East Valley Tribune: Southeast Edition - July 16, 2017

Gilbert taxpayers’ Big League nightmare

BY JIM WALSH AND SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Staff Writers

Big League Dreams looked like a gamewinning, grand-slam home run for Gilbert when it opened in 2008, with fields reminiscent of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium drawing baseball and soccer

tournaments and serving as a major tourist attraction.

Instead, Big League Dreams has struck out for taxpayers, with the town shutting down the facility as a safety hazard on July 7 while lawyers battle over millions of dollars in a contentious pair of lawsuits and countersuits.

The big losers appear to be taxpayers as well as baseball and soccer players unable to use the padlocked facility – whose walls could collapse, according to the town.

The unplanned closure took players by surprise. The venue’s cost has taken taxpayers

Upscale downtown living coming to EV

Luxury apartments, hotel eyed in Mesa

BY GARY NELSON Tribune Contributor

Acompany behind several successful urban infill projects in Phoenix has set its sights on downtown Mesa.

Phoenix-based Habitat Metro

LLC is proposing a 14- or 15-story project on city-owned land just west of the Mesa Arts Center. It would offer at least 75 boutique hotel rooms and 75 upscale apartments.

The City Council approved a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Habitat Metro on July 10. That paves the way for more detailed negotiations leading to a final development agreement.

Tim Sprague, a principal with Habitat Metro, told the council on July 6 that downtown Mesa is ripe for such a project. He cited light rail, the arts center and the presence of college campuses as catalysts.

Sprague said his company has been active for 14 years in urban redevelopment. It has built two condo complexes and a boutique hotel next to Hance Park in downtown Phoenix. The projects,

High-end complex, grocery set for Tempe

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer

Tempe’s nearly decade-long effort to bring a grocery store to its downtown appears ready to pay off.

On July 11, city officials and members of the development team gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking for The Local, a mixed-use project anchored by a Whole Foods Market 365.

The $100 million development, at University Drive and Ash Avenue, will also feature a 286-unit high-end apartment complex.

Colorado-based Forum Real Estate Group is the developer and purchased the 1.86-acre parcel from the previous owner Alberta Development Partners. Forum continues to partner with Alberta on the project, said David Clock, Forum Real Estate Group development manager. The project is a long time coming as Whole Foods has been connected to the site as far back as 2006.

The Local was fully entitled last June, and Forum has completed financing and permitting for the

(Allen+Philp Partners/Special to the Tribune)

A proposed hotel and luxury apartments would be built on what is now a 102-space city parking lot in downtown Mesa.

THE

SUNDAY

Tribune EAST VALLEY

The East Valley Tribune is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in singlecopy locations throughout the East Valley. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of the Tribune, please visit www.EastValleyTribune.com.

Times Media Group: 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway, Suite 219 Tempe, Arizona, 85282

CONTACT INFORMATION

Main number: 480-898-650 | Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641

Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Local Advertising Sales:

Ryan Brown | 480-898-6482 | rbrown@evtrib.com

Kimberly James | 480-898-5652 | kjames@timespublications.com

Classifieds/Inside Sales:

Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@evtrib.com

TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@evtrib.com

Advertising Office Manager: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@evtrib.com

Director of National Advertising: Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@evtrib.com

National Account Coordinator: Patty Dixie | 480-898-5940 | pdixie@evtrib.com

Major Account Sales: Terry Davenport | 480-898-6323 | tdavenport@evtrib.com

NEWS DEPARTMENT

Executive Editor: Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@timespublications.com

Managing Editor: Ralph Zubiate | 480-898-6825 | rzubiate@timespublications.com

Reporters: Wayne Schutsky| 480-898-6533 | wschutsky@timespublications.com Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@timespublications.com

Sports Editor: Greg Macafee | 480-898-5630 | gmacafee@timespublications.com

GetOut Editor: Justin Ferris | 480-898-5621 | jferris@timespublications.com

Photographer: Kimberly Carrillo | kcarillo@timespublications.com

Designers: Ruth Carlton | 480-898-5644 | rcarlton@timespublications.com Christy Byerly | 480-898-5651 | cbyerly@timespublicatons.com

Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 | production@timespublications.com

Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

Mesa teens help foundation make hospice patients’ final dream come true

BY JESSICA SURIANO Tribune Staff Writer

For some people, the 1998 film

“Patch Adams” with Robin Williams is just a two-hour story about an aspiring doctor who wanted to make his patients laugh. Caitlin Crommett found it an inspiration to start a national foundation that makes hospice patients’ dreams come true.

And she has found help from east Mesa residents in extending her mission to the East Valley.

Crommett began volunteering with the Hospice Care of the West group at age 12. Three years later, she started the DreamCatchers Foundation.

Eight years after its beginning, DreamCatchers has fulfilled over 100 dreams for patients in hospice care, and has chapters in 13 states and 23 schools.

“DreamCatchers is taking hold here in the Valley,” said east Mesa resident Ashley Trussell, the foundation’s executive director.

One emerging DreamCatchers club is at Mesa’s Red Mountain High School, where juniors Zach Molina and Shaq Daniels are helping to spearhead the club.

On June 28, they fulfilled their first dream – for Paul Piaskoski, a stagefour cancer patient who had wanted dinner at home with his family and friends from his favorite restaurant, The Roaring Fork.

Crommett flew from her home in Los Angeles to join them.

“It was awesome just to see the smile on his face,” Zach said.

Zach said he joined DreamCatchers because his grandfather recently died from cancer, and his death made him realize it is important for teenagers to make meaningful connections with older people in the community.

The visit seemed to energize Piaskoski for a while, said Trussell. “The doctors were really impressed by how he seemed to be after that dinner.”

Piaskoski told Zach that he enjoyed fishing in Canada before he was diagnosed. That hit home for Zach, whose grandfather used to take him to fish there every summer too.

“I think everybody should be in a group like this because it helps you get out of your comfort zone,” Zach said.

“You don’t want to get used to only helping out people your own age.”

Shaq said he sees DreamCatchers as a great opportunity to try to improve others’ lives, if only for a while. He learned a lot from Piaskoski and his family at the dinner, saying it gave him a new perspective on life.

“They’ve experienced our age; we haven’t experienced theirs,” Shaq said. “So, it’s fun getting to know what they have to offer.”

Piaskoski died last Thursday, July 13. Trussell became executive director in February because the foundation is getting large enough that Crommett felt it needed someone to mind its growing scope of chapters.

Crommett hopes one day the foundation will grow as large as the Make-a-Wish Foundation for children with life-threatening medical conditions, partly because DreamCatchers serves the opposite end of the age spectrum.

“It’s bridging those generational gaps,” Crommett said. “That’s a huge part of our mission that we are really proud of – that we’re connecting generations and bringing people together in our communities that don’t usually interact.”

“I never pictured it getting to this level when I started it,” Crommett said.

“I sometimes have no words because it makes me so happy.”

Crommett said the biggest challenge is making sure affiliated clubs maintain constant contact with hospice care centers. High school and college students run the clubs, and most have already-packed schedules and busy lives.

The clubs and final dreams they fulfill rely on donations. Clubs must find ways to fundraise, among other responsibilities.

“I think it helps people look beyond themselves and see what’s important later in life,” Crommett said. “I’ve seen it really change people’s outlook on life and a lot of these students come back to me and say it’s changed their lives altogether… so that’s been honestly the most rewarding thing to see happen.”

If you want to donate to DreamCatchers, start a local club, become a Dream Team volunteer or know someone who could use a dream come true, visit dreamcatchers1.org.

(Special to the Tribune)

Above, DreamCatchers founder Caitlin Crommett (left) joined Mesa teens Zachary Molina and Shaq and Tatum Daniels recently as they feted terminally ill Paul Piaskoski to dinner at his home from his favorite restaurant.

HOTEL

he said, are valued at about $130 million.

In Mesa, the hotel would be built on what is now a 102-space city parking lot on the west side of Drew Street, just south of Main Street. It would tie in with a building at 29 W. Main St., which would offer restaurant and retail space, as well as a 5,000-square-foot events center.

“We think it will truly activate the area,” Sprague said.

Jeff McVay, who works for the city as manager of downtown transformation, said the project poses several complex, but not insurmountable, legal issues.

They include leasing the air space over the parking lot and the possibility of giving the project a tax break through a mechanism called a GPLET.

project would justify such tax breaks.

30, 2018, to finalize a development agreement.

Mesa has not seen construction of a new downtown hotel for at least 30 years, and only recently have developers begun working on plans for market-rate housing in the neighborhood. Recent new housing in the area has taken the form of low-income projects financed by federal tax credits.

Mayor John Giles said Sprague’s proposal, unlike many that have come before the council, is solid.

That acronym stands for government property lease excise tax. It permits a city to actually own a development project, allowing the developer to save money by paying excise taxes in lieu of property taxes for eight years.

GROCERY

from page 1

project, Clock said. July 11 marked the official groundbreaking, though site discovery had already begun. He said area residents can expect significant progress to be made on the site in the next few months.

Forum expects to complete the project in the first quarter of 2019.

Whole Foods Market 365 is Whole Foods’ smaller-store, value-based concept. The Local will feature the brand’s first location in Arizona, said Steve Rice Tempe store team leader. Rice is a Tempe high school and Arizona State University graduate.

Downtown Tempe has not had a grocer since the IGA Stabler at University Drive and Mill Avenue closed in 2000.

“(A grocery store) is something the (downtown) residents have asked for for a long time,” Mayor Mark Mitchell said. However, to some residents, Whole Foods is not the grocery store the community has sought.

Tempe resident Kevin Keating, a longtime opponent of the development, showed up at the groundbreaking with a friend and held up a banner outside of the gates disparaging Whole Foods.

Keating said Whole Foods is a high-end grocer with a reputation for high prices and that it will not solve downtown Tempe’s grocery-store problem.

He contends it is not an affordable grocery store for most residents in the area.

When asked whom he believes The Local is geared toward, Keating

The final agreement also might include a break on the city’s hotel bed tax. McVay said the overall public benefit from the

One potential wrinkle, McVay said, is that when the land was given to Mesa in 1957, the donors stipulated that it be kept in perpetuity as a parking lot. The plan calls for a parking garage that would retain the existing public spaces under the new hotel, and McVay said descendants of the donors are being contacted to obtain their permission for the project.

In addition to retaining the public parking, the project would provide parking for hotel guests and apartment residents.

The city and developer have until June

smart development.

“Great things happen with good planning,” Mitchell said.

The grocery store also contributed to tax incentives for the developer. Forum’s development deal with Tempe includes a 10-year government property lease with an eight-year abatement of the Government Property Lease Excise Tax.

“I was on our City Council 20 years ago,” Giles said, “and I’ve been seeing pretty pictures of downtown Mesa brought into this room by real estate developers nonstop for 20 years. So, I’m kind of skeptical.”

But, he said, “I’m not skeptical when it comes to this development because this is not a guy with pretty pictures … I think we will look back on this project as a tipping point for downtown Mesa.”

Council minutes from June 9. Granville expressed reservations at offering the GPLET benefits without building in extra contingencies in case Whole Foods pulls out of the deal and the developer is unable to find another grocery occupant, thus negating the public benefit.

In the same meeting, Tempe Deputy Community Development Director Alex Wood noted that if a grocery operation ceases for more than 60 days, the GPLET will terminate unless the developer executes a lease with a new grocery tenant within 270 days.

responded, “It’s not for me and not for the people I know.”

In promotional materials, The Local is being marketed as an apartment option for young professionals, empty nesters and ASU graduate students.

Keating is also worried that the rents at The Local – which is marketed as a luxury apartment residence – will incentivize other land owners in the area to invest in high-end housing or raise rents on existing properties, displacing current residents.

“We’ve seen friends and neighbors move out,” he said, “because they can’t afford (to live here anymore).”

Mayor Mitchell noted that, as a landlocked city, Tempe has to be creative in developing diverse housing solutions. He views The Local as a testament to the city’s commitment to

The Government Property Lease Excise Tax, also known as GPLET, is a controversial development tax incentive established by the state in 1996. It allows developers to hand over ownership of a property to the local municipality in order to temporarily replace a structure’s property tax burden with an excise tax. GPLET also allows the city to provide an eight-year abatement of that excise tax.

In order to take advantage of GPLET benefits, developers and the local municipality have to demonstrate that the project will contribute to the public benefit. In this case, providing a grocery store for downtown Tempe accomplishes that requirement.

Tempe Councilman Kolby Granville noted that the GPLET for The Local is worth roughly $600,000 to $700,000 a year in entitlements, according to City

The new tenant will then have to begin operations within 270 days of signing the lease.

Critics of the program have stated that GPLET deprives school districts of property tax revenue, according to a press release from Arizona House Republicans.

According to the development agreement with Tempe, Forum will make a voluntary donation of $50,000 to the Tempe Union High School Foundation and the Tempe Impact Education Foundation.

The developer will also contribute an estimated $500,000 toward the construction of quad gates at the railroad crossing adjacent to The Local in order to maintain the quiet zone established by the city.

The development agreement requires the developer to pay all costs and fees associated with the gates.

– Reach Wayne Schutsky at 480-898-6533 or wschutsky@timespublications.com.

(Allen + Philp Partners/Special to the Tribune)

This dramatic entrance will greet visitors to the proposed Mesa hotel.

(Special to the Tribune)

The Local, at the intersection of University and Ash, will offer studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom floorplans and luxury common areas, like a swimming pool.

BIG LEAGUE

from page 1

for a ride.

“I’m surprised how suddenly everything happened without any communication from Big League Dreams on what was going on,” said Tyler Hudgins of Gilbert, who has played soccer at the venue’s indoor fieldhouse for nearly a decade.

“We were planning to have a game on Friday evening and all of a sudden I saw on Facebook that Big League Dreams was shutting down,” he added. “The team lead had to call them and reach out to get information.”

Hudgins said it was “a shock to everybody.”

“I saw some players complaining on social media because they had paid for the new season that was coming up. Now, they are having to figure out reimbursements and all that stuff,” he added.

Meanwhile, town taxpayers are shelling out $3.7 million per year in debt service alone on the once-promising facility. To finance the venue's construction, Gilbert floated $37 million in bonds, which are to be paid off in fiscal 202021; when the bond interest is added through the last payment in 2021, the cost will have ballooned to $53 million. And millions more in costly repairs are looming.

Big dreams, costly reality

Big League Dreams has become nothing like the marquee attraction and powerful economic engine that thenmembers of the Town Council touted.

The replica stadiums depict images of eight iconic Major League Baseball venues, including Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field. The stadiums include images on walls that simulate grandstands packed with fans.

In court filings, Big League Dreams appears the winner in a lopsided publicprivate partnership that not only has left taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars in repairs but also has failed to deliver much of its forecasted revenue.

Those documents show:

• While Big League Dreams has generated $28 million in gross revenues since the park opened in 2008, the town has received only $990,000 in revenue during the same period. Before it opened, Big League Dreams projected that Gilbert would receive $1.4 million in direct benefit annually.

• Two years ago, Gilbert won a $13.5 million settlement from the company that built the stadium over major structural defects. The town says it will cost more than $19 million to fix them.

• Gilbert spent more than twice the $22 million Big League Dreams' construction was initially projected to cost.

• The town also paid Big League Dreams a $400,000 licensing fee to use their replica stadium images and another $640,000 fee for construction consulting services.

Citing breach of contract and several other allegations, Gilbert has accused Big League Dreams of failing to maintain the park adequately. Now, it wants to terminate a 2005 maintenance and operations agreement,

(Kimberly Carrillo /Tribune Staff Photographer)

Gilbert on July 7 abruptly closed Big League Dreams for millions of dollars in repairs as a legal battle rages over millions of dollars more in taxpayers money.

BIG LEAGUE

essentially ending its partnership with the Caliofrnia company, which operates 10 other similar stadiums in three other states.

Gilbert's 30-year contract with Big League Dreams expires in 2038.

“We’re obviously hoping that doesn’t happen,” said Chuck Jelloian, a Big League Dreams spokesman. “We just found out a couple of days ago that we were shut down. We are scrambling to do everything we can do things the right way.”

Jelloian said he is seeking meetings with town officials. He hopes to work out a solution and get the park reopened.

“We are going to try to negotiate with the city and try to figure this stuff out,” Jelloian said.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten on Wednesday ordered both parties into mediation to settle the dispute – a standard practice in civil suits.

But he denied Big League Dreams' request to order the venue reopened.

Walls could collapse, town says

The stadium's closure came as the town prepares to undertake an $11.6-million renovation project.

Gilbert already has paid $2 million to correct construction flaws, according to the town’s suit against Big League Dreams.

The money came out of the $13.5 million settlement that the town won from M.A. Mortenson Co., which built the facility.

The town said in a statement that the additional, more extensive structural repairs will be financed with the proceeds from the Mortenson settlement, with the park scheduled to re-open in 2019.

“During the course of the design planning phase for park repairs, additional safety issues with the structural integrity of the outfield aesthetic grandstands were discovered which has necessitated the immediate closure of the park, out of an abundance of caution for the safety of park users,” the statement said.

“Shortcomings with the wall anchoring system have made the walls susceptible to collapse – especially in windy conditions,” it continued. “With the imminent start of monsoon season, Gilbert is acting to protect the safety of our citizens.”

Robert Grasso, Gilbert’s attorney in the case, said that while the town is willing to discuss the financial issues,

it remains steadfast in the decision to protect public safety by closing the park.

“The last thing that the town wants is for a child at the park to get injured,’’ he said, noting the town could be held liable if it allowed the park to remain open after finding structural defects and someone was hurt.

Although the park has drawn hundreds of thousands of children and parents to baseball tournaments, the facility has been mired in a long list of controversies stemming from the construction deficiencies and the town’s relationship with Big League Dreams.

The partnership began badly and gradually degenerated.

In the first dispute, Gilbert didn’t receive the company’s first profit-share until a year later than expected because of a technicality in the contract.

Then, an injury to a visitor resulted in the discovery of the flawed construction and the separate suit between Gilbert and Mortenson.

But even that settlement failed to solve all the issues with the ballpark.

Gilbert's lawsuit says the actual cost of repairs is about $19 million, and claims that some of the damage is related to Big League Dreams’ failure to maintain the complex.

The stadium's condition hasn’t gone unnoticed by users.

“When you go in there, you can tell, there’re things that are just falling apart,” Hudgins said. “I don’t think there’s any safety hazard per se in the soccer field. But just overall, you can tell, there’s just not a plan for maintenance or keeping

up with it.”

Before approving the project, the then-members of the Town Council said it could fund the construction of a big-draw recreation complex, but not the $500,000 annual maintenance it would require.

So, it entered into the public-private partnership with Big League Dreams.

None of the Town Council members who were in office when the project was approved and developed from 2004-2007 are in office now. The town manager at the time also is gone.

Venue operators claim losses

In its suit against Gilbert, Big League Dreams accuses the town of failing to compensate its business losses caused by the flawed construction, estimating losses of nearly $149,000.

“The itemized losses provided by Big League Dreams to Gilbert did not account for the total losses likely suffered by Big League Dreams, as the difficulties in operating during construction led to disruption of various leagues, unhappy customers and the loss of repeat business,” the company’s suit states.

“Gilbert breached the duties of loyalty and honesty it owed to Big League Dreams by using settlement funds attributed to Big League Dreams for its own purposes,” the suit also says.

It also accuses officials of “refusing to meet to resolve the existing issues and those reasonably and foreseeably anticipated in the future.”

Gilbert refused to compensate Big League Dreams.

Big League Dreams says it has “requested on multiple occasions that Gilbert implement a rotational closure … which would allow Big League Dreams to continue business operations, and avoid employee terminations but Gilbert has refused such requests.”

The town contends that such a rotation plan would take up to three years to complete and would cost an additional $5 million to $8 million. It also faults Big League Dreams' for conudct that damaged the stadium, and asserts that its design was flawed to the point that it exacerbated the construction defects.

“Town’s experts have identified over $4 million in repairs attributed to damage caused by Big League Dreams Gilbert or as the result of Big League Dreams’ flawed design concept,” the suit alleges.

While the repairs are being done, the town will be short eight baseball fields and one soccer field until 2019.

But that doesn't mean much for Gilbert residents because most Big League Dreams users belong to leagues around the country.

Access to residents is limited.

By agreement, paid admission is required for anyone using the venue except before 4 p.m. weekdays, when practice or “pick up” games are allowed.

The facility is frequently “under maintenance” at these times, thereby reducing the availability, according to a sports field needs assessment the town completed in 2015.

That assessment found Gilbert already short of one baseball field, four softball fields and one soccer field.

The study indicated that by 2035, the town would need seven more baseball fields, eight softball fields and 13 soccer fields to meet the demands of a projected 325,000 population.

Financing those fields is uncertain.

“Even though I don’t agree personally agree with the overspending on Big League Dreams and the things that happened with it, it’s actually a great facility that a lot of players come and play at,” Hudgins said.

“There’s a lot of activity that goes on there; it’s kind of sad that it’s going to be shut down until 2019.”

(Kimberly Carrillo/ Tribune Staff Photographer)

Big League Dreams is not likely to reopen until 2019, while Gilbert undertakes an $11.6 million renovation project.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Chandler man wins his second World Series of Poker title

Mike Wattel won the $10,000 seven-card stud championship event and the $245,541 first-place prize July 7 at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. It was Wattel’s second championship, the first coming in 1999.

“It’s been a long time,” Wattel said. “I was wondering if the second one was ever coming.”

Between 2000 and 2016, Wattel added 24 top-10 appearances to his World Series of Poker resume, including four runner-up finishes.

TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT

–

ATM installed in Mesa will deal only in bitcoins

A new type of ATM has arrived in Mesa, but users will not be able to use it to withdrawal cash from their bank. Rather, the new machine – from Texas-based Coinsource – is a one-stop shop for bitcoin transactions.

Bitcoin is a digital cryptocurrency that uses encrypted peer-to-peer networks to facilitate online transactions and does not rely on traditional banks or government entities. The currency’s value fluctuates, and one bitcoin is currently worth roughly $2,300.

Coinsource’s ATMs offer users a variety of functions, including the ability to buy bitcoins and exchange bitcoins for cash.

The new ATM in Mesa is at Max Mart at 735 E. McKellips Road.

– WAYNE SCHUTSKY, TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Trial ordered in San Diego crash that killed Chandler couple

A Navy aviation electrician has been ordered to stand trial on gross vehicular manslaughter and DUI charges in a San Diego crash that killed four people, including Annamarie Contreras, 50, and Cruz Contreras, 52, from Chandler.

Richard Sepolio, 25, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and speeding on Oct. 15 when his pickup truck careened off a transition ramp to the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge and onto a kiosk below in Chicano Park.

After a preliminary hearing that began last month, Judge Kathleen Lewis said Sepolio’s actions constituted gross negligence, and that he was under the influence. Sepolio, who was based at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, faces nearly 24 years in prison if convicted.

TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT

Chandler dad accused of fatally shooting daughter, 3, with shotgun

Chandler Police accused Eric Sands, 33, of Chandler, of manslaughter in the June 29 shooting death of his 3-year-old daughter, Brooke.

“Physical evidence indicates that the fatal shotgun wound was not caused by the victim, but by the reckless mishandling of the shotgun by Mr. Sands,” police said in a release.

In a probable cause affidavit, police said Sands had the shotgun on his bed because he was planning to travel to an outlaw motorcycle gang event and sell the weapon. He said he didn’t know the gun was loaded or how it was fired, the affidavit stated.

However, it added, police determined the gun did not discharge on its own, nor was the child’s wound self-inflicted.

Apple picks MCC to teach development of apps for iOS platform

BY GABRIELLA J. DEL RIO Tribune Staff Writer

Mesa Community College is one of six community colleges Apple has selected to teach app development to students who want to pursue careers in the growing app economy or who have taken an interest in coding.

Using Swift, one of the world’s most popular programming languages, Apple developed a full-year course. According to the Apple Newsroom, this program will teach students how to code and to design fully functional apps.

Starting this fall, six community colleges serving up to 500,000 students across the country will be among the first to offer the curriculum.

“We are pleased to introduce Apple’s App Development with Swift curriculum to Mesa Community College in fall 2017,” said interim president Sasan Poureetezadi. “As a major provider of workforce training, we are responding to the industry demand for qualified iOS App developers, who are vital for the future success of our local and national economy.”

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

CHANDLER

Mayor’s Neighborhood Excellence Awards nominations being taken Chandler’s Neighborhood Programs Office, in partnership with the Chandler Police Crime Prevention Unit, is taking nominations for the Mayor’s Neighborhood Excellence Awards.

The awards recognize neighborhoods for their dedication to creating community through events, increasing neighborhood involvement and developing the next generation of leadership.

Nomination forms are available on the city’s website, chandleraz.gov/ connect. Completed nominations may be submitted in person to the City’s Neighborhood Resources Division, 235 S.

The course has drawn a lot of interest from students. One course has already been filled, but one daytime, late-start session is still available for enrollment.

MCC has added an evening course to the fall semester, which begins Aug. 19.

When the class begins in the fall, students will enroll in Introduction to Swift and Intro Programming, the first of three courses in the program. According to Angeline Surber, program director of Multimedia & Game Technology at Mesa Community College, the first class will include 90 hours of curriculum, with 48 lessons in which students will learn coding basics. At the end of each of the first five units of study, students will do a guided project, design a project plan and receive instructions on building a fully functional app, Surber said.

After the first course is completed, students can move onto the second class, Programming as a Developer. The 120hour curriculum will focus on step-bystep mini projects related to building specific features for iOS Apps, according to Surber. The third course eventually will be added to the program, and it will be a more advanced class in app development.

Arizona Ave., or emailed to neighborhood. programs@chandleraz.gov. Entries must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18.

For questions, contact the Neighborhood Programs office at 480-782-4354.

Compadres give nearly $1 million to local nonprofit organizations

The Chandler Compadres recently distributed over $800,000 in funds to local nonprofit organizations.

Funds were distributed to: ICAN Positive Programs for Youth, Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, AZCEND, Fans Across America, Chandler Education Foundation and Chandler Service Club/ AZ Brainfood.

The Chandler Compadres were established in 1980 as a nonprofit organization with the sole mission of

Each of these classes is eight weeks, and the entire program can be completed in two semesters.

Among the many advantages of this course being taught at MCC, price could be the most appealing.

Every year, people spend thousands of dollars to go to camps to learn the same concepts they will be teaching through Swift.

At MCC, each class costs $86 per three credit hours, plus a $10 lab fee. The total cost from all 3 classes will be $830.

Alongside that, Apple provides the materials for free.

Students will also have access to the

providing support for East Valley families in need.

TEMPE

Kid Zone receives 2 grants for STEM programs

Tempe’s Kid Zone Enrichment Program received two $1,500 AzCASE and Cox Communications 2017 STEM Grants for its Lego Robotics and Hex Bug Club applications. These grants are awarded across the state to programs that encourage and promote informal STEM learning opportunities in out-of-school programs.

Kid Zone’s Curry/Connolly location won for its Lego Robotics concept, which children can use to explore engineering and design. The Fuller Kid Zone location won for its Hex Bug Club idea, which will allow kids to study insects.

Grant amounts range from $500 to

$1,500 and more than 75 applications were submitted from programs across the state.

EAST VALLEY

Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler among best cities to drive in WalletHub has declared Gilbert the second best city to drive in, and Mesa was not far behind at number 4. Chandler was ranked number 11. To determine the most driver-friendly places in the U.S., WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 largest cities across 25 key metrics. The data set ranges from average gas prices to average annual hours of traffic delays to auto-repair shops per capita.

Gilbert also had the lowest rate of car

See BRIEFS on page 10

See APPLE on page 10

(Special to the Tribune)

Dr. Linda Collins, chair of Mesa Community College Business & Information Systems, works with Joshua Smith and Itchell Dautt.

PayPal distributes $37,500 to East Valley charities

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer

PayPal, Chandler’s seventh largest employer, continued its biannual philanthropic tradition by donating $37,500 to East Valley charities in June.

The company made the donations through its Arizona GIVES Grant Team, a committee that solicits charitable opportunities from the company’s employees. Twice a year, PayPal offers grants to nonprofit organizations that employees are directly involved with.

Of the 19 organizations nominated by employees, PayPal selected five.

Positive Paths and Feed My Starving Children, both located in Mesa, received the largest grants at $10,000 each.

Positive Paths is an organization that aims to help East Valley women overcome obstacles like poverty, domestic violence and illness by providing opportunities for education, job training and mentoring. It will use the money to purchase equipment needed for a clothing boutique and to provide clothing for 90

women for job interviews.

Feed My Starving Children has seven permanent food-packing sites in Arizona, Illinois and Minnesota. The nonprofit provides nutritionally dense food packs designed for malnourished children that are distributed to communities throughout the world.

In its Mesa facility, Feed My Starving Children has a goal of producing about 45 million meals per year with the help of several hundred thousand volunteers, development adviser Janine Skinner said.

The nonprofit has used the grant to expand its Mesa packing facility and give it the ability to produce up to an additional 1 million meals per year and accommodate an additional 36,000 volunteers.

In the past, the charity has had to turn away volunteers during peak packing season in the fall because it did not have the space to accommodate everyone.

“Having the capacity to grow to that potential is brilliant,” Skinner said.

One Small Step received $7,500 from PayPal. The organization operates

Clothes Cabin in Chandler and provides clothes and household items to individuals and families in need.

The donation will allow the organization to purchase 2,500 articles of children’s clothing and 200 children’s shoes in preparation for the upcoming school year, Executive Director Amanda Nosbisch said.

“It is really a goal of ours to make sure that kids can be dressed and ready for school, and we know that kids can’t fully participate without proper (clothing and shoes),” Nosbisch said.

Clothes Cabin receives clothing donations year-round but uses grants like this to purchase specific items like new underwear and socks.

PayPal also awarded $5,000 each to AZStRUT and AZCEND.

AZStRUT, which stands for Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology, teaches Arizona students technology skills and provides refurbished computers to schools and other nonprofits.

It will use the grant to put technology in the hands of Title 1 students and fund its Techie Camps, which will now

add smartphone and tablet refurbishing to the curriculum. The grant will also cover training for 300 students, according to a PayPal press release.

AZCEND, formerly Chandler Christian Community Center, provides a range of community and family support services, including a food bank, an emergency shelter, job training and more.

The organization will use the PayPal grant to support its I-HELP emergency lodging program. The funds will help 50 I-HELP residents secure permanent employment and financial counseling, according to the press release.

PayPal has 30 GIVE Grant Teams worldwide. Employees have recommended roughly $800,000 in grants each year, which are distributed to the nonprofits through the PayPal Gives Corporate Advised Fund.

Non-profit organizations nominated by PayPal employees received $62,000 in grants in 2016.

– Reach Wayne Schutsky at 480-898-6533 or wschutsky@timespublications.com.

THIRSTY?

La Casa De Juana’s Got You Covered with $1 Margaritas

La Casa De Juana is a unique Mexican restaurant that offers a colorful concept, that will make you feel you as if you have been transported into the heart of Mexico, beauty is everywhere, colorful decor, incredible paintings on tables and chairs, wall murals and amazing art is surroundig the restaurant which makes this an awesome dinning experience. Food is great, very authentic. Its probably one of the few Mexican restaurants that offer some many vegetarian options, they care what you eat.

Unlike most restaurants, beans have no lard, rice is completely vegetarian. Here are some of their amazing lunch deals Monday through Friday:

$5.95 For a chile relleno with rice and beans…….Wow……

$5.95 For three fish tacos with rice and beans…….Wow……

$6.95 For three hard shell tacos with rice and beans…Wow...

$6.95 For a three enchiladas with rice and beans…Wow...

$7.95 For chicken fajitas…Wow…

$7.95 For a chimichanga with rice and beans…Wow...

There are at least 15 options with these prices…. To top it all they offer a $1 dollar margaritas for dinner (5pm to 9pm/monday through friday) when you purchase any entree. Come to La Casa De Juana. A great atmosphere, a flavorful salsa, delicious margaritas, an extraordinary service, great prices and live guitar player is waiting for you.

Visit us at 1976 W. Southern Ave, Mesa, AZ 85202

To make your next reservation call 480-962-9112 juanashouse.com

BRIEFS

theft, 0.55 per 1,000 residents, which is 27.7 times fewer than in Oakland, the city with the most at 15.23.

The top 10 cities to drive in were: Corpus Christi, Texas; Gilbert; Greensboro, North Carolina; Mesa; El Paso; Laredo, Texas; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Plano, Texas; Scottsdale; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Soroptimists of East Valley name new board for year

Soroptimist International of the East Valley recently installed a new board for the 2017/2018 year.

Dana Osborne will serve as president, Laura Dean-Lytle and Constance Halonen-Wilson will serve as cotreasurers, and Halonen-Wilson will also serve as secretary. Rhonda Rome and

Grace Guilfoyle will serve as directors.

Soroptimist International is comprised of business and professional individuals striving to improve the lives of women and girls. Information: sieastvalley.com or 480-382-9087.

QUEEN CREEK

Verde Valley horse festival moving to Queen Creek next year

The Verde Valley Equine Festival is moving from Cottonwood to Queen Creek and changing its name to the Arizona Horseman’s Challenge and Expo (AZHCExpo).

The new expo will be held at the 38acre Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre. During its five years in the Verde Valley, festival has quadrupled in size.

The 2018 Arizona Horseman’s Challenge and Expo will be May 11-13, 2018.

media labs at the MCC campus, where they will have the freedom to work on projects or collaborations outside of the classrooms.

Directors at Mesa Community College are in the process of remodeling the classrooms designated for the classes. Dawn Zimmer, coordinator of media relations at Mesa Community College, reported that the designated classrooms will have brand new computers and iPad Pros to allow students to be in an easy learning space and also have soft-space areas for collaboration.

The Swift programming language will also give MCC students an advantage. Swift’s playground layout allows students to see their results right away. Essentially, they will be able to code on one side of the screen and visually see their work on

“Swift is Apple’s powerful and intuitive programming language that gives developers the freedom and capabilities they need to create the next generation of cutting-edge software,” according to the Apple Newsroom.

“Apple’s curriculum has been developed to where there are no limits as to who can learn how. That means no matter your age, gender, socioeconomic status, educational level or technical prowess, this curriculum can be learned,” said Andrew Giddings, MCC interim vice president of information technology. Surber explained that there are typically some prerequisites to take this course, but they will be waiving it for people who want to take it.

“(We) are expanding the opportunity because it provides the certification,” Surber said.

Once all three courses are completed, students will earn a certificate. Taking these courses also enables students to be on track of earning degrees in programming, gaming, multimedia, and web development.

As for the employment outlook, there is no guarantee that enrolling in this program will get students a job, but “learning this content will provide them ample opportunities,” Giddings said. For more information about the coding classes offered at Mesa Community College, visit mesacc.edu or call 480-461-7000.

East Valley Dairy Queen king sees no future in malls

BY JESSICA SURIANO Tribune Staff Writer

Steve Cowgur says the handwriting is on the wall, so he’s moving his Dairy Queen stores out of the mall.

The 65-year Mesa resident and Dairy Queen franchisee has bought new standalone restaurants in Chandler because he said the food-service industry is shifting away from shopping malls.

“The problem with malls is that mall business has declined rapidly since about 2005 and just continues to go down,” Cowgur said. “More malls are being closed, the sales in the malls aren’t as great, people are doing more online shopping – so it was either a case of just trying to keep as many stores open as we could over the next 10 years or reinvent ourselves to freestanding locations.”

Cowgur’s two new Chandler Dairy Queen locations are his franchise’s first “Grill and Chill” outlets, offering a drivethru and full soul-food menu in addition to the usual iconic treats.

His career with Dairy Queen dates back to 1976, when he started managing an Orange Julius store that he bought seven years later.

Once Dairy Queen bought the Orange Julius chain, Cowgur started his franchisee career with only three stores.

Now, he owns 12 Dairy Queen stores, including one inside Chandler Fashion Center and one inside Phoenix Premium Outlets. Except for one in Tucson and one in Prescott, the rest of the stores are

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Medical marijuana shops merge with cannabis supplier

Harvest, an Arizona-based national medical marijuana operator, has merged with Modern Flower, a marijuana cultivator and cannabis supplier. The merger makes Harvest the largest such operator in the state, and it now has the most dispensary licenses and dispensaries in the state.

Harvest’s first shop opened in Tempe four years ago.

The merger will bring six additional

located throughout the Phoenix area. He is not the first franchisee or business owner to jump ship from locations inside shopping malls.

Earlier this year, The Limited clothing company closed all 250 of its stores, citing falling mall business as a factor in its decision.

Other chains commonly found in shopping malls, such as Sears and Macy’s, also have been closing a significant number of their stores this year nationwide.

According to data collected by BigCommerce, an e-commerce software company for businesses, online shopping is growing by about 23 percent every year. Even so, 46 percent of American small businesses still do not have a website, the data showed.

BigCommerce also found that Ameri-

Arizona dispensary licenses to Harvest, as well as an 18,000-square-foot cultivation facility in Cottonwood. Harvest currently has a 12,000-square-foot indoor cultivation facility in Bellemont and a 35,000-square-foot facility and 3.3 acres of outdoor cultivation space in Camp Verde.

Harvest expects to hire 200 more employees by the end of the year.

Gymboree to close 350 stores, including one at SanTan Village Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree plans to close 350 stores, including one in

cans in metropolitan areas are spending the most online, despite their proximity to physical shopping centers and brickand-mortar stores. These consumers are spending about $853 online annually, compared to suburban shoppers’ $768 or rural shoppers’ $684. At the same time malls are losing considerable foot traffic, Cowgur said, the restaurant business has become increasingly competitive, with every aspect of sales driven by discounting, especially by fastfood chains. McDonald’s 59-cent softserve cones are a perfect example of this exaggerated discounting tactic, he added.

“When you’re talking about ice cream or soft serve, Dairy Queen is really the industry leader,” Cowgur said. “Dairy Queen has been around for over 75 years, and so it gives us a competitive advantage over people because we’re just so well known.”

Cowgur said lower-calorie options also set Dairy Queen apart from premiumbrand ice cream competition.

The United States has also been experiencing its second wave of the selfserve frozen yogurt boom in the past decade or so, according to an industry report by Franchise Help, a resource for

Gilbert, as it restructures in bankruptcy.

Gymboree filed for bankruptcy protection in June, saying it might close as many as 450 stores. The goal, it said, is a “right size store base.”

The SanTan Village location, at 2174 E Williams Field Road, will be closing. Gymboree joins a growing list of retailers to announce the closing of some stores as mall traffic declines and competition from online retailers such as Amazon intensifies.

$5 million Mesa development finished by Red Mountain Group

Red Mountain Group has announced

budding entrepreneurs. The first wave expanded from 1980 to about 1995, with production peaking at 152.1 million gallons of frozen yogurt being served.

An estimated 121 million servings of frozen yogurt are now being served per year in the U.S., according to the report.

However, Cowgur said, his business has not experienced much change because of it. He attributes the lack of significant profit changes to the difference in clientele for the two types of frozen treats.

The average consumers of frozen yogurt are females aged 18 to 35, according to the report. Some estimates found women comprise over 70 percent of frozen yogurt’s consumers.

The resurgence of the self-serve frozen yogurt business grew from the idea that yogurt was healthier than the original indulgence of thick ice cream, and now relies on this as its hook and competitive edge over brands like Dairy Queen.

Despite the popularity of these alternative chains, Cowgur is not too concerned. He said products like Culver’s custards and Cold Stone Creamery’s ice cream present more competition.

Cowgur said Dairy Queen has struggled to stay modernized in its standalone stores in the past, but he plans on giving his new Grill and Chill stores a “facelift” about every 10 years.

“I think it’s a dynamic business,” Cowgur said. “There’s lots going on and people have pretty good feelings about Dairy Queen, so it’s kind of a fun business to be a part of.”

the completion of the $5 million redevelopment of the 130,000-square-foot shopping center on the northeast corner of Main Street and Lindsay Road in Mesa.

The newly renovated center will host Big Lots, Ross Dress for Less, Melrose Family Fashions and the Shoe Dept. Big Lots will occupy 35,000 square feet, while Ross Dress for Less will occupy up to 30,000 square feet.

The retail center was initially built in 1975 as an 85,200-square-foot Kmart department store. Several years later, an additional 42,000 square feet of retail space was added to the east side.

(Kimberly Carrillo/Tribune Staff Photographer)

As the owner of 12 Dairy Queen outlets, longtime Mesa resident Steve Cowgur sees more business in standalone buildings than in malls.

Stupid moves in the searing heat – and the consequences afterward

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

Two tales teeming with cruelty happened side by side last week, as if to present an object lesson in human beings’ nearly endless capacity to act without thinking. The second story, the more tragic of the two, filled Wednesday’s newscasts.

The gist: At 1 p.m, with temperatures near 105 degrees in Scottsdale, firefighters were summoned to Lost Dog Wash near 124th Street and Via Linda to save three hikers and a dog struggling in the heat. Rescue workers removed the trio from the trail using an all-terrain gurney. Each of the three refused a trip to the ER. The dog, a 4-year-old pit bull, wasn’t so lucky. Despite medics’ attempts at delivering oxygen using a “Fido bag,” the dog did not survive.

The animal’s owner, a 27-year-old woman, was cited for animal cruelty by

No Superstition Vistas for me

I was born and raised in Newport Beach, California, and have lived in Mesa for about eight years. I am a 50-something “young” girl, and I have a big issue with this Superstition Vistas issue (“An EV vision on hold looks for new life,” July 9). I hope it never happens. I take drives to lower my blood pressure and relax in the wonderful Arizona desert, and the only thing that takes that away from that is seeing housing and mini malls mooching their way into our lovely desert. Ick.

It is so nice to drive on the 60 and see saguaros, trees, wildlife and sand – and hopefully we can keep it that way.

–

Barbie Murphy – Mesa

Honor Arpaio’s accomplishments

Another “lib” (literally), demeaning and degrading article about Joe Arpaio in this newspaper (David Leibowitz, “The circus is over, let Ringmaster Joe Arpaio just go home,” July 2). No, not another week-long, multi-page, left-wing Pulitzer Prize winning opus, but a small, snarky “Opinion” piece. Let’s look at the career of this “old man (who) shuffles some now but still lights up as he approaches the cameras.” Joe Arpaio enlisted in the Army at age 18 (how many EVT columnists past or present did the same?). After an honorable discharge, he became a Washington, D.C., police officer for four years, then moved to Las Vegas and joined its police department. After only six months, he was appointed as a Federal Bureau of Narcotics (pre-DEA) Special Agent.

Scottsdale Police.

As a dog owner and a lover of hikes even in triple-digit heat, I firmly support such a law enforcement decision because I would never drag along a pet on such a scorching afternoon. Without the ability to sweat – but gifted with fierce loyalty – dogs suffer mightily in the heat, but they’ll keep going until they literally hike themselves to death.

One hopes people would be smarter than to put man’s best friend in such a horrific situation. In Phoenix, in fact, it’s now against the law to take dogs hiking on the city’s mountain trails when temperatures crest 100 degrees.

Which brings me to the other tale of human stupidity, which you may have seen on the news Monday. Again, it involved hikers and bad decision-making. This time, rescue crews were summoned to Camelback Mountain at about noon, this time to fetch down a family of four, a dad and his three kids, ages 4, 8 and 10 years old. According to news reports,

the clan of out-of-towners had somehow gotten lost after summiting the mountain and had been up there about three hours. When fellow hikers reported them as looking tired and out of water in the heat – again nearly 105 degrees – a park ranger hiked up to investigate and then called 911.

News video showed the family slowly trudging down the Echo Canyon trail, the kids looking wobbly from dehydration.

As for the father facing any legal consequences, there were none. Which strikes me as a mistake.

If it’s legal cruelty to take a dog hiking in triple-digit heat, then it’s equally cruel to drag along three small kids. You may point to the stories’ respective outcomes and say, well, the dog died, but the kids will fully recover. True, but that distinction disregards the intent of Arizona’s child abuse law, which says that actual injury is not required to bring a prosecution for child cruelty. All a care-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

He had a 25-year career there serving in the U.S., Turkey, Mexico and Argentina culminating in his appointment as agent in charge in Arizona. He was elected Maricopa County Sheriff in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and losing finally his seventh election in 2016.

This “circus ringmaster,” as he was also demeaned in this newspaper, has had a 65-year career in military service, national and local law enforcement. A lifetime of service to the citizens of Maricopa County, of Arizona, Las Vegas and our nation.

He doesn’t deserve the scorn of a local newspaper columnist but the thanks of a grateful nation.

– Leon Ceniceros – Mesa

The progressive playbook

When progressives speak out to defend expanding big government, they tend to back their argument by tying it to “the children” or “our veterans.” I speak as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather and veteran. Diane Brown (“Let’s provide consumer protection for those who serve,” Opinion, July 9) goes the “veteran” route in her defense of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.

I have no problem with regulations designed to protect, without infringing on other rights, consumers from shady business practices. But is that the real agenda behind the creation of CFPB, or was it a further attempt to bring our financial system and economy further under the control of centralized government? The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. District, the second highest court in

America, leaned toward the latter last year, ruling the CFPB “unconstitutionally structured.”

Ms. Brown lamented that the recent passage of a U.S. House bill “would roll back the powers, funding and independence of the CFPB.” Actually, the court ruling has already started that process, making the CFPB director “subject to presidential control through dismissal.” Under Dodd-Frank, progressives deemed that a director could only be removed “for cause,” not for policy reasons. Congress further abandoned – unconstitutionally – their power of the purse, taking the agency outside the appropriations process and giving the director access to the Federal Reserve for funding solely determined by him.

One can only imagine the snowballing effect in growth of the CFPB with unlimited funds on tap. Rules governing the limitations of CFPB, being vague and slapdash, guaranteed the agency would immediately “go rogue.” The agency’s director, Richard Cordray, showed his disdain for congressional authority over his new domain.

When asked by a member of the House Financial Services Committee about his spending $215 million to refurbish a building with an assessed value of $150 million, he dismissed the question with “Why does that matter to you?” Cordray has asserted that “its funding from outside the appropriations process gives it,” and by extension, him, ‘full independence’ from Congress.” CFPB is “empowered to regulate the offering and provision of consumer financial products or services.” However, due to poor construction of the law, CFPB is left to define “financial products” giving it unlimited power over all financial transactions.

taking adult need do is place a child in a situation “where the person or health of the child … is endangered,” and a crime has been committed. If the adult does so knowingly, we are talking about a Class 2 felony designated as a dangerous crime against children and punishable by up to 21 years in prison. Doing so recklessly or negligently are lesser felonies that carry up to 45 months behind bars. Do I think the dad in question deserved incarceration for risking the lives of his kids on a scorching summer day? No. But he was cruel, he was reckless, and he put his children at serious risk. There should be a heavier consequence for such behavior than looking stupid on the TV news.

Because, frankly, I wouldn’t treat a dog the way he treated his kids.

– David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995. Contact david@leibowitzsolo.com.

There are some things, such as national defense, that must be left to the federal government. But the CFPB is big government at its worst. We have a system of checks and balances guaranteed in the Constitution, but “progressives since Woodrow Wilson have considered this system an anachronistic impediment to energetic government powered by an unconstrained executive.”

Yes, our system is slow and inefficient, but those limits were deliberately built in by the founders of our country. Our liberal members of Congress may be willing to foist their responsibilities off to unelected officials to give themselves protection from their constituents, but this time, the court has thrust it right back in their laps. Hopefully the current Congress will write new guidelines for CFPB, making it compliant to the needs of the people instead of insatiable big government.

– Jim Barber – Mesa

Police apps out there, too

I just read the article “East Valley cities use apps to connect with residents” (June 18). I can’t believe what I read and how incomplete the article is in regard to the police and the communities they support.

I previously (retired now) worked on smartphone solutions for the East Valley police departments for over six years, and this article does not even cover the basic information.

There are applications specific to the police departments that leverage their branding and offer citizens two-way communication capabilities for each department. The police departments have a goal to provide a similar “look and feel” for their smartphone apps.

In addition, sharing app information across agencies is a focus of the East Valley Gang & Criminal Information Fusion Center. These apps also provide links into city services. The focus of the article leaves out the good work the police departments have done in the apps area. These apps can be downloaded “free” to the public for Apple or Android products directly through the respective stores.

The focus on deploying these applications is to create a closer relationship between the local communities and their police departments.

Based on all the negativity toward police we see in our society, the police departments have a need to create more transparency and improve direct communications with the departments.

– Bill Kalaf

Request for help from Idaho

I am an elementary teacher in Idaho and I am in need of some help.

I want to do a school project for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year with my class. I need a retired license plate from the Grand Canyon State (Arizona). If you have one you could donate to me, I would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you!

My school address is: Blackfoot Charter Community Learning Center

2801 Hunters Loop Blackfoot, ID, 83221

– Benjamin Parker

– Blackfoot, Idaho

‘The People’s Budget’ is best

While members of the Republican majority are competing to see who can make the deepest cuts, there is a budget proposal before Congress that would boost the economy for all of us while cutting in half the number of people in poverty. It’s The People’s Budget, proposed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

The People’s Budget invests in safe and productive infrastructure, education, affordable housing, health care and nutrition, child care and working family tax credits. It calls for increasing the minimum wage.

These investments will create 3.6 million jobs and set us on a path to cut poverty in half in 10 years. The People’s Budget invests $2 trillion in infrastructure spending, expanding rural broadband, universal pre-K and free college tuition at state and community colleges.

Every year without fail, our elected representatives give over half of the discretionary budget to the Pentagon, leaving less than half to be divided up to fund education, healthcare, environmental spending, infrastructure and everything else.

– Harold Norman – Mesa

‘Balance’ with your vote

Most of us strive to find balance in our lives while giving proper time and effort to our families, work, religion, friends, finance and even fitness. It’s a difficult yet necessary part of our existence if we want to achieve a semblance of happiness, healthfulness and highmindedness.

Unfortunately, in Arizona we have absolutely zero balance in our state politics. All of our top elected state officials are Republicans and that enables them to hold budget talks in secret, not cooperate with the minority party and not compromise very often on matters of importance to our state. The current financial debacle in our public schools is largely a result of the GOP’s love affair with charter and private schools.

There is a rather simple way to remedy this situation: Either support a different candidate in the primary election or vote for a different party in the general election. Too much of the same politics in our state has not served us well.

More balance in our state government would reduce the GOP’s monopolistic stranglehold on our politics and assist in making legislation more mainstream to a broader spectrum of Arizona voters.

– Richard K. Meszar – Mesa

Health bill is a bad bill

Are you in your 20s ready to start a family? Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition, so it will not be covered. The average cost for pre-natal care and childbirth is $10,000, Can you pay it?

Are you between 30 and 65? Your insurance may go up five times more what it is now. Not only that, but there are at least 50 pre-existing conditions, including asthma, acne, cancer, being fat, diabetes, high cholesterol and many more. And even if you don’t have one of these conditions, it is highly probable that your spouse or one of your children has one. How will you pay? Take out a second mortgage? Use up your savings?

What if you’re 65 or older? Three out of five seniors in nursing homes won’t get the help they need to stay in their

nursing home. They will have to move in with their adult children for care.

So, if you have an elderly parent in need of care, they will need to move in with you, and with no support from Medicare or Medicaid, you will be in charge of their 24/7 care, including feeding, bathing, and so on.

This is a bad bill for everybody. Call Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake and tell them to vote “no.”

– Rebecca Evans – Scottsdale

Shining a light on human trafficking

In our politically divided nation, I think there’s one American value we can all agree on: Everyone deserves to be free.

The State Department recently released the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report, which ranks 187 countries on their efforts to combat human trafficking, including the U.S. This report sheds light on the hidden crime of modernday slavery – a crime that holds more than 45 million men, women and children in bondage. The 19th-century abolitionist William Wilberforce said, “You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know.”

What does this mean for us? For one thing, our members of Congress should recommit themselves to protecting the integrity of this report and the U.S. foreign aid programs that help rescue slaves and put traffickers behind bars.

– Brittany Henritze – Scottsdale

To submit letters: Go to eastvalleytribune.com/opinions and click “Submit letter” or email forum@evtrib.com.

From Dr. Chamberlain’s Desktop

In my Orthodontic practice, many parents have commented that they noticed the average age of children getting braces has decreased. This is true. The timing of treatment has changed. This has to do with the changing role orthodontics has taken in the whole health perspective of the growing child. In the past, orthodontics could be related to a car body-shop mechanic. The crash has happened and the orthodontist would come in to put the car (or teeth) together as best as possible. With the newer technology that I will be writing about later, we have moved from a

mechanic to more of a crash detector to warn and prevent the crash from happening.

Listen, if we can prevent canines from being impacted with early intervention (and we can), then that prevents future surgical interventions. If we can develop arches early, then we can have full eruption of teeth and prevent the extraction of permanent teeth in the future. If we can prevent sleep interrupted breathing and possibly sleep apnea, then we may prevent adverse issues ranging from child snoring to bedwetting, to moodiness and poor school performance.

There are just too many benefits to ignore early treatment and prevent certain “crashes” in the teeth that we know are coming. If you have a child that you have a question of whether or not early treatment may be beneficial, you owe it to them to have a complementary examination. You may find that now is the best time to avoid the oncoming “crash” down the road.

Dr. Thomas Chamberlain

Back to SCHOOL

eastvalleytribune.com/twitter www.EastValleyTribune.com

eastvalleytribune.com/facebook

Teachers find low-cost and free treasures at Tempe shop

BY RALPH ZUBIATE Tribune Managing Editor

Last year, the average teacher spent about $500 out of his or her own pocket for classroom supplies, according to the Education Market Association. One in 10 spent $1,000 or more.

All told, that’s about $1.6 billion in

supplies that parents and school districts nationwide expect teachers to pay for.

Treasures 4 Teachers in Tempe is trying to help reduce that cost.

With a warehouse full of donated materials, Treasures 4 Teachers offers educators low-cost and free books, art supplies, office supplies and pretty much everything you can think of.

Barbara Blalock, the founder and

executive director, came up with the idea when she visited a second-grade classroom in 2004.

According to the Treasures’ website, the teacher asked her students to get out a piece of paper and pencil. A young girl went up to the teacher and gave up her shoe, for which the teacher gave her a

16,

START DATES

School districts across the East Valley are preparing to begin the new school year. Here are the main area districts and their start dates:

Chandler Unified – July 24

Gilbert Unified – Aug. 2

Higley Unified – July 24

Kyrene Elementary – Aug. 3

Mesa Unified – Aug. 8

Queen Creek Unified – July 25

Tempe Elementary – Aug. 7

Tempe Union – Aug. 7

(Kimberly Carrillo/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Heather Maxwell sorts through books in a guided reading program. Maxwell ended up purchasing baskets to display books in her Litchfield Park classroom.

Mesa’s wide school selection tailors education to each student

BY HEIDI HURST Tribune Guest Writer

From award-winning neighborhood schools to unique specialized programs, you’ll find options for every child at Mesa Public Schools

At Mesa Public Schools, diverse educational options are available for all students.

Franklin schools are traditional

Franklin Elementary schools take a traditional approach to education. Students sit at individual desks in a teacher-centered classroom and follow an accelerated curriculum, and behavior expectations are high.

Franklin schools use the researchbased Spalding program for phonics and reading.

“Spalding is structured and provides repetition, which younger children need in reading,” said Emily Kelly, Franklin principal.

Franklin students are graded on an accelerated scale. For example, an A is 94-100 percent. Students receive progress reports every three weeks, and

if a child receives a D or below, the teacher personally calls parents with an explanation.

Earn College Credit while in High School at Central Arizona College

“Parents, especially in kindergarten, are impressed with how much their children accomplish,” Kelly says. “If they haven’t

seen this program before, they say, ‘Is it always that quiet in the room?’ The kids have fun in the classroom, and yes, they can talk. But when it’s learning time, it’s learning time.”

Montessori spurs independent learners

In district Montessori classrooms, students are in a different type of environment. Based on the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, an early 20th century Italian physician and educator, Montessori classrooms are filled with materials that provide experiences for self-motivated independent learners.

Montessori students are placed in multiaged classrooms, based on developmental periods. It is common for students to spend several years with the same teacher. With a balance between freedom and responsibility, students are encouraged to progress at their own pace. Hands-on learning is crucial to ensuring learners are engaged.

“Montessori reflects kids’ natural curiosity,” explained Dawn Foley, director

Things to know about CAC’s Early College Program:

 It’s Convenient - The Early College program is held during the Fall and Spring semesters.

 It’s Inclusive - Students who have completed their sophomore or junior year are eligible.

 It’s A ordable - *CAC pays up to 5 credits of in-state tuition per Summer.

 It’s Bene cial - Transfer credits are available to get you closer to a Bachelor’s degree!

*Conditions apply. Books and transportation not included.

For requirements, visit: www.centralaz.edu/earlycollege

For all CAC High School Outreach programs, visit: www.centralaz.edu/hsprograms

(Tim Hacker/Mesa Public Schools]

Montessori kindergarten students puzzle out things at Pomeroy Elementary School.

of curriculum. “Students are given learning outcomes but decide when and how they will achieve those outcomes.”

District Montessori educators are accredited by the state and the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.

Free K-6 Montessori is available at Bush, Johnson and Pomeroy elementary schools, and a fee-based preschool program is available at Jordan Center for Early Education.

Learning in two languages

At Hermosa Vista and Keller elementary schools, students in the dual-language program are taught half the day in English and half in Spanish. Subjects taught in Spanish are math, science and social studies.

Math concepts are reinforced in English. Students do not need to be Spanishspeakers to succeed in the program.

“When a child is young, what they’re acquiring is so new to them that they’re quickly going to be at the same level for both languages,” explained Veronica Betance-Sandoval, district world languages specialist.

“It’s complicated to believe that it’s possible to get those kids to understand what you’re saying, but then you see it. It helps that we have the most enthusiastic teachers as part of the program.”

The dual-language program is available to students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Keller Elementary, and to students in kindergarten through second grade at Hermosa Vista Elementary, with a subsequent grade added each year.

A global education in Mesa

At Summit Academy, students learn via the highly respected International Baccalaureate program, which focuses on inquiry learning and multicultural awareness.

At the elementary level, or primary years program, lessons come alive for IB students because they use creativity to study issues through questioning. There is an emphasis on critical thinking, problem solving and lifelong learning.

At Summit Academy, students can choose to continue with IB at the school in seventh and eighth grade. However, at the elementary level, it’s all-inclusive.

An important aspect of the IB program is world language. At Summit Academy, students take Spanish beginning in kindergarten. At Mesa Academy for

Advanced Studies, which offers the IB Middle Years Program to sixth- through eighth-graders, students may also take Mandarin Chinese.

Mesa Academy and Summit Academy students have the option of entering the IB diploma program at Westwood High School.

Award-winning neighborhood schools

Mesa Public Schools continues to break records for awards that honor excellence.

Currently, the district has an unprecedented 27 A+ Schools of Excellence.

The list includes elementary schools such as Brinton, Falcon Hill, Red Mountain Ranch, Whitman and Zaharis. To attain A+ status, these schools meet student needs, both academic and non-academic, and demonstrate high achievement. Opportunities at Mesa Public Schools are endless.

No matter what parents are looking

for, an excellent choice is just around the corner. Learn more at mpsaz.org/success.

–Heidi Hurst is a spokeswoman for Mesa Public Schools.

(Tim Hacker/ Mesa Public Schools)

Summit Academy International Baccalaureate Spanish teacher Martha Garchow high-fives a student during a game meant to teach counting in Spanish.

New principal in charge at Seton Catholic Prep

Anew principal has taken the helm of Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler.

Victor M. Serna was appointed to the East Valley’s only Catholic college preparatory high school by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted.

Serna replaces Pat Collins, who retired in the spring after serving the school in various capacities since 1992, including the past 12 years as principal.

Prior to arriving at Seton, Serna was a Master Principal, chosen by the director of Catholic Education in the Los Angeles archdiocese to form, advise and train Catholic leaders.

“My wife Evelyn and I are excited to become part of the Sentinel community,” said Serna. “I consider myself blessed to serve my faith through the ministry of Catholic education. I believe in educating the whole person through a rigorous curriculum, access to co-curricular and extra-curricular activities including leadership opportunities and service to others, personal support, and daily encounters with Christ.”

Prior to joining Seton Catholic, Serna held the position of principal at St. Turibius Catholic School in Los Angeles since 2013.

Prior to that, he served as assistant principal and dean of students at his alma mater, Bishop Mora Salesian High School in Los Angles. He also served as athletic director of St. Mary Catholic School and associate athletic director at the Salesian Family Youth Center, both in LA.

Serna earned a B.S. in criminal justice from California State University and master’s degrees in secondary education and educational administration from Mount St. Mary’s University. He is in the process of completing his third master’s degree in instructional leadership.

He has received Catholic leadership training through the Notre Dame University Alliance for Catholic Education and through the Salesian Leadership Institute for Ministry with the Salesians of Don Bosco, Western Providence.

Serna and his wife live in Gilbert.

Seton is a private, coeducational high school in Chandle open to students of all faiths.

Information: setoncatholic.org.

School starts August 9

All children learn differently , so we offer options that help them discover and build on their potential and passions .

•Preschool through adult education

•Homeschool enrichment classes

• Franklin Traditional Schools

•Spanish immersion

•Montessori

•International Baccalaureate

•STEM

•Online learning

• Free all-day kindergarten

Building a brighter future

(Special to the Tribune)

Victor Serna, the new principal at Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler, helped train principals through a program run by the Los Anegeles Catholic Archdiocese.

Judge us by our grads

BY CAMILLE CASTEEL Tribune Guest Writer

As we make final preparations for the start of the 2017-2018 school year, I want to take this opportunity to thank the families of 45,000 students for choosing Chandler Unified School District as their educational provider.

In CUSD, parents may choose from a menu of personalized learning experiences that best meet the needs of their children.

We know you have choices and we work hard to ensure a safe, learning environment for students with many backgrounds and learning styles.

We are known as a premier district of choice. Academic achievement is a high priority in the district as evidenced by test scores that exceed state and national averages.

We pride ourselves on providing outstanding educational programs at all grade levels, including:

•Free full-day kindergarten,

•K-8 self-contained gifted programs (Chandler Academically Talented Students),

•Knox Gifted Academy,

•Traditional academies,

•Mandarin Chinese and Spanish immersion programs,

•Elite Performance Academy for our serious young student-athletes,

•Accelerated Middle School,

•STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) diploma,

• Nationally recognized academic, fine arts and athletic programs,

• College preparatory advanced placement instruction,

• Accelerated International Baccalaureate study,

• Science and biotech classes that promote critical thinking,

•Chandler On-line program,

•Access to a variety of preschool and afterschool programming.

Our governing board is visionary and is determined to make Chandler

Unified the top school district in the nation through its Journey 2025 10-year strategic plan.

It focuses on four areas: outstanding students, world-class employees, organizational culture and effective resource management.

Each year, the board determines keys strategies and adopts metrics to measure our success.

Please visit our website at cusd80.com to view our progress.

In order to meet those high standards, our teachers and staff work hard to prepare students for life and career, have diverse paths for learning, create global understanding, provide student-centered learning and engage parents in the success of their child.

Our students are problem solvers, engaged learners, service-oriented, ethical, value diversity and think critically and creatively.

Judge us by the graduates we produce.

In addition to state and national honors in academics, fine arts and sports, CUSD’s 2017 graduating class earned more than $118 million in college scholarship offers, 30,096 college credit hours and nearly 113,000 service learning hours.

As you can see, I am very proud of the accomplishments of our students and

dedicated staff.

I am so confident that we can find the right school environment for your child that I invite you to contact my office at 480-812-7600, so that my staff and I can assist with placement for this year.

(K-8 / 520.568.7800)

/ 480.655.6787)

–Camille Casteel is the superintendent of Chandler Unified School District.

(Special to the Tribune)

Chandler Schools Superintendent Camille Casteel says students graduate from her district schools as engaged leaders, problem solvers and serviceoriented citizens.

This Tempe Union official is delighted to welcome a new school year

BY JENNIFER LIEWER Tribune Guest Writer

Growing up, the thought of going back to school didn’t exactly make me happy.

Sure, I enjoyed school as much as the next kid, but the end of summer vacation made me sad. It meant the end of sleeping in, spending hours in a swimming pool, working at the local movie theater, playing video games at the arcade, traveling to visit family in other states and doing a whole lot of nothing.

Now, for the first time in my life, I can’t wait for school to start.

Hired as the new executive director of community relations for the Tempe Union High School District, I joined the team with just three weeks left of the school year, and it was a whirlwind. I attended sports banquets, baseball playoffs, watched students race in boats made from cardboard and duct tape, touted the remarkable accomplishments of the class of 2017 and was honored to participate in graduation ceremonies at Compadre Academy and Tempe High School. It was the best beginning to a new job

that I had ever experienced.

Before I knew it, the school year was over, but I wanted more. I wanted to meet more teachers, talk with more students and engage with more of the amazing East Valley community that I was just getting to know.

And, I wanted to share more stories about all that was going on in our seven high schools and shout about them from the mountains. I quickly realized I would need to wait.

Even though things didn’t stop once the students left and the work of the Tempe Union High School District continued, there was a very different feel when I came to work each day. It was a quieter. A little less hectic. There was more of a focus on evaluating, planning and preparing.

Our governing board held public meetings to ensure budgets were approved, policies were updated and staff would have the resources they needed on Aug. 7. There was planning and training and, for me, learning the roles and responsibilities of my new job.

There was a lot of hard work going on to ensure that TUHSD was prepared to continue to provide the educational excellence that our community needs,

In fact, we are all ready. We are ready to welcome the class of 2021. Ready to meet new teachers and learn from those who have been teaching for years. We are ready to cheer for our teams until we are hoarse and prepared to stay silent when two schools from our district compete against each other because we know we don’t have a favorite.

I also know I am ready to say goodbye to summer and for the first time, enthusiastically head back to school.

If this upcoming year is anything like my first three weeks on the job, it is sure to be amazing.

And, if the students of Tempe High, McClintock, Marcos de Niza, Corona del Sol, Mountain Pointe, Desert Vista and Compadre Academy are anything like I was in high school and sad that their summer is over, they should know that they have a mass of teachers, administrators, support staff, coaches, bus drivers, custodial staff, guidance counselors, and one VERY excited community relations director who can’t wait for them to come back!

deserves and has come to expect. However, recently I have found myself saying, “Enough already. Let’s get this school year started! I am ready.”

-Jennifer Liewer is executive director of community relations for Tempe Union High School District.

(Special to the Tribune)

Jennifer Liewer, foreground, Tempe Union High School District’s new community relatives director, attended Compadre Academy’s graduation with associate superintendents Anna Battle, rear, and Kim Hilgers.

pencil.

Blalock found out the teacher didn’t have enough pencils, so she made students give up a shoe to borrow one, knowing that they wouldn’t leave with the pencil and without their shoe.

Blalock realized she wanted to help make sure all teachers had enough resources – and that kids kept their shoes. So, Treasures 4 Teachers was born.

Treasures relies mostly on corporate donations for its stock.

“I’d say that I spend at least $300-400 a year out of pocket,” she said. “This helps.”

Maxwell and other teacher friends found out about Treasures 4 Teachers and decided they needed to check it out.

“The first time I was here, there were about six or seven of us on a field trip,” she said.

“We got a lot of donations from manufacturers,” Blalock said. “We get things from OfficeMax, Target, Jo-Ann, Staples. We have an ongoing donation from Staples every month.”

Last month, Treasures gave out an electronic stapler from Staples with a $10 purchase.

Treasures also gets unusual donations, “things you wouldn’t expect,” Blalock said.

“Ping gives us beanbags” – actually moisture-absorbing bags that can be used as beanbags. “Ikea gives a lot of different things,” she says, pointing to a bin full of purple candles.

Boeing gives them plastic caps from airplane panels. A medical supplier gives them plastic tubing that can be used for crafts or decorating.

They’ve accepted carpet squares, wallpaper and fabric samples. Lately, a bin full of picture frame corners – just the corners – has been available. Last spring, big boxes of leftover Christmas ornaments were there for the taking.

Treasures also takes donations of used items or money from the public. Teachers can find old board games, notebooks, shoeboxes and cardboard tubes.

The items they get are offered to teachers at a tiny price, from free to $1 for a bag full of things and $5 for a bigger bag. They also have furniture, office chairs and bookcases.

The $5 Fill-A-Bag gives the most bang for the buck, Blalock says. Teachers usually fill those bags with brand-new donated books.

But here, they have help.

“Our volunteers create kits from the stuff they get,” Blalock said. “That way, it’s ready to use.”

One recent morning, she was going through boxes and looking at the books in a reading program kit. She was in Tempe this time because her daughter is in a drama club nearby.

“I got a box of file folders last time. And a set of shelves, but they didn’t fit in the car, so I had to come back,” she said.

“I buy a lot of books for my classroom. I get extra supplies, free three-ring binders. I’m pretty sure they don’t have anything like this anywhere.”

Once, she grabbed a bunch of old VHS cassette cases for free. She had sets of fraction strips for each student, and she used each case to hold a full set. Each student then had their own set perfectly contained.

Like Maxwell, teachers are pretty good at coming up with uses for the treasures.

Treasures 4 Teachers has 115 volunteers and 13 staff members.

Memberships, which last a school year, are $35. Treasures 4 Teachers also offers “scholarships” to cover the cost for first-year or needy teachers.

“The Tempe Diablos help with that,” Blalock said. “They’ve been great about giving us funding for memberships.”

Treasures is trying to spread the idea around. There’s another Treasures 4 Teachers in Tucson. Members can shop both locations.

When the Tucson location opened, Treasures wondered how they’d get some of their donated items down there.

“But as soon as they opened, donations started pouring in,” Blalock said. “They’re self-sustaining.”

“A man gets them from his book sources,” she said. “What he doesn’t want, he donates. He brings them by the pallet.”

“Fill-A-Bag is really cool,” said Heather Maxwell, a fifth-grade teacher at Litchfield Elementary in Litchfield Park.

She makes the long drive because she feels it’s worth it.

Treasures has a mobile program, too. “Thunderbird Charities gave us $25,000 to go to schools that need school supplies,” Blalock said. “We give them out for free.

“It’s a win-win for the businesses, teachers, students and the environment. Seventy-five percent of the donated items would have ended up in a landfill.”

Treasures 4 Teachers is at 3025 South 48th St., Suite 101, Tempe. Shopping hours are Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Check-in ends 15 minutes prior to close. Information: 480-751-1122, treasures4teachers.org, facebook.com/Treasures4Teachers.org.

(Kimberly Carrillo/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Bins chock-full of plastic pieces, pens, pipe cleaners and more can be used to fill a bag for $1.

(Kimberly Carrillo/Tribune)

Barbara Blalock says Treasures 4 Teachers tries to do something special for teachers every day during the summer.

Sports

Chandler Little League teams advance to state tournament

Galovich said they are hoping to add another banner for 2017.

The 10- and 12-year-old Chandler National North Little League teams advanced to the Arizona Little League state tournament this past weekend after winning their respective district tournaments.

The 12-year-old all-stars went undefeated, winning six straight games to capture their District 13 crown. They played a tight game against Tempe South in the semifinals and came out on top 3-0. Last Saturday night, their bats came alive in the championship game, beating Chandler American, 9-2.

“Collectively, our team played great defensively all tournament,” coach Perry Galovich said. “Our players work hard in practice, taking plenty of infield and outfield reps and challenging each other to minimize mistakes in the field. Our pitching was solid during the tournament, as we only gave up an average of 1.5 runs per game.”

For the 12-year-olds, Galovich said after capturing the district championship last Saturday that it was a good feeling to finally get over the hump.

“A majority of our players were also on the Chandler National 10U and 11U teams the past couple of years and lost the championship game each year,” Galovich said.

Now, the 12-year-olds will advance to the state tournament and will play their first game Monday, July 17, at 8 p.m. in Mesa at the Fiesta Sports Park in Mesa against Blythe.

With a history of six state championships since 2006, including a trip to the Little League World Series in 2003 and 2007,

The 10-year-olds had a tougher path to their district championships, qualifying for bracket play with a record of 2-2 and then earning the No. 2-seed by a tiebreaker. Once they reached the semifinals, they blew away the competition, beating Tempe South 13-1 in the semifinal and Chandler National South in the championship.

“We had lots of key plays, in the semifinal and the final,” 10-yearold all-stars coach Jim Roland said. “We had solid pitching from Parker Anderson and Josh Burlend, and the team did not commit an error in either the semi or final game, with outstanding defensive plays from Gavin Cram, Cash Groppenbacher, Alec Roland, and Rowen Noreus.”

The 10-year-olds will continue their run on Monday in Casa Grande. Two years ago, Roland said he was lucky enough to have his oldest son play in the state tournament and regional tournament.

“It helped give me a perspective in what I need to do in order to help the boys have fun and win some games,” Roland said. “It really is special for myself and my other coaches, Rich Groppenbacher and John Cram. We are very lucky to a part of these group of boys I’ve dubbed the ‘Dirty Dozen.’”

– Contact Greg Macafee at gmacafee@ timespublications.com or at 480-8985630 or follow @greg_macafee on Twitter.

Led by coaches Perry Galovich, Mike Noreus and Doug Brewster, the district champion Chandler

12-year-olds include Gavin Noreus, Lucas Phan, Jake Gorrell, Josh Tiedemann, Roch Cholowsky, Brody Sexton, Trevor Galovich, Braeden Schnabel, Arnulfo Barocio, Braeden Romero, Kole Klecker and Alex Dabrowski and Angel Morales.

Queen Creek MMA fighter takes title, looks forward to defending it

BY GREG MACAFEE Tribune Sports Editor

June 24 was a night full of firsts for MMA fighter and Queen Creek resident Ryan Bader. It was his first fight in the Bellator MMA organization, after transferring from the UFC. It was also the first time he had ever fought in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, which he called a bucket-list arena for most fighters.

Most importantly though, at the end of the night with family, friends and thousands of fans watching, Bader earned his first career championship belt with a split decision victory over Phil Davis.

“To do all that and to get that belt wrapped around my waist for the first time,” Bader said. “It was just very relieving and kind of a whole lifetime of

(Special to the Tribune)

The Chandler 10-and-under Little League team last week celebrated winning the district playoff round. The players include Alec Roland, Bryce Russo, Cash Groppenbacher, Gavin Cram, Henry Martin, Jack Westwood, Jackson Howey, Josh Burlend, Parker Anderson, Porter Creal, Rowen Noreus and Santiago Morales.Coaches are Jim Roland, Rich Groppenbacher and John Cram.

(Special to the Tribune)

Little League

Let’s Grow Your Business!

David Nielson VP/Business Banking Officer

from page 15

work coming together.”

One thing that Bader didn’t do for the first time that night in Madison Square Garden was square up with 6-foot-2, 205-pounder Phil Davis.

The two had fought in the UFC in 2015, with Bader coming out on top by split decision. Bader has had success against Davis in mixed martial arts, but back when they were both Division I wrestlers, it was the other way around.

“He’s a tough competitor, so I fought a close fight a couple of years ago and then here we are again,” Bader said. “He’s one of those guys I’ve actually been competing against my whole life. I actually wrestled against him in college. He beat me in the national tournament when he was at Penn State and I was at Arizona State.”

Bader accounts for half of Davis’ losses in his fighting career, his only other two come against Anthony Johnson in 2014 and Rashad Evans in 2012. So, Davis has established himself as one of the top fighters in the game over the past three years.

The 6-foot-2 Arizona State alum knew heading into his first championship matchup that he was going up against one of the top three fighters in the world, and had a certain game plan going in.

“He’s a very awkward fighter,” Bader

said. “He’s hard to get a handle on, he’s hard to take down and he’s very awkward in his striking. So, we needed to be extremely patient, no matter what happened. We needed to not get sucked into his game. We just needed to stay patient and out-technique him on our feet and get a couple takedowns.”

Now, after crossing off a list of firsts, and getting the light-heavyweight title wrapped around his waist, there’s nothing on Bader’s mind other than moving forward in his Bellator career. He’s already planning his next fight down the road.

“I’m a competitor. It was fun to get that belt,” Bader said. “Now, I’m the champ and I have to defend this belt for the entirety of my career. So, were already looking at big fights and hoping to get in there September or November and get it rolling.”

The Reno, Nevada, transplant landed in the Phoenix area in 2001 after attending Arizona State University on a wrestling scholarship. After meeting a ton of friends and his wife, with whom he now has three children, Bader knew he wasn’t leaving.

“I kind of knew that I was going to stay here after school, I just fell in love with the city and never left.” – Contact Greg Macafee at

MMA

(Special to the Tribune)

Ryan Bader of Queen Creek recently won his first MMA championship belt.

To life: Preserving Earth’s precious Garden is everyone’s duty

BY RABBI DEAN SHAPIRO Tribune Guest Writer

The Ancients in the Bible described the world as a Garden – “plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed” – teeming with creatures in the sea, on land and in the sky (Genesis 1:12, 1:22, 1:25).

Earth is truly a Cradle of Life. In every corner, from the harshest desert to the deepest sea, life finds a way to flourish. Life is a great creative force that slithers and struggles to inch itself forward, a magnificent experiment of which each one of us is a small part.

The Ancients described Humanity as the most powerful creature in the Garden. Adam, according to the Hebrew Bible, was the first human being, the parent of us all. The Hebrew word “Adam” is linked

FAITH CALENDAR

MONDAY, JULY 17

MAKER FUN FACTORY

Vacation Bible School at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mesa will feature “Maker Fun Factory-Created by God, Built for a purpose!” The program, which runs July 17-21, is free for kids ages 3 to 11.

DETAILS>> 9-11:30 a.m., 322 N. Horne St. Information and registration: stmarksmesa.org or email Dianne Nunez at nunezkevin@msn.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 29

BACK TO SCHOOL

Generation Church in Mesa will be having its annual Back to School Community Day. Free backpacks and school supplies will be handed out to children in need. Items will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are exhausted.

DETAILS>> 8-10 a.m., 1010 S. Ellsworth Road, Mesa. Information: help@generationaz.org or 480-986-3149.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19

TEA FOR ‘WOMEN IN WHITE’

The Lawrence Memorial A.M.E.Z. Church is inviting ‘Women in White’ to bring their favorite tea cup or tea pot and enjoy games, poem reading and refreshment. DETAILS>> 1-3 p.m., Pearl’s Banquet Hall, 1455 S. Stapley Road, Suite 12, Mesa. Cost: $20, $10 girls 5-12. Information: 602-817-8675 or 602-689-0457.

SUNDAYS

VALOR CHRISTIAN OUTLINES MISSION

Valor Christian Center in Gilbert offers “great praise and worship and great messages for today’s living,” according to Associate Pastor Thor Strandholt. “Our

to “adom/red,” like the blood that runs through all our veins, and “adamah/earth,” the ground from which we all spring.

As children of Adam, we human beings are first and foremost Earthlings. We are the Guardians of the Garden, holding extraordinary sway over all other branches of the Tree of Life. Using our intellect, we can play an important role in the healthy functioning of this planet, or in its destruction.

It is far too easy to forget our sacred responsibility, to abdicate our power. Our world is too complicated for anyone to manage it – and so we conclude we have no power whatsoever. We become passive. But this is not an “all or nothing” situation. Like an ant colony, which can do grand things when all members work together, each person, like each nation, must do their part on behalf of the environment.

Otherwise, the Cradle of Life suffers.

mission is to evangelize, heal and disciple through the word of God.”

DETAILS>> 10 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Thursdays. 3015 E. Warner Road. Information: valorcc.com.

NEW CHURCH IN MESA

The Rev. Albert Bolden leads the Lawrence Memorial A.M.E.Z. Church in Mesa.

DETAILS>> Sunday school at 9 a.m., worship at 10 a.m., 931 E. Southern Ave., Suite 108. Information: 480393-3001, tlmchurch.info@gmail.com.

HORIZON SEEKS YOUNG PEOPLE

High school and middle school students meet to worship and do life together.

DETAILS>> 4 p.m. at Horizon Presbyterian Church, 1401 E. Liberty Lane. 480-460-1480 or joel@horizonchurch.com.

UNITY OFFERS A PATH

Unity of Mesa says its Sunday service offers “a positive path for spiritual living” through “transformational lessons, empowering music and various spiritual practices with an open-minded and welcoming community.”

DETAILS>> 9 a.m. Spiritual Discussion Group and Meditation Practices Group. 10:15 a.m. Celebration Service. 2700 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. Nursery available for infants through kindergarten at service times. Youth ministry classes are open in the Education Annex at 10:15 a.m. Information: 480-892- 2700, unityofmesa.org, lori@unityofmesa.org.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION SERVICE

Inspirational messages and music to lift your spirit. A welcoming community committed to living from the heart. Many classes and events offered. We welcome you!

DETAILS>> 10 a.m. Sundays at Unity of Tempe, 1222

Hillel, an early rabbi, used to say, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I?”

(Pirkei Avot 1:14). While we must stand up for ourselves, life loses meaning if we only stand for nothing but ourselves. We are creatures with responsibilities to the collective, and also to Life itself. We have power, and are expected to harness it for the good.

The snake whispers in our ear that all will be OK, that we are not responsible for our actions. Voices of despair and greed abound, cunningly telling us to settle for powerlessness, to mortgage the future, to give in.

But each action we take has consequences, either for the health or the harm of the Garden. Now, truly, we must pull our own weight, redoubling our efforts to clean and safeguard our planet. In what specific ways are you helping? How can you do more?

E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe. Information: 480792-1800, unityoftempe.com.

KIDS CAN LEARN JEWISH LIFE

Children can learn and experience Jewish life. Chabad Hebrew School focuses on Jewish heritage, culture and holidays.

DETAILS>> 9:30 a.m. to noon, for children ages 5-13 at Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life, 875 N. McClintock Drive, Chandler. 480-855-4333, info@ chabadcenter.com, or chabadcenter.com.

MONDAYS

PROSPERITY RECIPES AT UNITY

Internationally known speaker and author, Maureen G. Mulvaney brings back her Prosperity Recipes class series to Unity of Tempe on Monday evenings. Cost: $10 per session

Now is the time to redouble our efforts to improve the viability of human life on Earth. Now is the time to push ourselves. Drive less, use less plastic, eat less meat, plant flowers for pollinators. Advocate for our garden planet at work and in the halls of power. Donate to environmental causes, to organizations who speak for Life. (I contribute regularly to the Natural Resources Defense Council – nrdc.org.) Get out into nature, to remind yourself of the Majesty that dwarfs us all. Educate yourself. Protest against greed.

Hillel concluded, “If not now, when?” We are citizens of the second-mostpolluting country on Earth. In the future, we will not be judged by our intentions, but by our actions as Guardians of the Garden.

– Rabbi Dean Shapiro is the spiritual leader of Temple Emanuel of Tempe. Contact him at rshapiro@ emanueloftempe.org and visit his “Rabbi Dean Shaprio” page on Facebook.

DETAILS>> 6:15-8:15 p.m., Unity of Tempe, 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe. Information: 480792-1800, unityoftempe.com.

CHURCH PRAYER CALL

The Lawrence Memorial A.M.E.Z. Church in Mesa has a prayer call every Monday. DETAILS>> 7 p.m., 1-712-775-7085. PIN 162106#.

TUESDAYS

WOMEN OF INFLUENCE BIBLE STUDY

Join Valor Christian Center in Gilbert for great fellowship and walk through the word of God with depth. DETAILS>> 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 3015 E. Warner Road between Greenfield and Higley. Free. Information: 480-545-4321, valorcc.com.

An ice way to beat the heat: East Valley rinks help you cool down

BY JUSTIN FERRIS GetOut Editor

When summer heats up in the East Valley, many residents stay inside their homes with the lights off and the air conditioning cranked to 11. Others prefer to keep their home at 80 degrees and visit a movie theater, indoor mall, restaurant or somewhere else that provides free cool air.

However, there’s one chill option that surprisingly few people think about, and that’s an ice rink. Yes, the East Valley actually hosts several. And when it comes to keeping cool, it’s hard to beat standing over a giant block of frozen water.

Read on to learn more about your options. We’ve also created a map of the Valley’s ice rinks so you can find the one closest to you. Find it at bit.ly/2syZWdL.

AZ ICE

AZ ICE in Gilbert hosts numerous activities including hockey, power skating, freestyle skating and public skating. Public skating times vary by day. Free lessons are also available on weekends.

Location: 2305 E. Knox Road, Gilbert

Cost: $9.50 adult (13+), $8.50 youth (3-12), $7 senior (65+) and military family. Free for military members with an ID and children under 3; $3.50 skate rental

Website: azice.com/gilbert

Coyotes Curling Club Arizona

If you want to get on the ice but don’t skate, try the exciting sport of curling. It’s the one in the Olympics with the large

sliding “stone” and people brushing the ice like mad. The Coyotes Curling Club offers lessons, league play and 40-degree temperatures.

Location: 2202 W. Medtronic Way #101, Tempe

Cost: $30 3-hour learning session; $75 annual membership. Website: coyotescurling.com

Ice Den

Ice Den in Chandler offers hockey camps and figure skating camps. You’ll also find public skating, generally between noon and 2 p.m., as well as weekend evening events like Friday Night Fever and Family & Friends Skate.

Location: 7225 W. Harrison St., Chandler

Cost: General admission: $8 adult (16+), $6 youth (6-15), $5 kids (5 and under), $6 seniors (55+); $4 skate rentals

Friday Night Public: $5 for all ages, skate rental not included

Family & Friends Skate: $10 for all ages, skate rental is included

Website: coyotesice.com

Oceanside Ice Arena

This venue skews heavily toward ice sports; it’s where the ASU NCAA hockey team holds its games after all. It also hosts local leagues, youth hockey and figure skating. There’s no public skating, but if you want to revive your dream of being Kristy Yamaguchi or Wayne Gretzky, this is a good place to do it.

Location: 1520 N. McClintock Drive, Tempe Cost: Varies Website: oceansideicearena.net

The Gebran family serves breakfast with a side of happiness at U.S. Egg

BY CARSON MLNARIK GET OUT Contributor

It’s been 26 years since the Gebran family moved to Arizona from Iowa, bringing love and passion to the most important meal of the day.

U.S. Egg started as one restaurant in Tempe, but has since expanded to six locations across the Valley, including a restaurant in Chandler.

With its full lunch and breakfast menu, featuring burgers ($9.89-$15.89), pancakes (to $10.99) and, of course, omelets ($10.89$11.99), U.S. Egg has become a favorite for locals and visitors.

“It’s what we know, it’s what we breathe and it’s something that we really enjoy and look forward

U.S. Egg

131 E. Baseline Road, Tempe, 480-831-0070

5840 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, 480-705-0868 useggrestaurant.com

to coming to work to do,” says Gebran Gebran, sitting in a booth at his North Scottsdale location.

A job in the restaurant business wasn’t a stretch for Gebran and his brothers, Michael, Mario and George. They literally grew up in the Iowa restaurant owned by their father, Oscar.

Gebran inspired his dad’s move to Arizona after discovering the original U.S. Egg while attending ASU. The family was entrenched in Iowa, but the older brothers’ desire to move out of state helped Oscar realize Iowa wasn’t quite metropolitan enough to hold the family together.

“So here we are, 26 years later, and his plan worked,” says younger brother George with a laugh.

“We’re all here in Arizona, none of us are in a different state and we’re working together.”

Even with expansions across the Valley, the

brothers and father are still on their feet every day, checking in or working at the restaurants. On a recent weekday afternoon, Oscar smiled and greeted customers as Gebran looked on.

“We take pride in what we do,” Gebran says. “We’re a family restaurant, which is something that’s becoming a thing of the past.”

Working with family may not suit everyone, but for the brothers, who know their roles and positions within the restaurant, it fits perfectly.

“We’ve always gotten along, we’ve always had a good rapport,” Gebran says. “We don’t take each other too seriously outside of work.”

At work, however, the brothers are

busy connecting with the community and improving the business. In Arizona, a game changer was the protein pancake, an idea that came to fitness buffs Gebran and his

(Facebook)

Everyone is welcome during public skating time at AZ ICE in Gilbert.

(Special to the Tribune)

The Gebrans own the U.S. Egg family of restaurants in the Valley. From left, they are father Oscar and his sons, Michael, Mario, Gebran and George.

BOGO at i.d.e.a. Museum

See the i.d.e.a. Museum’s latest exhibit, My Favorite Monster, and use the code “KIDTASTIC” for an admission deal of buy one get one free.

DETAILS>> 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, July 19. i.d.e.a. Museum, 150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa. Tickets: $8 per person. 480-644-4332. ideamuseum.org.

Summer Splash Thursdays

Bring the kids out to meet their favorite Disney princesses and superheroes, plus games, music and fun in the splash pad. This week, enjoy a Royal Fiesta with Elena of Avalor.

DETAILS>> 6-7:30 p.m., Thursdays, July 20-27. Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. Cost: Free. 480966-9338. tempemarketplace.com/summer.

Queen Creek Feastival

Craving gourmet street food from a food truck? Every Friday night, 15 to 25 food trucks show up along with live entertainment and a boutique market for an evening of fun. Feel free to bring chairs, tables and leashed pets.

DETAILS>> 5:30-9 p.m., Friday, July 21. Queen Creek Library, Ellsworth Loop and

US EGG

from page 18

brother, Michael, in the ’90s.

“The key is the flavor,” George says. “It crunches because of the granola and then the blueberries give you the right flavor.”

Food isn’t the only thing for which the restaurant is known. U.S. Egg works with many Arizona charities, including the 100 Club, AASK, MANA House and Packages from Home. In July, they are working with Packages from Home on a campaign that gives diners the chance to write letters to soldiers.

The hustle and bustle of successful restaurants doesn’t afford the brothers weekends off. However, the breakfast and lunch model allows them time in the evening to unwind and relax. The Gebran family flocks to Mom’s house for “mandatory” Sunday dinners.

“It’s something that keeps our family together,” George says. “Sunday dinners, the kids, the grandkids all get together.”

With almost 30 years under their belt, the brothers say it’s fulfilling to see their customers leave happy.

“It’s a blessing that we’re able to work with each other and have such a good relationship,” Gebran says. “Serving the community and watching people come in and leave with the satisfaction from a good meal – what’s better than that?”

Ocotillo, Queen Creek. Cost: Free Entry. azfeastivals.com/qcfeastival.

PHX Wrestling

See up-close wrestling action from the Whirlwind Gentlemen, Funny Bone, The Hawaiian Lion and other colorful local characters.

DETAILS>> 7 p.m., Friday, July 21. The World-Famous Nile Theater, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. Tickets: $10-$15. 480-559-5859. niletheater.com.

Happy Together Tour

Join The Turtles, Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night, The Box Tops, The Cowsills and the Archies for a throwback concert you can’t miss.

DETAILS>> 8 p.m., Friday, July 21. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. Tickets: $43, $75. 602-267-1600. celebritytheatre.com.

Junk’n Daze Market

Shop from local artisans, crafters, designers, bakers and collectors. Find objects for home decoration or supplies to make your own masterpieces.

DETAILS>> 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday-Saturday, July 21-22. Antique City Warehouse, 1300 S. Country Club Drive, Mesa. Cost: Free. 480999-3322. facebook.com/AntiqueCityWhse.

– Justin Ferris, Phoenix.org.

Meatloaf burger makes a moist and memorable meal treat for everyone

BY JAN D’ATRI

BY JAN D’ATRI

James Bond, e.g.

“Nip/--”

King Crossword

Unsigned (abbr.)

1/2 cup milk

AFN Contributor

Tribune Contributor

Add your favorite seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc.).

1 large egg

1/2 pound ground beef

WAant to know why sheet-pan cooking is all the rage? Well, it’s one complete meal cooked on one sheet pan all at one time. It doesn’t get any easier that, and the combinations are endless – steak and potatoes, fish and fresh veggies, sausage and peppers to name just a few.

fter building a burger with this much flavor, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to settle for a regular hamburger again.

Drizzle with some olive oil and then toss to combine.

1/2 pound ground pork

1 teaspoon salt

When sheet pan is hot, lay proteins on (The hotter the pan, the better of a sear you’ll get on your steak.)

1 teaspoon pepper

Exemplar of dullness

Say it’s OK

On the briny

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, cut in half

Lay the seasoned veggies right next to the protein. Return pan to oven and cook until proteins and vegetables are cooked to desired doneness.

6 hamburger buns

6 slices cheese of your choice

Sheet-pan cooking is the perfect method for busy families who want a delicious dinner on the table quickly and with very little cleanup. Here, I’m sharing the recipe for a flavorful T-bone steak and veggies.

This is what you call building a bonanza burger with my mouthwatering, make-ahead meatloaf recipe, formed into patties and given the works with a stack of bacon, barbecue sauce, cheese, sliced tomato, lettuce – or however you like to build your own masterpiece. It’s a meatloaf makeover that will give you a whole new reason to throw burgers on the grill or in the skillet.

Lettuce, tomatoes and onions for garnish

Herbed butter:

1/4 cup barbecue sauce (or ketchup)

1 cube (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Sliced tomato and lettuce for burger

Directions:

1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced

There are lots of reasons why this burger is moist and memorable! Dive into the recipe to find out.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

For the steak, I created a flavor bomb with herbed butter. Then I tossed the veggies lightly in oil and seasonings. Throw them all together on one sheet pan and you’ve got a main meal in just minutes. Before you begin, here are a couple of my favorite sheet pan cooking tips:

1 large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped

1. If you really want to make sure that your steak has a nice sear on the outside, you can cook your steak in a hot skillet to sear before finishing it off in the oven to desired temperatures.

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 tablespoons green chile, fresh or canned

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup seasoned croutons or breadcrumbs

2. If using potatoes, cut them into wedges or smaller pieces, and cook in microwave for two minutes to soften. Then, add them to the other vegetables. Check out my how-to video here: jandatri.com/ recipes/one-minute-kitchen.

Sheet Pan Steak and Veggies

Ingredients:

Protein of your choice (steak, chicken, fish) 3-4 or more fresh veggies (1-2 cups each)

Olive oil to coat veggies

Salt, pepper and seasonings of your choice to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Coat a sheet pan lightly with olive oil. Season your steak with salt and pepper.

Combine your seasonal veggies in a bowl.

2 teaspoons fresh or dried herbs of your choice. (All herbs combined should equal 2 teaspoons) 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Soften butter just enough to combine herbs, garlic and salt.

Mix together, spoon into container. Or, spoon herbed butter on parchment paper, cover and roll into a log and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, then slice!

Heat butter in a skillet. Add the onion, carrot, celery, chile and garlic. Sauté, until vegetables are soft and onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, soak the breadcrumbs in milk until soft, 10 minutes or until soft.In a large bowl, pork, beef, egg, softened bread, cooled veggie mixture, salt and pepper. Gently mix until just combined. Form into six patties. Grill until done. Add cheese, bacon barbecue sauce, tomato and lettuce over burger if desired. Or build burger to your liking.

Place a pat of the herbed butter over top of steak after cooked.

Check out my how-to video: jandatri.com/recipes/one-minute-kitchen/

wife, in myth 25 Norse trickster god

Blackbirds 27 Rogen or Meyers 28 Hot tubs

Scot’s garment 30 Really enjoying

Hammerhead part

Accessory for 29-Down

Parentless child

“CSI” evidence

Kitten’s

EASTMARKCOMMUNITYFACILITIESDISTRICTNO.1 MESA,ARIZONA

PHASEVIIIROADWAYIMPROVEMENTS(DU3/4) PROJECTNOS:S867,S868,S869,S870

ADVERTISEMENTFORBIDS

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVENthatsealedbidswillbereceiveduntil Thursday,August10,2017,until1:00p.m. Allsealedbidswillbereceivedat MesaCityPlazaBuilding,EngineeringDepartmentat20EastMainStreet,5 th Floor,Mesa,Arizona.Pleasemarktheoutsideofthebidenvelopewith thenameofthisbiddocument.Anybidreceivedafterthetimespecifiedwillbereturnedwithoutanyconsideration,exceptforbidsdelivered30 minutespriortoopeningwhichwillbereceivedattheinformationdesk,1st floor,mainlobbyoftheMesaCityPlazaBuilding.Nobidshallbealtered, amendedorwithdrawnafterthespecifiedbidduedateandtime.

AmandatoryPre-BidConferencewillbeheldThursday,July27,2017at2:00p.m.intheupperlevelCouncilChambersat57E.FirstStreet, Mesa,Ar izona.

Apre-bidreviewofthesitehasbeenscheduledforThursday,July27,2017at3:30p.m.Thesitevisitisrecommendedbutnotmandatory.

PHASEVIIIROADWAYIMPROVEMENTS(DU3/4):

Thiscontractshallbeforfurnishingalllabor,materials,transportation,andservicesfortheconstructionand/orinstallationofallimprovementsshown onthePlans,including,butnotlimitedtothefollowing:

• S.Copernicus(S867)–TheProjectconsistsofapproximately834feetoftwolane,fullstreetsurfaceimprovementstyingintoexistingimprovementsinS.Copernicus.Improvementsincludeinstallationofsewer,potablewater,stormdrain,dryutilities,concretecurb&gutter,sidewalk,paving, striping,signage,streetlights,streetsleeves,landscaping,andirrigation.

• E.PointTwenty-TwoBlvdPhase1(S868) –TheProjectconsistsofapproximately2,426feetofhalfstreetimprovementsandlandscapedmedian withonelaneinea chdirectiontyingintoexistingfourlane,fullstreetimprovementsinE.PointTwenty-TwoBlvd.Improvementsincludeinstallationof sewer,potablewater,stormdrain,concretearchculvertandpedestrianunderpass,dryutilities,concretecurb&gutter,sidewalk,paving,striping,signage,streetlights,trafficsignalconduit,streetsleeves,entrymonuments,landscaping,andirrigation.

• S.InspirianParkway(S869) –TheProjectconsistsofapproximat ely1,835feetoftwolane,fullstreetsurfaceimprovementstyingintoexistingimprovementsinS.InspirianParkway.Improvementsincludeinstallationofpotablewater,stormdrain,dryutilities,concretecurb&gutter,sidewalk,paving,striping,signage,streetlights,trafficsignalconduit,streetsleeves,entrymonuments,landscaping,andirrigation.

• TrafficSignalatRayRoadandSignalButteRoad(S870) –TheProjectconsistsoftheinstallationof afour-waytrafficsignallocatedattheintersectionofRayRoadandSignalButteRoad.

Forinformationcontact:MelodieJackson,CityofMesa,(480)644-2526,melodie.jackson@mesaaz.gov.

Allprojectquestionsmustbesubmittedby5:00p.m.onFriday,August4,2017.SeeSection11oftheProjectSpecialProvisionsformore information.

ContractorsdesiringtosubmitproposalsmaypurchasesetsoftheBidDocumentsfromThomasReprographics,Inc., http://public.constructionvaults.com,clickon“RegisterToday”andfollowthepromptstocreateyouraccount,besuretoclickfinishattheend.Fora listoflocationsnearestyou,logontowww.thomasrepro.com,andclickonPhoenix.ThecostofeachBidSetwillbenomorethan$182.00,whichis non-refundableregardlessofwhetherornottheContractDocumentsarereturned.Partialbidpackagesarenotsold.Youcanviewdocumentsonline(atnocost),orderBidSets,andaccessthePlanHoldersListontheThomasReprographicswebsiteatthe“PublicConstructionVaults”address listedabove.Pleaseverifyprintleadtimepriortoarrivingforpick-up.

OnesetoftheContractDocumentsisalsoavailableforviewingattheCityofMesa’sEngineeringDepartmentat20EastMainStreet,Mesa,AZ. Pleasecall(480)644-2251priortoarrivingtoensurethatthedocumentsareavailableforviewing.

Workshallbecompletedwithin 248 (twohundredforty-eight)consecutivecalendardays,beginningwiththedayfollowingthestartingdatespecifiedin theNoticetoProceed.

BidsmustbesubmittedontheProposalFormprovidedandbeaccompaniedbytheBidBondfornotlessthantenpercent(10%)ofthetotalbid,payabletoDMBMESAPROVINGGROUNDSLLC,oracertifiedorcashier'scheck.PERSONALORINDIVIDUALSURETYBONDSARENOTACCEPTABLE.

ThesuccessfulbidderwillberequiredtoexecutetheDMBMesaProvingGroundsLLCContractandrespectiveAddendaforconstructionwithin ten (10)days afterformalNoticeofContactAward.Failurebybi ddertoproperlyexecutetheContractandprovidetherequiredcertificationasspecified shallbeconsideredabreachofContractbybidder.DMBMesaProvingGroundsLLCshallbefreetoterminatetheContractor,atoption,releasethe successfulbidder.

PaymentandPerformanceBondswillberequiredforthisWork.Thesuccessfulbidder,simultaneouslywiththeexecutionoftheContract,shallberequiredtofurnishaPaymentBondintheamountequaltoonehundredper cent(100%)oftheContractPrice,andaPerformanceBondinanamount equaltoonehundredpercent(100%)oftheContractPrice.SuccessfulBiddershallnameDMBMesaProvingGroundsLLCasobligeeonboththe PaymentandPerformanceBondsandnametheCityofMesaasanadditionalobligeeonthePerformanceBondusingaDualObligeeRiderform.An approvedDualObligeeRiderFormisincludedhereinasExhibitEintheContractDocuments.

Therightisherebyreservedtoacceptorrejectanyorallbidsorpartsthereto,towaiveanyinformalitiesinanyproposalandrejectthebidsofanypersonswhohavebeendelinquentorunfaithfultoanycontractwiththeDMBMesaProvingGroundsLLC;CityofMesaorEastmarkCommunityFacilities DistrictNo.1.

BETHHUNING

DistrictEngineer

ATTEST: DeeAnnMickelsen DistrictClerk

EASTMARKCOMMUNITYFACILITIESDISTRICTNO.1MESA,ARIZONA PHASEVIIROADWAYIMPROVEMENTSPROJECTNOS:S865andS866

ADVERTISEMENTFORBIDS

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVENthatsealedbidswillbereceiveduntil August17,2017,until3:00p.m.Allsealedbidswillbe receivedatMesaCityPlazaBuilding,EngineeringDepartmentat20EastMainStreet,5thFloor,Mesa,Arizona.Pleasemark theoutsideofthebidenvelopewiththenameofthisbiddocument.Anybidreceivedafterthetimespecifiedwillbereturnedwithoutanyconsideration,exceptforbidsdelivered30minutespriortoopeningwhichwillbereceivedattheinformationdesk,1stfloor,mainlobbyoftheMesaCityPlazaBuilding.Nobidshallbealtered,amendedorwithdrawnafterthe specifiedbidduedateandtime.

AMandatoryPre-BidConferencewillbeheldAugust2,2017at3:00p.m.intheupperlevelCouncilChambersat57 E.FirstStreet,Mesa,Arizona.

Apre-bidreviewofthesitehasbeenscheduledforAugust2ndat4:00p.m.PleaserefertoSpecialProvisionSectiontitled"Pre-BidReviewofSite"foradditionalinformation.Thissitereviewisnotmandatory.

PHASEVIIROADWAYIMPROVEMENTS:

Thiscontractshallbeforfurnishingalllabor,materials,transportation,andservicesfortheconstructionand/orinstallationof allimprovementsshownonthePlans,including,butnotlimitedtothefollowing:

• SignalButteRoadPhase2(S865)-TheProjectconsistsofapproximately1900feetofhalfstreetsurfaceimprovementsto includeconcretecurbandgutter,sidewalk,paving,striping,signage,streetlights,streetsleeves,landscapingandlandscape irrigation.Theimprovementsalsoconsistoftheinstallationofa24”waterlineforaportionoftheroadway.

• WilliamsFieldRoad(S866)-TheProjectconsistsofapproximately3700feetofhalfstreetsurfaceimprovementstoincludeconcretecurbandgutter,sidewalk,paving,striping,signage,streetlights,streetsleeves,landscapingandlandscape irrigation.Theimprovementsalsoconsistoftheinstallationofan18”stormdrainanda24”waterlineforaportionofthe roadway.

Forinformationcontact:MelodieJackson,CityofMesa,(480)644-6951,melodie.jackson@mesaaz.gov

ContractorsdesiringtosubmitproposalsmaypurchasesetsoftheBidDocumentsfromThomasPrintworks,Inc., http://public.constructionvaults.com,clickon"RegisterToday"andfollowthepromptstocreateyouraccount,besuretoclickfinishattheend.Foralistoflocationsnearestyou,logontowww.thomasprintworks.com,andclickonLocations.Thecostof eachBidSetwillbenomorethan$130,whichisnon-refundableregardlessofwhetherornottheContractDocumentsare returned.Partialbidpackagesarenotsold.Youcanviewdocumentson-line(atnocost),orderBidSets,andaccessthe Plan HoldersListontheThomasPrintworkswebsiteatthe"PublicConstructionVaults"addresslistedabove.Pleaseverifyprintleadtimepriortoarrivingforpick-up.

OnesetoftheContractDocumentsisalsoavailableforviewingattheCityofMesa'sEngineeringDepartmentat20East MainStreet,Mesa,AZ.Pleasecall(480)644-2251priortoarrivingtoensurethatthedocumentsareavailableforviewing.

Workshallbecompletedwithin87workingdays,beginningwiththe dayfollowingthestartingdatespecifiedintheNoticeto Proceed.

BidsmustbesubmittedontheProposalFormprovidedandbeaccompaniedbytheBidBondfornotlessthantenpercent (10%)ofthetotalbid,payabletoAVHEM,LLC,oracertifiedorcashier'scheck.PERSONALORINDIVIDUALSURETY BONDSARENOTACCEPTABLE.

ThesuccessfulbidderwillberequiredtoexecutetheAVHEM,LLCContractandrespectiveAddendaforconstructionwithin five(5)daysafterformalNoticeofContactAward.FailurebybiddertoproperlyexecutetheContractandprovidetherequiredcertificationasspecifiedshallbeconsideredabreachofContractbybidder.AVHEM,LLCshallbefreetoterminate theContractor,atoption,releasethesuccessfulbidder.

PaymentandPerformanceBondswillberequiredforthisWork.Thesuccessfulbidder,simultaneouslywiththeexecutionof theContract,shallberequiredtofurnishaPaymentBondintheamountequaltoone hundredpercent(100%)oftheContractPrice,andaPerformanceBondinanamountequaltoonehundredpercent(100%)oftheContractPrice.Successful BiddershallnameAVHEM,LLCasobligeeonboththePaymentandPerformanceBondsandnametheCityofMesaas anadditionalobligeeonthePerformanceBondusingaDualObligeeRiderform.AnapprovedDualObligeeRiderForm isincludedhereinasExhibitEintheContractDocuments.

Therightisherebyreservedtoacceptorrej ectanyorallbidsorpartsthereto,towaiveanyinformalitiesinanyproposaland rejectthebidsofanypersonswhohavebeendelinquentorunfaithfultoanycontractwithAVHEM,LLC;CityofMesaor EastmarkCommunityFacilitiesDistrictNo.1.

BETHHUNING

DistrictEngineer

ATTEST: DeeAnnMickelsen

DistrictClerk

CITYOFMESA MESA,ARIZONA

MESAFALCONFIELDAIRPORT(FFZ) AIRFIELDLIGHTINGANDSIGNAGEUPGRADES

FAAAIPNO.3-04-0023-027-2017

ADOTPROJECTNO.E8F__ DAVISBACONWAGESAPPLY

PROJECTNO.CP0114

ADVERTISEMENTFORBIDS

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVENthatsealedbidswillbereceiveduntilThursday, July27,2017at 1:00p.m. Allsealedbidswillbereceivedat MesaCityPlazaBuilding,EngineeringDepartment at20EastMainStreet,5thFloor,Mesa,Arizona;exceptforbidsdelivered30minutespriorto openingwhichwillbereceivedattheinformationdesk,1stfloor,MainLobbyoftheMesaCity PlazaBuilding.Anybidreceivedafterthetimespecifiedwillbereturnedwithoutanyconsideration. Th iscontractshallbeforfurnishingalllabor,materials,transportationandservicesfortheconstructionand/orinstallationofthefollowingwork:

ThisFederal-AidprojectispartoftheRunwaySafetyActionPlan(RSAP)atFalconFieldAirport andincludesdemolitionandremovals,newrunwayandtaxiwayedgelighting;newandrelocated airfieldelectriccircuits,lights,andsigns,newconstantcurrentregulatorsandcomprehensiveupgradestotheairfieldlightingvault,andappurtenantwork,allasindicatedonApprovedPlansand Specifications.

The Engineer’sEstimaterangeis$1,575,000to$1,925,000.

Foralltechnical,contract,bid-related,orotherquestions,pleasecontactMaggieSmithat maggie.smith@mesaaz.gov.

ContractorsdesiringtosubmitproposalsmaypurchasesetsoftheBidDocumentsfrom Thomas Reprographics,Inc.dbaThomasPrintworks,http://public.constructionvaults.com.Clickon“RegisterToday”andfollowthepromptstocreateyouraccount.Pleasebesuretoclickfinishatthe end. NOTE:Inordertoreceivenotificationsandupdatesregardingthisbid(suchasaddenda)duringthebiddingperiod,REGISTRATIONONTHEWEBSITEISREQUIRED.Fora listoflocatio nsnearestyou,gotowww.thomasprintworks.com,andclickonPhoenix.Thecostof eachBidSetwillbenomorethan $105.00,whichisnon-refundableregardlessofwhetherornot theContractorDocumentsarereturned. Partialbidpackagesarenotsold.Youcanviewdocumentson-line(atnocost),orderBidSets,andaccessthe PlanHoldersList ontheThomasReprographicswebsiteatthe“PublicConstructionVaults”addresslistedabove.Pleaseverifyprint leadtimeprio rtoarrivingforpick-up.

OnesetoftheContractDocumentsisalsoavailableforviewingattheCityofMesa’sEngineering Departmentat20EastMainStreet,Mesa,AZ.Pleasecall480-644-2251priortoarrivingtoensurethatthedocumentsareavailableforviewing.

InorderfortheCitytoconsideralternateproductsinthebiddingprocess,pleasefollowArizona RevisedStatutes§34.104c.

Ifapre-bidreviewofthesitehasbeenscheduled,detailscanbereferencedinProjectSpecific ProvisionSection#3,titled“Pre-BidReviewofSite.”

Workshallbecompletedwithin 240 consecutivecalendardays,beginningwiththedayfollowing thestartingdatespecifiedintheNoticetoProceed.

BidsmustbesubmittedontheProposalFormprovidedandbeaccompaniedbytheBidBondfor notlessthantenpercent(10%)ofthetotalbid,payabletotheCityofMesa,Arizona,oracertified orcashier'scheck.PERSONALORINDIVIDUALSURETYBONDSARENOTACCEPTABLE.

Thesuccessfulbidderwillberequiredtoexecutethestanda rdformofcontractforconstruction withinten(10)daysafterformalawardofcontract.Inaddition,thesuccessfulbiddermustberegisteredintheCityofMesaVendorSelf-Service(VSS)System(http://mesaaz.gov/business/purchasing/vendor-self-service).

Thesuccessfulbidder,simultaneouslywiththeexecutionoftheContract,willberequiredtofurnishaPaymentBondintheamountequaltoonehundredpercent(tequaltoonehundredpercent(100%)oftheContractPrice,andthemostrecentACORD®CertificateofLiabilityInsurance formwithadditionalinsuredendorsements.

Therightisherebyreservedtoacceptorrejectanyorallbidsorpartsthereto,towaiveanyinformalitiesinanyproposalandrejectthebidsofanypersonswhohavebeendelinquentorunfaithfulto anycontractwiththeCityofMesa.

BETH HUNING CityEngineer ATTEST: DeeAnnMickelsen

CityClerk

Publish:EastValleyTribune,July2,9,16,2017/6414

Obituaries

FARREN,BarbaraBristol

08/08/1925–5/30/17

Barbarapassedwayafteralongandhappy life.BorninNewHaven,CT,shelivedin CaliforniabeforemovingtoMesawithher husbandGeorge.Barbaraissurvivedbyher children:GeorgeFarren,III(Deborah),Jean O’Brion,LaurieFarren,BarbaraCorrea(Adolph),and13grandchildren.Shewasprecededindeathbyherhusbandof54years George,sonJefferyFarren,son-in-lawPatrickO’Brion,parentsRobenia&AbnerBristola ndhersiblingsGladysBritton, StanBristol,RobertBristol,NormaBristolandJeanHamilton. AmemorialservicewillbeheldatCallaghanMortuary,3833 EastAvenue,Livermore,CAat10:00a.m.onSaturday,July 15,2017.InurnmentwilloccurlaterthisyearinPhoenix,AZ.

Employment

• Anthropology

• Astronomy

• Chemistry

• Computer Information Systems*

• Computer Science • Developmental Writing

Engineering

JULY 18, 2017 - TUESDAY, 5-7PM Southern & Dobson Campus

Navajo Room - KSC-116N 1833 E Southern Ave, Mesa, AZ 85202

English

General Business

Geography

Geology

Geospatial Technologies

Life Science

Mathematics

Applicants must meet MCCCD established hiring qualifications in all areas:

For Academic Areas: Possess a master’s degree in the teaching field, or a master’s in any teaching field with 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching field. Degrees and credit hours must be from an accredited college or university.

Physics

Reading

Social Work

Sociology

Sustainability

Women’s Studies

Writing/Composition

For Occupational Areas*: The same qualifications as those listed for Academic Areas, or a bachelor’s degree plus 3 years work experience in field to be taught, or an associate’s degree or 64 semester hours and five years’ work experience in the field to be taught, or 5 years’ experience in the field to be taught. EDU 250 - Teaching and Learning in the Community College or equivalent must be completed within two years of date of hire.

If you have questions, please contact Francine Vasquez at (480) 461-7274, or Lourdes Corzo at (480) 461-7063

Assistant Director of Nursing Corizon Health A provider of health services for correctional healthcare, has an excellent opportunity available for an Assistant Director of Nursing at the Arizona State Prison- Eyman Complex in Florence, AZ Corizon Health offers excellent pay and comprehensive benefits! For more information, Contact: Tracy Mazuranic 314 919 9553 or Tracy.Mazuranic@ CorizonHealth com DSR/EOE

General Wanted: Experienced Housekeeper Full time Good hours, great job Must have local references No smoking 480-895-3117

Sr SQL Server DBA, Vantiv Integrated Payment Solutions, Chandler AZ Req BS in comp sci , MIS or related + 84 mo heavy DBA exp & production support in large, complex environments Also req proven expertise & applied exp in MS SQL Server versions & associated tools; & good verbal & written comm skills Apply at www vantiv com/careers

General

- All Makes

close date, applications continue to be accepted and reviewed every week until the search is closed Salary: $10 67 per hour -AA/EOE For qualifications/ application info, see Req Id# 33449BR at: www asu edu/asujobs/

Keyless Entry

Power Windows

Premium Audio

Premium Wheels

Multi-zone Climate Control

Owner, Auto Transmission Black Interior, Top Like New, Loaded With All The Options Including Six Disk CD Changer, Professionally Maintained Car, Gently Driven, Never Raced, NonSmoker, Exceptional Exterior And Interior Condition Always Garaged, Never Driven In Snow Or Rain, All Records, Fully Loaded With All The Goodies, New Tires,

specting new customers, business/customer visits, and strong community focus

✦Maintain ongoing credit and file administration

✦Collaborate and cross-sell between other internal teams and services

✦Analyze, review, and prepare annual review documents on customers

The qualities of the ideal candidate are as follows

Currently managing commercial and

Bachelor

The Valley Day School admits students of any race, c

privileges, programs and activities generally accorded and made available to students at the school It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, n

educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs or any other school-administered programs

48

Notice is hereby given to all qualified electors of the above District that an election to fill three ( 3 )

terms will be held on the 15 th day of November, 2017

elector must own real property located within the district’s taxable boundaries at least ninety (90) days prior to the election

Spectrum IWDD No 48

2928 S Spectrum Way Gilbert, AZ 85295-6276

In order for a person’s name to appear on the ballot, nomination petitions and nomination papers must be received no later than August 17, 2017 by: 5:00 PM at:

Spectrum IWDD No 48 2928 S Spectrum Way Gilbert, AZ 85295-6276

Voters may, at time of election, write in a candidate’s name of their choosing who has not submitted a timely nomination petition but who has submitted a nomination paper to the dis-

WANTED: 36 People

WANTED: 36 People

Are you, or someone you know, struggling with hearing loss?

Are you, or someone you know, struggling with

We need 36 people with difficulty hearing, especially in noisy situations, to evaluate the new style in digital technology from NuEar. We will perform thorough hearing consultations FREE of charge to ALL callers. We will then choose 36 qualified candidates for this program.

We need 36 people with difficulty hearing, especially in noisy situations, to evaluate the new style in digital technology from NuEar. We will perform thorough hearing consultations FREE of charge to ALL callers. We will then choose 36 qualified candidates for this program.

We need 36 people with difficulty hearing, especially in noisy situations, to evaluate the new style in digital technology from NuEar. We will perform thorough hearing consultations FREE of charge to ALL callers. We will then choose 36 qualified candidates for this program.

MEET

MEET

Dawn has 26 years of experience helping the hearing community, this being her 14th year in the Valley.

Dawn has 26 years of experience helping the hearing community, this being her 14th year in the Valley.

Dawn has 26 years of experience helping the hearing community, this being her 14th year in the Valley.

Dawn is a licensed hearing specialist in New Mexico and Arizona and Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences. She is also a member of Hearing HealthCare Practitioners of Arizona (HHPA) and a member of the International Hearing Society (IHS). She has been a member of the licensing board in Arizona and currently holds a position with an IHS board.

Dawn is a licensed hearing specialist in New Mexico and Arizona and Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences. She is also a member of Hearing HealthCare Practitioners of Arizona (HHPA) and a member of the International Hearing Society (IHS). She has been a member of the licensing board in Arizona and currently holds a position with an IHS board.

REWARD

REWARD

Dawn is a licensed hearing specialist in New Mexico and Arizona and Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences. She is also a member of Hearing HealthCare Practitioners of Arizona (HHPA) and a member of the International Hearing Society (IHS). She has been a member of the licensing board in Arizona and currently holds a position with an IHS board.

Her experience gives her tremendous insight into the problems and frustrations that accompany hearing loss and the exciting solutions that are now available. She has a passion for helping people with all types of hearing loss.

Her experience gives her tremendous insight into the problems and frustrations that accompany hearing loss and the exciting solutions that are now available. She has a passion for helping people with all types of hearing loss.

Dawn Sanchez, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist

Her experience gives her tremendous insight into the problems and frustrations that accompany hearing loss and the exciting solutions that are now available. She has a passion for helping people with all types of hearing loss.

g Help you better understand conversations and hear comfortably in any noisy environment

g Make speech more audible by keeping loud sounds comfortable and boosting soft sounds

g Stream TV, music and more to your hearing aids

to schedule your evaluation to determine if

comfortable and boosting soft sounds

Dawn Sanchez, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist