August 15 - September 4, 2015 www.SanTanSun.com
Emotional event kicks off drowning awareness month BY ISRAEL GONZALEZ
Jeff Clark, the Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department chief, vividly remembers the first drowning call he received 22 years ago. It was a pediatric drowning call. “The mom met me at the front door and handed me her baby,” Clark said. Meanwhile, his mind filled with thoughts. He wanted to see this little girl—whom he dubbed “Mary”—thrive and maintain her innocence. Instead, Clark gets to hug his daughter daily, while Mary’s parents do not. Clark recalled this incident during a July 29 press conference at Phoenix Children’s Hospital as it launched its 12th annual Drowning Impact Awareness Month campaign. The campaign is Arizona’s largest collaborative effort to prevent drowning and spread awareness of pool safety. Clark was one of three speakers; Dr. Jonathan Midgett, senior science and policy adviser with the Consumer
Chief Jeff Clark of the Chandler Fire, Health & Medical Department adds a purple ribbon to trees outside Phoenix Children’s Hospital as part of Drowning Impact Awareness Month kickoff event. STSN photo by Israel Gonzalez
Product Safety Commission, and Shani O’Malley, mother of Zane Hayes, who
Proposed revisions to food truck regulations to be discussed BY KENNETH LAFAVE
Food trucks may at last start serving up treats through the streets of Chandler, as City officials consider revisions to its code to accommodate the popular, mobile mini restaurants. The possible changes will be discussed at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, 25 S. Arizona Pl., Suite 201. City officials will be present, and business owners and other interested parties are invited to attend. RSVP is required to the following email address, info@chandlerchamber.com. Common in other Valley communities, food trucks have not been welcomed in Chandler, where high license fees and strict ordinances limited their presence. “We have been able to work with some of the other cities, like Scottsdale, Tempe,
Gilbert and Phoenix,” said Brad Moore, owner of three food trucks and founder of the Phoenix Food Truck Coalition, an advocacy group. “Chandler’s been a little more difficult. But I have to give Chandler credit. They’ve gone back over the ordinances, a lot of them 16 and 17 years old, and decided to implement something more progressive.” With the changes about to take place, City officials are looking for input. “This will be a feedback session,” said Matt Dunbar, revenue and tax manager for the City of Chandler. “We’re updating the code, and we’d like ideas and thoughts from the community as we propose these changes.” The most immediate proposed change will affect the cost required to open a food
once nearly drowned were the other two.
“Everything Phoenix Children’s Hospital does is based on data,” said Tiffaney Isaacson, water safety coordinator at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “A lot of our incidents in summer months revolve around pool and water, but families start tuning us out in summer. The campaign continues productive conversation and calls attention to the issue.” The event had more than 100 attendants and personnel from multiple health, fire and medical departments from across the state. Clark spoke from his experience as a first responder and his own personal calls. “These calls are things that leave an imprint on our career,” Clark said. “In a first responder’s head, when you see traumatic things over and over again, you have a slideshow in your head. And I have some particular slides and every first responder in this room, their slides are a little different.” Clark spoke to his department’s efforts in spreading awareness and the importance of circulating water safety tips. “Chandler firefighters began hanging banners and pamphlets on every door,” Clark said. “We target neighborhoods. We hit these blocks every year. Awareness is a very important thing.” Chandler has experienced five water-related incidents this year, which resulted in the deaths of one adult and see SAFETY page 12
Some red light cameras expected to be moved in 2016 BY KEN ABRAMCZYK
A number of red light cameras are expected to be relocated next year as Chandler officials focus on reducing the number of incidents in accident-prone intersections. Chandler Police Cmdr. Matthew Christensen outlined these plans during a presentation to the City Council, which will mull a contract renewal with camera providers American Traffic Solutions in September. “If the council approves (the contract), they’ll be moved to high-accident locations,” Christensen said. Christensen said collisions are increasing at intersections closer to the Loop 101 and 202 freeways, along the railroad corridor and Chandler Boulevard.
Christensen said congestion associated with the freeway traffic may contribute to the higher numbers, but other factors like construction may also play a role. The camera’s footage results in the issuance of 1,200 tickets a month or 100 tickets per camera. Christensen said tickets are issued for running red lights and speeding. If the council approves the contract renewal, the cameras will be moved when the contract begins in April, Christensen said. Matt Burdick, the City’s communications and public affairs director, said he did not know if councilmembers will vote on the actual relocation of the cameras in a separate action when they mull the contract. see CAMERAS page 5
see TRUCK page 4
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F E AT U R E STO R I E S Daughters motivate woman to lose 60 pounds . . . . . . . . community . . . . . . . Page 13 Chiropractor offers modern workplace tips . . . . . . . . . . . . business . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Young football star receives nomination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 28 Snyder to sign books at Guedo’s Cantina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . Page 50 Women’s faces by women artists on display at the CCA . . . . arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 57
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