SanTan Sun News - Dec. 3, 2016

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December 3 - 16, 2016 www.SanTanSun.com

Taiwanese baseball players to experience culture of the Valley it. Each family is taking on two kids for a week. They must drop them off every day and pick them up every night. Do laundry, feed them. There are two kids per family so the kids are comfortable.” The City Council is scheduled to meet the team, according to Chang. The Chandler/Tainan City teams also will play in two exhibition games (Friendship Exhibition) on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Snedigar Sportsplex, 4500 S. Basha Rd. An opening ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. to kick off the games, which will be played at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Both games are open to the public.

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

When ballplayers from Tainan, Taiwan, come to town on Saturday, Dec. 3, Chandler National Little League President Doug Brewster has one goal. “We want to show them the best American time we can,” Brewster said. The 24 10- and 11-year-old boys and one girl who make up the Tainan City All-Star team will enjoy time staying with CNLL families, head to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Sedona, and tour Chase Field and the ASU baseball field. They will also shop at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Former D-backs catcher Ken Huckaby will host a clinic for the kids. “They wanted to go to the Chase Field because there are quite a few famous Taiwanese baseball players,” said Michelle Chang, the organizer and broker/owner of DA FA Realty and Investments LLC in Tempe. One is Tainan-born Chien-Ming Wang, who pitched for a variety of teams before becoming a free agent. “There are quite a few other famous ones,” Chang said. “When they come here to train, it really inspires them to one day become a Major League Baseball player.” Chandler Vice Mayor Jack Sellers appreciate Chang’s efforts. “Michelle Chang has really put together a lot of stuff from them,” said Sellers, the point person for the Sister Cities relationship between Chandler and Tainan. “We’ve had a lot of participation

Renewed friendships

Last year, Chandler National Little League ballplayers traveled to Tainan, Taiwan, to play in a tournament. On Saturday, Dec. 3, young Taiwanese athletes will arrive in Arizona.

from Doug Brewster, too. He’s arranged a lot of extracurricular activities.” A visit to Tarwater Elementary School, which has a Mandarin-language immersion program, is scheduled. The kids will also play baseball games,

practice in the morning at Snedigar Sportsplex, and, of course, hang out with their peers’ parents. “When I had meetings with the parents, they all agreed to host them,” Brewster said. “We were all excited to do

Last year, Chandler National Little League players traveled to Tainan to play exhibition games. “They planned to stay with the Taiwanese families before they had the Dengue Fever problem in Taiwan,” Sellers said. He added that City officials are in talks for the American children to return to Taiwan next year. Funds must be raised, first. The new Sister Cities partnership is seeking sponsorships to continue its Little League exchange program and allow for future student exchanges and cultural programming. The sponsorship opportunities range from $25 to $10,000. To view the detailed list of sponsorship see

TAIWANESE ATHLETES page 2

Council approves design contract for new east-side fire station BY MEGHANN FINN SEPULVEDA

Design plans for Chandler’s newest fire station were approved at the Nov. 10 City Council meeting. Architectural firm Breckenridge Group Inc. was selected to create the design plans for fire station 2811, which will be located on the southwest corner of Gilbert and Ocotillo roads.

Fire station placement

The influx of residential growth in Southeast Chandler determined the need for a new fire station, which, when completed in 2018, will be the 11th fire station for the city. “With the addition of the new fire station, we’ll be able to continue our commitment to the community by providing emergency response times of five minutes or less,” said Keith Hargis, assistant chief for the Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department.

Fire station emergency coverage is strategically placed throughout Chandler with service areas extending an approximate 2-mile radius. The new station will share emergency coverage with station 2810 on McQueen and Chandler Heights roads, and station 287 on Riggs and Gilbert roads in the surrounding neighborhoods. Station 2811 will be staffed with four fulltime personnel including paramedics and EMTs. A fire engine, an all-hazards apparatus vehicle and an ambulance will most likely also be housed at the new facility.

Capital project

Two months ago, the Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department worked with the city’s planning division and municipal facilities to draft an RFP for see

FIRE STATION page 2

The family is approaching its GoFundMe goal of $90,000 to pay for medical expenses for the children.

Heartbroken family asks for help after mom died in accident

BY ADRIANA BECERRA

A Chandler family is hoping a GoFundMe campaign will assist in paying medical expenses after the tragic loss of the mother.

Pamela Hesselbacher, 35, and her two toddlers were hit by a car that ran a red light. Hesselbacher was pronounced dead see

HEARTBROKEN page 2

F E AT U R E STO R I E S

Check out our Family Fun Section! You will not want to miss any of the fun events listed on Family Fun calendar this month.

Donate blood and see a basketball game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Round training gym comes to Gilbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The physics of flipping bottles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sala Tequila Cantina adds Latin flavor to Ocotillo . . . . . . . . . . . Five Decades of Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 5 business . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 youth . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 neighbors . . . . . . . Page 45 arts . . . . . . . . . . . Page 60 community . . . . . . .

SANTAN FAMILY FUN . . . . . . . . . . . . Center Section

More Community . . . . . . 1-20 Business . . . . . . . . 21-27 Youth . . . . . . . . . . 28-35 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Neighbors . . . . . . 45-59 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . 60-68 Spirituality . . . . . 69-71 Directory . . . . . . . 72-73 Classifieds . . . . . . 74-75 Where to Eat . . . 76-78


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SanTan Sun News - Dec. 3, 2016 by Times Media Group - Issuu