July 2 - 15, 2016
www.SanTanSun.com
Fireworks company set to launch pyrotechnics at shows BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA
Like most of us, Kerry and Lori Welty are prepping for the Fourth of July holiday. But unlike the rest of us, their weekend calendar includes 87 fireworks shows between July 1 and Independence Day. This holiday’s opening show for their Chandler-based company, Fireworks Productions of Arizona (FPA), was Ahwatukee’s Red, White and Boom! on July 1. During the holiday weekend after the Ahwatukee event, FPA will produce fireworks shows throughout the East Valley, lighting skies over Tempe, Guadalupe, Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Apache Junction. Other communities throughout the state, including the San Carlos Apache Indian Community, will also be seeing FPA fireworks displays. That’s four days of nonstop action for their 55 core workers considered “head pyros,” or crew leaders. The couple purchased the company 18 years ago from Ray and Pat Stout, for whom Kerry Welty had worked for 20 years. The family-owned and -operated pyrotechnics STSN photo by Will Powers business is celebrating its 63rd year. Kerry and Lori Welty will be busy this Independence Day weekend, Kendon S. Victor, a pyro planning specialist, joined providing 87 fireworks shows to dazzle audiences. FPA 28 years ago as a head pyro. The Arizona native has worked full-time with the firm for 11 years. He laundry-listed the “day jobs” of some crew “Of the six of us who are full-time employees, four members: are head pyros. The other head pyros have real jobs, “We have one guy who’s a dentist, another a pilot; choosing to work part-time so they get to play with fire,” we have people in health care and construction, and we said Victor.
have a couple who own their own businesses and do this on the side. “The key traits they have in common are enjoyment of playing with fire and putting on a great show.” Keeping that “playing with fire” in perspective, let’s review the etymology of pyrotechnic; it stems from the Greek word pyro, meaning “fire,” and tekhnikos, meaning “made by art.” “That’s a great description,” said Lori Welty. “It’s an art to do it well, and when done well, it’s art.” The pyrotechnician leaders select their own crew members who, in turn, work as independent contractors. Victor admits crews tend to be “very nepotistic.” “That’s how I got involved. I knew someone who asked me to crew, and I was hooked. Now my own crew is made up of friends and family.” For the third year, Victor and his crew are providing fireworks at the Republic Services Arizona Celebration of Freedom July 4. Kerry and Lori Welty are hard to connect with this time of year; they flit like fireflies around the region to assure the 87 shows in four days are fine-tuned to elicit the optimum “oohs” and “ahhs.” “This is most definitely our busiest time of the year and requires the most effort but, come September or so, we’ll get a break,” said Kerry Welty. “What we really enjoy is hearing back from people see FIREWORKS page 4
Concussion protocol makes Snedigar Sportsplex to undergo strides, says Valley Christian coach renovations in 2017 BY ERIC SMITH
Jeff Rutledge has seen a lot in football, both good and bad. After playing in college at the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant as well as playing and coaching in the NFL, he knows the ins and outs of the game like few others. Among the things he’s seen change is the way head trauma is treated. Once seen as a minor nuisance that had to be played through, a head injury is now treated as a serious medical situation that must be attended to with great care. “When I played, they put some smelling salts under your nose and put up one or two fingers, and if you could tell how many fingers were up, you were back in there,” he said. “That’s just where we were at that point.” Rutledge, now coach at Chandler’s Valley Christian High School, played for three teams from 1979 to 1992: Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and Washington Redskins.
Throughout those years as well as during high school and college play, Rutledge took countless hits from every angle. But one particular hit from former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner stands alone as the hardest he endured. It was so forceful that it mangled Rutledge’s facemask. He had to get a new helmet. “If you saw, it you’d say, ‘Ooh how did he get up from that?’” Rutledge said. “That was the biggest hit I ever took.” When Rutledge got to the sideline, he was given smelling salts and returned to the game. Since then, though, Rutledge has seen first hand the evolution of both sports medicine and attitudes about injuries. “The old ‘you’ve got to suck it up,’ that’s long gone,” he said. “I don’t think you’d ever hear somebody say that when somebody’s limping or hurting.” Now there are protocols in place see CONCUSSION page 4
BY CONNOR DZIAWURA
Twenty-five years after it was founded as the Spring Training home of the Milwaukee Brewers, Snedigar Sportsplex is set for $1 million in renovations. “I think it’s something that staff’s been looking at for a while now,” said Mickey Ohland, Chandler’s park development and operations manager. “Snedigar’s one of our more popular parks. It’s heavily used with all the different sports organizations and with its age. It was due for some much-needed improvements.” Work will be done in two phases. Beginning in the spring 2017, crews will add facilities on a half-acre piece of land that was purchased in 2015. It will not interfere with sports or other young groups using the space. “We haven’t designed it yet, but it will most likely entail additional ramadas, sidewalks and turf space,” Ohland said. Following the completion of the first phase, renovations will begin on existing facilities.
The Snedigar Sportsplex is set for $1 million in renovations.
“The second phase will focus on parking lot improvements, as well as pedestrian access improvements internal to the baseball and softball fields,” Ohland explained. Ohland expects minimal conflicts as the park sees less activity during the summer see SNEDIGAR page 5
F E AT U R E STO R I E S
Check out our Family Fun Section! You will not want to miss any of the fun events listed on Family Fun calendar this month.
Chandler company gives fireworks the ‘wow’ factor . . . . . . . . Local auto expert added to national service association . . . Bordon to host ‘Olympic Heroes’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jet’s Pizza comes to Chandler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Mesa author releases children’s anthology . . . . . . . . . . . .
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SANTAN FAMILY FUN .......................Center Section
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