said she wants their new business to be a place that feels like family.

“I belonged to another [gym], I just dropped it,” MJ said. “And they wanted to charge you for just having someone stand by you while you do your exercises.

“I wasn’t getting much out of it. It’s

like you standing here now, and they weren’t helping or doing anything, they were just kind of making sure I was doing my reps.”

The Sun Lakes Fit Body Boot Camp will start by offering classes at 5 a.m.

Monday-Friday. Each class lasts 30 minutes and they vary the workouts so they don’t get repetitive.

Darin said they will have you do something for say 40 seconds, then take 20 seconds to catch your breath. And then repeat the process.

The last morning class

obviously depending on the home.

Driving through certain neighborhoods, weeds from abandoned homes were so tall they peeked over the fences from the backyards.

HOA’s were not maintaining the aesthetics of their communities due to their lack of income as a result of homeowners not paying their dues.

No wonder we all have bad memories from the crash!

This is not that market.

What we are experiencing is a change in our local real estate market with a velocity no one anticipated.

Last month, I shared that by August we would likely be in a balanced market. It’s still July and we have already been in a balanced market for a few weeks.

What is a balanced market and what does that mean to home sellers and buyers? A balanced market is a market with a healthy inventory level

see FITNESS page 19

Darin and MJ Day of Queen Creek are about to open Fit Body Boot Camp in South Chandler. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Balanced market an exciting time for buyers

BY MELANIE NEMETZ Tribune Guest Writer

M

any people are having bad memories from the 2008-09 market crash we experienced here in Queen Creek.

Many people ultimately lost their homes mostly due to bad mortgages.

Back then, a bank owned home sold between $70,000 to over $100,000,

that provides plenty of options for the buyers to choose from while the seller is still able to sell their home.

The average days on market for a home is longer and could be in the range of 30 days. While this is a sharp contrast to the market we just came out of, it’s important to note that this is considered normal for a balanced market.

see MARKET page 19

BUSINESS

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

FITNESS from page 18

19

starts at 9:30. Darin said some parents requested that time because it allows them to drop their kids off at school before working out.

Each class will have two instructors.

One keeps time while the other helps people doing the workouts.

“If the guy next to you can do, you

know, 50 jumping jacks in a minute, and you can only do 20, if 20 is the best of your ability, that’s OK, our coaches are going to be they’re encouraging you.

“They’re going to be pushing you say, ‘Come on, maybe do one more, or do one more than you did yesterday.’ But it’s not going to be in an atmosphere where you know, he’s doing 50, you do 50.”

Darin said like his wife, they want to

make the workouts feel like a family gathering and not something that’s intimidating.

The cost is $39 per week, but Day said they are offering a special for some founding members, $10 off a week for life. That will be good for the first 100 people who become members.

If you are a member, you can come as many times a week as you like. In ad-

dition to their morning hours, they also have evening classes starting at 4 p.m. and a limited number of classes on Saturdays.

A balanced market for buyers is exciting! It means they have time to consider which home they actually want to purchase. It also provides far more options for the buyer than a seller’s market.

It is also a time where buyers, who can afford the monthly mortgage on a home but may be struggling with closing costs can actually re-enter the market.

A balanced market for a seller means that while it may take longer to sell their home, they can expect

healthy negotiations with the buyer.

The added time on market actually provides the seller the opportunity to figure out where they are moving to and when and how to coordinate that with their move.

Our topic of the market change would not be complete without addressing the interest rates. Yes, they have gone up. They are still 2% lower than the rate I secured on my first home in the late 90’s, when we celebrated locking in under 8%.

Have you heard the phrase “Marry the house, date the rate”? Just as it sounds, a buyer should place more

emphasis on the place they want to call home than the rate itself.

A home has deep and lasting meaning. Rates have a history of going up and going down. When the rates drop, a homeowner could refinance. Not the most ideal scenario but one many are focusing on right now.

Another main focus right now is a rate buy down. The buyer could pay for this themselves. This would also be an option for the seller to pay on behalf of the buyer in lieu of lowering the price as it saves the buyer far more money in the long run.

Since April, each week has brought

a new set of changes to our real estate market. Last month I reported there were 13,500 homes active on the market. That number moved to almost 18,000 in one short month.

I look forward to sharing the changes in our market again next month.

For now, if you plan to sell your home any time in the near future, now would be the time.

Melanie Nemetz, the owner and founder of The Melanie Nemetz Team with Keller Williams Integrity First can be reached at 480- 221-3034, melanie@fosteringre.com or www. fosteringre.com

MARKET from page 18

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20

OPINION

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A muted reaction to ‘human torch’ killing

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

Y

ou wake up before the sun rises and watch the video one more time, to be sure your eyes have not fooled you. The footage is grainy, shot by surveillance cameras, lit by street lamps. The hazy flash of fire takes your breath away.

At 4:30 on the morning of July 3, 2022, at a bus stop near 58th Avenue and Olive in Glendale, a human being was doused in gasoline and set on fire by a man wielding a butane torch.

Blake Angerer, age 30, can be seen on the video stumbling into a nearby Circle K, pants around his ankles,

his shoulders, arm and lower body still ablaze. Witnesses douse Angerer with water.

The video lasts just shy of four minutes. It ends with Angerer prone on the store’s grimy tile, smoke rising from his body.

Angerer’s sister, Riquida, described him on the family’s GoFundMe page as “a son, a father, a brother, a cousin, a friend, and all around a good looking and goofy charismatic man who really wanted to see the greatest parts of life.”

Angerer was also a fighter. With third-degree burns charring over 70 percent of his body, he lasted more than three weeks in intensive care.

Angerer died on the morning of

July 26.

In a gentler time, the deliberate barbecuing of a human being would draw more than a couple minutes on the news and a few headlines buried beside the furniture ads. But this is 2022, where you live amid mass shootings, double-digit inflation, monkeypox and COVID, political flame wars and an invasion of the U.S. Capitol by angry fools. Angerer’s killing and the arrest of 41-year-old Luciano Simmons drew little more than a blip, despite the sheer depravity of the crime.

Per the police report, Simmons, the alleged firestarter, plunked down a buck at Circle K. Seconds later, “Luciano is on cam-

era filling up the water bottle with gasoline, and shortly after the victim and witness are observed running from the area of the bus stop to the entrance of the Circle K while the victim is on fire.”

You stare at the frozen frame of the video for what feels like an hour.

A wisp of smoke sits frozen on the screen.

You contemplate not Simmons’ derangement, which you can only chalk up to mental illness or evil, but the response from the rest of us.

A few stories, a few thousand clicks, some upset stomachs. 212 donations on the Angerer’s GoFundMe

endorsers heading into the Arizona Republican Primary Election on Tuesday.

In the Republican race for Governor, the “Gee, it’s late…I must be going” Award goes to former Congressman and now former gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon.

Matt called it quits a week before early ballots were mailed out, with his name still on them. While he was quick to endorse Karrin Taylor Robson, that won’t prevent votes from showing up in the Salmon column. Matt called his supporters “the best in Arizona.” Are they the “best informed?” We’ll see.

The “Best Venue for a Presidential Proxy Preview” goes to the Grand Canyon State. Former President Trump has endorsed primary candidates up and down the slate, including former Channel 10 news anchor Kari Lake for governor.

Ex-Vice President Mike Pence has pointedly endorsed Robson. The “Atlantic,” a legacy media outlet which usually spews venom toward Republicans, actually manages a word of backhanded praise for Pence, saying he wants to “preserve an ounce of sanity in [his] party.” But for Robson, the “Atlantic” does no favors, describing her as a “caricature of the establishment Republican.”

Gov. Doug Ducey gets the “I wanna be ‘Number 2,’ so I’m trying harder” Award. After the Governor’s statement, “We do elections right in Arizona,” uttered in 2020, then Doug’s rush to certify a Biden win, sending a call from President Trump to voicemail as he signed certification documents before the cameras, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) sensed a kindred spirit in Ducey.

The Senate GOP Leader proffered

all sorts of swamp blandishments to Doug—guaranteed K-Street contributions, a national network for fundraising and the considerable support that only the party’s Senate leader can provide, but Ducey said, “No.” The Guv’s refusal was not based on principle, but personal priorities.

Knowing he would face a very difficult fight for the nomination, Doug thinks there’s another route to the “World’s Most Exclusive Club.” Why go as one of the 100, seated in the far rear of the chamber as a newcomer? Why not figure out a way into the Senate as its President…and Vice President of the United States?

It’s a long shot, but Ducey thinks that his veep ticket will be punched by Mike Pence if the former vice president can

see LEIBOWITZ page 21

Here are some award winners in Arizona’s GOP primary race

BY JD HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist

W

hether the numbers look good or bad, political pollsters always remind their candidate clients: “Look, this survey is a snapshot in time, confined to those few days when we were in the field. It tells us about trends…it does not completely forecast the final outcome.”

Of course, campaigns do not survive on numbers alone.

The “Trail to Election Day’ is filled with twists and turns as well as unacknowledged strengths, unspoken perceptions and untold stories.

This column features a selected compilation of the above, assessing the campaigns, candidates, and prominent

see HAYWORTH page 21

OPINION

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

LEIBOWITZ from Page 20

21

page, which currently totals $10,531 raised toward a goal of $100,000. Ten people in a Valley of 4.9 million have posted words of support and prayers.

You dwell on the acronym used today to express disgust via text message. SMH. Shaking my head.

Cold-blooded murder used to stop us. Neighbors would drop off dishes covered in foil. Strangers help defray the cost of medical treatment, or the price of a coffin and a funeral.

The name of the victim would become, at least for a few days, a top of mind presence in our collective consciousness.

Not anymore. Now the news spends its precious space inventorying the latest influencers and conspiracies, venomous political candidates and venal Hollywood celebs.

The death of Blake Angerer once would have made you look until you could no longer stand it, until one human being’s searing agony forced you

to look away.

Today, in 2022, we can barely be bothered to notice, to act.

You start the video one final time, to be sure your eyes have not fooled you. And to be sure you still have a heart beating and aching in your chest. Because in the end, really, what else is there?

somehow beat the odds in the 2024 Sweepstakes for the White House. In fact, Ducey stands a better chance of being Pence’s running mate than Pence does of becoming President.

The “How to become Number 2 without really trying” Award goes to Kari Lake. After all, the 45th President stands a much better chance than Mike Pence to return as the 47th President.

Already, Trump confidants are talking up Kari Lake’s chances to become Trump’s running mate if she becomes governor.

Finally, no primary analysis would be

complete without the “East Valley Intrigue” Award…and the choice for 2022 is the inaccurately named “Mesa Conservative Fund.”

Jeff Flake may now be a world away from the U.S. Senate, and installed in a much more appropriate job as Joe Biden’s ambassador to Turkey (Kinda prompts a chuckle, doesn’t it?), but Jeff’s “Hey, look at me” narcissism has found a natural heir in Rusty Bowers. The term-limited Arizona House Speaker hopes to now serve in the state Senate.

The problem comes in the form of Trump-endorsed David Farnsworth, widely considered a genuine, grassroots conservative. Meantime, Rusty

didn’t exactly burnish his conservative credentials when he went to Washington as a “star witness” for Liz Cheney and the “J-6 Committee.”

So, the remnants of the Flake Cabal quickly put together this so-called “conservative fund” to prop up the Bowers

candidacy by mischaracterizing Farnsworth’s record.

Will it work? We’ll find out when the polls close and the votes are counted.

And whatever the outcome, it’s just a prelude to the General Election in November.

HAYWORTH from Page 20

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‘Beyond the disc’: Ultimate Frisbee takes off in Arizona

BY RICKY WEIPZ Cronkite News

O

n a Thursday night in south Tempe, two fields reserved at the Benedict Sports Complex featured typical athletic activities: drills, competition and a bit of trash-talking.

Welcome to the world of ultimate Frisbee, which often is simply called “ultimate.”

The sport combines elements of football and soccer while participants fling a plastic disc up and down a narrow field, looking to find their opponents’ end zone. Ultimate’s easy-to-play nature draws the interest of many.

The Valley of the Sun Ultimate Organization has been around for almost 40 years creating playing opportunities for those interested in the niche sport.

“I’ve enjoyed it from the beginning,” organization president Tim Streit said.

“I think it’s a fun sport. There’s a lot of great things about it from the different levels that you can play it at, to the different people who can participate in it, the low amount of equipment that you need to play it and the fact that it’s self-organized.”

Since its creation in 1968 by students at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, the sport has taken off and now is played in more than 80 countries by an estimated 7 million people, according to the sport’s governing body, the World Flying Disc Federation.

Ultimate is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and has tried, so far unsuccessfully, to be part of the Games. It has a huge college participation rate, and the USA Ultimate U.S. Open is set to air on ESPN2 in August.

Ultimate, unlike most organized sports, does not rely on referees to make foul calls. Instead, the concept of “spir-

Valley of the Sun Ultimate just began its summer season, with players of all skill levels participating and playing under the lights at the Benedict Sports Complex in Tempe. (Photo by Ricky Weipz/Cronkite News)

it of the game” allows players to police themselves and only call fouls when necessary.

“We don’t use referees at very many levels at all,” Streit said. “There are no referees at any level I play at, and that includes up to the national championship for the club team.”

Of the two fields at Benedict reserved earlier this month for Valley of the Sun Ultimate, one was for the co-ed recreational league, which Streit was preparing to play in.

On the adjacent field, the organization’s club team went through some drills during practice. Cynthia Thomas was standing on a dirt path between the two fields, throwing some lighthearted heckles at the teams with her adopted husky, Colton.

“I started playing with VOTS (Valley of the Sun Ultimate) at the end of my sophomore year in college,” Thomas said. “Then I started playing with ASU in about 2011, 2012.”

Thomas, a graduate of Arizona State and Chandler High School, currently plays professional ultimate for the Arizona Sidewinders. The Sidewinders, the first pro team in the state for ultimate, is

made up of women and non-binary players. They recently finished in third place in the Western Ultimate League.

Professional ultimate “is a bit more intense and a bit more structured,” Thomas said. “The rules are a little bit different and it’s catered to be more of a spectator sport than recreational.”

She added that even though she was not playing that night, she just liked watching and embracing the people she has met over the years. Also, who does not love a little friendly trash talk?

“It’s definitely the people who play ultimate that make it a fun-loving but competitive group,” Thomas said. “I think it’s a great mix of the two. We have fun tournaments throughout the year where people will dress up in costumes and go out and play in our local leagues that are running pretty much all year.”

Among those tournaments is the pride and joy of Valley of the Sun Ultimate: the New Year Fest. The 38th annual event was held in January 2020, but it hasn’t been played since because of COVID-19.

Streit said people were reluctant to play in the tournament during the pandemic. Even though ultimate is considered a non-contact sport, plenty of close encounters occur with other players while playing defense.

His goal is to have the tournament return next January.

“Traditionally, we’ve drawn teams from Seattle, Philadelphia, Canada, all around the country and beyond,” Streit said. “I think that has gotten a little smaller in recent years just because of the nature of the sport and the way that the USA Ultimate Organization sets up their club season. The January ‘fun tournament’ is not exactly fitting in the calendar the way that it used to, but it’s still good for a lot of teams.”

The club level of ultimate is more com-

petitive than the seasonal leagues put on

by Valley of the Sun Ultimate. Club teams can compete for championships on the national and international stage.

There is a range of competition levels, but the seasonal leagues offer opportunities for new players to learn the sport or just find a community. That was the case for Olivia Pascazi, who played ultimate in high school and recently moved to the Phoenix area from Pittsburgh.

“I wanted to join some type of ultimate league,” Pascazi said. “I just searched for Frisbee leagues in Tempe and VOTS came up, so I joined it and I’ve been here ever since.”

Pascazi’s first time playing with VOTS came this year, and she has caught on.

She even helped her team, the Poached Eggs, score a few points.

“I think there’s a lot of camaraderie,” she said. “Especially in this league, everyone’s been super helpful. Even if you know they’re on another team, they’re really helpful to newer players. I feel like in other sports I played, it’s a little more cutthroat, which, you know, sometimes can be fun for those who want to be competitive. But for newer players, it’s really nice to have that camaraderie.”

Although the organization is bouncing back from the pandemic and leagues are up and running again, Streit notes there’s always room to grow the league and the sport in general.

“Our league will accept (players) 16 years old and up,” Streit said. “We have not traditionally had very much outreach to youth ultimate. There are places in the country that I know are better at that, but that’s something our organization has been lacking in. We hope to expand to that someday.”

The league will have a second summer league run from August through September. Then, the fall season will begin.

GET OUT

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QC thespians star in Limelight’s returning ‘Joseph’

BY KATY SPRINGER GetOut Contributor

W

hen Limelight Performing Arts produced “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in 2016, the show earned a slew of honors including the National Youth Arts award for “Outstanding Production.” Six years later, the theater is reprising the show.

The musical will be on stage at the Mesa Arts Center Aug. 4-14 and will feature an epic cast of nearly 50 performers ages 6-21 – including four kids and teens from Queen Creek and one teen from San Tan Valley.

They are: Jordan Brent, 17, and Mackenzie Gilligan, 14, who are both in the ensemble; Audra South, 10, who is in the Children’s Choir; and Preston South, 13, who plays Jacob and Butler. Shayla Forero, 13, of San Tan Valley, is an apple dancer and in the ensemble.

Set in biblical-era Canaan and Egypt, “Joseph” brings the age-old story of Jacob and his sons to vibrant new life.

When Jacob gives Joseph a magnificent coat of many colors, his 11 brothers become so consumed with jealousy they sell him into slavery in Egypt. But because of Joseph’s prophetic gift for interpreting dreams, he ascends from lowly house slave to Pharaoh’s key advisor.

The production is upbeat, light-hearted and full of comic relief and features colorful characters and costumes, modern choreography and a range of music and dance styles – from French ballad and bubble-gum pop to a country-western hoedown and a Pharaoh who sings Elvis.

Among students rehearsing for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are, from left, Edward Oster, Jordan Brent, Daymon Reidhead, Audra South, Preston South, Mackenzie Gilligan, Gabriela Montufar, Vincent Farley, Shayla Forero, James Mcguire and Whitney Sherwood.

(David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

“It’s colorful, inspiring and hilarious,” said Limelight’s artistic director, Emma England, who, along with Marie South, is directing the show.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan Brent is having a great time with her character. She is a featured dancer and part of the musical’s ensemble.

“I play many different roles throughout the show such as a wife, scarf dancer, a tree, corn and many more fun parts,” said Jordan.

Mackenzie Gilligan, 14, also is part of the ensemble.

“I am in almost every single dance number,” Mackenzie said. “The hardest part of the show for me is the dancing.”

Preston South, 13, plays Jacob, the

butler and other ensemble roles.

“I like getting to be multiple characters in the show and I like how different the multiple roles are,” he said.

“The hardest part for me is memorizing how my costume changes.”

The 90-minute production indeed is demanding. Beyond the costume changes, every word in the musical is sung, every scene is choreographed, and every performer plays a key part in bringing the story together.

“The ensemble is central to this production,” said Marie South. “Most productions rely on a couple of leads to carry the show, but ‘Joseph’ isn’t like that. Every person on stage is important to the story, and that means every one of our performers needs to

be a true triple threat.”

The cast certainly is up for the challenge. For Brent, it’s an opportunity to hone her craft and be part of a major production while also spending time with her cast mates.

“I have always loved participating in Limelight shows,” she said. “The shows are spectacular and I love meeting new people! Youth theater is a great way to meet new people and grow as a performer.”

Audra South feels the same.

“Rehearsal is really fun because I get to see my friends,” she said. “Also, it’s fun to learn the dances!”

As opening night approaches,

see MUSICAL page 24

24

GET OUT

QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Columnist

Hard to pronounce, this dessert is berry berry good

I The Children’s Chorus pops in and out of the musical throughout the 90-minute show. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

MUSICAL from page 23

the directing team and cast are fine-tuning every aspect of the production.

“We threaded color through every aspect of this show,” said Marie South. “For example, many of our set pieces look beige on the surface, but they’re lit from within and bring out that technicolor quality when we turn the lights on.”

Of course, no production of “Joseph” would be complete without a Children’s Choir. The group of youngsters pop in and out of the world and story of “Joseph,” singing along and adding new layers to every scene and song.

“The Children’s Choir is important because it shows the perspective of the show from a child,” said Audra.

“We’re on stage singing and dancing for most of the musical and help people understand the bible story.”

The cast is eagerly anticipating the audience’s response to their hard work.

“It is mind blowing that a few weeks ago we were learning the first moves for the opening number and now we are finishing up the show,” said Brent. “I also love watching each individual shine. Our cast is ex-

tremely talented, and this musical showcases all our amazing dancers and vocalists!”

“I think the audience will love all the different styles the show has to offer,” added Gilligan.

Preston South agrees.

“I think they’ll love the songs. Well, the entire show is songs! They’ll like the dances, too.”

England added, “The cast’s hard work and incredible passion will be evident in the top-notch quality of this performance. At the heart of this show is a powerful message of love and unity that will resonate with children and adults.”

Tickets for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are $16 plus box office fees and are available at the Mesa Arts Center box office, at MesaArtsCenter.com keyword “technicolor,” or by visiting ll-pa.org.

Group discounts are available.

If you go:

WHAT: Joseph and the Amazing echnicolor Dreamcoat WHO: Produced by Limelight Performing Arts WHEN: Aug. 4-14 at the Mesa Arts Center TICKETS: MesaArtsCenter.com, keyword “technicolor” or ll-pa.org

hardly expected such a gourmet French dessert to come from a small, tattered booklet called “Grandma’s Cooking.”

Cherry Pie, Blueberry Cobbler or Apple Brown Betty, perhaps – but not something called Clafoutis. (Pronounced “Claw-foo-TEE”).

Never did I expect a few simple ingredients would produce such a rich, delicate baked dessert that is now one of my very favorite go-to recipes. (To think that I found Grandma’s Cooking at a thrift store for a buck!)

Yes, it’s hot outside, and we don’t want anything heavy for dessert. Clafoutis is the answer! This simple treat begins with fresh fruit topped with a very basic combination of eggs, cream and sugar with a slight amount of flour and lemon juice.

It’s a bit of a cross between cake, pudding and flan, and it’s remarkably delicious and light, Clafoutis, a local favorite dessert from the Limousin region of France, is traditionally made with black cherries.

But most fruits in season, like plums, pears, apples and berries work just as well. This week blackberries were large and sweet, so that’s what I used.

What I love about Clafoutis is that it is pretty Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons butter, softened • 2 pints of fresh ripe blackberries (3 pints if small size) • 3 large egg yolks • 1 large whole egg • 1 /2 cup sugar • 1 /2 cup cream • 1 tablespoon flour • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about ½ large lemon) • P inch of salt • P owdered sugar for topping

much foolproof. Spread the fresh fruit on the bottom of an oven proof dish, pour the egg and cream mixture over the top and bake.

That’s it. When done, Clafoutis get sprinkled with a light mist of powdered sugar and served warm, room temperature of cooled with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream! Wow! What a winner.

So here you go. From the area of France that gave us the world-renowned Limoges porcelain, I give you another regional treasure, Clafoutis!

Directions: Butter the bottom of a 9-inch oven safe tart, flan or pie dish.

Arrange blackberries evenly over butter.

Using an electric mixer, combine egg yolks, whole egg and sugar. Beat until light and creamy.

Add cream, flour, lemon juice and pinch of salt, and blend well.

Pour mixture over blackberries and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and toothpick comes up clean.

When cooled, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. Serve alone, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Getting the Best Headshot

Before you update your LinkedIn profile page or personal website with keywordfocused content, consider how you present in the attached photo.

INCREASED ENGAGEMENT How important is a great headshot? A study conducted by the Cognition and Emotion Journal found that people make decisions about whether to trust someone within 100 milliseconds after looking at their face. These photos provide a visual introduction, long before a prospective employer has dug into your resume’s career stats.

Fail to post any image, and you risk signaling that you’re not willing to engage with the world around you. Featuring a low-quality version indicates that you might not be very tech savvy, a key component in many workplaces. If you want to increase online engagement with hiring managers, make sure they can see your face. After all, one of the largest social-media channels was so focused on faces that the company founders placed that word first in its name.

BEST PRACTICES So, you’ve looked over your channels and personal site and

decided that a new headshot is in order. Decide what you want to convey before taking the next step. The look and feel of your headshot should dovetail with the kind of jobs you intend to apply for. Someone looking to fill a professional positions, for example, probably won’t connect with a hastily taken selfie.

Cropping a family photo so that it only features the applicant points to a lack of attention to detail.

Remember, the image should be relatable from the employer’s point of view. Maintain a professional aura, no matter the role you’re interested in, and hiring managers will take everything they read on your resume more seriously.

HIRING A PROFESSIONAL There is some cost involved, but hiring a professional photographer can pay off in the long run. They may have valuable suggestions on wardrobe and settings, since they’ve likely done headshot work before. Ask other local job seekers who they’ve used, and read online reviews.

Most professionals will include a gallery of past images on their websites. Click through until you find someone who photographs in a style that connects with you.

Pro-shot images can also be used to punch up your resume and business cards. Once you’ve secured the position, they could be repurposed for flyers, billboards and company websites and social-media accounts.

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QUEEN CREEK TRIBUNE | QUEENCREEKTRIBUNE.COM | JULY 31, 2022