January 15, 2023 | www.santansun.com
Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
Chandler asks on GoFundMe vary widely BY CECILIA CHAN AND KEN SAIN Staff Writers
Christmas isn’t the only season for giving and spreading kindness. For crowdfunding platforms, it’s a year-long activity – as it is for the largest and better-known GoFundMe.com. In Chandler alone, more than 1,000 people and groups have set up an account on that platform with requests for a broad range of activies, needs and wants. Since its launch in 2010, the California-based GoFundMe has become the go-to online fundraising tool for charities and just about anybody who wants the public to help bankroll an expense. Within minutes, someone can set up a money request on the global site. To date, the site has helped individuals and charities around the world to raise more than $25 billion, according to GoFundMe, which did not respond to questions for the story.
The Chandler Outlaws 7-and-under football team had little success on GoFundMe.com with its plea for $15,000 to get to the Florida Nationals. It raised only $140. (GoFundMe.com)
The requests for donations run the gamut from classroom supplies and Girl Scout projects to relief efforts for crisis events such as Hurricane Ian in Florida
and the war in Ukraine. The “Stand with Ukraine” fundraiser launched by actors Mila and Ashton Kutcher in partnership with GoFundMe
is the platform’s second-largest campaign of all time, raising $37 million from 75,000-plus donors. For 2022, there’s been a 110% increase in money raised for baby formula, a 60% increase for gasoline and a 10% increase for groceries, GoFundMe reported. With a donation made every second, 28 million people so far this year have sent or received funding, the public nonprofit said. Most requests in Chandler are for help with funeral expenses, memorials or medical bills such as a 4-year-old girl who was struck by a car. Mike Ryan set up a Go Fund Me page for Shannon Ryan and her mother, Zoraleigh Ryan. Shannon, a Hamilton High graduate. and her mother were struck by a vehicle in Chicago after celebrating her 20th See
FUNDRAISINGon Page 12
Landings developer sets neighborhood meeting BY KEN SAIN Managing Editor
When the Chandler City Council criticized the developer of a proposed affordable and senior housing apartment complex in South Chandler last month, it pointed to two main concerns. Council members felt the developer did not do enough to work with their potential neighbors and ease their worries. Nor did it feel that Dominium Apartments fully consider the 14 alternative locations that city officials suggested. Dominium will try to address that first concern at a neighborhood meeting at
6 p.m. Jan. 25 at Hamilton High School, 3700 S. Arizona Ave. As for the second, the developer said the suggested sites were less than adequate to meet the project’s needs. Council last month voted unanimously to adopt a resolution opposing the Landings on Ocotillo project. Dominium Apartments wants to build a total of 518 units on about 25 acres of land on Ocotillo Road, just east of Arizona Avenue. If built, it would be on the east side of the railroad tracks behind the Target store. The developer hopes to build 336 family units and 182 senior living units.
Air quality curbs could throttle Valley growth BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor
The Phoenix Metro region could lose more than $100 million in economic growth if it fails to meet upgraded federal air quality standards for ozone levels by August 2024, a Valley environmental official warned this month. And those losses would steadily increase over the next 20 years to as much as $848 million if the Valley’s ozone levels are not brought under control, Tim Franquist, environmental policy director for the Maricopa Association of Governments told Phoenix City Council Jan. 4. Though he was addressing a Phoenix City Council subcommittee, Franquist’s assessment naturally applies to the entire Valley. And it wasn’t very encouraging.
He said the controls necessary to meet more stringent federal air quality controls will carry a substantial cost to taxpayers. “That’s going to be a big issue for this area,” he continued. “We really haven’t put in ozone-control measures for about 20 years, so we’re definitely going to need a lot more measures coming into place.” Right now, the only way the Valley could meet the elevated Environmental Protection Agency’s ozone limits would be taking all four million gasoline-powered motor vehicles in Maricopa County off the road by August 2024, Franquist said. And even then, he added, “we would See
AIRon Page 10
Because this plot of land is a county island – an unincorporated area of Maricopa County that is surrounded by city land – the city does not have final say on
if the project is built or not. The County Board of Supervisors does, but likely will See
LANDINGSon Page 8
A hit and no miss Chandler Police Det. Eva Zermeno of the Chandler’s Finest softball team is ready to slug a ball pitched by The Enforcers team as Under the Shield hosted its first annual Chris Farrar Law Enforcement vs Fire Department Softball Tournament Jan. 7 in honor of Officer Christopher Farrar, who was killed in the line of duty in April 2021 during the pursuit of a felon. For more photos from the game, see page 16. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)
F E AT U R E D STO R I E S Fired teacher alleges Valley Christian gay bias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News Page 4 Gummy World opens big new facility in Chandler. . . . . . . .Business Page 20 Chandler Girl Scout wins medal for recipe book.. . . . . . .Neighbors Page 26 Chandler director to debut new thriller flick. . . . . . . . . . . . . .GetOut Page 34
More Real Estate . . . . . 18 Clip-It . . . . . . . . . 19 Business . . . . . . . 20 Sports . . . . . . . . . 24 Neighbors . . . . . 26 Faith. . . . . . . . . . . 32 GetOut. . . . . . . . 34 Classifieds . . . . . 36