Santan Sun News - July 7, 2018

July 7–20, 2018 | www.SanTanSun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler and our neighboring communities

Chandler City Council picks new member

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

A financial advisor with extensive experience in the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and community organizations is taking his service one step further as a member of the City Council.

The Chandler City Council voted unanimously on June 28 to appoint Jeremy McClymonds to the seat vacated

by Nora Ellen, who is running for the state House in Legislative District 17.

The mayor and the City Council

last month reviewed 36 candidates’ applications and narrowed down the list of candidates to nine people. Members interviewed the nine finalists in a special meeting on June 25.

“I’m definitely excited,” McClymonds said. “I’ve been actively involved in the community for years. It’s just an opportunity to maximize the good I can give to my friends, family and neighbors.

Chandler’s already a well-run city. I’m definitely humbled by the opportunity.”

Besides McClymonds, the other candidates interviewed were William

Crawford III, Matt Eberle, Victor Hardy, Aaron Harris Sr., Jill Hudson, Diane OrtizParsons, Eshe Pickett and John Repar.

Crawford, Eberle and Harris are running for election to the Council in the Aug. 28 primary.

McClymonds is the owner/financial advisor for FORM Prosperity Wealth Advisors. He is the business/membership development chairman for the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and Chandler Parks and Recreation boards; membership See

COUNCIL on page 2

Jeremy McClymonds

Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Chandler’s new public safety complex opening this month

BY JIM WALSH Staff

Every day, Chandler police officers and firefighters find themselves working together while responding to anything from traffic collisions to shootings and drownings, even if they play different roles.

Now, the new Chandler Public Safety Training Center, scheduled to open on July 17, will allow police officers and firefighters to train together far more effectively than in the past, while saving taxpayers a considerable expense through

the use of such shared facilities as an auditorium and classrooms.

“There are endless opportunities to share resources,’’ Chandler Fire Chief Tom Dwiggins said. “We have the same mission. We end up on the same incidents together.’’

Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan said all the city’s police officers and firefighters will undergo active-shooter training together for the first time in October at the new facility on Dobson Road, See

PUBLIC SAFETY on page 14

State board drops talk of punishing Red for Ed Easy as pie

BY PAUL MARYNIAK, WAYNE SCHUTSKY AND JIM WALSH Staff Photos by Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Kids flocked to Pizza Camp last month as the Chandler Unified School District marked the opening of its summer food program for kids who depend on school breakfasts and lunches. The district received a $2,000 grant from the Dairy Council of Arizona for the program and the camp was a kickoff event for kids under 18. It gave them a chance to create a personal pizza and decorate a box to go with it. Each child’s dough was then tossed by a professional “pie guy” before being baked in a state-of-the-art conveyor pizza oven. In the top photo, 2-year-old Emma Graves carefully decorates her box while in the bottom photo, Zoey and Emma Gaab, ages 2 and 3, respectively, put on their toppings. More photos: page 47.

The state Board of Education last month scuttled a plan to discuss discipline against teachers for their walkout the day after Gov. Doug Ducey told the SanTan Sun News that he opposed punishment.

While Chandler Superintendent Camille Casteel declined comment and the other East Valley school chiefs did not return emailed requests for comment, both Kyrene Superintendent Jan Vesely and Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Ember Conley criticized the board and

said the teachers did nothing to warrant any punishment.

The board had placed on its June 25 agenda an item for a “presentation, discussion and possible action regarding the board’s authority to take disciplinary action,” although board Executive Director Alicia Williams said no formal action was planned.

That same day, the SanTan Sun News asked Ducey during a campaign stop in Gilbert how he felt about the board’s pending discussion.

F E AT U R E STO R I E S The remains of a Chandler woman slain in 2010 are found . . . . .Community . . . . Page 18 Founder of Suntech in Chandler gives back a lot . . . . . . . . . . .BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . Page 26 Cielo Elementary’s corridors get brightened up . . . . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS . . . . . . . . Page 4 Chandler has a film festival you can watch at home . . . . . . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 54 Hash Kitchen prepares to take Chandler by storm . . . . . . . . . .EAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 69

STFF ................................................................... Center Section

See

TEACHERS on page 14 More Community . . . . .01-25 Business . . . . . . . 26-30 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 31-32 Opinion. . . . . . . . .41-43 Neighbors. . . . . . 44-53 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . .54-61 Faith. . . . . . . . . . . 62-64 Directory . . . . . . 65-66 Classifieds. . . . . . 67-68 Where to Eat . . . 69-70

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COUNCIL

from page 1

development chairman for the Chandler Compadres and on the board of the Kiwanis – Chandler Young Professionals.

Terri Kimble, Chamber president/ CEO, called his selection “truly a boon for the city of Chandler. “He is a passionate advocate for Chandler and its business community. He believes in not only getting involved, but rolling up his sleeves and taking an active role, whether it be making informed decisions on legislation or volunteering at community events.”

McClymonds told the Council during his opening statement that he had “called Chandler home for the last 15 years. Chandler’s been fortunate to have generations of amazing leaders.”

When asked why he wanted to be appointed to the Council, McClymonds said he wanted to “make an impact in a new and challenging” way and his skills and experience would allow him to make Chandler “a better place to live.”

“I know if I’m given an opportunity to serve on the Council, I’ll be able to leave a legacy of positive impact,” he said.

When asked what he would contribute to the Council, McClymonds professed his affection for the city.

“I love Chandler. It’s a world-class city,” he said. “I believe children and commerce are the lifeblood of all great communities.”

When asked what his strengths were, he said he is “an accomplished sales and finance” professional who is “proud of my legacy and commitment to Chandler.”

McClymonds noted he had received the Micro Business Award for his

company at the Chamber’s annual Community Awards gala last month.

He also mentioned how he has 10,000 followers for his “Chandler Loyal” feeds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. He posts about businesses and events in Chandler but does not mention his own company in the posts.

When asked what his goals and priorities for the city would be on the Council, he talked about the economy, growth and technology, among other topics.

“I believe Chandler is what I would call a right-size city,” McClymonds said.

“I’m fiscally conservative. My goal is to continue with the right-size city.”

Arts, public safety, solid waste and creating a “smart city” would also be priorities, he said. “Smart city” means using “technology to increase efficiencies,” McClymonds said.

When asked what he thought were the biggest challenges the city was facing, he said, “Navigating the buildout.” McClymonds also said the city needs to “find optimal balance between residential, commercial” and other zoning uses.

“We’re hearing complaints of the number of apartments and storage facilities built,” he said.

He also said it is “increasingly difficult and important to best develop vacant land.”

He and his wife, Sheila, have two grown children, Jeff and Gabrielle.

When asked what decision or policy the Council had made within the last five years he disagreed with, McClymonds mentioned his concern that a strip mall at the southwest of Ocotillo and Gilbert Roads does not “fit in with the area.”

He said it does not reflect the “rural, agrarian” look that the southeast part of Chandler is supposed to have.

Finalist Crawford retired as the vice president of student affairs at ChandlerGilbert Community College.

“I have been engaged in public service for over 47 years,” Crawford said during his opening statement. “Those years of experience have allowed me to hone my leadership abilities. The City Council matters to our city.”

When asked why he wanted to be on the Council, Crawford said Chandler is “an awesome community that’s been good to me.”

Eberle is managing member of Biltmore Executive Group, which offers companies support and advice in many areas including acquisitions, finances, strategic planning, investments and hiring of executive-level professionals.

Eberle touted his professional skills, compassion and community service when being asked why he wanted to be considered for the vacant seat at the June 25 interviews.

“Councilmember Nora Ellen is a leader who has vision,” he said. “I have a proven track record of success in large organizations. I’m willing to make difficult decisions when required. I have a strong work ethic.”

When asked what his strengths were, Eberle said “an acute ability to digest massive amounts of information” and “the ability to collaborate effectively.”

Hardy is a veteran and the officiating pastor at Congregational Church of the Valley. He is president and co-founder of Chandler Men of Action and director and organizer of the Chandler Community Celebration Choir.

Hardy worked as a security guard in the Chandler Unified School District from August 2005 to May 2010, according to his resume. He worked as a human resource supervisor for the U.S. Air Force from 1985 to 1996. He serves on Chandler’s Human Relations Commission.

After he was asked why he wanted to serve on the Council, he said he wanted to help give a voice to people in the community.

“The biggest reason is, I believe I can move,” he said. “I can reach out to others, reach out to those who feel like they’re being suffocated and not have a voice.”

Harris is the federal programs director for the Higley Unified School District.

He also is an online education adjunct instructor at Ottawa University, his resume said.

Harris is involved in civic activities such as serving as a member of Chandler’s Housing and Human Services Commission and as chairman of the city’s Citizens’ Panel for Review of Police Complaints and Use of Force.

When asked why he wanted to be on the Council, he said, “I love Chandler.”

“Integrity and commitment are my guiding principles,” he said. “I will continue to be supportive of the mayor and Council’s vision. The future is bright.”

Hudson is an attorney and owner of Hudson Law Firm and an adjunct faculty member for Chandler-Gilbert Community College. The former prosecutor is also an adjunct faculty member at ASU. When asked why she wanted to be on the Council, she said, ”I really do believe I don’t have personal goals. What I see myself is (being) able to bridge gaps.”

See

COUNCIL on page 12

Celebrating 15 years of service to the local community!

Special thanks to our terrific team!

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Meet the Chandler Council election candidates

DR. WILLIAM CRAWFORD

MATT EBERLE

AARON HARRIS SR.

RENE LOPEZ

Age: 66

Age: 53

Age: 38

Age: 46

Education: Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies at ASU; Master of Education from NAU; Doctorate of Education from NAU.

Education: MBA with dual concentrations in applied economics and finance, Xavier University; BBA in business administration with dual majors in accounting and finance, University of Cincinnati.

Educational: BA/MA in elementary education

Education: BS in nuclear engineering from University of Arizona

Current employer/job: Higley Unified School District, federal programs director

Current employer/job: Avnet; senior project manager

Current employer/job: Managing member of Biltmore Executive Group

Immediate family: Tamela E. Harris, six children

Immediate family: Jessica (wife); Brianna (daughter); Andrew (son)

Immediate family: Wife Donnalee, children Mark, Andrew and Jonathan.

Year you moved to Chandler: 2004

Year you moved to Chandler: 2008

Last book read: “Servant Leadership” by Robert Greenleaf

Last book read: “The Fourth Turning” by Strauss and Howe

Favorite annual event in Chandler: Ostrich Festival

Favorite annual event in Chandler: The Ostrich Festival

Favorite spot in Chandler: Desert Breeze Park

Favorite spot in Chandler: There are several. I tend to spend time in coffee shops like Press Coffee and Peixoto.

Why are you running for the Council?

Because of my love for Chandler! I have a great affection for our city, as evidenced by my affiliation with the Chandler Gilbert Family YMCA and Chandler Exchange Club, and serving as chair of the Chandler Citizens Review Panel for Police Complaints and Use of Force, and member of the Housing and Human Services Commission. I am poised to strengthen the quality of life for all citizens through optimal city services, high-quality amenities and safety. As Chandler becomes more diverse, we must preserve its past while protecting its prosperous future.

Current employer/job: Adjunct professor (part-time faculty) at NAU. Immediate family: Diana Washington-Crawford, three children Year you moved to Chandler: 1998 Last book read: “A Higher Loyalty” Favorite annual event in Chandler: Multicultural Festival Favorite spot in Chandler: Downtown Chandler and AJ Chandler Park Why are you running for the City Council?

I am running for the Council because my 47 years of public service in law enforcement and higher education can and will make a difference in the lives of Chandler residents. My wife and I moved our family to Chandler over 20 years ago, and I want to use my experience and knowledge to advance Chandler as a growing and vibrant community.

Chandler’s diverse populations, from young families to seniors enjoying the success of their careers, want and deserve a voice on the Council that will advocate for them. I want to do my part to make and keep Chandler a great place to live and work.

Why should voters consider you?

I bring a unique a unique combination of professional experience and background to the Chandler City Council. No other candidate possesses similar credentials. As a former school resource officer, I will work with teachers, school administrators, parents and law enforcement to create exceptionally performing safer schools and neighborhoods.

The Council works for the people of Chandler, and they need all viewpoints represented and someone that will champion and protect their interests. To be considered a world class great city, it is imperative that the council reflects the growing needs and diversity of its residents.

Why are you running for the Council?

With Councilmember Hartke running for mayor, we need a pragmatic, experienced and visionary thinker as a replacement. I have a proven track record of accomplishments in the business world and the necessary skills to move Chandler forward. I am a collaborative thinker willing to put others first for the advancement of Chandler. My background lends itself to problem solving, making difficult decisions when necessary and providing workable solutions in a team environment. The Council is a team and must remain cohesive. I bring that collaborative and cohesive element.

Why should voters consider you?

I have spent thousands of hours in our neighborhoods working to understand what residents want, as well as formulating ideas for the future. I have held executive roles in large and mid-size companies, led numerous initiatives in large complex environments and have created shareholder value. I believe that I have an accurate perception of what residents want and can be a driving force in the continued success of Chandler.

Editor’s note

The SanTan Sun News sent questionnaires to all six candidates for the Aug. 28 primary election for Chandler City Council. The first part of their answers appears today and the second will appear in our July 21 edition.

Why should voters consider you?

As an educator, I understand the importance of strong families, safe neighborhoods and economic development within a community. Creating infrastructure that involves careful assessment, implementation and accountability will lead to improved public safety, core city services, fiscal management and the creation of jobs through technological innovation.

I eagerly accept the challenge that waits, and I am ready to put in the hard work that lies ahead. The future is about our families and the services provided by our city. I want to take a more active role within city government to ensure Chandler remains a world-class community.

In addition, subsequent issues will include columns from each of the candidates. To see the questionnaires in their entirety now, go to santansun.com.

Early voting begins Aug. 1 and July 30 is the last day to register to vote.

-Paul Maryniak, Executive Editor

Year you moved to Chandler: 2007 Favorite annual event in Chandler: Southwest Cajun Festival Favorite spot in Chandler: So many and for different reasons Why are you seeking another term?

I am running to continue our successes from the last four years. I ran initially to keep Chandler running as well as it has been for the last couple decades. I help lead our city to exceed my own expectations. Chandler has not just maintained our fiscal and pragmatic approach to delivering services and quality of life amenities, but has expanded our tax base, employment corridors. And now, downtown is growing by leaps and bounds.

Briefly explain your three most significant accomplishments.

Our financial stability and increased efficiencies is the most significant accomplishment that all other successes build from. We lowered the city portion of the property tax three years in a row. We lowered our annual operating expenses for the last two years, 6.3 percent this year alone.

This leads to the large influx of high-paying job growth we have seen, including organic growth and new companies coming in.

Third, with increased efficiency and a growing tax base, we continue to invest in and grow our public safety sectors to maintain our safest cities status.

What initiative do you most regret not getting done and why didn’t it?

I have met all the goals I set forth to accomplish in my first term. I had set realistic and achievable goals. Through teamwork and commitment, we discovered innovative ways to improve efficiencies to continue an effective delivery of services, and were able to expand parks and public safety along the way.

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

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Diverse array applied for vacant Council seat

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

MATT ORLANDO

TERRY ROE

Age: 62

Age: 59

Education: MBA from Golden Gate University; BA from Rutgers University

Education: Mesa Community College & University of Phoenix

Current employer: Retired from Honeywell; retired colonel, USAF

Employer: Retired Mesa police sergeant; Chandler Councilmember

Immediate family: Pat, my wife of 40 years, three children and two grandchildren

Immediate family: Married to my high school sweetheart, Cheryl. Children: Paul and Katie. Grandchildren: Allison, Annabeth and Camden

Year Moved to Chandler: 983 Last Book Read: “Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit”

Year you moved to Chandler: 1988 Last book read: “ The Summons” by John Grisham

Favorite annual event in Chandler: Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights

Favorite annual event in Chandler: Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade

Favorite spot in Chandler: Tumbleweed Recreation Center

Favorite spot in Chandler: Veterans Oasis Park

Why are you running for the Council?

Chandler is a first-class community. My vision is to make Chandler a world-class community with top-notch public safety, an educated workforce, plenty of green spaces, a vibrant and sustainable downtown/entertainment districts, additional cultural attraction and a high-capacity transportation system.

We can achieve all this by continuing sound fiscal policies I and others put in place many years ago, expanding and enhancing public-private partnerships and closer working relationships with our educators. Of course, we need to ensure we provide a forum for open communication and dialogue with all citizens.

Why are you seeking another term?

It has been a great honor to serve on the Council and if re-elected, I’m looking forward to a second and final term. I would like to use my 20 years of police service and the experience I’ve gained on the Council to help Chandler as it continues moving forward. Cheryl and I love Chandler. We raised our children here, and I want to spend the next four years honoring those who served before me. I want to contribute.

Why should voters consider you?

The quality of life that we enjoy today is due to the smart planning, programs, infrastructure and economic policies that I and others have put in place over many years.

I want to utilize my experience, knowledge and leadership skills gained from 17 years (1990-98 and 2004-13) of service on the Chandler City Council, 30 years of military service and 33 years of increasing management responsibilities at high-tech companies to ensure that Chandler’s great quality of life continues. I will work to ensure safe, sustainable, and strong neighborhoods and to improve police officers’ and firefighters’ response times.

Briefly explain your three most significant accomplishments.

I am an ardent supporter of our public safety professionals. During my term on the Council, Chandler has added two fire stations, giving us excellent citywide emergency services. Our police department has added a multimillion-dollar training facility, SWAT facility and a Crimes Against Families facility renovation.

Over the past three and a half years, the mayor and the Council voted unanimously to hire three key individuals. As a councilmember, I played a role in the hiring of our number-crunching city manager, Marsha Reed; a tough and experienced city prosecutor, Kelly Schwa; and a skilled and meticulous city clerk, Dana DeLong.

A mayor and Council working together with a willingness to professionally settle their differences is good for Chandler. It shows collaboration. It shows stability.

Competition was tough for the candidates vying for the empty City Council seat held by Nora Ellen.

The Council last month reviewed 36 candidates’ applications for the seat Ellen had held before resigning to seek the state House seat in District 17. The Council narrowed the list of candidates to nine people, who were interviewed in a special meeting June 25.

The 27 candidates who did not make the final cut to be interviewed have extensive professional and volunteer experience.

Here is a look at them: Timothy Beach is the senior director of game entertainment and special events for the Arizona Cardinals. He also isa Junior Achievement instructor and PTO volunteer at Basha Elementary School.

Sarah Hernandez Byrne is an English teacher at Highland Junior High School in Mesa and served on the board for The Collective Phoenix, an organization for Teach for America Phoenix alumni who identify themselves as people of color.

Kent Connole owns Cactus Business Development, is a member of the Friends of the Chandler Public Library, and volunteers at the Tumbleweed Recreation Center.

Valerie Dirks works for the marketing team at American Airlines. She also started a charity in 2003 to help families.

Christopher Doan owns Truly Massage and has been involved with youth football teams and the Arizona Cardinals’ Fuel Up to Play 60 nutrition and physical activity program.

Trevor Eric Godrey is owner/operator of Godfrey Media Group. He belongs to the Exchange Club of Chandler and provides digital and member relations for the Chandler Chamber.

Angela Green is branch manager for The Money Store in Chandler and has volunteered in school districts and helped veterans and other people get into homes.

John Harman is a retired store manager for six years, a Realtor for 10 years, a loan officer for two years and an electronic warfare technician for the U.S. Navy for six years.

Robert Hickman is vice president of customer service and logistics for Revlon and Elizabeth Arden. He is a past member of the Maricopa County Volunteer Center and the Arizona Black Board of Directors Project.

Douglas Hopkins is a managing partner and owner of GBI & Associates and previously spent 28 years as a special agent for the FBI. He is a member of the Phoenix U.S. Magistrate Selection Committee.

Lisa Kiser is the owner and an attorney of Kiser Law and is a former deputy county attorney. She is a volunteer/foster with Lost Our Home Pet Foundation, a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and Feed My Starving Children.

Ajlan F. Kurdoglu is owner/president of Home Mart Interiors and previously was a purchasing manager for Designers Supply in Phoenix.

Anthony Leathers is a social studies teacher at Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee, as well as a freshman wrestling and softball coach. He was a mentor with the Arizona Assurance Scholarship Program in Tempe from 2010-11.

Ann Marie McArthur is the CEO of About Care, a nonprofit organization and she was executive director of The Mental Health Association of Arizona.

She volunteers for St. Vincent de Paul and chairs Chandler’s Mayor’s Committee for the Aging.

Henry Miner is managing partner of A World of Photos, and previously he spent 22 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. Miner spent 19 years as a general manager for a regional management training store for Macaroni Grill.

Debbie Oliver is a licensed loan officer assistant at Guild Mortgage.

She is a graduate of Chandler Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy and volunteers with The Salvation Army and other organizations.

Michael Olotu is the senior lead/ teaching pastor for training and development at RCCG Cornerstone Worship Center in Chandler.

Larry Peters is managing broker/ commercial real estate director for ProSmart Realty and co-owner in a dental office. He volunteers with a state refugee committee and with the Refugee Medical Assistance Program.

Ginger Rowley is a Realtor with Amazing AZ Homes and is a certified flight instructor. She volunteers for many aviation-related activities and supports local schools’ STEM fairs.

Fred C. Santesteban was the principal for Directed Synergy Solutions from 2010 to 2011 and served as a program manager for the Probation, Detention, Budget and Operations Unit with the Arizona Supreme Court from 2000 to 2010, when he retired.

Kyle Sawyer is an intergovernmental relations specialist/legislative liaison for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

Todd Smeltzer has been a professional children’s performer for 32 years and is self-employed as BoBo the Magic Clown, as well as Santa Arizona or Santa Claus Arizona.

Kara Gibson Schrader is a longtime paralegal and she became an activeduty soldier and paralegal in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, serving the United States from 1998 to 2002.

Nicholas Vasquez is an emergency physician with Envision Healthcare. He serves on the Board of Vitalyst Health Foundation and completed Valley Leadership in 2012.

Jennifer Mammano Ward is the Arizona president of the Employers Council, formerly Mountain State Employers Council and previously was a staff attorney.

Adam Weingart is a member/manager of Stonebirch Capital and previously was a law clerk for The Weingart Firm.

Timothy Wiant is a senior digital design engineer with Dialog Semiconductor and a Realtor for HomeSmart in Chandler.

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City to support life-saving programs for residents

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

The city of Chandler is spending more than $1 million to help programs that can save lives and offer support to the most vulnerable residents.

The City Council last month approved nearly $1.2 million for 47 human services programs assisting Chandler residents.

The majority of the programs have been receiving financial support from the city for a while, but some will receive the aid for the first time, said Leah Powell, Neighborhood Resources director for the City of Chandler.

“Some of them are very far-reaching,” Powell said. “Some of these programs make a difference of life or death when you look at basic needs like food and shelter. It helps to extend the lifespan of someone to get housing.”

The programs help homeless people and those who recently lived without Special to SanTan Sun News a permanent home, as well as residents One of the many programs the City Council helps is Operation Back to School Chandler, which struggling to buy food and household items, senior citizens who need support gets school supplies such as backpacks into the hands of children whose parents can’t afford them. to remain in their homes, athletes with disabilities and many other residents. who recently have become homeless Chandler has reserved $110,000 out of services.

Powell said the money will pay for to help them get housing as quickly as the almost $1.2 million to support private two Community Bridges staff members possible. nonprofit organization Community to work with homeless people or those That work may involve helping the Bridges’s homeless and justice navigation

TEACHERS

general’s office and define where the board can go,” from page 1 she said.

Conley, who heads He said, “I don’t want to see punitive the state’s largest school action against our teachers. I’m on the system, told the SanTan side of the teachers. Our teachers are the Sun News that teachers biggest difference makers in the state, in did nothing wrong, stating, addition to the parents of these children.

“They were exercising their “What I want to do is move forward. rights as citizens to stand I want to get additional dollars into up for something they our teachers’ paychecks and return our believe in, in a peaceful teachers to what they do best – to the (Kimberly Carrillo Staff Photographer) manner.’’

Teachers in April rallied after class at Kyrene’s district headquarters front of the classroom teaching our Added Vesely: in Tempe, which apparently riled Superintendent of Public Schools children,” the governor added.

“Kyrene teachers were Diane Douglas and other Education Board members.

Ducey’s remarks took board member not in violation of any and Gilbert Town Councilman Jared state statute for their Red for Ed is the name of the Taylor by surprise when he was asked by participation in these rallies because movement that provoked thousands of the SanTan Sun News that afternoon if our schools closed during this time. All teachers across the state to walk out of he thought the governor’s remarks would teachers and support staff made up all the classroom and shut down schools affect his colleagues’ intentions. Taylor contract days through an extension of our for six days. It ended after the State paused, then replied, “I guess so.” district work calendar.”

Legislature approved the plan that Ducey The next day, board President Lucas And she said, “We need to praise proposed as the walkout loomed to give Narducci issued a written statement teachers, hold them to high standards teachers a 10 percent raise in the next taking the item off the agenda, saying “I and pay them the salaries they deserve, school year and 5 percent raises in the believe it is premature at this time, as the not punish them because they refuse to following two school years. board does not have enough information treat education as a commodity and they When another board asked Narducci or legal advice to have a constructive recognize that the crisis of schooling is what he was referring to, he replied, “I discussion.” about the crises of democracy, economic really don’t know – for the way they Williams also said the item was placed equality and justice.” continue….Everything that ran, from the on the agenda at the request of state Higley teacher Joe Bisaccia, who effect on our schools, the effect on our Public Schools Superintendent Diane is running for a state house seat in parents, the effect on our teachers.”

Douglas, who during the six-day walkout Legislative District 12, which covers most He said that “in light of a few things in April had threatened teachers with of Gilbert and part of Chandler, said “I we’ve seen this past month in our state,” possible disciplinary vacation if they did think it is totally crazy.” he wanted to know “the authority and not return to class.

He noted Douglas “definitely made this scope of action that the board may But Narducci never mentioned Douglas veiled threat about coming after teachers consider in light of the past and ongoing when he moved at the board’s meeting in that walked out” and said, “I don’t know conduct of Red for Ed ... If we can’t do May to put the discussion on the agenda. what she is trying to accomplish here. anything, that’s fine. If we can, let’s see Moreover, Williams had assured the There are over 2,000 vacant teacher board her staffers knew well enough what what we can do now and for the future.” positions in Arizona. Perhaps she should When another board member asked the board wanted to discuss for them to focus on that rather than on teachers him what specifically he would put reach out to the state attorney general walking out to secure more funding for under the Red for Ed category, that’s for his input before the June meeting. their students and their classrooms.” when Williams cut Narducci short and During the May meeting, Narducci, a No incidents of violence were ever ended the discussion by saying her staff Phoenix attorney, told the board that reported in connection with the walkouts had enough information to know what due diligence required that “we have and many teachers spent their time something to review,” citing “the past and Narducci was talking about. out of the classroom volunteering at “We can work with the attorney ongoing conduct of Red for Ed.” programs hastily set up to feed kids who

person or family get birth certificates or other identification to find housing and connecting them with health services.

They also will work with homeless people who are repeat offenders to try to ensure that they do not end up in court and get them “back where they need to be in life,” Powell said.

Chandler for the first time also will support Midwest Food Bank, which is in Gilbert but offers food boxes to people in need around the Phoenix area.

The $10,000 from the city will assist people in Chandler. Midwest Food Bank is unusual because it provides not only food, but also paper towels and other household items to people in need, Powell said.

A program that is not new but has a new applicant for Chandler funding this year is Operation Back to School Chandler, an outreach effort supported by about 50 partner organizations.

The city will provide $10,000 to Chandler Men of Action to support Operation Back to School Chandler, an annual event where students in the city are given backpacks with socks, uniforms, underwear and school supplies.

Chandler Men of Action aims to offer hope and opportunities to AfricanSee

GRANTS on page 9

rely heavily on school meals or at others created to take care of kids while their parents were at work.

Ironically, the education board’s decision to even discuss discipline was made after every East Valley school board voted to give their teachers 10 percent raises, with some teachers on the low end of the pay scale likely to get a far bigger bump in their paychecks.

Some people have been critical of Red for Ed, however, because it has taken on overtones of a political movement.

In particular, the Invest in Ed has drawn the ire of chambers of commerce and other organizations, which say its proposal for an income tax surcharge on Arizonans earning at least $250,000 annually will hurt small businesses because of the way the state taxes business earnings.

Teachers are trying to get the surcharge on the November ballot for a referendum but have until early next month to collect thousands of signatures to qualify. At a press conference several weeks ago, leaders declined to discuss their progress in collecting those signatures.

Organizers of Invest for Ed say it would raise more than $600 million in new money for public schools, although chambers and other critics say it would drive wealthy Arizonans out of the state and crush businesses.

Conley said she also is not concerned that Josh Buckley, president of the Mesa Education Association, is a leader of that referendum drive.

Vesely noted that district staffers – including some superintendents themselves – as well as parents, students and community members joined the teachers in demonstrations.

“Every day, both experienced veterans and those early in their careers decide to leave the classroom in favor of less-stressful jobs that provide better See

TEACHERS on page 14

COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

GRANTS

from page 8

American youths. More than 3,000 students receive full backpacks at each Operation Back to School Chandler event, Powell said.

“It is a great partnership,” she said.

“This will help provide some of the funding for supplies. The Chandler Men of Action was a partner, but no one applied for funding to grow it” previously, Powell added.

Another new source of funding Chandler will offer is $20,000 to Mesa United Way to support the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

While Chandler has had a VITA program for many years, the city decided it would be more efficient for a nonprofit organization to operate it, Powell said.

Mesa United Way has “run one of the best VITA programs out there,” she said.

Chandler will provide money to Mesa United Way to run the VITA services in Chandler locations. The partnership with Mesa United Way will allow the VITA offerings to expand the number of locations and number of volunteers who offer the free tax-filing to low and moderate-income families, Powell said.

Mesa United Way is happy about Chandler’s contribution.

“We at Mesa United Way are very excited about this new opportunity to grow the VITA program in the East Valley,” said Don Jensen, director, financial stability with Mesa United Way. “MUW took over the management of the Mesa VITA program in 2009 and have grown it from approximately 1,000

returns to over 6,000 this past year. This is an important next step in furthering this coordination of the two major VITA programs so that we can better serve all residents of the East Valley.”

He noted, “We have been cooperating with the Chandler VITA program for several years, and have provided training for the new Chandler VITA volunteers this past year.”

The VITA program offers free tax preparation to many individuals and families who cannot afford a paid preparer, Jensen said.

“The VITA program provides a safe, reliable way for these people to stay compliant with the IRS and, very importantly, to get the refunds that they deserve,” he said. “So this important program brings funds directly into the community to the people who need it the most.”

The city also wiill for the first time offer $5,000 to the NotMYKid Suicide Prevention Program called Suicide Safer Chandler. NotMYKid is a local nonprofit organization that aims to help youths gain confidence and knowledge to make positive life choices. The $5,000 will support a suicide prevention education initiative for students, parents and schools’ faculty.

The city will continue providing money to many other organizations including ICAN, which is a free youth center in the East Valley that provides programs for youths, families and the community; as well as American Service Animal Society, Desert Sounds Performing Arts and the East Valley Jewish Community Center.

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funded, Powell said. Chandler’s Housing and Human Services Commission, an 11-member group appointed by Mayor Jay Tibshraeny and the City Council, reviewed the applications.

Other experts in police, fire and other topics also studied the applications. The experts and commission recommended to the City Council which programs they thought the city should provide money to aid.

“They really take a look at the impact on the community,” Powell said.

“When you have so many different agencies applying for funding; you get everything from a true grass roots allvolunteer (organization) to professional organizations with grant writers on staff.

We always wish we could give more. It is such a tough decision.”

The cash for the programs comes from various sources, including the city’s general revenue, as well as a sales tax increase in 1994 and donations residents can choose to make when they pay their water bills.

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10

COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Around Chandler Your turn to vote on the Best of Chandler

Voting has begun for the East Valley Tribune’s annual Best of Chandler designations.

Voting will continue through the end of July and the results will be published next month.

Go to eastvalleytribune.com for details and to vote.

City needs volunteers for annual school supply drive

Organizers of Chandler’s largest school supply drive are looking for volunteers to help set up and work at this year’s Operation Back to School Chandler distribution event. Hundreds of children go back to school each year without school supplies. Chandler’s annual drive provides disadvantaged students with backpacks, school supplies, shoes, socks, underwear and uniforms.

Volunteers are needed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20, when setting up for the next day’s event, and then from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 21. Visit backtoschoolchandler. org to sign up.

Individuals, organizations or businesses interested in helping sponsor the drive can find more information at backtoschoolchandler.org, or by calling 480-782-2214. For those unable to shop for supplies, cash donations can be made online.

Operation Back to School Chandler is sponsored by the City of Chandler, Chandler Compadres, Salt River Project, Chandler Service Club, Chandler Firefighter Charities, Cox Communications, Crossroads Nazarene Church, Detherage Foundation, East Valley JCC, Barro’s Pizza, First Things First, Trinity Christian Fellowship and Southwest Gas. Participating organizations include AZCEND, ICAN, Crossroads Nazarene Church, Chandler LDS Church, Goodwill, Chandler Rotary, Intel, Garmin, City of Chandler Employees, Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank, Shear Outreach, Gearup Promotions, Fans Across America, Hilton Hotels, IES Communications, Bethel Church, Toyota Financial, Pride Group, Boys & Girls Club, St. Vincent de Paul, Islamic Center of the East Valley, Salvation Army, East Valley JCC and

Jennifer Pawlik, candidate for Legislative District 17.

Two major land deals completed in Chandler

Two major land purchases have been announced in south Chandler.

Commercial Properties, Inc./CORFAC International, Arizona’s largest locally owned commercial real estate brokerage, announced the sale of 18.5 acres on two parcels of land on Ocotillo Road, just east of Arizona Avenue and south of Chandler Municipal Airport to the Chandler Unified School District for $3.2 million for construction of a school bus depot.

Bob Deininger, senior vice president at CPI, said, “The property had site restrictions on it due to being within the flight path of the Chandler Municipal Airport. However, when we were approached by the Chandler Unified School District to develop a school bus depot on the site, we knew this was a great opportunity.”

Meanwhile, a nine-acre agricultural property located west of the northwest corner of Dobson and Frye roads was recently purchased for $4.4 million by Houston-based Kaplan Companies for construction of a 340-unit multifamily complex called The District at Chandler.

Dignity Health volunteers launch backpack drive

Teen volunteers at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center have launched a backpack drive for the homeless.

The Giving Back Pack drive seeks to collect donations of basic personal care and heat-survival items that will be distributed to the homeless. They hope to fill 500 backpacks with toothbrushes, toothpaste, travel-size sunscreen and shampoo, deodorant, water, hand sanitizer, lip balm, socks, ballcaps, baby wipes, granola bars that won’t melt and notes of encouragement. Donation bins are located at each hospital’s main entrance. The drive runs through July 18.

FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with numerous locations in Arizona, is providing free food, drinks, fitness and family-fun activities to the public on two Saturdays this month in Chandler.

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The bank also is hosting weekly saving tip contests every Friday on its Facebook and Instagram pages where participants who share cost cutting tricks, could win multiple items from free groceries to airline vouchers.

“Saving is in Style Saturdays” will be 10 a.m.-noon July 14 at 2020 Alma School Rd. in Chandler, featuring frozen desserts from Creative Ice Cream, an adult yoga class by Vibetality and kid-friendly activities/telescope stargazing by Dr. Sky. On July 28 at the same location, there will be free Costa Rican gourmet coffee drinks and teas by Pura Vida Grinds and a return of Dr. Sky.

Big Two Toyota in Chandler wins big award

Big Two Toyota of Chandler was recently presented with the President’s Award from Toyota Motor North America. The award is presented annually to Toyota dealerships that exhibit an exceptional work ethic.

The President’s Award honors dealerships “that achieve high standards of performance in all facets of the automotive dealer profession including vehicle and parts sales, service and customer satisfaction,” Toyota said.

Chandler student picked for leadership program

Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks has selected Eunji Jeong, 15, of Chandler, as one of 67 students worldwide in this year’s leadership program, July 8-13 in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Four Star Leadership with General Tommy Franks is a free summer leadership program that provides students with in-class instruction and mentoring opportunities with national and international leaders.

Eunji, a junior at BASIS Ahwatukee, was chosen for “her demonstrated leadership abilities and outstanding character. Among her many activities and accomplishments,” according to a release.

She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Phoenix Music Techers Association.

She will travel on various excursions across Oklahoma where she will meet and engage with national and international leaders, including politicians, dignitaries and star athletes.

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She also will also have the opportunity to earn a portion of more than $30,000 in scholarships as well as gain internships and receive letters of recommendation.

Special events sponsorship support offered by city The City of Chandler’s Special Events Sponsorship Program is now accepting applications will soon be accepting applications from nonprofit organizations that would like funding support for hosting special events in the community.

Each year since 2002, the City Council has approved $30,000 in funding to be allocated to organizations that present quality special events in Chandler.

Funding will be awarded to qualifying events that enhance the community through such areas as cultural and educational enrichment, diversity and heritage, community pride and economic vitality.

Applications open July 10 and can be completed online at chandleraz.gov/ special-events. All applications must be returned to the City’s special event coordinator by 5 p.m. Aug. 23.

A panel of six citizens who currently serve on City-appointed boards and commissions will review the applications.

The panel recommendations will then be submitted to the Chandler Cultural Foundation for approval. Awards will be announced at the end of September.

Last year, nine organizations received funding for events that included the Ostrich Festival 5K Fun Run, Arizona Railway Day, Downtown Chandler Family Flix, Black History Month celebration, and others. Information: 480-782-2665.

Arizona Chamber honors Rep. Jeff Weninger

State Rep. Jeff Weninger of Chandler was named Representative of the Year by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry for “being a champion of the business community, particularly for his legislative focus on technology and innovative entrepreneurship.”

“During the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Weninger introduced and worked to pass bills to make Arizona a national leader in blockchain technology and to encourage the development of See

AROUND on page 12

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12

COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Around Chandler

AROUND

from page 10

emerging technologies like digital wealth management, payment processors, and cryptocurrency,” the Chamber said.

Chandler Unified slates budget adoption for July 11 The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. July 11 to adopt its budget for 2018-2019. The hearing is at the district office, 1525 W. Frye Road.

In addition, the District is posting a Truth in Taxation Hearing for the same time. This hearing authorizes the tax rate

COUNCIL

from page 3

Ortiz-Parsons, an educator in the Chandler Unified School District for 30 years, was also an adjunct teacher at Chandler-Gilbert Community College from 2011 to 2016. Ortiz-Parsons served as a Chandler Planning and Zoning Commission member from 1994 to 2000 and was a member of the National Association State Board of Education, from 2010 to 2015.

She also worked as the Chandler Ostrich Festival events coordinator from 1980 to 2000.

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Chandler Unified School District boundaries span 80 square miles and includes 30 elementary schools, six junior high schools, six comprehensive high schools and four alternative schools.

The district’s student population is approximately 45,620.

Information: Chief Financial Officer, Lana Berry, at 480-812-7660.

Ocotillo Village Health has back-pain program The Ocotillo Village Health Club & Spa, 4200 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, is running a low back pain prevention program July 30-Sept. 19. The series

Ortiz-Parsons has extensive political experience including serving as field director in northern Arizona in the (Paul) “Babeu for Congress” and state coordinator for “Carson for America” in 2016.

“I think we need female representation to enhance our Council at this time,” she said.

Pickett is a cloud automation engineer at Intel Corporation, and she moved to Chandler in 2005 and has been involved in many civic activities. he is the chairwoman of Chandler’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee and was part of the city’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee (General Plan Update). Previously, she volunteered as a Big Sister for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona for

will be held Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. for eight weeks, and each session will emphasize stretching the glutes, hamstrings and calves, while simultaneously strengthening the abs, glutes and hamstrings.

The entire eight-week program is $400 total or $25 per session and is available to both members and non-members.

Information: Ric Moreno at rmoreno@ dmbclubs.com.

The Ocotillo Village Health Club & Spa also offers over 140 group fitness and yoga classes a week with the Valley’s best instructors, personal training and small group training.

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six years.

“I believe in giving back,” Pickett said when asked why she wanted to be on the Council. “It’s something I’ve always thought to do; it’s in my DNA. I stay abreast of the issues. I make sure I’m a voice for people who don’t feel comfortable. My role in technology requires I’m in a constant state of learning.”

Repar said as a retiree he would do a good job of helping senior citizens.

“I have an open mind,” he said when asked what strengths he would bring to the Council. “I’m not afraid to ask questions. I’ve been told that I’m very insightful. I’m creative. I’ve got a lot of

experience behind me. I’ve spent time with the Council, with the Chamber.”

Vice Mayor Lopez said the decision on whom to pick for the seat was “very hard,” but for him one of the reasons McClymonds was ultimately the winner was “his long-term commitment and involvement with Chandler.”

“He’s had a passion for Chandler a long time,” Lopez said. “He’s a very wellrounded character, businessman and philanthropist, helps nonprofits; helps the kids, all-around great guy. I look forward to working with him. I’ve worked with him on many other ventures for the last four years through Compadres and through the Chamber.”

The American Red Cross has scheduled two blood drives in Chandler to bring back the A, B and O blood types.

During the summer, especially around holidays like Independence Day, donations often don’t keep pace with patient needs. The Red Cross is thanking all those who come to donate with an exclusive Red Cross Missing Types T-shirt, while supplies last.

Make an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org or 1-800-733-2767.

The drives will be 9 a.m.-2 p.m. July 9 at the Chandler Gilbert Family YMCA, 1655 W Frye Road and 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 10 at Earnhardt Ford, 7300 W. Orchid Lane.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

from page 1

just south of the Intel complex.

While there have been similar drills at borrowed facilities, this is the first time all sworn Chandler personnel can be trained on this scale, he said.

The training will simulate major incidents that every city try to avoid, such as campus shootings.

“At any point, any one of us could be a first responder. We need to be in synch with fire,’’ Duggan said.

The cost of poor training is astronomically high: an avoidable death of an officer or a firefighter or an ill-advised shooting that exposes the city to a lawsuit.

“Our job is changing at an exponential rate, from new crimes to community expectations to technology,’’ he said. “The need for quality training has never been more important than it is today.’

“This training center will allow us to host world-class training that will bring 21st-century training to the Valley,’’ he said. “We have been elevated to a whole different level. Now everything is brought

Photos by Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Chandler’s new Public Safety Training Center will open later this month.

aged to work through a less-than-ideal arrangement to get training.

Police originally had another cityowned piece of property earmarked for their own training center, but they realized about four years ago that a shared

January.

The only shortcoming that will still remain is the lack of a driving safety course, which is included in Gilbert’s planned police and fire training facility. That facility is still on the drawing board since

While Chandler’s fire department conducts an academy for recruits at the training facility, police will continue to send recruits to the Phoenix Police Regional Academy near South Mountain, Duggan said.

Chandler police will limit themselves, at least initially, to only in-service training at the new facility, following requirements set by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board.

“It goes on perpetually throughout your career. Every officer goes through training all year,’’ Duggan said.

Dwiggins said there are numerous real-world examples of how cross-training improves police and fire service.

“You have police recruits coming out of the academy who often times are first on the scene of an active fire,’’ he said, so it’s good for young police officers to learn how to respond to such a situation.

Another example would be a police officer who is first on the drowning scene and needs to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation until fire units arrive. The same goes for firefighters who are first on scene at police situation.

“Our radios are inter-operational now.

This training center will allow us to host world “ class training that will bring 21st century training to the Valley, We have been elevated to a whole different level. Now everything is brought together to a central location. This is a game-changer.

’’

– Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan

facility with the Fire Department would be better, both financially and operationally, Duggan said.

The facility cost $26.3 million, with $7.8 million in improvements targeted for fire and $18.5 million for police.

Phase I, the majority of the facility, is scheduled to open on July 17. Phase II mainly involves construction of a new firing range starting in October. The entire facility is scheduled for completion in

the town plans to ask voters this fall to approve a bond issue for its construction.

Police have 10 lanes to practice firing at targets 25 yards away at police headquarters. The new range will duplicate that and add four for firing at targets 50 yards away. The expansion allows for training in more scenarios, Duggan said.

“There is no greater charge or responsibility than taking someone’s life,’’ he said.

The new training center includes a room built for the shooting simulator, which may be replaced with a new, more technologically advanced model.

Police also envision construction sometime in the future of a stand-alone crime lab that would perform more tests than the crime lab in police headquarters.

“The doors would have never been closed if the teachers didn’t vote to walk out,’’ Douglas responded.

Livingston, who is a teacher, said while she didn’t support the walkout, she does not believe those who did stay away from class should be disciplined.

And Jonathan Gelbart said while he, too, did not support the walkout, he said there’s “no realistic way’’ to discipline those who stayed away from their classrooms, some for more than the week that some schools remained closed.

Douglas conceded the practical problems of trying to discipline teachers who did not go to work.

It starts with how to separate out those teachers who purposely stayed away to strike versus those who may not have wanted to strike but simply found their schools closed. But Douglas said there was a way – if only teachers would have followed her advice.

“I very, very loudly and clearly for a week before that strike told any teacher who disagreed with this and didn’t want to walk out that they should very clearly, in their personnel file, make sure their their district is aware of their thoughts and their intent to come to school and work,’’ she said. Still, Douglas has no idea how many actually followed her advice.

There’s an even more basic issue: Should the state consider suspending or revoking the teaching certificates of those who went on strike given that Arizona already has a shortage of certified teachers.

“I don’t know,’’ Douglas responded.

“That’s a very theoretical question.’’

But the superintendent told Capitol Media Services she remains convinced that some sort of sanction is necessary, at least to set a precedent.

“Do we let our teachers just walk out on children any time they feel like it at the behest of any political operative who

Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan said the new training center will bring “21st-century training” to his officers. It will also provide Chandler firefighters with state-of-the-art training.

together to a central location. This is a game-changer.’’

While the Fire Department has been training at 3500 S. Dobson Road since 1998, the Police Department has had no dedicated training center.

A shooting simulator is located in a separate building, while the firing range is in the basement of police headquarters.

The lack of a central location has been an inconvenience, but police have man-

TEACHERS

from page 8

compensation – jobs that allow them more time for their families and a way to make ends meet without worry or the need to find a second job,” she said.

“Teachers across America are beginning to rise up and made their voices heard, asking policy makers to honor the important work of educating our next generation by increasing funding for our schools,” Vesely added. “This is not a minor struggle because no democracy can survive without informed citizens.”

The issue does have political overtones.

In fact, it came up Wednesday during a televised debate among the five Republicans who hope to be state schools chief for the next four years.

“They didn’t strike,’’ said Tracy Livingston. “The doors were closed.’’

We can switch to their channel,’’ Dwiggins said. “In many of these scenes, there is an element of unpredictability.’’

Dwiggins said the enhanced training center played a significant role in Chandler Fire and Medical recently receiving the prestigious level one rating from ISO, The Insurance Services Organization.

Chandler’s rating improved from Level 3 to Level 1, which should translate into lower insurance rates for property owners within the city. About 305 fire departments out 46,000 nationally have received the top rating, which Dwiggins considers an important achievement.

ISO performs an audit of fire departments, examining all aspects of their operation, including training, he said. comes along and pulls their strings?’’

Douglas said. And Douglas said it would be wrong to see the issue of teacher discipline in this case as something special or unusual.

“We routinely censure teachers who walk out on their contracts,’’ she said. “I guess the rhetorical question is, if you do something wrong that you normally get disciplined for, if you do it with enough people, do we then just say it doesn’t matter anymore?’’

As much as Thomas sees the push by Douglas for discipline as political, she has her own take on the issue, calling the walkout “a political stunt.’’

But Thomas said that’s telling only half the story, noting that lawmakers had yet to consider the matter by the time teachers and other staff showed up in front of the Capitol.

-Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services contributed to this report.

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

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COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Sheriff won’t enforce ‘stupid motorist’ law in monsoon rescues

BY RACHEL BETH BANKS Cronkite News

When monsoon season officially began last Friday, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said it would not enforce a law that permits some motorists to be billed for the cost of their rescue from flash floods because authorities worry people who can’t afford the fine won’t call for help.

Under the so-called stupid-motorist law, motorists who drive around a barricade or warning sign into a flooded area, putting themselves and rescuers in danger, can be required to reimburse law enforcement and fire agencies up to $2,000 for rescue costs.

The law, passed in 1995, has sparked rumors about how much it costs to get rescued and how often people have to pay.

“We don’t charge people under the stupid-motorist law,” Deputy Kevin Kraayenbrink said. “This is part of your tax dollars. We’re here. It’s free.”

Deputies respond to 12 to 24 water rescues every year, sheriff’s spokeswoman Donna Rossi said. It’s not clear whether other local agencies enforce the law.

Phoenix and Scottsdale police did not return calls, and a Mesa police spokeswoman directed questions to the MCSO. Jesse Rutherford, spokesman for a volunteer rescue group that helps the

Special to the San Tan Sun News

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says it has no intention to finanically penalize stupid motorists who drive into flooded areas during monsoon storms.

sheriff’s office with flash floods and other emergencies, said group members often encounter people worried about the cost of their rescue.

“A lot of people that we come in contact with sometimes delay their own rescue by not calling 911 because they think they’re going to get charged,” said Rutherford, of the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association.

“We’re usually not in favor of legislation of fining or charging people for their predicament,” he said. “One of the examples we have is when you call 911 at

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your house – say there’s a grease fire and you threw water on the grease fire – well, most people know that’s a bad idea, but not everyone does. So, does that mean the fire department is going to charge you?”

The law, passed by lawmakers frustrated that drivers were ignoring posted warning signs, leading to costly rescues and risking the lives of the publicsafety workers. But it was rarely invoked until a 2005 case made headlines and became the talk of online chat rooms.

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Creek Municipal Court after he drove his Hummer around barriers and into a flooded road in his Cave Creek neighborhood. The rescue cost an estimated $800 and 55 minutes of MCSO deputies’ time, according to news accounts.

“After that, people refused to call for help because they thought everybody that does something that’s not smart gets arrested. They don’t,” Kraayenbrink said.

“I don’t know how many times we pull up and people are like, ‘I can’t afford this rescue.’”

Michael Saks, professor of law and psychology at Arizona State University, said laws often become outdated, sometimes because they’re niche, like the stupid-motorist law, or don’t evolve as society does.

“I’m sure the law makes sense at the time to the people who vote for them and then, with the passage of time, they either become less sensible or they come to be recognized as less sensible,” he said.

The stupid motorist law “sounds like it’s creating a bigger problem than the one that it is solving, which the law does sometimes.”

It doesn’t matter whether the law remains on the books or is repealed, Saks said. The rumor about the prohibitive cost of stupid-motorist fees now has more power than the fact the law usually isn’t enforced.

It’s now as much a part of Arizona as the monsoon season.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Chandler police seek ID on man’s body found in 2002 SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Special to the San Tan Sun News

Maricopa County health offi cials say that even if you feel sorry for an apparently wounded bat, don’t try to touch it because there’s a good chance it could be rabid.

Rabid bats raise alarm from Maricopa County officials SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

County health officials are reminding Ahwatukee and other residents to keep their distance from bats after two rabid critters were found – one in a Costco parking lot in North Phoenix.

The other was found in Glendale and two people are receiving rabies shots because they touched it.

“Never, never, never touch bats is a good rule of thumb to follow,” said Craig Levy, epizoologist for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. “Any bat on the ground is more likely to be rabid.”

The recent cases also serve as a reminder about how important it is to keep cats and dogs vaccinated against rabies, officials said.

The two discoveries bring to four the number of rabid creatures reported to health officials in the last six months.

They included another rabid bat in Gilbert and a rabid fox in Apache Lake.

Rabies is a virus that infects the central nervous system, including the spinal cord and brain and is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear.

“Anyone who has had direct contact with a bat or other wild animals – especially foxes, skunks, and bobcats – should seek medical attention right away,” health officials said in a release. “Receiving the appropriate rabies vaccine and treatment after exposure is 100 percent effective in preventing rabies.”

In Arizona, rabies most commonly occurs in bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can contract the disease. Rabid animals may show unusual behavior or appear unstable.

Rabid carnivores such as skunks, foxes, bobcats and coyotes may become aggressive and may attempt to bite people, pets and livestock. Wild animals exhibiting unusual behavior should be reported to

Arizona Game and Fish.

One example of unusual behavior in rabid wild animals is showing no fear of people and pets. Also, nocturnal animals with rabies may be active in daylight. And bats with rabies may be found on the ground or in swimming pools or may have been caught by a pet.

To prevent exposure, health officials said, people should keep themselves and their pets away from wild animals, especially sick or wounded ones, and have no contact with them. If someone has been bitten or scratched, or has had contact with a rabid animal, report it immediately to animal control or health officials.

They also said spaying pets reduces the number of unwanted animals that may not be vaccinated regularly.

Campers are advised not to sleep on the open ground and should stay in a closed tent or camper.

As for bats, don’t disturb roosting ones, which usually appear after nightfall.

“If you find a bat on the ground, don’t touch it. Report the bat and its location to your local animal control officer or health department,” the department said. “If a person or pet has come into contact with the bat, it will need to be tested for rabies.

Place a box over the bat to contain it. Be careful not to damage the bat in any way since it must be intact for rabies testing.”

The state Department of Health Services reports that last year, Maricopa ranked third among all Arizona counties for the number of rabid creatures that were found.

But the 10 cases in Maricopa County were easily dwarfed by the 77 in Pima County and the 39 in Cochise County. In all, 155 rabid critters were found – more than half of them bats, followed by skunks and foxes.

Information: MCRabies.org.

Chandler Police are looking for help in identifying a body found July 22, 2002, in a desert parcel near the 1500 block of East Appleby Road. The adult male was found in the later stages of decomposition just north of a new subdivision. There were no visible signs of trauma and no identification was located in the clothing of the dead man.

“ID technicians from the department’s crime lab pulled fingerprints off the body, but were unable to make a positive identification,” said police spokesman Sgt. Seth Tyler.

“During the autopsy, investigators discovered a bullet in the left shin of the decedent just below the knee, but the examiners determined this wound was old and was not a factor in the

male’s death. Medical examiners were unable to make a positive identification from any practicing methods known at that time and ruled the cause of death as undetermined.”

With the help of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, detectives were able to get an idea of the facial make-up of the decedent through a sketch. Investigators believe the male was of Hispanic origin and was between the ages of 30 and 45 at the time of his death. The body was clothed in light blue jeans, a blue pattern button-down collared shirt, and wearing boxer shorts.

Detectives need to make a positive ID on the body. Anyone with information should call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or Detective Ynclan at 480-782-4445.

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

COMMUNITY NEWS

19

8 years after slaying, Chandler woman’s remains are found

BY JIM WALSH Staff

Eight years after a Chandler woman was reported missing by her father, Chandler police apparently have finally answered an important question for Jaime Laiaddee’s grieving family: What happened to her body?

A painstaking Chandler police investigation culminated in the conviction of Laiaddee’s boyfriend, Rick Valentini, on second-degree murder and fraud charges without the benefit of Laiaddee’s body – a critical source of evidence in any homicide case.

And late last month, a construction crew digging in an undeveloped area near Sun Lakes, at Riggs Road and Arizona Avenue, unearthed deposed remains and contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, according to the authorities.

The Medical Examiner’s Office identified the remains as that of Laiaddee, 32, who was reported missing in May 2010 by her father.

Valentini, 41, then known by his alias, Bryan Stewart, told Sompongse Laiaddee that his daughter had been missing for eight to 10 weeks. Later, Chandler police traced Stewart to Scottsdale, where they arrested him on warrant.

The investigation revealed that Stewart was actually Valentini, that he was driving a car Laiaddee owned and that he had used her credit cards after she had vanished.

Prosecutors argued during the trial

(Special to the Tribune)

The remains of Jaime Laiaddee of Chandler, right, were found in a lot at Riggs Road and Arizona Avenue, left. She has been missing and presumed dead since 2010 and her boyfriend, Rick Valentini, center, was convicted of her killing even though her body had not yet been found.

that Valentini had emotionally and physically abused Laiaddee during the two years they lived together in her Chandler condominium.

Laiaddee had told friends she was afraid of Valentini and reportedly had landed a new job in Denver after losing her lucrative medical supplies sales job during the Great Recession.

After living off Laiaddee, who had also bought him a car, Valentini did not want to lose the standard of living to which he had grown accustomed, prosecutors argued. He had been working as personal trainer at one point but had lost his job, according to published reports.

“The defendant was found guilty of using Jaime Laiaddee’s personal assets/ credit cards after she was murdered, and his deceitful behavior appears to be substantiated by the defendant’s longterm use of a fictitious identity and the nature of recent convictions,’’ according to the pre-sentence report.

The report said Laiaddee was murdered on March 17-18, 2010, and the fraudulent schemes targeted her financial assets March 18-May 27, 2010.

Valentini insisted to the probation officer who wrote the report that he did not kill Laiaddee. His defense attorney argued during the case that the two had merely broken up and that she had moved to Denver.

Valentini’s defense also focused on the lack of DNA evidence and a body.

A Maricopa County Superior Court jury convicted Valentini of seconddegree murder and fraudulent schemes in November 2011. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison on the murder conviction and a consecutive 20 years in prison on the fraud conviction.

After the remains were discovered, Valentini again denied killing Laiaddee.

His appeal is pending before the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Valentini’s case ended up there after

Superior Court Judge Susan Brnovich refused to overturn his conviction in two separate attempts.

L. Burke Files, a private investigator, was asked by friends to look into the case after Laiaddee vanished and before Valentini was arrested.

He said he quickly determined that Valentini and his alias, Stewart, were turning up together in databases.

Files said his friends knew Laiaddee and Valentini through a University of Michigan alumni association group, often watching Michigan football games together. He said Laiaddee graduated from Michigan and Valentini falsely claimed he was an alumnus.

Court records said he attended a few classes at a community college in California and at the University of Utah.

“I felt really uneasy. This is a guy who doesn’t fit with someone like her,’’ Files said. “I didn’t do anything more than be a catalyst to get the parents to call the police – now.’’

Files said his friends always found Valentini “dorky’’ and “over the top,’’ over-reacting to the football games.

He said the circumstances of the case, with Laiaddee going missing for so long, Valentini being convicted without a body and now the sudden discovery of Laiaddee’s remains, would be emotionally taxing for anyone.

“It is truly a bittersweet moment. You know she’s dead and then the body is See

JAIME on page 23

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COMMUNITY NEWS

City of Chandler Insider

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Photos by City of Chandler

Developer Spike Lawrence will break ground this summer on the New Square project to be located on the vacant lot across Arizona Avenue from City Hall, north of Chicago Street.

No finer place than downtown Chandler exists

BY CITY OF CHANDLER Contributor

“You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares. So go Downtown; things’ll be great when you’re Downtown; no finer place for sure. Downtown everything’s waiting for you.” - Petula Clark, singer A group of downtown business owners, workers and residents took Petula Clark’s lyrics to heart recently, putting their cares

aside to enjoy a free breakfast at Santan Brewing Company. The gathering was hosted by the city in appreciation for its patience during months of construction associated with various downtown improvements.

Included with the breakfast was a walking tour of recent downtown enhancements, including a new parking garage opening soon, the extension of Dakota Street south of Buffalo Street, and the reconstruction of Commonwealth Avenue and adjacent canal

stretching between San Marcos Place and Dakota Street.

The extension of Dakota Street between Commonwealth Avenue and Buffalo adds another north-south arterial through the downtown, improving traffic circulation and adding connectivity for the various multifamily projects, including the recently opened Alta San Marcos and future DC Heights apartment project.

Improvements to Commonwealth

Avenue and canal have been completed as well, bringing more walkability to downtown while introducing a historical look at Chandler’s canal system and its importance to the community’s early development.

“The canal is on the National Register of Historic Places,” explained Kim Moyers, Chandler’s downtown redevelopment manager. “Decades ago it was concrete, but See

CHANDLER on page 21

21

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

City of Chandler Insider

COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

CHANDLER

from page 20

over time the concrete broke down and it became a dirt ditch. We brought it back to what its original intent was.”

The canal has been placed back in a concrete channel and striking blue panels have replaced the overgrown oleander bushes bordering the canal along the south side of the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort. Interpretive signage and wall panels provide historical information and images from Chandler’s past.

A new sidewalk alongside the canal stretches from San Marcos Place to Dakota Street, with an image of Dr. A.J. Chandler made from inlaid tiles prominently featured at the sidewalk’s terminus at Dakota Street.

A new 350-stall parking garage has been constructed on the northwest corner of Oregon and Buffalo streets, and the Overstreet development is going gangbusters at Buffalo and Arizona Avenue.

This 77,000 square-foot development will be anchored by Flix Brewhouse cinema, as well as two restaurants; Camp Social and Over Easy. The development also includes 17,000 square feet of office space, with more to follow in a second phase.

“What we’ve seen trending downtown

JAIME

from page 19

found. Then, all of these emotions are brought back to the surface,’’ Files said.

Files said Valentini is a classic con man who leached onto people for their money.

23

is a place to live, work and play,” Moyers said. “We’re seeing an increase in densities through our multi-family developments, which are allowing people to live here. We have a plethora of restaurants, some old ones and some new ones, so it’s a place to be entertained. And we’re seeing office developments come in, like Spike Lawrence’s, that will allow people to work here.”

Developer Lawrence’s project, called New Square, will be built on the vacant lot located across Arizona Avenue from City Hall, north of Chicago Street.

“We need more office space in downtown,” Moyers said. “That is one of the critical pieces to this live-work-play environment. The first phase of the New Square project will build 47,000 square feet of office and about 9,000 square feet of retail space. Right behind that will be a 112-room hotel. The second phase will be another 70,000 to 110,000 square feet of office development.”

Accompanying the New Square project will be the construction by the city of a 930-stall parking garage directly west of the development, on the west side of Oregon Street. It is to be completed by late fall of 2019. The Chandler City Council on June 28 approved a $1.6 million design-build services contract with McCarthy Building

Companies to design the garage and prepare the construction documents. Construction is slated to begin later this summer.

The Arizona Avenue enhancement project from Frye Road to Pecos Road is approximately 50 percent complete and will provide a “new front door” into the downtown and municipal corridor from the Santan Freeway. The $6.4 million project is installing new landscaping, wider sidewalks, raised medians, bike lanes, streetlights, monument signage and a new traffic signal

at Fairview Street. The work is expected to be done later this fall.

“As we build out our downtown, we are beginning to see a push of new development south and we’ve seen a great deal of interest in those properties that are being sold and rehabbed into something different,” Moyers said. “Come next year, we’re going to have another slew of projects that are moving down south. So no longer will people think of our historic square as the downtown; it will be much broader and much wider.”

“It’s a knucklehead crime and knucklehead execution,’’ Files said.

Laiaddee’s parents told authorities after the slaying that their lives had been shattered by their daughter’s murder.

“I get mad all the time without reason,’’ Sompongse Laiaddee wrote to the court in Valentini’s pre-sentence report. “Also, my wife is crying for her

all the time, every time she looks at her picture or hears her name.”

Shortly after the verdict, Vunnee Laiaddee was quoted in a newspaper report as saying, “Jaime’s got her justice [but] we still want to find her body.”

Family members could not be reached for comment.

After the remains were identified,

Penny Pease, a family friend, posted the following on the Help Find Jaime Laiaddee Facebook page: “Our hearts are broken but at least now we can honor Jaime’s glorious memory properly. Rest in peace, sweet girl. You are now and always have been full of goodness and light. We will always love your in our hearts.’’

Commonwealth Avenue and Canal have been reborn, with new pavement, a concrete-lined canal and new sidewalk connecting Commonwealth to Dakota Street, plus interpretive signage and wall panels telling the story of Chandler’s canal system.

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City of Chandler Insider

COMMUNITY NEWS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

City of Chandler

Left: A new 350-stall parking garage will open by the end of the summer. The garage is located directly east of the La Stalla restaurant on west Buffalo Street, east of Arizona Avenue. Right: The vacant land across from City Hall used for parking will make way for the New Square development, but there is plenty of free available parking in the downtown area.

New parking garages being built downtown

BY CITY OF CHANDLER Contributor

News that a new office/retail/ hotel development will be coming to downtown Chandler across from City Hall is exciting, but may require some changes in people’s parking habits.

This is because the vacant lot slated for developer Spike Lawrence’s New Square development has for years been used for overflow parking.

Fortunately, there is plenty of available parking in the downtown area, including

a new 350-stall parking garage opening by the end of the summer.

The garage is located directly west of the La Stalla restaurant on West Buffalo Street, west of Arizona Avenue.

The garage is being constructed as part of the Overstreet project that will include a movie theater, restaurants and offices.

In addition, ground will be broken later this summer on a new 930-stall parking garage to be built behind the New Square development at Chicago and Oregon streets.

With the garages will come new

directional signage planned to assist patrons in finding free parking at the new garages, plus the three garages east of Arizona Avenue.

The existing garages are located at: • Chandler City Hall, enter off Washington Street, between Frye Road and Chicago Street • Ports America, near Washington and Buffalo streets • First Credit Union, near Washington and Boston streets • Overstreet, coming late summer, at Oregon and Buffalo streets

Free parking is available 24 hours a day in the Chandler City Hall garage, except in spots marked as reserved.

The new Overstreet garage will likewise provide free 24-hour parking. Free parking also is available at the Ports America and First Credit Union garages after 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and all day during the weekends.

For more information about downtown parking and other information about upcoming downtown activities, visit chandleraz. gov/downtown.

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26

Business

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Circuit board firm owner helps needy far and wide

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

A Chandler man who gets a charge out of tackling new technology has grown his circuit board company from a small enterprise in his garage to a thriving global operation.

While he has boosted Suntech Circuits, Tudor Melville and his wife, Susie, have amped up their charitable work, helping poor people including prisoners in Mexico and children in Chandler.

Melville is president and CEO of Suntech, a company that distributes raw printed circuit boards that buyers use in electronic freeway signs, home electric meters, streetlights, car headlamps for Tesla and other vehicles.

The business, which also handles prescription-medicine dispensing equipment, amplifiers and other devices that individuals rely on every day, is based on West Chandler Boulevard.

A former Honeywell unit manager who loves driving his Model S Tesla electric vehicle, Melville started Suntech in 1990 with older brother Errol. Tudor worked out of his Chandler garage while Errol worked out of his home in Orange County, California.

Today, Suntech contracts with 15 factories in China and Taiwan to build circuit

Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Tudor Melville, president and CEO of Suntech Circuits, holds one of the raw printed circuit boards his company distributes.

boards, with about 80 percent of the products sold in the United States and about 20 percent in Asia. The company generates about $20 million in annual revenue.

It’s a long way from when Suntech had just two customers. The company now employs 45 people around the United States and in Hong Kong, China, the Philippines and Mexico.

Errol retired in 2007 and Tudor bought his shares of the company and is continuing their technological legacy.

“It was Errol’s vision,” Melville said.

“He’d taken me under his wing at the time. I’ve been in the circuit board business since 1978. I came out of high school and went to work.”

Customers and people in the community have praised Melville’s products and

his outreach to people.

“He is an amazing and truly generous businessman and person, very thoughtful, humble and kindhearted,” former Chandler vice mayor Nora Ellen said. “Suntech has helped the economy (in) Chandler in many ways, with Tudor starting his business in his garage in Chandler and staying here the entire time.

“The Suntech international corporate office is located right here in Chandler and is still hiring more employees,” she added, noting: “Most of Suntech employees live right here in Chandler, and Suntech keeps all activities, such as going to lunch, catering, getting supplies, and such, right here to benefit Chandler.”

Ellen said she met Melville at a fundraiser for Pregnancy Care Centers of Chandler & Gilbert, an organization to which he “generously gives of his time and resources to help pregnant women in crisis.”

“Tudor is definitely a caring and helpful community member in many other ways through his church,” Ellen said. “He is outwardly focused on others’ needs continually. He also does a lot of work with prisoners in Mexico, which has cut down…on recidivism, helping the commuSee

SUNTECH on page 30

Denny Barney takes up East Valley Partnership lead

BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

Maricopa County Supervisor Denny Barney has taken the baton from John Lewis and will head the East Valley Partnership on a part-time basis.

Lewis, the former mayor of Gilbert who has headed the partnership since 2016, resigned to take a mission leadership position with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cambodia.

For Barney, 48, who did not seek the position but was offered it, the move appears seamless.

As county supervisor, Barney oversees Tempe, Chandler, Ahwatukee Foothills, Gilbert, west Mesa and Queen Creek. As president and CEO of the partnership, he will oversee the economics and quality of life improvements in Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Apache Junction.

“So it’s a lot of the things I’m doing already,” said Barney, who, has decided not to run for a seventh county board term and to work full time for the partnership.

Alongside him, former Mesa city manager Mike Hutchinson will serve as full-time executive vice president of the partnership.

Meanwhile, Barney will balance his duties with his role as principal of Arcus Private Capital Solutions, a specialized Realty investment and finance company.

Just now, his hands are full with several new initiatives he’s helping develop for

Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Three generations of East Valley Partnership leadership are represented by these presidents. From left, John Lewis succeeded Roc Arnett and has handed the baton to Denny Barney.

the county, he said, and they have to be completed before he can step down.

In addition to overlapping jurisdictions, Barney has a broad understanding of the area and familiarity with its leaders.

His initiatives at the county include seeking ways to reduce inmate recidivism, improving regulatory processes and customer service and collaboratively addressing regional homelessness.

“My role at the county has given me

a much bigger perspective of some of the regional strengths, and some of the regional challenges,” he said. “I’ve been able to work closely with the mayors and with the members of the business leaders in the community to understand what the weaknesses and the challenges are.

“Because of those relationships and because of the perspective, I think it’ll help me pick up the baton that John Lewis has been carrying and Roc Arnett beforehand. Those are great leaders who understand the needs of our communities, and my goal is to stand on their shoulders and take the experiences and the perspective that I have from the county and go to work,” he added.

The East Valley Partnership was created in 1982 as a nonpartisan coalition of civic, business, education and political leaders dedicated to the economic development and promotion of the East Valley.

The partnership advocates in areas such as economic development, education, transportation and infrastructure, arts and healthcare.

“It’s a collection of both private sector and public sector and leaders in the community that have come together in a shared vision of building and strengthening the East Valley,” said Barney, who deems this combination a core strength of the partnership.

“It’s not just government, it’s not just the private sector, it’s all together and that’s what really makes it strong,” he See

BARNEY on page 28

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

BUSINESS

27

New senior living complex opens in Chandler SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Seniors have a new residential option now that Spectrum Retirement has opened The Enclave at Chandler Senior Living.

Billed as “affordable, amenity-rich living in a scenic, safe and well-cared-for community,” the Enclave, at 4950 W. Chandler Blvd., is a three-story, 165,000-square-foot community with 159 maintenance-free and pet-friendly apartments. That includes 90 independent living units, 45 with assisted living care and 24 memory care residences, ranging in size from studio to two-bedroom apartments.

Spectrum Retirement, a Denver-based developer, has consistently ranked in the top 10 senior living companies for excellence by its residents and their families.

“Spectrum Retirement is one of many developers that recognize the growing demand for senior living in Arizona – Arizona’s Department of Health Services expects the number of Arizonans age 65 and older to increase by 174 percent by 2050,” a spokeswoman said.

Brad Kraus, president and COO of Spectrum Retirement Communities, added, “Today’s senior wants a different kind of living option. The Enclave at Chandler will meet the growing demand in Chandler. Its design, care options, programming, and amenities are specifically tailored to the community.”

The Enclave includes Spectrum’s Residence Club, a step between assisted living and memory care.

“This carefully-designed approach to

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Just opened at 4950 E. Chandler Blvd., it is another part of Spectrum Retirement’s expansion in the East Valley. The 159-unit complex is maintenance free and has residences ranging in size from studio to two bedrooms.

transitional memory care preserves independence for residents with mild cognitive impairments, as they can stay in their assisted living apartments while receiving additional support from a dedicated life enrichment specialist,” a spokeswoman said.

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from page 26

added.

Since its founding, the region has experienced exponential population growth and added thousands of new jobs. Today, East Valley boasts a combined population of 1.3 million in the cities and towns of Apache Junction, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, Tempe and Gila River Indian and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Communities.

Because of its talented and highly educated workforce and favorable quality of life, the area also continues to be a

SUNTECH

from page 26

nity there.”

Tami Waak, president of Scottsdale-based Sun Star Industries, has gotten to know the Melvilles over the years.

Sun Star buys Suntech’s circuit boards and uses them in products it sells to the gaming and railroad industries.

“They’re consistent with quality,” Waak said. “When we need something expedited, they go above and beyond helping us out. Our business is such that we do need a lot of flexibility.”

She said she is impressed with how the Melvilles raise money and make donations for a prison, an orphanage called Esperanza Para Los Niños and a church in Mexico.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s such a blessing,”

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

magnet for new businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in industries such as aerospace and aviation, technology, financial services and healthcare.

“Maricopa County is the fastest growing county in the US. As the county grows, we want to make sure that the East Valley continues to grow appropriately with the growth that happens across the county,” Barney said.

Barney is not an entire stranger to the partnership for another reason: before he was elected to public office, he served on the partnership’s board as well.

Barney’s role – overcoming challenges and forging ahead with new initiatives — is a hallmark of the sixth generation

Arizonan’s family.

He hails from two of Mesa’s four founding families; the Robsons (from his father’s side) and the Pomeroys (from his mother’s side). In the late 1800s, they were among the pioneers that settled the Salt River Valley.

“They went on top of the mesa, where the City of Mesa is now, and found the old Hohokam canals. They knew that if they can get water on these canals, they can farm like the indigenous people,” Barney said, adding: “They hand-dug a ditch three miles up the river to bring water to the old town and that’s how they were able to live and farm on top of the mesa, what’s now the

City of Mesa.”

Barney’s parents moved to Gilbert in the early 1980s when the town had just one stop light. He went to school in Mesa and Gilbert and thereafter attended law school in Arizona State University.

He still resides in Gilbert with his wife, Nichole, and their four children; the eldest of them, a daughter, is married; the eldest son is serving an LDS mission near Santiago, Chile; and the younger boys are in high school.

“I’ve tried to be involved because this is home and it’s a place that I love and I want to help build the community in the same way that my ancestors helped build the community,” Barney said.

Waak said. “It’s really opened a lot of eyes. I don’t know how they do it. They are super-busy. It’s just such an inspiration to all of us. They find the time and they spend their money to do all these wonderful things for charities.”

Bill Scheer, supply chain manager with Biamp Systems, an audio and video equipment manufacturer based in Beaverton, Oregon, also spoke highly of Melville and Suntech.

Biamp buys boards from Suntech so it can make conferencing and paging equipment for use in conference rooms, auditoriums and train stations.

“What is most impressive about them is their approach to satisfying the customer in whatever way is required,” Scheer said. “Failure is not an option to us or to them and they take that seriously.

They will move Heaven and Earth for us.

“They treat everything as an op-

portunity, not as an obstacle. They’re great business people but they’re better people. I’m aware of Tudor’s benevolence and his charity that he does. I think that speaks volumes of who he is. He has a very good heart, deep character. He just has a great team. He empowers and enables people on the team.”

Melville, 62, has taken on leadership roles since his early 20s. He was 5 when he moved with his family from New York City to Tempe in the early 1960s.

Tudor started working at age 16 at a FedMart store in the electronics department and said he has not stopped since then.

“I just like the new technology,” he said. “We’re building some of the latest technology in the world.”

Melville did not go to college, saying he learned on the job at Honeywell, where he started working in 1978. He said

it was “like going to college.”

There, he was a unit manager, responsible for production at the facility, where about 125 people worked.

“That’s how I learned how to manage people,” he said.

In 1982, he left Honeywell when Errol and an uncle, Digby Melville, asked him to run a manufacturing company for them called Circuit Express in Tempe. The company made circuit boards for sound, audio and medical devices.

Later, Melville became president of Circuit Express and Errol stepped down.

Melville said he wanted to get out of manufacturing because he did not want to deal with chemicals that can cause health issues, and he no longer wanted to contend with tough regulations for manufacturing in Arizona.

www.centralaz.edu

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SUNTECH on page 30

BUSINESS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

29

Association honors Chandler Chamber’s ‘How We Stand’ booklet SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The Chandler Chamber of Commerce often bestows awards to companies and individuals in the city, but recently it picked up an honor for itself.

Its 2018 “How We Stand Legislative Agenda” booklet has won a national Award of Excellence from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in the communications excellence awards program.

Chambers are recognized each year for outstanding marketing and communications work through ACCE’s program.

“ACCE submissions are meticulously reviewed by judges/peers from the ACCE community,” the association said. “This

year, the Chandler Chamber was honored to take home an award in the publications category.”

The Chamber board develops and executes an annual strategic plan, adopting public policies based on input in accordance with Chamber members’ concerns and needs.

The information in “How We Stand” was compiled by eight comprehensive roundtable discussions centered on economic development, education, land use, transportation, education and other topics.

The meetings included key Chamber stakeholders, workforce and community members narrowing down the criteria to disclose. Included in the book are local,

regional and federal positions on all categories.

Chamber President/CEO Terri Kimble said, “Our Chamber puts so much time and effort into making sure ‘How We Stand’ is truly reflective of the voice of business in Chandler that we are honored this booklet’s value has been recognized.” “‘How We Stand’s’ guiding principles have developed into a driving force and key reference for many of Chandler’s city and state legislators. The book increased the involvement of the Chamber with its city, state and federal government and impacted bills and propositions throughout the year,” the association said, adding: “The issues in ‘How We Stand’ have shown potential new Chandler businesses

exactly what the Chamber’s advocacy will be in the coming year.”

An electronic version of ‘How We Stand’ can be seen at bit.ly/HowWeStand2018 or copies are available at the Chandler Chamber of Commerce located at 25 S Arizona Place, #201, Chandler, AZ 85225.

The Chamber is dedicated to promoting regional economic growth, advancing business-friendly public policies and supporting our members through outstanding programs, benefits and services.

It represents over 1,400 businesses with more than 170,000 employees and is the third largest Chamber in Arizona.

Information: ChandlerChamber.com, 480-963-4571 or info@chandlerchamber.com.

Bank of America’s Merrill EDGE employees give back SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Many of Bank of America’s Merrill EDGE employees based at a Chandler branch gave back to the community recently.

About 230 volunteers, who work at the Chandler Bank of America campus, 2565 W. Chandler Blvd., helped at several local nonprofit organizations on June 13, Make a Difference Day. They volunteered more than 928 service hours at The Boys

& Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, A New Leaf, Feed My Starving Children, Sunshine Acres, Wildhorse Ranch Rescue, Dress for Success and Midwest Food Bank.

Bank of America’s Merrill EDGE employees also organized a blood drive at the Chandler Bank of America location, where 24 donors contributed blood. That resulted in 22 procedures, with the potential to save 66 lives. The Make a Difference Day Blood drive reached 138 percent of organizers’ goal.

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Bank of America’s Merrill EDGE employees volunteer at Sunshine Acres in Mesa on Make a Difference Day.

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from page 28

That’s when he and Errol started Suntech.

Tudor and Susie also launched their charity work after the birth of Suntech.

The couple began sponsoring two families whose husbands and fathers were in prison in Rocky Point, Mexico.

They were motivated to start assisting those in prison when one of their friends was put in prison for a crime he did not commit, Melville said.

“I believe when you help other people that can’t help themselves,” he said, “I’ve experienced growth in wealth and personal wellness.”

He said he and Susie began their charitable work for the prison because of two families.

Both men were in prison though they were innocent of the crimes they had been accused of, he said. The couple began sending the families money every month.

About five years ago, they began taking toilet paper, shampoo and other supplies to the Rocky Point prison – items the prison was not providing inmates.

The Melvilles also started taking shoes, blankets and phone cards to the prisoners so the inmates could call their families.

The couple talks to prisoners to try to offer them hope.

When they began their support of the prison, it housed about 400 inmates. Now it holds 120, and those who released are behaving well after they get out, Melville

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

said. He said former inmates return and bring shampoo, soap and other supplies to the current inmates.

The Melvilles also donated about 200 bags of concrete to the prison so it could build a basketball court and church. Suntech donated tiles and supplies for the church to be built inside the prison.

“I tell them, ‘You’ve gotta pay it forward,’” Tudor said. “This has really done wonders for our family to be able to support inmates. The (inmates) learned to share, learned to give.”

He said the friend who motivated him and Susie to begin their outreach to the prison was later released and started a church. They also support that congregation and Tudor’s brother Kenny, a salesman at Tempe Honda, donated chairs to the church.

The Melvilles also helped start God’s Grace Foundation, an organization that provides food, clothes and shoes every week to about 150 people in Rocky Point who are struggling financially.

In the Philippines, the couple has been financially helping two children Control byBirth pay for tuition, clothes and school supplies they have needed for high Prenatal school.

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Close to home, Tudor is a board member on the Faith Family Church in Chandler and he and Susie are involved with JumpStart Ministries. The organization provides a Christian service, Bible study, games and snacks every Saturday for 13 weeks in the spring and 13 weeks in the fall to children in low-income areas of Chandler.

The nonprofit also provides Christmas gifts, Easter baskets and school supplies to youths, along with taking them on field trips, according to Joanne Sweeney, CEO and president.

Sweeney praised Tudor and Susie for their philanthropy.

“It’s just amazing to see what they have done and that they are ready to help,” she said. “There’s so many little things they do. I love to see people continuing to give back.”

Sweeney said Tudor’s energy and enthusiasm for helping others is visible when he visits The Philippines and Mexico with her and Susie.

They were tossing candy to children from a wooden bench on wheels people were pushing on railroad tracks and had to get off the tracks every time a train came in the Philippines during one visit.

“He’s (Tudor) throwing candy as we’re going down the railroad track,” Sweeney said. “It was funny. He loves to give that out. He’s very driven and I think that he’s in a position now where he can do some of this stuff and it just amazes me. I can see him as an example to others. He likes to do things for people and he likes the wow effect. We’re very blessed to have them in our community.”

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For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chandler Wolves hoops team growing during summer play

BY ERIC NEWMAN Staff

This was a high school chemistry experiment that did not end with a disastrous explosion.

Chandler High School’s mixing of basketball players to find effective combinations and rotations during summer-league games was a success. That it won a major tournament in the process is good, too.

As rewarding as the Wolves’ recent championship was in the Arizona Summer 64 tournament, including a title-game defensive clamp-down on Brophy, a 6A semifinalist last season, Chandler coach Jonathan Rother said summer basketball is an opportunity to tinker with lineups and develop player rotations.

“It’s nice to win, obviously, but summer’s about getting some chemistry,” said Rother, set to enter his first full season after serving as interim coach. “We’ve been working out and getting shots up every day. And the summer is about finding which kids gel together, and bringing new kids up from JV and seeing how they mesh with the returning varsity players.”

In summer league, Rother gives some players more minutes than he might give them during the regular season. It’s their chance to showcase their skills, the payoff for the work they have put in throughout the offseason.

As summer leagues and tournaments grind on, Rother can place players in pressure situations to see how they respond, in hopes of developing his roster’s mental game as much as its physical conditioning.

He said there is still work to do but the team continues to improve with each game. A long tournament with little rest

Special to the San Tan Sun News

Chandler basketball coach Jonathan Rother coaches his team during the Arizona Summer 64 tournament championship game on June 16 at Cesar Chavez High.

Special to the San Tan Sun News

Chandler sophomore Carson Kelly drives against Brophy during the Arizona Summer 64 tournament championship game on June 16 at Cesar Chavez.

between tough contests, especially when the talent is as deep as the Arizona Summer 64 tournament, is a test. Chandler won six games in three days.

In the June 16 title game at Cesar Chavez, Chandler, after leading by 11 points at halftime, saw Brophy cut the lead to two with 26 seconds left. Chandler then missed a pair of free throws with 15 seconds to go and had to make one last defensive stop to secure the 42-40 victory over a team that beat the Wolves twice last season, both in overtime. Much like the Wolves’ style during 2017-18 that ended in a less-than-ideal 13-16 record, it was a defensive battle.

“The last 10 minutes of the game, you could see that we were fading a little

bit mentally and physically, but that’s a teachable moment because there’s going to be a lot of times in the season where we’re tired or we’ve played a bunch of games in a row. So it’s just getting through that adversity,” he said.

Loaded with talented seniors for 201819, Chandler will have a full summer’s experience with Rother.

Senior Carl Wilson said beating Brophy for the tournament championship hopefully will supply some motivation and energy.

“It’s a major confidence boost. Last year we had a decent season, but we knew we could do better. It’s really our defense, and we rely on our defense every single game,” Wilson said. “This is

some revenge for us.”

Chandler sophomore Carson Kelly said confidence in the bench players makes it easier to give full effort on the defensive end, even if it means a few less minutes a game because of fatigue.

“We don’t really worry about ourselves getting tired on defense. We put it all out there, and just let coach know if we’re tired. We know the bench and the other teammates really have our back, so it’s pretty easy to just play as hard as you can,” Kelly said.

Rother expects that his players, who will split into various club teams later in the summer, will continue to bond and understand the importance of team chemistry and communication on and off the court.

“It’s only been a couple weeks and I’m already really seeing the guys come together to fight not just for themselves, but each other,” Rother said.

“It makes me excited for the regular season because I can keep giving them more and more and they’re soaking it in like sponges.”

Crenshaw, Davis chase big-league dreams along divergent paths

BY BRIAN BENESCH Contributor

For a couple of former East Valley high school baseball players from campuses less than four miles apart, the thrill of their recent selection in baseball’s amateur draft is the same, but their paths to a big-league roster may be many miles farther apart.

For former Perry High and Glendale Community College standout Wacy Crenshaw, being selected by the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks, even in the 34th round, was a dream come true.

Crenshaw faces long odds to the majors, but he doesn’t need to look far for inspiration. Mike Piazza, Keith Hernandez, Kenny Rogers and Jeff Conine all were drafted later than the 34th round and all had long big-league careers.

The wait wasn’t nearly as long for Chandler Basha High slugger Brennen Davis. The Chicago Cubs, whose spring training home is in Mesa, made him their second-round pick (62nd overall), and Davis signed a $1.1 million contract on June 16.

Davis hit .444, including three home runs and 20 RBIs in his senior season with

Special to SanTan Sun News

Former Gilbert Perry High and Glendale Community College standout Wacy Crenshaw, shown in 2016, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball draft in June, making him a long shot to reach the big leagues.

the Bears. The outfielder showed bigleague potential, but his draft projections were all over the board.

“It could’ve been anywhere from round three to round 20,” said Jim Schilling, Davis’ high school coach. “I was sniffing around ,and all the scouts answered that he was a wild card. We knew he had a chance to go pretty high because of his tools.

“When he was picked in the second, it was a huge source of pride for our school.”

Davis’ rise from “wild card” to top prospect occurred after he chose to focus solely on baseball. The 6-foot-4 Davis stopped playing basketball after his junior season.

According to Schilling, that made all the difference.

“His game took off to another level after he trimmed it down to one sport,” Schilling said.

“We had 30-plus scouts at virtually every game.”

What made Davis’ senior season more impressive was his dealing with a lingering hamstring injury, which may have hampered his baserunning. It didn’t impact him at the plate, where the scouts recog-

nized his immense potential.

“It was a grind, but he wanted to be out there for his teammates,” Schilling said. “He was very team-centered in his decision.”

After excelling on the basketball court, on the baseball diamond, and in the classroom, it would be no surprise to see Davis succeed with Chicago in the near future, Schilling believes.

“He’s a phenomenal young man. He’s beloved by his teammates and coaches.

We’re really going to miss him,” Schilling said.

For Crenshaw, possibly joining his father in the D-backs’ organization made his selection even sweeter. Ken Crenshaw, Wacy’s dad, is the Diamondbacks’ director of sports medicine. He’s been with the organization for more than a decade.

“It’s not surprising that Wacy got drafted because of the kid’s work ethic,” Perry baseball coach Damien Tippett said.

“He has a professional state of mind. You don’t see that mindset at such a young age. He’s mature beyond his years.”

In 28 games with GCC, Crenshaw, an infielder/outfielder, was solid at the See

BASEBALL on page 32

32

SPORTS & RECREATION

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Professor/soccer coach sets goals with students

BY MELODY BIRKETT Contributor

Nik Chawla is an Arizona State University professor by day and a coach in the American Youth Soccer Organization in the evenings, guiding 9- and 10-year-old Chandler boys on a soccer club called Challenge FC. Challenge uses volunteer licensed coaches and plays other top teams around the Valley in the Arizona Youth Soccer Association.

Chawla grew up in Brazil after his Indian parents immigrated to Brazil in the early ’70s. That’s where his love of soccer began.

“I grew up playing and loving the game,” said Chawla. “In Brazil, soccer is a way of life, it’s in the blood. Brazilians are very passionate about soccer.”

In junior high, his family moved to the United States where Chawla continued playing soccer in high school and college.

He also was a referee.

When his oldest son was 4, Chawla became a coach after attending a parent meeting for recreational soccer.

“We went around the table and somebody asked if anyone was willing to coach?” Chawla said. “And I said I was really busy with my job at ASU and traveling but I’ll be happy to be an assistant coach.

That’s how I got started.”

Being an assistant coach didn’t last long.

“I remember going to the first practice and the coach in charge was kicking the ball around but not really doing anything,” said Chawla. “He did this for three or four practices. And I remember some

grow and actually learning the fundamentals.”

Unfortunately, many kids don’t get involved in soccer due to the cost.

“It’s not unreasonable to pay $2,000 a year to have your kid play on a club team,” explained Chawla.

Challenge costs around $600-$700, according to Chawla, and that includes the tournaments, uniforms and the training fees. Competition starts in August and runs to April.

Chawla noted that coaching soccer is more than teaching kids about the game.

“The most important thing that we as coaches Special to SanTan Sun News can teach the kids are reASU Professor Nick Chawla, flanked by sons Kunal, left, and Kush, is ally life lessons – how to a coach in the American Youth Soccer Organization. work in the team, how to handle losing and how to of the parents approaching me and said, work hard to get better at ‘You have a soccer background. Would what you’re doing,” he said. you mind running some drills and getting “It’s really satisfying to see how kids the kids going?’” after six months or a year have gotten so Eight years later, he still coaches much better, more confident as a team. through the American Youth Soccer OrThey’re kind of like brothers out there. ganization, a 20-year-old group.

“It is a passion for me,” Chawla said.

“From that moment eight years ago or so, I really got passionate about coaching. from page 31 It’s really about teaching and that’s what I do at ASU as well. So, I really enjoy the plate, batting .286, and scored 12 runs as teaching part of it and watching the kids GCC went 33-22.

Crenshaw’s progress began during his days at Perry, where he found his stroke at the plate. He hit .392, adding 25 RBIs as a senior, during his senior season in 2016 before moving on to GCC. “That was a special group and special year. That core group of seniors – Wacy was one of them – they just cut it loose.

It didn’t matter what we were doing, those guys wanted to pummel their opponents,” Tippett said.

Tippett believes that Crenshaw’s greatest strength no doubt will serve him well as he pursues a career in the sport: “Adaptability. The guy can adapt.”

Because of his draft position, Crenshaw may stay in college for at least another year. He has committed to play at Colorado Christian University next season.

Sometimes they fight but they always stick up for each other. It’s very rewarding.”

During the day, Chawla is a full-time professor of material sciences and engineering at ASU. He has a group of about 10 doctoral students and a research scientist who study how materials behave under mechanical and thermal stresses – forces that can affect airplanes and cars.

A recent example is the Southwest Airlines accident involving a defective engine which suffered from metallic fatigue where material is being cycled over and over again.

“If you have a defect there, the crack can grow and you can have a catastrophic event like what happened,” said Chawla.

“In my lab, we study a lot of these type of things on metallic fatigue, on corrosion. And we’re using a variety of really neat techniques like x-ray microtomography, similar to what you’d get done if you went to a doctor’s office to get your cat scan on your knee or hip except we’re doing it at a much higher resolution,” he added, noting: “We’re looking at structural material and how it changes under different kinds of conditions. We’re replicating the kinds of things that hopefully won’t happen on a Southwest flight the next time you go on one.”

Information: azchallengefc.org.

BASEBALL

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS! YOUR

DESTINATION FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE

IN CHANDLER, AZ

Photo courtesy of Jim Schilling

Former Chandler Basha High standout Brennen Davis, with his mother, Jakki, was selected in the second round of the baseball’s 2018 amateur draft. He signed a $1.1 million contract on June 16.

“He’s a natural infielder, but we had to put him in the outfield. He did a great job at it. That just shows how athletic he is,” Tippett said.

Contact Brian Benesch at 480-898-5630 or bbenesch@timespublications.com

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SANTAN SUN NEWS5 |- JULY 7–20, 2018 November 18, 2016

1

“An award winning publication”

SanTan Sun News Chandler teams can scavenger hunt via Instagram

JULY2018

SANTAN FAMILY FUN

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

A popular activity many people participated in as children is taking on a modern twist in Chandler’s parks this month.

People are encouraged to get out their smartphones and snap photos as they race through the city July 21 in its first #DiscoverChandler Instagram Scavenger Hunt. Players will take part in the competition from 8 a.m. to noon or until the treasure is discovered.

As a way to celebrate Park and Recreation Month around the country, competitors will need to join forces with at least one other player and find hotspots around the city’s parks.

They must find all the items listed within seven challenges and upload a photo of each one to Instagram. Finishing each task unlocks the next clue and prompts players to go on to another location in downtown Chandler.

The team that completes all the tasks first will receive a Chandler Parks & Recreation All-Access Family Pass, which includes an annual family membership to Tumbleweed Recreation Center.

With that pass, family members can take an unlimited number of fitness classes and take part in Family Nights at Tumbleweed Recreation Center for free.

Besides that perk, the first-place team

Photos special to SanTan Sun News

Kelle Harrison Teams can get out their smartphones and snap photos as they race through the city in its first #DiscoverChandler Instagram Scavenger Hunt on July 21. Pictured here are Keegan, Dave, Molly and Colleen Specht.

is valued at $2,500.

Smaller prizes will be awarded for the 10 teams with the most creative photos.

Those prizes will be worth about $20 each

n a t San Summer Fun!

What’s inside Page 2,3 Santan Family Fun Calendar

Kelle Harrison Keegan and Dave Specht gear up to take selfies as the City of Chandler is going to throw its first #DiscoverChandler Instagram Scavenger Hunt on July 21.

will also get an annual Family Swim Pass, which allows family members to visit the city’s pools for public swim sessions.

The top team will also receive various recreation-related items. The total prize package for the grand-prize winning team

and can include movie passes and coffee shop gift certificates.

“Every July is Park and Recreation Month,” Kelle Harrison, marketing assistant for Community Services in the City of Chandler said. “This year’s theme was ‘a

lifetime of discovery.’

“We know Chandler likes to have fun and so we took a little bit of a spin on the theme and came up with the scavenger hunt to spark that lifetime of discovery with parks and recreation. We’re a very active community, very social and technology-driven.”

Parks, pools and a museum are among the Parks and Recreation landmarks participants in the Instagram Scavenger Hunt will need to visit.

Harrison said the scavenger hunt is similar to Pokémon Go, an augmented reality game developed by Niantic but the Chandler competition is “more of an Instagram challenge.”

She said Chandler also gives people a chance to explore nature year-round with the Agents of Discovery app at its Environmental Education Center at Veterans Oasis Park.

Agents of Discovery is a mobile, educational gaming platform utilizing augmented reality to inspire youths to get active. Participants seek and find animals and characters while at the Chandler park.

The Agents of Discovery program at the Environmental Education Center is geared toward youths ages 8 to 15, Harrison said.

The July 21 scavenger hunt is suited to all ages.

“It’s a great way to get out on a Saturday as a family,” Harrison said. “It’s just a fun way to get out there, explore what we have to offer and then get rewarded.”

Anyone who wants to try their hand in the Chandler scavenger hunt must register no later than July 13 at chandleraz.gov/ parkandrecmonth.

Those who register for the scavenger hunt will receive packets with a selfie stick, T-shirts and maps. The packets can be picked up at Chandler City Hall July 18 to 20.

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SANTAN SUN NEWS 7–20, 2018 November 5 - 18,| JULY 2016

Mon

JULY 2018

Always call to verify information as some events change or cancel after the calendar is printed.

Send family events and activities to

STFF@SanTanSun.com

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• Monday Movie Matinee • Read & Play Group

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23 • Read & Play Group

30 • Read & Play Group

• Toddlertime • Lapsit Babytime • Lego Club • Family Storytime • STEAM Club

• Toddlertime • Lapsit Babytime • Lego Club • Family Storytime • STEAM Club

24 • Toddlertime • Lapsit Babytime • Lego Club • Family Storytime • STEAM Club

• Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Lapsit Babytime • Libraries Rock: Pete the Cat Party

• Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Lapsit Babytime • Libraries Rock: Superhero • Training with Enchanted Entertainment

25 • Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Lapsit Babytime • Libraries Rock: Make Some Music!

• Mary Poppins • Toddlertime • Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Libraries Rock: Summer Reading Challenge • Finale!

• Libraries Rock: Super Smash Bros • Lego Club Battle

• Mary Poppins • Toddlertime • Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Toddlertime • Lego Club • Libraries Rock: Teen Yoga Phoenix Mercury

26 • Toddlertime • Ready, Set, Preschool!

• Lego Club

• ImprovMANIA • Mary Poppins

• ImprovMANIA • Mary Poppins • D-backs vs. Colorado Rockies

27 • ImprovMANIA

• Libraries Rock! Rock • Flashlight Tours Painting • D-backs vs. Padres • ImprovMANIA • Mary Poppins

• Flashlight Tours • ImprovMANIA • Mary Poppins • Winter in July • Lego Club

• ImprovMANIA • Mary Poppins • D-backs vs. Colorado Rockies • Libraries Rock: Arizona Kicks on Route 66 • Phoenix Mercury • CREATE Junior: 3D Printing

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• D-backs vs. Padres • Mary Poppins

• Mary Poppins

• Mary Poppins • D-backs vs.

Colorado Rockies

• Flashlight Tours • ImprovMANIA

31 • Toddlertime • Lapsit Babytime • Lego Club • Family Storytime • STEAM Club • Phoenix Mercury

See

CALENDAR page 3

Chandler owners’ pipe organ is pizzeria staple

BY ALLY RICHMOND

Staff

Three Chandler business partners have found success with a pizzeria known as much for its massive pipe organ as its slices.

Their Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa is one of only two of its kind in the United States and has been entertaining the people of the Valley for over 45 years.

Back in 1972, William Brown, a pipe organ enthusiast, sought to bring his love of organs to Arizona when he opened the original Organ Stop Pizza at Seventh Street and Missouri Avenue in Phoenix.

The concept of a pizzeria with live organists was unheard of, and the uniqueness of Brown’s concept made the establishment a success.

Families are drawn to Organ Stop for its kid-friendly atmosphere, full of classical music, pop and Disney tunes, as well as bubbles and the occasional dancing puppet.

“Organ Stop continues to grow in popularity year after year, our fastest growing demographic is the family market. We are very lucky in the fact that multiple generations continue to visit and are all equally entertained,” said Jack Barz,

the largest pipe organ in the world, valued at $5 million.

“Organ Stop is special because the organ and our incredible musicians make it that way. A theater organ of this caliber has not been duplicated, there is a similarsize organ in a private residence outside Chicago, but there are no other public instruments of Special to SanTan Sun News this size and The massive pipe organ that the Chandler owners of Organ Stop Pizza had installed in their Mesa eatery has been an attraction scope,” said Barz. for music and pizza lovers for years. It’s the largest pipe organ at the world and valued at more than $5 million.

Wurlitzer Organs were largely used in movie theaters who owns Organ Stop with Brad Bishop expand and start a new location in Mesa. during the times of silent movies, to and Pat Rowan.

The new location was even more provide music for the show. Once Brown’s Phoenix restaurant and popular than the first and featured an amazing organ brought in customers, amazing Wurlitzer Organ from Denver. young and old, in swarms, leading him to This organ eventually would become See on page 3

PIZZERIA

SANTAN SUN NEWS5 |- JULY 7–20, 2018 November 18, 2016

CALENDAR from page 2 7 Libraries Rock! Rock Painting, 10:30 a.m. Spend a morning painting images onto rocks that can be used as colorful summertime decor.

Participants should bring in their own smooth rocks. The rest of the materials will be provided.

Downtown Library Copper Room, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

7, 14, 21, 28 Flashlight Tours, 7 p.m. Explore the desert at night. Follow nocturnal garden explorers down the venue’s many winding paths and try to find the animals that come to life in the dark. Keep an eye out, too, for plants that only bloom at night. Guests must bring their own flashlight.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix, free with general admission, 480-941-1225, dbg.org.

7, 8 D-backs vs. Padres, 7:10 p.m. and 1:10 p.m. Watch the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Diego Padres at Chase Field.

Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, $19 to $135, 602-462-6500, mlb.com/dbacks.

7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 ImprovMANIA, 7 p.m. Join ImprovMANIA on Fridays and Saturdays for family-friendly comedy shows. ImprovMANIA’s improv performances are fast paced, like on the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

ImprovMANIA, 250 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, $10, 480-699-4598, improvmania.net.

7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22 “Mary Poppins,” times vary. Travel to London and discover the magic of everyone’s favorite nanny. Laugh along as she turns the Banks household upside down while listening along to classic songs from the film like “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Jolly Holiday.”

Herberger Theater, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix, $44 to $73, 602-252-8497, herbergertheater.org.

9 Monday Movie Matinee, 2 p.m. Stop by the library and watch a special screening of “Megamind.” Free popcorn will be available to munch on during the movie.

Downtown Library Copper Room, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

9, 16, 23, 30 Read & Play Group, 11:30 to 11:55 a.m. Network with other parents while children read and play games. Different child development experts may visit on certain days.

Hamilton Library, 3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

10, 17, 24, 31 Toddlertime, 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The 30-minute program features singing and puppets to engage children.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

PIZZERIA

from page 2

recorded sound was incorporated into movies, Wurlitzer organs began to fall into disuse, only truly valued by organ lovers like Brown.

The organ is incredibly complex, with over 6,000 pipes and more than 1,000 buttons, knobs and switches.

The complexity of the Wurlitzer Organ makes it hard to play, so Charlie Balogh and Lew Williams are the only two fulltime organists at Organ Stop.

Their musical talent is the main reason for patrons immense interest in the establishment.

10, 17, 24, 31 Lapsit Babytime, 11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Read books, listen to music and interact with fun puppets at playtime. All activities are designed for newborns to 18-month-old children. One parent for each child is highly recommended.

Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Drive, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

10, 17, 24, 31 Lego Club, 4 p.m. Meet new friends and have fun building with Lego, which are supplied.

Lego Club is a Vertex program, where Chandler Public Library intersects with STEAM and makerspace.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

10, 17, 24, 31 Family Storytime, 6:30 p.m. Read books, sing songs and play with puppets at Family Storytime. This week, families will build forts, select books and read. Fort-building material will be provided.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free. 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

10, 17, 24, 31 STEAM Club, 4 to 5 p.m. Come to the Chandler Library STEAM Club and have fun every Tuesday with science, technology, engineering, art and math. Win prizes just for showing up. Ages 6-11. STEAM Club is a Vertex program, where Chandler Public Library intersects with STEAM and makerspace.

Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

11, 18, 25 Ready, Set, Preschool!, 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Preschool-age children prepare for kindergarten through singing and activities.

This program requires active participation by children and their caregivers so they can use these skills at home.

Hamilton Library, 3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

11, 18, 25 Lapsit Babytime, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Read books, listen to music and interact with fun puppets at play time. All activities are designed for newborns to 18-month-old children. One parent for each child is highly recommended.

Downtown Library Copper Room North, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Drive, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12, 19, 26 Ready, Set, Preschool!, 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Children ages 3 to 5 prepare for kindergarten through songs and activities. This is a 45-minute program.

Basha Library, 5990 S. Val Vista Dr., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12, 19, 26 Toddlertime, 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Songs and puppets engage toddlers during this 30-minute event.

Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware Street, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12 Libraries Rock: Summer Reading Challenge Finale!, 2 p.m. Celebrate the end of the Summer Reading Challenge with a community gathering full of crafts and games. There will also be face painting and guests discussing nutrition.

Downtown Library Copper Room, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12 Libraries Rock: Super Smash Bros Battle, 2 p.m. Stop by the library and battle it out to see who is the ultimate Super Smash Bros champion.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

14 Winter in July, 7 a.m. Escape the summer heat and celebrate winter at the Phoenix Zoo. There will be nearly 50 tons of snow to play in along with water play zones and a toddler snow pile. Every hour, watch out for a snowy “blizzard.” Phoenix firefighters will discuss water safety and give fire truck tours. Guests can also watch animals eat icy treats made special for the event.

Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix, included with zoo admission, 602-286-3800, phoenixzoo.org.

21 Read to a Dog, 10 to 11 a.m. Children are welcome to practice their reading skills with a certified therapy dog.

Downtown Library Copper Room, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

3

also be able to meet different superheroes throughout the event.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

19 Libraries Rock: Teen Yoga, 2 p.m. Teens can find their zen by participating in a calming yoga class. Bring a towel and water bottle.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

19 Phoenix Mercury, 7 p.m. Watch the Phoenix Mercury take on the Las Vegas Aces in this WNBA matchup.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, $11 to $230, 602-379-7878, talkingstickresortarena.com.

20, 21, 22 D-backs vs. Colorado Rockies, 6:40 p.m., 5:10 p.m. and 1:10 p.m. Watch the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field. But there’s more to the weekend than that. The first 20,000 people through the gates get a Jake Lamb bobblehead on July 21. The following day fans can celebrate Baxter’s birthday.

Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, $19 to $135, 602-462-6500, mlb.com/dbacks.

21 Libraries Rock: Arizona Kicks on Route 66, 10:30 a.m. Learn about the Mother Road from Marshall Shore and how it shaped American history.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

21 Phoenix Mercury, 7 p.m. Watch the Phoenix Mercury take on the Minnesota Lynx during this WNBA matchup.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, $11 to $230, 602-379-7878, talkingstickresortarena.com.

21 CREATE Junior: 3D Printing, 1 p.m. Kids can learn how to create a 3-D object and print it using a 3-D printer.

Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix, $35, 602-716-2000, azscience.org.

25 Libraries Rock: Make Some Music!, 2 p.m.

Make instruments from everyday objects and jam out with other summer readers.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

11 Libraries Rock: Pete the Cat Party, 2 p.m.

Drop in to celebrate Pete the Cat with crafts and other activities.

Sunset Library Monsoon Room, 4930 W. Ray Road, Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12, 19, 26 Lego Club, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Meet new friends and have fun building with Lego, which are supplied. Lego Club is a Vertex program, where Chandler Public Library intersects with STEAM and makerspace.

Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware St., Chandler, free, 480-782-2800, chandlerlibrary.org.

12, 19, 26 Toddlertime, 9:15 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.

Toddlertime features singing and puppets to engage the children. The storytime is approximately 30 minutes.

18 Libraries Rock: Superhero Training with Enchanted Entertainment, 2 p.m. Train to be a superhero and put that training to the test with an obstacle course challenge. Kids will

31 Phoenix Mercury, 6 p.m. Watch the Phoenix Mercury take on the Seattle Storm in this WNBA matchup.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, $9 to $230, 602-379-7878, talkingstickresortarena.com.

“The organ is maintained on a weekly basis by two part-time organ technicians, Pete Knobloch and Dave Balogh (brother of organist Charlie Balogh). They keep our 90-year-old Wurlitzer in top working order,” said Barz.

“This isn’t to say things never go wrong, as with any piece of mechanical equipment, anything can always happen,” he added. “However, they do a great job of preventing as much as possible from happening.”

After 12 years at Organ Stop Pizza, William Brown retired in 1984, selling his Phoenix location to a real estate firm that eventually tore the building down and his Mesa location to Mike Everett and Brad Bishop, longtime employees.

The two men worked to improve the organ, which had been damaged in a fire during the Great Depression. The pair then sought to bring the organ to near perfection and in doing so, brought the restaurant greater success than before.

“Our hope for our guests is to have an experience that they can find no other place on earth. It should be a special event every time they set foot inside the restaurant,” Barz said.

Once again, the restaurant became so popular that they had to move locations, landing at their current and largest location in Mesa at the corner of Stapley Drive and Southern Avenue.

There, patrons still flock to hear the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ at its finest.

Not only does the establishment have music, but its food has a big fan following as well.

Organ Stop Pizza has been serving pizza, pasta and sandwiches for years. It also has appetizers, an extensive salad bar and a selection of sodas, wines, and beers.

“Organists from all over the world find it an absolute privilege to be able to sit down at the console of our Wurlitzer, it truly is the best of the best,” said Barz.

“We are also able to let our customers, ‘Experience the Experience’ all for the cost of pizza. It really is a chance to experience a piece of American history every time you step foot inside Organ Stop and hear our Mighty Wurlitzer roar.”

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SANTAN SUN NEWS 7–20, 2018 November 5 - 18,| JULY 2016

SANTAN SUN NEWS5 |- JULY 7–20, 2018 November 18, 2016

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SANTAN SUN NEWS 7–20, 2018 November 5 - 18,| JULY 2016

Mayor Jay Tibshraeny and the Chandler City Council

SATURDAY,

JULY 21

In celebration of Park and Recreation Month we’re challenging you to #DiscoverChandler. Find all the best sights and hidden recreation gems in Chandler with your kids, friends or family!

Armed with your smartphone as your tour guide, you’ll locate hotspots, unlock challenges and climb the scoreboard.

Finders, keepers. One super team will win the ultimate parks & recreation treasure – valued at $2,500!

Uncover a lifetime of discovery, register at

chandleraz.gov/parkandrecmonth

SANTAN SUN NEWS5 |- JULY 7–20, 2018 November 18, 2016

7

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Opinion

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Council used open process to fill vacancy

BY MAYOR JAY TIBSHRAENY Guest Writer

At its June 28 meeting, the Chandler City Council unanimously voted to select Jeremy McClymonds to fill the vacant seat on the Council. He replaces former Councilmember Nora Ellen, who left her term early to run for a seat in the state Legislature.

More about Jeremy in a bit, but first, I want to discuss the process that got us where we are today.

This was a very transparent and open process. And it was critical to do a comprehensive search, given there is two-and-a-half years left in this term.

Though the city charter limits us to 30 days to make an appointment, we moved quickly to ensure proper notification to the community of this opportunity.

We received 36 applications from very highly qualified residents. From that point, the Council spent hours deciding how to narrow the list for public interviews.

I want to thank all of the applicants for their willingness to fill the vacancy position.

Each of the nine candidates we interviewed on June 25 had unique backgrounds and skill sets that would have served this community very well.

All of them share the passion and engagement that this community deserves in its public officials. It was a very hard decision to make, and one that we did not take lightly.

After lengthy discussion in Monday’s executive session, the City Council approved the selection of McClymonds.

I hope all of these candidates remain engaged in Chandler, and supportive of the Council’s final decision. They certainly bring a lot of enthusiasm to the table and genuinely care about this community.

That was wonderful to experience and bodes well for our city’s future.

And now, here is a little more about Jeremy.

A 15-year resident, he is a financial advisor and investment specialist, with his own firm, FORM Prosperity Wealth Advisors. He is also very active in the Chamber of Commerce and a past chairman of the board of directors.

He also served on the city’s Parks and

Recreation Board and is a member of the Chandler Compadres and Chandler Kiwanis Young Professionals group.

He has a been a strong supporter of our city for many years, having chaired the YES for Prop 493 committee, in support of the passage of the city’s General Plan in 2016.

I know he will serve in the best interest of the community these next two-plus years, and I look forward to working beside him through the end of my term.

While the government process can sometimes appear messy and bureaucratic at other levels or in other regions of the country, this was a very transparent process that worked well.

And for that, this community will be better for it moving forward.

County will make community stronger and spend less money

BY DENNY BARNEY Guest Writer

As a business owner, I have a lot of practice in making the most of finite resources. It might sound nice to spend however much I want on whatever I want whenever I want it, but that’s a recipe for disaster.

I’ve learned the only way to be successful is to live within my means and direct the money I do have toward the most important aspects of my business.

I take the same approach as a county supervisor, especially during the budget process. Maricopa County government is big, full of diverse interests, and our job as leaders is to figure out how to make the most of what we have so everyone thrives.

As my colleagues and I worked with our 50-plus departments to craft a budget, we had to say “no” to a lot of things and “yes, but” to many others.

In the end, those tough conversations yielded a budget for fiscal year 2019 that

is smaller in terms of dollars spent than last year’s budget.

The board doesn’t control property values, but we do control the tax rate and, once again, kept it flat. In fact, in FY 2019 we’ll collect about $46 million less in taxes than we are allowed under state law.

A huge chunk of our budget in the upcoming year goes toward the No. 1 function of any government: public safety.

Demands on the county’s criminal justice system have grown during my time on the Board of Supervisors. Public safety accounted for 50 percent of the budget in 2013. Now it’s 54 percent.

That means we have to be more efficient. My colleagues and I want our law enforcement agencies to be funded for long-term success so we are supporting the Sheriff’s Office, county attorney and courts in several key ways this year, prioritizing investments in new technology that will help them do their jobs better and faster.

For the county attorney, there’s additional funding for assault evidence

collection kits, a priority of that office.

For the courts, there’s ongoing funding for a high-tech case management system that will speed along the process for members of public.

For the Sheriff’s Office, there are 26 additional positions focused on compliance with the court order in the Arpaio-era racial profiling case. That includes 12 new staff in the Professional Standards Bureau to ensure all Sheriff’s Office employees live up to the high standards our community expects.

Reaching full compliance has the potential to save county taxpayers millions of dollars each year. We will also look for ways to drive down public safety costs long-term, such as Smart Justice initiatives that can reduce inmate recidivism and updated facilities that streamline our processes and improve efficiency.

This is a big year for voters in Maricopa County and it takes a lot of planning and resources to ensure everyone’s vote counts.

The FY 2019 budget includes $13.4 million to fund the upcoming primary and general elections.

There are also 155 capital improvement projects in this budget including seven technology projects, 28 parks work and 109 transportation upgrades.

One of them is a new computer system for the Assessor’s Office to increase the accuracy of property valuations and improve the way that information is shared publicly.

Many of our capital projects won’t be visible to you, but they are all aimed at improving lives and making county government work better. You can read the details by going to maricopa.gov/ budget and clicking on “budget docs.”

One of the things that makes Maricopa County great is that, in spite of the growing demand on its resources, the cost of government services is low compared to other counties of a similar size.

During my time on the board, we’ve brought a business mindset to local government, focused on making the most of what we have so everyone can benefit.

That’s what this budget is all about.

Denny Barney is a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

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OPINION 42

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Corporation Commission must adopt Judicial Code of Conduct to restore integrity

BY CHARLES E. JONES Guest Writer

Arizona’s founders created the Corporation Commission to address concerns about the influence of public utilities, to ensure protection for consumers, to provide a fair return on operational costs and infrastructure investment for telecommunications, pipelines and railways, and to guarantee reliable energy and water.

Those same concerns continue to this day and still are reflected in Article 15 of our state constitution.

While the Corporation Commission has features similar to the executive and legislative branches, the commission carries out its regulatory duties as does the judicial branch of government: hearing rate cases, weighing evidence and issuing rulings, with commissioners serving as quasi-judicial officers.

Just as impartiality is critical to the judiciary in reaching legal decisions, it

also is critical when the Corporation Commission exercises its regulatory duties.

To safeguard the character of the judiciary, the Arizona Supreme Court adopted the Code of Judicial Conduct, binding on every judge in Arizona, from a Supreme Court Justice to a locallyelected Justice of the Peace.

With the fairness and impartiality of the Corporation Commission called into question, it is time to take serious steps to safeguard its character.

The Code of Judicial Conduct is a reasonable, time-tested means for protecting the integrity of the Corporation Commission when exercising its quasijudicial role in regulating public utilities.

Rodney Glassman, an attorney and Air Force officer, who is seeking to serve as a corporation commissioner, has proposed adoption of the Code of Judicial Conduct for the Corporation Commission.

This proposal, endorsed by two of Arizona’s most well-respected prosecutors, Maricopa County Attorney

Bill Montgomery and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, merits serious consideration.

Arizona’s Code of Judicial Conduct would help corporation commissioners avoid even an appearance of conflict or impropriety when executing their regulatory duties. The code would help ensure that the regulation of public utilities is carried out with integrity and impartiality.

In fact, the preamble to the code declares: “Judges should maintain the dignity of judicial office at all times and avoid both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in their professional and personal lives.”

Comprising four principles, the code reads: • Canon 1: A judge shall uphold and promote the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

• Canon 2: A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office impartially, competently and diligently.

• Canon 3: A judge shall conduct the judge’s extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with obligations of judicial office.

• Canon 4: A judge or candidate for judicial office shall not engage in political or campaign activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity or impartiality of the judiciary.

Adopting this code to reflect the nature and work of the Corporation Commission could not help but impress upon the public servants who serve as commissioners the solemn obligation to maintain integrity.

In turn, the people of Arizona would have increased trust and confidence in the decisions made and the manner in which they are made by the Corporation Commission.

The Honorable Charles E. “Bud” Jones was as an Associate Justice on the Arizona Supreme Court from 1996 to 2002, and then Chief Justice of the court from 2002 to 2005. He may be reached at cjoneslaw@cox.net.

America is bigger than legislator’s racist rant proclaims

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ

Columnist

There are days when it’s kind of mortifying to be a white person. Last Thursday was one of

those days.

June 24 was when a grainy 50-second videotape surfaced showing Arizona legislator David Stringer, R-Confederacy, expounding on immigration to the Yavapai County Republican Men’s Forum.

Per Stringer, a Prescott conservative, immigration represents “an existential threat” to the United States because America’s current wave of immigrants refuses to “assimilate” to his satisfaction.

That they don’t, Stringer explained in the video, tracks back to our public schools.

“Sixty percent of public school children in the state of Arizona today are minorities,” he told the crowd. “That complicates racial integration because” – wait for it – “there aren’t enough white kids to go around.”

Yep. Like I said, not exactly a shining

moment for us white folks. Mostly because Stringer’s perspective on immigration frequently appears to be the white perspective when it comes to what America is and what it is not.

Let me explain.

At the heart of Stringer’s speech – and his various half-assed follow-up explanations – resides the notion that being American requires following in the footsteps of this nation’s white Founding Fathers and subsequent white generations.

Rather than immigrants changing America, America must change – and whiten – its immigrants. We must all speak the same language. We must all share the same values. We must all worship the same deity. And we must all strive for the same American Dream.

America, Stringer hypothesized to Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services, has long been “a melting pot for people of European descent.”

“If you’re a Swede, a Norwegian, an Irishman and a Frenchman, after the second or third generation, your kids are

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all alike,” said Stringer. “They don’t have any accents. They’re indistinguishable.”

Indistinguishable. The same. White. Or, at worst, a light shade of beige.

Consider Stringer’s words and their implications when it comes to public schools. In his view, the role of white kids in an integrated school is to rub off on non-white kids, to provide an appropriate example of how Americans look and behave and what Americans value.

I don’t think I’m paraphrasing wildly to suggest that Stringer believes public schools exist to white-ify non-white Americans – or else the country will face the “political implications of massive demographic change and displacement.”

Meaning there will soon come a time when Americans won’t look like David Stringer wants them to look, and they won’t believe what David Stringer believes we all should believe.

As the great-grandchild of European immigrants who came to this country through Ellis Island during the great migration of the 20th century, I’d like to point out the flaw in Stringer’s logic.

America, a nation literally founded by immigrants, has never been set in stone.

For 242 years and counting, there has never been one correct way to be an American.

Literally, our Declaration of Independence cites a few self-evident truths: “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

America has always been bigger than David Stringer’s small mind would have it, more capable of embrace than his shrunken heart will allow.

Elected to represent all the people, Stringer seems to believe his mandate is to protect those who resemble him from anyone darker than him. And if he fails?

Then America will crumble before our eyes.

Stringer warns: “We could be facing national dissolution in a decade or two if we don’t get control of the immigration issue.”

David Stringer fears his days are numbered. To which I say, let’s hope so.

Let’s really hope so.

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

43

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Cielo Elementary kids helped, enchanted by huge mural

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Suzanne Whitaker is a kind of 21stcentury Michelangelo.

Only instead of ceilings, she paints walls.

But just as Michelangelo’s famed work on the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel inspires its beholders, Whitaker’s murals in schools invoke awe from the students and staff who pass them as they move from classroom to classroom.

In the waning days of the 2017-18 school year, Whitaker brought that awe to the children in kindergarten through fifth grade and staff at Kyrene del Cielo School in Chandler with a mural that is 9 feet high and 45 feet long.

And when they return to school next month, they’ll see another piece of Whitaker’s handiwork – hundreds of painted shoes and boots of all kinds running along the bottom of the walls along a 1,200-foot meandering corridor between the kindergarten classrooms and the school’s front office.

Both works of art have more than an aesthetic purpose – although, in truth, the school needs all the aesthetics it can get, according to Principal Tammy Thaete, who, like Whitaker, lives in Ahwatukee.

At 36 years old, Cielo is one of the

Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Kyrene del Cielo Principal Tammy Thaete and muralist Suzanne Whitaker stand in front of the mural Whitaker painted in one of the school’s myriad corridors.

oldest among Kyrene School District’s 25 schools. When it was built, it consisted of five separate buildings that eventually were linked about 20 years ago when the district connected them by topping the exceptionally wide paths among them with roofs.

A subsequent project left the walls of those corridors devoid of color or anything else.

The result, Thaete said, was that “the school had lots of bleak walls.”

Cielo’s PTO decided to do its part to change that.

For three years, parents pooled some of the money the PTO raised through fundraisers to finance a small beautification project.

They had heard about Whitaker, who, through her a one-person business, Passion for Murals, has painted large murals in several other Kyrene schools and businesses, including the three Coconut’s Fish Café restaurants.

Whitaker, who is also a book illustrator, has operated her mural business for more than 25 years since graduating from the University of Cincinnati School of Art. Armed with a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in painting, she brought her business to Ahwatukee following a family transfer.

Since then she’s been active throughout the Valley, working with designers on both residential and commercial projects.

On her website Passion4Murals.com, Whitaker blogs about how she got started doing murals as a young teen when challenged by blank walls in her bedroom.

For the blank Cielo wall chosen for her mural, Whitaker, PTO President JoLyn Isais and other parents worked with Thaete to come up with a theme for it.

“We are a neighborhood school and we wanted a mural to reflect what we’re See

MURAL on page 46

Students end music/technology camp on a high note

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

Many campuses are quiet over summer break, but the sounds of violins, cellos and other stringed instruments bounced off the walls of a performing arts center recently at Casteel High School.

Students on a stage wearing shorts and other summer clothes focused on sheets of music in front of them as they played in an orchestra last month at the Queen Creek campus, part of the Chandler Unified School District.

They were among the approximately 160 students participating in the Chandler Academy of Performing Arts and Technology’s Summer 2018 Music and Technology Camp.

Kids entering grades 6-12 who have played a band or orchestra instrument for at least a year were eligible to take part in the two-week camp.

Besides practicing in orchestras and bands and then performing in a concert, the students learned how to compose music and got a taste of audio engineering.

For the first time, CAPAT teamed up with the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences to show students how to record audio.

The Phoenix Youth Symphony also lent a musical hand, sending musicians to perform and interact with the Chandler students.

“CRAS graciously offered our students an invaluable opportunity to work

Curt Landon, her cocoordinator and a technology teacher at the camp and at Auxier Elementary School during the school year, echoed Jones’ enthusiasm. He previously had worked as a school band director.

“We are excited to partner with these amazing organizations to integrate fantastic youth musicians and professional audio production artists to work with our students on some awesome new projects,” Landon said.

About 400 people in the audience watched the CAPAT students perform in Casteel’s modern performing arts center.

Several students in a mobile unit designed to transmit live TV listened intently and smiled often as Robert Brock, director of education for CRAS, demonstrated how he and his colleagues capture audio at Diamondbacks games and other events.

Brock talked about how Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer microphones are set up to Andre Carneiro plays the clarinet in a concert at Casteel High School last month. Students in bands and capture the sound of a “bat orchestras who had participated in The Chandler Academy of Performing Arts and Technology (CAPAT)’s crack,” as well as announcers Summer 2018 Music and Technology Camp performed in the concert. talking about the action and crowds cheering. with some of the best award-winning outstanding industry leaders, by helping Brock said a well-known phrase is “if professionals in the recording and sound students they are also investing in the you can see it, I wanna hear it.” industries,” said Paula Jones, academy co- future,” she said.

“The audio engineer has to be sure all coordinator and orchestra director.

Jones also is director of orchestras at “Not only is CRAS currently providing Casteel.

See on page 48

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

45

Basha High teacher earns fellowship to Harvard

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

A Basha High School history teacher is the only educator in Arizona chosen for a prestigious fellowship that will help him pay for a master’s degree from Harvard University.

Christopher Evans has received a James Madison Fellowship, which will pay for up to $24,000 of his course study toward a master’s degree.

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation of Alexandria, Virginia, awarded the distinction to one teacher per state. Several other Arizona residents applied for the fellowship for this year.

“I’ve always loved history, and I reached a point where I just knew that I wanted to go back to school and get a master’s, and I had heard about the fellowship from a former colleague, who had won the fellowship,” Evans said.

“I do believe it will make me a better teacher. I’ll be able to better teach the Constitution and get my students to think critically about how it affects their lives in a variety of ways. The fellowship is a wonderful thing. The promotion of teaching the Constitution and teaching about our funding is something that’s vital for young people to understand to help them to become a great citizenry and I’m very grateful,” he added.

Born and raised in Mesa, Evans just finished his 10th year teaching, all at Basha High. He holds a bachelor’s degree

AP U.S. History and AP comparative government classes.

This coming school year, he will teach AP U.S. history, AP macroeconomics and an eighth-grade class on citizenship and civic engagement, as Basha High has an accelerated middle school.

Evans already has completed two online classes toward his master’s degree in liberal arts with a concentration in history.

He will need to take some classes in person on Harvard’s campus in Massachusetts – which he might do over Basha High’s winter break in January.

Next summer, he and other fellows will take four Elizabeth Schley weeks to study the Basha High School social studies teacher Christopher Evans was the Constitution at only Arizona teacher to receive the James Madison Fellowship.

Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. as in history and a master’s degree in part of the fellowship requirements. curriculum and instruction in secondary In order to be considered for the education from ASU. fellowship, Evans had to complete an This past school year he taught extensive application that included advanced placement macroeconomics, writing essays on how to incorporate

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the U.S. Constitution into teaching and getting students to understand the principles of the Constitution.

Since the foundation began providing the fellowships, it has awarded more than 1,500 fellows, said Lewis Larsen, president of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation.

The application is rigorous and it’s not unusual for teachers to apply three or more times before they are chosen for a fellowship, Larsen said.

He said he was impressed by Evans’ outside educational activities, including participating in the Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers, which brings teachers from around the country to Washington to participate in several educational activities tied to teaching about the high court.

Evans also is on the Teacher Advisor Board for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

“He’s a pretty serious person,” Larsen said. “He went to Arizona State, and that’s a great university. He’s got some interesting activities. He’s doing lots of stuff to keep himself involved in civic education.”

The fellowship is named in honor of the United States’ fourth president and supports secondary school teachers’ further study of American history if they want to teach American history, American government and social studies in secondary schools around the country.

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

from page 45

The fellowship gets its financial support from a trust fund in the Treasury of the United States and from additional private gifts, as well as foundation grants and corporate contributions.

The honor is intended to honor distinguished and promising teachers, to boost their knowledge of the roots and development of American constitutional government and, consequently, to share accurate knowledge of the country’s constitutional heritage with the country’s secondary school students.

“Americans don’t know anything about

MURAL

our government,” Larsen said. “They can’t tell you who even the vice president of the United States is. Our nation is in an emergency. If a student doesn’t learn about how government works in high school, they probably never will.”

The country needs inspiring teachers who can help students understand they are important, and if they have complaints, they can voice their concerns and find ways to get elected officials removed from office, he said.

Basha High School principal David Loutzenheiser is proud of Evans, saying he gets students excited about history.

“I think it’s a great honor for Chris to help recognize a lot of his effort and

energy to really be a positive impact in the classroom,” Loutzenheiser said, adding: “Chris is really passionate about government, economics and history, and he shares that passion with our students.

He does a fantastic job for us. He gets the kids not just to be regurgitators of ideas but to think for themselves. That’s a hallmark of our social studies as a whole.”

Evans and the other social studies department teachers at Basha help students become more informed about how the impact they can have on government and to “make our students more civic-minded and civic-engaged,” Loutzenheiser said.

The Arizona Department of Education

from page 44

about,” Thaete said. “So, we decided one of the things we’re about is reading.”

So, Whitaker set about painting a huge oak tree, with books hanging like fruit from its leafy branches. Each book has a title of a book that has been popular with various Cielo grades. And, of course, the mural has kids reading some of them.

Unlike Michelangelo, who needed about six months to finish that ceiling, Whitaker took less than two weeks to finish her big creation.

And throughout that time, kids would walk by.

And most of them were captivated in one way or another. Some recognized the titles of books they had read.

“One student asked me if that was him

Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

The mural that Suzanne Whitaker painted at Cielo is 45 feet long and runs 9 feet floor to ceiling.

Its focal point is a huge oak tree from whose leafy branches are books with titles popular among the school’s students.

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named Basha High as one of the 35 schools in the state being honored as 2016-17 Arizona Civic Engagement schools.

Basha was one of eight Arizona Civic Engagement schools to receive the Arizona Schools of Excellence label, the most prestigious distinction of the Arizona Civic Engagement schools, “I love getting students to think about the past from as many perspectives as possible,” Evans said. “Just understanding history allows us to be so much more educated in our decision-making as we move forward. History gives us perspective. Understanding the Constitution is crucial for being an engaged citizen.”

in the mural,” Thaete said, adding that her reply threaded a careful line between lying to and disappointing the child.

Some complimented her, telling Whitaker “You’re a really good artist” or “Great job!”

“I lost count on how many of those I got,” Whitaker said.

One student asked, “Have you ever thought of becoming a professional artist?”

“I got a standing ovation from some fourth graders on Day 3,” Whitaker laughed. “Never thought of my job as ‘performance art’ before.”

“One of the teachers told me there was a lot of kids that suddenly had to use the bathroom a lot,” she added. “She finally had to call them out, ‘Do you See

MURAL on page 52

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Pizza campers

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Thanks to a grant from the Dairy Council of Arizona, Chandler Unified School District last month held a “pizza camp” at Chief Hill Learning Academy to kick off the district’s summer feeding program, which provides meals for kids who otherwise would go hungry because they’re not at school. Besides eating pizza, the kids also helped make it and even worked on personalizing the boxes. Among the happy pizza campers, 1) Aaron Esponado, 6, left, and brother Adrian, 9, colored pizza boxes; 2) Lily Cooper waited anxiously for a slice; 3) Dominic Wilson laid on the sauce; 4) Devan Wilson helped lay a saucy foundation; 5) Kendra Wilson contemplated a pizza box design; 6) state Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas watched Hectopr Gonzalez masterfully toss a pie crust as former Diamonbacks player Kelly Stinnett also watched; and 7) Dominic and Devan Wilson also made pizza box designs.

All photographs by Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

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NEIGHBORS

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NEIGHBORS

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Photos by Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer

Ethan Wade plays the trumpet in a concert that students in The Chandler Academy of Performing Arts and Technology (CAPAT)’s Summer 2018 Music and Technology Camp performed last month at Casteel High School.

CAMP

from page 44

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camera operators can hear the director’s voice,” he said. “Communication’s superduper important.”

Brock showed the students a fader that controls the volume and a screen revealing multiple areas of the stadium where a Diamondbacks game was being played.

Achieving the right balance of audio from different sources – the announcer, the crowd, the bat, a player sliding into a base – is important, he said.

“You can think of it just like mixing cake batter,” Brock said. “If I put too much or too little, it doesn’t sound right.”

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D’Asia Hinojosa-Chun plays the clarinet, along with other students in a concert that was part of The Chandler Academy of Performing Arts and Technology (CAPAT)’s Summer 2018 Music and Technology Camp.

and similar professions.

Grace Bayer, 11, who will be in sixth grade in the fall, answered many of Brock’s questions and liked the presentation.

“It was pretty cool how all the TV can go into all this action behind the scenes,” Grace said.

A violinist, she said she likes music and wanted to “learn new music” at camp, too.

Students were divided into bands and

orchestras for grades 8-12 and 6-7. Band, orchestra and general music teachers in the Chandler district taught students, as did Jones and Landon.

Khaymin Westbrook, 14, of Chandler, who will be a freshman at Chandler High School in the fall, got excited talking about everything he did at the summer music camp.

See

CAMP on page 49

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CAMP

from page 48

He has been playing viola since fifth grade and said he loved “the amount of opportunities they give us to show our individuality and composing pieces.”

“It’s a brand-new experience for me,” Khaymin said. “We’re pushing ourselves to be our best.”

He added that he and other students have composed mostly classical music and that a teacher played rhythms that students had to figure what song they came from.

Julia Bziukiewicz, who will be a freshman at Casteel, plays violin and said she liked staying busy over summer break.

“I wanna become more passionate and reach a higher level skill,” she said. “It’s been fun to create our own music. It’s more fun to be here and hang out with friends every single day.”

Aramis Reyes, who will be in ninth grade at Casteel and plays the cello, called the camp “very different from anything I’ve ever experienced.”

“We come here and we play new music and it’s really fun,” Aramis said. “I’ve never been given the opportunity to compose music (before). I can put my feelings and emotions into the music.”

Eli Rahamim, 15, an incoming junior at Hamilton High who plays the bass, enjoyed the social and musical aspects of the camp. He said usually bass parts in orchestra tend to be boring, but at the camp he had a chance to play more interesting music.

“It’s really cool because you get to play with all different kinds of people,” Eli said. “Music is definitely a passion of

From left, trombonist Sawyer Glenn, baritonist Brody Taylor, French hornist Tyler Duckworth and tympanist Dylan Morse perform at the concert culminating the Chandler Academy of Performing Arts and Technology Summer 2018 Music and Technology Camp..

mine.”

Holden McCullar, 12, who will be in eighth grade at Casteel and plays bass, liked that he and his peers got to play “really cool songs.”

“I also love the technology part,” Holden said. “It’s really fun; we did our own whole page music. We did a lot of

music composing and musicality.”

CAPAT is one of the Chandler Unified School District’s community education programs. The camp began about 15 years ago and a few years ago, Jones and Landon added the technology component.

“That’s one of the most competitive,

49

most relevant things kids deal with in today’s society,” Jones said. “Students learn about copyright, storyboarding, shooting video and stills, editing and audio capture and production.

“In addition, students learn about how technology can enhance their practicing and performance as well as knowledge of music theory and composition.”

The students used web-based music software and had a chance to experience musically and “learn by trial and error, as well,” Jones added.

Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator, said the presence of the conservatory on Valley high schools is beneficial.

“Educators are seeing firsthand that there is an immense opportunity for their students that have a passion for the arts,” he said. “To that end, CAPAT is a terrific program for high schoolers and we are proud to be a part of it.”

CRAS also provides an 11-month program aimed at allowing all students a chance to learn and train in all of the conservatory’s studios, which have the same equipment used in studios and remote broadcast centers.

Information on CAPAT: capat.weebly. com. To learn more about CRAS: cras.edu/program.

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NEIGHBORS 50

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

EV teachers’ innovative program to be shown on world stage

BY JIM FICKESS Contributing Writer

Instruction strategies born in an East Valley classroom will take a big step onto the global stage this month during the International Literacy Association Conference in Austin, Texas.

The idea for the program, Astute Hoot: Tools for the Wise Teacher, started in 2010 when Jennifer Zoglman, a specialeducation teacher, and Jessica Murphy, a second-grade teacher, began co-teaching a reading-intervention block at Weinberg Elementary, a Chandler Unified district school in Gilbert.

They soon became inspired to form Astute Hoot, which provides reading and mathematics intervention tools and services, “We were exasperated by extreme budget cuts, which had left out students with limited resources and services to meet their needs,” said Zoglman, who now teaches special ed at Mesquite Elementary in Gilbert. “We were frustrated to see a system failing students as the cuts were leading to one-size-fitsall education. We knew we had to change the status quo because our students deserved better.”

Zoglman and Murphy teamed with graphic designer Tina Rataj-Berard, who is Zoglman’s sister, to create a cast of animal characters that teach critical K-3 literacy and math strategies. These characters, along with accompanying books, handson tools, lessons and graphic organizers, supplement and enhance districtprescribed curricula.

Courtesy of Astute Hoot

Astute Hoot co-owners are, from left, Jessica Murphy, Jennifer Zoglman and Tina Rataj-Berard.

An example of the 10 strategy animals is Peter, the Predicting Possum. He is in Astute Hoot materials to help students use picture and word clues to predict what will happen next in a story.

“As our engaging animals help bring the strategies to life, our most reluctant students blossom into motivated,

enthusiastic learners,” said Murphy, who will move to a kindergarten classroom at Weinberg in the coming school year.

“Students make an immediate connection to our animals. They beg to meet new animals and ask for extra resources for home. Our students consistently make tremendous gains in both their academics

and confidence.”

Once they experienced success in the classroom, the Astute Hoot trio wanted to share their resources and teaching tools with more students. The program’s hands-on tools were licensed by a See

TEACHERS on page 52

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NEIGHBORS

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Non-profit here maintains a 7,200-mile lifeline

BY ERIC NEWMAN Tribune Staff Writer

From Falcon Field in Mesa, a group of Good Samaritans helps provide the only healthcare available to some 220,000 people Papua New Guinea. more than 7,200 miles away.

Indeed, the group belongs to a nonprofit called Samaritan Aviation, a Christian-based organization that distributes medicine and provides life flights to a hospital in 20 to 45 minutes instead of the days it would take villagers to reach it by canoe. The hospital is the only medical facility in a 37,000-square-mile area.

“In the past, these services did not exist, or took days, weeks, and even months for the supplies to reach remote clinics by road and canoe,” Samaritan Aviation notes on its website. “With our float planes, we can accomplish this lifesaving task in a matter of hours, literally changing the lives of the people of the Sepik River Region.”

“Flying the only float plane in the entire country,” it adds, “we are impacting thousands of villagers in the remote areas, who would otherwise have little or no access to any form of healthcare.”

Recently, Samaritan Aviation showed off its Cessna 206 floating plane at Falcon Field so that people here could look at the aircraft that revolutionized medical service to people on the other

side of the world.

“The plane has amphibious floats, which means there are wheels underneath. So, we can land on runways sometimes, but when it goes up in the air, the wheels come up and we can land in the river, which is over 700 miles long, so that we can get the patient safely for medical evaluation flights, bringing supplies or whatever we’re doing,” Samaritan Chief Operations Officer Bryan Yeager said.

Samaritan Aviation partnered with the Boram Hospital in Wewak and provides the medical supplies in large shipping containers through U.S. partners. It also helps send international experts and doctors to the Boram Hospital to conduct medical training and critical surgeries.

In addition, Samaritan Aviation works with the PNG National Department of Health to stock health outposts with medical supplies through the Area Medicine Storehouse in Wewak. Since its began in 2010, Samaritan Aviation has delivered over 142,000 pounds of medical supplies to 40 remote aid posts in the East Sepik Province.

Samaritan Aviation stresses that it “exists to demonstrate God’s love by addressing the health and medical needs of the people who live in the Sepik River Valley of Papua New Guinea.”

It frequently answers emergency lifeflight calls for breached births, cerebral

malaria, broken backs and deadly crocodile and snake bites as well as spear, arrow, and machete wounds.

Co-founder and president Mark Palm, who lives full time in Papua New Guinea, makes many of the emergency flights.

He said he appreciates the opportunity to make a difference for people. He recently returned to New Guinea from a month-long visit in Mesa.

A third-generation aviator whose grandfather flew in World War II, Palm knew even at age 16 that he wanted to help underprivileged people in the Third World. Back then, he was building houses with a church group in Mexico.

“I got a chance to see what other people live like, and experience the cultures of others, and I knew then after reading a devotional that God was telling me I needed to use my aviation skills in a remote part of the world,” he said.

For Palm and his staff, every day is a new challenge.

“One time I got a call and was told of a ‘wire’ sticking out of a guy’s stomach,” he recalled. “I show up, doing my whole scan, looking for crocodiles and all that stuff. And the guy is sitting in his canoe with a stone ax, and he’s got four feet or rebar sticking out of him. It went all the way through his body.”

He got the man to the hospital and two weeks later, the patient was released.

As important as the services Samaritan Aviation offers in Papua New Guinea are, the local government provides only about 20 percent of the funding for flights, repairs, supplies and more.

Thus, Samaritan Aviation relies on other’s generosity, though it stresses: “We are a mission-driven ministry, not a money-driven ministry. We have to be careful to raise the money we need while remembering our primary focus is building the kingdom of God.” Palm added, “We rely on people that care to make a difference, and that’s why we’re out here. A lot of people don’t even know where Papua New Guinea is on a map, even though New Guinea is the second-largest island in the world, so we’re hoping to convince the people here to help people on the other side of the world.”

Palm said he, his wife and his three kids have fully integrated into the community. He even said there are several local New Guineans called “Mark,” named after him, as well as newborns named after his wife and children.

“It’s one of those things we’ve dedicated our entire life to, but we really are part of the community there,” he said, “and I think we’re ready to get back there and start helping people again.”

Information: samaviation.com

52

NEIGHBORS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

(Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Staff Photographer ) Courtesy of Astute Hoot

Jennifer Zoglman (left) and Jessica Murphy display Astute Hoot’s hands-on teaching tools.

TEACHERS

from page 50

major education publisher and their digital products are sold on teacherspayteachers. com and astutehoot.com. The small business has grown its sales domestically and internationally. Its program now is used to teach English as a second language in Russia, Fiji and West Africa, among other places.

Astutehoot.com offers teachersupport information, including a weekly blog that addresses timely issues, such as how to prepare for Meet the Teacher Night and the first day of school.

The decision to exhibit at the International Literacy Association Conference, with vendors that include

the giant education publishing houses and thousands of visitors, was a logical next step in Astute Hoot’s business evolution.

But the prestige of the ILA comes with a big price tag. The conference, which runs July 20-23 in Austin, will cost Astute Hoot thousands of dollars to cover its exhibitor fees and product shipping.

They’re doing it on the cheap. Austin is Rataj-Berard’s hometown, so her house will become Astute Hoot’s headquarters and hotel.

“We have a business, so we, of course, want our investment to pay off,” Murphy said. “But we are educators first. Helping other teachers and students is our passion. We can’t wait to meet hundreds of educators at ILA and share our resources with them.”

GOT NEWS?

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647

Suzanne Whitaker puts finishing touches on some of the hundreds of shoes she painted on the walls as a navigation guide for kindergartners walking about 1,200 feet from their classrooms to the Cielo front office and back.

MURAL

from page 46

really need to go or do you want to watch the artist paint?’ Hilarious.”

Some kids naturally offered critiques, including the one who wondered why a dog had been added but there was no cat. It was just because Whitaker hadn’t finished.

A class spent some time discussing a name for the squirrel in the mural.

The entire experience moved Whitaker.

“Usually I’m not working with people around,” she explained. “This was the first time, and I loved it.”

Thaete said some students told her Whitaker inspired them to start drawing regularly while others were inspired to start reading some of the titles they didn’t recognize on the wall.

Whitaker is now in the process of completing the second phase of the project – the shoes along both sides of the corridor between the kindergarten classes and the front office.

“When you’re 5, walking between the two areas can be confusing,” Thaete explained, noting that since the two lines of shoes face either direction, the children won’t get lost coming or going.

Whitaker draws stencils for the shoes,

volunteers from the Cielo staff and PTO paint them and Whitaker follows up by adding little touches like laces or emblems.

She rejected using one set pattern, opting for a variety of styles and colors.

Thaete said even that will serve a purpose.

“If we have a child who needs to deescalate, we can ask him or her to find the pink shoe or the blue sneaker,” she explained.

Whitaker also added one more personal touch to the mural that none of the kids probably will immediately understand.

“My mom was an elementary teacher and my dad was a school psychologist in the Cincinnati Public School district,” she explained. “My mom was prone to giving out gold stars when she recognized a good deed or thoughtfulness. So, I painted a small gold star on each child in the mural. Only one child came up to me and asked me about it. They are somewhat hidden and you have to be looking for them.

“I told him it was my secret communication with my mom, who has passed over. When I told him the story, he got a big smile on his face. So sweet!”

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Arts & Entertainment

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

City celebrates diversity through televised films

BY COLLEEN SPARKS Managing Editor

Independent films made around the world will be free and easy to watch in Chandler, thanks to a new partnership.

The Chandler Diversity Office and the city’s Communications and Public Affairs Department have teamed up with the Chandler International Film Festival to show eight independent films – with the chance to add more.

Each film is being shown Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for a month on Chandler’s cable channel (Cox Channel 11, CenturyLink Channel 8502 and on Orbital Cable in Sun Lakes) and on the city’s website.

Afterward, they will be posted on the city’s YouTube channel through January.

CINETIME, the package of international films and Q-and-A sessions with the filmmakers, will be shared with other area cities’ cable channels.

Filmmakers from Texas, California, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom produced the films.

“There’s a great variety,” said Niki Tapia, community resources and diversity supervisor for the city’s Neighborhood Resources Department. “We really tried to just go off the beaten path and get a cool variety of films that might speak to so many different people.”

The shortest film in the lineup is four minutes long; others run about half an hour. Viewers will be able to see the filmmakers answering questions after the films are shown.

Special to SanTan Sun News

“Green Earth,” a film the city of Chandler is showing as part of CINETIME, tells the story of a little girl in a future where expansion and development are valued more than nature and conservation.

Alma Soto

“We’re really excited that this is the first time the city has been able to produce our own show highlighting such a variety and such an interesting group of films from filmmakers,” Tapia said.

“Popcorn & Chocolate” was the first shown on the city TV station and website.

Now it’s posted on the city’s YouTube channel for a couple of months.

It is about a persistent middle school band student who keeps going to the home of a couple whose son was killed during military service.

The girl tries to sell the couple various items and unknowingly helps the man and woman heal as they are grieving.

Producer/writer/actor Michael Baker said “Popcorn & Chocolate” also will be shown at the Chandler International Film Festival in January.

Baker, who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is thrilled the film will be available for Chandler audiences.

“I was so excited,” he said. “The idea that we can create something, make a film and then people other than your friends like it and find value in it – are willing to devote time to it in their festivals and share with other people – is amazing. It’s like one of the greatest successes anyone can have.”

Baker studied music for three years

The film “Popcorn & Chocolate” is one of the films Chandler is showing on its YouTube channel as part of CINETIME.

at the University of Arizona in the 1970s and during that time often drove to the Valley to perform in the orchestra with the Arizona Opera.

Because of the “huge military community in Arizona,” Baker said, people here will be interested in “Popcorn & Chocolate.”

Though it tackles the topic of a couple’s loss of their son, the film is still a “feel-good story and it’s honest,” he said.

See

FILMS on page 55

Hamilton grad competes as classical Chinese dancer

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA Contributor

Monet Tan was a mere toddler when she peeked in the door of a dance class her older sister Sammi was attending.

Becoming enchanted with the graceful movements and colorful costumes, the Hamilton High School grad decided right there she would also dance.

And, starting at age 6, she has.

An incoming Arizona State University freshman enrolled in the Barrett Honors College, Tan is a competitive dancer who specializes in Chinese classical dance.

As a longtime dance student at Chandler’s Arizona Art Academy (formerly the Chinese Art Academy), Tan learned three styles of Chinese dance: folk, ethnic and classical.

But it is the flowing grace of Chinese classic dance that captured her heart.

Late last month, Tan competed at the 2018 Cathy Roe’s Ultimate National Dance Competition in Cincinnati, her first trip to the nationals. She’d been invited after her success at the regional level in February.

“I performed in the local competition here in Arizona, where I received the Ultimate Elite Champion, MC’s Choice Award and first place in Senior Solo category,” said Tan.

Special to SanTan Sun News

Monet Tan of Chandler can perform three styles of Chinese dance, but her first love is classical Chinese dance. The 2018 Hamilton grad will enter ASU’s The Barrett Honors College this fall as a freshman.

The recipient of several scholarships, including the Ford Motors Honors Scholarship and IMPACT Chandler Scholars Program scholarship, Tan graduated in the top 4 percentile of her class in May. At the regional and national

competitions, Tan performed an original dance piece called “Cloud.”

“It tells the story of a girl who dreams of dancing on the clouds,” she said. “The light movements reflect the imagery of stepping on clouds, and the flowing dance adds to the smooth, delicate nature of the movements.

“My dance costume is a long, purple dress, which can be quite challenging to dance in. I have skillfully incorporated my dress throughout the dance in twirls, spins and even running.”

Tan considers classical dance a gift she shares not only in competitions, but with the community in various ways, including public performances and teaching at summer camps and two elementary schools, Robert and Danell Tarwater and Coronado.

“Chinese dance, rich in its conveyance of story and emotion, is a life-enhancing social and educational resource that inspires me to share my love for performing arts with my community,” the 18-year-old said.

“Classical Chinese dance incorporates a variety of techniques and props, such as fans, ribbons and long sleeves that create a dynamic performance.”

See

CHINA on page 56

ARTS

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

FILMS

from page 54

Baker, who owns Dial It Back Films with his wife, Rebecca, said the theme of the movie is how life goes on even after a tragedy. The girl selling things as a band fundraiser is named April because April symbolizes rebirth, Baker said.

Catherine Hatcher, director of “Popcorn & Chocolate,” said she believes “not enough attention is given to military families and the people who suffer” when loved ones die while serving the country.

She owns D & B Films in the DallasForth Worth area, through which she produces her own films, but she said she wanted to get involved with “Popcorn & Chocolate” after it made her “tear up” when she read the script.

“I said, ‘I absolutely had to be a part of this,’” Hatcher said. “I believe that the

story is such a good story, it’s something that helps people understand more about military families and what they have to deal with.

“It’s wonderful to get the exposure for military families. So many people came up to me and said, ‘We lost a child in the military. Thank you for sharing what it is we go through, for being sensitive on this topic.’”

She lost her own daughter at age 18 in a car accident.

“Popcorn & Chocolate” has been shown at many film festivals and won a Platinum Remy Award at the WorldfestHouston.

Other films that will be shown on the Chandler cable channel are: “Follow Me Down Again” is an art/ dance film based on the story of Icarus by T.S Eliot. The tale of Icarus is a symbol of our society as we want to fly higher and have everything go faster and further and

better so consequently we lose contact with ourselves and other people.

“Game of Souls” is about a girl, Luise, who because of a cursed book of myths, travels back in time to the year 1410 to the medieval Fichtelgebirge. There she meets with Liborius, who is currently writing the magic book, as well as his grumpy grandson Heinrich.

In the film, Heinrich wanted to cheat the devil while playing cards with him but the devil learned about it and took away his soul. Heinrich tries to get his soul back and soon Luise and Heinrich fight against evil and encounter mythical creatures from Fichtelgebirge.

“Green Earth” is a tale of Eva in a future where expansion and development are valued more than nature and conservation. Eva struggles to protect her beloved tree from being destroyed and winds up in the middle of a standoff with developers.

55

“The Hope’s Stars” is about a young woman who feels lost and tries to understand her existence and destiny.

“Tonic of the Sea,” a minidocumentary, reveals the ties between mental health and swimming. The hope is her story might help others who have similar challenges. The director is Jon Scott.

“Uprise” is an animated short film about a robot that will challenge everything, created entirely using an Oculus Rift with the “Make It Film” app developer Muro created.

“Water,” is a four-minute exploration of the planet’s most magnificent glaciers, waterfalls, beaches, rivers and waterways.

The films will be shown on the city’s cable channel and at chandleraz. gov/video and youtube.com/user/ chandlerarizona.

Chris Isaak looks both ways on his career CONNOR DZIAWURA Staff

Chris Isaak isn’t bothered by high temperatures. Upon answering the phone, the Stockton, California, native asks the typical Arizona question.

“Is it hot?” he asks.

When he’s told the temperatures are in the 100s, Isaak exclaims, “Whew” and launches into stories of his first tour bus, which lacked air conditioning, and his days of roofing in his hometown.

The conversation quickly turns to his

new tour, which will bring him and his longtime backing band to Arizona this month.

The rockabilly crooner debuted in 1985 with “Silvertone” and has produced 11 more albums and several hits since then.

“The special part of (the tour) is we haven’t played in a little while,” he says.

“We’ve been off the road for a little bit.

I’ve been writing, and I’m dying to get back on stage and play.”

Among his dates are July 20 at the Celebrity Theatre, where he performed

last summer, and July 21 at the Fox Tucson Theatre. For Phoenix fans – and the band – the Celebrity Theatre’s famed revolving stage makes for a positive experience, he says.

“That stage is a great stage because there’s not a bad seat in that house,” he explains.

“You do have to remember that people can see your back,” he adds with a laugh. “If you turn around and you’re talking to your drummer, they’re going to hear what you’re saying, and so you have to be careful.”

When Isaak performs, he says, fans will hear an array of songs spanning his 33-year career, including “Wicked Game,” “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing” and “Somebody’s Crying.”

“I want to make it fun, but I also want to make sure I please the audience,” he explains. “People come to this show and maybe they’re only going to see me once every five years, it may be the only time they see me. They might have to drive a long way and hire a babysitter. And I try

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56

CHINA

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

from page 54

Her first solo, called “Xiao Wei Xiao Wei,” told of a little girl during the Tang Dynasty trying on her first pair of heels.

“The heels reflect the stereotypical Chinese traditions at the time when society believed women should have small feet – a phenomenon called lily feet – and should walk slowly,” she explained.

It is dancing, she says, that inspires her to work as a teacher’s assistant in Chinese immersion schools and to perform at community events that showcase Chinese culture.

“Teaching Chinese dance and choreographing a dance for not only the ASU Startalk Chinese Language Summer Camp, but also the two elementary schools and other summer camps, is such an amazing experience,” said Tan, who is also fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.

“I love children. I just find them so very lovable and adorable, and I watch proudly as my students twirl their handkerchiefs in their closing ceremony and perform the choreography we worked so hard on for a couple weeks,” she said, adding: “I’m delighted to bring the gift of performance arts – so critical to understanding diverse experiences and peoples, to a wide audience.”

Tam, who just completed a term as chair of the Chandler Mayor’s Youth Commission, said there’s no getting around pre-performance jitters. She says she’s learned how to work with it.

“To overcome any fear, I feel it is most pertinent for me to practice, practice and reflect,” she stated.

Special to SanTan Sun News

Monet Tan’s original work is called “Cloud,” about a girl who dreams of dancing on the clouds.

“On my performance dates, I like to go the location a couple hours earlier to familiarize myself with my surroundings.

Then, after rehearsal, I reflect on how to adjust or accommodate to the stage shape or size to make my performance the best I can,” she said.

Bit unforeseen incidents can derail a performance.

She recounted how a Chinese New Year’s performance at Tempe Center for the Arts left no time for the stage crew to move risers and the accompanist’s piano.

“I had to make some impromptu changes to my dance to accommodate those conditions,” she recalled with a chuckle.

“I go to the competitions with the

mindset of trying to win, but also to do my personal best.”

And though she says she doesn’t rely on talismans, there was once a time when they were helpful.

“Nerves are something everyone faces and it often causes people to make mistakes, but I feel these mistakes help me grow and develop into a stronger and better person.

“Yet, I started dancing at a young age, and I used to bring a little dragon keychain with me as my lucky charm. The dragon is my zodiac animal, and in China is a symbol of power, strength and good luck….I brought it along with me when I went to the national competition.”

Tan is quick to credit her longtime teacher at the Arizona Art Academy.

“Ms. Qiu has inspired me and taught me so much over the years.

While instructing me, she often has demonstrations of movements which is a great help as I am a visual learner,” said Tan. And there’s a great deal of selflearning, too.

“I often watch my dance videos from practice or competitions to reflect on my dance moves. Watching my own video always makes me happy because I see the improvements I’ve made.

“In addition, competitions allow me to meet a variety of outstanding dancers which not only broadens my horizons, but expands my knowledge. Performance onstage has not only developed my confidence as a dancer, but also my conviction as a leader in my school and community.”

As she begins preparation for ASU, where she is ensconced in the Leader’s Academy at W.P. Carey Business School, she outlines her plans to continue dance even with a heavy college schedule.

“I’m planning on joining a dance team or club on campus,” she said. “And I always find time to dance, even if it’s at home.”

She retains empathy for younger students who miss out on the arts and arts instruction.

“I find it frustrating that young people are being encouraged away from the arts to enter into science and artificial intelligences, she said.

“By offering more performing arts, it can serve as a catalyst to inspire young people to instill artistic creativity, and therefore achievement, into our community.”

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ISAAK

from page 55

to think, ‘What song did they come to hear?’”

He views balancing different moods, from ballads to upbeat songs, as equally important to playing the hits. Sometimes this involves making impromptu decisions and adjusting his setlist.

“Over the years we’ve found which songs we think work and then we switch it up, because the nice thing about having played for 33 years with people is we’re not stuck with a setlist when we walk out on stage,” he says.

“Sometimes I’ll walk out on stage and I’ll go, ‘You know, tonight there are a lot of people who are ready to dance, and this place that we’re playing lets people stand up,’ or ‘Tonight is a great-sounding room.

“We can do ballads. People are sitting down and they’re enjoying it, and they can hear really well.’ You can adjust every night a little bit.”

His love of performing is reflected in his performances, and he feels that contributes to his large following.

“We have a good time. We put on a show,” he says. “We dress up. We look like I stole Liberace’s clothes. I mean, I wear a 30-pound suit covered in mirrors. We’ll go out in the audience and sing. We’ll get them up on stage. We talk to the audience. We really make an effort – and that effort has paid off over the years.”

Though known for his Elvis- and Roy Orbison-inspired tunes, Isaak isn’t a one-trick pony, having had a lengthy resume in television and film. Aside from licensing his songs, he has guest-starred

Lynch’s distinctive voice.

Rather than sending ideas back and forth, he says he welcomed the director into the studio to collaborate.

“It was really fun working with him,” Isaak remembers. “He’s a very creative guy and very fun to work with because he doesn’t have an ego.”

Later this year, Isaak will use his creativity when hosting the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Induction & Celebration. He helmed the ceremony last year.

“It worked out pretty well. I had a good time,” he says. “I always feel like, ‘Well, I’ll just be honest and I’ll say what comes into my head and keep it clean and we’ll see how it goes.’

Special to SanTan Sun News “I like music, so it’s Chris Isaak, who will perform at the Celebrity Theatre later this month, believes that balancing different moods, from ballads to not a problem for me to upbeat songs, in his concerts is as important as playing his many hits. get enthused. I don’t have to pretend to be excited when I’m out there on on numerous television series, hosted his songs in 1986’s “Blue Velvet” and 1990’s stage and introducing Raul Malo (of The own show, “The Chris Isaak Hour,” and “Wild at Heart,” and directed one of worked with film directors David Lynch several music videos for “Wicked Game.” Mavericks) or listening to Elvis Costello or something. I remember playing those and the late Jonathan Demme.

He later cast Isaak in a major role things and I go, ‘Man, I used to buy these “(Demme) was always on my side alongside Kiefer Sutherland in his 1992 guys’ records.’” He lets out a laugh. “It’s a and always trying to get me to do stuff,” film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.” fun job.” explains Isaak, who had small roles in “I’ve worked with David Lynch since Chris Isaak, Celebrity Theatre, 440 “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Married early on,” he says. “He called and said, N. 32nd St., Phoenix, 602.267.1600, to the Mob,” and was offered several ‘Hey, I love your record. Would you celebritytheatre.com, 8 p.m. Friday, July other roles by Demme over the years. think about doing music for the film?’”

20, $65-$100.

Lynch notably used several of Isaak’s he recalls, attempting to impersonate

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Boone to light up stage in ‘42nd Street’

BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON Contributor

Thanks to her mother-in-law, Rosemary Clooney, Grammy-winning singer Debby Boone has fond memories of the Valley.

Probably the strongest, Boone said, was doing Clooney’s White Christmas tour.

“She included me in that and we put my kids in that very first show in Phoenix,” Boone said. “I never dreamt something like that could ever happen. It was a blast and we did it for many years.”

She hopes to create additional memories this summer when she performs in “42nd Street,” a production of Scottsdale Musical Theater Company at the Tempe Center for the Arts.

She is co-starring with Charles Shaughnessy, who appeared on “The Nanny” and “Days of Our Lives.”

The daughter of 1950s and ‘60s heartthrob singer Pat Boone, Debby will play the slightly-past-her-prime Dorothy Brock, a diva who is annoyed about having to audition for a new stage production.

As Brock, Boone continues to expand her theatrical repertoire, which includes Broadway stints with “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and “Grease,” as well as “The Sound of Music,” “South Pacific” and “Camelot.”

“I’ve never actually seen the show (“42nd Street”) done live on stage, but I’ve seen the movie,” Boone said. “I’m very

experiences at this phase of my career.”

The musical’s songs were a good fit for Boone’s natural range, which was showcased in her 1977 hit “You Light Up My Life.”

“In musical theater, usually the challenge for me is that everything is too high,” Boone said. “I am a true alto. There are not a lot of leading roles written for altos, but this role is. I think it would be challenging for most female singers to sing as low as the part requires.”

Boone is looking forward to this opportunity in the Valley.

“I love musical theater and I love working in a company,” she said. “There’s nothing quite like the energy of working with a full cast and an orchestra. I know Scottsdale Musical Theater Company is a delightful theater company and they put on great productions, so Special to the SanTan Sun News I’m really excited.”

Grammy winner Debby Boone performs in “42nd Street” at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway “42nd Street,” Tempe in Tempe through Sunday, July 15.

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59

Game stores growing in popularity across East Valley

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA Contributor

Jeff Caples describes his Gilbert game store, GamesU, as “Cheers, without the bar” – a comfortable place to go where everybody knows your name.

The same sentiment is echoed by the owners of Gateway Games in Mesa, founded by Les and Janice Tanzer in September 2017, and Mike Griffin of Desert Sky Games, who opened his store in a larger Chandler location the same month.

The three stores bustle with business.

Visiting any one of them will typically showcase gamers of all ages pursuing the shelves of games for sale.

Some try out board or card games in special stay-as-long-as-you’d-like game rooms or compete in regularly scheduled role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons or various trading card games like Magic: The Gathering.

Their calendars are chockablock with activities with weeknight and weekend games, including the parent-child popu-

Special to the San Tan Sun News

People can gather at Gateway Games in Mesa to try out games and even engage in some spirited competition with other customers.

lar Starwars Destiny and Pokemon, and other popular games like Pandemic, and Tal’dore, with specific characters based on the original “Vox Machina” cast.

These aren’t the board games played on rainy days back home. But don’t discount the standards like Scrabble and Monopoly; they’re still around.

But newer games like Catan and Carcassone are all the rage for family game nights or adult competitive gatherings.

And don’t look for the $9.99 specials, though there are trading cards that circle that price.

Today’s games can cost big bucks.

“You’re talking games running more than $100,” said Gateway Games’ Janice Tanzer. “Games are expensive. Gloomhaven is priced at $140 and we can’t even get it. I heard it’s being sold online for as much as $200.”

Those prices prompted the game stores’ owners to make many of their board games available for rent at Gateway, or for play in-

Special to the San Tan Sun News

Les and Janice Tanzer opened Gateway Games in Mesa last September and are riding the wave of the growing popularity of all kinds of games.

store at all three establishments.

Pick a game, find a private room or table and experiment before handing over your credit card – or hard-earned allowance.

The resurgence of board games and the popularity of game stores are not just local phenomena.

According to Euromonitor International, a global market research company, sales of games and puzzles grew by 15 percent in 2016, while industry news outlet ICv2 proclaimed sales in the United States and Canada that year surged by 21 percent.

Both say more than 5,000 new board games were introduced in the United States alone in 2016.

To get an idea of the vast number of games available and/or coming available, a perusal of BoardGameGeek.com will be an eye-opener.

And the game store business is blossoming across the country.

GamesU, Gateway Games and Desert Sky Games are reaping the results of this renaissance of tabletop games, which provide real-time connection between people, so unlike most online games.

For the owners of these area game stores, having these stores as their place of business is the culmination of years of dreaming.

“I’ve been planning and dreaming this for a quarter of a century,” said Jeff Caples, 46, of GamesU, which proclaims itself “Smart Games for Smart People.”

“I spent most of my adult life contemplating this. My first job, at age 17, was in a game store in Diamond Bar, California.

The owners basically taught me to run the business. By 18, I was actually running the business – hiring, ordering, operating it day-by-day,” he said.

Caple served in the U.S. Army, attended a local police academy and returned to the Army before changing careers to teach math and social studies in Phoenix and at Mesa’s Kino Junior High School.

“As much as I loved teaching – and I absolutely loved being in the classroom and loved being with my students – this is something I wanted to do, needed to do, planned to do,” he said.

Today’s game stores are well lit, clean and welcoming. This may sound normal for a business, but until the recent resurgence of board and card games, many game stores were too often described as cave-like and well, smelly.

“We try to be a step above,” said Janice Tanzer, Gateway Games’ co-owner with her husband, Les, an electrical plans examiner for the city of Phoenix.

“Our store is bright and clean, and we have three private rooms, including a Dungeon & Dragons room that has a projector on the ceiling to project a detailed map,” she said, adding: “We have a demo library of more than 120 games that people can sit down and play. If they don’t like one, they can pick out another one.”

The couple purchased the former QCB Fun Store and rechristened it Gateway Games last September. They already were avid gamers themselves.

“We’ve both played games pretty much, all our lives; we have quite a selection at home,” she said.

Added her husband: “I started playing the original Dungeons & Dragons in 1977 and continued until around 1986.”

Their oldest son reignited the spark with the introduction of D&D to QCB, suggesting they start a game night. It blossomed from there.

Their Mesa storefront, at 2,100 square feet, is a draw every day of the week, but particularly late afternoons, evenings and weekends. On Fridays and Saturdays, their store is open until 11 p.m. GamesU is open Friday and Saturdays until midnight.

Besides D & D, Tanzer said, Magic: The Gathering is a big pull, especially among high school and college students.

“And we have families come and play games,” she asserted. “The Star Wars Destiny is scheduled every week and we have father-and-child sets that play that regularly.”

Desert Sky Games, 3875 W. Ray Road in Chandler, is owned by Mike Griffin, who operated his store at two other locations before moving into this 6,100-square-foot storefront.

“It’s larger than our other two stores combined,” said Griffin of the previous locations in Tempe and Gilbert. “We had 104 people last Friday night in our game room.”

Like the other owners, owning a game store has been a long percolating dream.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since I was a teenager,” admitted Griffin. “I’m a software engineer and we have an physicist and electrical engineer here, so we have a pretty well-educated staff.”

Desert Sky Games also has an in-house arcade with eight machines, with more planned. Griffin agreed families are also among the regular customers, especially participating in “very family-oriented” Pokemon competitions at 3 p.m. Sundays.

A Monday Pokemon play tends to pull college students.

As if to confirm the increasing popularity of neighborhood game stores, a recently released book may provide additional proliferation. “Friendly Local Game Store: A Five Year Path to a Middle-Class Income” by Gary L. Ray is already spurring interest nationwide.

Games U 1550 N. Stonehenge Drive Suite 102 Gilbert 480-497-6003 | gamesuaz.com Gateway Games 8743 E. Pecos Road Suite 108 Mesa 480-341-2299 | gatewaygamesaz.com Desert Sky Games 3875 W. Ray Road, Suite 7 Chandler 602-615-5214 desertskygames.crystalcommerce.com

Mad Monster Party celebrates horror Freddy Krueger, Jason, Chucky and Leatherface have been giving children and adults nightmares for decades. An annual horror convention lets fans see a different side of childhood villains and heroes from their favorite films.

Held in different parts of the country, Mad Monster Party celebrates the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres with a weekendlong party. The Arizona event is Friday, July 13, to Sunday, July 15, at the We-Ko-Pa Resort.

The event offers a party atmosphere

with photo ops with celebrities, a costume contest, “scaraoke,” a horror movie-themed pageant, a vendor room and afterparties.

Founder Eben McGarr grew up watching horror movies and reading comic books. He wrote, directed and produced the horror films “House of the Wolf Man” and “Sick Girl. “ He started the conventions in 2010 because he wanted to create an intimate event for pop culture fans like himself. He said the experience brings out different

emotions in fans.

“You live vicariously through all of these fans who are meeting these celebrities for the first time. I’ve seen grown men cry meeting Hulk Hogan,” McGarr said.

“It’s not that this enhances my appreciation for the genre as much as it gives me a sense of validation that we’re able to bring different cities this taste of Hollywood and pop culture.”

This year, fans can meet and take pictures with horror movie icons such

as Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund, Leatherface actor R.A. Mihailoff and Jason actor Kane Hodder.

Celebrities often dress up as their characters, sometimes wearing costumes or holding props from specific films or video games.

“If you’re a fan, you’re only going to get that at Mad Monster Party,” McGarr said. “At larger comicons, you don’t see pop culture icons dressing up as the See

MONSTER on page 61

60

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MONSTER

from page 59

characters they’ve made famous in film franchises.”

Some of the photo opportunities include multiple actors from the same films. During the convention, guests can judge contests and take part in panels.

“We try to make it as fun for the celebrity as it is for the fan,” McGarr said.

“We are able to get certain celebrities to do things that they wouldn’t ordinarily because we engage with them in their interests.”

Each show has a different flavor, based on where and when it is held. The Chicago convention, for example, had a true crime theme, and the New Orleans event incorporated voodoo.

“We really try to embrace what it is that each different city brings to the table,” McGarr said.

Because the We-Ko-Pa Resort event starts on Friday the 13th, the Arizona show will be themed around that movie franchise. It will have a special scavenger hunt inspired by the newest “Friday the 13th” multiplatform video game.

As part of the Miss Scarizona Pageant, contestants present their best horror looks and talents. In the past, participants have donned bikinis covered in blood and spooky Hollywood glamour looks and brought talents such as live singing, dancing or freak show acts.

Judges consider contestants’ style, personality, screaming ability and talent, and the grand prize winner takes away $500 in cash.

The costume contest also allows

The event has themed panels on topics such as women in horror and panels focused on the actors.

Levi Tinker, general manager for TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, will moderate the panels. Many of the celebrity guests, including Christine Elise, have acted in different genres of TV and film.

Elise is best known for her portrayal of Kyle in “Child’s Play 2,” Emily Valentine Special to SanTan Sun News on “Beverly Hills, The Mad Monster Party gives participants a chance to dress as their favorite 90210” and Harper horror movie or TV series character while vendors hawk collectibles such as Tracy on “ER.” original artwork, comics and horror-themed memorabilia.

Elise wrote, directed and starred in the 2010 short film attendees to show off their creativity, dressing up as film characters or creatures “Bathing & the Single Girl” and published a book based on the movie in 2014. She such as dragons or zombies. The top writes, directs, photographs and cooks contestant will win $500. for her vegan cooking YouTube channel On Sunday, attendees who come dressed up in costume can take free green “Delightful Delicious Delovely & Video Vegan.” screen photos.

This is her first year at the Arizona Mad RIP guests receive special perks such Monster Party. as early entry into the show and special The daughter of artists, Elise started access to panels, signings, screenings and acting in her 20s after going to film school the RIP lounge. to be a director. With each character, she During the convention, vendors will tries to bring herself to the role. sell collectible items such as original “The most unique thing I have to offer artwork, comics, horror-themed anyone, anything or any role is myself,” household items, vintage toys from the Elise said. ’50s and ’60s or movie memorabilia.

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“So, inevitably, any character I play is as much just me in the situations the writer wrote. Of course, I would never or could never actually do a lot of the things my characters have done, but from my perspective, they are just me.”

In “Child’s Play 2” and “Cult of Chucky,” the actress worked opposite a Chucky doll. She said it was easier than using technical jargon convincingly or filming a love scene.

“It is all acting, even if the other actor is inanimate,” she said.

“In fact, Chucky is easier to work with than a real man or woman in a love scene.

Love scenes suck. They are so awkward, technical and fake. I’d rather work with Chucky all day.”

Elise said fans have most connected to her outcast character Emily Valentine, however.

“She held a place on “90210” for all the kids who did not feel spoken for by the rest of the cast,” she said.

“Outsiders, the disenfranchised, either economically or because they were ‘not cool.” Or they were not white, or they were gay or punk rock. She was a badass, and she landed the dream boy. For a second. Many people have thanked me for that. Also, I was even called a lesbian icon of the ’90s. I love that! Because I was an outsider in high school, too.”

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Faith

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

No one is alone with friends and faith

BY RABBI DR. IRWIN WIENER Contributor

How many times have we wished we had the ability to express ourselves when we are the recipients of goodness as demonstrated by others?

Sometimes we just look in amazement at the many people who cross our paths during our journey and who have had an impact on our lives. Perhaps we take these individuals for granted or even come to expect the different episodes that give us fulfillment.

Each morning when we awake to a new day, we can also find new things that will brighten our day or make the experience more exciting in so many ways.

But, then we forget all too often to just say a simple “thank you.” We have a tendency to forget the ones who impact our lives – the postal worker or the law enforcement officers or the gardener or even the grocery clerk, and for sure the men and women who proudly serve our country.

If we stop to think for a moment, there

are so many groups and individuals who are part of us in so many ways.

Even Scripture demonstrates how easy it is to forget until time slides by us and we are forgotten as we forget.

People’s minds sometimes are enslaved, not for thinking differently, but because we choose to ignore the blessings we receive.

We take the benevolence offered by God and squander it on complacency and the desire to be part of a greater society rather than contribute to it.

Then I watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

And each time I find something different in the message. It is a timeless story of greed and goodness combined to emphasize that each conflicts with the other.

The miracles experienced in this film come from the fact that adversity sometimes wakes us up to reality, the reality that goodness comes with effort, and greed rears its ugly head so easily.

No person is alone if she or he has friends. And no person is alone if he or she has faith. I believe they go together. Our faith is somehow strengthened when can hold a hand or be together as we share the difficulties as well as buffet the waves.

Each of us represents a microscopic

view of the world. If we listen and watch we can see the whole world in front of us – from dialogue, to accent, to wishes and completion.

We may look differently on the outside, but inwardly we share the same needs and desires. We all need compassion and caring, acceptance and togetherness. Most importantly, however, is our desire for life.

To me, the film depicts in a very moving way the need for continuance and continuity. If we really think about it, our values are no different than those of the person sitting next to us, or living next door to us, or residing miles away or even in distant lands.

Albert Einstein, I believe, summed it up best: “Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we know: “That we are here for the sake of others…above all, for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are

connected by a bond of sympathy.

“Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”

I could not help think as I read these words how much of an impact we have on the lives of those we come in contact with each and every day.

We probably will never know to what extent we truly affect their lives. I do know that each and every time people gather either for prayer, or to celebrate a special occasion or share a sorrow, there is a feeling of contentment and satisfaction in the knowledge that no one need be alone.

The men and women whom we chose to lead us in these difficult times of terror, uncertainty, desecrations, hopefully are answering a noble cause – the cause of survival and continuity.

Even in our small corner of this great universe, it does matter, all lives matter, our faith matters.

Dr. Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D. is National Chaplain of Jewish War Veterans-USA and he is with Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

God hears the prayers of our hearts

BY REV. JEAN NEWELL Contributor

As I was growing up, my family always said grace before meals. I, in turn, taught the same grace to my children, and my children are passing the tradition on to their children.

I remember when my daughter Dawn and her two young sons moved in with me. Her oldest son, Sabastion, was about 4 and a half years old at the time, and he almost had the prayer memorized.

Not to be outdone by his older brother, Sebian, who was 2 and a half years old at the time, worked hard at learning the prayer. He didn’t know all the words, but those he knew, he said loudly with enthusiasm: “God is gracious, God is good, Thank you, God, for this food. By His hands, each must be fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen” Then one day, my daughter suggested I take a peek at Sebian as he prayed because he was trying so hard to get the prayer right. He and Sabastion both had their eyes closed and their hands folded.

Sabastion’s head was bowed down, but Sebian’s head was tilted up, and his eyes were squeezed shut, and his whole face was animated as he prayed.

He may not have been able to say all the words clearly, but I believe God heard the words of his heart loud and clear.

That’s what praying is all about, isn’t it?

Just talking to God? Scripture assures us that God “discern[s] my thoughts from far away” and “Even before a word is on my

child’s prayer reveals God knows what’s in hearts.

People can celebrate Christmas in July at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

A full Christmas worship service will take place in the Chapel at the church at 4 p.m. July 14 and 9 a.m. July 15 at the church, 9248 E. Riggs Road.

Worshippers can enjoy favorite Christmas songs like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World” with the season’s hospitality to follow on July 15 in Lindsay Hall after the worship service.

The public is invited to attend Tuesday Nights Together (TNT) at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday night (except for July 3) through August in Lindsay Hall at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

The events are free.

These are the topics of Special to SanTan Sun News discussion for the ones Sun Lakes United Methodist Church will host Christmas in July in July: worship services on July 14 and 15.

July 10: World of Fine Tea Shrouded in the mist tongue, O LORD, you know it completely” before recorded history - Psalm 139:2&4. began, humans discovered tea leaves What a blessing that whether or not growing in the rugged mountain jungles we give voice to the words of a prayer, of the southern edge of China’s Yunnan God hears the prayers of our hearts. A Province…thus begins the story of tea.

Come along with Diane Eddy, a Master Tea Expert, owner of the Global Tea Mart in Chandler, and learn about the history and culture of tea, where it grows, its health benefits, and its vast array of tastes.

July 17: Tsunamis When a large undersea earthquake occurs at the joint of tectonic plates a tsunami will form. Thus begins a series of ocean waves that send surges of water rising to 100 feet high, moving at 500 miles an hour and traveling thousands of miles in the ocean.

Join Tony Contrabasso for a lively presentation on how this phenomenon of nature happens, where they usually occur, and the devastation they can leave behind.

July 24: Honoring our Veterans The mission of “Honor Flight Arizona” is to pay homage to our World War II and Korean veterans by sending them to the memorials in Washington, D.C., so they may honor and remember their fallen comrades.

From Arlington National Cemetery to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Dick Vogel will share his story of the enormous cost that heroes paid for freedom.

July 31: Unsung Heroes At the heart of “Unsung Heroes” are the powerful firsthand accounts of women who have answered the call and stand proud in their commitment to the patriotic ideals of the United States.

Retired Lt. Col. Maggie De Sante is an amazing woman and her life reads like a great novel, but this one is all true.

Jean Newell is the associate pastor at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

FAITH

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Spiritual Connections Call ahead to confirm as details occasionally change after print. If you have a recurring monthly support group or meeting to list in Spiritual Connections, email complete details to news@santansun.com.

Career Connectors 8:30 a.m. to noon, fourth Tuesday of month Nonprofit organization connecting professionals in career transition to highquality resources and hiring companies; each event includes professional career speakers with presentations on relevant job search topics, three to four hiring companies, networking, resume help, career coaches, LinkedIn coaches and business portraits.

Central Christian Church, Gilbert Campus/ Student Center, 965 E. Germann Road, Gilbert 480-442-5806, careerconnectors.org Christian Business Networking Tri-City Chapter – Chandler, Tempe, Mesa 7:15 a.m. Tuesdays Offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals.

Crackers and Co. Café, 535 W. Iron Ave., Mesa Maia, 480-425-0624, christianbusinessnetworking.com Christian Business Networking, Chandler Bi-Monthly Chapter 7:45 a.m. second and fourth Tuesdays each month Offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals.

Chandler Christian Church, Building B, Room 202 1825 S. Alma School Road, Chandler Maia, 480-425-0624, christianbusinessnetworking.com HOPE—Help Overcoming Painful Experiences 7 p.m. Tuesdays Free weekly small-group sessions helping people overcome emotional pain caused by divorce, grief, addictions and more; free child care for children ages 10 and younger.

Desert Springs Church 19620 S. McQueen Road, Room 106, Chandler hope4all@comcast.net, helpovercomingpainfulexperiences.org

SUNDAYS Celebration Service 10:30 a.m. Sundays All with peaceful beliefs are welcome to this inclusive, loving, thriving UNITY Community.

Join the group at 10 a.m., preceding the service, for fellowship. Youth and toddlers meet during service. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa, 480-593-8798, interfaith-community.org Kids’ Sunday School 10 to 11 a.m. Sundays Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800 Lift Your Spirit 10 a.m. Sundays Hear inspirational messages and music.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800 Traditional and Contemporary Services 7:30 a.m. daybreak contemplative worship, 9 a.m. traditional worship and choral music,

11 a.m. contemporary worship with live Christian rock band. There is also a service at 12 p.m. Wednesdays St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 901 W. Erie Street, Chandler 480-899-7386, saintmatthewschurch.org

MONDAYS The Art of Parenting 7:30 p.m. Mondays Six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and presented by Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of Chabad of the East Valley, designed to help parents at all levels of Jewish knowledge develop their own parenting philosophies and techniques. Cost is $99.

Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life 875 N. McClintock Drive, Chandler 480-855-4333, rabbi@chabadcenter.com

TUESDAYS Silva Class and Meditation 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays Learn the Silva method with Lois Britland.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800

Shalom Chapter of Hadassah 11:30 a.m. second Tuesday of each month Iron Oaks (Oakwood) Clubhouse 24218 S. Oakwood Boulevard, Sun Lakes Cyril, 480-802-0243; Kathy, 480-895-5194; Shirley, 480-883-9159; or Joyce, 480-802-4902.

Monthly Women’s Fellowship 6:15 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month The monthly fellowship Bible study with the East Valley Chapter of Christian Women’s Devotional Alliance “ministers to women’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs.”

Best Western-Mezona, 250 W. Main Street, Mesa. 480-232-3773 Narcotics Anonymous (Nar-Anon), Chandler Chapter 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Twelve-step program for families and friends of addicts. Faith Community Church 1125 N. Dobson Road, Chandler, nar-anon.org

WEDNESDAYS Panic Healing 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday Receive a 15-minute energetic tuneup.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800

63

Gong Meditation and Yoga Nidra 7 to 8:30 p.m. third Wednesday Presented by Will Zecco, gong master. Bring yoga mat, blanket and pillow as desired. Love offerings will be accepted.

Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa 480-593-8798, interfaith-community.org “A Course in Miracles” with the Rev. Julianne Lewis 1 to 2:15 p.m. Wednesdays The weekly group is an interactive time of learning and sharing, appropriate for course beginners, as well as longtime students of ACIM. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa 480-593-8798, interfaith-community.org.

The Art of Parenting 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays Six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and presented by Rabbi Mendy Deitsch of Chabad of the East Valley, designed to help parents at all levels of Jewish knowledge develop their own parenting philosophies and techniques. Cost is $99.

Chandler Jewish Community Center 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler 480-855-4333 or rabbi@chabadcenter.com.

Grief Care 6:45 p.m. Wednesdays A place to come share your feelings or just listen to others as we try to navigate through our grief. You don’t have to do it alone.

Epiphany Lutheran Church, South Campus, old church building, 800 W. Ray Road, Room 325, Chandler, griefcareaz@gmail.com.

Healing Prayer and Meditation Circle 7 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays Guided prayer, affirmations and visualization for those facing physical, emotional, mental or spiritual issues in their lives. Love offering requested.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800 Meditation Moments 7 to 8:30 p.m. third Wednesday of the month An interactive time of learning and sharing, appropriate for beginners or longtime students of ACIM. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa 480-593-8798, interfaith-community.org St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church 12 p.m. Healing and Eucharist service St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church 901 W. Erie Street, Chandler 480-899-7386, saintmatthewschurch.org THURSDAYS Women’s Empowerment & Awakening 7 to 8:30 p.m. third Thursday Release negative beliefs.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800

See

CONNECTIONS on page 64

FAITH 64

CONNECTIONS

from page 63

A Course in Miracles 7 p.m. first, second and fourth Thursday Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800 Empower Model for Men 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays The three-class series is taught by author Scott E. Clark and designed to offer practical wisdom and tools to help men shift into their higher consciousness, based on the sevenstep empower model detailed in Clark’s book, “Empower Model for Men.” Cost is $85.

Unity of Tempe, formerly Unity of Chandler 1222 E. Baseline Road,, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800 Real Love Support Group 6:30 p.m. Thursdays For those who have a desire to acquire more “real love” and in the process find great personal happiness and more fulfilling relationships. Love offering requested.

Unity of Tempe, 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe 480-792-1800

FRIDAYS Temple Havurat Emet 7:30 p.m. first Friday of each month Lecky Center, Robson Library 9330 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, templehavuratemet.org

SATURDAYS Spirit Night – Psychic Fair 4 to 8 p.m. third Saturday of each month The “Lightworkers” offer a wide range of services, including Reiki, facials, mediums, drumming, tarot, angel messages and more.

Services range from $20 to $30. Cash only.

Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa interfaith-community.org heatherposey70@gmail.com.

Spirit Night – A Holistic Healing Festival 1 to 6 p.m. third Saturday of the month Lightworkers offer a wide range of services including Reiki, facials, mediums, drumming, tarot, angel messages and more. Services range from $20 to $30.

Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa interfaith-community.org, heatherposey70@gmail.com Unity Drumming and Healing Circle 6:30 to 8 p.m. fourth Saturday of each month Beginner, expert drummers and observers welcome. Bring snack, appetizer or dessert to share. Love donation accepted.

Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center 952 E. Baseline Road, Suite 102, Mesa 480-593-8798, interfaith-community.org

OTHER Forever Marriage Ministries Marriage Restoration Support Group for Wives Offers hope to the hurting Valleywide through one-on-one Biblical marriage teaching, God-honoring wife discipleship and marriage restoration mentoring to wives seeking God’s will in the restoration of marriage.

Lisa, 602-377-8847, marriage@lisacmyers.com, forevermarriageministries.com, facebook.com/forevermarriages Jewish Women International, Avodah Chapter 1581 Monthly luncheon. Social Box Eateries, 1371 N. Alma School Road, Chandler RSVP: 480-802-9304, 480-655-8812

Chandler United Methodist Church Making and Deploying Disciples for over 100 Years.

Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

SUNDAY WORSHIP Worship 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

SUNDAY SCHOOL For Children 9:10 a.m. & 10:40 a.m.

480-963-3360 | www.chandlermethodist.org | 450 E. Chandler Heights Rd.

Come, Worship the Lord

Praise Him

Glorify His Name

Moms in Prayer International A group of mothers who meet one hour each week to intercede for their children and schools through prayer. Liane Wright, 480-699-7887, momsinprayer.org Bible Study Meets twice a month Members of the Women’s Life Group study the Bible and discuss how the lessons can relate to their lives. Sun Lakes United Church of Christ, Chandler.

Jan Olson: 480-802-7457, Joy King 480-588-1882 East Valley Jewish Couples Club Offers once-a-month social activities such as dining, movies and plays for Jewish couples in the 45- to 65-year-old age range. Melissa, 480-785-0744, beadlover@cox.net.

Chandler Presbyterian Goings On: Sundays: 9:15 Kid’s Sunday School 9:15 Adult Bible Study Room 3 10:00 Walking the Walk (Youth) 10:30 Sunday Service Noon: Lenten Jesus Bible Study and Food!

3:00 Kenyan Fellowship/Language Worship Service 7:00 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays: 7 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous Tuesdays: 10 a.m. Prayer Group (Pastor’s Office)(except 3rd Tuesday of month)

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

1 p.m. Chandler I Am Project Room 3 Wednesdays: 10 AM Peter and Paul Bible Study 6 p.m. Men’s Spiritual Stag 6:15 Bell Choir Rehearsal 7 p.m. Church Chorale Rehearsal 6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous (Women only) 7:30 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous (Men) Thursdays: 6:30 p.m. Women’s Bible Study 7 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous (Men) Every 1st and 3rd Friday...I-HELP @ 6:00PM Dinner/Showers and a place to sleep for the homeless Regular monthly activities: Lois (Women) Circle: Every 3rd Tuesday 10 a.m. Spirits Willing Lunches Out (over 55) 11:30 a.m. , 4th Fridays All events are at Chandler Presbyterian Church at 1900 S. Arrowhead Drive except for Spirits Willing and lunches. chandlerpres.org Let us help you publicize your church or temple’s events in the Spirituality section by emailing details to news@santansun.com.

Include a brief description of the event, times, days, dates, cost or free, if registration is required, venue, address, publishable phone number, website if applicable and contact information for verification purposes. We welcome photos, which must be 300 dpi JPEGs or taken on a digital camera on the “best” or “highest quality” setting. Information is due 10 days prior to publication date. Submission does not guarantee placement.

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

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SIMPLY GRAND CLEANING SERVICE House cleaning specialists offering weekly, biweekly, monthly, or one-time cleanings. Also, providing move-in/out cleaning service, windows and patios. We use GREEN environmentally friendly products. High quality services at a great price. Very dependable, insured and with excellent references. $10 off first service with mention of this ad.

Call Dennis for a free estimate 480-802-1992 or Email: contact@simplygrandcleaningaz.com

FINISHING TOUCH CLEANING SERVICE...19 years in Chandler and Gilbert areas. Mother/Daughter Team with excellent long-term client references. METICULOUS w/an EYE 4 DETAIL!!

Looking for Steady Clientele that want Consistent Quality Service with EVERY cleaning.

Competitive rates.

Exceptional Service!! We Love Pets!! Free in home estimate.

Call Rita -480-250-9744

CONCRETE & MASONRY CONCRETE WORK Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, All Concrete Needs. 30 years experience. Competitive prices. FREE Estimates.

Dan 480-516-8920

DRYWALL ALL-STAR DRYWALL & PAINTING Hang, tape, room additions, outside lid repairs, match all textures, popcorn removal water damage repairs, int, ext painting & much more 30 yrs exp ROC # 262737 free est Call 602-743-6209

ELECTRICAL SERVICES E. Z. ELECTRIC SERVICE RETIRED ELECTRICIAN. SMALL JOBS WANTED. I ALSO FIX LOW VOLTAGE OUTDOOR LIGHTING. ALL WORK TO CODE. I SHOW UP! 480-406-3610

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

CLASSIFIEDS GLASS SERVICES GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors.

If itʼs glass, we can help you.

QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices.

FREE Estimates WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR

Call 480-306-5113 wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

HANDYMAN ALL HONEY-DO LISTS! General Handyman Services.

One Call, We Do It All! Owner does all work.

Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service. Licensed, Bonded, Insured.

ROC 118198.

S&I General Contracting, Inc.

Steve 602-339-4766

UNIVERSAL HOME REPAIR Small projects, house maintenance and renovations, house/apartment preparation for new tenants.

Air conditioning repairs.

Call Jack @ 480-213-4005 jacekwrona@cox.net

HOME IMPROVEMENTS QUALITY CARPET REPAIR I can help your carpets come back to life! I can reattach carpet to meet other flooring, remove bubbles before cleaning to help make your carpet shine. I am a craftsman in the flooring trade. I take pride in finding solutions for your flooring issues.

I am insured/bond-able.

Not a licensed contractor 775-232-4937 QUALITY STUCCO WORK Over 25 years Experience Concrete, Block Fence, Custom Wrought Iron Gates & Other Minor Home Improvements.

Free Estimates ROC#311658 Call Danny 480-479-4833

LANDSCAPING A+ SPRINKLER REPAIR SERVICE Are you tired of fixing drip system leaks?

20 years experience repairing and replacing drip systems, valves, wire troubleshooting & timers. All repairs!

Honest and reliable.

East Valley Native.

Call and compare prices!

602-826-4717 www.AplusSprinklerRepair.com

BERNIE'S LANDSCAPING Mowing, Clean-Ups, Gravel, Winter Grass, Irrigation Repair, Tree Removal & Pruning.

Landscape Maintenance FREE Estimates 480-340-6009 EDDIE'S LANDSCAPE *Tree Trimming *Irrigation Repairs *Gravel *Desert Landscape *Re-Seeding *General Lawn Maintenance *Clean-Ups 480-799-0961 HECTORS LAWN CARE Owner/Operator Mowing, Edging, Trimming, Blowing, Weed Control, Fertilizer, Irrigation Repair.

Spring Clean Ups FREE Estimates 480-636-0286 KUTTINGEDGE LANDSCAPE A Professional and Reliable Maintenance company.

Services include weekly and biweekly maintenance, one time clean ups, weed control, tree work and more.

Call Rick for a free estimate 480-250-6608 or email: Kuttingedgelandscape@cox.net

and Visit:

www.kuttingedgelandscape.com

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS KILL ROACHES GUARANTEED! Buy Harris Roach Tablets.

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QUALITY HOUSE PAINTING Affordable Prices Interior/Exterior Special Coatings Free Estimates 480-707-1681

ABC PLUMBING & ROOTER 480-705-7772 SERVICE NOW!!

110% Guaranteed/100 Year Warranty.

OWNER Operated (Licensed, Bonded, Insured).

20% OFF Seniors/Military. A+ Rating with BBB, Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, AZ award winning. If it's plumbing, we do it! 24-hour flood restoration services.

Financing approval in minutes with NO MONEY DOWN & ZERO INTEREST. ROC#153202/213278

KILL SCORPIONS! Buy Harris Scorpion Spray.

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MOVING IN OR OUT MOVERS Professional, hardworking, excellent service. No hidden fees. Whether you are moving in or moving out LEAVE THE LIFTING TO US! Serving the East Valley. www.inoroutmoversphoenixmetro.com

Call Terry at 602-653-5367

PAINTING EAST VALLEY PAINTERS Voted #1 Repaint Specialists!

Clean, Friendly Crews.

Interior/Exterior. Drywall Repairs. Textures. Concrete Staining. Pool Deck Coatings.

Garage Floors. Free Estimates. All Credit Cards Accepted. ROC 153131.

480-688-4770 SUN TECH PAINTING INC. Gilbert/Chandlerʼs Trusted Painting Professionals.

Residential/Commercial Painting Since 1987.

Residential Exterior & Interior, Commercial Space, Professional Offices, Tenant Improvements. "Competitive Pricing With Our Same High Level of Quality". Family Owned. FREE Estimates.

ROC#155380 602-625-0599 suntechpainting@live.com EAGLE RIDGE PAINTING, LLC Interior repaint specialist, offering in-home color consulting for every job.

Using only quality low VOC paints, brush-n-roll application, two coat coverage. Family owned and operated with over 25 years experience. ROC 296732 Bonded & Insured.

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PLUMBING ABC PLUMBING & ROOTER CHANDLER/GILBERT *$79.00 OFF with this ad* 110% Guarantee*/OWNER OPERATED Small & Large REPAIRS 24/7 Slab leak, water main, hot water heaters, & sewer repair specialist.

Water softening specialist, water filters, and reverse osmosis. 100-year warranty on parts & labor. * BBB A+ Rating. BBB Ethics Award Winner. Chandler Chamber of Commerce Employer of Choice Award.

ROC#153202/213288 *Call for details 480-726-1600 CURE ALL PLUMBING For all your plumbing needs!

Free estimates and Senior Discounts! Water heaters, faucets, toilets, pipe leaks, garbage disposals, slab leaks, repiping, drain cleaning: Clogs, jetting, Camera inspection, locating. Water softeners, Reverse Osmosis systems. Sprinkler and Backflow repairs. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. Member of BBB. ROC#204797 Cure All Plumbing 480-895-9838

ROOFING Tim KLINE Roofing, LLC The Most Detailed Roofer in the State. Roofs Done Right..The FIRST Time. 15Year Workmanship Warranty on All Complete Roof Systems. FREE Estimate and Written Proposal.

480-357-2463 www.timklineroofing.com R.O.C #156979 K-42 Licensed, Bonded & Insured THE ROOF MEDICS Residential/Commercial Repairs and Reroofing. Tile, Shingles, Flat, Walk-Decks.

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480-284-7338 www.theroofmedics.com

WINDOWS/ CLEANING

JOHN'S WINDOW CLEANING 1-story $135 / 2-story $155 inside and out up to 30 panes (add'l panes $2) Screens cleaned $2.50 per pane. Power Washing and Re-Screening available Same day Service (480) 201-6471 DIRTY WINDOWS? Call Fish Window Cleaning @ 480-962-4688 and you will have the cleanest windows and screens on the block.

Below is the list of services we offer: Windows – Interior & Exterior Screens – Sunscreens and Regular Tracks, Ceiling Fans, Light Fixtures Power Washing - Your driveway, sidewalks and patios.

Follow us on InstaGram @FISH_WCEASTVALLEYAZ "MOM WAS RIGHT" Appearance Counts!

PROFESSIONAL WINDOW CLEANING Detailed service and tidy inside your home!

1 story-$90 2 story-$130 - up to 30 panes.

Price includes inside and out.

Screens cleaned $3 each.

Pressure washing and fixture cleaning also available.

21 years of accumulated references!

CALL RON at 480-584-1643 A+ Member of BBB Bonded & Insured

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

Where To Eat

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Hash Kitchen picks Chandler for 3rd spot

BY DAVID BROWN Contributor

The Valley’s newest Hash Kitchen, in Chandler, opens for breakfast at 7 a.m. sharp on July 11.

The third in the family of restaurants from Joey and Cristina Maggiore is at 2855 W. Ray Road, #4, in a space occupied formerly by Panera Bread.

Hash Kitchen will follow this formula: Brunch is a meal for all hours, seven days a week.

The new restaurant is designed to be the spot for foodies seeking a new culinary adventure.

“By the third time, they say you know what you’re doing,” said Joey, whose business group also owns Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant in Phoenix, opened

by Joey’s dad in 1977; Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen, Scottsdale; Tomaso’s When in Rome, north Scottsdale; and The Sicilian Butcher, north Phoenix.

“We re-imagined breakfast dishes in a casual yet lively atmosphere,” said Joey, who oversees the food and beverage direction for the Hash Kitchens, with Cristina heading operations. “It’s crazy fun, bold, innovative and out of the box.”

He will be head chef in Chandler for 60 days, then entrust the back-of-thehouse leadership to Lauren Smith.

Guests will enjoy innovative pancakes, French toasts, waffles, eggs Benedict, scramblers and frittatas and, of course, hashes, including the very popular carnitas hash: Coke-braised pork, hash potatoes, cotija, roasted corn, avocado, green chili sauce, crema, fried onions, cilantro and corn tortillas.

Popular dishes include the Herb Fried Chicken Beni (two poached eggs, fried leeks, warm maple reduction and Hollandaise) and the Cannoli Pancakes (buttermilk pancakes layered with cannoli cream and topped with maraschino

Special to SanTan Sun News

Joey and Cristina Maggiore have made their Hash Kitchen restaurants a big hit in Scottsdale and now they’ve chosen Chandler to open their third eatery, which is known for serving outrageously loaded Bloody Mary drinks with a variety of fruits, veggies and event meats.

cherries and crushed cannoli shells).

Among the new offerings will be innovative dishes such as Pop-Tarts and Fruity Pebble Pancakes.

“This is a creative place, a place to have fun, a family place, with vibe and a lot of personality, where you don’t have to worry about anything before your day starts. We’ll have a DJ and lots of music.

Perhaps it will bring back childhood memories of food you remember,” he added. “At the same time, you can still have a business meeting here to start the

day.”

Designed by Third Story, Scottsdale, the 5,000-square-foot restaurant will offer patio dining and seat 330 customers.

Approximately 80 people will be employed, mostly locals such as general

manager Brett Aiken, a Chandler resident.

“It’s our biggest place so far and will be our flagship Hash Kitchen. The place looks spectacular, and we can’t wait to open and welcome the East Valley,” said Joey, who will add two Hash Kitchens shortly, in Phoenix in November and the West Valley next April.

People who like morning cocktails will enjoy a variety of innovative offerings at Hash Kitchen, such as the mimosa flights, which include a variety of flavors including grapefruit and traditional orange. There are five infused vodkas: bacon, cucumber, cilantro-lime, jalapeño and smoked salmon or seasonal flavors such as habanero and tomatillo.

Coordinating the adult beverages will be New York mixologist Sheldon Wiley, who will create shooters and waffle shots as well as cereal-milk cocktails.

Hash Kitchen Chandler will feature a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar seven days a week. The DIY Bloody Mary bar has more than 50 toppings, such as Italian meatballs, Slim Jims, pickled jalapeño, cucumbers, fried ravioli, artisan cheeses and meats, mozzarella sticks, corn dogs, pickled hard-boiled eggs and pepperoni sticks.

The name Hash Kitchen? “I wanted to do something memorable and easy to roll off the tongue,” said Joey, who was born in New York, grew up in San Diego and returned in his 20s to help the Maggiores establish the other restaurants.

“Hashes really became the staple of the entire restaurant, and you can make a hash out of pretty much anything; that’s what makes it so fun. So why not tell it like it is? Hash Kitchen!”

Summer hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 7 a.m.-3 p.m Saturday and Sunday. After hours, the restaurant hosts private events.

Information: Hashkitchen.com.

Travelers get taste of Valley’s top restaurants at Sky Harbor

BY NICOLE HEHL Contributor

Imagine an airport experience that feels like a night on the town. When the TSA-recommended two-hour preflight arrival time flies by as you dine at some of the best Valley restaurants, and flight delays invite you to leisurely sip unique tequilas, wines and local craft beers.

What you’re imagining is Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where national restaurant chains and fastfood spots have been replaced with more than 20 local favorites that reflect the Arizona culinary experience. Terminal 3 travelers also will delight in local dining options, with more than a dozen homegrown restaurants opening over the next few years.

Local restaurateurs are excited to represent Phoenix and introduce their concepts to the more than 40 million travelers flying through Sky Harbor each year. Among the new arrivals to Terminal 3 are Joyride Taco House and Postino WineCafé from Phoe-

Special to the San Tan Sun News

Dozens of Valley restaurants have a presence at Sky Harbor International Airport.

nix-based hospitality group Upward Projects.

“Like any traveler, we love visiting new places and experiencing a taste of local culture,” said Lauren Bailey, Upward Projects CEO and co-founder. “We’re proud to support Sky Harbor’s efforts to add more local flavor and give both visitors and locals a true taste of Phoenix’s amazing food scene.”

With full-service restaurants and bars, fast-service counter dining and fresh

pre-packaged options, you’ll have the chance to enjoy these popular local dining spots even if you’re running for a flight.

There also are several pre-security options, perfect for meeting friends passing through on a short layover.

While your options run the gastronomic gamut from burgers and barbecue to Mexican and French cuisine, the common theme among the local spots is fresh, scratch-made

menu items with often locally sourced ingredients. Plus, many offer a special perk for travelers that can’t be found at the original locations: breakfast.

Terminal 4 If you’re planning a departure from Terminal 4, build extra time into your travel itinerary for some delish local fare at these spots: Barrio Café (Gate D1) Experience the funky vibe, vibrant artwork and tantalizing take on Mexican street food at this nationally renowned spot. Pair signature dishes like tableside guacamole or cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork) with one of nearly a dozen margaritas or slip into the intimate tequila tasting room to take the edge off your travels.

Blanco Tacos & Tequila (A5) Watch the planes arrive and depart while sipping a sangria at this award-winning Sam Fox spot. The Mexican-inspired specialties include street tacos, fajitas and cheese crisps, plus breakfast options like huevos rancheros See

SKY HARBOR on page 70

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WHERE TO EAT

SKY HARBOR

SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018

from page 69

and breakfast burritos for morning travelers.

Cowboy Ciao (B22) This local favorite offers a uniquely Southwestern American menu with a global twist served up overlooking the tarmac.

Eat your way through the day with choices ranging from chocolate-chip pancakes and the chicken-and-waffle sandwich to filet mignon and the exotic mushroom pan fry.

Delux (A22) Get your burger fix with one of the best burgers in Phoenix. The Camelback-born eatery serves Niman Ranch, all-natural, vegetarian-fed beef with no antibiotics or hormones. Stop by from breakfast to late night for a hearty burger, delicious hotdogs and savory sweet-potato fries.

Chelsea’s Kitchen (pre-security) Delight in a taste of this local favorite serving American and Southwestern dishes, including gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly options.

Keep it light with deviled eggs (yes, add the bacon) and a Brussels sprouts salad or indulge with the green chile burger finished off with a scoop or two of Grateful Spoon Gelato.

Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar (pre-security) Cheese and wine? Yes, please! Relax with a glass of wine from an extensive collection paired with an award-winning artisan cheese selection, or choose from the eclectic menu of salads, burgers, sandwiches and “haute dawgs.”Four Peaks Brewery Company (A20) With Four Peaks’ award-winning brews on tap at this airport pub, you’ll be hoping for a flight delay. The beer-inspired menu includes Kilt Lifter fish and chips, Brewery burgers, beer-bread sandwiches and a variety of soups and salads.

Humble Pie (A20, C3) Pick up a 10-inch specialty pie like the

famous SOP topped with Humble Pie’s signature sausage, caramelized onion, roasted red pepper, mozzarella and ricotta. Other tasty options at this quick-serve location include breakfast wraps, burgers and salads.

Joe’s Real BBQ (pre-security) If you haven’t made it the original Joe’s in Gilbert, you no longer have to miss out on what is considered some of the best barbecue in the United States. Dig into meal plates, sandwiches and other specialties featuring your choice of meats slow-cooked over pecan wood.

La Grande Orange (D1) Grab a seat at this counter-service café for tasty salads, sourdough pizza, sandwiches, soups and baked goods, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Try the California burger with guacamole and Havarti cheese on a famous LGO English muffin or the signature LGO tuna Niçoise. Complete your meal with a decadent scoop of Grateful Spoon Gelato.

Lola Coffee (pre-security) This central Phoenix-born spot has your preflight pick-me-up, covered with artisan roasted coffees, breakfast pastries and sandwiches.

Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles (pre-security) Phoenix earns its soul-food credentials with this popular combo of juicy, flavorful, fried chicken and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth waffles.

Los Taquitos (C3) This sibling-run taco shop serves up its award-winning family recipes with tacos, burritos, tortas and quesadillas. Get there early for a carne asada breakfast torta topped with eggs, avocado and beans.

Matt’s Big Breakfast (B5) Anytime is a good time for breakfast, and Matt’s serves it up all day with thick-cut peppered bacon, cage-free eggs, Niman Ranch ground-chuck butter burgers and hand-cut home fries. Wash it down with a freshsqueezed orange juice or lemonade.

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SANTAN SUN NEWS | JULY 7–20, 2018