SanTan Sun News 08-30-2020 by Times Media Group

August 30, 2020 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

$21M budget hole may confront Chandler schools BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

This chart shows the difference in sales tax collections between the last two fiscal years. Light gray is 2018-19 and the dark is for 2019-20. (City of Chandler)

City’s pandemic financial hit not as bad as feared BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

New financial data show Chandler did not lose as much tax revenue as it expected because of the pandemic. The city had been projecting a $10-million revenue hit during the last quarter of the 2019-2020 fiscal year,

which ended in June – which would have brought the city’s total spending power down to $251 million. But new tax data show the city ended the fiscal year by taking in about $259 million – meaning a revenue loss of only about $1.8 million. See

REVENUE on page 12

Chandler Unified School District has about 1,600 fewer students than it expected, prompting administrators to grapple with a possible funding shortfall of nearly $21 million. CUSD, one of Arizona’s largest school districts, had projected 47,000 students at its 42 campuses for the 2020-2021 school year. But recent estimates taken from the first week of school this month indicate CUSD missed its projection by 1,656 kids. “That really impacts our school district,” said CUSD Chief Financial Officer Lana Berry. The enrollment numbers are not final since some students may not have been able to log on to their virtual classes yet, she added, so it’s not clear yet how many students have complete-

ly withdrawn from CUSD. In order to limit exposure to COVID-19, Chandler Unified made the unprecedented move to not have any in-person instruction for the first quarter of its school year. Students are still expected to complete online assignments each day and teachers track their attendance through their virtual participation. But the early enrollment estimates appear to be troubling, Berry added, since the district’s primary source of state funding is based on how many students attend school each day. “When your enrollment goes down, it ultimately decreases your budget,” Berry said at a recent Governing Board meeting. The dreary numbers are a major reversal from where CUSD was positionSee

SCHOOLS on page 3

A new voice in town

Stephanie Romero helped Anthony Jimenez fill out a Census form during the City of Chandler's blitz Aug. 14, aided by a Kona Ice truck hyping the Census and offering free treats to people. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

Tight Census deadline catches cities by surprise BY GARY NELSON Contributor

With millions of dollars and equitable political representation at stake, Chandler and other East Valley cities are rushing to complete their 2020 census efforts in the face of a suddenly tight deadline imposed by the Trump administration. Tens of thousands of East Valley households already had responded to

the census by mid-August, answering either online, by phone or by mail to the constitutionally mandated head count. But many more remain to be counted. By city, response rates ranged from 75.8 percent in Gilbert to 62.1 percent in Tempe – with widely varying rates from neighborhood to neighborhood. Chandler also had a strong showing, with a 71.4 percent response rate. ScottSee

CENSUS on page 6

Chandler City Councilman-elect OD Harris has sometheories on his election win and some definite plans to give voice to the under-heard people he thinks helped his victory. Details: page 2. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

F E AT U R E STO R I E S S. Chandler residents get travel break. . . . . . . . . . . . COMMUNITY . . . . . Page 15 Movie houses reopening in Chandler.. . . . . . . . . . . . BUSINESS . . . . . . . . Page 32 New principal has her hands full. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEIGHBORS . . . . . . Page 40 Chandler author bringing arts to you.. . . . . . . . . . . . ARTS . . . . . . . . . . . Page 44 Chandler chef's healthy snacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EAT . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 50

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Harris ready to amplify Chandler’s voiceless BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

OD Harris is quick to recall how many votes he won in Chandler’s recent city council election: 23,227. “It’s important for me to know that number,” said Harris, one of three candidates to win a seat on the council in August’s primary race. Harris doesn’t mean to brag by recalling how many Chandler residents elected him. If anything, the 40-year-old said he’s humbled by the recent election results and feels compelled to thank every voter who put their faith in him. As the initial results started to come in on election night, Harris said he felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the voters who picked him to represent them. “If I would have been able to give the people of Chandler a bearhug,” he said, “I would have done it in that moment.” Harris, a relative newcomer to local politics, was up against two incumbents, a former councilmember and a former school board member. Yet, he and Christine Ellis, another political novice, managed to snag two seats on the council alongside Councilman Mark Stewart, who was reelected to a second term. Harris, a native of Chicago, credits his victory to the extensive outreach he did in Chandler’s northern and western neighborhoods – which he called home to many marginalized and forgotten communities. “Those communities put me in office because they want to have an active voice on Council for their needs,” Harris said. Harris said he championed a message of hope to voters in these communities by knocking on more than 9,000 doors and preaching a platform that envisioned Chandler as having safe, strong, thriving neighborhoods in every section of the city. The candidate further tried to appeal to first-time, younger voters by

Councilman-elect OD Harris won a historic victory, becoming one of the few Black people to get elected to City Council and one of two – along with the first Black woman – who'll be taking office in January. (Special to

SanTan Sun News)

deploying an aggressive social media campaign that included posting daily updates of his life canvassing neighborhoods and shaking hands with voters. “I knew I had to engage new voters in order to win this election,” Harris said. The strategy seems to have worked since Chandler saw voter turnout increase substantially during the primary election. More than 35 percent of the city’s eligible voters submitted ballots this year – a notable jump from the 25 percent turnout in 2016. Ellis earned 19 percent of all votes while Stewart and Harris each received 17 percent – enough for all three to avoid a run-off in November. This year’s election results turned out to be quite historic, Harris said,

noting how two African-American candidates won during the same year. It’s a sign that Chandler has proven itself to be a forward-thinking community that values diversity, he added. Ellis is the first Black woman to be elected to the council in Chandler’s 100-year history as charter city. Harris is one of only a couple Black men to be elected to local office. The late Coy Payne, first Black mayor elected in Arizona, was Chandler’s first Black candidate to win a seat on the council in the 1980s, which was followed by Phillip Westbrooks’ victory in 1998. Those are big shoes to fill, Harris said, and he’s proud to be given an opportunity to try to fill them. One of his first priorities before

assuming office in January will be to conduct a series of listening sessions with residents all across the city. Harris said he’s hoping to host some provocative conversations and allow residents the opportunity to share an opinion that could ultimately help him set his policy platform for his first term in office. Chandler is in the midst of persevering through the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris said, so much of his focus has been steered toward what the city may be able to do to help struggling businesses during this uncertain time. He refrained from commenting on how he thinks the city has responded to the pandemic’s impacts thus far, but suggested the recent election results indicate Chandler’s residents believe there’s more that can be done. “The people have spoken,” he said. “The people have shared that there’s more that we can do. And the people have chosen me to be their voice during this tough time.” One issue Harris said he’ll be closely tracking over his four-year term involves Chandler’s supply of affordable housing. In 2019, a survey of Chandler residents told the city that a lack of affordable homes was their biggest concern and the number of local citizens living below the federal poverty line has grown by 78 percent over the last couple decades. Harris said he’ll be researching the city’s various zoning practices to find out how Chandler might be able to develop more affordable units and avoid neighborhoods from becoming too gentrified. “I’m going to be looking at our affordable housing with a scrutinizing eye,” he said. After months of tirelessly campaigning, Harris said he’s eager to be sworn into office and become an advocate for any Chandler resident who feels voiceless and underrepresented. “I now am their amplifier,” he declared.

County virus data improving for CUSD BY PAUL MARYNIAK AND KEVIN REAGAN SanTan Sun News Staff

Data on COVID-19 in Chandler Unified School District is becoming more favorable for a possible return to classrooms on a limited format. Marcy Flanagan, director of the Maricopa County Public Health Department, told the Chandler Unified Governing Board on Aug. 25 virus transmission levels in the district would soon satisfy the benchmarks that school officials are advised to follow in making reopening decisions. Most of the district’s 46,000 students have been learning from home virtually and CUSD has not planned to reopen campuses until October. The risk of a major outbreak has reached a “moderate” level in Chandler, Flanagan said, which could allow the school district to consider adopting some sort of hybrid model of instruction involving a mix of virtual and

The Maricopa County Public Health Department put out this guide for schools on the safety protocols they should follow, depending on the level of COVID-19 spread in their districts. Red indicates a substantial virus spread, calling for more measures. Yellow indicates moderate and green minimal virus spread. (Maricopa County)

in-person learning. Gilbert Public Schools has already adopted that format beginning Sept. 8, with half the student body going into classrooms two days a week, the other half two other days and all students learning at home three days a week. Schools should consider readjusting to having all its students come back to campus once the infection rate falls below 5 percent, according to the benchmarks.

Flanagan said the Health Department is not advising school districts to invite students back on campus until its infection rate stays below 7 percent for at least two consecutive weeks. She said the rate of positive COVID-19 tests in the CUSD boundaries has dropped down to 6 percent. The infection rate was 8 percent the week prior. The number of COVID-19 cases will likely ebb and flow over the next few

weeks, Flanagan added, so a complete picture of the pandemic likely won’t be achieved until a vaccine is created. “The data is pointing in a lot of different directions,” she said. “We will have a lot more data once we’re done with all this.” Board member Lindsay Love said she feels like the district has been left to take “a shot in the dark” because the state has offered little support or See

VIRUS on page 3

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

SCHOOLS

from page 1

ing itself to be less than a year ago. The district seemed to be one of the few in Arizona expecting an increased enrollment and was expecting to grow by at least 100 students this school year. The positive projections pushed administrators last year to approve plans for building two new schools -- one elementary campus and one high school -- in the district’s booming eastern region, which serves some 10,000 Gilbert children. The district further used its growing enrollment numbers to convince Chandler residents to vote for a $290-million bond measure last year. “It is projected that the district will grow by approximately 300 students per year for the next 10 years which requires additional classrooms and related furniture,” CUSD wrote in the voter pamphlet for the 2019 bond measure, which passed by a wide majority.

VIRUS

from page 2

guidance on reopening schools. “This is the one thing nobody wants to be wrong on,” Love said. The school board intends to hold another meeting this week to discuss the hybrid model. Regardless of the infection rate gets, Flanagan recommended all school districts should adopt social-distancing protocols and Frank Narducci, assistant superintendent of elementary education, said the district’s grade schools should have enough room for students to practice social distancing. Administrators say it would likely be much more challenging to achieve social distancing at the district’s secondary schools because class sizes are significantly bigger. Craig Gilbert, assistant superintendent of secondary education, said the district has been exploring a hybrid model but that the size of high schools’ student population might make that format inefficient for social distancing. “You’re still going to have issues of social distance because you still have a large school size,” Gilbert said. And while a new set of metrics was scheduled to be released after the SanTan Sun News’ deadline, health officials were confident there would be no adverse trend on the numbers. The metrics are 12 days old by the time it’s posted around 4 p.m. every Thursday at maricopa.gov/5594/ School-Metrics. According to the data released Aug. 20 by the county, the presence of COVID-19 in Chandler put the district and city in a yellow category – indicating “moderate” virus spread. The metrics are represented visualized on a map using three colors red, yellow and green – based on three sets of data that indicate virus spread. Those data sets include the number of positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people; the percentage of positive new tests; and the percentage of hospital visits showing COVID-19 symptoms. Green indicates “minimal” virus

Now the uncertainty caused by the pandemic is forcing CUSD to reimagine a future that could include a funding loss of about $21 million. Gov. Doug Ducey has allocated $370 million to help Arizona’s school districts stabilize their budgets and CUSD is expected to get $12 million of that. But the district is still left with a loss of $8.4 million that won’t be covered through additional financial assistance from the state. The district’s needs currently outweigh the amount of financial assistance from the state, Berry said, so CUSD may have to find a way to cover that funding gap. “All of our cash reserves are starting to decline too,” she said. “To make a big cut means we have to use our reserves to cover that difference.” Personnel cuts is a significant concern for the district at the moment, as it attempts to continue retaining its 5,200 employees.

One problem CUSD faces is figuring out how to pay for positions not funded through state aid. The district has a number of jobs funded through revenue it regularly collects through offering daycare services, cafeteria meals and after-school activities -- services that suddenly become unavailable when campuses are closed. During the fourth quarter of the last school year – when Ducey ordered all of Arizona’s schools to close – CUSD chose to pull $3.8 million from its reserves to cover the payroll for positions normally funded through the revenue it makes by providing support services. But administrators say it won’t be sustainable for CUSD to continue relying on contingency funds to supplement these payroll expenses. “This quarter we have not been able to do that because we have to have revenue coming in to support those staff members,” Berry said. Since March, CUSD has had to spend

nearly $13 million on unexpected expenses needed to adapt to the pandemic’s impacts. Nearly $7 million has been spent on buying more laptops and computers for students. More than $5 million was needed to train staff and for extra payroll expenses. And about $850,000 was spent on stocking the district’s schools with protective gear. CUSD only got an extra $3 million from the state to cover the $13 million it spent reacting to the pandemic. The district’s additionally in the process of trying to get reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Emergency and Military Affairs for money it spent on new protective gear. Receipts for plexiglass and masks are submitted to the federal agency on a regular basis, Berry said, and CUSD hopes to get reimbursed for at least $200,000. “Some of them get rejected, some of them get approved,” she said.

spread and suggests an optimal opportunity for reopening schools fulltime, according to health officials’ guidance. Yellow suggests a hybrid approach is safe, with students in classrooms a couple days a week and learning at home the rest of the time. Red indicates full online learning at home is advisable. Districts are not required to follow those county benchmarks in deciding when to reopen classrooms. But county health officials are urging districts to pay particular attention to positive test results because “a higher percentage positivity can indicate that there is more disease spreading within the community, or it can mean that there is not enough available testing in the area.” Officials in those school districts that may soon transition to hybrid learning have indicated it will take two weeks to complete the change. Chandler and most other districts on Aug. 17 began allowing a limited number of students back on campus for specialized support services and online instruction as required by the governor’s July 23 order. While the governor directed that districts to provide space and specialized services for students with no place to go, they are allowed to limit the number on campus because of staffing limitations or social distancing necessity. Students who started going to campuses Aug. 17 are not being taught by teachers but rather are supervised by paraprofessionals or others who assist them with the same online learning their classmates are receiving at home. Chandler Unified also is requiring parents of those children to sign a “COVID-19 acknowledgement form and disclosure form” – a lengthy checklist that includes promises to check their child’s temperature every morning, make sure he or she goes to school with a facemask and that they understand their child may be required to wash his or her hands at various times in school. Among the acknowledgements Chandler Unified parents make on the form is: “While present at school each day, I understand that my child will be in con-

tact with children and employees who are also at risk of community exposure. No list of restrictions, guidelines, or practices will remove the risk of exposure to COVID-19.” The form has been sent by the Arizona Schools Risk Retention Trust, which provides liability insurance coverage to 247 districts, schools and community colleges throughout the state, including Chandler. On Aug. 4, the Trust’s board of directors approved a plan to allow member districts to opt into a special program

for covering potential liability related to students contracting COVID-19 on campus. Signing the form reduces the deductible a district would pay for any settlement of virus-related cases from $20,000 to $10,000. The Trust will cover up to $1 million in liability for any single case, although a lawyer would have to prove the child contracted the virus either on campus or a school bus and that recommended safety protocols were not being filed at the time.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Chandler woman killed on Chicago streets days after violence started to erupt across Chicago, resulting in multiple street protests and lootings. On Aug. 10, Ryan and her daughter attempted to enter a 7-Eleven store after having dinner at a nearby steakhouse. Recent looting damage forced the convenience store to close early so

BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

A Chandler woman died after a motorist struck her twice and dragged her body for nearly half a block on a downtown Chicago street. Zoraleigh Ryan, 55, died at the scene of an Aug. 10 accident after a motorist hit her and her 20-year-old daughter Shannon as they crossed a street. Authorities say the vehicle came to a stop after hitting the two women and the driver got out to inspect the scene. Witnesses then saw the driver, later identified as 25-year-old Edgar Roman, jump back in his SUV, make a U-turn and hit Ryan again. Chicago Police said witnesses reported that the driver turned the SUV at an angle toward Ryan and her daughter, indicating Roman had intentionally tried to hit the women again. A bystander managed to pull Ryan’s daughter off the street before the SUV came barreling down the road the second time. The daughter was taken to the hospital and treated for a broken arm. Police officers chased the fleeing vehicle but the driver evaded capture by breaking through multiple construction barriers, according to the Chicago Tribune. Chicago Police said Roman then abandoned the SUV and later visited a police station to allege he had been the victim of a carjacking. He claimed two men held him at gunpoint and had

Whenever she talked about her family her face “ lit up with pride, joy and happiness, Zoraleigh was a light and will be sorely missed. ”

– Shari Berman

they proceeded to a hotel until their Uber driver could pick them up. Although initial media reports of the accident tied it to the widespread looting and civil unrest that was taking place across the city, investigators have said Roman offered no specific motive for his driving. Zoraleigh Ryan of Chandler was killed in a brutal Records show Ryan moved to Chantraffic incident in downtown Chicago. (File) dler in 2014 to start working as a client relations specialist for a local health and forced him to drive around Chicago. Authorities took Roman into custody wellness company. Her friends in Chandler described after he allegedly admitted to hitting the deceased as a gracious grandRyan and charged him with first-degree murder. He is being held on a $2-million mother who loved to laugh and make new friends. introduce bond on charges is thatpleased also includeto two Shari Berman, who worked with counts of attempted murder. Ryan at Chandler’s Tivity Health, said The accident took place a couple

made a positive impression during each of their business meetings. “She was so good natured and had an infectious smile,” Bauersachs said. “Zoraleigh was a beautiful person inside and out.” OD Harris, who was elected to the Chandler City Council this month, said Ryan and her daughter were two of his most active supporters and had run into the duo on Election Day -- less than a week before the fatal crash. The three took a moment to snap a quick photo before they headed into the voting booth. “She cared about the community and sacrificed her time for others,” Harris wrote in a social media post.

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Ryan loved talking about her family and often told stories about her former life back in Chicago. “Whenever she talked about her family her face lit up with pride, joy and happiness,” Berman said. “Zoraleigh was a light and will be sorely missed.” Tami Bauersachs said Ryan always

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School board member withdraws reelection bid BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Longtime Chandler Unified School District board member David Evans has withdrawn from the Nov. 3 General Election. Evans, one of four candidates for three seats on the CUSD Governing Board, but dropped out after after Jason Olive, another board candidate, challenged the validity of Evans’s voter petition signatures in court. Candidates had to submit at least 400 voter signatures in order to get their name on the ballot in November’s election. Evans’s petitions had only 418 signatures -- the least among the four candidates – and that meant only a few had to be invalidated in order to disqualify him. Political candidates often have their petitions challenged in court if several signatures appear to be illegible or signed by ineligible electors. Olive and Angela Stamm, a Chandler resident, filed a complaint in Superior Court on July 16 to challenge Evans’s petitions. Court records show Evans had intended to call witnesses to prove the legitimacy of his signatures, but later decided to withdraw from the race in lieu of a court hearing. Evans, currently the school board’s longest-serving member, did not re-

DAVID EVANS spond to messages seeking comment. Olive, Joel Wirth, and CUSD Board President Barb Mozdzen are still listed as candidates for the November election. Sharon Tuttle is running as a writein candidate. Evans, a financial planner and investment advisor, was first elected to the CUSD school board in 2004 and was reelected to the board three consecutive times. According to old newspaper reports, Evans first became interested in public education after he started volunteering at his son’s school, Tarwater Elementary, and felt encouraged to run for a seat on

the board. “I want to be involved with my kid and also with all of the kids he will encounter over the next few years,” Evans said in 2004. During his 16-year tenure on the board, Evans saw the district undergo many changes and its enrollment grow by more than 10,000 students. Three new high schools were built during his incumbency and CUSD plans to open another campus next year. Evans was often forced to make tough decisions brought before the school board over the last decade and regularly cast votes that went against his colleagues. In 2007, Evans was the sole board member to reject a lucrative sponsorship contract between Nike and Chandler Unified. The corporate shoemaker agreed to sponsor Chandler’s high school sports programs in exchange for having Nike’s logo advertised on the district’s campuses. “I see it as exploitation,” Evans said about the Nike contract at the time it was authorized. Evans went on to say, “The part I don’t like is that when it comes down to it, it’s a great benefit to us, but it’s an even greater benefit to Nike, in terms

of the exposure they will get.” Evans was also the only board member to vote against requiring Knox Elementary’s students to wear school uniforms in 2007. In 2011, Evans voted down spending $1.3 million on installing new security cameras at all of the district’s elementary schools. That same year, he was the only board member against a controversial plan to redraw the district’s enrollment boundaries for Riggs Elementary. Over the last couple of years, Evans has had to sit through many lengthy school board meetings involving several angry parents criticizing the district’s action or inaction regarding various societal issues. Scandals involving hazing rituals at Hamilton High School and documented acts of racism have drawn large crowds to sit before the Governing Board and demand its members make the district’s culture more equitable and inclusive. More recently, Evans cast one of the deciding votes to authorize a plan to reopen Chandler Unified’s campuses amid the pandemic. The board voted 3-2 to allow students to decide whether they wanted to return to school in person by Aug. 5. CUSD later changed its reopening plan and decided to delay in-person instruction until at least the second quarter of this school year.

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Powell said. “We’re sharing the message with people at this point that you can stop the sdale came in at 64.6 percent, and Mesa visit from an enumerator by at 63.4 percent and Phoenix, 62.4.. filling out your census,” she The final numbers will have a big said. “We know that with impact on civic life for the next decade. everything going on in the Hundreds of billions of dollars flow from world today, with COVID, the federal government to the states that people are probably each year, divvied up by population. not real eager to answer That money undergirds vital services their doors.” such as airports, public transportation, Powell said the federal schools and hospitals. An undercounted decision to cut the census city will get less per resident than one short by a month has added with a better census response rate. to the pressure of her job. More than that, census data actually “It’s certainly making helps cities make decisions with a deep things more challenging,” impact on individual neighborhoods. she said. “We are feeling like Scottsdale uses it, for example, to dewe are really at the 11th hour termine where new fire stations, parks here … Unfortunately I’m and other facilities are needed. afraid that it may have taken Political representation also is at away some opportunities stake. that perhaps would have Each state’s number of representaRocilla Murphy from Kona Ice handed out free treats to residents Aug. 14 as part of a City of Chandler campaign to have people been there” to ensure that tives in the U.S. House is allotted by fill out their Census questionnaire.(Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer) everyone gets counted. population, and fast-growing Arizona City Councilman Francisco could add a 10th congressional district Heredia said he was happy relief package in May, but the bill stalled It really touches every person’s life.” based on this year’s count. with Mesa’s self-response rate of 62.5 in the Republican-controlled Senate. This year’s count is taking place Congressional and legislative dispercent as of mid-August. Then, in early August, the bureau against the unique and disruptive backtrict boundaries are redrawn every 10 Mesa’s rate of response actually announced it would end its counting drop of a global pandemic. years based on census data, and Mesa exceeds that of the 2010 census, said eff orts one month earlier than expectThe U.S. Census Bureau drastically does the same with its six City Council Heredia, who has been leading the city’s ed, on Sept. 30. curtailed operations between March districts. census task force since it was formed in and early June as COVID-19 swept the “The census does touch every single late 2018. country. In the springtime the agency person,” said Leah Powell, who oversees “We can always do better, but we Chandler’s census outreach efforts. “Of sought congressional permission for had a goal of meeting the 2010 count four-month extensions of its deadlines course, there is the representation at and in the times we’re living in, I think for submitting reapportionment data the federal level,” she said. “But boiling we’re doing a solid job right now,” Hereto the president and the states. it down to, if you drive down the street dia said. The U.S. House approved the deador freeway, you’re driving on roads that. Census mop-up work is now in the line extensions as part of a new COVID hands of federal enumerators who have been knocking on doors. But Heredia said the city is pressing its own bilingual outreach and information– Francisco Heredia al campaigns to encourage a tally that he expects will show Mesa has grown to a city of some 520,000 people. In the meantime, President Trump “We just finished a text-messaging also issued a memorandum seeking and phone campaign that targeted to prevent “illegal aliens” from being hard-to-reach communities in west counted. Mesa that were having a sluggish reThose two actions raised concerns turn,” Heredia said. in some quarters that minority populaKelsey Perry, community engagetions might be under-counted, depriving their cities of much-needed funding. ment coordinator for the town of Gilbert, said the town’s census efforts Minority-heavy neighborhoods with have focused on digital outreach. higher poverty levels struggle even in “Even before the pandemic we were the best of years to match the census such a digitally focused town anyway,” response rates of more affluent areas. We W ellc come B Ba ack k,, W We e are Open and here when Census Bureau data shows, for exam- Perry said. She said nearly 97 percent you are ready! of Gilbert households have broadband ple, that self-response rates in Mesa’s connections, “so it just works for us.” heavily Hispanic Broadway corridor Small Atmosphere, Big Results! Perry does not expect the shorter ranged from 45 percent to 51 percent At John Allen’s Personal Training, we get results! John Allen, as seen on Good Morning America, deadline to negatively affect Gilbert’s in mid-August. By contrast, a census has been rated one of the top trainers in the country. GET IN tract in affluent south Tempe showed a final count. “It just refocused us to enCome see what everybody is talking about! sure that we are maximizing our efforts SHAPE response rate of 87 percent. now,” she said. Chandler’s outreach eff orts have NOW! been creative and multifaceted. Heredia also lamented the shorter deadline, calling it “unfortunate.” The city supplied 3,000 kids in “I hope it’s not politically driven,” low-response areas with backpacks that Must mention this ad to receive offer. he said. “It’s something we didn’t want. contained flyers urging their parents to This happens only once in 10 years and turn in their census forms. In late Auwe need to get it right.” gust an ice cream truck was deployed Still, Heredia said, after speaking with to get out the message. the Census Bureau “I feel somewhat And it’s not just older parts of town confident that they have a good game that needed prodding, Powell said. Currently forming plan.” “There’s also areas that have large classes for those dealing with “The census is so important for our apartment complexes, some of which Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and or Dementia were probably not even there when the federal funding allocations for a multiCall now for 2915 S. 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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Arizona could lose millions in undercount BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizonans are responding to the U.S. Census at a rate near the bottom of the national pack. And that could affect everything from federal aid to whether the state gets another seat in the U.S. House. New figures from the Census Bureau show that just 60.8 percent have returned their questionnaire, whether online or by mail. And even with census workers following up by going to homes where people didn’t respond, the rate is just 68 percent. Only four states have lower tallies. This comes despite $1.2 million the governor’s office put into what Alec Thomson, the governor’s director of strategic initiatives and campaigns, described as grassroots and paid media efforts to drive up response. And when that didn’t produce the desired response, Gov. Doug Ducey pumped another $600,000 aimed at increasing the response rate among tribal communities, rural areas “and other traditionally undercounted communities.’’ Thomson said the state has redoubled its efforts, with everything from a new round of radio ads to having census trackers setting up stands in front of Food City grocery stores. And he said the governor extended his Arizona Complete County Commit-

tee through the end of October. But time is running out before then. The original plan was to have census takers in the field through the end of July. Then, with the COVID-19 outbreak and the inability to get census takers out on the streets, that was extended through the end of October. But now the agency wants everything done by the end of September. “I think what you have happening in Arizona is somewhat of a perfect storm,’’ Thomson said, citing delays in the field operations. And that, he said, created problems particularly in tribal and rural areas. On one hand, he said, urban areas are doing better, with a 64.7 percent total self-response rate in both Pima and Maricopa counties compared with the 60.8 percent statewide figure. Yavapai County is only slightly farther behind at 63.3 percent. But in Navajo County just 30.4 percent of people either returned the forms or responded online. It was even worse in Apache County with a 20.7 percent response rate. Thomson said reservations present a unique situation, saying that some are refusing to open up to census workers to do in-person follow-up visits. It’s for that same reason, he said, that New Mexico also has a response rate below average.

“The in-person part of this was key for Arizona, is key for Arizona,’’ Thomson said. Put another way, if those follow-up visits don’t produce data, the state will end up with an overall response rate that falls short of much of the rest of the country. There’s also the possibility that those in the state who are not here legally may be reticent to respond, whether directly or to a census worker coming to the door – even with the Trump administration withdrawing its bid to not count them and even with assurances that anything someone tells a census taker will remain confidential. All this is not just academic, or even about bragging rights. Thomson figures that every 1 percent missed translates out to $60 million a year in lost federal dollars which are doled out on a population basis. Multiply that time a decade – the time until the next census – and that $600 million in foregone revenues for each percentage short. Put another way, Thomson said, each counted person brings in about $3,000 a year. Still, he said, there are no firm numbers to exactly what an undercount actually will mean financially. “That is a question that we can’t totally answer yet,’’ Thomson said. “There is a lot that goes into that final

count,’’ he explained. “There are some statistical formulas that are integrated into the final count.’’ And, ultimately, Thomson said Arizona needs to see whether that in-person follow-up operation manages to move the needle a bit. “We just need to remain focused on doing everything we can right now,’’ he said. It’s not just money that’s at stake. There’s also political power. In a report late last year, Election Data Services concluded that shift in population from the Northeast to the South and West should pretty much guarantee that Arizona will pick up a 10th seat in the U.S. House after the decennial census. The organization’s Kimball Brace said that’s because Arizona is adding residents at a rate faster than much of the rest of the country. But only official tallies by the Census Bureau matter. And if they’re not on this official list, they don’t count. Even the internal response rate matters. The number of legislative districts will remain the same at 30. But there is a requirement to come up with districts of roughly equal population. If some areas are undercounted, they may need to be combined geographically with adjacent areas to meet the official population threshold.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Ex-Chandler teacher’s bias gets her decertified BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The state Board of Education has revoked a former Chandler art teacher’s teaching credentials revoked for allegedly preaching about her religious beliefs in front of students and discriminating against a transgender pupil. The board on Aug. 21 unanimously voted to keep Annella Krom, who taught at Arizona College Prep-Erie until her termination last year, from teaching in Arizona’s public schools by revoking her state certification. It’s one of the harshest punishments the board can impose on teachers accused of misconduct in the classroom and its committee members felt the penalty was merited by Krom’s alleged actions. Former students of Krom had accused her of freely discussing her Christian beliefs, handing out Bibles and not allowing students to do art projects that went against her religion. Michael Stewart, a member of the board’s professional practices committee, felt Krom had demonstrated blatant intolerance by not respecting the religious views of her students. Teaching is a position of public trust, he added, where students should feel they can trust their teachers not to judge them.

Annella Krom “Ms. Krom has violated that (trust) numerous times – there is no justification for what she had done,” Stewart said. Krom was fired from the Chandler Unified School District last September after a student told administrators that Krom was preventing them from doing a project about their life as a transgendered person. According to public records, the student wanted to draw sketches of lions, lambs, and peacocks and use the animals as metaphors to illustrate a journey of self-acceptance. Krom told the student the project might be too controversial and could

spark divisions in the classroom. Krom later told CUSD administrators she discourages all her students from doing assignments on controversial topics – including abortion, global warming or matters involving sexuality – and would even discourage a Christian student from doing a project on their religion. In an interview with a Christian media outlet after her dismissal, Krom said seeing the student’s sketches of themselves as a lamb made her “heart ache” due to how it evoked biblical imagery for a project dealing with transgenderism. “I couldn’t give (the student) a grade,” she said. The school’s principal found nothing objectionable about the student’s proposed project and instructed Krom to allow it. Krom indicated she would be willing to fail the student if the project was submitted. “I find that giving it a grade is a violation of my conscience as an instructor and am unable to give this submission a grade higher than a 0/50,” Krom wrote in an email. “I understand that you are probably unwilling to change your topic at this point, but I cannot be forced to compromise my convictions,” she wrote. Krom further informed administrators that she refused to acknowledge the transgendered student by their

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preferred pronoun because it would be a violation of biblical law. Interviews with other students revealed Krom allegedly publicly shared her belief that members of the LGBTQ community were “just confused.” “Educator Krom admitted that she probably shared with students that LGBTQ was against her religious beliefs,” public records state. “Educator Krom also admitted that she may have said LGBTQ was a sin from a biblical standpoint.” One student claimed Krom randomly lowered a grade for being an agnostic. The board’s committee felt Krom’s actions necessitated revocation because of the damage she could have unintentionally done to her students. The board is only aware of the students who spoke to administrators, said Stewart, and there could be many more who have been hurt by Krom’s actions. “As a parent, I do not know what I would tell my child if they came back to me and told me their teacher had done this to them,” Stewart said. Beth Simek, another committee member, said she respected Krom’s religious beliefs but that the teacher should have placed her beliefs aside and put her students first. “She needs to find herself another profession that will be more beneficial to her way of life,” Simek said.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

College president’s video adds light touch to heavy topic SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Whether its grade school, high school or higher education, the pandemic has made things pretty bleak for students. But Chandler Gilbert Community College President Dr. Greg Peterson decided to add a dash of humor to a video he made for students on how most classes will be online this semester. Almost from the first minute of the five-minute video, titled “Another Very Important Message From Our President,” Peterson gets the chuckles rolling. Peterson has his feet up on the desk, his nose buried in a book, in the opening shot. “Oh, hello there, I didn’t see you,” he says, his eyes peering above the book. “I was just reading one of my favorite books – the ‘Chandler Gilbert Student Handbook and Course Catalogue.’ Have a copy? No? No worries.” Then he tosses the book over the shoulder, explaining how the book is online. From there, Peterson maintains a light-hearted but informative tour of part of the campus to illustrate everything students can do online – including taking classes. The entire fall semester will be online at Chandler Gilbert – except for a small cohort of classes requiring

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Dr. Greg Peterson hands-on training such as our electric utility technology, aircraft maintenance technology and some fine arts courses. The online format marks a stunning departure from the college’s normal routine. Last year, 1,311 of its 1,918 courses were in-person. This semester, only 218 of its 2,021 courses will be that way. As for the spring semester, the school is monitoring federal and state guidelines regarding fully reopening for in-person instruction “and will make a decision when appropriate,” a spokes-

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woman said. Likewise this semester, out-of-classroom campus life also has become virtual. The Student Life And Leadership Team have transitioned clubs to online with meetings via video conferencing. Student Life held orientation “open houses” online as well. The video was Peterson’s brain child and he worked with the marketing and tutoring departments, Angel Fuentes-Figueroa, associate dean of workforce programs; Dr. Enjolie Lafaurie of the psychology department; and

Student Life Director Michael Greene. Their collaboration – produced by local video vendor Fervor Creative – helped Peterson achieve a balance between a pleasantly light-hearted but seriously informative walk-through of the new normal at Chandler Gilbert that was shared on the college’s social media channels and its website, CGC. edu. “We also hope the community watches the video and remembers the joy and energy that education and learning can bring,” said Jenna Kahl, associate vice president of community relations. “We want our students and our community to know that we are here to support them,” she said. “Even though nothing seems normal right now you can still achieve your educational goals with our help.” For the most part, the pandemic hasn’t dissuaded thousands for signing up to continue their education at Chandler Gilbert. “Our current full-time enrollment is 10,436,” said Felicia Ramirez-Perez, dean of enrollment services. “We anticipate our enrollment will increase as we have late-start courses starting next week through mid-October. “Our late-start courses allow anyone to start classes throughout the fall without missing out.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

EVIT students happily return to classrooms BY JIM WALSH Staff Writer

No one could argue that the first day of school at Mesa’s East Valley Institute of Technology was normal – that is not possible during a pandemic. Precautions, such as wearing masks and socially distancing, are the bedrock of EVIT’s plan to strike a delicate balance between a student’s right to learn and protecting staff and students from COVID-19. But, if nothing else, a return to auto shop, welding and culinary classes last week marked a return to a normal routine for students while helping them prepare for the workplace with marketable skills. “It will get easy to get lulled into this idea that things are back to normal, but it’s not,’’ EVIT Superintendent Chad Wilson said. “Every day has to be like first day,’’ with strict adherence to the safety protocols. He said it was essential that the technical school return to “hands-on learning,’’ noting the difficulty of teaching someone how to weld or rebuild an engine online. EVIT, with 4,465 high school students enrolled for the 2020-21 school year, reopened for in-person learning on Aug. 17, becoming an East Valley trailblazer along with the Queen Creek schools. “We have some built-in advantages. One of our disadvantages is the hands-on learning,’’ Wilson said, with an instructor potentially working under the hood of a car or truck with a student, dental students sticking their fingers into other students’ mouths or a budding hair stylist within inches of another person. Nevertheless, 3,988 enrolled students – 89.3 percent –showed up for classroom learning. That included 679 of the 787 Mesa Public Schools students who comprise the largest number of students from the 11 school districts that feed into EVIT. In addition, 443 of 616 charter, private and home-schooled students attended as well. “I think our students are ecstatic to come back,’’ Wilson said. “We have had quite a bit of support from parents and students.’’ EVIT students attend one 2 ½ hour class a day. They get off a bus, operated by the feeder districts and walk directly to class following a route identified by signs. The idea is to limit COVID’s spread by eliminating congestion and enforce the six-foot distance between students. After class, the students jump back on the bus to go home. An exposure is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as 15 minutes or more within six feet of person positive for COVID-19, he said. So, no milling about in hallway or hanging out in a school cafeteria is allowed. Students walk corridors in an orderly single line with space between them, wearing masks. To compensate for the risks of working in close quarters during some

t? o G ws Ne

Students are back in classrooms at the East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa but the hallways cast an eerie sight as students are required to observe social distancing and walk in one direction single-file. This same scenario likely will be playing out in all schools once kids are allowed to return to campuses. (Patrick Jervis Jr./Courtesy of EVIT)

classes, instructors are required to spend no more than 15 minutes in close proximity with students – or to add extra layers of protection when that is unavoidable, Wilson said. Dental students follow the same procedures used in dental offices, wearing masks and gloves. Desks and chairs also are spaced sixfeet apart, with classes extending into a second room when necessary to meet the social distancing requirements. Classrooms and equipment are sanitized between the morning and

excitement and apprehension when he speaks to students about their return to classes. A majority of speakers at the EVIT Governing Board’s Aug. 10 meeting supported reopening the campus, with only one staffer against it. Parents also spoke in favor of reopening, saying their children were looking forward to attending classes after the long COVID-19 break, which started in March. “They feel lost. I have talked to many young people who are desperate to get

What kind of example are we setting if we don’t “have the courage to teach them in a classroom,’’ Lewis said. “Every single mom I have spoken with has said the children are suffering, the entire family unit is suffering.

’’

afternoon classes, and after classes wrap up for the day, to protect against the possibility of spreading COVID-19. Although the protocols represent a change from the usual, everyone seems to be embracing them so far, Wilson said. A call to EVIT from a parent about a sick student now prompts a round of contact-tracing to ensure other students have not been exposed. EVIT experienced no signs of COVID-19 initially, but as Wilson said, it’s unrealistic to think an entire school year will pass without someone contracting the virus. “Our goal is to have a system in place to mitigate the spread,’’ Wilson said. Wilson detects a combination of

– Vanessa Lewis

back to the classroom. They feel this is lost time,’’ said Steve Trussell, executive director of the Arizona Rock Products Association and a former Mesa teacher. Dr. Jarilynne Merrill, who has three children enrolled in Mesa Public Schools, said authorities need to look at the big picture when deciding whether to reopen schools, weighing the risks of COVID-19 against the anxiety of staying home in an age bracket prone to suicide. Merrill, who works in a detox center and whose husband is a psychiatrist, said she is not downplaying the dangers posed by COVID-19. “The danger to the community at large is largely behind us,’’ Merrill told

the board, citing county Department of Public Health data. “We are going to see a wave of suicides that will make COVID look like nothing.’’ “I’m not advocating that we throw all the kids back in school. I think the decision should be left to individual families,’’ Merrill said. “I think the benefits we offer our students are far more attainable at school, not at home on a computer.’’ Vanessa Lewis, a parent, said her daughter is looking forward to attending cosmetology school. She said teachers who are uncomfortable returning to the classroom should teach online, but that students need to return to school. “What kind of example are we setting if we don’t have the courage to teach them in a classroom,’’ Lewis said. “Every single mom I have spoken with has said the children are suffering, the entire family unit is suffering.’’ Jim McNamara, a retired firefighter and fire sciences teacher, said he has confidence in the safety protocols working if they are followed properly. “We are very dependent on being on campus, teaching the kids the skills they need,’’ McNamara said. “I feel we will lose a lot of students if we don’t return to school.’’ Julie Bird, a registered occupational therapist and an anatomy teacher, warned against the infection rate in Maricopa County and said some staff members were “not on the same page’’ as the administration, with one man not wearing a mask on campus. She said all staff members need to wear masks and send a consistent message to students, or the protocols will be ineffective. “Keep the politics and personal beliefs out of the equation,” Bird said. “This is solely a medical situation.”

Contact Paul C Contact Paul P l Maryniak Maryniak M y i k at at 480-898-5647 480 898 5647 or or pmaryniak@timespublications.com p pmaryniak@timespublications.com pmaryniak@timespublications y i k@ i p bli i com

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

REVENUE

from page 1

Total losses attributed to COVID-19 were put at about $3.7 million, though that was offset by a sudden spike in building permit fees. Although the city collected more sales tax revenue compared to the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Chandler still experienced a significant loss when businesses were shut down from mid-March to mid-May. Monthly tax revenues had been steadily increasing by about 4 percent for most of the last fiscal year until they reverse around April -- the same time most schools, restaurants, and public places had been forced to close. “The increase represents the strong revenue growth we saw during the first three quarters of the year,” city officials wrote in a report, “but has been curtailed by the last quarter, which saw declines due to the economic pressures caused by COVID-19 closures.” Sales tax revenue in May 2020 was about 10 percent less than what Chandler collected the previous year and June’s revenue experienced a 5-percent drop. Before the city adopted its current budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, Chandler’s leaders began to curb spending. City departments held off on filling vacant positions, employees were prohibited from making any traveling expenses and several spending requests were removed from the city’s latest budget. “We pulled out a lot of those new requests and tried to keep the budget as even as possible,” said Dawn Lang, city management services director, during a public meeting in April. A city spokesman said Chandler is continuing to spend under the conservative guidance Council gave when passing the city’s 2020-21 budget, which planned for a $20-million loss in expenditures and delayed several pricey capital projects until the end of the current fiscal year. The pandemic appears to have had varying impacts on the city’s individual revenue sources with some experiencing dramatic losses and others reporting little to no impact. Taxes collected from department stores increased by 6 percent between

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May and June, while grocery stores saw a 5-percent revenue loss during that same time frame. Lodging taxes collected from hotels have experienced some of the biggest drops in revenue due to the pandemic – revenue in June fell 69 percent from the June 2019 total. Taxes taken from local bars and restaurants in June was 20 percent less than the revenue in June 2019. Taxes received through Chandler’s entertainment or amusement venues saw an even bigger drop with June’s revenue 58 percent below that of June 2019. July saw a slight uptick in tax revenue from restaurants and entertainment venues compared to June, but the total was significantly smaller than revenue gathered in previous years. Chandler’s overall sales tax revenue for July – put at about $12 million – was 1 percent less than the previous year, but was still notably higher than the $10 million collected in July 2017. Taxes from contracting and construction services started out this fiscal year nearly 44 percent lower than the previous year, which city officials said was expected due to a projected slowdown in activity around Chandler as it approaches build-out. “This is mainly due to the completion or near completion of various major construction projects such as Intel, downtown construction, and various multi-family residential projects throughout the city,” a financial memo states. Retail and rental properties are some of the few tax categories in Chandler to see positive growth over the last couple months. Taxes taken from rentals were 6 percent higher in July than the previous year and retail tax revenue – the city’s largest tax category – saw a 14-percent increase.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Around Chandler

Chandler to unveil parks survey results Sept. 15

Chandler will roll out the results of its community needs survey in connection with its Parks Strategic Master Plan in a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 15. The survey will be a “building block” for the 10-year parks plan, the city said in a release. The goal of the plan, which has been under study for months, is “to ensure our parks are accessible, sustainable and innovative in the coming years,” the release said. People must pre-register for the Zoom meeting on the survey by visiting planchandlersparks.com and following the instructions. The teleconference is expected to last about 90 minutes. Chandler’s park system comprises 67 developed parks totaling 1,281 acres and the city is examining the future of undeveloped parkland as well as the possible refurbishing of existing facilities. Prior to the teleconference call, participants can visit planchandlersparks. com to learn more about the plan and the project timeline.

Chandler Library offers help for local job seekers

Chandler Library offers online and in-person options to patrons including virtual access to job and career resources along with 45-minute reservations to use computers, Wi-Fi and equipment to fax, copy, scan and print, according to Librarian Ted Liebler.

Those with a valid Chandler Public Library card or eCard also have free access to digital resources that are accessible at any of the four library locations, or online from home, or on a mobile device. Some of the resources available include Career Transitions, Learning Express Library, lyndaLibrary, ReferenceUSA and the Testing & Education Reference Center. Users can browse career paths, assess their interests and take online training courses. There are interactive questionnaires, resume and cover letter writing tips, practice tools for interview skills and more. There’s even a job search tool powered by Indeed. The Chandler Public Library also provides off-site links to assist those in a job search such as PipelineAZ, which collaborates with Chandler’s Economic Development Department in finding jobs with Arizona employers who are hiring now, as well as helping them with employment, education and financial resources to help them navigate their careers in this time of uncertainty. Users can explore real time job openings and/or register for virtual hiring events. Free career coaching is also available. Information: chandlerlibrary.org/ research-job-resources. Users must have a valid library card or get an eCard. Maricopa County residents and all residents of the Gila River Indian Community who live in Pinal County may apply for an eCard online at chandlerlibrary.org/get-

a-library-card. People also can schedule an in-person visit to the library at chandlerlibrary.org/book-it! or by calling 480-782-2800.

Chandler neighborhood awards now up for voting

Chandler residents may now cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award as part of the annual Mayor’s Neighborhood Excellence Awards program. Finalists this year are: Fox Crossing, Lagos Vistoso, Ray Manor and Tyson Manor. Residents may view the final nominees’ applications and vote once per day online at chandleraz.gov/MNEA. Voting continues through 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Recently, Mayor Hartke and the City’s Neighborhood Programs Office, in partnership with the Chandler Police Crime Prevention Unit, invited active neighborhood leaders and block watch groups to submit a nomination for the Mayor’s Neighborhood Excellence Awards. There are two award categories available: Mayor’s Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award. The awards recognize neighborhoods for their dedication to creating community through their involvement in the annual G.A.I.N. (Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods) events that bring neighbors together and supports public safety. The winners will be announced on Hartke’s Facebook page on Monday, Sept. 21.

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The Chandler Center for the Arts is accepting applications for its 10th class of Youth Arts Council participants. Members get a chance to focus on arts appreciation, community service and the development of leadership skills in order to become advocates for the arts and well-rounded community leaders. A free program that helps bolster college applications, the Youth Arts Council is a component of the larger Connecting Kids initiative. In that initiative, Chandler Center for the Arts provides youth with an array of opportunities to experience both performance and visual arts. Arts center General Manager Michelle MacLennan said teens “have the opportunity to engage with the arts on a deeper level, navigating through hands-on, practical situations we experience at the center, while we are given the good fortune to learn what is important to our young art advocates and leaders of the future.” During the six-month program, 15 teens will engage in 13 two-hour online sessions that provide real-world insight into a performing arts center. Expert speakers and problem-solving projects help teen participants complete the program with increased knowledge of career opportunities in the arts, financial responsibility, leadership skills, small and large group dynamics, as well as public relations and marketing for the arts.

Applications are being accepted now through Sept. 4. Candidates must be between ages 13-17 and will be interviewed online Sept. 9. The first virtual session of the program will be on Sept. 16. To apply: chandlercenter.org/YAC.

Chandler Library offers tech services for students

Chandler Public Library is introducing a reservation system to provide access to select library technical resources to students who may not have access to certain educational necessities in their homes. “Book It! Back to School” offers 45-minute appointments to access free Wi-Fi, desktop computers, quiet study areas, and printing, scanning, faxing and copying tools. Libraries have been closed to the public since July 1, but offer in-person hold-pickup service and returns in the lobbies. Appointments start on the top of the hour during normal hours of operation. Each reservation is for 45 minutes and all patrons must exit after they’re done. Masks must be worn at all times and social distancing practices must be followed Reservations can be made up to 24 hours in advance through the chandlerlibrary.org website. If someone cannot make a reservation online, they can call 480-782-2800 Monday through Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.-5 a.m. Thursday and Friday.

Chandler rated 53 in state for physical fitness

Barbend.com, strength training resource and news outlet, rated Chandler 53rd in Arizona for fitness, behind 46th place Gilbert and well behind first-place Paradise Valley. Not many Valley cities made the top 20 in the survey, which was based on scores for things like exercise opportunities, access to healthy food, air pollution and drinking water quality. Instead, the survey favored places like Rincon Valley (second), Williamson (third) and Rio Rico (fourth). Even Yuma (26) came out well ahead. “With the pandemic restricting our usual exercise regimes due to social distancing regulations, many Americans have had to adapt their fitness goals and align them with at-home workouts,” barbend.com said. “The good news about working or studying from home is not having to worry about your daily commute taking up too much time that could be used to achieve your at-home fitness goals for the day,” ot said. Chandler earned an overall fitness score of 77.05. “The town has a high rate of exercise opportunities at 920 per 1,000 people, suggesting that the surrounding environment can play a key role in determining people’s fitness level,” the website said. “Additionally, Chandler was found to have low air pollution, low rates of physical inactivity, obesity and smoking,” it noted. Utah had the most cities with fit lifestyles, followed by Maryland, California and Virginia.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Lyft program for South Chandler launches this week SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

South Chandler residents without a vehicle of their own stand a chance to get around beginning this week as the city’s new First-Mile, Last-Mile program with the rideshare platform Lyft takes off. Residents can get half off the fare for rides to and from designated bus stops south of Pecos Road, starting Tuesday, Sept. 1. The program helps the City expand public transit access to an area of the city with limited availability, while at the same time avoiding the high cost of adding multiple new bus routes, city officials say. “Our partnership with Lyft offers a cost-effective and innovative solution to the fiscal challenges we face for extending bus routes further into south Chandler,” said Jason Crampton, transportation planning supervisor. He noted that expanding bus routes into the area could cost the city as much as $900,000 annually. “First-Mile, Last-Mile may prove to be much more cost effective for taxpayers and more convenient for many residents,” he said. South Chandler residents currently have access to 54 Valley Metro bus stops south of Pecos Road, which are served by three bus routes with limited service south of Pecos Road.

A map of eligible bus stops is online at chandleraz.gov/lyft. Whether leaving from their home or another south Chandler location, First-Mile, Last-Mile participants’ en route or inbound ride must end within one-quarter mile of one of the designated bus stops. A returning or outbound ride to their home or other south Chandler location must start within one-quarter mile of a designated bus stop and end within city limits south of Pecos Road. Lyft and the City have identified

multiple transfer points in proximity to bus routes 96, 112 and 136. Participants must first download the Lyft mobile app and enter the promo code “ChandlerTransit” in their Lyft app. After it has been entered, the discount will apply to any eligible ride throughout the life of the pilot program. Lyft prices vary based on a number of factors, including distance, traffic and time. To budget for the pilot program, Chandler transportation staff estimated that the city’s average cost per trip will be $5-$6. “This public-private partnership with

Lyft is a great example of how we are implementing the guiding principles of our Strategic Plan, such as improving mobility for our residents and investing in innovative solutions to the challenges we face,” said Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. “First-Mile, Last-Mile has the potential to benefit many of our residents who are unable to drive, who have physical limitations, or those who just want more convenient transportation options,” Hartke said. Lyft, Inc., has partnered with dozens of other cities throughout the country on similar programs. The Chandler pilot program will run through Aug. 31, 2021. If deemed a success, City officials have the option of continuing the partnership with Lyft through up to four oneyear extensions. At a public meeting on July 16, the Chandler City Council approved up to $49,000 in subsidies for the one year program evaluation. “We’re proud to partner with the City of Chandler on this pilot program to help residents get around more easily,” said Caroline Samponaro, head of Transit & Micromobility Policy at Lyft. “We’ve long worked with cities to offer a first-mile, last-mile solution and we’re grateful for the collaboration with the City.” Information: chandleraz.gov/lyft or call 480-782-3440.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

The new tower to the right of the existing Gila River Hotels & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass, left of the existing hotel, will have a stunning lobby as well as numerous amenities like an adult pool on the top ﬂoor. (Courtesy of Gila River Hotels & Casinos)

Wild Horse Pass unveils major tower project SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass has broken ground on a $143-million expansion project in Chandler – a move that a spokesperson said “aligns with the enterprise’s rapid growth in Arizona.” Scheduled to open in fall 2021, an 11-story hotel tower will be added to Wild Horse Pass and connect to its existing hotel. The 150-foot tower will feature 205 guestrooms for a total of 447 guestrooms on the property. Other highlights include rooftop dining with spectacular views, two pools, a

new lounge and additional meeting space. Sundt Construction, Inc., TynanGroup and Friedmutter Group are partnering on the project – the first expansion project for Gila River’s Wild Horse Pass property since it opened in 2009. It is owned by the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC), also operates Lone Butte in Chandler and Vee Quiva in Laveen. “This expansion is a major investment in the Gila River Indian Community and symbolic of a new chapter in our history,” said Gila River Hotels & Casinos CEO Kenneth Manuel. “It reflects our commitment to be a leader in the gaming and hospitality industry through enhanced experiences

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expansion, TynanGroup, has managed the construction of hotel and casino projects for the Gila River Indian Community dating to 1999 and was also involved with the initial construction of Gila River Hotels & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass. Las Vegas based Friedmutter Group, which is known for its iconic hotel and casino designs, is the project architect and has worked with the Gila River Indian Community for the past 10 years on renovation and expansion projects for all of its existing casinos and hotel properties. At the center of the Wild Horse Pass expansion project is the new 11-story See

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and amenities, and we look forward to seeing the continued representation of our community’s culture in the expansion project,” he said. Sundt Construction Project Executive Mike Nunn said he and his team are “inspired to build the Wild Horse Pass expansion.” “Working with Gila River Indian Community reminds us of our passion of quality, integrity and community support,” said Nunn. “When completed, the expansion will continue to provide a long lasting and positive impact to the Community, and Sundt is honored to be an integral part of the project team.” The project management firm of the

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Aji Spa, Kai restaurant reopening at Wild Horse SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass will reopening Aji Spa this week and the Kai Restaurant in October. “After months of closure due to COVID-19 impacts, the Forbes Five Star winning restaurant and spa are ready to welcome back guests with the outstanding service they are known for, along with new operating procedures in place developed at the highest

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hotel tower. The new 205 guestrooms will include 103 rooms with king beds, 63 rooms with two queen beds, six poolside suites and 27 tower suites. In addition, the new tower will have four Gold Suites and two 1,500-squarefoot Platinum Suites with king beds, dining rooms and a balcony with views of the Estrella mountains. In addition to the existing 12,000-square-feet of conference space at Wild Horse Pass, the expansion will feature an additional 18,000-squarefeet of indoor meeting space and 4,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space. The second floor of the new tower will boast an intimate bar and lounge while the 11th floor provide a rooftop dining

standard of cleanliness and safety in compliance with local regulations and industry guidelines,” Sheraton Grand said in a release. Aji Spa, which features Native-American will open Sept. 4. Guests can begin making their reservations by calling 602385-5759 for appointments Thursday through Sunday. New safety protocols include required masks, limited occupancy, staggered appointment times, increase in

deep cleaning and sanitization based on guidance from the CDC and state laws. Kai, Arizona’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star restaurant, will reopen Oct. 1. Chef de Cuisine Ryan Swanson has curated a multi-course prix-fixe tasting menu but the regular a la carte menu will not be available at this time. Guests are invited to begin making reservations Sept. 15. The restaurant will be open Wednesday through Saturday.

Kai also is following all CDC guidelines, including mandatory mask wearing for guests and staff, tables spaced out at least six feet apart, limited reservations and occupancy, onetime-use disposable menus, enhanced deep cleaning and sanitation as well as enforced food preparation protocols and more. Information: 602-225-0100 or wildhorsepassresort.com

option with mountain and sunset views. The project will also feature new amenities at Wild Horse Pass, including an oversized oasis pool area for guests to soak in the sun. The pool area will feature two hot tubs, full-service cabanas and access to the Bar & Grill with a full-service menu year-round. Open to those 21 years or older, the pool provides direct access from six select suites. The expansion will be adorned with custom artwork from 17 different artists who reside in the Gila River Indian Community. From paintings to photographs, the art will reflect the culture of Arizona and the Gila River Indian Community. The casino floor will be revamped with new carpeting, color palette, lighting fixtures and a LED screen overhanging the floor stretching 80 feet wide and 12 feet tall.

For information about Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass,

Lone Butte or Vee Quiva, please visit PlayatGila.com/expansion.

Get them care, while still being careful.

Even in times like these, your child’s healthcare needs don’t stop. At Phoenix Children’s, we’re making it safer for you to see us, with telehealth appointments and enhanced precautions for in-person visits. Whether your child requires vaccines, an appointment with a specialist or a scheduled surgery, don’t let being careful stop you from getting your kids the care they need.

Vaccines. Scheduled surgeries. Specialist visits. Visit phoenixchildrens.org or call 602-933-KIDS to schedule an appointment.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Chandler businesses have 4 sources of help, Chamber says SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Pandemic-rattled small businesses have four government sources for financial help, according to Chandler Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Terri Kimble. Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief Grants of up to $25,000 can cover two months of rent of mortgage payments owed by businesses that were required to shut down earlier this year. The $10 million program prioritizes businesses that are most in need of the funding and do not have access to other financial support. Grant applications are at localfirstaz. com/azsmallbizrent. More information is at localfirstaz.com/azsmallbizrent. Kimble also noted that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors also has approved a grant program in which businesses and nonprofits can received up to $25,000 “Relief grants are intended to support the continued viability of small businesses and nonprofits across the Valley,” Kimble noted, adding that those in Phoenix and Mesa are ineligible since those two cities received their own pandemic-relief money from the federal government. “While funding is available; applying for a grant does not guarantee funds will be awarded,” Kimble said, adding that the program administered by the Arizona Community Foundation.

Apply at azfoundation.org/GrantsLoans/COVID-19FundingforPhoenixSmallBusinesses.aspx. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis through October until funding is exhausted or the grant period closes. To qualify, small business and nonprofits must have 50 or fewer fulltime employees and generated no more than $5 million in gross revenue in 2019. Applicants also must be able to show their gross revenues declined by at least 25 percent as a result of COVID-19 from March through June 2020, compared to the same time period last year. There are other requirements as well spelled out on the website. Applicants that have received COVID-related government assistance, including Payroll Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan, SBA Express Bridge Loans, and SBA Debt Relief, are now eligible to apply for the county assistance. Guildelines can be found at azfoundation.org/Portals/0/Uploads/ Documents/GrantGuidelines/Phase%20 2%20Maricopa%20County%20Relief%20 Grants%20Program%20Guidelines. pdf?ver=Bo3fFZBxEAWvdR63lU__ gw%3d%3d. The City of Chandler also has a hiring and retention program that will provide qualifying businesses with $1,300 per employee retained or hired since Dec. 31, 2019 – up to a maximum of $10,000.

“These funds are intended to provide a direct benefit to the citizens of Chandler by supporting Chandler businesses that are keeping employees on payroll as they adjust to revenue losses and business disruptions caused by COVID-19,” Kimble said of the program,

While funding is “available, the total

amount is based upon employees retained or hired and applying for a grant does not guarantee funds will be awarded

”

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which has about $9.5 million available on a first-come, first-serve basis. “While funding is available, the total amount is based upon employees retained or hired and applying for a grant does not guarantee funds will be awarded, Kimble said. The program initially will be limited to businesses in food services and accommodations, health care and social

assistance, administrative services and support, waste management and remediation, manufacturing, entertainment and recreation and the arts. Home-based businesses are not eligible and applicants must own or lease non-residential property and commit to staying in Chandler through the end of the year. Details are at chandleraz.gov/ government/city-managers-office/ coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/business-resources/business-hiring-and-retention-program The fourth source of help is the I Choose Chandler personal protective equipment reimbursement program run by the city Economic Development Department in partnership with the Industrial Development Authority. The program is aimed at helping businesses with costs incurred from purchasing PPE in amounts between $100 and $500. The Chandler Industrial Development Authority has made a total of $200,000 available for the program. Covered costs include PPE, professional cleaning and disinfection services purchased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and to comply with public health guidelines. Information: chandleraz.gov/ government/city-managers-office/ coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/ business-resources/grant

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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This map of the proposed Cannon Beach shows how hotels and restaurants would be located around the lagoon (City of Mesa)

Project aims to make Mesa a ‘Surf City’ BY JIM WALSH Staff Writer

A developer already has “Surf Mesa’’ tee-shirts printed, hoping that his proposed two-acre “surf lagoon” turns into a regional attraction near Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport. But while the lagoon is the centerpiece of Cannon Beach, it also includes 475,000 square feet of commercial space, a gym, a climbing wall, a go-cart track, a 65-foot tall hotel and retail space. All of this would be built only about a mile northwest of the airport, in an overflight area where housing could not be built without a permit because of aircraft noise. The developer, Cole Cannon – a surfer himself from his days at the University of Southern California – said “there’s a huge, transplanted population from Southern California’’ that yearns to go surfing again, but can’t return home every weekend. “What we are trying to create is something that can’t be delivered to your door,’’ he told the Tribune. He said his focus is on a 25-45-year age bracket that highly values unique experiences, such as hiking a national park or surfing, rather than just acquiring possessions. Cannon envisions travelers using the

airport and staying at the hotel to either surf or just enjoy people-watching and a beach ambiance transplanted from Southern California to the Sonoran Desert. Cannon said he has visited surf parks around the world and retained experts in water dynamics that will help him realize his dream – including a contractor who has built facilities for the elite Navy Seals. Working with large bodies of water can be tricky and probably will be the hardest part of completing the project, Cannon said. “We are fully expecting a lot of trial and error,’’ Cannon said. “We have the capitol to do this. We have built simulators of it.’’ Cannon declined to release a price tag but said he would like to start construction next spring. With the best technical help available, he said, “we want to get a perfect wave.’’ Cannon anticipates his beach project will turn into a major destination, but added, “We need cooperation from the city and we need cooperation from COVID-19.’’ Wave parks are becoming trendy in the desert. Another one is planned at the Gilbert Regional Park. Jerry Lehman, a former nationally See

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ranked surfer, said he is planning to build two Surf Town attractions – one each in the East and West Valleys. Lehman declined to release the locations until he has land deals sown up, but he said he has an investor willing to finance both parks. He has dropped his original plan to build a park on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in the Talking Stick Entertainment District. “None of these guys have the connections to the surf industry that I do,’’ Lehman said. “It’s going to happen.’’ He said he knows surfers in California who are driving to a surf park in Waco, Texas, to conquer a new wave and that new technology that produces a guaranteed wave is fueling a boom in parks. “It’s exploding all over the world right now,’’ Lehman said. “If we get 10 parks built in Phoenix, I’m all for it,’’ he said in a Facebook video on his Surf Town page. But none of the new parks have materialized yet. All of them feature a lagoon, but there are a lot of variations beyond that. Developers of the The Strand in Gilbert announced recently that their $60 million state-of-the-art water park would be delayed a year, with a summer 2021 opening planned. The Strand would be a 25-acre project at the new Gilbert Regional Park under construction at Queen Creek and Higley Road as part of a public-private partner-

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

ship solicited by the town. When the water park opens, it will feature a surf lagoon, a cable wake park, inflatable aqua course, sand beach and a kids’ play area. Gilbert expects The Strand to bring its own water supply. Cannon Beach will use about oneeighth of the water now used at the site for agriculture, Cannon said. The 40-acre site is across from the American Furniture Warehouse, on the east side of Power Road, north of the Loop 202 and south of Warner Road. He said he hopes people will judge the proposal on its own merits and not lump it in with Waveyard, another surf resort that never got off the ground a decade ago at the former Riverview Golf Course. Mesa voters approved a land sale in 2007, but the city required Waveyard’s developers to submit plans and proof of financing before completing the deal. The plan collapsed in 2011 under the weight of the last recession. But Waveyard’s failure eventually paid dividends for the city, clearing space at a premiere location that eventually turned into Sloan Park, the spring home of the Chicago Cubs, and a rebuilt Riverview Park, two popular attractions. Now, Mesa could end up with both the popular baseball stadium and an attractive water resort as Cannon Beach seeks zoning approvals, after debuting at the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board meeting. “I think it’s very exciting,’’ said board member Tim Boyle. “It will be neat to see how it turns out.’’

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Cannon Beach won a unanimous recommendation for approval from the board. The project would go before the City Council next for consideration of the necessary zoning changes. The proposal covers nearly 60 acres, but the south 20 acres are merely conceptual, with more details to come later. It would change the zoning from agricultural to general commercial, with a planned area development overlay that signifies a certain standard or theme. A council use permit would be required to allow outdoor dining and seating in the airport over-flight zone. A boardwalk would circle the lagoon and lead to other attractions, such as the restaurants and the hotel. A second section would include some additional entertainment options, including an indoor trampoline and the go-cart track. A third section would be rezoned for light industrial nearer to the airport. “Cannon Beach, located in the north portion of the site, will be the premier destination for the East Valley, bridging the gap between sun, sand, and surf,’’ according to a project narrative submitted by zoning attorneys Sean Lake and Ralph Pew. “The recreational activities will create a unique attraction and will offer advanced active entertainment, progressive surfing experience, water play, experiential retail/dining, hospitality, and state of the art office space – all immersed with views of ocean-side character and the sound of crashing waves breaking in the desert sun.’’ Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic,

with many hotels only at 10 percent occupancy, the Cannon Beach hotel has created a buzz, generating interest from six hotel groups, Cannon said. He said a special filtration system will ensure that the canal water used to fill the lagoon will be safe for swimming. The north portion would feature “the crystal-clear blue surf lagoon,’’ surrounded by 475,000 square feet of commercial space, the project narrative said. Restaurants, office space and indoor recreational activities including a gym, go-cart track and climbing wall would be included. The south portion would be oriented more towards work than fun, featuring light industrial uses compatible with the airport. Ryan Smith, a spokesman for the airport, said he believes the developer has already met with airport officials and that they would monitor the development closely to make sure development would not create any additional safety concerns. He said the property is in an aircraft overflight area two, which would require permits to allow housing, but no permanent housing is included in Cannon Ranch. “We fully support any proposal that brings interest to the airport and visibility to the southeast Valley,’’ Smith said. Mesa City Councilwoman Jen Duff, the city’s Visit Mesa liaison, said she will focus her questions on water quality and sustainability issues when the proposal comes before the council. “There’s a lot of businesses down there near the airport and a lot of homes. There’s not really a lot of attractions. It could be a plus to the area,’’ Duff said.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

High court OKs ballot spot for education tax on wealthy BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizonans will get a chance to decide if they want to hike taxes on the state’s most wealthy to help fund K-12 education. The Arizona Supreme Court concluded that the 100-word description on petitions for the Invest in Education measure “did not create a significant danger of confusion or unfairness.’’ The unanimous decision reverses the decision by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury, who concluded that backers of the measure “circulated an opaque Trojan horse of a 100-word description, concealing principal provisions of the initiative.’’ The high court also found that various methods of providing bonuses and incentives paid petition circulators did not run afoul of state laws that prohibit paying people on a per-signature basis. Wednesday’s ruling is a setback for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which financed the successful legal bid to keep a nearly identical measure from going to voters two years ago. That means the business group and its allies now will be forced to make their arguments to voters that a tax hike that affects only the top 4 percent of wage earners is bad public policy. Proponents contend that the current tax structure benefits the richest Arizo-

nans, saying they pay proportionately less of their income to support government and public education than those at the bottom. Arizona has a tiered income tax structure. Individuals pay 2.59 percent on the first $53,000 of taxable income, 3.34 percent on everything between that

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and $106,000, 4.17 percent on income of $106,00 through $318,000 and 4.5 percent on everything over that. Proposition 210 would add a 3.5 percent surcharge on all incomes above $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for couples. So, a single person with taxable income of $350,000 a year would pay 8 percent – the 4.5 percent rate and the 3.5 percent surcharge – only on

$100,000; taxes for everything below that $250,000 cutoff would remain the same. And anyone whose income did not reach the threshold would be unaffected. Proponents say that could raise $940 million a year; legislative budget staffers put that at $827 million for the first year. Of whatever is collected, 50 percent is earmarked for hiring and raises for teachers and classroom support personnel, with 25 percent for other support personnel and 10 percent for program to attract and retain new teachers. Another 12 percent is for career and workforce training programs with the balance set aside for the Arizona Teachers Academy, which provides free college tuition to those who agree to go into teaching. Jaime Molera who chairs the chamber-financed opposition group, called Wednesday’s ruling a “disappointment.’’ Molera is focusing on the fact that, for top wage earners, the tax rate would go from 4.5 percent to 8 percent, a 77.7 percent increase. And he argued that will create a “damaging’’ increase to small businesses. That is based on the argument that some businesses are set up so that the company pays no income tax and the earnings pass through to the owners’ personal tax forms.

David Lujan, who helped craft the initiative, said that is leaving out one crucial component. He said owners do not pay taxes on the gross proceeds of their businesses but only on the net profits, after paying employees, rent and other operating costs. And Lujan, director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, said those earnings more than $250,000 a year as individuals or $500,000 as couples should contribute more to funding K-12 education. Amber Gould, who chairs the Invest in Education campaign, called Wednesday’s ruling “an important victory because it gives millions of Arizona voters the opportunity to put more resources into our schools.’’ She noted that it will not impact working and middle-class families. Legislative budget staffers say the state is now providing $5,762 per student, compared with $4,163 in 2001. But the same analysis shows that, after adjustments for inflation, state aid now is actually 4.5 percent less than what it was in 2001. Gov. Doug Ducey already has staked out a position against the tax hike. “That’s a whopping amount, especially considering that our economy is recovering from recession and high unemployment,’’ he wrote in a statement against the measure.

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END OF SUMMER

LAB R

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Santan Fwy 202

DAY SALE HOME APPLIANCE E. Germann Rd.

E. Germann Rd.

S. Stearman

S. Gilbert Rd.

Dr.

HOME APPLIANCE 40% OFF SHOWROOM 25%-

2100 S Gilbert Rd Suite #7 SW Corner of Gilbert & Germann 1

SHOWROOM 10% OFF

SELECT APPLIANCES

PRICES VALID THURSDAY, AUGUST 27TH THRU SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2020

END OF SUMMER

LAB R

EXTRA

ALL APPLIANCES

$599† or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card3

OR 18 MONTHS FINANCING

DAY SALE

on all appliances $999† or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card. 4 or 12 Months Financing on all appliances $299 or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card.4

OR FREE DELIVERY

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ON ALL APPLIANCES $499 OR MORE

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cu. ft.†

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ALL APPLIANCES cu. ft.†

25- cu ft.† capacity refrigerator with $599† or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card3 humidity controlled crisper & gallon-sized door bins

OR 18 MONTHS FINANCING on all appliances $999† or more ITEM# 04650043 with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card. 4 or 12 Months Financing on all appliances $299 or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card.4

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with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card*

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On all appliances: Colors, connectors, ice maker hook-up and installation extra. †Total capacity. (1,3,4) Exclusions apply. See The Details section. See store for additional exclusions. Offers good thru 9/12/20. *For Shop Your Way members in participating locations. Local curbside delivery. Additional fees may apply. See store for details. *Subject to lease approval, total cost to lease for a 5-mo. lease agreement is the above listed amount due at lease signing plus taxes, followed by 18 weekly payments of the same amount. For your options at the end of the 5-mo. agreement, see the “LEASING DETAILS” below. Lease prices shown are valid on the sale prices shown for the duration of this advertisement. IMPORTANT DEFERRED INTEREST PROMOTIONAL DETAILS (when offered): No interest if paid in full within the promotional period. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full with in the promotional period. With credit approval, for qualifying purchases made on a Sears or Shop Your Way credit card (Sears Commercial One® accounts excluded). Sears Home Improvement AccountSM valid on installed sales only. Offer valid for consumer accounts in good standing and is subject to change without notice. May not be combined with any other promotional offer. Sears and Shop Your Way credit cards: As of 07/21/2020, APR for purchases: Variable 7.24% -25.24% or non-variable 5.00% -26.49%. Minimum interest charge: up to $2. See card agreement for details, including the APRs and fees applicable to you. APPLIANCE OFFERS: (1,3) Bosch®, Whirlpool®, KitchenAid®, Maytag®, Amana®, LG®, Samsung®, Frigidaire and Electrolux appliances limited to 10% off. Offers exclude Hot Buys, Super Hot Buys, Special Purchases GE®, GEProfile™, GE Café™, clearance, closeouts and Everyday Great Price Items. See store for additional exclusions. Offers good thru 9/12/20. (3) Extra 10% off applies to appliance purchases with qualifying Sears card. Cannot be combined with other Sears card discounts. Excludes Sears Commercial One® accounts. Sears Home Improvement AccountSM applies on installed merchandise only. (4) 12 months offer applies to appliances $299 or more after discounts and coupons when you use a qualifying Sears card. 18 months offer applies to appliances $999 or more after discounts and coupons when you use a qualifying Sears card. See above for important Special Financing/Deferred Interest Details. Offer good thru 9/12/20. LEASING DETAILS: At the end of the 5 mo. agreement consumer may (1) continue the lease at same rate, (2) exercise a purchase option per the terms of the agreement as applicable in eligible states, or, (3) return the goods. No security deposit required. Consumers in WV, VT, NJ and WI must contact WhyNotLeaseIt to request to negotiate purchase of leased item(s). Leasing costs shown are based on a specific price point as noted in the advertisement. Must make bi-weekly or monthly payments. Age and income requirements apply. We offer product warranty. Sears Home Appliance Showrooms may be independently operated by authorized franchisees of Sears Home Appliance Showrooms, LLC or by authorized dealers of Sears Authorized Hometown Stores, LLC. The SEARS mark is a service mark of Sears Brands, LLC.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Left: The venerable Roosevelt Dam is one of four dams on the Salt River that help feed Mesa and the rest of the East Valley. Right: The Salt River winds its way through the East Valley and experts fear for the impact of decades of poor forest management on this vital lifeline. (Special to the SanTan Sun News)

Water, water everywhere – at least in the EV BY GARY NELSON Contributor

The water system that has quenched the East Valley’s thirst through more than a century of droughts and floods is well positioned to deal with the coming effects of climate change, according to a new federal study. The study by the Bureau of Reclamation found that the Salt River Project watershed is far more resilient than the much larger Colorado River system that also supplies some of the East Valley’s water. In fact, according to SRP water managers, the system appears to be better situated now than it was 40 years ago – despite explosive growth and development that changes the face of the region almost daily. The data offer assurance that despite a “mega-drought” that has afflicted the Southwest for the past quarter-century, homes and businesses within the SRP service area won’t go dry anytime soon. That service area is huge. It covers 387 square miles stretching from the northwest Valley through Phoenix and into the Southeast Valley. SRP is a major supplier for Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe and Scottsdale, although those cities draw from other sources as well. SRP water comes our way from northern and eastern Arizona via the Salt and Verde rivers. Four dams on the Salt – including the granddaddy, Roosevelt Dam – and two on the Verde create reservoirs that can be tapped any time you need to make an ice cube. The dams also serve as a flood-protection system. The rivers drain a watershed of some 12,500 square miles stretching from northwest of Flagstaff to near Springerville, then southward almost to Mesa. By comparison, the Colorado River watershed is huge – some 246,000 square miles. And while it might seem the bigger watershed would be more robust, the Bureau of Reclamation study found the opposite is true. That bureau, by the way, oversees water-conservation projects in the

American West and actually owns the dams that SRP operates. “The big takeaway from that long report … is that the Salt and Verde river stream flow is less sensitive to warmer temperatures than the Upper Colorado River stream flow,” said Bo Svoma, an SRP meteorologist. “On the Colorado, stream flow reductions due to warming are commonly cited to be about 6.5 percent per degree Celsius, and on the Salt and Verde rivers that number is between 1 and 2 percent per degree Celsius,” he said. The reason, he said, is that much of the runoff in the SRP system occurs between December and April, when days are cool and the sun is low on the horizon. That results in less evaporation than in the Colorado system, where the runoff occurs between April and June. Charlie Ester, SRP’s manager of watershed management, said it’s true that a smaller watershed is not immune from the effects of drought and is, in fact, “much more volatile” than the vaster Colorado system. “When a drought hits, we get slammed hard,” he said. “Look at 19962002. Those were the driest years we’ve ever seen. But then, 2005. It was a dramatically wetter year and in one wet season it filled up our entire system. “So, where a small watershed is more profoundly affected on the dry side, it’s also more profoundly affected on the wet side. We can fill our system in one season. You can’t do that on the Colorado.” As of last month, water levels in the SRP reservoir system stood at 94 percent of capacity. The nearly 1.9 million acre-feet of water in storage could supply SRP’s service area for more than two years even without another drop of rain. And that is not to mention a wealth of groundwater that lies below our feet. If you drive Loop 202 westbound across north Mesa, you may notice riparian areas in the Salt River bed that weren’t there as recently as 25 years ago. SRP and other agencies have aggressively recharged aquifers to the point that the water table in some places

has bubbled to the surface. SRP relies on that groundwater for emergency deliveries in case its surface supplies do run low. This, Ester said, has occurred even amid what climatologists believe is Arizona’s worst “mega-drought” in some 600 years. “We’ve recharged, I believe, close to three million acre-feet of water,” Ester said. One reason SRP can do that is that despite the East Valley’s booming population, water use has declined dramatically over the past four decades. “When I first started at SRP in the mid-80s, (annual water demand) was well over a million acre-feet,” Ester said. “Some years we would deliver 1.2 million to 1.3 million acre-feet. We struggle now to deliver 800,000 acre-feet of water.” Deliberate conservation by water users, as well as more efficient appliances, accounts for a lot of that, he said. Plus, an acre of homes uses less water than an acre of irrigated farmland. The effect is so dramatic that whereas an acre-foot used to be defined as serving a family of four for a year, now it’s defined as what two such families require. Despite the new research showing the resiliency of the SRP water-delivery system, both Svoma and Ester have concerns about the effect of climate change on Arizona.

“When the Southwestern U.S. transitions out of its drought and Arizona starts getting more frequent wet winters, that will be happening in a warmer world,” Svoma said, adding: “And if you have a warmer world there’s more water vapor in the air because the oceans are warmer and they’re evaporating more. … More water vapor in the air with storms means heavier precipitation.” Thus, he said, the Valley could be at a greater risk of flooding on the order of the 1993 gusher that washed away a bridge under construction on Mill Avenue in Tempe. Ester has his own worry – namely, the health of the forests that make up much of the SRP watershed. Poor forest management has fed several massive fires over the past 20 years, creating sediment that runs into the reservoirs and limits their capacity. Arizona needs better forest management, he said, to eliminate catastrophic fires and “get it back to the point where fire can achieve a more natural role that it played over eons of time.” The federal study of the Salt River Project is available at: usbr.gov/watersmart/pilots/docs/reports/Final_Reservoir_Operations_Pilot_Report-Salt_ and_Verde_Az.pdf

Your Local Guide to Better Living

HEALTH

Summer 2020

WELLNESS Special Supplement to San Tan Sun News

Last-resort effort saves Chandler doctor’s life

BY SARA PATTERSON Contributing Writer

A young Chandler physician who was given a nearly 100% mortality expectation from COVID-19 has made an extraordinary recovery thanks to a last-resort, lifesaving medical intervention at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. After nearly two months of being hospitalized, Dr. Karl Viddal was released from St. Joseph’s and reunited with his wife and three young children. “I can’t wait to see my wife and kids after spending almost eight weeks in the hospital. It’s hard to believe this happened to me. I’m young and without any past medical issues, and this virus nearly ended my life,” said Viddal, 46, who was in top health prior to contracting COVID-19. “The nurses and doctors have been incredible. They’ve literally saved my life. I’m so grateful to the medical team that cared for me. They literally had to navigate through uncharted waters. If it wasn’t for their early interventions, I wouldn’t have made it. They gave me a second chance.” Doctors are calling Viddal’s recovery “remarkable” after having spent 28 days in a medically induced coma, 34 days on a ventilator and 55 days in the hospital fighting for his life. They credit a lifesaving intervention called ECMO for his significant outcome. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Essentially, these machines take over and do the work of failing lungs. Very few hospitals have an ECMO program. Viddal was the 32nd patient in the United States and the second in Arizona to be placed on ECMO therapy for COVID-19. He spent 16 days on ECMO—more than any other COVID-19 patient on the lifesaving machine in Arizona. Dr. Viddal faced nearly 100% mortality within 24 to 48 hours if not for the immediate and lifesaving ECMO intervention. He’s believed to be among the nation’s most critically ill COVID-19 patients to make such an incredible recovery. “Using ECMO allowed us to rest Karl’s lungs,” said Dr. Raed Suyyagh, intensivist and medical director of the ECMO program at St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute. “It is a very specialized medical treatment and is only used after all other conventional treatments have failed. We were going to do everything possible to help Karl fight this illness.” Viddal, a family practice physician, began experiencing flu-like symptoms days after returning from a trip abroad in March. Within days, his health began to rapidly decline and he was admitted on March 22 to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. The illness was already so deep in his lungs that it did not present in his nasal cavity for some time. As a result, he had three false-negative results before testing positive for COVID-19 through a bronchoscopy specimen. While at Mercy Gilbert, Viddal relied

Above: Chandler physician Dr. Karl Viddal is back with his family after a horrific bout of COVID-19. (Special to the

San Tan Sun News) Right: Dr. Karl Vidal was hospitalized for nearly two months.

on a ventilator at maximum support to help him breathe due to severe pneumonia caused by the virus. The medical staff at Mercy Gilbert called upon the experts from St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute as Viddal’s lungs continued to worsen and it became clear he needed a higher level of care. “Dr. Chirag Patel, one of our Norton surgeons at Dignity Health, went to Mercy Gilbert and placed Karl on the EMCO machine, and then helped a skilled team from Norton coordinate the state’s first ECMO transfer from Mercy Gilbert to St. Joseph’s,” said Ross Bremner, MD, thoracic surgeon and director of the Norton Thoracic Institute. “This kind of transport is incredibly complex, but it is something our team has experience with because of our lung transplant program.” In addition to the ECMO treatment, Viddal also underwent repeated prolonged bronchoscopies and had a tracheostomy and a chest tube placed while hospitalized. Suyyagh said these additional procedures may have been largely avoided at many other medical centers due to the higher risk for staff exposure to the virus. “Thankfully, we had the proper PPE and re-designed intubation boxes for the team to safely perform these ultimately lifesaving tasks,” he added. Viddal was

also given two doses of a drug commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis, called tocilizumab, to help treat the severe pneumonia. “It was hard comprehending what happened to me when I became conscious. I woke up and I was paralyzed, unable to speak,” Viddal explained. “I feel blessed to have such incredible nurses and doctors. They never gave up on me and I am optimistic I will make a full recovery.” Once off the ECMO and the ventilator, Viddal was transferred to the hospital’s inpatient neuro-rehabilitation program managed by St. Joseph’s Barrow Neurological Institute. After less than two weeks of intensive physical and occupational therapy, Viddal regained enough strength and balance to safely walk on his own again and return home. “Karl is a true warrior,” said Viddal’s wife, Alyssa Viddal. “The kids and I have been counting down since he started rehab. After 55 days in the hospital, we can’t wait to have him home.” While we are living in uncertain and unprecedented times, the doctors at Dignity Health in Arizona want the public to know that it is important to embrace courage and possibility in our ever-changing world. “Karl story of perseverance and sur-

vival is a beacon of hope for all of those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bremner said. St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute is home to one of the largest and busiest lung transplant centers in the United States, and the only lung transplant program in Phoenix. As a result, their experts are some of the most experienced using ECMO for lung failure in the state. The team at Norton also has a national reputation of excellence in innovation when it comes to caring for patients with complex and severe thoracic and esophageal conditions.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Your health is Fresh Start’s top priority BY FRESH START WELLNESS

As a Fresh Start Wellness holistic wellness practitioner and licensed nutritionist, Casey Grant creates clear, easy to understand and easy to apply meal plans and vitamin protocols that are current and accurate. She not only focuses on weight, but the deeper root of the cause. Whether it be fear, stress, past trauma or anxiety, she has tools to overcome barriers that are in your way. A Southwest Institute of Healing Arts graduate, Grant has been passionate about nutrition her whole life. Having struggled personally with her weight for more than 21 years, Grant wanted to help others meet their personal goals and achieve overall mind, body and spiritual wellness. Grant fulfilled her dream of helping people after working in the mortgage industry for 16 years. Her programming encompasses education on whole foods, nutritional supplements and exercise to achieve the maximum results. She is passionate about her work, so she will work with clients to achieve their personal goals. With Fresh Start Wellness programs, clients will not starve or be on a diet. This is a lifestyle change. Grant’s practice is built on integrity, honesty, truth and character.

Steward Health Care’s Florence Hospital is ready to accept patients, as it has taken strict measures to keep its facility and rooms clean. (Photo courtesy Steward Health Care)

Don’t delay an ER visit— Steward is safe and ready BY DAMON BROWN Steward Health Care Arizona Region President

Casey Grant is a licensed nutritionist and holistic wellness practitioner. (Photo courtesy Fresh Start Wellness)

For more information about Fresh Start Wellness, call 602-488-3686 or email info@freshstartwellnessaz.com. It is located within the Palette Collective, 505 S. Chandler Village Drive, Suite 44, Chandler.

Health care professionals’ job is to care for others. It is what they do, and this noble work has never been more important than it is right now. Amid the continued spread of COVID-19, Steward Health Care hospitals—Mountain Vista Medical Center and Florence Hospital—boast staff and provides who stand ready on the front lines, doing all that they can do to serve and protect the health and well-being of the people in this region. Mountain Vista Medical Center and Florence Hospital are ready and able to meet the challenge. Since the beginning

of this pandemic, the staff has been preparing for this crisis through a systematic, comprehensive and proactive approach. Their responsibility remains to provide compassionate care for all patients who depend on them. Administration and staff understand the public has concerns about themselves, their family and loved ones coming to the hospital for care. Don’t delay treatment for serious emergencies. Steward Health Care has always taken strict measures to keep its facilities and rooms clean to protect its patients. Patients’ health and safety have always been Steward Health Care’s No. 1 priority. Learn more at mvmedicalcenter.org

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

ARE YOU TURNING 65 OR NEW TO MEDICARE?

$0 premium! Zero, zip, zilch No matter how you say it, Humana has Medicare Advantage plans with $0 premiums in many areas. If you’re looking to get more for your healthcare budget, it doesn’t get better than a $0 monthly premium. • Rewards for completing covered preventive health screenings, exams, flu shots and other healthy activities • Maximum annual out-of-pocket protection • Doctor’s office visits and hospital coverage

East Valley sales team

480-213-6896 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ¿En español? Llame al 480-529-7313 (TTY: 711)

This advertisement was sent by an independent agent licensed to sell Medicare plans. If you do not want to receive future mailings from this agent, please contact the agent to be removed from their mailing list. Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to H0028-027-001 HMO. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos (Chinese): de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). 1-877-320-1235 (TTY :711) Y0040_GHHHXCFEN_20_M

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

ARE YOU TURNING 65 OR NEW TO MEDICARE?

At Humana, we believe living life on your terms means beginning with your health

We are committed to helping you choose the Medicare benefits you need to help achieve your best health. Plus, we offer many extras that may help keep up with your lifestyle. Every major hospital system in the East Valley is in our HMO network Our Medicare Advantage plans include coverage of doctor’s office visits and preventive services. Most also include prescription drug coverage. Call today to learn how we can help you compare your options and find the Humana Medicare Advantage plan that’s right for you! With more than 30 years of Medicare experience, Humana can help you make the right choice. Reach out to a licensed sales agent today to find out more.

East Valley sales team Licensed Humana sales agents 480-213-6896 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ¿En español? Llame al 480-529-7313 (TTY: 711)

*Humana Inc. First Quarter 2019 Earning Release May 1, 2019 This advertisement was sent by an independent agent licensed to sell Medicare plans. Applicable to H0028-027-001 HMO. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). (Chinese): 1-877-320-1235 (TTY :711) Y0040_GHHJEXNEN_20_C

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

WE COME TO YOU!

Now offering Mobile Hearing Services!!

Christiane and Muryl Cole appreciate the 24/7 support they receive from Hospice of the Valley’s dementia care and education program. (Photo courtesy Hospice of the Valley)

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HOV receives grant to provide free dementia support BY LIN SUE COONEY Guest Writer

Family caregivers often feel overwhelmed, anxious and isolated while they are caring for a person with dementia. They want to keep their loved one at home for as long as possible but wonder how to make it all work. Thanks to a federal grant, Hospice of the Valley can now help these families at no charge.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to help more families who so desperately need support,” Hamilton said. “Dementia is a vulnerable and challenging journey, and no one should travel it alone.”

– Dr. Gillian Hamilton

The Administration for Community Living has awarded funds to 12 agencies nationwide to help families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. The three-year grant will allow Hospice of the Valley to significantly expand its Palliative Care for Dementia program, which provides home visits to help caregivers with education, emotional support, behavior management strategies, medications, respite, placement options and living wills.

Families also have 24/7 phone support with a nurse, social worker or Hospice of the Valley medical director Dr. Gillian Hamilton. “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to help more families who so desperately need support,” Hamilton said. “Dementia is a vulnerable and challenging journey, and no one should travel it alone.” This program serves those at any stage and with any type of dementia, as well as their family caregivers. Hospice of the Valley will collaborate with a number of local organizations to create programs with a special focus on people with dementia living alone; those with distressed behaviors; and those with developmental disabilities like Down syndrome, who may develop Alzheimer’s at an early age. Executive Director Debbie Shumway expressed gratitude and excitement. “Our goal is to help those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers live at home with high quality of life,” Shumway said. “We are extremely grateful for this grant and for the collaboration of so many local partners who share this same vision.” Those partners include The Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia Caregiver Alliance, Duet Partners in Health and Aging, Senior Adult Independent Living Program, Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities and Valleylife. This grant also provides funding to train a dementia-capable workforce to better serve the rapidly rising number of people who will be diagnosed—a 43% increase in Arizona by 2025. To enroll or get more information on Hospice of the Valley’s Palliative Care for Dementia program, visit hov. org/dementia/palliative-care-for-dementia or call 602-636-6363.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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Chandler multiplexes reopening – with changes BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Chandler will soon start screening films again – six months after multiplexes were forced to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And Harkins already reopened earlier this weekend. While AMC Theaters gave no indication on its corporate website, both Alamo and Harkins will begin special showings tomorrow, Aug. 31, of what was supposed this summer’s first big summer blockbuster – Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” But if you’re planning to take in that flick – or any others – be prepared to wear a mask. Unless you’re eating popcorn or some other munchies, you’ll have to wear one. Otherwise, you’ll have to either wait till Maricopa County relaxes its mask mandate – something not likely any time soon – or just go back to Netflix. The Arizona Department of Health Services last week gave the green light to Alamo’s and Harkins’ safety plans for reopening as the state weighs reopening requests from hundreds of theaters, bars and gyms. “That was a big step,” said Craig

Alamo Drafthouse franchise owners Derek Dodd, left, and Craig Paschich plan to reopen their Tempe location first, followed quickly by those in Chandler and Gilbert. (file photo)

Paschich, co-owner of Alamo’s three theaters in Arizona. The Chandler and Gilbert locations are expected to reopen in a week or two. More gyms and bars also were expected to be allowed to reopen, although only those drinking establishments that serve food are getting the green light. But the state health department is requiring gyms and bars with food to post “attestations” of compli-

ance with its safety protocols and is encouraging people to report any businesses that are not complying either to the county or state health department and even local police. More information related to businesses that can reopen and what they must do is at azhealth.gov. Harkins and Alamo were among more than 102 venues, gyms and bars approved for reopening early last week. Out of the

800 businesses that initially applied for reopening, at least 202 had been turned down. Paschich said the application process with DHS was relatively straightforward and not too burdensome. Patrons can expect to see many changes at all three locations as Alamo Drafthouse adapts to protocols to protect staff and patrons from the coronavirus. Staff and customers will be required to wear masks inside the theaters, but can remove them while eating popcorn or other items. Stickers will be placed on the floors of the cinema’s bathrooms to instruct visitors how to navigate the common space without getting too close to others. The Alamo theatres are part of a national chain of cinemas known for their large screening rooms that allow for guests to order food and be served alcohol during the show. Arizona’s Alamo locations will initially offer a scaled-down version of their food and beverage menu, Paschich said, and customers will be given disposable paper menus. Alamo’s online ticketing system will automatically place a two-seat buffer See

ALAMO on page 36

Undeterred by pandemic, 3 eateries plan Chandler debut SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Many restaurants have taken a major economic hit from the pandemic this year, but that hasn’t stopped three new dining establishments from planning to open in Chandler – two downtown. When it opens sometime this fall at 2780 W. Chandler Blvd., Pesto Italian Eatery will be Arizona’s first build-yourown pasta concept. The fast-casual restaurant will give guests the opportunity to enjoy fresh, homemade pasta and sauces in a casual environment at an affordable price point. The restaurant is led by Cosmo Magliozzi, who is bringing his passion for high-quality Italian cuisine cultivated by his father, Antonio Magliozzi – a retired celebrity chef and restauranteur who gained recognition for his popularity among well-known clients such as Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone and even former President Bill Clinton. “Our journey began forty years ago in Gaeta, Italy, when Chef Antonio Magliozzi inspired many with his amazing sauces served with fresh pasta. His voyage brought him to America,” Cosmo writes on his website, pestoeatery.com. Spokesperson Jamie Killin said Antonio “isn’t involved in an official capacity but he is a huge supporter and inspiration.” Cosmo said his concept will offer

We’re constantly “creating new flavor

combinations and challenging our already high standards to continually hone our craft, because we’re crazy about ramen.

”

-Tomonori Takahashi

Getting ready for a fall opening of Pesto Italian Eatery in Chandler, Arizona’s first build-your-own-pasta-dish restaurant, is owner Cosmo Magliozzi, left, who draws his inspiration from his legendary dad, Chef Antonio Magliozzi. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

dine-in, delivery and carry-out. He added that his mission is “to serve fresh quality ingredients with passion while allowing you to express

yourself with friends and family.” Guests will choose between several different varieties of pastas, including a gluten-free option, with two long-noo-

dle and two-short noodle choices. All pasta will be made fresh on-site every day. They then will choose from several homemade sauces, including the restaurant’s signature marinara and pesto, as well as specialty rotating options such as lobster cream and the Italian tuna red sauce. A variety of proteins and vegetables will also be available to add – such as meatballs, sausage, chicken, pancetta, grilled artichoke and eggplant – and top it with Pesto Italian Eatery’s specialty blend of cheeses and fresh basil and served with a traditional Italian breadstick. See

EATERIES on page 36

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

New supermarket chain to make area debut BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

The first of two new-to-Arizona discount-grocery stores proposed for the East Valley is set to open this fall, The first Aldi location is opening at 1801 Pecos Road, Gilbert, in December, the company announced. “We’re excited to welcome Aldi into our growing community and market,” former Mayor Jenn Daniels said. “Through their long history of success, we know they’ll become a successful part of the Gilbert business community.” The no-frills German chain, popular in the Midwest, was approved for two stores in Gilbert back in 2018. The other location is at the southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Desert Lane. The town referred questions regarding the status of that location to the company. “We will be sure to let you know of future Arizona expansion plans and store locations, once available,” said Tom Cindel, Moreno Valley Group director of operations and logistics for ALDI when asked for the timeline for the Arizona Avenue location. “Arizona is an exciting next step in our continued West Coast expansion after our success entering California in 2016,” he added. “We look at many factors in choosing new store locations, including proximity to our shoppers and ability to support a high daily traffic volume. Bottom line, we want to be conve-

Aldi discount grocewry store will open on Pecos Road in Gilbert toward the end of the year. This rendering shows what the chain expects the market will look live when it does. (Special to the San Tan Sun News)

niently located for our customers and the Arizona locations were a natural fit.” Aldi is debuting three other Valley locations by the end of the year – Chandler, Peoria and Goodyear. The four new stores will create a combined 90 new jobs. ALDI is currently hiring for these positions, ranging from store associates to store managers. Those interested in applying can go to careers.aldi.us/PHOENIX. “This expansion is part of a multi-year growth plan that will make ALDI the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022,” Cindel said. “This pandemic has reinforced how much consumers rely on us to provide

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the foods and items they want at the lowest possible prices. As an essential business, we take our commitment to serving communities very seriously, and opening new stores enables us to reach, serve and support new customers across the country.” Aldi, whose corporate office is in Batavia, Illinois, operates over 2,000 stores across 36 states. While most businesses are taking a economic hit during COVID-19, grocery stores are thriving during the pandemic as more people are cooking at home. Doing especially well during this time are private or store-brand products. In all U.S. retail outlets, private

brands increased 14.6 percent in dollar volume and 12.8 percent in unit volume, just ahead of national brands for a total dollar sales of store brands for the first quarter reaching $38.4 billion and units reaching 13.2 billion, according to a Nielsen report in April. Ninety percent of Aldi’s shelves are stocked with its own exclusive brand with a limited selection of national brands. The company states shoppers can save up to 50 percent on their grocery bills by shopping at Aldi. Aldi brands are made by many of the country’s leading food producers and meet or exceed the quality of national name brands, according to the company. Other ways Aldi keeps cost low is keeping staff to a minimum and no free bags for customers – they can bring their own or buy a reusable bag at checkout. And customers who want to use a shopping cart must first deposit a quarter, which they get back when they return the cart. The cart-rental system means Aldi doesn’t have to hire someone to police the carts, passing along the savings to customers. Additionally, with the system there are no stray carts littering the parking lot or causing dents to cars. Besides produce, Aldi also sells items such as bed sheets, small kitchen appliances, patio furniture and clothing. Kanta, a data, insights and consulting company, ranked Aldi No. 7 on a list of top 50 global retailers for 2019.

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EATERIES

from page 32

Additionally, Pesto Italian Eatery will offer several grab-and-go salad options including a mixed green salad, Caprese salad and an Italian tuna salad made from the family’s traditional recipe. Dessert options will include classic Italian favorites such as torta della nonna, cannoli and sfogliatella. “We want to inspire our customers and allow them to express themselves while enjoying a meal with their friends and family,” Magliozzi said. “This is my way of sharing my father’s famous Italian recipes with the world. “As he’s known for saying, ‘It’s no secret – it’s olive oil, garlic, onion, oregano, fresh basil and all of my heart inside the sauce.’” Meanwhile, two new restaurants have signed leases for New Square in downtown Chandler, joining DC Steak House, which earlier this summer relocated to a swank, ultra-modern space from a couple blocks away. The Stillery, a Nashville-based restaurant owned by a Chandler couple who are opening their first outside Tennessee, serves Southern-style comfort food and moonshine in an 8,139-squarefoot space. It’s set to open this fall and will offer live entertainment. Los Angeles restaurateur Tomonori Takahashi will be bringing his JINYA

ALAMO

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

from page 32

between every group of customers in order to ensure guests are seated at least six feet from each other at all times. If a guest starts to feel ill during a screening and needs to leave, Alamo says it will refund the patron’s ticket. Similar protocols are being introduced by Harkins. “There is no question that this has been the most difficult time in my 50 plus years in the business. I am so excited and so appreciative of our incredible team and tremendously loyal guests that have continued to support us through this challenging time,” said Dan Harkins, owner of the theaters that bears his family’s name. Both Paschich and Harkins President/ CEO Mike Bowers said reopening is not only good news for them but for moviegoers numbed by the wave of pandemic-related news in recent months. “In trying times, people have always looked to us to escape for just a few hours of solace and to immerse themselves in another world,” said Bowers. Harkins said its new protocols “will meet or exceed uniform guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, governmental health authorities and the National Association of Theatre Owners so that guests can sit back, relax, and get lost in the magic of the movies.” Harkins is adding enhanced cleaning

t? o G ws Ne

The Stillery, which opens in New Square this fall, has built a reputation in Nashville for its comfort food, like its burgers, above, while JINYA Ramen Bar, another New Square tenant, will be serving choice dishes like the shrimp wonton ramen at right. (Special to SanTan Sun)

Ramen Bar to New Square as well, continuing an expansion that has seen his eateries pop up in various cities across the country. The son of a well-known restaurateur in Japan, Takahashi came to the United States in 2010 to introduce American to his simple premise: “Real Japanese ramen isn’t about the noodles, it’s about

the broth.” He boasts on his website of signature stocks “slowly simmered for more than 10 hours.” “We combine whole pork bones, chickens or vegetables with just the right amount of bonito, dashi, kombu and other authentic ingredients. The result is a rich broth that is thick, full-fla-

and sanitizing, daily health checks for staff, social distance seating between every pair of seats and reduced audience capacity and showtimes. Harkins Loyalty Cups will be refilled with a new paper cup and all other refills on paper drink and popcorn containers will be discontinued until further notice. Along with hand sanitizers throughout its theaters, Harkins also has installed increased fresh air, hospital-grade MERV 13 air filters and HEPA

decide how many movies they want to screen – thus controlling the number of guests they have at any time. “We can really make sure we don’t have a lot of guests there at one time to make sure we don’t have a lot of people in the common areas,” Paschich said. Alamo will disinfect each screening room every night with a special sanitation chemical and staff will be trained to regularly clean surfaces in between showtimes throughout the day. Alamo also is assigning one employ-

In trying times, people have always looked to “ us to escape for just a few hours of solace and to immerse themselves in another world. ”

– Mike Bowers

filtered vacuums in all auditoriums. The MERV 13 filters are more than three times more effective than the air filters normally used in businesses and other public areas. The state has allowed the theaters to open at 25 percent of their normal capacity, Paschich said, and he hopes the business can gradually expand up to 50 percent in the following weeks. The benefit of running a movie house, Paschich added, is that owners get to set their own schedule and

ee to a special position it calls “the lobby mayor,” who will be responsible for guiding guests around common areas and maintaining traffic flow. In a way, closing theaters made little difference for movie fans since blockbusters were already moved to late this year and even next. Hollywood started cancelling or delaying the release of many highly-anticipated films in mid-March and eventually resorted to releasing some movies through video-on-demand services.

vored, healthful… and unforgettable,” he says. “However, we believe that there’s still more to ramen than broth,” he adds, stating, “We take our noodles seriously, too.” With noodles aged for three days to maximize their flavor, “JINYA Ramen Bar’s noodles are made fresh daily and crafted to sink perfectly in your bowl with thick noodles for some broths and thin noodles for others,” he said. Traditional toppings and tapas on the side include pork, chicken or vegetarian broth as well as from spinach noodles. “We’re constantly creating new flavor combinations and challenging our already high standards to continually hone our craft, because we’re crazy about ramen,” he says on his website.

When the state shut down in March, Paschich said he expected the moratorium to maybe last only a couple months and theaters would be open again by summer. “We never thought it was going to be six months,” he said. “It’s been really rough.” Alamo managed to obtain some financial aid from the government’s COVID-19 relief funds and have spent the last few months renegotiating leases with its landlords. Yet the pandemic’s economic impacts were still severe enough to prompt Alamo to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections a couple months ago. The business said back in May it was going to use the bankruptcy filing as a chance to reorganize its finances and plan ahead for the future. Meanwhile, AMC on Aug. 21 reopened more than 100 movie theaters in 17 states and the District of Columbia but Arizona is not among them. Only several months ago, reports said that the pandemic had crippled AMC worldwide. “AMC is carrying billions in debt and has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for months,” The Hollywood Reporter said two months ago of the nation’s largest movie chain. In the theaters it has opened, AMC has announced and new safety equipment and protocols almost identical to those of Harkins. Information: drafthouse.com, harkins.com, amc.com.

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

New steel micro mill slated in EV SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Texas-based Commercial Metals Company likes Mesa so much that it’s building a second micro mill in southeast Mesa. The Arizona Commerce Authority and City of Mesa are partnering with Salt River Project to build a new facility next to its existing mill on Moeur Road south of Pecos Road. The mill represents a $300 million investment by CMC, which expects to create 185 jobs once the plant is in operation by 2013, a city spokesman said. “Manufacturing provides rewarding careers to hundreds of thousands of hard-working Arizonans,” said Gov. Doug Ducey. “The significant investment by Commercial Metals Company further strengthens Arizona’s robust manufacturing industry.” Following a competitive site selection process, CMC chose to expand in Mesa to leverage its existing infrastructure and what the company called “the significant micro mill expertise” of its engineering and operating personnel. “CMC has operated our existing mill in Mesa, Arizona since 2009, and we are excited to announce the expansion of our footprint in the state with the construction of our third state-of-theart micro mill adjacent to our existing mill,” said Barbara R. Smith, CMC CEO and President.

The Commercial Metals Company of Texas likes Mesa so much that it's building a second micro steel mill next to its existing plant in the city's southeastern section. (Special to the SanTan Sun News)

She praised Arizona and the city as “business-friendly partners, adding, “We look forward to continuing that partnership with this investment.” CMC Steel Arizona manufactures concrete reinforcing bar, or rebar, and steel t-posts which are produced almost entirely from recycled scrap metal. By using recycled scrap as raw material rather than virgin natural resources, CMC claims is reducing the need for mining of natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions by 58 percent. CMC opened its “green” steel micro mill in Mesa in 2009. An electric arc furnace micro mill is the first of its type to be successfully operated in the United States. The technology is also utilized at

CMC’s mill in Oklahoma. More than 400,000 tons of scrap metal are recycled each year into steel bar products at CMC Steel Arizona for use in construction and fabrication. CMC said the new facility will allow it to “more efficiently meet West Coast demand for rebar and merchant bar quality products” while helping optimize the output of its national mill network by replacing higher cost rebar capacity. “CMC’s commitment to innovation and new technology makes them a leader in the steel production, fabrication and recycling industry,” said Mesa Mayor John Giles. “We are proud of the work they do here in Mesa and look forward to their continued success.” Arizona Commerce Authority Pres-

ident/CEO Sandra Watson said the expansion “will bring hundreds of new manufacturing jobs to the East Valley and have a highly positive impact on our state’s economy.” She said the state’s “our top talent, strategic geographic location, modern infrastructure and pro-business mindset provide the perfect platform for companies like CMC to grow and succeed.” The city said CMC’s new mill will bring nearly $500 million of economic activity annually to the Mesa community and will add roughly 1,000 new jobs at vendors and local businesses. “CMC continues to be an amazing partner and asset to the City of Mesa. Their investments in our community, both financially and through job creation, and in their operations show why they continue to be on the cutting edge of their industry,” said Councilman Kevin Thompson. “This expansion once again proves their commitment to the Germann Road Industrial Corridor and to Mesa.” Commercial Metals Company and its subsidiaries manufacture, recycle and market steel and metal products, related materials and services through a network of facilities that includes seven electric arc furnace mini mills, two EAF micro mills, two rerolling mills, steel fabrication and processing plants, construction-related product warehouses, and metal recycling facilities in the U.S. and Poland.

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Chandler’s Duncan Shin hopes to reach the NHL BY TRAVIS WHITTAKER

Cronkite News

Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Jack Johnson all had something in common before becoming hockey superstars. The trio are alumni of the prestigious Shattuck-Saint Mary’s school and hockey program in Minnesota. Duncan Shin, a 15-year-old from Chandler, Arizona, attends the elite school where those players once roamed and is following in their skates. The dream of every young hockey player is to make it to the National Hockey League. Shin’s dream moved a step closer on March 25, when he was selected by the Vancouver Giants out of the Western Hockey League with the 38th pick in the inaugural WHL U.S. Prospects draft. “We were thrilled that he was still there in the second round,” said Daryl Anning, the scouting director for the Vancouver Giants. “I was just incredibly honored as there is so much talent in the western region of the United States,” Shin said. Shin learned to skate around the age of 4, picked up a stick a few years later and, despite Arizona’s burgeoning hockey culture, was barely a teen when he decided to move halfway across the country to take his skills to the next level.

Chandler’s Duncan Shin was drafted in the second round of the inaugural WHL U.S. Prospects draft by the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. (Photo courtesy of Laurant Dick)

“I just wanted to go to the best possible place for my development and Shattuck-Saint Mary’s is universally known as a very elite hockey school not only for their hockey but their academics as well,” Shin said.

Shattuck-Saint Mary’s has a strong tradition of bringing top talent into their hockey program. The “Shads” 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 58 games for the U14 team, Shin had 25 goals and

40 assists along with 18 penalty minutes. The team had three games left on its schedule and was then slated to play in the USA Hockey Nationals in Chicago. Although Shin still has much to learn before leaving Shattuck-Saint Mary’s, Anning said one of the things that intrigued the Giants organization when they were scouting the Arizona youngster was his hockey IQ. “He’s a very mature young man,” Anning said. “In conjunction with his high skill level (that) makes him an exciting type of player.” Shin compares his style of play to Trevor Zegras, who was drafted last year by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the NHL entry draft. “My strongest attributes I contribute to my team is my passing abilities and my abilities to set up other players for quality scoring chances,” Shin said. Shin has yet to sign a contract with the Vancouver Giants organization, he and his family are weighing all of his options to best suit his development moving forward. “The college route, the CHL route and the junior’s route are all viable options to get to my ultimate goal in the NHL,” Shin said. “We take it season by season and year by year. I’m grateful for the Vancouver Giants that I secured a viable option en route to the NHL.”

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Mothers of disabled kids need state’s help now BY MICHELLE THORNE Guest Writer

Since the shutdown in March, the Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Department of Education have had ample time to figure out how to best serve the communities education needs in the midst of the pandemic and the response has been miniscule. We understand that this is an unprecedented time. We understand it is not usually the role and responsibility for the Department of Education to provide in-home aids to parents attempting to do in-home learning. We understand it is not usually the

Department of Developmental Disabilities’ policy to pay parents to have providers in the home during school hours. These are not typical times. We need action and we need it quickly. Our community is crumbling. Mothers who usually suffer from PTSD are losing their battle with depression and anxiety as they watch their children fall farther behind the Education Department and Department of Developmental Disabilities quibble over which department is responsible to provide these services. We need action – and not in a week or two; we need it now!

We need creative solutions to this problem. We need DDD to allow parents to hire respite workers to come into the home during school hours to help with in-home learning. We need the Department of Education to forge creative solutions to this problem by partnering with Universities and to create programs that would allow students to get University credits to work with SPED students in-home during the pandemic. We need to have online options for students who are medically fragile even if schools have re-opened to in-school learning.

We need help. We are drowning and we need our leaders to lead. Now is when we need these departments more than ever. They can impact the mental health of parents and children all around the valley by simply stepping up and making the tough decision to allow for unconventional solutions during this unprecedented time. We need help. We need some relief. I pray that they take swift action to help the families under their care. Michelle Thorne is founder of the Differently Abled Mothers Empowerment Society, which helps mothers of disabled children. Information: damesusa.org.

Tenant/landlord assistance programs are needed BY MICHELLE LIND Guest Writer

Arizona businesses continue to be affected by the economic impact of COVID-19. Particularly hardhit are those individuals whose business is the ownership and management of rental homes throughout the state. As tenants struggle to make ends meet, landlords were mandated by an executive order to adjust their rent collections schedules, allowing tenants upwards of eight months abeyance on payments. While this order provided needed relief to the tenants, it created additional hardship for the landlords, whose own financial stability often relies on the income generated from these rental properties. And although no rent was collected, the landlords were still expected to meet their financial obligations. Arizona Realtors is dedicated to the protection of private property rights. As such, we question why the available financial pandemic assistance to both those living in rental homes and the owners obligated to make mortgage payments and pay taxes, insurance, and maintenance fees on those homes have

not been widely distributed. The Arizona Department of Housing’s rental assistance program has only $5 million in available funding. These funds are not legislative or federal COVID-19 relief funds. More than $12 million in rental assistance applications have been submitted, and only 7 percent of those applications have been processed. To make matters worse, only about $2.1 million of the allocated $10 million has been provided to those in need. Nearly five months after landlords

and tenants began facing hardship, the need continues to escalate. Retirees, families, individuals, couples and small businesses have invested substantial portions of their life savings in real estate. These owners are not big companies turning a profit; they are real people struggling in the same ways’ renters are struggling to stay afloat financially. The governor’s eviction moratorium has deprived these small property owners of the income they need. If the state and local government

funds are at appropriate levels to address the needs of tenants in the form of rental assistance and landlords in the form of foreclosure prevention – as stated by the Governor’s Office – then there is no need for an eviction moratorium. This is necessary only because funds are far below an appropriate level and the government is not dedicating the resources to award qualified applicants assistance at the appropriate speed. Arizona Realtors continues to advocate in every way possible to get available financial pandemic assistance to both those living in rental homes and the property owners. We continue to ask Gov. Ducey to heed calls to properly fund and implement effective and accessible tenant and landlord assistance programs so that evictions and foreclosures are not tomorrow’s reality. Property owners across the state have done so much to support Arizona’s more than 920,000 rental households. It is now time for the Governor’s Office to do its part to properly fund tenant and property owner assistance programs. Michelle Lind is CEO of Arizona Realtors, the largest trade association in Arizona and representing 52,000 Arizona real estate professionals.

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First-time author’s book recalls daughter’s adoption BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA Contributor

First-time author Sandra Wilson, the mother of three internationally adopted children, has penned an inspirational account of bringing her eldest daughter – now a Chandler personal trainer – from an orphanage in China. “Luck Times Two, An Adoption Memoir” is told in two voices – those of Wilson and her daughter Sierra, who came here from China at age 12. “Sierra Fu Shuang Wilson is Sierra’s legal name today,” explained Wilson. “’Fu Shuang’ means ‘double luck’ in Chinese, hence the title of the book, ‘Luck Times Two.’” Sierra, now 28 and working as a certified personal trainer and coach at Chandler’s Desert Lights Gymnastics, will celebrate 16 years with her family this October. She had spent her entire young life in a government-run orphanage, a destination of many girls during China’s one-child policy that was abandoned in 2016. “Sierra was 12-year-old when she was adopted,” recounted her mother, who plans to write books about her other two adopted children – Sedona, 23, also from China; and Parker, 19, adopted from Guatemala. Her first book, like those yet to be written, was crafted with an eye to en-

”We were in China for about two-and-a-half weeks and received custody of Sierra on the first day. It was impossible to communicate because she knew little to no English. We had an interpreter on many of the tours, but when alone with her we communicated sparsely and struggled. “However, her positive energy and attitude was apparent from day one. Her light is difficult to miss and I knew that she had a special spirit.” She recalled introducing the preteen to her first flights – the first from northern China to Guangzhou, also known as Canton, in Sandra Wilson has written the first of three memoirs on the international adoptions of her and her husband Paul’s three children. Pictured are, from left, Paul Wilson, Sedona, Sierra, Sandra and Parker. Her first book is about Sierra’s adoption from an orphanage southern China. “Sierra was amazed at the in China. (Pablo Robles/Photopgrapher) plane ride across the country, and her extroverted percouraging adoptions, but also to lift the eled to China to finalize the adoption sonality had her speaking with many of of their newest daughter – who would spirits of pandemic-weary readers. become the eldest child of their family. the passengers and flight attendants,” “It’s a beautiful story, inspirational,” Wilson recalled. “We journeyed to China to pick up said Sandra, who retired from Marico“When we arrived in Guangzhou, Sierra, and we were able to visit her pa County after 23 years, the last 18 as she learned that the residents don’t deputy county manager. “I want people orphanage, meet her caretakers and the speak Mandarin, but speak Cantonese orphanage director. Then we traveled to feel good, especially right now.” Chinese. This is a completely different around China while the adoption and She gave a brief synopsis of the stodialect and Sierra had to really work at ry, beginning when she and her husband paperwork with the U.S. State Department was being finalized,” she said. Paul Wilson, a software engineer, travSee on page 42

ADOPT

Pandemic amplifies new Chandler school’s challenges BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Shirley Mathew’s 25 years of experience working in the Chandler Unified School District couldn’t quite prepare her for the complexities of a pandemic. She had been the principal of Weinberg Elementary and was preparing to transition to Rice Elementary, one of two new schools the district is opening this year, when COVID-19 struck. The last five months have been tumultuous for all of the district’s principals and administrators, yet Mathew had the added challenge of straddling between two schools in the middle of the pandemic. “One day I will write a book on all this,” she joked. Not only did she have to figure out how to educate hundreds of students virtually, but Mathew had to deal with the weekly tasks of ordering supplies, assembling classrooms and preparing to open the new campus at 1290 E. Ocotillo Road – which might not actually have any students in the near future. The 2020-2021 school year was expected to be an exciting time for Rice’s students and teachers. Its newly-constructed classrooms have been stocked with new textbooks, desks and com-

Longtime Weinberg Elementary Principal Shirley Mathew has been straddling two jobs as she becomes the principal of the new Rice Elementary School, a CUSD facility in Gilbert. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

puters that are now waiting to be used by children. The CUSD Governing Board decided last month to delay all in-person instruction at the district’s schools until the second quarter starts on Oct. 13. Though the district’s staff has the option to work from home, Mathew has been coming to school every day,

working on a campus that should have had nearly 800 students on it by now. “It is extremely different,” the principal said about the school’s emptiness. “The joy that we have is from the buzz of children.” When schools closed in March, Mathew’s staff at Weinberg was instructed to quickly pack up the entire

school and vacate the campus within a couple weeks. Suddenly staffers were in a mad dash to sanitize every object and empty out all the school’s classrooms, the principal recalled, resulting in an intense period of transition for the school’s staff. But Mathew also had to simultaneously monitor all of Weinberg’s teachers in their shift to at-home virtual learning. Teachers had to prepare take-home materials for students lacking internet access, Mathew said, while scrambling to clean up their classrooms before the end of the school year. “The magnitude of what we had to do was just pretty phenomenal in a very short time,” Mathew said. Once Mathew and her staff left Weinberg, they found themselves with no place to go. The Rice campus was still under construction and CUSD had to begin remodeling work at Weinberg for the next school year. Another elementary school offered Mathew some spare space to open up a temporary summer office so parents could still contact her about questions regarding Rice’s expected opening in August. See

PRINCIPAL on page 41

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

PRINCIPAL

from page 40

There’s been an incredible amount of support from parents and the district during this stressful time, Mathew said, and it’s made the transition to Rice much easier. Even after the campus was built and Mathew started moving her staff in, the pandemic interfered with the delivery of needed items like garbage cans, filing cabinets and cleaning supplies. Supply networks have been regularly interrupted by COVID-19’s impact over the last few months, delaying the amount of time it typically takes items to arrive. The school is still waiting for some items to arrive, Mathew said, but most of the campus is essentially ready for students to arrive. The school’s floors have been marked with stickers to indicate where students should stand in relation to others. Classrooms have desks carefully arranged to prevent students from sitting too close to each other. Rice has a plan for almost any scenario that may arise when in-person in-

Rice Elementary School is ready to open but like other Chandler Unified schools has been closed since the new school year began. (CUSD)

struction begins, the principal said, and the school is prepared to make major changes in order to keep students safe. Mathew said her current priority is keeping Rice’s students engaged while they’re learning from home.

She has been routinely dropping in on virtual lessons, posting videos with uplifting messages and answering questions from students via email. Mathew said teachers continue to track attendance every day and ensure

students are completing their lessons. She said these last few months have taught her she doesn’t always have control over every situation and she is trying to remain flexible in order to adapt to the many blindsides of an evolving pandemic. “We’re not giving power to the pandemic,” she noted. “But we’re certainly making sure we’re doing everything to protect our children.” Rice Elementary had originally been envisioned as a sustainable campus that practices eco-friendly protocols and teaches students how to responsibly care for the environment. Mathew said Rice still intends to fulfill that vision and has plans in place to construct a vegetable garden on campus for students to learn about horticulture. Education may look and feel different in the coming months, she added, but students will still be learning and teachers will be doing everything they can to make them feel cared for. “There’s a lot of good things that we’re planning for when the kids do come in-person,” she said. “It will still be school.”

Foster kids’ birthday dreams become reality

BY DON SHUFELT Guest Writer

1,823 – that’s the number of children in foster care whose birthdays have been made special already in 2020 by the Birthday Dreams program at Arizona Helping Hands. More than 250 boys and girls each month have received gifts and party packages, thanks to our efforts. The pandemic has affected every aspect of daily life. School is going virtual, social gatherings are eliminated and pizza party celebrations are out. Birthday celebrations are different this year. Every child has faced adjustments and new challenges, but consider the life of a child in foster care. On top of the everyday life difficulties caused by the pandemic, 14,000 children in Arizona are dealing with disruption, relocation and confusion from being placed in foster care. These are the kids we celebrate with our Birthday Dreams program. We make a special effort to let them know that they are important, their birth-

day is worthy of a celebration and that we love each and every one of them. Grandma put in a request for Jayden, one of three grandchildren she is raising. She told us he would like a science kit, and also enjoys board games and football. Our volunteers shop through our warehouse bins to find the perfect gift to celebrate Jayden’s ninth birthday. Unfortunately, in these days of the COVID-19 pandemic, our bins are pretty empty, and it is challenging to find gifts to fill these requests. With so many employees working from home these days, and with the economic challenges faced throughout society, it will be very difficult to continue to make birthdays special at the rate we receive requests. I think of how sad it would be to not find the football for Jayden or the craft set for Alicia. It’s such a simple way to let children who have been abused and neglected know that we care about them, and we want to continue to find a way to spread the message that they deserve a happy birthday.

The frosting on the cake for our birthday program is a party package we call “Birthdays in a Bag.” Included in this set is a cake mix, frosting, party favors and candles that we provide along with the gift package, enabling the family to have a home-made party and sing Happy Birthday to a child who may never have celebrated a birthday. Indeed, we have met youngsters who, even at age 8, did not know the words to the Happy Birthday song. Our supplies of Birthdays in a Bag also are depleted from the lack of support during the days of the virus. This is such a simple way for a family to spread love to children in foster care. You can go shopping at the dollar store, fill a few bags and drop them off at our warehouse. I share the story often of a young family with two sons who show up at our warehouse every year on the boys’ birthdays. They have told their boys that birthdays are a day to receive but also to give. A half of the money and gifts received is donated to Arizona Helping

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Hands to support our birthday program. Such a wonderful lesson to be taught – to share your blessings with those who are not as blessed as you. Think back to how important your birthday was to you as a child. I still remember the joy I felt on my special day, opening a few presents and digging into a birthday cake made just for me. These are the pleasures that we make possible for boys and girls in foster care. These are the joys that we share with Jayden and hundreds of children in foster care each and every month, and the work that we need community support to continue – especially in these days. Our biggest needs today are gifts for children age 9 to 18 – to make a child’s birthday wish come true visit our Amazon wish list at amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ ls/2IB27RTOAGTTY/ref=cm_go_nav_hz. Dan Shufelt is president/CEO of Arizona Helping Hands, the largest provider of basic needs to Arizona’s children in foster care. Information: azhelpinghands.org or dshufelt@ azhelpinghands.org.

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from page 40

communicating with natives, but she never gave up until she was able to get across her message. She is persistent and her happiness contagious.” Persistence and a resilient spirit were necessary traits for the young girl when she found herself in Ahwatukee, immersed in a new world with language and customs all its own. “When she came here, there were so many changes,” said her mother. “She’s a tiny little thing, 4’6,” and she experienced bullying and learning difficulties.” Sierra’s school immersion began with the basics in all subjects and a year at a local Montessori school helped her better grasp her new language. She then attended St. John Bosco for grades seven and eight. Her parents said they originally wanted her to attend Akimel A-al Middle School, but she couldn’t be enrolled in English as a Second Language class because her family spoke English at home. She went on to graduate from Desert Vista High School in 2007. Her father said from the beginning, Sierra adapted well to family life even as she came in as the eldest, five years older than her sister and eight years than her brother, both of whom had been adopted as infants. “Sierra was a great addition to our family from day one. She was a helpful older sibling with her sister and brother and their bonds came quickly. She was responsible for looking after the younger orphans in China and this transferred to sisterhood easily,” said Paul Wilson. Sierra’s portions of the two-person narrative are very moving, and were to her as well, especially that of her pre-adoption life that included being transferred from the orphanage to a government boarding school 10 months of the year.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

lived in Ahwatukee since 1989, admitted that writing her book was a challenge. “I retired in December 2016 and that’s when I really started it. This is my first book, so it went through a lot of revisions. I did a lot of it myself before I got an editor. Now I plan to write a book on each of my children.” She said her experience with international adoption was a learning curve. “International adoption is different. You go to their country, you see their cultures and you try and keep their culture alive,” she said, adding that all three children kept their birth names as their middle names. “I want people to understand that whether it’s international adoption or domestic, adoption itself is so life changing. A lot of people with infertility issues don’t conSierra and Sandra Wilson hold a copy of the book Sandra has written about how she and her husband Paul adopted Sierra. sider adoption, but they should. It’s (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer) giving back to the world. They may not be your biological children, but they are your family.” questions brought up many emotions, “I didn’t actually write my sections of The proud mother continued, “Sierra both good and bad, but it was a great the book. I recalled events in my past is a positive force in the world. process.” and relayed them to my Mom for the “She loves to inspire others, particular“I was reading the story, and it’s my sections on China prior to my adoption,” ly children, with her uplifting message and her optimistic outlook,” she said. “We’re so blessed that she joined our family.” Besides writing, Sandra is a certified meditation and mindfulness teacher who most recently taught classes at Ahwatukee’s Art in the Garden. She also runs a vacation rental business in Sedona, MAI Vacay Rental, LLC. Her three children are all named after cities or towns in Arizona. Sierra was named for Sierra Vista. – Paul Wilson The book, “Luck Times Two, An Adoption Memoir” was just released in late July and is available on Amazon in paperback story, yet it’s emotional what I went Sierra explained. through. I look at my life as a blessing and or kindle format. The cover, with two “My mom would interview me during swimming koi, was painted by daughter that’s why I want to give back,” she said. the writing process, and then I’d spend Sedona Wilson. Sandra, who with her husband, has time thinking about her questions. These

addition to our family from day “one.SierraShewaswasa agreat helpful older sibling with her sister

and brother and their bonds came quickly. She was responsible for looking after the younger orphans in China and this transferred to sisterhood easily.

”

Sun Lakes Rotary donates water bottles to school SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Safety protocols in schools to protect children and staff from COVID-19 have prompted districts – including Chandler Unified – to shut down water fountains. And once again the Sun lakes Rotary has risen to the occasion. Rotarians collected 400 refillable water bottles and donated them to San Marcos Elementary School so students can stay hydrated once they return to classrooms. “San Marcos Principal Becky Henderson let Rotarian Terrie Sanders know that water fountains at the school would be shut off because of COVID concerns,” said Sun Lakes Rotary President Jon Lyons. Sanders coordinated the Sun Lakes Rotary-sponsored Closet at the school and joined Lyons in delivering the bottles, each carrying the Sun Lakes Rotary Club logo, to Henderson. “It’s a tremendous comfort for us to know that our students will have access

Showing off some of the refillabl;e water bottles are, from left, Sun Lakes Rotary President Jon Lyons, San Marcos Elementary Becky Henderson and Rotarian Terrie Sanders. (Dave Sanders/Sun Lakes Rotary)

to water because of this truly generous donation,” Henderson said. “Each student will decorate their bottle with their names and any designs they like.” According to the website Parents.

com, “Children need the same amount of water as adults: about one quart for every 1,000 calories they expend.” Having access to water is particularly important during Arizona’s brutal summer months.

In addition to the health benefits of hydration in children, a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition reported that “increasing water intake to 2.5 liters per day during four days significantly improved cognitive flexibility compared to low water intake (0.5 liters per day) in children.” Previous studies have suggested that “insufficient hydration is associated with poorer short-term memory in children,” according to the website HydrationforChildren.com. “We are very grateful for this effort,” Henderson said. “Keeping our children safe and healthy during this very difficult time is our top priority.” Currently, Sun Lakes Rotary holds weekly Tuesday meetings for its more than 80 members through Zoom, alternating between 7 a.m. and evening 5 p.m. For more information about Sun Lakes Rotary, visit sunlakesrotary.comor facebook.com/groups/SunLakesRotaryClub/on Facebook.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

Photographer’s Button Project spreads smiles BY STACI HAUK Contributor

School picture day is often synonymous with Grand Photography – a family- and veteran-owned studio in Gilbert. Gail Roser specializes in spreading smiles from her studio and when the pandemic hit home, she decided it was time to give back. She started the Button Project , donating 100 buttons to East Valley healthcare workers that had a photo of their face on them so that people could see who was behind their facemasks. Roser said the goal was to make sure everyone can see a smile even though it’s behind a mask. She made it simple; email her a photo that she printed in-house and then crafted the buttons from her studio. The feedback has been so astounding that Roser is now offering buttons to anyone in need – from teachers to childcare workers to Realtors. “The button project started here at Grand when a post came through my social media feed, showcasing a healthcare worker and her ‘button’ to show her cheerful face to patients,” Roser explained. “Due to COVID-19, I had been shut down since March and needed a positive project to use my skills and lift my spirits.” Instead of focusing on the hardships she had run into, Roser focused on the hardships that medical personnel were facing. “My new mindset was – if I lose my company due to this pandemic, I’m going to go out while giving back!”

Gilbert photographer Gail Roser started her Button Project as a way to give back to the community during a trying time. (Courtesy of Grand Photography/ Gail Roser)

Kara Miles, a certified nursing assistant in Banner Baywood Medical Center’s intensive care unit, appreciated the button. “I work in the intensive care unit where most patients are on ventilators and are very anxious when they wake up,” Miles said. “My button allows them to put a face to my name badge and be more com-

fortable when they are awake and alert. This project is such a great idea and I am so thankful for Gail being so generous and doing it for the frontline heroes.” A former UNIX IT Administrator for Charles Schwab and Motorola, Roser shifted to a career as a photographer in 2002 with a primary focus on high

volume school portraits, youth sports team photos, senior and family portraits, headshots and more. She worked with a partner for a few years before buying the company outright and becoming the sole owner. “As a small veteran owned business, this has been a very stressful time,” she said. “If I have to shut my doors due to loss of business with schools and youth sports not yet opening, then at least I know I did something nice, that made people happy during their own stressful times.” Information: grandphotollc.com, grandphotollc@gmail.com, 480-632- 2285

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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Chandler author-artist to debut online show SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The pandemic has made it virtually impossible for people to attend most arts venues. So, Chandler artist and author Laurie Fagen is launching a program next week to bring the arts to them. The Fox Crossing resident will debut AZ Creates, a new web series, on YouTube.com at 7 p.m. Sept. 10. The twice-monthly, half-hour web series will highlight artists, writers, dancers, musicians, film, theatre or TV creatives and other artistic people in Arizona. There will also be a segment with an Arizona writer who will read a short section from their book. The series also will include an upcoming events segment called “Something to Look Forward To,” co-hosted by Cathy Beard, a Clemente Ranch resident, graphic artist and audio book narrator. Fagen, founder and publisher emeritus of the SanTan Sun News, said she designed the program to highlight the many creative people in the state and to bring something positive to viewers during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Chandler artist and author Laurie Fagen, left, will be debuting a new online show dedicated to the arts next month and among the artists who will be leading various segments of the show is Clemente Ranch resident Cathy Beard. (Courtesy of Laurie Fagen)

“Creatives are having a tough time during the pandemic, with galleries closed and shows closed,” Fagen explained. “We want to help support artists and bring them directly to art patrons. We also want to feature the

creative ways people and businesses are helping their communities.” On the first show, choreographer/ dancer Pamela Cannedy will be featured. Cannedy is a long-time musical

theatre choreographer in the Valley, owned Cannedy Dance Centre for the Performing Arts with husband Stepan Oleksyn for 30 years. It is now AZ Dance District and choreographing shows for the Prescott Center for the Arts and Yavapai College. The author segment – called “What Are You Reading?” – will feature Lee Travathan of Queen Creek, who will talk about her new inspirational book, “Loved Beyond Compare.” She says the book “opens you up to who and what you truly are beyond the lies of the ego.” The program will close with a “Creative Quote of the Day.” Sponsorships are available with reasonable rates and discounts for multishow commitments. Sponsors for the premiere show include Sibley’s West, an Arizona and Chandler Gift Shop and Times Media Group, publishers of the San Tan Sun News. Subscribe to the AZ Creates channel on Youtube.com, visit the Art Online AZ Facebook and Instagram pages or email AZCreates.ArtOnlineAZ@ gmail.com for details.

Museum exhibit recounts Chandler boxer’s legacy BY CRAIG YOUNGER Guest Writer

On March 22, 1967, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, two men faced off in the ring for boxing’s heavyweight champion of the world. In the blue corner was the champ, Muhammad Ali. In the red corner was the challenger from Chandler, Arizona, Zora Folley. What followed was more than a prize fight; it was an event at the crossroads of race, religion, sports and the politics of America in the 1960s. “Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title” has opened a year-long run at the Chandler Museum. This 3,000-square-foot exhibition features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers. Despite being a top contender for more than 10 years, the 1967 fight was Folley’s first shot at the heavyweight title. Folley took the first few rounds by closing off the ring and patiently waiting for openings to throw his powerful punches. Ali bounced around the ring as he slowly wore down his opponent. As the boxers battled in the ring, residents of Chandler crowded around their radios to listen to the action. Meanwhile, during one of the most transformative periods in American history, other fights – political and cultural – raged across the United States. “Bigger Than Boxing” explores the

“

Chandler Museum has collected Folley-related photographs and memorabilia for years. We’ve spent a lot of time researching his life and career and are pleased to debut the exhibition which tells a more complete story.

”

– Jody Crago

Museum visitors will be able to see how they measure up next to Folley’s and Ali’s wingspans, listen to highlights of the fight as read from the news service ticker tape and test their knowledge of boxing idioms and trivia. The exhibit also features original artwork by Jerome Fleming. “Chandler Museum has collected Folley-related photographs and memorabilia for years. We’ve spent a lot of time researching Chandler boxer Zora Folley, who faced off against legendary Muhammed his life and career and Ali in 1967 for the heavyweight title, is remembered in an extensive exhibit now showing at the Chandler Museum. (Chandler Museum) are pleased to debut the exhibition which tells a history of boxing and race; examines more complete story,” said the life and career of both Zora Folley Museum Administrator Jody Crago. and Muhammad Ali; and places the “We are honored that the Folley fight within the context of its time with family shared their stories and memosections covering the Civil Rights Move- ries, as well as objects from their dad’s ment, the Vietnam War and Chandler in career, to bring the exhibition alive. We the 1960s. also appreciate the community mem-

bers who have helped shape this exhibition to ensure that it gives an accurate and thought-provoking look at this time period and the community,” Crago said. Speaking on behalf of the Folley family, Zora Folley Jr. said, “We are really excited about this upcoming exhibit displaying our dad’s accomplishments and the recognition that is being bestowed on him by the Chandler Museum.” “Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title” will be on display through Aug. 29, 2021. The Chandler Museum is located at 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, southwest of Chandler Fashion Center. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. It is closed Monday. Admission is free. The museum has social distancing reminders throughout the building and limits the number of visitors in the exhibit spaces. Find more information online at chandleraz.gov/museum, or by calling 480-782-2717.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | AUGUST 30, 2020

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No matter how dark our days, light is with us BY RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. Guest Writer

Every day, I try to respond to the difficulties we are all facing, but with an upbeat note. Hopefully I have been successful. However, we just can’t help feeling that darkness is all around us. We all need light to feel comfortable and secure, but somehow, we concentrate on the gloom and doom and forget that life is filled with more than sadness and upheaval. We are easily depressed because we are experiencing something this generation has not had to face – the thought of not knowing what will become of us. I am reminded of a beautiful person, Helen Keller, who spent her entire life never experiencing the beauty of sight and sound. Her world was one of complete darkness. Through the nightmare of feeling alone she reached out to find light where there was none. She not only taught us how to look for light, but also to realize that we can, if we allow ourselves, find beauty in darkness. She was, and continues to be, and inspiration for those who find it difficult to understand that though things may seem to have encased us into a feeling of emptiness, hope and faith can guide us through the most trying times.

I thought of her as I read the following written by an 11-year old girl. She stood in front of her elementary graduating class and, read these words to a spellbound audience of her peers and her teachers. Everyone felt her feelings of empathy for the lonely, the ones locked in a moment of darkness. The darkness is the warm comfort of silence. It is the beautiful color that puts every child to sleep. It is not death, but life. It is the time of rest and relaxation. Darkness is the kiss I receive meaning goodnight. It is the covers pulled over my head as I think of sleep. It is the comfort of the pillow resting below my head. Darkness is my eyes slowly closing. It makes the darkness of the day form into the light of the night. It is lights turning off meaning sleep and rest. Happiness swims into dreams. It is waking up from a nightmare and sneaking into my parent’s room to sleep once more. It is the dreams that form that will soon be fading from my memory. It is the relief of ending and forming a new day, and a new opportunity.” -Kylie Scharf

I read and re-read these words, thought of a woman named Helen Keller, thought of the darkness that has overpowered our minds, and understood the value of dreams and the marvel of light emanating from darkness – the seemingly never-ending darkness of despair. During this period of doubt – the doubt of our survival, the doubt of our ability to break the cycle of despair, the doubt that tomorrow will be better – we need to try to understand that there is also beauty in the darkness we are experiencing. We are here, we will be here tomorrow and the day after. All life is about dreams. We dream of what could have been, what might have been, what should have been. Perhaps we should understand that these thoughts can lead us into a darkness that never seems to fade. The truth is that dreams change with time, but still we continue to dream

because, life as we know it, is filled with all sorts of dreams. Both Helen Keller and this 11-year girl can teach us a very valuable lesson: Darkness may engulf us, but then we reach for the comfort of those whom we love and who love us. The young among us are filled with so many dreams, but they all concentrate on living, and growing, and feeling secure. Are those not the dreams of all ages, not just the young? We may be in darkness when our eyes close, but then when morning arrives, the light of a new day enhances our belief that light leads us into the true meaning of life, the purpose for which we were created, and the value we bring to those around us. Let us all dream of the day when we will be free from the shackles of a disease that has caused us so much pain and grief. Dreams do come true. AMEN! Rabbi Irwin Wiener is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

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