30
Youth
Nov. 7 - Nov. 20, 2015
www.SanTanSun.com
Teens judge local pizzerias at Hamilton Library
Cornhole tournament highlights Rock the Block!
BY NICOLE CHOKSI
BY MEGAN MARPLES
Teens converged on Hamilton Library to judge pizza from local eateries on Oct. 16—after all, kids are pretty much connoisseurs of the cheesy dish. The students voted for best sauce, crust and pizza based on a taste test of food from Barro’s, Floridino’s Pizza and Pasta, Fired Pie and Sauce during the National Pizza Month event. There was a tie for best sauce; Floridino’s and Sauce were the winners. Barro’s took home the prize for best crust. Fired Pie won the big prize: best overall pizza. Hannah Verdin, a staff member at the Hamilton Chandler Library, said the event was scheduled to build relationships with local businesses. “We are happy to meet them and invite them to the library and show them that we’re a fun place to be and hopefully they can get some new business as well, too,” Verdin said. The restaurants were required to donate the pizzas. Judges had to be teenagers who enjoy pizza. Floridino’s Pizza and Pasta, located at 590 N. Alma School Rd., has been in business since 1996. There’s a secret behind its success: Make everything cheesy, said Sarah Converse, Floridino’s event manager. “We are known for pizza muffins,” Converse said. “This year is going to be our 20th anniversary.” The pizza muffins are so popular they
were even in Food Network Magazine. Another participant was Sauce Pizza and Wine located at Queen Creek and Alma School roads. Part of a chain, that location has been open for about eight years, said Vanessa Bass, Sauce assistant manager. Sauce’s secret ingredient? Freshness. “Every single thing that we make everyday is fresh,” Bass said. Fired Pie was represented by its general manager, Stephanie Fuller, who said the 2-year-old restaurant is a favorable destination. “Fresh ingredients, homemade crust, homemade sauce, secret family recipe and of course friendly staff,” Fuller said is what makes Fired Pie unique.” A representative from Barro’s was unavailable. Nicole Choksi is a sports journalism major at ASU. She can be reached at news@santansun.com.
Downtown Chandler’s Rock the Block! is returning for a sixth year on Saturday, Nov. 14, but this fall it has a different spin. It has added a cornhole tournament to its list of events. Teams of two will compete for a $250 prize. Additional prizes will be offered by Majerle’s Sports Grill at Chandler Fashion Center. Participants will need to register by Wednesday, Nov. 11 to reserve a spot. There is a $50 registration fee for each team of two to compete in the bean bag tournament. The tournament begins with pool play and then later continues on to single elimination. “The cornhole tournament was added to create a new and fun element to the event that attendees of all ages could participate in,” said Jeff Kulaga, executive director of the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership. The free family-oriented block party takes place from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and features live entertainment, retail vendors and food trucks. Last year the event attracted more than 18,000 visitors and organizers are expecting more attendees this year. Live entertainment will be performing at various stages located around the event. “The event will feature local talent throughout the day including Chandlerbased dance studios and bands,” Kulaga said. “The evening will feature a performance by the Valley’s top ‘90s tribute band, Vanilla Spice, as well as Top
40 cover band, The Groove Trio.” To promote Chandler-based businesses, more than 100 retailers will display a variety of items for purchase. Restaurants will include Serrano’s Mexican Food, Original Chop Shop and Vintage 95 will be in attendance as well as 2 Fat Guys Grilled Cheese and Circle R Farms food trucks. A beer garden will be available for those 21 and older. For younger children, there will be a Kids Zone full of interactive activities such as a “Jurassic World” Inflatable Playground, Spin Cycle, zipline, swings and more. Ride tickets will be available for purchase. The rock-themed event will host a variety of talent with “Chandler’s Got Talent” on the Downtown Chandler Stage. Interested contestants need to submit a video online through Vimeo or YouTube. The top performers will be chosen to compete at the event for a $250 grand prize. “The winner each year is also invited back the following year to be featured as a main performer with a 30-minute set,” Kulaga said. “This competition is open to participants of all ages and all talents including singers, dancers, musicians and more.” Parking is free at three parking garages on Boston, Buffalo and Chicago streets. Megan Marples is an intern with the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at news@santansun.com.
Looking For An Orthodontist...
From Dr. Chamberlain’s Desktop
I
f you happen to read many Facebook group pages, you will likely come across a question from a mom asking about a referral to an orthodontist in the area. Google, Yelp and Facebook have changed the way we find things today. From a good restaurant to an orthodontist. Reviews are a wonderDr. Thomas Chamberlain ful beginning. In this article, however, I’d like to discuss some additional ideas you can use to determine your decision on an orthodontist. After all, if 93% of people surveyed feel that a good-looking smile can help determine your employment and career status, then it must be an important decision. After an initial search, involving a look at google reviews, a phone call to the office is the next step. You should be looking for timeliness of the appointment and the hours they keep during the
week. Believe it or not, but some offices only operate 8 am - 3 pm. That may not be a problem if you work from home or home school your children but for many others that can become restrictive. Hopefully the phone visit made you feel comfortable as well. Next, you are on to your first visit. Most, if not all orthodontic offices offer a free orthodontic exam. However, not all will give much time to that exam, and some may not take initial records like photos and a panoramic x-ray. This is a very important step and helps the orthodontist and the patient make some decisions on what may be necessary for treatment. A good orthodontic office will take these records and give you a copy of them to go over at home. Further, during the exam process, make sure you are looking at the office. Is it clean and tidy? Is it running on schedule while you are there? Does the staff seem happy to be there and are they patient to help and answer questions? When looking at the orthodontist, ask yourself, does he or she seem trustworthy and competent? Is
their demeanor pleasant or abrasive? You will be working with this person closely for the next several months so you want someone who you feel you can communicate with. Are they approachable? Look at the equipment in the office. Is the office using technology that will help make the process more efficient on your time? Will the technology in the office make your treatment more predictable? Look at the treatment plan. Is it something you can understand and conceptually agree with? Lastly, look at the treatment fees. There is some variation with treatment fees but even more so with how those fees are broken up and taken care of. Do they offer “pay in full” discounts, multi-child discounts, and are they contracted with your insurance? Do they offer extended payment arrangements, zero-interest financing or lower down payment arrangements? A good orthodontic office will try to meet your needs in every aspect of the visit. I hope you find these ideas helpful with your orthodontic search. If you happen to read this article and come to Chamberlain Orthodontics for a consultation, I would love to hear how we live up to the above questions.
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Dr. Thomas Chamberlain
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Chamberlain Orthodontics Receives 2014 Best of Chandler Awards!
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