SanTan Sun News - March 29 2020 by Times Media Group

March 29, 2020 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Schools scramble to teach kids at home SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Unified educators have spent the last couple weeks scrambling to develop its curriculum online as students are expected to remain home until at least April 10. By the time the Chandler Unified School District’s two-week spring break ended on March 23, administrators were in the process of surveying families on what type of technology students have access to at home. The district had already emailed parents with a list of free educational websites to keep students occupied during the first week of school closures. Administrators were meeting around the clock, according to CUSD spokesman

Terry Locke, to figure out how to best serve students during this pandemic. Superintendent Camille Casteel assured the district's Governing Board last week her staff was working to have a system in place by this week. "I understand how some of our parents are very concerned that we haven't rolled everything out," Casteel told the board on Wednesday. "We are in the process of mobilizing over 5,000 employees to provide quality learning materials to 47,000 children and it's just taken us a few days to gear up to that level." Two of CUSD’s equally large neighbors – Mesa and Gilbert public schools – also were hoping to finally implement a distance-learning curriculum that approximated what students would have

been learning in the classroom had the governor not shut down schools. Meanwhile, Tempe Union High School District was already loaning laptops March 19 to needy students and preparing last week to role out distance-learning. Chandler and all other districts confront a myriad of issues. Among them are providing lessons that approximate their classroom curricula and training teachers to deliver them, helping kids from households that can’t afford a laptop or internet services, addressing the specialized services mandated for special needs students, feeding teens and children who depend on free and reduced-price lunches and grappling with the issues like the mandated days of instruction and whether noncertified

personnel, such as custodians and food service workers, can be paid what they would have earned for the 2019-20 school year even if it’s shortened. To a large degree, school districts are looking to the state Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education for guidance, answers and directives on some questions reflecting the current crisis. “Not everything is in our control,” Kyrene Governing Board member Kevin Walsh said at the March 18 board meeting. “We don’t know whether the governor and the State Legislature will pass emergency legislation changing requirements about instructional See

SCHOOLS on page 6

Virus quickly reshaping Chandler housing market BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The abrupt economic downtown created by the COVID-19 pandemic is doing something to the Chandler housing market that hasn’t occurred for months – driving up the inventory of homes for sale. But with unemployment rising in the wake of the coronavirus, that likely won’t not be great news from anyone’s standpoint as sellers may not be finding as strong an appetite to buy a home as there had been only a matter of weeks ago. Fears of close physical contact with strangers shared by sellers and buyers – combined with potential buyers’ concerns for their own financial health – are throwing water, at least for a while, on what had been one of the nation’s hottest housing markets, experts say. The abruptness of the reversal in the market’s fortunes has been as stunning as that of the overall economic downtown, one expert noted. “The speed of change is as high as we have ever seen,” remarked the Cromford Report, which closely studies the Valley’s housing market. Until businesses started closing as the result of social-distancing directives over the last two weeks, the housing market posed a steadily rosier picture for sellers and a spiraling grimmer outlook for buyers. Home values continued to increase while available homes – particularly those around $250,000 to $300,000 – were nonexistent in some ZIP codes, including Chandler’s. But now, the Cromford Report sees a different picture emerging. The early warning signs that the COVID-19 pandemic would impact the housing market came during the first

week of March, when Cromford predicted that high-dollar house sales would begin to ebb. It said in early March that while transactions for homes at prices of $1 million or more had increased in February by 56 percent over February 2019, the trend was likely to hit a wall. “With the recent negative developments in the markets for stocks and commodities, we would anticipate the demand for homes over $1,000,000 to be less impressive when we look at numbers for the next few months,” it said. Meanwhile, buyers of more modest means found greater frustration as the month began: data for February showed closings on homes up to $250,000 were down almost 19 percent from February 2019. Sales of homes between $250,000 and $500,000 increased last month by 26.5 percent over February 2019 while closings on homes between $500,000 and $1 million were up 26.5 percent, Cromford said. The bottom line, it added: “The supply situation is even more extreme than last month. Rapidly rising prices have done little to dampen demand.” Conversely, it said, “sellers are still gaining negotiation power in 14 out of 17” communities – including Chandler. But what a difference a pandemic makes. Cromford last week was far more pessimistic about the Phoenix metro housing market overall – even as it reported that the available housing stock suddenly began increasing. For those who are still in the market, it said, the inventory of homes for sale was loosening – with the overall number of available houses increasing by 11 percent Valley-wide and more twice that in See

MARKET on page 11

Holga Oliva and Salomon Diaz assembled emergency food bags at the Chandler Care Center last week. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

Chandler nonproﬁts facing soaring needs, less revenue BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The numbers at AZCEND’s food bank slowly started to rise as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened. The Chandler nonprofit typically gets 15 visitors on the third Saturday each month to pick up an emergency food box. But that number suddenly jumped to 66 on the morning of March 21, according to AZCEND CEO Trinity Donovan. Other days have seen a similar pattern, she said, as the organization’s food bank

sees more visitors than what it typically sees. A quarter of the people coming to AZCEND for food boxes have never visited before, Donovan added, suggesting demand could be growing in the community for basic necessities. Donovan is one of many nonprofit leaders in the Chandler and throughout the East Valley who have had to quickly respond to the complexities of the COVID-19 crisis. See

F E AT U R E STO R I E S City fears budget hit from virus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Community . . . . . Page 4 Chandler business woman invents board game . . . . . . . . . . .Business . . . . . . . Page 26 Chandler Girl Scouts earn their gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Neighbors . . . . . Page 36 Bored indoors? Try the Grand Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Arts . . . . . . . . . . . Page 40 Florida Italian Ice coming here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 46

VOLUNTEERS on page 4 More Community . . . . . 01-25 Business . . . . . . . 26-30 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Neighbors . . . . . .36-39 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Directory . . . . . . .42-43 Classiﬁeds . . . . . . . . . 44 Where to Eat. . . . . . . 46

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

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Before it was a city, Chandler suffered an epidemic BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The COVID-19 virus is not the first contagion to instill fear in Chandler’s residents. More than a century ago, the deadly Spanish Influenza killed 50 million people around the world and several of those fatalities included some of Chandler’s first residents. Chandler’s small population of a few hundred inhabitants had not yet incorporated as a city by the fall of 1918, yet the township was still not immune from the flu’s contagious reach. The Chandler Arizonan reported the region’s first flu cases in October with a front-page headline stating “Public Places Closed Tight by Influenza.” Schools, movie houses, and churches all closed their doors in response to growing fears of the flu. At least 12 people around Chandler had been infected by this point and the newspaper warned readers to keep their distance from other residents. “Every precaution should be taken to prevent the spread of the disease,” the newspaper wrote. “Children should not play in groups, nor should there be congregations of persons.” Two weeks later, the Chandler Arizonan reported the community’s first flu-related casualties after one woman and two men succumbed to the illness. Several other residents remained infected and panic had started to spread. Chandler’s few medical doctors struggled to keep up with the increasing number of patients and found little help

This scene from from an Army barracks in Europe during the Spanish flu pandemic typifies the extent of people who needed treatment. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

from elsewhere in Arizona. “Dr. F.C. Jordan has been trying to get help all over the Valley with no success,” the Arizonan reported. Jordan was credited with leading a group of volunteers who ventured out to remote areas hit hard by the flu and attempting to provide sanitary living quarters for residents. Jordan regularly put out requests for residents to send her any unwanted rags or garments she could use to treat the sick. One of Chandler’s schoolhouses was eventually converted into a makeshift hospital and housed dozens of residents stricken with the flu. Six more deaths were reported by the Arizonan on Nov. 1 – one a young woman

named Florence King Morris. She had been sick with the flu for nearly two weeks before succumbing to the illness. Morris had only gotten married a few months earlier and her husband, Harvey, reportedly never left Florence’s bedside. “Everything possible that could be done was done by the grief-stricken husband,” the Arizonan reported. Amidst the pandemic, the United States was embroiled in World War I and Chandler residents had to devote much of their attention to the country’s war efforts. As cotton farm workers tried to avoid infection, Chandler’s leaders were busy raising funds to help American soldiers in France. The death count in Chandler rose to 17 by early November and continued to

plague both young and old residents. A teenage boy died moments before his father was able to reach his bedside after rushing back to Chandler from Payson, according to an article in the Arizonan. Clista Halloway, a mother to eight, was another flu victim in Chandler. At the time of her death, Halloway’s husband and three of her children were battling the illness. By Nov. 22, the Arizonan reported the flu still being prevalent among the community’s Native American and Hispanic neighborhoods. At least 50 cases had been reported among workers at the Southwest Cotton Company, six of which ended in death. Two sisters died from the flu within hours of each other at Chandler’s emergency hospital. Beatrice Billings, 17, died at about noon and her 23-year-old sister was dead by dinnertime. Flu cases had started to dwindle by December and Chandler had begun the process of cleaning up the town. The Arizonan instructed residents to collect any lose garbage strewn about their residences. “Do not wait to be asked,” the newspaper wrote. “Those who refuse to clean up will be forced to do so.” Chandler schools converted back to their regular function by the end of 1918; though several students worried over losing credits during the weeks they were out of school. The Arizona Board of Health initially reported only 519 flu-related deaths during the pandemic of 1918. But recent research done by Arizona State University suggests the fatality rate was actually closer to about 6,000 deaths.

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Virus pandemic hits Chandler in many ways

budget in the coming weeks. Councilman Mark Stewart advised city staff to be extra conservative with their budget projections since the full scale of the pandemic’s economic impacts have likely not been seen yet. “I think the ripple effect from this is going to be significant,” Stewart said. “I think this budget is going to look tremendously different in two weeks. I think in this instance, we want to plan possibly for the worst.” The city already reserves 15 percent of its general budget as a contingency fund that could be used in case of a sudden economic downturn. The city is currently projecting to have $204 million available for one-time purchases during the fiscal year that begins July 1 but that figure is expected

to fall to $115 million by the 2023-24 fiscal year. The city’s general fund balance is estimated to gradually drop from $173 million in the current fiscal year down to $88 million over the next five years. City water and wastewater rates for residents are not expected to increase next fiscal year 2021, but could start to rise in the following years. Reed advised the council that Chandler has always been a fiscally conservative city – having weathered through the Great Recession without laying off any employees – and will continue to make strategic decisions during the coronavirus crisis. “We are lean and we’re proud of it,” the city manager said. From parks to schools, dining to shopping, the emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic left Chandler reeling. While Chandler officials early in the week of March 15 resisted following Tempe and Phoenix directives that limited food service at bars and restaurants to takeout and delivery, Gov. Doug Ducey took the matter out of their hands by ordering that measure for all establishments in Maricopa and five other counties. The impact of the coronavirus hit Chandler recreational sites early although residents were already steering away from public facilities. Andy Bass, the city’s community services director, told the Chandler City

Council his department noticed steep declines in attendance at nearly all city recreation buildings and libraries before they were closed. “This is quite the challenge,” Bass said. “We’re used to trying to bring everyone together and involve them.” During the March 17 meeting, the council was reluctant to shut down Chandler’s public facilities and discussed whether to force the cancellation of the March 28 BBQ and Beer Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors. But the promoter took that matter out of its hands when it announced an indefinite postponement. “This is a very volatile situation,” Reed said March 17, noting, “Things keep changing by the hour.” The Chandler Senior Center also closed and staff planned to offer to-go meals to elderly residents. Mary Lynn Kasunic, president/CEO of the Area Agency on the Aging Region 1, said seniors can call the agency’s 24-hour hotline at 602-264-HELP (4357) if they have questions related to the coronavirus and that she would be using 50 AmeriCorps volunteers to call on seniors living alone to make sure they were okay and “let them know someone cares about them. Mayor Kevin Hartke said the city was encouraging residents to continue patronizing local businesses by ordering togo items and not assembling in large groups.

Chandler’s nonprofits. The pandemic has not only generated a greater demand for social services, Tapia said, but it’s interfered with an organization’s ability to continue accumulating donations. “Many nonprofits have had to cancel annual fundraisers that make up a significant amount of their yearly budget for services,” Tapia said. “Many have understandably seen a reduction in volunteers and are concerned about paying for increased staff hours to continue providing basic services.” Most of the network’s nonprofits are seeking monetary contributions, donations of non-perishable goods, and more volunteers. The Chandler Care Center, a nonprofit operated under the Chandler Unified School District, is specifically seeking more soaps, shampoos and deodorants to hand out with its food boxes. Though the center has temporarily suspended most of its in-person services, the nonprofit’s food bank is still open and has already seen its clientele triple in size over the last couple weeks, according to Care Center Director Katie Kahle. “We’re also increasing the amount of food we provide clients as much as we’re able to without depleting our resources,” Kahle added. About Care, another Chandler nonprofit, is looking for more sanitary and cleaning supplies to give to 450 elderly residents it serves in Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek. The organization normally has volunteers driving senior citizens around Chandler to medical offices or recreation centers. But public health officials are advising older residents to stay home,

which has prompted About Care to refocus its resources to homebound care. Ann Marie McArthur, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, said her 150 volunteers are trying to keep clients home by bringing groceries and supplies to them. Most of About Care’s clients are lowincome residents, McArthur said, and don’t have a stockpile of toilet paper or canned goods saved up in their cabinets. Aside from basic necessities, About Care is also prioritizing the emotional needs of clients by making sure every one of them regularly gets a friendly phone call from a volunteer. Some clients don’t have any family living nearby, McArthur said, and lack any social connections. “They’re isolated anyways but now it’s gotten to a point where we really need to make a concentrated effort to reach out to these people,” McArthur said. About Care has never had to deal with a crisis quite like the COVID-19 pandemic since it opened in 2006. But McArthur said her team is adapting to the evolving crisis as quickly as possible. “We’re all learning as we go,” she said. “But our doors are open and we’re still helping our community.” Neighbors Who Care, a nonprofit servicing up to 600 senior citizens in south Chandler, has had to make some operational changes to help volunteers avoid one-on-one contact with clients. Bonnie Kosar, a social worker for the organization, said they’re instructing clients to conduct their grocery shopping online and volunteers will drop the food off at their door. Even the clients who don’t have internet access are being helped over the phone to get the supplies they need,

Kosar added. Neighbors Who Care has not noticed a greater demand for resources since the pandemic started, Kosar said, so the organization is trying to carry on as if everything’s normal. “We’re trying to do business-as-usual as much as we can,” the social worker said. Organizations providing shelter services for East Valley residents have had to quickly implement new protocols to protect residents and staff from COVID-19. My Sister’s Place, a domestic violence shelter near Chandler, is now screening new residents over the phone for signs of the virus. Someone displaying symptoms of COVID-19 could still potentially stay in a quarantined section of the shelter, even though My Sister’s Place is already operating at its full capacity. Jean Christofferson, a spokesperson for the shelter, said staff is limiting contact with current residents and the shelter’s communal spaces can only be occupied by one resident or family at a time. The outlook for nonprofits in Chandler has been mirrored across the Valley. Valley of the Sun United Way launched a “United for the Valley COVID-19 Fund” to support families and businesses impacted by the virus and begged for help, asking for donations at vsuw.org/ covid19fund or via texting UnitedFund to 51555. The virus “leaves many families and individuals struggling more than ever with how to secure food, childcare, and rent money – also causing local nonprofits to be faced with unforeseen demands and

BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The City of Chandler is projecting that the COVID-19 pandemic will cost at least $16-million in revenue. During a special budget meeting last week, city staff gave the council some estimates of how the public health crisis might immediately impact the city’s revenues and operations. Matt Dunbar, the city’s tax and revenue manager, said Chandler is preparing for a $6-million reduction in revenue during the current fiscal year and a $10-million hit in the next fiscal year. But the unstable nature of the pandemic could cause these figures to change over time, he said. “These are preliminary estimates of what the impact could be – there’s a lot of unknown around this,” Dunbar said. City Manager Marsha Reed said she’s put a hold on filling 83 job vacancies across the city and has temporarily suspended travel for any personnel. The city also will be carefully reviewing all requests for new purchases, Reed told the council, and evaluating whether some expenditures can be delayed. Before the virus shut down nearly all public places in Chandler, city staff was already projecting a slight downturn in revenue in coming years due to a slowdown in development. But the pandemic is now forcing the city to prepare for a greater loss in revenue as it hashes out next year’s

VOLUNTEERS

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She’s still got a large community to serve, yet her team of volunteers must find creative ways to deliver services without contracting or spreading the contagious virus. Her staff has been told to minimize in-person contact with clients, conduct appointments over the phone and discourage visitors from congregating in groups. There’s a lot of uncertainty about what the future will bring, Donovan said, but she’s bracing for more Chandler residents needing AZCEND’s help in the coming weeks. Before the pandemic hit, AZCEND was already struggling to provide enough rental assistance for residents facing eviction notices. If more people lose their jobs as a result of the crisis, there’s the prospect that AZCEND will have even more residents needing help to pay their rent. Gov. Dough Ducey issued a directive last week prohibiting evictions until July 23 for anyone who is impacted by the coronavirus. “We’re definitely in a period of unknown in terms of what will continue to happen, knowing each week may bring something new,” Donovan said. AZCEND is among a cohort of Chandler nonprofits that fall under the city’s For Our City coalition, which serves as a network to local service organizations. Niki Tapia, the city’s community resources supervisor, helps to manage the For Our City coalition and said there’s a “tremendous” need for resources from

Save Our Schools supporters were careful collecting signatures on initiative petitions on March 8. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

See

VIRUS on page 10

VOLUNTEERS on page 7

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

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COMMUNITY NEWS

SCHOOLS

from page 1

minutes, the length of the school year, state testing, school funding. We don’t have authority to continue to pay the personnel of our outside vendors who are essential to our schools, but were not Kyrene employees.” There were other more personal issues as well. For example, high school seniors faced the likelihood that proms will be cancelled – although CUSD has made no decision – and concerns that May graduation ceremonies will be scrapped. Although neither most school districts nor Arizona’s three state universities have made decisions about commencement ceremonies, some out-of-state universities and colleges already announced plans for “virtual commencements” online. Chandler Unified quickly rolled out a plan to distribute packed lunches for local children needing food while schools are closed. During the first three days of the operation, Chandler Unified delivered more than 7,000 meals and added more distribution sites across Chandler. The campuses handing out food include Chandler High, Hamilton High, Perry High, Andersen Junior High, and Willis Junior High. Private schools seemed to organize a distance learning program more quickly than public schools. Seton Catholic Preparatory, a private school in Chandler, had already been utilizing Canvas, a digital curriculum management system, by the time the

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

governor issued his first school-closing order on March 15. He extended closures to April 10 a week later. The Canvas platform, which is used by several colleges and districts across the country, allows instructors to post quizzes, discussion questions, and presentations to their students. Because Seton already had the software in place, the school was able to quickly transition to online instruction. Seton Principal Victor Serna said his Seton’s teachers are expected to respond to emails during school hours and be available to speak with students through webcam technology. Teachers will post assignments by 9 a.m. each day and students have until 4 p.m. the following day to complete the lesson. “Seton is also trying to reasonably gauge and measure the amount of work that students are required to do each day,” Serna said. “We recognize that there is no way that teachers can duplicate the ‘in-class’ experience, but we are doing our best.” Though the statewide closure is currently projected to last only until April 10, Seton’s already expecting to postpone big social events like prom and graduation. Aside from academics, Seton is also having to grapple with financial impacts caused by the pandemic. The school was planning to celebrate its 65th anniversary with a big fundraiser expected to produce valuable funds that would have helped students with tuition assistance. Jim Pogge, Seton’s director of advancement, said the school is now scrambling to find other sources of revenue to replace what would have been

earned during the fundraiser. “Families are hurting and we are looking for ways to generate revenue to soften the tuition gap,” Pogge said. “As a school, we are committed to never turn away a student due to financial hardship.” On Wednesday, the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board reviewed a resolution to continue paying its employees while schools are closed. One element of the resolution obligates some hourly workers to provide childcare for the children of firstresponders. Gov. Doug Ducey announced the state was establishing small childcare centers at some school campuses for parents who work in health care or public safety. Chandler Unified has agreed to provide two of these childcare centers at Chandler High and Hamilton High for families who meet the employment requirements. The district plans to have a registered nurse at each center who will regularly check students and staff for virus symptoms. Assistant Superintendent Sandy Cooper said the district's trying to assist classified workers who are fearful of contracting the virus by giving them alternative assignments. Paychecks won't be impacted by workers who get sick, Cooper added. "We do not want employees to show up to work while they're sick and we certainly don't want pay to be an issue," Cooper said. Though COVID-19 has forced the district to abruptly restructure its daily operations, some of Chandler Unified's big projects continue progressing. Two new school campuses Chandler Unified intends to build over the next

year are still on schedule, according to Associate Superintendent Frank Fletcher, despite some labor and materials potentially being delayed by a few weeks. The district was expected to review next month boundary changes that must be made to accommodate the new schools, but Casteel said the changes may be postponed to allow parents more time to offer input. "We're taking this one week at a time as things seem to be moving relatively quickly," she said. Board member Lara Bruner, a teacher, encouraged administrators to consider providing more digital resources for students. "Everything we can do to connect to our students during this time can really make a big difference to them," she said. Valley Christian High School in Chandler also was fully operational with distance learning, telling teachers to make deliver instructional material daily to students online and assuring seniors they will graduate “as long as you do what is expected by your teachers through remote education.” “Your transcripts will reflect all your current courses, with grades and credits earned, just as if you were on our campus,” Valley Christian advised seniors. “There will be no disruption in sending your final transcripts with proof of graduation.” It told younger students, “as you continue your academics remotely, you will be on track to graduate as long as you also do what is expected by your teachers through remote education.” See

SCHOOLS on page 7

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

SCHOOLS

from page 6

At Horizon Honors in Ahwatukee, which counts many Chandler children and teens among its 1,600 students, spokeswoman Melissa Hartley said

VOLUNTEERS

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challenges,” United Way said. The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits said a survey found that nearly 90 percent of the 364 members are predicting a loss of nearly $30 million in revenue from canceled events. More than half of the nonprofits expressed concern for budgetary implications related to strains on the national economy and indicated their services to communities and individuals had been disrupted. “It’s incredibly difficult to watch this happening and we’re certainly much too early in the process to even try to determine an overall dollar impact, but we do know that organizations reporting revenue impact expect to lose an average of 31 percent of their revenue with reported ranges up to $10 million,” said Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits CEO Kristen Merrifield. Merrifield said that additional steps have been taken to provide expanded support through the upcoming Arizona Gives Day 24-hour online fundraising campaign, a collaboration with Arizona

distance learning began March 23 for all students K-12. “The school leadership teams and teachers worked all last week (March 15) to get it up and running,” Hartley said. “As additional materials are needed – novels, for example –all items will be bagged/

pre-packaged by staff members wearing gloves, etc. and then we will offer drive-up service in our parking lot.” Horizon Honors Executive Director Betsy Fera said her teachers “worked tirelessly from both their homes and the campus” and promised “creative and

consistent ways they will be connecting and supporting our students. Some districts and experts worry about the mental and emotional toll on students. "This is incredibly stressful,” said Kyrene board member Michelle Fahy. "It’s scary.”

Grantmakers Forum and presented by First Bank, on April 7, including the creation of an Emergency Relief Fund giving donors the option to increase donations as an add-on at check out or through direct donation at azgives.org/aznonprofits. All funds will be distributed equally among participating nonprofits. “It’s clear that Arizona nonprofits are facing a triple threat from the COVID-19 outbreak: staggering revenue losses from canceled events, workforce shortages as volunteers and paid staff stay home, and dramatically increased demand for their services,” said Arizona Grantmakers Forum President and CEO Laurie Liles. Since 2013, Arizona Gives Day has generated $17 million in donations to Arizona nonprofits with $3.6 million donated in 2019. Early giving is open at azgives.org. Valley of the Sun United Way is working with local foundations, businesses and others to create the new United for the Valley COVID-19 Fund. “We partner with nonprofits and schools to identify the most pressing needs, then mobilize the caring power of our community to meet those needs,” said Valley of the Sun United Way

President and CEO Carla Vargas Jasa. “Today, our community needs resources that are available quickly and can be nimble to meet the fast-changing environment that many of Maricopa County’s health and human service and education organizations are facing right now.” United Way held two virtual forums with more than 100 representatives from its nonprofit partner agencies who shared needs, concerns and ideas. “This is a community-wide effort of epic proportions – and we are experiencing challenges that we have never seen before,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of A New Leaf, which provides a broad spectrum of services that help individuals and families experiencing homelessness and more. “This is the best way for us all to move forward, together, to fill immediate needs and eliminate the duplication of precious resources,” he added. United Way board Chairwoman Jenny Holsman Tetreault noted, “The resources our community members and nonprofits require most are changing on a daily basis, sometimes hourly, and the United for the Valley COVID-19 Fund provides a flexible

resource to help with needs as they arise. We have a 95- year history of bringing people and organizations together to address the community’s most pressing needs – our community looks to us now more than ever.” More than 650,000 households spanning Maricopa County struggled to meet their basic needs even before the coronavirus outbreak began and the continued disruptions to school, business, large gatherings and events are making things even more difficult, the spokeswoman added. To contribute to the Arizona Community Foundation: azfoundation. org/covid19. Despite all the chaos that COVID-19 has afflicted on businesses and nonprofits, Trinity Donovan of AZCEND can’t help but appreciate the goodness Chandler residents have shown in response to the pandemic. “Our community is really doing what it can as well,” Donovan said. “It’s been great to see that camaraderie and that teamwork.” More information on Chandler’s nonprofit organizations can be found at forourcitychandler.org.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Distance learning no easy trick for youngsters

Kiddie, also stressed that parents need to recognize that “every child is different” when it comes to learning a computer and that it takes time for them to master the basics. “Students learn through the repetition of basic tasks and how engaged they are in the subject,” he said. “Some kids are able to master basic computer skills in a few months while others need more instruction and attention.” Future Kiddie’s classes begin with 10 to 15 minutes “circle time” to discuss the day’s lesson followed by 25-30 mins of hands-on screen time/computer learning time. “Our curriculum is in alignment with early childhood education materials along with S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering and math) principles and the teaching of keyboarding skills,” he explained. “With proper training, almost anyone can learn to teach. In fact, some of our teachers are parents who enrolled their child into our program in the past who later became part of our team. “Our classes are story-based to engage children and each week we teach a different topic/subject matter.” Future Kiddie isn’t providing in-home instruction because of concerns about virus spread. “We are in the process of exploring virtual learning options with programmers and web developers,” Chan said, suggesting parents who think their children might need some help mastering a computer can check futurekiddie. com or contact him at 480-331-3068 or FutureKiddie@FutureKiddie.com.

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

When it comes to distance learning, schools may be facing the biggest challenge with their youngest students, according to the owner of a Chandler business that specializes in teaching young kids computer basics. And when Kevin Chan talks basics, you can’t get any more basic than some of the challenges he faces. “The hardest task for children to learn is how to place their fingers in the correct positions on the keyboard,” said Chan. “Some pick this up fairly quickly while others take more time.” Chan and his sister Linda Chan co-own a technology curriculum provider called Future Kiddie, which introduces kids 3 to 7 computer navigation, keyboarding and the principles of science, technology, engineering and math in a fun atmosphere at preschools throughout the Valley. Asked about the challenges that schools confront in developing distance learning for youngsters while physical classrooms are closed, Chan said, “My experience with first graders is that they need to learn online instructions and not just watch videos – which is what they like to do). Learning how to Googlesearch is critical. Kids can watch videos all day long on their own, but not every kid knows how to Google research online. “Don’t assume they do; they don’t,” he said. “That’s our experience. For example, people would assume kids know how to use MS paint or even MS Word, simple

Ken Jones, who worked with kids at St. Mary Goretti School in Scottsdale, said it's no easy trick teaching some little children the basics of how to operate a computer. (File photo)

tasks, but first graders or even second graders have no clue how to even start the programs. “It takes time to instruct them and get them used to it.” For that reason, parents can’t sit back and let teachers and the school district do all the work. “It is necessary to have parents involved at first,” Chan said. “The critical part is to teach kids how to use Google searches in a safe environment. For that, we recommend downloading and using a new browser called ‘Brave.’ It is a Google

Chrome alternative and a safe browser to surf for information.” Chan said the browser has built-in adblockers and is faster than Google Chrome. He also recommends that parents set up the search engine as “duckduckgo.com.” “This search engine is for privacy searching online and protects kids from getting into inappropriate sites like adult sites,” Chan said. Future Kiddie’s students range between 3 to 7 years old. Chan, who personally works with students in those schools that hire Future

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VIRUS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

from page 4

The reverberations of the COVID-19 outbreak were felt by most Chandler businesses as restaurants struggled to attract takeout and delivery orders. Chandler-based Waymo scaled back the ride-share service it offers with its autonomous cars. ImprovMania temporarily halted weekly comedy shows at its downtown theater and all performances at the Chandler Center for the Arts were postponed until April 30. The Chandler Municipal Court is restricting who can attend court hearings and allowing residents to resolve their cases by phone or its website. Even the Primary Election campaign was impacted by the virus as some city

candidates struggled to get ballot petition signatures at a time when health officials are asking people to avoid human interaction. Unlike legislative and statewide candidates – who can have supporters sign their petitions at the Arizona Secretary of State’s website at apps.azsos.gov/ equal – city and county hopefuls must get signatures on paper at a time when some organizations have told employees to not even accept a pen from someone. Chandler City Council candidates need 1,000 petitions that must be filed by April 6. That goal is now impossible to meet, council candidate Joseph Curbelo decided as he dropped out of the race. “You want to be in front of people as much as you can in big gatherings and groups and that momentum is gone,” Curbelo said. Curbelo works in real estate and said the

pandemic has severely impacted his business – forcing him to devote more attention to his career rather than a campaign. Christine Ellis, another council candidate, said she already has enough signatures, but she was hoping to collect at least 2,000 by the April deadline. “The more you put down – the better,” Ellis said. These next few weeks of campaigning will be a challenge, she added, as Ellis looks for new ways to continue engaging residents without meeting them face to face. Even legislative candidates who can rely on online petition signatures said the virus would hamper their ability to become better known among voters – and raise money for their campaign. In Legislative District 18, which covers west Chandler, incumbent Democratic

Rep. Jennifer Jermaine, a Chandler resident, said, “I have the necessary signatures to qualify for the ballot” and that she stopped door-to-door visits. A cancer survivor who is in a high-risk category for the virus, Jermaine said:\ “I canvassed heavily before the Tempe and Chandler elections last week. For now, I am taking a break from going door to door and heeding the advice of public health professionals to limit possible exposure to COVID-19.” Jermaine said she counts herself as lucky. “County, city, and school board level candidates do not have the option to get their signatures online,” Jermaine said. “I know many of them – from all political parties – have concerns about qualifying for the ballot now that large public events have been postponed.”

Arizona jobless claims soared in just one week BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

The number of Arizonans applying for jobless benefits jumped by a factor of seven this past week, providing the first clear indicators of the effect COVID-19 is having on the state economy. New figures from the state Department of Economic Security shows there were 29,333 initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending this past Friday. That compares with 3,844 the week before and 3,357 the week before that. And all this occurred before the Legislature adopted an expanded definition of who is eligible for benefits to include

not just those laid off but also to waive requirements for people to go out and look for work to get the weekly checks. That provides relief for those who expect to go back to their original jobs once their employer reopens. More significant, it protects those who are either infected or live in a home where someone has COVID-19. Glenn Hamer, president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said those are precisely the people who should not be out going from job site to job site. Gov. Doug Ducey has waived the existing one-week waiting period after being out of work before someone can collect benefits. All that portends even higher numbers

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of people out of work – and looking for benefits – in the weeks ahead. In a new report, the Economic Policy Institute estimated that the state will lose nearly 280,000 jobs in the private sector due to COVID-19. Not surprisingly, many of these will come in the leisure and hospitality industry with the shuttering of bars and a prohibition against in-restaurant dining in the counties with confirmed cases. Loses also are projected in retail trade. What makes that important is that one job out of every five in private industry is in those two sectors. And there’s a hit to the larger economy. The most recent figures from the state

Office of Economic Opportunity – from January, before the outbreak – show 2.54 million people employed in the state’s private sector. The losses projected by the Economic Policy Institute amount to about 11.1 percent of the total. If the organization is correct, the change will boost the state’s jobless rate from 4.6 percent to close to more than 12 percent by this summer. That’s higher than not only than what it hit during the Great Recession but even higher than records going back nearly a half century, with a peak of 11.5 percent in December 1982. See

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

MARKET

from page 1

Chandler in a week. “The increase in listings is heavily skewed towards the mid-price end of the market,” it said. “Between (March) 15 and (March) 22, we see an overall increase of 11 percent in active listings without a contract.” “Of course,” it added, “we were starting from an excruciatingly low inventory of active listings between $150,000 and $300,000, so it is not hard to see a high percentage increase from such an abnormally low base.” Zillow noted an abrupt increase in mortgage rates and noted Bank of America's downgrading of some major holmebuilders – "suggesting the bank believes COVID-19 will harm consumer sentiment and slow home building." If that happens, it could put the brakes on a a frenzy of home construction in the Valley. Zillow Economist Jeff Tucker said, "The big question at the moment is to what degree measures being taken by local, state and national legislators will help limit the number of foreclosures in the months

JOBLESS

from page 10

Less clear is the financial implication on all of that to employers. By law, jobless benefits are paid for from a trust fund financed by a tax that all companies pay on the first $7,000 of each worker’s salary. Rates can range from less than 1 percent

ahead." Among the factors driving this inventory increase is the virtual collapse of the tourism and hospitality industry – which has pretty much wrecked, at least for now, the vacation rentals, Cromford said. Homeowners who only last month were enjoying the additional money they were making through Airbnb are quickly deciding it might be a better idea to put that same house up for sale before things get any worse, Cromford indicated. Moreover, it noted, “A huge amount of wealth has been destroyed on the stock market in the last month as the indexes return to 2016 levels. This leaves cash in short supply and some owners may need to turn fixed assets in liquid assets at short notice.” Social distancing also is playing a role, the report said, explaining: “Few normal buyers are willing to make an offer without viewing a property, though some investors may be tempted. … Buying and selling, as well as construction are likely to drop sharply, especially if a close-down is ordered by government, as it has in several states. "In fact, I am surprised that showings remain as high as they do. Some people

are clearly not taking the pandemic seriously enough, which is a big mistake that will cause the virus to spread more quickly and incur a higher mortality rate.” Chandler’s increase in homes for sale was the third highest among 17 Valley cities, Cromford noted, with 18 percent – behind Avondale (46 percent) and Gilbert (20 percent). Cromford and Zillow stressed that homeowners, for now, don’t have to worry that the rapid changes are affecting home values – which have hit almost unprecedented levels over the past year. “During the outbreak, there is little reason to suppose that house values will be significantly affected, up or down,” Cromford theorized, stressing it was hard to predict what will happen because the virus itself is unpredictable. "We will not know where we stand until the virus is peaked and the economy is well on the road to recovery," it said. But, it added, “sales volumes will inevitably collapse for a while until the outbreak dies down. It will not even be possible to calculate meaningful home price numbers if there are too few closed sales to measure effectively. That volume of sales activity will

depend on the duration of lockdowns – especially if they increase in severity. “Real estate activity will be increasingly limited, causing volumes to drop,” Cromford observed. “How far and fast they drop in Arizona will depend on decisions made at the state and county government levels." “It is possible that sales will cease closing if title companies and/or county recorder offices are temporarily closed,” it added, warning: "The impact of COVID-19 on the housing market has been relatively mild so far, but it is likely to become more dramatic over the next few months. The virus hit just as inventory inched up after months of shrinking. At the beginning of March, Cromford noted, “New listings are still arriving more slowly than normal and year-to-date we have experienced a shortfall of 10 percent compared to 2019. Supply continues to fall quickly across most of the market.” The report had noted prices “have not risen nearly enough to have any effect so far” on demand. Now, it said, “the housing market has reacted to what is happening” as “a powerful upward trend transformed into a sharp downward trend.”

for employers who have the best job history – meaning the fewest number of workers let go – to 5.4 percent for those with the highest number of layoffs. The average this year, according to DES, is 1.6 percent, down from 2.4 percent following the recession. That trust fund is supposed to be selfleveling. Both the measure approved by

lawmakers and the governor’s executive order contain provisions saying that an individual company’s experience in having to let go workers due to COVID-19 will not affect their premiums. But as the fund drains down, it will have to be replenished. That’s precisely what happened after the 2008 Great Recession where the fund, which had been at over $1 billion, went into the red by $600 million.

And that forced the state to actually borrow money from the federal government. All that meant not only higher premiums but an actual $42-per-employee surcharge approved by the Legislature to pay off the note. What happens this time depends on several factors. See

JOBLESS on page 16

Are You Living With, or Worried About, Someone Suffering with Low Back Pain? By Back Pain Expert, Shaheen Siddiqui

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Ducey precludes cities from determining shut-downs BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Gov. Doug Ducey’s order on “essential services’’ appears less designed to empower him to force people to stay home than to preclude Arizona cities from getting out in front of him on actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. When the governor announced he did not intend to issue stay-at-home orders “at this time’’ and said his order was a move to “provide clarity’’ so that “people in these situations can plan ahead.’’ But the actual verbiage of the order paints a far different picture, forbidding any county or municipality from making “any order, rule or regulation’’ that prohibits anyone from performing any function that he, his health department or his Division of Emergency Management designated as an “essential function’’ during the pandemic public health emergency. It says that any order by a local government restricting people from leaving their home during the emergency “shall be consistent with advice from the Arizona Department of Health Services” and must be “coordinated with the state prior to issuance.’’ It was officials from Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff that instituted the first bans on people gathering at bars and a prohibition on in-restaurant dining. It was only later, after insisting he would not do it, that Ducey followed suit with a similar order. The governor’s list of what he considers

essential and off-limits to local restrictions ranges not just from traditional health and public services to payday lenders and pawnbrokers to golf courses and the sale of firearms and ammunition. The move drew an angry reaction from Rep. Isela Blanc, D-Tempe, who said: “I’m concerned that we have city mayors that are leading on this issue and being more responsible than the governor in

was focused on areas that provide “opportunities for outdoor recreation with social distancing.’’ But Romero said it’s not that simple. “Cities are concerned about cleaning bathrooms, all the details that we have to think about in terms of logistics to keep it clean for our community,’’ she said. Ditto the playground equipment for children. Romero also said she could live within

We are dealing with a worldwide pandemic that “could be fatal, but the state isn’t willing to take necessary precautions to keep the health system from being overwhelmed.

’’– Rep. Isela Blanc

dealing with this. “We are dealing with a worldwide pandemic that could be fatal, but the state isn’t willing to take necessary precautions to keep the health system from being overwhelmed.’’ In a letter Tuesday to the governor, the mayors Tucson, Flagstaff, Tolleson, Somerton and Winslow said his order is “too broad’’ in its definition of essential services that cities cannot shutter, specifically citing the inclusion of payday lenders and golf courses. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero told Capitol Media Services that Ducey’s order preempting local governments from closing parks. In his order, the governor said he

the governor’s directive if he removed certain items from his “essential list.’’ That includes personal hygiene. “Does this cover nail salons? Hair salons? Massage and spa services? Barber shops?’’ she asked. “That’s concerning because that has people less than one foot away from each other.’’ “I am trying to be cooperative and have good partnership with the governor’s office,’’ she said. “But, at the same time, I have to make the call along with my city manager, my city attorney, with scientific information we have in front of us,’’ she continued. “And I have to be able to make swift calls for the health and benefit of Tucson and Tucsonans.’’

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Gubernatorial press aide Patrick Ptak defended the governor’s preemption. “This order is about protecting public health and preserving critical financial lifelines for many communities across the state,’’ he said. “It also ensures one uniform policy throughout Arizona so businesses and citizens can responsibly plan.’’ The governor’s bid to restrain cities has the support of Glenn Hamer, president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The Arizona economy right now is already in a deep recession, probably in a depression, as is the case with the economy in the 49 other states,’’ he told Capitol Media Services. “We want to keep the maximum amount of commerce open that we possibly can consistent with CDC and Arizona Department of Health guidelines,’’ Hamer said, adding: “It was very important for the governor to get out ahead of this proactively because there is a lot of concern among businesses of all kinds in this state whether or not they’re going to be allowed to continue to operate in this environment where things are evolving by the nanosecond.’’ Hamer said that the governor’s list probably should be thought of less as what services are essential and more as a list of businesses that can be safely operated without the spread of the disease. That, he said, is where something like golf courses fit in, enabling people to get out and “get their 10,000 steps’’ a day with minimal risk of contagion.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

State House GOP partially caves on virus help 43” BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

closed at least through April 17. But Republicans rejected demands by Democrats for more. Rep. Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, sought to enact what would be Arizona’s first-ever law against price gouging. “It is very hard to fathom that people would engage in price gouging, attempting to profit from a crisis by increasing the prices of essential goods and services,’’ she said. “This profiting from other people’s misery is abhorrent.’’ It would have given the attorney general to go after anyone in the supply chain who raises prices by more than 25 percent over pre-emergency levels on “items that are necessary to health, safety and welfare.’’ House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, derided her effort to tack that on to the budget, saying it fits into the philosophy that “no crisis should be wasted.’’ Bowers said it’s not necessary, that the system is working the way it should. He praised businesses that have changed the production lines and revamped what their employees are doing to deal with the needs created by the pandemic. “I think that’s extremely commendable and it shows that they believe that they believe not just in capitalism but in free enterprises,’’ he said. Rep. Kelli Butler, D-Paradise Valley, had no better luck getting a vote on her proposal to suspend all foreclosures, evictions, car repossessions and utility shutoffs during an emergency like the one Gov. Doug Ducey declared.

43”

State lawmakers gave final approval to a $11.8 billion contingency budget Monday. The action came after House Republicans caved to demands by senators to provide up to $50 million for the governor to use, at his discretion, on programs designed to help those economically affected by COVID-19. That ranges from cash to prevent evictions or foreclosures and services for the homeless to cash for food bank operations and economic assistance to health care providers, nonprofit organizations and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. But House Republicans blocked a proposal to provide additional cash benefits to those who have been fired, laid off, furloughed or otherwise cannot go to work because of the virus. And then they used procedural maneuvers to preclude the Democrats from even being able to offer other proposals. The plan is not expected to be the last word for both spending and tax cuts for the coming fiscal year. Instead, it is designed to have something in place to ensure continued operation of state government beyond June 30 if for some reason the Legislature cannot convene again before then due to the pandemic. It also includes contingency plans to ensure continued public education in the face of schools that are going to remain

43”

“People are terrified,’’ she said. “They cannot go to work through no fault of their own,’’ Engel said, whether because they have been laid off or their health conditions preclude them. “We cannot throw those people out on the street, make them homeless during a health crisis.’’ Bowers, however, said there is no need for state action, citing direction by the Federal Housing Finance Administration directing that the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which buy up mortgages, forego evictions for at least 50 days. He also said most utilities have voluntarily agreed not to turn off power or water and that Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said no one will be evicted from cityowned homes. The City of Phoenix also is temporarily halting total water shutoff on delinquent accounts and instead is putting devices on meters that restrict water flow in a way that still allows people to wash their hands. Both the House and Senate earlier Thursday adopted spending plans designed to provide all state agencies this coming fiscal year with the amount of money they have now, with adjustments for inflation and population growth. The goal was to send lawmakers home for several weeks to both protect them from viral infections by being in group meetings and wait to see what the impact of the pandemic will be on the state budget. But when the Senate in a bipartisan vote approved $50 million in spending that

is not in the House plan, Bowers called those extra dollars not acceptable to his Republican members. With a stalemate, lawmakers went home. The sticking point was the Senate version’s provisions added by Democrats that addressed the immediate effects of the virus on Arizonans. Most notably, that included the Crisis Contingency and Safety Net Fund to be administered by the governor for economic assistance during an emergency. That includes housing assistance, such as payments to prevent eviction or foreclosure, funds for services for the homeless, cash for food bank operations, and economic assistance to health care providers, nonprofit organizations and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Another bill eliminated the two-year lifetime limit on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families as well as a requirement for adults getting these benefits to seek work. And the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state’s Medicaid program, can increase what it pays to those who provide services to the elderly and disabled to ensure that they can meet the demand during the emergency. All that was not acceptable to House Republicans, who even rejected a proposal by Rep. Arlando Teller, D-Chile, for $40 million simply aimed at preventing evictions. House Minority Leader Charlene See

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City of Chandler Insider

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Chandler has you covered during virus crisis BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

It is the responsibility of the City of Chandler to prioritize the health and safety of residents and employees as our community navigates the impact of COVID-19. The City is closely following the recommendations from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Arizona Department of Health Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization to guide our actions and preparations. The City has established a web page dedicated to sharing the most up-todate information about City services and facilities: chandleraz.gov/covid19. Chandler is also encouraging residents and businesses to use the many telephone and online services available as an alternative to visiting a city site or facility at this time. Here are online sites and contact numbers for residents and businesses.

Essential services:

• Be Counted in the 2020 Census. For the first time in history, you can complete the U.S. Census online. Visit 2020census.gov. If you need assistance in a language other than English, visit iCount2020.info for a complete list of phone numbers. Respond to the U.S. Census by phone at 844-330-2020. • Contact Chandler Citizen Form. Start a service request, provide a comment or ask a question via our online citizen contact form. Contact 480-782-2000. • Chandler PublicStuff (available in the App store). The PublicStuff app is a resident communication channel to the city for repairs and safety hazards. Contact: 480-782-2280. • Accela portal. Here you can request building permits, check status and submit payment. • Construction inspections. Chandler offers a free texting service to schedule construction inspections and receive results. Inspections also can be scheduled online at Development Permits. 480-782-3000.

• Submit electronic utility payments via Invoice Cloud and LINK Use the “Pay” link at the top of the chandleraz.gov home page to access information about electronic payments for utility bills. One-time pay services are available via invoiceccloud.com/chandleraz for airport fees and deposits, a irport leases and permits, business registration and licensing renewal, fire operations and training fees, fire prevention permit fees, insurance, donations and other miscellaneous payments, police alarms, police cadet fees, utility services. The Utility Services Division is at 480-782-2280. • Police reports. This online form can be used to report a crime not in progress. If you want to report a crime in progress, immediately call 911. If you prefer to file your report over the phone or need to contact police for any other reason, please use the non-emergency number, 480-782-4130. • Request a police record. To avoid visiting the station in person, citizens may request a police report from Chandler Police online or over the phone. Contact Chandler Police Department’s Records Unit (available 24 hours) at 480-782-4001. • Chandler Municipal Court. You can search for cases that have a disposition and look for upcoming court date information for pending cases on the calendar. You can also handle your case by phone or request an extension, continuance or payment plan online. Contact 480-782-4700. • Tax and licensing applications and forms. View the most requested applications, checklists and forms to meet both the City of Chandler and State Department of Revenue and Liquor Board requirements for tax and licensing purposes. Contact the Tax and License Division at 480-782-2299. • Housing resources and updates. Access the Online Applicant/Resident Portal, Customer Service Form, and Change Report Form. View and print other housing forms. The city Housing

Authority is administered by the Housing and Redevelopment Division, which oversees and manages Public Housing units, Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program, Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), and the Affordable Housing Program. Residents that need to communicate with their housing specialist can do so online via the Online Customer Service Form or contact the Housing Division at 480-782-3200. • Public records request. Submit a public records request or view links to frequently requested information. Contact the City Clerk at 480-782-2180.

Non-essential service resources

• Application to serve on boards, commissions and committees. If you are interested in serving on a board or commission, please check out the Citizen’s Guide to review the board duties and requirements for membership. Contact the City Clerk at 480-782-2180.

Chander Library eCard

Open or closed, the Chandler Public Library offers vast opportunities for online reading, learning and entertainment through chandlerlibrary.org with your Chandler Public Library eCard (which can be signed up for online). Free resources with the eCard: • e Books and audio books: Includes new releases and bestsellers from the Library’s Cloud Library collections and online resources for free digital titles. • Stream movies through Kanopy, which has one of the largest and most unique film collections on the planet, ranging from blockbuster movies, thought-provoking documentaries, indie and foreign films and must-see classics — with new films being added every week. Stream for free online using your Chandler Public Library card. • MP3 downloads. You can download and keep up to five MP3 songs per week and listen from a computer or portable device.

• Digital magazines. Browse hundreds of popular magazines through Flipster, General OneFile and view access to select newspapers in Gale OneFile News.. • Mobile App. The library also has a mobile app available for download on iPhone/ iOS and Android. Simply enter you library card number and PIN for access to digital content such as e-books, e-audio, digital magazines, music, movies and CloudLibrary, tools for learning a new language, college preparation, writing resumes and preparing for interviews, along with access to reliable resources and early literacy programs. Contact the Chandler Public Library at 480-782-2800.

City of Chandler GIS Information Maps

These maps provide helpful information to Chandler residents and can be accessed on any computer or mobile device. View information and locations of private development and capital improvement construction projects currently active in Chandler. View all active traffic closures and restrictions within the City. InfoMap is the City’s platform for sharing information about facilities, neighborhoods and community resources. Access locations and information on all City buildings, schools, parking and more throughout Chandler. • Planning interactive map: Access information on all active zoning cases, as well as the different zoning category areas within the City. • Pavement cut restrictions map: View all current and future pavement cut restrictions. • Registered neighborhoods: View all registered neighborhoods within the City and search by address. • Community crime map: This community resource application powered by LexisNexis shows an up-to-date map of crime within the City of Chandler and is searchable by address.

Grand Canyon open, but services and food are closed BY JOSHUA GERARD GARGIULO Cronkite News

Grand Canyon National Park is still open, but the same cannot be said for lodging and food services in the park that will be shuttered for the next two months by concerns over coronavirus. Grand Canyon Lodging on Thursday announced the “difficult decision” to suspend operations beginning at noon Friday and continuing through at least May 21. The company, citing recent decisions in some jurisdictions to close bars and restaurants to help stem the spread of COVID-19, said the decision was made out of concern for the health and safety of its employees and customers. “This decision was not easy, and we recognize the significant impact on your travel plans. But we know that this is the responsible path forward to help slow the spread of the disease,” said a company statement, adding that it was “deeply sorry” for the disruption. The announcement is just one of several affecting services at the park, which still

remains open. Delaware North announced this week that services at Yavapai Lodge and at Trailer Village would close while park officials have halted shuttle service and closed the South Rim store and visitor stations, among other

don’t think “theWedecisions are

being made by park professionals. We think they are being made by senior political officials.

”– Jeff Ruch

changes. The Grand Canyon Lodging announcement came one day after Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said that entry fees at all open national parks would be waived until further notice.

“This small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors in our incredible national parks,” Bernhardt said. His statement said the change would also improve “social distancing,” a key strategy to prevent the spread of the virus, by reducing interactions between park workers and visitors. But some advocates said that while waiving fees is a good step, it should not be done just to make parks more accessible if that will lead to greater interaction between people. “We remain concerned about the health and safety of park staff and visitors and strongly urge everyone to follow the guidance of public health experts before planning a trip to any park, in order to protect themselves and their communities,” said Theresa Pierno, the president of the National Parks Conservation Association, in a statement Wednesday. Jeff Ruch, Pacific director of PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, charged that the Trump administration “seems to want to convey a sense of normalcy, even when it is not justified” with

the decision to keep parks open. “We don’t think the decisions are being made by park professionals. We think they are being made by senior political officials,” Ruch said. As park services are trimmed back, businesses and residents in the area said they are starting to feel the pinch from COVID-19. While some restaurants are still going strong, understaffing and a lack of resources are the biggest hindrance to area businesses, said Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce General Manager Laura Chastain. She said work attendance has already dropped by 50 percent, as employees choose to take leave, and that some businesses in the area are encountering “supply issues.” The town’s local foodbank, which was restocked Wednesday, ran out of food almost immediately, she said. “Yesterday, it ran out of food within an hour,” she said. Even with emergency funding that will be coming from local and federal governments, the food bank might struggle to get supplies because “it is coming up from Phoenix and there are no volunteers down there to load the trucks.”

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Closures keep Chandler sitter/nanny service busy BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

While the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on many businesses across Arizona, one Chandler business is finding the demand for its services significantly increasing – especially as mandatory school closures have left parents scrambling to care for their kids. Trusting Connections Nanny Agency, which provides babysitters and places nannies in homes throughout Arizona, saw a big spike in demand almost as soon as schools were ordered closed earlier this month. “We are mostly seeing an unprecedented demand for back-up childcare services – families who still need to get to work or who are working from home and have kids home due to school closures,” said Trusting Connections coowner and co-founder Rosalind Prather. “Parents are really needing an ‘extra set of hands’ to help with child care and businesses are also calling us looking for solutions for helping their employees still get to work.” Prather said she has seen an “immeasurable” and “unprecedented” demand that is different from spikes in demand she has seen before. “There are a lot of essential employees, like doctors and nurses and first responders, that need to get to work and can’t because their kids are home from school and they can’t find child care. Or, they are finding it impossible to juggle work at home with caring for kids and need extra help.” A nationally recognized entrepreneur who started Trusting Connections Nanny Agency at age 23, Prather and partner Caroline Westnitzer have grown the firm into several markets in Arizona and Texas.

Trusting Connections co-founder Rosalind Prather said school closures have kept her hopping. (Special)

Trusting Connections’ babysitters and nannies are employees of the firm. “Our agency is rather unique in that our team consists of agency-employed and fully-screened nannies and sitters,” she explained. “We take care of everything – hiring, training, managing and paying the nannies and sitters so parents aren’t left with all the legal and financial responsibilities of employment. It’s one of the biggest differentiators between our agency and our competitors.” The only exceptions are nannies that join families on a long-term, full-time basis. They become employees of the families that use them. All the sitters and nannies undergo an

extensive screening process that includes a background investigation with a local licensed private detective, a drug test, reference checks and in-person interviews. In the shadow of the pandemic, that background check also follows guidelines issued by federal public health officials. Training also grounding employees in the fundamental hygiene precautions officials have espoused since the virus broke out abroad. Trusting Connections has placed placed hundreds of nannies in homes with family employers while its sitters and shortterm nannies serve thousands of families, churches and companies. But while the sitters are finding no shortage of work, long-term nannies have been impacted by the economic tsunami that has followed in the coronavirus’ wake, Prather said. “Right now, many career nannies are being laid off as parents are feeling job insecurity or because their needs have changed and they are home more now,” she reported. “But what we are mostly seeing is an unprecedented demand for back-up childcare services by families who still need to get to work or who are working from home and have kids home due to school closures.” Because parents have varying needs, Prather’s company makes sitters available 24/7, 365 days a year and usually has an average 500 deployed in homes of its service markets during any given week. Besides a demand for its services, Trusting Connections also has seen an increase in applications for sitter jobs. “Men and women, especially teachers who are now out of work for a temporary period of time are applying right now for work on our Flex Team, or sitter service,” Prather said. “It’s a great side job for them

because we work around their availability, and they can work one-to-one with families in their homes.” Families pay a flat rate of $24 an hour for sitter service regardless of the number of children in the household. Between the applications and requests for help, Prather and Wesnitzer have been far busier than they could anticipated. “We haven’t even had the chance to stop to breathe,” Prather said. “This has changed everything and while busy is usually a good, this kind of busy sometimes feels overwhelming. We feel a huge social responsibility to help get essential employees to work. “The nanny industry is needed now more than ever and it’s time for us to step up and provide services in a way that is as safe as possible.” She said she and Wesnitzer prepared as soon as they saw the virus cases increasing in this country. “We sat down and strategized as soon as things got crazy and laid out an expedited screening and hiring process that helps us get more people in the door faster without compromising quality or safety for our families,” she said. “Of course, our ability to meet the growing demand for care is dependent upon people applying for our positions.” “Our challenge will be to hire according to demand,” she added. “We don’t want to hire too much and leave our employees without the work hours they need and we also don’t want to hire too little and have to tell families we are booked when they request care. It’s a tightrope we are constantly walking. Information: trusting connections.com, 480-770-4712

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Virus hotline launched, teen number expanded NEWS STAFF

The worsening coronavirus pandemic has given rise to a new hotline for Arizonans and prompted expansion of another for anxious teenagers. Gov. Doug Ducey on Sunday launched a statewide COVID-19 Hotline through $2 million in funding provided by the Arizona Department of Economic Security. The hotline is administered by 2-1-1 Arizona and the Crisis Response Network and will offer an entry point to field questions and concerns from Arizona residents about COVID-19. “As we continue to combat COVID-19 in Arizona, we want to ensure the public has access to resources needed to stay safe and healthy,” Ducey said in a release. “With this

JOBLESS

from page 11

It starts with the trust. The most recent figures show a balance of more than $1.1 billion. But then there’s the question of how long the downturn lasts. Hamer said there’s a big difference between the recession of the last decade and what’s happening now. He said that one was the result of structural weakness in the economy, something that took years to overcome. By contrast, Hamer said, the state and nation was on sound structural footing until the outbreak. And he said the worst of the virus could be over by the summer and

hotline launch, Arizonans can get important COVID-19 related information in English and Spanish by simply dialing 2-1-1.” Meanwhile, in response to the impact of school closures, Teen Lifeline is expanding its crisis texting hours for teens through its free, confidential and anonymous hotline. Indirectly noting the rise in teen suicides before the virus even broke out, Teen Lifeline said in an announcement, “Students being away from friends and trusted adults will mean that they need the crisis hotline’s services now more than ever.” Teens can call or text if they are struggling and need someone to talk to and the hotline also is also available to parents and other adults need of mental health and suicide prevention resources for their children. People around the clock can call 602-2488336. They can text that number noon-9 p.m.

on weekdays and 3-9 p.m. on weekends. Teen peer counselors answer the phones from 3-9 p.m. daily. Teen Lifeline is a Phoenix-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is “to provide a safe, confidential and crucial crisis intervention service for teens throughout Arizona.” Established in 1986, Teen Lifeline is accredited through the American Association of Suicidology. Last year trained, volunteer peer counselors between the ages of 15-19 answered more than 25,600 calls and 2,400 text messages. Information: teenlifeline.org. The COVID-19 hotline for Arizonans – which has information on virus prevention, testing, what to do if you get sick – is available 8 a.m.-8 p.m. only.

employers could start rehiring then. One thing Hamer does not want to do, at least not now, is entertain calls by Democrats to raise benefits. By law, those who are fired through no fault of their own are entitled to collect half of their salary, generally for up to 26 weeks. But each state is entitled to decide its own maximum. For Arizona that is $240 a week, a figure that is higher than only Mississippi at $235. It has not been updated since 2004, when the minimum wage here was $5.75 an hour and not $12 as it is now. Lawmakers urging an increase argued that people cannot live on that. Hamer, for his part, is not necessarily disagreeing. But he said this isn’t the

time given that more money being paid out would lead to higher premiums for companies. “We have to look at it, as we look at that benefit, the effect it’s going to have on employers that are hemorrhaging cash, particularly for smaller businesses that are facing liquidity issues as we speak,’’ Hamer said. But he acknowledged that his organization has never argued for boosting the benefits. HELP FOR NEWLY UNEMPLOYED

Zippia, an online career development website, has posted a lengthy blog with tips for people who suddenly find themselves needing work. Go to zippia. com/job-search/remote-jobs.

STAY... • LOCALLY UPDATED • PROPERLY INFORMED • SAFE

At a time when the entire world is in an ever-changing state, and health concerns are paramount, you can continue to rely on the SanTan Sun News to keep you informed on how the COVID-19 virus is affecting your local community. We appreciate the trust placed in us as the news and voice of the community. Being good stewards of that trust means we are here for you, especially in difﬁcult times.

SanTanSun.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Local doctor vents her frustration, anger in virus' wake BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Of the many occupations on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19, health care workers are among the most endangered – and, according to Ahwatukee physician Dr. Joy G. Wolfe, among the most frustrated. For more than a week, the longtime family medicine practitioner has taken to Chandler social media to express frustration with public health officials, hospitals and even some peers and members of the public who take COVID-19 lightly and fail to maintain social distancing. In one of her most recent postings, she said Banner Health is disciplining nurses for wearing protective masks – an allegation that Banner spokeswoman Nancy Neff said “has been reported for false information.” “It is of the upmost importance to us that we provide a safe and secure environment for our health care workers,” Neff said. “They are the most valuable resource for our community during the COVID-19 outbreak, and we are dedicated to keeping them healthy. “We are closely monitoring our stock of equipment and supplies, which include personal protective equipment for health care workers to safely engage with patients,” Neff said. But Wolfe isn’t backing down on that charge – or her accusations of laxity and poor planning among public health officials at all levels of government. The pandemic is already affecting Wolfe’s practice.

Ahwatukee family medicine practictioner Dr. Joy Wolfe is frustrated by the initial public health response to the coronavirus pandemic and fears for the immediate future in its wake. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

She can’t see new or regular patients who complain of fever or respiratory problems – key symptoms of the virus – and is frustrated by the lack of facilities with adequate capabilities to treat them. “Even when a patient comes in for what doesn’t appear to be a sick visit, they have a designated area that’s taped off where they need to stand to keep a social distance,” she explained. “A medical assistant comes up, puts a mask on the patient, checks their temperature and their oxygen levels, and then they never leave them out in the waiting room anymore,” she continued.

“They bring them back into a room where they can fill out the paperwork or whatever else needs to be done.” “We can’t even see half the number of patients we saw before, so trying to pay rent and bills, whether in the office or out is getting to be a difficult thing these days.” Wolfe said she is frustrated as well by the difficulty in getting protective gear since someone who is infected can go without displaying symptoms for a week. “We have some cheap masks that we were able to get from CVS because we can’t get even good medical grade quality,” Wolfe complained. “None of that is

available to us.” Her posts have been alarming enough that some people have criticized her, telling her to stop “scaring them.” But far more are applauding Wolfe. “I’m getting all sorts of messages saying ‘thank you for speaking the truth,’” she said. Hospital workers in particular have been quietly thanking her, Wolfe said, although they fear for the loss of their jobs to openly vouch for her credibility. “I’m glad if somebody doesn’t have this problem,” she said. “That’s wonderful. Good for them. But I have enough other folks that are saying, ‘No, you’re exactly right. Here’s what we’ve experienced.’” Wolfe’s initial salvo last week targeted the lack of testing kits – or even places where people can get a test. In a press conference early last week, state Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ said people need a doctor’s order for a test and that “mass collection sites” for drive-through swabs would be set up at hospitals. Health Services spokesperson Chris Minnick said people who show up at those sites “would still be screened and have to be symptomatic for them to get the test.” Minnick said Christ has issued a standing order that “covers testing for everybody there once it’s determined that that person needs that test.” This does not mean someone with symptoms can show up at, say, Sonora Quest labs and ask for a test,” Minnick said. See

DOCTOR on page 19

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Mesa lawmaker wants pot studied for violence warnings. Powers Hannley was not impressed. “Public health should not be a political decision,’’ she said of those findings. The Tucson Democrat said she would be OK with legislation that proposes broader studies, ones not specifically focused on seeking to prove some links to specific side effects. For example, she said, it probably is appropriate to have properly conducted studies on the effects of marijuana use on teens who have “developing brains.’’ But Powers Hannley said that should be run through the Biomedical Research Commission to ensure any results are reliable. And she had another dispute with what she said were the assumptions and generalizations that Bowers was making about the effects of marijuana, even at higher levels. “There’s a lot to research,’’ Powers Hannley. “But the violent behavior really surprises me,’’ she continued. “People (who) have high THC are usually falling asleep in front of the TV set.’’ Bowers said that’s not the issue. “I’m speaking about violence and schizophrenia,’’ he said. He also derided the idea of this being medication, saying that no doctor would give a chemical or a pill to a patient and then tell them to use as much as they think they need, and at whatever potency they choose to purchase. “We’re willing to bypass all that because we like it so much,’’ Bowers said.

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State lawmakers voted last week to require warning labels on medical marijuana and use proceeds from a new tax to study any link between the drug and schizophrenia or violent behavior. The voice vote by the House came over concerns by some Democrats that the wording of the measure is one-sided, looking for links between the drug that voters legalized for medical purposes in 2010 and bad behavior. Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley, D-Tucson, said there’s nothing to determine the positive effects the drugs can have for certain people. Potentially more significant, Powers Hannley said there’s nothing in HCR 2045 to require these state-funded studies to be done in a scientific way, one where the results are subject to peer review. House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, acknowledged he was only interested in studying the relationship between use of this drug and violence and schizophrenia. And he said there already is evidence of some links. “Not everybody’s going to be paranoid schizophrenic,’’ Bowers said. “But a lot of people are.’’ The measure also would require the Department of Health Service to develop warning labels based on any advisories developed by the U.S. Surgeon General’s office about the use of marijuana. The advisory released last year is focused

margin. But voters will get the last word. That’s because the use of marijuana for medical purposes was approved at the ballot in 2010. And the Arizona Constitution precludes lawmakers from making major changes without voter ratification. Bowers, who is 67, spoke of growing up and hanging around with marijuana users who were “seen as the cool guys in school.’’ “We were told it was basically harmless,’’ he said. But he said there is now evidence that is not the case. And Bowers said he House Speaker Rusty Bowers of Mesa contends there’s a link between marijuana use and violence and is pushing a bill that sees medical marijuana as “a gateway to would require further study, though its prospects are uncertain. full-blown recreational marijuana.’’ (Special toSanTan Sun News What’s driving his call, Bowers said, is the book “Tell Your Children’’ by largely on youth and pregnant women, former New York Times reporter Alex particularly those smoking or consuming Berenson which cites various studies that the the drug in higher concentrations. author says links marijuana to psychosis. But Bowers did agree to drop a There have been criticisms of the book, demand that marijuana offered for sale including an open letter from a group of at state-regulated dispensaries have a scholars and clinicians, including from tetrahydrocannabinol concentration – the Harvard Medical School and Columbia psychoactive ingredient – of no more than University, saying that Berenson’s 2 percent. methodology is flawed and that he cherryThat followed testimony from several picks the data used. medical marijuana users who said such a low Bowers saying the book cites long-term concentration effectively made the drug useless. effects “where we see spiking in horrendous HCR 2045 still needs a final roll-call vote crimes, murders, child abuse, traffic in the House and needs to be reconciled accidents in our surrounding states that with SCR 1032, a similar measure by Sen. have now a history of open recreational use Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, given but also have the medical use.’’ final approval by the Senate on a 20-10 And then there’s the Surgeon General’s

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LEGISLATURE

from page 13

Fernandez, D-Yuma, said the GOP majority is getting things backwards, insisting on adopting a ``baseline’’ budget now and putting off until later questions about what finances the state should put into helping to blunt the impact of the outbreak on Arizonans. “This is a crisis,’’ Fernandez said. “This is what we should be dealing with first.’’ That wasn’t the only issue dividing members of the two parties. House Democrats also objected to the fact that a bill to continue state aid to education restores only half of the $128 million that is owed to schools in “district additional assistance.’’ Lawmakers eliminated the more than $300 million that schools had been getting for needs ranging from books and computers to buses. Some of the dollars were restored in prior years; Ducey in January promised to make schools whole this coming fiscal year. The GOP budget puts off the last payment until the 2021-2022 school year. Democrats argued that schools, shorted for years, need the money now. And they argued there is enough in current revenues to give them the cash, even if there is a downturn in the economy. There was more consensus on legislation to maintain state aid to public

DOCTOR

from page 17

Wolfe took to social media to express her frustration and anger with the state of virus testing – and with the contradictory directives physicians and patients are getting. “We are told to reach out to the Maricopa County Health Department regarding questions on where to send questionable patients,” she posted. “Physicians are being told, ‘Just send them to the local urgent care.’ Out of a sense of duty to our patients, we have called the local urgent care and have been told NO! They do not do any testing there. So once again, a few hours have been spent on the phone, back and forth with members of the Health Department getting insufficient, obscure, incorrect and vague answers.” She assailed “the merry-go-round of misinformation” that has patients “meandering around the city and their community, ill and potentially sharing the virus with untold number of other citizens in our state” and wrote, “No one at the Maricopa County Health Department was able to tell us where any ‘drive through’ or quick testing centers exist in the entire Valley.” Wolfe told AFN that she advises patients who have called complaining of respiratory distress to go to a hospital emergency room because “the urgent cares are telling us they don’t have the ability to test.” She said she sent the state lab a specimen from a patient who is a doctor. “Something made me very suspicious and I decided to follow up on it. And I did. And thank goodness I did because the state lab said, ‘Oh no, we didn’t run it. You didn’t give us anything that looked like it fit the criteria. So, they threw the sample out.’” “They said, ‘the only way we will do a coronavirus test on a sample you sent us

schools if they remain closed past March 30 as long as they continue providing education to students. The measure envisions online learning where available. But low-tech options are available, including using school buses to deliver lessons to students in rural areas. Teller said that’s not really a solution in rural areas, including on reservations. “The bus routes are only as good as the weather,’’ he said, noting it is still snowing in some areas of the state. Rep. John Allen, R-Scottsdale, conceded the solution is not perfect. But he said the problem, created by the viral pandemic and the order of Gov. Doug Ducey and Kathy Hoffman, the state schools chief, to shutter schools through at least March 28, provides no easy answers. “It is a Band-Aid,’’ he said. “It is something to tide us over this emergency that we’re in, this pandemic threat that we’re facing.’’ Less clear is when lawmakers will return to the Capitol after finishing the baseline budget. Gov. Doug Ducey had proposed a $12.3 billion spending plan and a $44 million tax cut for retired military based on revenue projections available in January. Since that time the COVID-19 outbreak has sent the stock market into a tailspin, cut into travel and tourism and, even before edicts to close bars and restaurants, reduced entertainment expenses.

is if you tell us the patient has been in a country that is endemically infected or has a known exposure to a patient that is COVID-19 positive,” Wolfe continued. “I said, ‘Well, this patient is a family practice doc who sees a lot of patients. I’m not going to lie. A couple of people said, ‘you should’ve just lied. And I said, no, I can’t do that. That’s not right.’” In her 28 years of practice, Wolfe said she has seen nothing like the coronavirus pandemic. She recalled that during the H1N1 epidemic in 2009, “we had four medicines that could shorten the course.” “This virus is a different animal,” she said, noting how it jumped from animal to human and mutated quickly, complicating researchers’ ability to study it fully and develop an effective vaccine. Wolfe said in a post last week that she will continue calling the public’s attention to “the mass confusion and misinformation (that) persists with our county, city and state health facilities” and her frustration that public health officials have “zero understanding that private offices do not have any adequate protection, [like] N95 masks, gowns, protective eyewear, etc.” She fears the nation is heading into the same abyss that Italy finds itself in, saying that without more tests, no one truly has a good idea of the epidemic’s breadth. “We’re getting a lot of calls and so we do our best not to try to panic anybody, but try to be reasonable,” she told AFN. “It would be lovely if we could get everybody tested and get numbers because, as I keep saying, knowledge is power.” “We’re the fifth largest city in the country for God’s sake,” Wolfe said. “And to think that we’re going to be immune – no pun intended – from this outbreak I think is ridiculous. But we have no idea because we have no testing going on.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

New police department coming to region SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A new police agency will soon be joining the East Valley law enforcement community. Queen Creek Town Council two weeks ago voted unanimously to form a town police department, saying goodbye to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which

had been providing patrol and other law enforcement functions. The vote follows months of study by town officials that included a survey in which the vast majority of residents who responded urged creation of the department. Few of the town’s approximate 40,000 residents actually responded to

the survey. But of the 309 who did, 87.3 percent favored having Queen Creek patrolled by its own officers, saying the time had come for the move because it has grown to more than 50,000 people. Council members unanimously praised the work of the sheriff’s office and deputies, but agreed with residents. They

said a town-run department would be closer to the community. Council directed the town manager to take the first step – advertise for a police chief. Other details – including a budget and a size of the force – are expected to be worked out in the coming months, although no timetable has yet been set.

2 confrontations with police leave 1 dead, 1 jailed

called for additional support. A Mesa Police Department helicopter was dispatched to assist. The suspect kept firing as he moved east along Commonwealth Avenue. When the helicopter arrived at the scene, the crew located the suspect. The suspect, identified as Zachary Victor Rhodes, 26, who lived in the apartment complex at 651 E. Commonwealth Ave., eventually surrendered and police confiscated an assault rifle and a handgun. “In all, investigators estimate Rhodes fired around 100 rounds from the AR15 rifle and handgun,” a department spokesman said. “No officers fired a round from their weapons. Miraculously, no injuries were reported. Rhodes was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on seven counts of attempted 1st degree murder and aggravated assault

BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Chandler police were drawn into two separate and unrelated confrontations with armed men this month that left one suspect dead and another suspect facing A Chandler man with a history of neglecting animals was killed by police officers on March 13 during a domestic violence incident. Rosario Angel Alvarado, 46, died on March 16 after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds few days prior during a standoff with Chandler Police. On March 24, Chandler officers engaged in a gunfight with a man who allegedly started firing as soon as they arrived near an apartment complex around Commonwealth Avenue and Hamilton Street to investigate a report of shots fire. Multiple rounds struck the first officer’s patrol car and the officer then

Rosario Alvarado

Zachary Rhodes

See

SHOOTINGS on page X

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SHOOTINGS

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for firing at seven officers. He was held on a $2 million cash bond. In the fatal incident a woman had called 911 from a residence on Sacramento Street on the night of March 13 and claimed Alvarado was trying to kill her with a knife, according to Chandler Police. When officers arrived at the home, Alvarado allegedly began yelling at them from inside the residence. The suspect then exited the home carrying a replica handgun. Chandler Police claims Alvarado refused to drop the handgun and pointed

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

it at the officers. Three officers fired their weapons, striking Alvarado several times. The suspect was transported to the hospital and succumbed to his injuries a couple days later. The woman who called 911 was treated for a minor injury. Court records indicate this was not Alvarado’s first encounter with Chandler Police. He was arrested in 2014 on 13 counts of animal cruelty after officers found several malnourished dogs on his property. Thirteen adult pit-bull dogs and four puppies were observed to be covered in dirt, urine and feces. Some of the animals were bleeding and visibly wounded. According to a police report, Alvarado

claimed he didn’t own the dogs and only threw food over the fence to feed them. He told investigators he didn’t even know how many dogs were on the property, since they were too vicious for Alvarado to get near. The Arizona Humane Society assessed the dogs and determined many were suffering from sarcoptic mange, a contagious skin disease that causes rashes and hair loss. Because of their medical condition, the 13 adult dogs had to be euthanized. The four puppies were treated and put up for adoption. Alvarado pleaded guilty to three counts of animal cruelty, a Class 6 felony,

and was sentenced by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to one year in prison. One condition of his sentencing obligated Alvarado to pay $3,000 to the Humane Society. He was released from the state Department of Corrections in September 2015. Alvarado previously served time in prison for an assault charge committed in 1998 and marijuana offenses committed in 1992. Alvarado’s death is the second fatal officer-involved shooting reported this year in Chandler. On Jan. 27, a 32-year-old man was shot and killed by a Chandler officer after attempting to flee in a stolen car.

Crisis turns restaurants into grocery stores BY KRISTINE CANNON Staff Writer

Sales might be down by 90 percent at U.S. Egg, but that’s not stopping the Valley-based, family-owned and operated breakfast and lunch restaurant from putting the community first. Last week, all six Valley locations, including the one in Chandler at 5840 W. Chandler Blvd., began selling essential items as an add-on to carry-out orders of $20 or more. Essential items ranged from cleaning supplies and toilet paper to eggs and milk and even protein bars and granola. U.S. Egg co-owner George Gebran said that they were sitting on a lot of

inventory from Shamrock Foods that would “go unsold before it expired.” So, they decided to make their stock available to the community at near cost. “We realized that we have access to a part of the distribution network that other members of our community do not and that we could try to continue providing items to folk who are having a hard time keeping the pantry stocked,” Gebran said. The most popular staple items were eggs and toilet paper. Meanwhile, the Queen Creek Olive Mill in Queen Creek also was doing something similar. “Bread, cage-free eggs, fresh and dried pasta are just a few items we currently have in stock and will continue to have at

both of our locations,” said owner Perry Rea. “We even have cleaning and personal care products available, including allpurpose cleaner, laundry and bar soap.” Rea also credited his “large network of local strategic suppliers that we have supported for over 15 years” and said, “You don’t have to worry about empty shelves when shopping for your family meals.” People can call 480-400-2302 for to-go orders. Gebran said the main reaction they’ve seen from U.S. Egg guests is gratitude. “We’ve had people emotionally moved by the ability to buy eggs, milk, orange juice, or bathroom tissue. It’s been amazing to see and has been both surprising and fulfilling to see these

reactions,” he said. One way the public can help support restaurants at this time, including U.S. Egg, is by continuing to order takeout. “An unfortunate a side effect of the situation we’re in is that there are thousands of servers, cooks, bussers and other restaurant staff out there who are currently out of work. We’d love to put out the call to the community to support your local restaurants as much as possible with take-out ordering so we can stay alive long enough to bring our people back when this crisis is over,” Gebran said. U.S. Egg’s new hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. U.S. Egg accepts carry-out orders and offers curbside pickup. Delivery orders are offered through DoorDash and Postmates. Information: useggrestaurant.com

ADOT has good, bad news for S. Chandler motorists SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The Arizona Department of Transportation has good news and bad for South Chandler motorists. On the bad side, drivers who use Interstate 10 Casa Grande and Chandler will soon be encountering overnight restrictions for the rest of the year as ADOT undertakes a project on I-10 between Casa Blanca Road and SR 387 near Casa Grande. Delays of as much as 20 minutes can be expected as I-10 is reduced to one lane in each direction in two-mile segments between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursdays. No work is currently scheduled on

weekends or holidays. On the brighter side, two sections of pavement along Santan Loop 202 Freeway “are much smoother to drive on,” ADOT assured motorists in a release. Crews removed the worn top layer of rubberized asphalt along most of the eastbound Loop 202 lanes between I-10 and the Price Freeway with specialized machines that had rotating diamondtipped blades to smooth the remaining concrete base pavement in a process known as diamond grinding. The pavement also was smoothed out along eastbound on- and off-ramps at the Kyrene Road and McClintock Drive interchanges. “The contractor used as many as three

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diamond grinding machines to save time as the work progressed on weekends and weeknights since late February,” ADOT said. Diamond grinding also was done along the westbound Loop 202’s right lanes and exit ramp approaching Kyrene Road. Those lanes and ramp also had especially worn rubberized asphalt that had been in place for more than 15 years, according to ADOT. More work is scheduled Saturday, April 4, along the eastbound Santan Freeway, which will be narrowed to two left lanes between I-10 and McClintock Drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 4 for crack sealing. Both I-10 ramps to eastbound Loop 202 will be closed while the eastbound

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Ducey stays some rental evictions until July BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizonans renters affected by COVID-19 will not be in danger of being put out on the street, at least through July 23. In a new executive order, Gov. Doug Ducey barred police officers and constables from executing eviction orders. But not everyone will be eligible. Under Ducey’s order, relief will be available to anyone who is required to be quarantined based on a diagnosis of COVID-19 or has been ordered to self-quarantine by a licensed medical professional based on their symptoms. Evictions also can be avoided if someone else living there is diagnosed with the virus or if they have some condition “that makes them more at risk for COVID-19 than the average person.’’ There also are financial triggers, with evictions precluded for anyone who suffers a “substantial loss of income’’ linked to the virus, ranging from job loss, a cutback in wages, closure of their place of employment or an obligation to be absent from work to care for a home-bound school-age child. The relief is not automatic. Tenants must notify the property owner or landlord in writing and provide supporting documentation. And they also must acknowledge that they remain bound by the terms of the lease. Ducey’s order is effective for 120 days, meaning tenants who are still in arrears on

July 23 – the 121st day – would be subject to eviction. Press aide Patrick Ptak said there is the opportunity to “reevaluate’’ it before that occurs. The move comes just hours after mayors of five Arizona cities wrote to the governor urging such action. But the move is getting a skeptical response from the Arizona Multihousing Association, made up of landlords of multi-family units. “Obviously we want help for residents,’’ Courney LeVinus, the organization’s president, told Capitol Media Services. “We recognize that our residents are struggling right now,’’ she continued. “We expect 20 to 30 percent unemployment here relatively soon.’’ But LeVinus said it’s not as simple as telling landlords they can’t collect rents. “This needs to be a comprehensive solution,’’ she said. And that means recognizing that it’s not just tenants that are affected by the pandemic. “We also need support for residential building owners or we’re simply shifting the burden from one group to another,’’ LeVinus said. In a prepared statement, the governor defended the move. “Nobody should be forced out of their home because of COVID-19,’’ he said. “This order is about protecting public health and providing relief to families impacted by this virus, whether through sickness or economic hardship,’’ the governor continued. “This is the right thing to do to support Arizona families

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during their time of need and prevent the spread of COVID-19.’’ In a press release, aides to the governor also said there is precedent for what Ducey is doing, at least on a national level. They cited the decision of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to suspend evictions for HUD-financed properties. And they said that the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who purchase mortgages from lenders, to suspend foreclosure and evictions for at least 60 days due to the coronavirus national emergency. Ptak provided no answer to the issue of day-to-day expenses of landlords. But he said landlords may be able to get some financial help, at least from what they owe on the properties. “Our office is working with banks on options to provide mortgage relief,’’ he said in a prepared statement. LeVinus said there already were moves to protect tenants even before Ducey’s order.

She said the association board last week put out an email “encouraging’’ landlords to work with residents on a case-by-case basis to deal with financial problems. LeVinus said that includes accepting partial payments, waiving late fees and set up payment plans. And LeVinus pointed out that, even before Ducey’s order, others already have taken action designed to preclude tenants from being tossed out. Justice courts in Maricopa County have delayed eviction hearings until at least early April. LeVinus said her organization has not studied whether the governor has the legal power to do what he did. Arizona Supreme Court spokesman Aaron Nash said that Ducey, as the state’s chief executive, has authority over executive branch employees. Nash said that includes constables. Actual eviction orders have to come from justices of the peace. And Nash said it is up to each of them to decide which eviction complaints they want to handle and how quickly they want to handle them. Renters aside, the governor’s office said the Arizona Department of Housing offers assistance to people struggling to make mortgage payments. They said the agency’s Save Our Home AZ program allows them to seek a reduction in the amount owed, mortgage subsidy assistance for those who are unemployed or underemployed, and assistance in eliminating second liens on homes.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Chandler PD enhances 911 location detection SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler’s emergency dispatchers are utilizing new technology to help them precisely pinpoint the locations of 911 callers. The Chandler Police Department said the Jurisdiction View, an application providing immediate geographical coordinates for calls made from cell phones, enables dispatchers as soon as they receive a call to see a signal on a citywide map showing exactly where it is coming from. Chandler Police had already been able to trace cellular calls, said Sgt. Jason McClimans, but the coordinates were not as accurate as what can be detected by Jurisdiction View. Since not as many emergency calls are made through landlines, McClimans said there was a need for better technology to find calls being made from anyplace at any time. The new application finds a caller more quickly and can trace the caller’s movements in real-time, McClimans said. If a caller is lost and doesn’t know their location, then Jurisdiction View could theoretically find them without the caller having to describe their surroundings. Or if a caller is on the run from a suspect, the dispatcher wouldn’t have to ask what direction they’re headed because the app is rapidly updating the victim’s movements. RapidSOS, a New York-based tech company, developed the application

Adrianna Cacciola, a Chandler Police 911 dispatch supervisor, has a valuable new tool to help people in distress. (City of Chandler)

by pulling hordes of data collected by Google, Uber, and Apple. The flow of information being shared everywhere between phones, cars and buildings allowed RapidSOS to build a clearinghouse of data able to be accessed by 911 dispatchers. The application further permits dispatchers to sift out 911 callers from a cluster of other calls coming in simultaneously. When a dozen citizens call to report the same car accident, the dispatcher can also isolate nearby calls for non-related emergencies. “With Jurisdiction View, 911 is able to

plan out their response more efficiently than ever before,” said Tom Guthrie, RapidSOS’s vice president of public safety. “They’ll be able to see exactly when and where emergencies are happening, and better assess the clustering and separation of these emergency service requests,” he added. The company is letting public safety agencies to utilize Jurisdiction View for free. Michelle Cahn, a spokesperson for Rapidsos, said the company’s able to offer the service at no cost because it makes money by providing a 911-call feature on apps used by Uber and Lyft. RapidSOS helps the ride-hailing

companies provide a discreet texting or calling function for riders needing to report an emergency. When it comes to how RapidSOS handles all the data it gathers, Cahn said the company quickly disposes of it after 911 calls have ended. “We do not access the data and our systems are designed to automatically delete all emergency-related personal information we collect within 12 hours of collection,” Cahn said. The company spent several years studying how first responders handle 911 calls to develop a platform it could ideally connect citizens with public safety more efficiently. Chandler Police was one of the first agencies to pilot and integrate Jurisdictional View into its operations and claims it has already helped officers better respond to calls. Michelle Potts, Chandler’s communications manager, said the app came to the rescue of a distressed man needing medical attention. He had contacted dispatchers through a non-serviced initialized call, which kept dispatchers from calling the man back to gather more information on his location. But Jurisdiction View was able to automatically display a phone number and address. “With this, we were able to send officers to the location displayed and the male was transported and saved,” Potts recalled. “Without Jurisdiction View, there would have been no way to access this information and the male may have never been found.”

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Chandler drug firm now bracing for the virus fight BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Viraj Gandhi thinks the completion of his drug manufacturing facility in Chandler comes at a perfect time as Arizona braces for a potential health care crisis. His company, Medivant Health Care, plans to start producing generic drugs next month in a new facility near Kyrene Road and Chandler Boulevard in West Chandler. Phase one of the facility will employ about 30 workers to produce up to 40,000 vials of medicine to be sold to local hospitals and medical providers. Though the facility’s been in the works for more than a year, Gandhi said the timing of its opening comes at a moment when hospitals could see a spike in demand for basic drugs. As more Americans continue to test positive for the COVID-19 virus, doctors are bracing for the prospect of overwhelmed emergency rooms and empty medicine cabinets. But long before the term “coronavirus” was ever spoken by public health officials, the nation’s health care network was already grappling with an ongoing drug shortage and Gandhi was looking for a way to fix it. “The problem in the U.S. has been there has been no real addition of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in

Viraj Gandhi thinks his new drug-manufacturing company in Chandler, Medivant Health Care, can fill a critical gap in the pharmaceutical supply chain. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

the last 20 years,” Gandhi said. A report released last year by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration determined the country had a limited supply of at least 160 drugs – 67 of which had generic versions on the market. Complex supply chains have made it harder for manufacturers to meet the industry’s demand, the FDA report concluded, because so many companies have moved their operations offshore to

countries like India or China. Not having an abundant supply of these drugs could have catastrophic impacts on the quality of health care by delaying treatments or resorting to less effective medication, the report said. Since the median price of these limited drugs is less than $9, Gandhi didn’t understand why more manufacturers weren’t producing cheaper drugs. He had grown up in the pharmaceutical

industry and knew all the costs associated with testing, producing, and distributing drugs. Yet, it baffled Gandhi such a rich country like the United States had a major gap in its drug supply. “Imagine if you cannot give basic antibiotics and basic drugs to patients – why go to a hospital then?” he said. Lidocaine, a numbing medication, is one drug with supply issues in the U.S. for several years due to manufacturing issues. The big pharmaceutical companies are not interested in producing drugs like lidocaine, Gandhi said, because they know it probably won’t yield a huge profit margin. But Gandhi said he’s not interested in earning billions in revenue, which is why he was willing to invest at least $10 million to build his own manufacturing site. And this type of project is no easy task. There are lots of regulations, a limited pool of trained labor, and an uncertain supply of water. Drug manufacturers need lots of clean water to make their products and Arizona doesn’t have the best reputation for having sterile supply. Thankfully, there’s technology and equipment filtering Medivant’s water resources, Gandhi said. More importantly, Medivant will be able to respond to the needs of doctors, Gandhi said, which will be valuable during See

MEDIVANT on page 28

Chandler consultant’s game means business BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Players who pass “GO” may not collect $200 in Stephanie Angelo’s game, but they could learn some valuable lessons about the business world. The Chandler business consultant recently finished the prototype of a new board game she calls “Company Culture,” which aims to help businesses make their offices a better work environment for employees. With a board drawn to resemble the classic “Trivial Pursuit,” Angelo’s game has six players moving pawns around a circular course by drawing cards. Each card determines a player’s fate – if a bad business decision is being made, then the player moves a couple spaces back. One card may indicate the business has employees who don’t call in sick, obligating the player to move back a couple slots. Another card allows a player to advance several spots because their company fosters a strong sense of community. Each card is meant to be a learning opportunity, Angelo said, since they offer a variety of scenarios that demonstrate both good and bad work culture. Companies need innovative exercises like this game, she added, in order to stay relevant and productive. “If you don’t keep going forward,”

Chandler business consultant Stephanie Angelo’s new game, “Company Culture,” is designed to help businesses create a friendlier and more productive work environment. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Angelo added, “you’re going to start going backwards.” Players can take on roles different from their regular business status. Each player rolls a dice and their number determines whether they will play as a salaried, exempt worker or an hourly, non-exempt worker.

Angelo purposefully wanted luck to determine the roles each player was assigned. Managers and executives should have the chance to know what it’s like to navigate the workplace as a lower-level employee, she said. “The game is meant to be played by all members of the organization,” Angelo added. Though most board games are

designed to be competitive, Angelo said her game’s objective is not really about selecting a winner. It’s more intended to help a business make some discoveries about itself and make a plan for improvement. A board game can be a safe, nonjudgmental space for players to share See

GAME on page 28

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Local gym owner offers free workouts online BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic is not stopping one Chandler gym owner from trying to keep the community active and healthy. Max Reynoso, owner of Chandler’s PTAnytime Fitness Studio, has begun using the internet to broadcast free workout sessions twice a day from inside his gym. Every day at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Reynoso records himself doing circuits of push-ups, squats and lunges and then streams the sessions live through social media. The personal trainer said the ongoing global pandemic shouldn’t stop people from neglecting their health and becoming immobile. “This is the best time to slow down, shut the world out, and work on themselves,” Reynoso said. Although Gov. Doug Ducey ordered a statewide closure of all gyms last week, Reynoso’s finding alternative ways to keep Chandler residents exercising while selfisolating in the comfort of their homes. People are going to feel anxious and depressed in the coming weeks, Reynoso added, and exercise is the best medicine to ward off those destructive feelings. “Right now, more people are isolating themselves and they need to do something to release dopamine -- the happiness hormone,” he said. “There’s nothing better than working out.” Reynoso is not the only gym owner to digitize workouts for their clientele. Fitness companies across the country began producing virtual workouts shortly

Chandler gym owner Max Reynoso, whose PTAnytime Fitness Studio was affected by the governor’s closure order of all gyms, is offering free fitness lessons on the internet. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

after public health officials warned Americans not to venture outside their homes. As more public places started closing its doors, YouTube quickly became bombarded with videos of trainers leading viewers through a variety of exercise routines. Each of Reynoso’s workouts attracts a couple hundred viewers and he’s hopeful more locals will find his sessions helpful during this period of self-quarantining. And it’s not just gyms using technology to stream content to customers, as entertainers and musicians have found creative ways to virtualize their work for

fans. Chandler’s ImprovMania plans to record weekly comedy shows and broadcast them through Facebook. Reynoso said it was important for him to release these live recordings at no charge to the public. During this chaotic pandemic, he said, it’s critical for everyone

to be generous with their time and resources. He hopes other gyms in the Valley will follow suit by offering complimentary resources to the public. “It’s not about competing right now,” Reynoso added. “It’s about getting people active and happy in their houses before they start losing their minds.” Before the crisis hit, Reynoso said his gym had been thriving with lots of devoted clients. But the pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty about the gym’s future. Reynoso still has some clients asking for one-on-one virtual training sessions. Yet, he admits it’s not the same as being able to have customers walk through the door. “We don’t know how long we’re gonna be able to survive,” he said. Though it may not be the best business decision, Reynoso said closing the gym is the best way to keep him and his clients safe. Reynoso’s doctors encouraged him to be extra vigilant in avoiding COVID-19 since he suffers from a condition that makes it harder for his body to fight infections. Complete isolation is the best remedy for fighting this pandemic, Reynoso added, because it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. Regardless of how long the shutdown lasts, Reynoso said he’s trying to maintain a positive attitude about the whole situation. “Sitting around doing nothing is not doing anything for anybody,” he added.

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

GAME

to Angelo’s workplace game, Outrage had players take on specific roles and draw cards that detail realistic scenarios. Games can be a great teaching tool, Angelo said, and allow for a chance to self-reflect in a low-stakes, jovial environment. After playing a round of “Company Culture,” Angelo will have players complete a debriefing session by answering questions that will ideally spark more discussion. “Things will come out playing the game

from page 26

problems they may see in their workplace, Angelo said. It will hopefully trigger a discussion of issues that might not regularly come up during the workday and players can have fun seeing their colleagues struggle through the game’s pitfalls. “You can laugh at your CEO getting thrown in jail because you didn’t do it,”

You’re always going to need something new and “fresh and innovative to do, and something that always generates new ideas.” – Stephanie Angelo Medivant's Chandler plant will be manufacturing at least four generic drugs to help treat cardiac disease. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

MEDIVANT

from page 26

a time when a pandemic is hanging over the health care community. In response to the coronavirus, Gandhi said Medivant will be manufacturing at least four generic drugs to help treat cardiac disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned - individuals with heart issues are especially vulnerable to contracting the COVID-19 virus. Because the coronavirus weakens the immune

system, those with chronic health conditions are not as strong to ward off the virus. If this pandemic does get any worse, Gandhi said at least local hospitals will have another source for some medications. But the entire industry will need more manufacturers in the future to fix the underlying problem, he said. The handful of generic drugs Medivant will produce won’t even “scratch the surface” at filling the nation’s gap, Gandhi added. “It’s not even a drop in the ocean,” he said. “We’re barely making a difference.”

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Angelo said. “The draw of the card did it.” Angelo worked in human resources for several years before starting her consulting business in Chandler. She’s helped clients from all over the Valley improve their work culture and hopes this new game will attract businesses looking to innovate itself. “You’re always going to need something new and fresh and innovative to do,” she said, “and something that always generates new ideas.” This isn’t the first game Angelo has designed to educate a specific audience. A few years ago, she created “Outrage,” a board game that explores all the complexities of domestic violence. Similar

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that maybe your employees are afraid to tell you,” Angelo said. “Company Culture” is not publicly available to buy and can only be played through purchasing one of Angelo’s seminar packages. She’s already had test groups play some rounds of “Company Culture” and hopes some clients will soon be making reservations for a chance to play the game. Of course, the ongoing COVID-19 virus pandemic has put a halt to most business operations at the moment. But bookings can still be made for when workers return to the office. More information about “Company Culture” can be found at stephanieangelo.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Navy veteran achieves her longtime goal BY CONNOR DZIAWURA Staff Writer

Local businesswoman Kris Piotrowski’s background may not be what one initially expects from someone running a mobile flooring showroom. Now a local franchisee for the Atlantabased Floor Coverings International, the Scottsdale woman brings with her a wealth of experience – both in the Navy and in the corporate world, including earning a Harvard MBA. Her new Floor Coverings International Mesa, which opened near the end of December, serves clients throughout the Valley. Long before she ever got her shot at a franchise, though, she said she wanted to be a stockbroker. But she was too short – literally. Piotrowski said her short stature stood in the way of her goal, as the busy stocktrading environment was heavily reliant on hand signaling. And though she earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul and hoped to run her own business – taking after her cobbler father – she felt she was too young for such a venture. So, she joined the Navy in 1994. “Even with a college degree, the market just wasn’t great with jobs I wanted to do,” Piotrowski said. “I decided to do something different and it was the Navy, and so I just took the plunge and went for it, kind of like the franchise. You just have to take a risk sometimes.” Though she only planned to enlist for a couple of years, she wound up giving the Navy more than two decades. She was deployed seven times, served in Iraq in 2006, and was stationed on four different ships: a cruiser, a destroyer and two carriers. She was awarded a Bronze Star for her time in Iraq. Her positions over the years included

Kris Piotrowski is a Navy veteran of more than 20 years, Harvard MBA holder and now franchisee of Floor Coverings International Mesa. (Courtesy Sanderson & Associates)

House liaison between U.S. Navy and members of Congress, joint contracting officer, Navy acquisition and contracting officer, assistant supply/logistics director, director of supply chain logistics aboard the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower, and director of logistics and operations – aviation at U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia. “I ran basically the supply department on different ships,” she recalled. “It’s everything from paper to aviation engines to food – anything logistics or supply related. “At my height, I had a team of almost 600 sailors and it was when I was the supply officer on the (U.S.S.) Dwight D. Eisenhower,” she continued. “And so, it was a huge tour.” While in the Navy, however, her entrepreneurial goals remained intact. She pursued a Harvard MBA while enlisted. “One of the things they test you on is your Myers–Briggs (Type Indicator) and all your different tests and they tell you what you’re good at, and they said I was an entrepreneur,” she said.

“And then, of course, my dad had his own business growing up, and so it always kind of stuck into me in the back of my head, ‘You really should do your own business.’” After leaving the Navy in 2015, she still desired to run her own business but wound up spending several years in corporate America, still feeling she wasn’t ready to be on her own. While working in the business world, she said she gained experience as a director of service provider management at facilities management company Vixxo, after which she worked at Taser, which became Axon. “I ran their logistics and their global facilities; so it was everything from negotiating leases to tenant improvements,” she explained of her work with Axon. “It was quite the gamut.” But something kept nagging at her. She still wanted to run her own business. Finally, she was ready. She landed upon Floor Coverings International. “I said, ‘You know what, I’m sitting in the best place financially, emotionally, I’m

situated with home – everything.’ So it was the best time in my life if I was going to do this, to do it now,” she said. “And then this brings up the, ‘Well, why a franchise?’ And really, it’s because I don’t want to do the digital marketing. I don’t want to do the negotiating products. I want to be on a team while running my own business versus having to do everything. I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, and I wanted my own schedule, and so it’s kind of what led me to where I am.” Plus, some of her corporate background lends well to her new profession. “It’s home improvement and I also have facilities in my background,” she said. “And, it was the culture of the franchise. “Culture is key, obviously, and so the more I learned about them and the other franchise owners and how they were able to scale and how they were backed by the franchisor, it made it stack above anything else I was looking at.” Now 48 and working hard at her longtime goal, it all comes full circle. She feels her time spent in the Navy pairs well with her business acumen. After all, she said, the Navy builds character – including structure, organization, time management, values, integrity, courage and commitment. “Just dealing with flooring installers, I’m very upfront and honest with them. I’ve had several of them say I have more integrity than what they’re used to seeing, and so they want to be on my team,” she recounts. “Those are kind of good things. The business aspect of the Navy is a little bit different because it’s government, but the important pieces you need to carry with you through life are found there.” Floor Coverings International Mesa 1107 S. Gilbert Road, Suite 204 602-388-1851 mesa.floorcoveringsinternational.com

Medicare helps elderly through coronavirus crisis BY SEEMA VERMA Guest Writer

Since older Americans are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19), I wanted to let you know the steps we’re taking to help our Medicare beneficiaries cope with the pandemic. We’re warning Medicare beneficiaries that scammers may try to use this emergency to steal their Medicare number, banking information, or other personal data. Unfortunately, scammers come out of the woodwork during times of uncertainty and change. So, make sure you give your Medicare number only to your doctor, pharmacist, hospital, health insurer or other trusted healthcare provider. If someone calls you on the phone, says they’re from Medicare and asks for your Medicare number or other personal information – just hang up. Remember: Medicare never calls its beneficiaries to ask for or to “verify”

Medicare numbers. My agency finished removing Social Security numbers from all Medicare cards last year in order to reduce fraud and protect Medicare beneficiaries from identity theft. Even with this change, you should guard your Medicare card. Treat it like a credit card. Be sure to check your Medicare claim summaries for errors and questionable bills. If you suspect Medicare fraud, please report it by calling Medicare’s toll-free customer service center at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or by visiting medicare.gov/fraud. Here is Medicare covers with regard to coronavirus. If your doctor orders a COVID-19 test for you, Medicare covers all of the costs. You should not have any cost-sharing. Medicare also covers all medically necessary hospitalizations. This includes extra days in the hospital for in-patients who were on the verge of being discharged, but were diagnosed with COVID-19 and had to stay longer under quarantine. There’s no vaccine for COVID-19 at this time. However, if one becomes available, Medicare will cover it.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have the same benefits as people with Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are now required to have the same cost-sharing for COVID-19 lab tests as Original Medicare: zero. Medicare also recently expanded its coverage of telehealth services to enable beneficiaries across the country to receive a wider range of healthcare services from doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. These changes allow beneficiaries to communicate with their doctors without having to physically go to a healthcare facility, thus cutting their risk of acquiring or spreading the virus. And frontline clinicians will be better able to stay safe themselves while treating people with Medicare. Doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers can deliver telehealth services via phone and video chat. Medicare beneficiaries can receive telehealth services in their home as well as in any healthcare facility, including a physician’s office, hospital, nursing home, or rural health clinic. Telehealth services include routine

office visits, mental health counseling, and preventive health screenings for cancer and other illnesses. By helping healthcare institutions across the nation offer services remotely, telehealth can free up hospital emergency departments and doctors’ offices to deal with the most urgent COVID-19 cases. For example, you can talk with a doctor about your diabetes management or prescription refill without having to go to his or her office. During this emergency, Medicare will pay for telehealth services at the same rates as in-person services, giving doctors and other clinicians an incentive to use this alternative and reserve their offices to treat those who truly require in-person care. We know many Medicare beneficiaries are concerned about the spread of coronavirus and the threat it poses to their well-being. That’s why we’ve taken these rapid steps to ensure that the Medicare program continues to protect our beneficiaries while maintaining trusted access to care in these uncertain times. - Seema Verna is a Medicare administrator.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Ahwatukee businesswoman wins international award BY APRIL ECONOMIDES Contributor

Ahwatukee businesswoman Michelle Cirocco is one of 43 women named by Conscious Company Media as a 2020 WorldChanging Woman in Conscious Business. The annual award recognizes female business leaders creating positive social change. Cirocco is the chief social responsibility officer of Televerde, a Phoenix sales and marketing company that employs incarcerated women to sell multimilliondollar hardware and software systems for clients like Microsoft, Honeywell, Adobe, SAP and Dell. Five of its eight call centers are staffed by women in Arizona and Indiana prisons and the company is opening centers in Florida and the United Kingdom later this year. Once released from prison, most of the women land permanent jobs at Televerde or other companies, and nearly half of the employees at Televerde’s headquarters come from the Perryville facility in Goodyear. Cirocco herself is one of these women. She worked at the Perryville call center 22 years ago while serving a six-year prison term and was offered an account executive position upon her release in 2002. “At first, it was just a job – a way to make money and take care of my kids,” Cirocco said. “But along the way, I recognized I wanted to help the company grow so more women could have the same opportunity as me. “So, I continued my career path and was promoted to director of sales, vice president of customer success, chief marketing officer, then chief social responsibility officer.” Cirocco also earned an MBA from

Arizona State University, organized a TEDx talk and serves on several advisory boards. Cirocco said that while many companies employ the formerly incarcerated, Televerde is the top employer in the country – more than 3,000 women have worked for the company since its founding 25 years ago – and the only one offering highly marketable skills. “The women who come out and work for us are in every level of our organization, including 30 percent of the leadership team,” she said. “A six-figure salary is not uncommon.” Margaret Maloney is another “graduate” of Televerde’s Perryville call center, where she worked for more than four years. “It was during my second prison sentence that I realized nothing was going to change if I didn’t change,” she said. “Prior to working at Televerde, I had jobs but never really a career. “I definitely left with a better understanding of what I was capable of accomplishing and where I could go with those skills. When I was released, I had this great skill set. I had spent years doing complex lead generation for some of the largest technology companies in the world, supporting some of their highest paid sales executives.” Maloney lives in Tucson and works remotely as the director of demand generation for Chicago Green Insulation. Televerde was started by a volunteer prison minister who saw an opportunity to help prepare inmates for the workforce. Through its nonprofit Arouet Foundation, the company offers inmates courses in family reunification, selfconfidence, job preparation and budgeting, and, after release, job placement services, scholarships and ongoing training.

The average Televerde hire leaves prison with $15,000 in savings, which many use to pay off child support to retain custody of their children. “This has a generational impact,” Cirocco said. “Women are able to reunite with their children, become financially independent and stay out of prison so their children don’t end up in places like foster care or prison themselves.” A January 2020 study by ASU’s Seidman Research Institute found that children of Arizona Televerde program participants are 11 times less likely to be incarcerated and 11 times more likely to graduate high school than dependent children of other incarcerated mothers. “My children were three and six-years-old when I got arrested,” Cirocco said. “But – my oldest son did 14 years in the Navy, started his own business and is married to a woman who is also career Navy. “My younger son went to Northern Arizona University, is a sales rep for a software company and is married to a Phoenix police officer. When I was growing up, going to college was not a thing. My son was the first kid in four generations of my family as well as my husband’s family to graduate high school and go on to college,” she said, adding: “We had a completely different family situation than it would have looked like had my life not gone the way that it had.” The Seidman study found that Televerde’s second chance hiring not only benefits individuals and families but also taxpayers. The recidivism rate of Televerde’s Arizona employees is 5 percent compared to the state average of 40 percent, saving Arizona between $6.1 million and $9.5 million annually. These women have a 94 percent

employment rate after five years in contrast to the national average of 55 percent. Arizona saves a total of $13.3 million a year from the women not reoffending, having gainful employment, not using welfare programs and keeping their children out of foster care. Their salaries are nearly four times higher than the national average, and they contribute approximately $26.9 million in personal income taxes over their post-release lifetime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, at least 95 percent of state prison inmates will be eventually released. “All of these people need a job,” Cirocco said. “If we relegate people to low-wage, lowskill jobs, they won’t be able to take care of themselves or their families,” Cirocco explained. “But when you give somebody a real second chance, they will be dedicated, loyal, engaged workers. One study showed that formerly incarcerated people have 13% higher retention rates.” According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the United States has the highest incarceration rate of any other country and imprisons about 1 percent of its population. This comes with a price tag of $182 billion a year in addition to social costs. Cirocco hopes Televerde will inspire more companies to try second chance hiring to help alleviate this. “If we’re going to incarcerate people for things they’ve done wrong, then we have to treat them as humans and give them the tools and education to come out better than when they went in,” Cirocco stated. “Everybody is better than the worst mistake they made on the worst day of their life. Discarding people based on that is a waste of human potential.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

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AIA suspends spring sports until further notice BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

The Arizona Interscholastic Association announced it was postponing all spring high school sports until further notice as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The decision came after Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman announced an extension for school closures that will run through April 10. According to a statement released by the AIA, spring postseason tournaments have not been canceled, but discussions centered around resuming play would not be held until school is back in session. “Arizona Governor Doug Ducey recently announced that all statewide schools will be closed through Friday, April 10,” the AIA said in a release. “With this directive, the AIA and its Executive Board must abide by this decision and require that all AIA member schools not partake in interscholastic competition until further notified. “The spring sports championships are still not cancelled at this point. However, discussions for the administration of any postseason tournaments will not take place until after schools are back in session.” The AIA initially voted to not cancel postseason tournaments during its executive board meeting on Monday, March 16. But AIA Executive Director David Hines said he and other board members

Ballfields at schools are deserted after the Arizona Interscholastic Association suspended sports until further notice. It has not canceled the spring season despitef school closures through April 10. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

precaution. Should schools decide to do so, the AIA said it will respect those decisions and cancellation fees will be waived. “We just have to wait and see,” Mesa Public Schools District Athletic Director Steve Hogan said. “I think that’s good. Let’s take this opportunity to say not to make a decision until you have to.” The AIA said in its release it would leave it up to member schools to decide whether or not practices for spring sports teams continue, an idea Hogan wasn’t keen on. “I’m not real big on the idea of leaving it up to schools to practice,” Hogan said, “I think that should be something we all do the same.” Some district and school athletic directors in attendance Monday gathered outside the AIA office shortly after the ruling. Most, including Mesa Public Schools and Gilbert Public Schools, said they would not allow teams to practice. Tempe Union High School District Athletic Director Bruce Kipper said in a text message, officials have “shut down all Hamilton coach Mike Woods addressed his team March 14 in what athletics and activities, including was the final game for the Huskies for at least two weeks. practice.” Dr. Camille Casteel, the superintendent of the Chandler Unified would continue to monitor the situation School District, said she and District and take into account recommendations Athletic Director Marcus Williams would from state health officials and the Center gather input from parents regarding for Disease Control and Prevention. whether or not to continue practices. “We have about 150,000 kids that “I indicated to him that we need to get compete out of 325,000 that are in our high parental input and draw up a proposal to school association. They are very much keep our kids safe,” she said. “Whether it’s involved in the activities they do,” Hines through extraordinary sanitizing and keeping said. “The first thing is, what can we do to the numbers below the 50 mark. But having try and give them some opportunity, if we that parent support is going to be key.” can? We have been paying attention to the Monday afternoon, it was announced all state health department, and as we move Chandler district athletic teams would not forward, we are going to use that and the practice. Scottsdale Unified School District CDC’s information. also said teams would not practice during “As long as schools are closed, we the two-week closure. wanted to make sure people knew there Scottsdale Unified School District would be no athletic competition.” announced in a statement Monday All games and scrimmages across the afternoon all of its athletic programs would state seized immediately following the also not practice during the two-week AIA’s initial ruling. It was not immediately suspension of play. clear whether those games would be made Michael Fowler, Higley’s district athletic up or canceled. director, said he worked closely with Aaron Even when school resumes session, Dille and Darrell Stangle, the athletic Hines and the AIA left it up to their directors at Higley and Williams Field high discretion to further cancel games out of

schools, to communicate with coaches to not practice during the suspension. “This is an unusual time,” Fowler said. “You just pause for a minute and think where we were last Monday. It makes me think where we will be next week. The safety of our student athletes is absolutely paramount. We need to do what we can to keep them safe.” Mountain View Athletic Director Roxanne Perrin, who was in attendance, said she had received several questions regarding practice from her coaches.

“We’ve been telling them the kids can get together on their own without coaches,” Perrin said. “I don’t think that message is going to change.” All rules and bylaws in the AIA handbook will still be applied during the two-week hiatus. That includes rule 14.2.2, which does not allow athletes from different schools to practice or train with one another during the season. Hines said kids from the same school can train together, but should they get any instruction it has to be limited to one-on-one. “I was hoping for a little more clarification on that,” Hogan said. “I’m concerned there will be kids who break a bylaw because they inadvertently get together and go to some event or are at some batting cage together and not have a clue, they’re breaking the bylaw.” One change that will take place, however, involves transfers. Should spring sports resume as scheduled, student athletes that were forced to sit for half the season will have eligibility restored immediately. Perrin was pleased the board’s decision. “This has been such a fluid situation and things have been changing consistently,” Perrin said. “Our biggest concern is keeping our kids and our coaches safe and so having that two-week buffer where we aren’t having school and not practicing, I’m in favor of that.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

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Pandemic makes us aware of unsung heroes in life better humans than many of us can ever hope to be. My aim instead is to expand the ranks of those we judge brave and to give respect to people who often get none. Like the cashier who checked me out at Basha’s yesterday and the store employees who unloaded trucks and stocked shelves. Like the Walgreen’s pharmacy clerk who filled my prescription and told me to “stay safe” as a goodbye. And like the men and women we never see – the farm workers, factory laborers, warehousemen and truck drivers who make up what the pundits on TV suddenly like to opine about as “the American supply chain.” Thank you, each of you, for what you do. If we never thought about you much before, that was partly from ignorance, but also because you’re so good at your jobs, we’ve been able to take you for granted. Maybe that’s the rare bright spot created by crisis: In being forced to look at life anew, we see what before we

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Columnist

Newspaper writers have long made a living penning “thank you” notes to the brave. The police officer who falls in the line of duty. The firefighter who runs toward the burning building while the rest of us flee. The young soldier murdered by an enemy bullet on a battlefield half a world from home. There is no disputing we should cover in glory the most courageous among us, to give them their rightful recognition. But then suddenly a virus breaks out, spreading disease and chaos, and, like the rest of us, the people who fill newspapers with words are forced to consider things from a different perspective. What is bravery now? Who deserves our accolades and gratitude? In asking these questions, I don’t mean to diminish the heroism of our first responders and soldiers, who are still

neglected. So, thank you. The same goes for health care workers, from the maintenance staff mopping floors and sanitizing surfaces to the nurses and doctors and support staff working around the clock to find enough beds for the virus-laden and our other sick neighbors besides. The public health system in Arizona and nationally may prove inadequate to handle COVID-19, but that failure will not come because the humans who work within the system demonstrated lack of effort. Just like firefighters facing down a fully engulfed building, right now there are medical professionals who may lack the proper protective gear and all the necessary supplies, but who are prepared to risk their lives to save yours regardless. If that isn’t bravery, then I have no idea what is. Somewhere right now, letters and parcels are on the move. Airline employees are disinfecting a jetliner to fly a few hundred people to comfort sick family members or reunite with anxious

loved ones. An hourly worker, fretting about layoffs, is leaning out the drivethrough window to pass along coffee, donuts or lunch. Typically, these transactions are throwaway moments in a busy day. We complain because a delivery takes too long, or we wave off the change, more because we don’t want dimes rolling around the car console than we want to fill the tip jar in gratitude. Sometimes we mutter “thanks.” And every once in a while, we congratulate ourselves because we were extra special nice to the bag boy, the barista or the Uber driver. These are different times, though. And maybe they won’t be bad in every possible way. Maybe we will see with new eyes and a new sense of respect the dignity and courage of those who before we never bothered to notice. Maybe coronavirus is one of those things that, if it doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.

“Calm” and “experts” are the watchwords in this crisis experts; Stay calm. Our experts are encouraging us to avoid large social settings and to keep a safe distance (at least six feet) from those you do interact with. In order to encourage social distancing, the City has made a number of changes to our services in an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents. As a community of innovation, we are proud to offer a number of city services online and by phone, including making utility payments, managing and accessing court case information, requesting

BY MATT ORLANDO Guest Writer

As I start my fifth term as your City Councilmember and through my 30 years’ experience as a military officer, I’ve seen my share of emergencies and natural disasters. During those troubled times, I witness two fundamental concepts to help me deal in any crisis situation: Follow the guidance developed by the

t? o G ws Ne

building permits and more. Our public library offers a robust selection of books, music, movies, magazines and educational resources that can be accessed through the website and the app. The city’s housing department is now offering access to housing specialists through an online form. It is important for us to stay connected with our community and we have provided a full list of online city services and links to city apps on our website at chandleraz.gov/COVID19. On behalf of City Council, I thank you

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

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for practicing social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community. I know these are uncertain times for all of us and I assure you we are doing everything we can to get us through this crisis. Prior to the outbreak of World War ll, the British government printed a poster that simply said “Keep Calm and Carry On.” I think that message is a relevant today as it was more than 80 years ago. Matt Orlando is a member of the Chandler City Council. He can be reached at matt.orlando@chandleraz.gov.

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4 Chandler Girl Scouts earn Gold Award for projects SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Four Chandler Girl Scouts have earned the Gold Award, the organization’s highest honor, for organizing projects aimed at creating a better community. Kimberly Hartle, Sadie DeShon, Emily Stopher and Shannon Maloney were among 33 Girl Scouts in the Arizona Cactus-Pine Council who earned Gold Medals. Kimberly was inspired to launch her project, called Helping Hands, after taiking her first sign-language class and realizing how little she and her fellow classmates knew about the language and the deaf community. She decided to spread awareness by creating a website called Simple Signs, which contains lessons on basic American Sign Language as well as information on the deaf community and their unique culture. “The website garnered over 1,200 visits in just a few weeks and continues to grow,” a spokeswoman said. “People from countries around the world have accessed Kimberly’s website and several visitors have reached out to her expressing their enthusiasm about the site.” A Scout for her nine years, Kimberly said scouting taught her about the uniqueness of each human being. She

Emily Stopher

Shannon Maloney

believes learning about others’ differences helps build a stronger and closer community. She is studying biological sciences at Arizona State University. Her website is simplesignsasl.com. Emily’s “Better Bags, Better Desert” project was a clean-up event at South Mountain Park and Preserve that collected nearly 8,000 pounds of trash. After realizing most of the trash was plastic grocery bags, she was committed to building awareness of the impact plastic bags have on our environment. Emily “educated over 300 people on the importance of using reusable bags and how to properly dispose of them” and hosted drop-offs to exchange

Sadie DeShon

plastic grocery bags for reusable bags,” a spokeswoman said. In each reusable bag, she included a handout with information about her Gold Award and how to assist in reducing plastic bag usage. A Girl Scout for 13 years who plans to major in environmental engineering, Emily collected over 12,000 grocery bags and worked with Sprouts Farmers Market to properly recycle them. She said she’s grateful to Girl Scouts for the platform it gave her to advocate for a cause that she’s passionate about. Shannon also picked Mother Earth for her Gold Award project, which she dubbed “Saving the Environment One

Kimberly Hartle

Step at a Time.” Disappointed that the recycling program at her school ended due to a cost increase, she lobbied to reinstate it by educating her peers on the importance of recycling and how contaminated recycled materials negatively impact the program. Then she created sustainability initiatives following the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. To reduce, Shannon collected over 300 signatures pledging to reduce their plastic straw usage and gave out 500 environmentally friendly straws. See

SCOUTS on page 37

Chandler orchid growers lose a chance to shine at show SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

One of the many event casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic hit orchid growers across Chandler and the rest of the Valley. The Desert Valley Orchid Society Show slated to next weekend was cancelled, depriving them of their annual competitive floral art gathering showcasing hybrid specialists from Arizona and a friendly rivalry for cash prizes for their efforts. It also was Chandler resident Karla Velesco’s first chance to shine as the society’s newly elected president. Last year’s event boasted around 500 attendees. Velesco had planned to bring at least 10 plants to be evaluated by judges of the American Orchid Society. “It’s the only show in the Valley that is judged by the AOS,” she said, noting that judges come to Arizona from across United States with an extensive knowledge of speciation and gold standard specifications for each plant type. Velesco explained the process to become a judge is similar to getting a college degree in orchids, with the training commitment taking from six to seven years. The American Orchid society will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, but Velasco said the Arizona-based societies are around 20 years old. There is a Tucson group that competes in the building of the Gem and Mineral Show facility in March in addition to the

CHandler resident Karla Velesco, the new president of the Desert Valley Orchid Society, shows off some of her prize-winning orchids, though the society’s annual show was canceled. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

larger Phoenix group competing in April. Judges use a handbook to compare specimens to what has been deemed “award-winning quality.” Plants that receive this award are virtually perfect representations of their floral ancestors. Eric Goo, owner of Phoenix Orchids and a repeat competitor, said there is no limit to how many plants can receive the same award. If two participants present stunning examples of a specific flora, they will both receive the same award respectively.

Goo has personally acquired over 170 awards for his plants, in addition to receiving this year’s International Herb Hagar Award through the AOS. This prestigious annual recognition is given to one grower for a single-stemmed (“monopodial”) plant submission which is considered “the most outstanding example of a Phalaenopsis species or hybrid.” A second award type is cultural in nature, which takes into consideration the grooming process and health of the plant. Velasco described a winning plant

from last year that was grown to remain very small, yet be extremely productive. “It was less than a foot in diameter and it probably had two to three hundred flowers on it,” said Velasco. “It’s very exciting to win,” Velasco said, adding that there are typically fewer than five national awards given at the show. Velesco doesn’t just grow beautiful orchids. “I’ve been trying my hand at growing food too. I’m very proud of the crop so far this season: spinach, lettuce, broccoli, radishes, cilantro, and carrots,” she bragged earlier this year on her Facebook page. “I even made lemonade from a neighbor’s lemons. It’s so nice to go get fresh produce from my backyard.” Flowers that had been expected this year include a Paphiopedilum, commonly known as a Lady Slipper. “Currently, there’s no way of cloning and making an exact replica to this,” Velasco lamented. She said with their absolute uniqueness, the flower resembles a little lady’s slipper and was considered a shooin. Goo is also a crowd favorite with his presentation of Phalaenopsis hybrids, commonly referred to as the moth orchids. His fragrant blooms feature shades of an Arizona sunset. Orchid plants of all types are also on sale during the show from both local growers and vendors from more tropical climates. Velasco said many visitors come in just See

ORCHID on page 36

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Saluted for their service

Eric Goo, owner of Phoenix Orchids, is a fan favorite at the Desert Valley Orchid Society show. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

ORCHID

from page 35

to be awed by the beauty of nature and amazed by what the growers can create. Buyers are encouraged to research or talk to the growers about the care of an orchid plant because the direct Arizona sunshine is too harsh on their intricate forms. The Desert Valley Orchid Society gives orchid lovers the opportunity to meet and share experiences, tips and guidance about growing orchids And people are always welcome to attend even if they’re not members, according to the club’s website.

“Our meetings are a lot of fun,” it adds. “We have a great plant table where members display their blooming plants so you can see what is blooming in what part of the year so you can have a collection.” The group meets the third Thursday of the month at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3641 N. 56 St., Phoenix, and a full year of speakers has been lined up. Whether the April meeting will go on as scheduled, however, is another question. Check DVOS-AZ.com for updates. Meanwhile, Velesco produced a short video on her Facebook page that celebrates some of the orchids that are blooming.

A group of Chandler teens was cited by Mayor Kevin Hartke for their work at nearby memory care units in senior living homes. The teens volunteer to read to them and created a memory book for them. Concerns about social distancing have prevented the teens from visiting their elderly friends for nearly a month, and so now they have turned their attention to trying to collect school supplies for needy students who are stuck at home and can’t get supplies from their school. With the mayor are: Sarah Karan,Shreya Bhandarkar, Sripriya Srinivas, Anushka Agrawal, Karthik Srinivas, Aidan Karan and Chirag Jagadish. (Aiden Theiss)

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Area attorney happy with his makeover

sense from Phoenix.” While there is considerable background research and phone interviews involved in the process, Some baby boomers change jobs to the final selections won’t come jump-start their life. Others go on a diet. until he and others personally visit Still, others find a new place to live. And the contenders, possibly more than then there are the footloose and fancyonce. free ones who decide it’s time to settle But jet-setting around the globe down with a woman. is nothing unusual for Foster in But any one of those mid-life course connection with Sister Cities. corrections wasn’t enough for longtime In October, for example, he coAhwatukee resident Brian Foster. led a delegation to Taipei in Taiwan. So, he did them all. “The Sister Cities portion takes At age 57, the high-powered lawyer bid a lot more of my time than the goodbye to the only law firm he’s worked Aviation Board,” he said, partly at since he graduated with distinction from because “they’ve got a lot of the University of Iowa School of Law. He’s extremely competent staff members radically changed his eating habits, working in the Aviation Department.” out over an hour a day at the Ahwatukee Despite his many outside Foothills Family YMCA he helped found. interests – which include being He’s taking up regular prayer and meditation president of the Tapestry Canyon along the way. He’s put his Tapestry Canyon HOA board – Foster hasn’t given up home on the market and looking for a place closer to his new Phoenix office after 28 Part of Ahwatukee attorney Brian Foster’s re-do of his career and personal life is getting engaged to his longtime compan- on his courtroom practice. As it was at his previous firm, he ion, Alina Chu. (Special to the San Tan Sun News) years in Ahwatukee. And he got engaged to said, “when somebody hires me, his girlfriend, Alina Chu. they know I’ve got a team of people my diet.” Simultaneously, he’s chairing the Phoenix civil verdicts. doing the work but they know I’m the guy if By the end of last year, he said, “I was Foster’s path to a radical makeover of Sister Cities program and scouring the the case goes to trial. hitting on all cylinders like I hadn’t for his life and career started last August from globe for two new international partners “They’re hiring me because I’m the years.” a combination of a kind of personal ennui to add to the 10 cities it now has, serving one who comes out and wins jury trials,” “I don’t know which one of those things and a personal tragedy. on the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board he said. “So it’s my role. I might be in the or all of them combined was responsible, His dad was confronting serious health and fundraising for Mayor Kate Gallego’s background as the case kind of progresses. but the whole package was so great I was be issues and he decided to take a 30-day election campaign. But when the buck stops, it always stops on afraid to stop any one of them because it leave of absence to care for him and take Perhaps the most startling decision is his my desk.” might be the one thing that got me there,” personal stock of himself. departure from the 450-attorney Phoenix He also likes the stream-lined nature of he explained. Things snowballed from there, he said. law firm of Snell and Wilmer, where, as his firm’s operation. His dad passed away and as the new year “I decided I’d use this time as an a senior litigation partner, he spent just Whereas his previous employer had began, Foster returned to the firm with a opportunity to get myself in the best over three decades winning multi-millionhundreds of lawyers in offices across the surprise for top management. physical, mental, emotional state I’d ever country and decisions to take on clients “They kind of expected me to say, well, often depended on committees, he and you’re refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to go,” Wilenchik each “have the authority to make he said. every single decision without consulting the Instead, he gave them his notice. other.” Though they weren’t thrilled with There is also the more personal the news, Foster said, “They were very side to Foster’s life – the part where he supportive of my decision.” got engaged. While Alina, a native of In a relatively short amount of time, Taiwan, has been his longtime traveling Wilenchik and he became partners and soon hired 10 associates – and between him companion – as well as a kind of spiritual leader who led him into meditation and and his partner, there are no shortage of prayer – Foster decided to finally pop the clients. question Now, Wilenchik and Foster are “churning “We don’t have a date in mind yet,” he and burning in downtown Phoenix,” he said. said. “We’re just kind of happy and living Less than two months after together happily.” incorporating, “We’re already at capacity in So happy they even added a dog – a terms of our office size and need to hire female Goldendoodle to the mix. more attorneys because of all the work I’m “I haven’t had a dog in 18 years,” he bringing,” he said. said, adding this change is part of his When he’s not helping to run his firm, rebirth. Foster also has been busy with Sister Admitting he’s at an age where many Cities, many of which have had formal Brian Foster last month hosted a fundraiser at his Ahwatukee home for Mayor Kate Gallego’s election campaign. people start thinking about retirement, relationships with Phoenix for decades. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer) Foster said “it’s not something I’m Right now, he and the other board even contemplating now. I’m so, I’m so members, along with Gallego, are literally motivated and driven right now.” scanning the globe to identify potential been in,” Foster recalled. “So, I originally dollar verdicts in commercial litigation, “I just am really blessed right now,” additions. took a leave thinking I’d be out for 30 days. trying often complex cases in real estate, he said. “Making those positive lifestyle “We’re looking at different cities in Well, 30 turned into 60, turned into 90, partner and shareholder disputes, merger changes and getting my focus really got turned into four months. I developed a daily different countries right now, ranging from and acquisition fights, disagreements over me started. And then literally just taking Chile to South Africa, to India,” Foster meditation practice. contracts and other business matters. a leap of faith and kind of stepping off He started paying attention to his explained. “We’re doing an analysis of a Now, he has set up a firm with Dennis the cliff, I’m just really amazed with what’s eating habits, swearing off all sugars, bunch of the cities within those countries Wilenchik, a onetime courtroom adversary happening so far.” alcohol “and a bunch of other things from trying to figure out what makes the most at times who also has a reputation for big BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

SCOUTS

from page 35

To reuse, Maloney worked with her principal to have water bottle filling stations installed at her school. She espoused the importance of recycling to faculty, recommending a new recycling company to her principal and additional recycling bins. Then, she added

one more R – Refuse – to encouraged her peers to refuse the use of plastic straws and bags. Shannon has been a Girl Scout for 13 years and plans to study geology after graduating high school. Sadie’s “Taming Trichotillomania Workshop” project was personal. Struggling with trichotillomania, a disorder causing compulsive hair-pulling,

she aimed to bring awareness of it and educate students at her school. She hosted a day-long workshop for students and their parents who struggle with trichotillomania. The workshop consisted of team-building activities, group discussions and presentations from professional counselors. She also created a Facebook support group for students to continuously

encourage each other, share their stories and progress. In their feedback, participants called the workshop helpful and uplifting. By being vulnerable and sharing her personal story, Sadie felt rewarded to see how she had inspired and encouraged others to be brave. A Girl Scout for 13 years, Sadies plans to study history after graduating from high school.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

Virus crisis hits special-needs kids and their parents hard BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The closure of Arizona schools in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic created particularly severe challenges for specialneeds children, whose parents rely on schools and outside therapists. Michele Thorne, a Tempe mother of two autistic children, said single moms raising specialneeds children are particularly impacted. It’s why Thorne is giving a free onemonth membership to her website, damesusa.com. “The special needs community has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Thorne, a scientist who had been working for five years at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen, until she decided she needed more time to care for her son and daughter. “This is not an extended vacation,” she said of the closures. “This is life or death for their children.” Thorne’s experience as a mother of special needs children – or, as she prefers to call them, “differently-abled” kids – inspired her to start an organization called DAMES, an acronym for Differently-Abled Mothers Empowerment Society. The acronym plays off the name of an honorific title given women in Britain and some other countries. Thorne said the indefinite school closures and decisions by many therapists to reduce or close office hours have impacted both kids and parents. “Many of our children thrive on routines and this change in routines has been extremely difficult for them,” she said,

Michelle Thorne, a mother of two autistic children, is reaching out to other mothers of special-needs children to help them during the school closure crisis. (Arizonan ﬁle photo)

adding her website provides tools to help them through this crisis. “Everything we do is online or on our mobile app because special needs parents are often isolated from society,” Thorne said. “Right now, we are in a moment in time where everyone is isolated from each other. We have lost access to the self-care tools grounding us.” Because schools “are an incredible resource for the special-needs community,” closures are making it more difficult for children on Individualized Education Plans requiring “specialized instruction we as parents don’t know how to do at home.” School districts have been setting up

mechanisms to help fill the void created by the closures but “for now, we parents are in limbo” – particularly because the school programs are virtually the only source of needed therapy services. Families who can afford private therapy in addition to whatever a school provides also are in a lurch, Thorne said. “We are constantly worried about regression with our children,” she explained. “Many of them are already far behind their peers. We fear - with lack of access to services, they will not only stagnate but also regress.” Thorne herself witnessed her children’s services canceled. But it’s not just providers who are

canceling since some parents also fear for their children’s lives as the virus spreads. “We in the special needs community are always mindful there are those within this community with medically fragile children and we are taking as many steps as we can to protect those who really need protecting from this virus,” she said. Compounding those concerns is hoarding – especially of drugs. “The biggest concern I’ve been hearing is not so much the schools or the therapies, but the access to prescription drugs and the incredible amount of hoarding taking place in this country,” Thorne said. “Prescription drugs are a major concern for these families because they can often only get enough supplies for a month, and often these drugs are manufactured in China. “With the advance of this virus, many of them are battling insurance companies to get more than a month’s worth of lifesaving drugs for their children. This has and continues to be a problem for this community.” Parents of medically fragile children “are having a difficult time finding enough supplies,” forcing them to “go to store after store looking for essentials to get them through and exposing them to more and more people.” Thorn said she and parents like her pray for a greater sense of responsibility toward less fortunate people than they see now. “These families are relying on others in the community to leave things on the shelf,” she said. “They are relying on people to stay home to stop the spread of this disease. They are relying on the kindness of others to help them get their child through this.”

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We are in this

TOGETHER To our Community, During these unprecedented times nothing is more important than the health and safety of your loved ones. We are all in this together; these are the times when we realize how important it is to be there for one another. Enjoy your family time, make a call, send a letter, organize an online party; take care of each other in whatever way you can. We will persevere together and we look forward to brighter, happier days when we can #GoPlayChandler. Chandler Parks & Recreation

Stay Home | Stay Safe | Stay Positive chandleraz.gov/COVID19

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

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South Mt. Park improvements moving along BY ANDY LENARTZ Guest Writer

The City of Phoenix is in the midst of a five-year, $23 million redesign of South Mountain Park and Preserve that will improve the facilities and trails to a level of worldclass park that is deserving of such a popular, beloved and heavily-utilized local sanctuary. Along with a 2017 Trails Master Plan also currently being implemented, the combined impact will change the face and user experience at a park which has not experienced significant change in many years. Completed thus far are several facility improvements and the first trail redesigns. Highlights of the completed changes include:

• Pima Canyon Trailhead

The over-loved Pima Canyon Trailhead received a much-needed facelift and structural enhancement in 2018. Most notably, the pit toilets were replaced by flush toilets and a sewer line – determining one’s distance from the trailhead by smell is thankfully no longer possible. Drinking water and handwash stations were added, along with a new ramada and informational kiosks. Parking was slightly increased, weekend traffic conditions at the trailhead will remain an issue. Utilizing the gateway concept for the remodel, which is popular at many national parks, passing through the entrance area provides a first glimpse of Pima Canyon, which is truly stunning.

• Desert Foothills/Telegraph Pass Trailhead

Completed in 2019, the rebuilt trailhead now offers restrooms with flush toilets, water, shaded seating areas, and informational signage. The parking lot is redesigned and slightly expanded. Similar to Pima Canyon,

Spectaular vistas await hikers along South Mountain trails and people don’t have to worry about social distancing either. (Andy Lenartz/Guest Writer)

locating a parking spot on weekend mornings will continue to be a challenge.

• Central Avenue

The major work completed thus far, beyond the trailhead redesigns, has been in the Central Avenue area of South Mountain Park. The entrance station has been remodeled, with a new entrance monument and gatehouse providing a more nature-connected and inspiring

welcome to the park. The Big Ramada and Little Ramada have been spruced up with replacement roofs, improved landscaping, and modified parking areas. The result is a vastly improved appearance for these areas, both of which are can be reserved for events. •

19th Avenue North Ma HaTuak Trailhead

The first added and improved trails are in the Ma Ha Tuak portion of the park, where the existing T-bone and Ma Ha Tuak Trails have been rerouted. A newly added Ma Ha Tuak Perimeter Trail wraps around the northwest section of South Mountain Park, connecting the 19th Avenue Trailhead with the San Juan Lookout. And the Hau’pal trail provides a new challenge in this section of the park. More changes are on deck, outlined in the 2015 South Mountain Park Design Guides Manual and 2018 Trails Master Plan. Pima Canyon Trailhead got a much-needed upgrade over the past year and while parking also was increased, it still can pose a challenge on Highlights of the weekend. (Andy Lenartz/Guest Writer)

planned future improvements include: Redesign of the 19th Avenue South/ Pyramid Trailhead with new ramadas, paved parking lot, and a restroom. Remodel of the Beverly Canyon Trailhead to add ramadas, signage, and improvements to parking and lighting. This was initially scheduled for 2018 but has been delayed. Redesign of the 19th Avenue North/ Ma Ha Tuak Trailhead to add a ramada and interpretive signage, along with improving parking and lighting. Several changes at the main Central Avenue park entrance, including improving signage and parking at Scorpion Gulch, remodeling the Activity Complex, renovating the Historic Entrance Complex, adding a new ranger station, adding a bike rental and shuttle facility, and repair and replacement of several ramada areas. The significant facility upgrades at the Pima Canyon and Desert Foothills trailheads in particular are impressive, creating gateways into the park with proper restroom facilities and muchneeded water. Seeing this level of improvement generates excitement for the next phases of these projects. One justification for the changes is the upcoming 100th anniversary of South Mountain Park and Preserve in 2024. As the improvements move forward, the park will have a different look when this milestone birthday arrives. - Andy Lenartz is an Ahwatukee resident and outdoors enthusiast.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 29, 2020

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Passover and Easter both teach us about God BY RABBI DR. IRWIN WIENER Guest Writer

A common thread consisting of experiences of the past and those yet to be connects part of the equation dealing with the ability to glean from life’s experiences the understanding of fulfillment and completion. This is the beginning of renewing that which we have so that it has more relevance. Each generation recreates its own version of repetition so that the meaning brings new excitement and application. We are now entering a period that illustrates this more clearly and distinctly. The first is Passover. It is an event in history that gives us the ultimate expression of how steadfastness and faith can lead to redemption. However, it also teaches us that liberation can only be achieved when we are willing to take that first leap of faith

through our own ability to collaborate with God in restoring our dignity. Interpretations of Biblical writings teach that when Moses raises his hands to part the Sea, it was not until the first person took the first step into the water was the miracle actually achieved. Faith in ourselves is a primary ingredient in fulfilling the mission of independence and release. It is not enough to sit back and expect God to be the messenger and doer in our final renewal, but rather the combination of the two completes the process. The Exodus reaches a thunderous climax at Mt. Sinai and it is there that we begin to understand the partnership. Moses makes one request of God. Through all that has been accomplished and yet to be realized, Moses wants to be able to see the God that brought about these wonders, from deliverance to revelation. Moses, above all, has had the most intimate relationship with God that any human has experienced. Still, to him, it

was not enough. Moses wants more-to see, to touch, to feel. In the final analysis, God says that this is not possible and yet God offers an alternative. Moses can witness God passing him, feel his nearness. All of us can experience God’s nearness and the difference God makes in our lives. This alone is an achievement because it helps us realize that we can only attempt to reach for the unreachable, but we should never stop trying. The second is Easter. To me, it too is an event in history that gives us a clear insight into the ultimate expression of faith. Easter is a story of redemption and renewal as illustrated by the sacrifice of one individual in search of absolution for all. Who can comprehend, whether in writings or depictions, the agony of defeat culminating with the glory of fulfillment? As a non-Christian, but one who has learned from the followers of Jesus through study and interfaith experiences, I can understand fully the desire for

all people to receive the blessings and forgiveness of God. The sacrifice witnessed was one enshrined in love for humanity. We find this throughout history. This, however, was a different kind of sacrifice. It was a sacrifice for the whole by the one. It was to be an example of unadulterated faith in the universality of God and the love God has for each of us, sinner as well as believer. My understanding of the lesson of Easter is connected with the deliverance of the people from bondage because in each instance the release from the shackles of despair and destruction resulted in the birth of a new understanding of our place in the universe. Both holidays deal with spiritual and physical cleansing of our bodies and souls. There is no finer way to fulfillment than this. Moses and Jesus both search for connection to God and they both affirm that the search is not complete without us taking that first step into the realm of Heavenly attributes. Rabbi Irwin Wiener is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

Not even this virus can stop the church and its people BY BISHOP DANNY YOHANNAN Guest Writer

The coronavirus COVID-19 is driving us into physical isolation as many of us selfisolate and try to stay home as much as possible to lower our risk of contracting and spreading the disease. A majority of churches around the world have even canceled their services and/or switched to a streaming platform instead of meeting in person. But in this time of unprecedented isolation, we -– the Church -- need to come together like never before. We might have to socially distance ourselves from others physically -- but we must allow this crisis to draw us closer to each other in our hearts, minds, and Christ-like actions. “Separate, yet come together” -- it seems like an oxymoron, a contradiction. So, how do we do that? Come together with God. It’s vitally important for every one of us to draw closer to God during this anxious time, so that He may draw closer in a personal way to each of us. In times of trial and tribulation, God’s people have always run to the outstretched arms of God, and the love of God has flooded them with His light, peace, and hope. Come together as a family. This is a lifechanging moment when we can choose to invest our precious time with our loved ones: encouraging them, talking with them about things that really matter, laughing together over memories, and praying together as a family – especially praying

for those suffering with the virus and for wisdom for the leaders of our nation. Also let us never forget to pray for God’s mercy and grace for millions who still wait to hear about the love of Christ for the first time. Let’s be careful not to waste this opportunity. Come together as a community of believers. We might be separated in body but we will always be together in spirit and in prayer. Use the full range of today’s communications tools to stay connected to your fellow believers, the Body of Christ. With modern technology, there’s no reason why we need to become spiritual castaways. Thanks to the incredible technology available to us, following the Scriptural command to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25) is possible anywhere, any time, in real-time. Come together to serve the most vulnerable. At this time of fear and uncertainty, let’s not forget the most vulnerable among us – the elderly, those with health issues, the homeless, and the poor – as well as those around the world with personal crises that can be utterly devastating (Matthew 25:40). Come together during Lent by putting our focus on God. As we are being encouraged to socially isolate ourselves, let us remember we are in the season of Great Lent. Rather than “social isolation,” we can practice “ascetic prayer.” We can turn this into a God-focused time as we all use this chance to quietly pray and intercede for those around us, and for those who are suffering.

Finally, COVID-19 might stop us gathering together in our traditional worship settings, but it will never stop the Church! We will fight this crisis on our knees in prayer – and we will fight it together.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is able to separate us from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Bishop Danny Yohannan is the vice president of Gospel for Asia.

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