9 20 2014 stsn p1 16 community

September 20 – October 3, 2014 www.SanTanSun.com

Chamber hosts 2014 Education Forum

Representatives from state and county institutions share views

BY TRACY HOUSE

At an event that took 10 months to organize, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce brought together a panel of experts from the three state universities and the community college district for a morning of discussion focusing on the importance of a higher education and the advancements in the system.

Sharing a stage for the Sept. 4 panel discussion at the Crowne Plaza Resort San Marcos were Dr. Michael M. Crow, ASU president; Dr. Rita Hartung Cheng, NAU president; Dr. Ann Weaver Hart, UA president; and Dr. Rufus Glasper, Maricopa County Community College District chancellor.

Moderated by Joanna Allhands from The Arizona Republic, panelists were asked if a college degree is necessary for future jobs. For Crow, the answer was yes, saying, “For 80 percent of the jobs that will pay a living wage, a high school diploma is necessary. Some kind of post-secondary certifi cate from the community college, a technical school, some other kind of special training, or a university is necessary.”

Hart said there’s a continual conversation about if educational institutions are preparing the future

Salvation Army Food Bank asks for donations

BY TRACY HOUSE

Summer assistance at the Salvation Army Food Bank has depleted the shelves of food, and the community’s help is being sought to restock the pantry.

“The food pantry covers low-income families and emergencies for a food box,” explains the Salvation Army’s Maj. Robert Deidrick. “But it’s more than just a food box. It’s food for the family; basic food for three to five days, if we have it all. We keep running out.”

Deidrick explains that, because the pantry keeps running out of food, the Salvation Army has been using donations to purchase food.

“We’re doing it more than ever.”

He says that 80 to 90 percent of the food received comes from a food bank in Mesa.

workforce.

“We always have those conversations, ‘Are we preparing students for the workforce of today?’ And we’re always sharpening our programs for that purpose.”

From a community college perspective, Gasper said the district focuses on defi ning certifi cates and degrees. His organization awarded more than 12,500 certifi cates and about 13,000 degrees last year.

Allhands next asked how each institution is using higher education

“We’re very reliant on them,” Deidrick says. “Every Wednesday, the food truck comes...There’s a lot of things done behind the scenes that people don’t know as far as food and sorting.”

At this point, Deidrick says, “What we need is food. Canned food (and) packaged food to help families. Starting now, we’re setting a limit on how many households we can help a day because we keep running out. It’s either that or we just end up cutting and giving less and less food. We don’t want to do that, so we’re trying to make the best choices overall. We help with needed food.”

To stock the shelves, Deidrick says

the food bank needs canned meat and vegetables, fruits, soups and any nonperishable items, such as macaroni and spaghetti. The food cannot be expired. Deidrick estimates that from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday the food bank is providing 20 to 22 households or families with food boxes.

“If we’re running low, we’re telling people, ‘Please come back tomorrow. We’ve hit our limit for the day. We don’t have enough food to pack a fair amount of food for you.’ If we didn’t do it that way

BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON

Basha student aces SATHispanic Heritage Month offers festive music and more

When Basha High School senior

Samantha Bouchal checked her SAT scores online in the wee morning hours, she kept refreshing her computer screen thinking that there was a mistake. But make no mistake about it; Bouchal earned a perfect score of 2400 on her SAT exam.

Bouchal was stunned when she saw her perfect score.

“I stayed up waiting to get my results because I was kind of anxious, and it was my first time taking the test,” Bouchal states. “The results finally came in, and I kept refreshing the page and I thought, ‘Glitch, glitch, glitch. There’s no way that can happen.’”

BY ALISON STANTON

Chandler will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in October with a variety of events, all of which honor the contributions of the City’s Hispanic founders and residents.

“With a significant Hispanic population in our City, events like this help to showcase the Hispanic culture, as well as educate people on the traditions, music, food and art,” says Niki Tapia, Chandler’s community resource coordinator of neighborhood resources.

The Human Relations Commission and City of Chandler are planning the celebrations.

“The Diversity Office and Human

Relations Commission’s mission statement is ‘To promote mutual respect and inclusion in Chandler,’ but more so, we want to help garner an appreciation for the various cultures in our community as well,” she says.

Vanessa Ramirez, director of Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ and president of C.A.L.L.E. de Arizona, says that Hispanic Heritage Month began as a way to showcase the richness and beauty of the ethnicity’s culture.

“We get such a diverse audience year after year, and some have been coming every year,” she says.

The first event is “Garibaldi Night” from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

we’d be giving maybe half of what they’d normally get.”

Records are kept so that families are helped once a month, unless it’s a dire emergency for a second food box.

“That keeps us hopping even if it’s once every 30 days,” he says. “The understanding with the food bank is we’re supposed to help once every 30 days, per household.”

While there is no specific reason Deidrick can attribute to the summer shortage, he does say that some things are seasonal.

“This time of year is when we do not have as many donations, monetary and food, so that’s part of it. This is an annual thing, but it seems like we’re hit more this year than the last two prior years.”

On average, Deidrick estimates that as many as 300 households were helped last month. “We’ve gone over what we normally do. The food is down, the requests are up, and we’ve had to tighten it up a bit.”

He expects the pantry to be low on food through October. “We need help. Annually, traditionally this is the low time of the year for everything we need.”

Donations are accepted at the Chandler Salvation Army, 85 E. Saragosa St., downtown Chandler. Donations can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (480) 963-2041.

Tracy House is the news editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at tracy@santansun.com.

Community

The free event at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park features mariachis, ballet folklorico dancers, food and a variety of art vendors.

“We are definitely still looking for more vendors,” Ramirez says, adding that typically around 600 people attend that night, including plenty of kids.

“There are a couple of youth mariachis, and in the dance group the youngest performer is 3, so it’s neat for kids to see them.”

Tapia says she is delighted that Garibaldi Night will be held in downtown Chandler, as it was previously housed at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

“Hispanic Heritage Month events have always had a focus on both culture and education, so moving Garibaldi Night to CGCC seemed like a natural fit,” Tapia says.

“Still, the Diversity Office would constantly get calls from residents asking about this free event and wanting it back downtown. We are happy that we were able to m ove it back downtown again last year and plan to keep it there for the foreseeable future.”

Chandler Mariachi Workshops, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 11, will be held at the Chandler Community Center. They offer young musicians the chance to learn more about mariachi as a performer and entertainer. Students who participate in the workshops as

CELEBRATING THE HISPANIC CULTURE: During a series of events held in or near downtown Chandler, the public will honor the Hispanic culture. Events include mariachi performances and much more. Submitted photo

performers and entertainers will get to perform during the 15th annual Chandler Mariachi Festival.

“The young musicians will be in the concert and get the opportunity to get private lessons with Grammy-winning artists,” Ramirez says.

The Mariachi Festival is 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Ramirez says C.A.L.L.E. de Arizona produces the annual event, which this year features Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar and Las Colibri Mariachi and Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ.

“The two different mariachi groups are from California, and there are other opportunities for that day for people, including a pre-show in the lobby and vendors,” Ramirez says.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month events, including ticket prices for the Mariachi Festival, visit www.chandleraz.gov/ hhm.

Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at Alison@SanTanSun.com

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She did note that she received a score of 11 out of 12 on the essay. But for the three different areas of critical reading, math and writing, Bouchal scored a perfect 800 on each section.

Bouchal is now focusing on finishing high school and choosing a college.

“We went to the East Coast this summer vacation,” she says. “We went not originally going with the intent of visiting colleges, but we picked up a couple of visits...We went to Princeton, Yale and Harvard and checked out a couple of the campuses.”

She also plans on visiting West Coast colleges soon.

Although she hasn’t committed to a college, Bouchal is planning on studying pre-medicine with the intent of becoming a neurosurgeon, but is keeping her options open. The wellrounded student also enjoys piano and theater and volunteers doing hospice work.

Basha High School principal Ken James was thrilled to learn that one of his students scored perfectly on the SAT. The former eight-year Highland High School principal, James is in his seventh year as Basha principal.

“This is a first for Basha and for me as a principal,” states James. “I don’t ever remember in 15 years of being a principal any student getting a 2400.”

James adds, “She’s in our top 2 percent of students, and she’s very outgoing. She’s just got a great personality about her.

“She loves books, and she admits that. She is...personable, and she works hard.”

James is happy for Bouchal and at the same time, he’s excited for his school.

“It’s great for the school because it gives us a chance to brag a little bit about her and, even though it’s one person, it does validate the hard work that we’re doing here at Basha, too.”

Kate Levin, associate director of communications with College Board says, “Among the class of 2013, there were 1,660,047 students who took the SAT. Of those, 494 students achieved the highest possible score. The number of students who achieve the highest possible score on the SAT in each graduating class is stable, so the data for the class of 2013 does put in perspective what an accomplishment it is to achieve a 2400.”

Lynette Carrington is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. She can be contacted at lynette@santansun.com

Elevation set to come down

BY TIM J. RANDALL

Development and construction are all about working through the multiple phases of preparation, planning and approval. The Viridian project near Chandler Fashion Center got the green light from the City Council on Sept. 8.

As a result, the existing structure, the failed 2006 Elevation Chandler, will be demolished by March 16.

“The development of this site has hit many snags over the years,” says Vice Mayor Rick Heumann. “We are excited that this quality project is now on track.”

Viridian encompasses a mixed-use development built on the 26 acres. The project is undertaken by Hines, one of the world’s largest real estate developers and managers with a portfolio of more than 1,300 properties around the globe and assets valued at approximately $28.2 billion.

“Hines is very excited about moving forward with the mixed-use Chandler Viridian development,” says Chris Anderson, managing director for Hines in Phoenix.

The council’s decision to move the project forward involved the execution of a development agreement with Hines, which is still engaged in the purchase of the two parcels comprising the 26 acres.

Once the parcel purchases have been finalized and the Elevation structure has been removed, the 14-acre southern site will see 335 residential units constructed

in seven four-story buildings, while the north 12 acres will showcase a 10-story 150,000-square-foot hotel, three-story parking garage, two one-story retail spaces and 240,000 square feet of office space housed in two four-story office buildings.

That the project has continued its approval trajectory is a testament to the vision of Hines, the council and the City’s economic development department.

“The delivery of Chandler Viridian to this point has been a result of a strong collaboration of the City of Chandler public officials, planning staff, citizen input and our design team that will finally realize the great potential this location embraces,” Anderson says.

Tim J. Randall is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. He can be reached at news@santansun.com.

as an economic development tool for Arizona. Cheng, who has been at NAU for just a few weeks, began by saying that the partnerships have thrived with the Northern Arizona Healthcare Association. The school is working to improve the health of the communities in the region. She said NAU has new construction on campus, therefore providing jobs in northern Arizona.

“We’ve connected with the region with the health care, environmental and science needs, and we are a regional force.”

Hart added that there is a commitment to 100 percent engagement and to real-world experiences, noting the engagement is on students’ transcripts at UA, explaining, “Employers will know what this individual graduate of the University of Arizona has done to make sure they’ve done more than take examinations and write papers and do assignments in their class,” Hart said. “So it is deeply embedded in the learning experience at the baccalaureate level.”

Continuing the economicdevelopment discussion, Glasper said that his community colleges “have an annual economic impact of about $3 billion or so.” He explained that a new Center for Entrepreneur Innovation and a corporate college has recently opened.

“We believe we are a strong part of the solution in order to bring the economy back in Arizona.”

Crow spoke about the shortage of college graduates in key areas.

“Demands for what we are producing exceeds our ability to supply it,” Crow said. “That’s consistently true in every possible way...there is a shortage in key areas that we’re underproducing.”

He said that, for example, colleges are not producing enough graduates in the fi eld of infant counseling, professionals who treat traumatized or challenged infants and their development.

Energy is focused on specialized areas that could spark new economies.

“We work on two economies—the present economy and the future economy.”

Also, the panel discussed whether higher education is innovative enough to advance Arizona to the next level of success.

Crow said innovation is actually critical to the state’s success. “Innovation should be a constant, so therefore have we innovated enough? No.”

Building on Crow’s comment, Hart said it’s important to think about innovation as fi nding solutions to problems that are important. “In some ways, predicting the problems of the future, so that we have in the pipeline answers to those problems.”

Cheng said she was attracted to Arizona because of the ability to innovate within the education system. Referring to K-12 and community colleges, Cheng said, “Some of the

most unique innovations that we can explore are through partnerships. I think preparing students for the health care and education workforce is something we all notably need to do.”

The conversation turned to preparing students for the workforce. Regarding formal knowledge, Hart said, “If you’ve never learned how to take formal knowledge and apply it throughout life in different and creative ways, then that knowledge is limited by the setting and expectations around which it was built. And change happens. We have to be more responsive.”

“We still have too many lowincome, rural students who don’t have access to college,” Cheng added. “We need to partner with K-12 throughout the state to make sure there are more students prepared for the college experience so that we then can do our part in aligning the preparation to the needs of the future.”

She said collaborations are important.

“What we’re trying to produce is the individual who has the ability to learn anything,” Crow said. He explained a university’s job is to lay a general education foundation of knowledge. “The best we can do is to produce a master learner.”

Glasper stated that the movement to Arizona College and Career Readiness says it all, referring to the state educational standards to prepare Arizona students with the skills to be successful in life.

“You move students along this track so that they can make a choice,” Glasper said. “And if a student has a choice, an appetite and a desire to move into career and technical education, they need the skills.”

Partnering with schools around the state is an important tool for preparing students for the future. That includes building relationships with teachers and ensuring the quality of preparation for teachers. “All of us have to accept a different view of what learning is and how we apply it,” Hart said.

Glasper explained that students are coming into community colleges ill-prepared for 100-level classes. “We need to look at this whole notion of this whole social-justice argument and how do we get students engaged earlier, how do we provide resources. And within Arizona, the resources are not there for education in Arizona, at any level, to sustain what we need to do to sustain lives. So this notion of partnership and collaboration, we need to do more than ever before.”

Terri Kimble, president and CEO of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, closed the 2014 Education Forum, thanking the panel, chairmen and sponsors. “Education is truly an important economic driver, not only in Chandler, but in moving Arizona forward.”

Tracy House is the news editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at tracy@santansun.com.

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City of Chandler Insider

Chandler staged for fall fun and growth

Vibrant downtowns stay true to the people who live there. For Chandler, that’s a combination of tech workers, entrepreneurs and young families. The charming historic square honors the past, while major new projects are on the horizon: a new urban apartment complex bringing the bustle of new people; plans for offices, walking paths and shops on the lot across from City Hall; and a city process in place to attract new development on the northern entryway to the district.

Morning’s cooler weather marks the beginning of events season. Fresh veggies, artisan foods and hand-crafted goods are back in early October at the Thursday Farmers Markets and the Third Friday Artwalks. These events are hosted by the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership (DCCP), the City’s partner in bringing inviting experiences to Downtown Chandler.

Rock the Block is Nov. 8, www. rocktheblock.com, featuring prominent artists from Arizona’s music scene on one stage and local artists, dancers and entertainers on the Community Stage. The block party includes a “Chandler’s Got Talent” show, a large beer garden, kid zone and Veterans Day celebrations.

EPIC Creativity Celebration

Chandler EPIC Festival, Feb. 7, www. chandlerepicfest.com, is a tribute to inventors and features Do-It-Yourself creations from the best and brightest in Arizona. EPIC—Explore. Play. Imagine. Create.—is sponsored by Intel. It was developed as a partnership between DCCP, TechShop and the City of Chandler to celebrate the local surge of the Maker Movement, a growing community of creative people who are imagining the future through sophisticated products they make themselves, such as woodworking, robotics and 3-D printers. This festival brings out engineers, scientists, crafters and artists to sell and display their inventions.

To support events and activities, and to ensure downtown continues to grow as a destination, a permanent stage is being planned for the grassy area near the Downtown Library. A permanent structure with built-in electricity and lighting means downtown can attract more big-name entertainers. This venture, funded and managed in a partnership between the City and the DCCP, puts Chandler on the map for national entertainers and enhances the downtown’s reputation as an arts and entertainment district.

City of Chandler Insider Downtown development’s progress

Don’t let the name fool you. “Site 6, northwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Chicago” is one of the hottest properties in town. Development here can create jobs as well as connect the nightlife and activity of the Downtown Square to what is known as Wall Street. The site leads the next wave of progress in the area’s goal of becoming the hottest employment and entertainment destination in the East Valley. This dirt lot across from the award-winning City Hall is wholly owned by the City and is overflow parking for nightlife and events.

This month, Ryan Companies, a nationally recognized developer, earned City Council’s approval for its proposal to develop the land. Negotiations for the detailed plans are underway to develop and lease a mixed-use project with outdoor dining, pedestrian walkways and open space, in addition to two office buildings and related retail and restaurants. The project is proposed to be built in two phases, and detailed plans with a development agreement are to be presented to the City Council by spring.

Expect a signature development at Sites 1-2-3, Southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard, the northern entryway to the downtown. As Chandler’s downtown has moved from being a place in need of redevelopment to a thriving destination, low vacancy rates have become an impediment to recruiting new business to the area. There is an office vacancy rate of 4.4 percent, and retail and restaurant vacancies are at about 2 percent. A request for proposals closes in late October, with the City asking developers to submit ideas for this important location, which is expected to be a catalyst for future growth. Development at Sites 1, 2 and 3 wrap around the shops and restaurants on the north end of the square.

Due to open in fall 2015 at the southeast corner of Washington and Frye, Alta Steelyard is designed to contribute to a walkable downtown with an inviting sense of place. From this urban apartment complex, residents can go downtown to work, dine and enjoy amenities without getting in a vehicle.

Duo shares the vision to create ambiance, creativity and prosperity

Kim Moyers and Jeff Kulaga have different roles, but the same goal of a vibrant downtown Chandler. City of Chandler employee Moyers is tasked with implementing City Council goals for the future, including attracting developers and businesses, managing city infrastructure issues and acting as a one-stop liaison for downtown businesses and City services. She began her job in April with a broad range of experience from the Town of Queen Creek, where she served as manager of the Queen Creek Incubator and spearheaded the Town Center Committee to increase the employment base. Her experience also includes serving as executive director of the Downtown Association/Small Business Development Center in Kokomo, Indiana, where she directed and supervised the association, which consisted of more than 2,000 employees and 170 businesses.

Moyers works closely with the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership (DCCP) and its executive director, Kulaga. DCCP markets the area, while ensuring safety and beautification. To the average visitor, it’s all about those intangibles that draw interest and create a sense of place. Anyone who attended one of the many events in downtown Chandler is familiar with the work of the DCCP, whose creative ideas draw people to learn about this area that includes a little something for everyone. The organization is credited with some of the finer points that visitors probably enjoy without knowing it, such as the wraps that turn mundane waste bins into works of art, flowers and a culture of music and entertainment.

Kulaga joined DCCP the first of August and has hit the ground running by serving as the voice of the many district merchants and property owners. As executive director, his vision is to create opportunities for prosperity. He emphasizes that the businesses are most often locally owned and represent the hard work and ambition of people who live and raise their families in Chandler and now are creating unique dining and shopping experiences. Kulaga is Moyers’ counterpart, acting as a one-stop liaison for the City to reach out to businesses and better understand their needs.

“It’s truly about communication. If we aren’t meeting in person, we are talking on the phone,” he says. “But for both of us, we’re here for the common good of the downtown.”

Council approves final results from primary election

The Chandler City Council met at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, and took action on nine agenda items, including:

• Canvassed the results of the City of Chandler primary election of Aug. 26. Mayor Jay Tibshraeny was elected to a four-year term as mayor, Councilman Kevin Hartke was re-elected and Rene Lopez and Terry Roe were elected to fill the seats vacated by Jeff Weninger and Trinity Donovan. In addition, Proposition 470 (Home Rule) was approved overwhelmingly.

• Designated Battalion Chief Keith Hargis, Chandler Fire Health and Medical, as the City of Chandler’s representative to the Arizona Division of Emergency Management.

• Introduced an ordinance approving rezoning of property at the northwest corner of Price and Willis roads for the Bella Rose Inn.

• Approved an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with the cities of Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Apache Junction and the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) as a resource provider, regarding participation in the East Valley Gang and Criminal Information Fusion Center. The amendment is meant to streamline the purchasing process.

• Introduced an ordinance to rezone The Perch in Downtown Chandler from

Community Commercial to commercial and retail.

• Approved an agreement with Southwest Groundwater Consultants, for hydrogeological services for the Ocotillo Recharge and Recovery Facility installation of aquifer storage and recovery wells and a monitor well in an amount not to exceed $113,845.

• Approved an agreement with Sunrise Engineering, for design services, for a deceleration lane from eastbound Ray Road to southbound Dobson Road, in an amount not to exceed $58,222.

• Approved an agreement with GE Betz Inc. for the purchase of water and wastewater chemicals for the Ocotillo Brine Reduction Facility, in an amount not to exceed $120,000.

• Approved an agreement with Invensys for the purchase of water and wastewater instrumentation/control system equipment and services, in an amount not to exceed $698,718.

• Approved several specialevent liquor licenses for events including: American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy, for the TASTE, Chandler’s Culinary Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25, located at downtown Ocotillo, 2855 W. Queen Creek Rd.; American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy, for the Voodoo Poker Run Event on Saturday, Oct. 11, located at Chandler Harley Davidson, 6895 W. Chandler Blvd.; and the

Si Se Puede Foundation, for the first Dia De Los Muertos Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 1, located at Dr. A. J. Chandler Park, Three S. Arizona Ave.

On the action agenda, the council heard from the public regarding an extension for the continued operation of a recycling facility, Hudson Baylor, dba Recommunity Chandler, located at the northwest corner of Ray Road and Hamilton Street. The item was continued to the Oct. 23 council meeting.

Before the meeting, Mayor Jay Tibshraeny requested a moment of silence in remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Tibshraeny, joined by Councilman Jack Sellers, announced several proclamations, including: Good Neighbor Day to recognize the network of local leaders working with Neighborhood Programs; A Week Without Violence on behalf of the Children’s Benefit Foundation

End of construction event wins a Savvy Award

An event organized by the City of Chandler and Chandler Chamber of Commerce received one of the highest honors achievable for government communicators—The Savvy Award from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA). The City worked with the chamber and Central Creative, a communications firm involved in the recent reconstruction of the Alma School and Ray roads intersection, to organize an end-of-construction event to help the businesses get back on their feet following months of construction impacts.

Task Force; National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, which was accepted by the City’s Domestic Violence Commission; and Disabilities Employment Awareness Month, accepted by Jeff Deaver of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities.

The mayor, as well as all of the councilmembers, thanked City crews and staff who worked to keep residents safe during the storm, keeping water damage and traffic issues to a minimum.

The mayor also announced that the second annual Neighborhood Excellence Award applications are on the City’s website and open through Nov. 21 to recognize, support and encourage neighborhoods in the work they do.

Sellers said he just returned from Taiwan on a tour of business activities. Vice Mayor Rick Heumann reminded residents of the Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (G.A.I.N.) event on Oct. 25, which encourages neighbors to work together, and noted that Chandler has one of the lowest costs of service to its residents in the Valley. He also noted that Elevation Chandler is due to be demolished by spring.

Donovan also thanked staff for their work on the storm and congratulated the newly elected mayor and councilmembers.

The next City Council meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20.

The City spent nine months and more than $7 million reconstructing that intersection to reduce congestion and improve safety. The event was held to thank the businesses for their perseverance and encourage customers who may have avoided the intersection to return.

An estimated 900 people attended the Alma School-Ray Back to Business event and more than 25 businesses, three churches and a Jewish Community Center had information booths. The event was heavily promoted using news releases, newspaper ads, fliers, posters, intersection signage, mailings and e-blasts to surrounding neighborhoods. A live band and family-friendly activities were featured and included bouncy houses, a face painter, balloon artist and pony rides.

Raffle drawings were held for gift certificates redeemable at surrounding businesses. Funds to purchase the gift certificates were donated by the construction contractor. To enter the raffle, the public turned in their receipts

the day of the event acquired from shopping at the businesses the week leading up to the celebration. Receipts totaling more than $14,000 were entered into the raffle.

“I don’t recall a municipal community

sponsoring an intersection-improvement project completion (event) on any projects I have been associated with,” says Frank Henderson, vice president of Ritoch-Powell and Associates, the intersection design firm.

FLOODING

KNEE DEEP: Lindsay Zadakis and Chloe Lewandowski, both seventh graders at Bogle Junior High School, stand in the flooded green belt in their neighborhood. Throughout the Valley, record rainfall turned grassy areas into make-shift lakes. STSN photo by Tracy House

Make mosquito fogging more effective

Chandler residents and businesses can help control mosquitoes and the threat of West Nile Virus by reducing standing water on their property. This increases the effectiveness of the City’s mosquito fogging program being conducted at night. City parks are being fogged each Saturday through Oct. 4. After that, parks staff will monitor each location to determine if additional fogging is needed.

Fogging is scheduled for the following:

• Snedigar Park

• Tumbleweed Park

• Thude Park

• Pima Park

• Price Park

• Paseo Vista Park

• Veterans Oasis Park

• Chuparosa Park

• Dobson Park

• Desert Breeze Park

• Folley Park

• West Chandler Park

• Arrowhead Park

• Espee Park

Maricopa County has an ongoing program of fogging areas to reduce the spread of WNV. Check out its website, www.maricopa.gov/wnv, for information about symptoms and prevention. A schedule of areas to be fogged is posted on the site and individuals can subscribe for automatic

fogging location updates via email. Recommendations to protect against mosquito-borne illnesses included reducing the number of mosquitoes around homes and business and taking personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites, such as: keep swimming pools, spas and fountains clean and operational; eliminate standing water that can collect and breed mosquitoes; and empty any buckets, wheelbarrows, pet dishes, wading pools, birdbaths, plant pots or drip trays at least twice a week. Also, maintain good screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out and properly maintain an evaporative cooler. Remember to adjust sprinklers to keep from accumulating excess water. Call Maricopa County about this issue at (602) 506-0700 or visit www. maricopa.gov/wnv.

Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department receives reaccreditation

Once again, the Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department has received “accredited” status from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Recognition of the achievement was presented during the Fire Chiefs International Conference in August in Texas. The department was first accredited in 1999 and has been reaccredited every five years since then. There are 192 fire-and-rescueservice agencies worldwide that have achieved this status, and fewer than 10 have joined Chandler in achieving it four times. “I want to commend and thank all members of the department for their continual pursuit of excellence,” says Chandler Chief Jeff Clark. “We do not take this achievement for granted. A lot of team members contributed to the accreditation proces, and we can all be proud of the result.”

Clark singled out Battalion Chief Keith Hargis for his leadership throughout the assessment process, saying, “Keith made sure that all of our paperwork was in order and that every recommendation given to us in the past six months by the CFAI peer assessors was addressed or implemented. He was so thorough and effective that we were the first and only agency to go through the accreditation hearing without a single question being asked by the commissioners.”

The Commission on Fire Accreditation International helps fire and emergency service agencies throughout the world examine past, current and future service levels and internal performance, and compare them to industry best practices. This rigorous peer review and selfassessment accreditation process leads to improved operations and service delivery.

ACCEPTING AWARD: Members of the Chandler Fire, Health and Medical Department’s leadership team accepted the organization’s fourth accreditation

Clark, Assistant Chief Tom Dwiggins and Battalion Chief Val Gale. Photo courtesy of CFHMD

City seeking Neighborhood Excellence nominations

Nominations for the Chandler Neighborhood Excellence Awards program are due Friday, Nov. 21. Awards will be given in four categories:

• The Best Neighborhood Event Award recognizes a neighborhood that helps strengthen its community through a onetime or ongoing neighborhood event that encourages neighborhood participation and promotes ongoing neighborhood communication.

• The Most Active or Engaged Neighborhood Award goes to a neighborhood where neighbors are actively engaged in activities that promote neighborliness with communication structures in place and

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD: The D’Arcy Ranch neighborhood block party won Best Neighborhood Event last year. Submitted photo

ongoing activities that keep residents engaged.

• The Best Revitalization Story Award

acknowledges a neighborhood that was diminished either socially or physically, but where residents collaborated and

took positive actions to unify and rejuvenate it.

• The Neighborhood Leader of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has inspired positive change, both social and physical, in their neighborhood through his or her leadership.

A panel of judges, lead by the mayor, reviews applications and the public has an opportunity to vote for their favorites. Winners are announced at the Mayor’s 2015 State of the City address.

To enter, communities must be a registered neighborhood through Chandler’s Neighborhood Programs Division. Registration is open to traditional neighborhoods and HOAs. Apply at www.chandleraz.gov/connect. Call (480) 782-4354 to find out about registering a neighborhood.

Youth Leadership Academy announced

Next spring is the start of a Youth Leadership Academy, designed to engage and encourage Chandler’s next generation of community and neighborhood leaders. Mayor Jay Tibshraeny announced the establishment of the academy during a recent Mayor’s Listening Tour.

“We all hear it said that our children are our future,” Tibshraeny says. “Well, I want to show them how their ideas, creative energy and enthusiasm can be a catalyst for improving the future of our neighborhoods and community while giving them some valuable life tools and experience.”

The academy engages up to 20 high school juniors and seniors in a four-day series of classes covering topics of civic engagement, public safety, neighborhood dynamics, code enforcement, volunteerism, budgets and finance and an overview of City departments and resources.

Youth work on special group projects, receive leadership coaching and participate in a mock city council meeting. The academy is expected to begin following the Mayor’s 2015 State of the City address when participants will be introduced to the community. Applications are available in October.

Graduates of the leadership group receive a certificate and letter from

the mayor detailing their achievements during the academy. More information is to follow in coming weeks and will be posted on the City’s website at www. chandleraz.gov/connect.

Demolition, home-repair programs fighting blight

The City of Chandler reports that a number of programs are making a difference in their efforts to fight blight, remove unsafe structures and improve neighborhood sustainability. Chandler’s Voluntary Demolition Program is in its third year and were among Mayor Jay Tibshraeny’s first initiatives when he returned as mayor in 2011, following eight years in the Arizona State Senate.

With the help of federal dollars provided by a Community Development Block Grant, the program identified 31 significantly blighted properties, of which six structures have been demolished, with the remaining 25 either being demolished or brought into compliance by the property owners after formal notice and enforcement.

The demolition program is available to owners of Chandler residential properties that have been vacant for at least 90 days and are current on all taxes. City staff must designate the property as uninhabitable and in a blighted condition. Owners are required to provide 25 percent matching funds for the demolition of their property and are responsible for maintaining the property after the demolition is complete.

A number of other programs offer no interest, forgivable loans and grants to help low- and moderate-income residents improve the condition and safety of their homes. Last fiscal year, the City’s Housing Rehabilitation Program provided grants of

BLIGHT FIGHT: Home-rehab programs remove unsafe structures and improve neighborhood sustainability. Photo courtesy City of Chandler

up to $50,000 to help seven homeowners improve plumbing, electrical, roofing, heating, cooling and other systems that increase safety and habitability.

The Emergency Home Repair Program provided through Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona assisted 44 low-income homeowners last fiscal year. Grants of up to $5,000 were used to address potential health and safety issues such as inoperable HVAC units, plumbing or electrical problems.

An Exterior Improvement Loan Program provided grants of up to $20,000 to help seven homeowners address roofing, painting, landscaping and other exterior elements that visibly impacted the home and the neighborhood.

Find information about home repair programs at www.chandleraz.gov/ communitydev, or by calling (480) 7824357

Community

Manhole work adds to current street construction

Renovating more than 50 aging manholes on Frye Road between Price and Alma School roads is expected to cause minor traffic restrictions through mid-November. Traffic lanes are being reduced or shifted as necessary, but minimized as much as possible to reduce traffic impacts. Access to homes and businesses are maintained at all times.

Expanding Gilbert Road to four lanes is under way from just south of Chandler Heights Road to Hunt Highway. The project includes

sidewalks, bike lanes, curbs, gutters, street lights, storm drainage, traffic signals and landscaping.

Early in November, work on McQueen Road between Ocotillo and Riggs roads will include widening the street to four lanes and include bike lanes, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, street lighting, turn lanes, traffic signals, storm drainage, medians, landscaping and utility relocation.

Also coming later in the fall is a new pedestrian signal where the Paseo Trail (located alongside the Consolidated

Canal) crosses Ocotillo Road; the railroad crossing also is being improved.

Motorists should plan at the end of November to accommodate for the work widening to two lanes in each direction Ocotillo Road between Arizona Avenue and McQueen Road. The results of the construction will be center-turn bays, bicycle lanes, curb, gutter, sidewalks, storm drainage and landscaping.

After Thanksgiving, improvements are planned for Queen Creek Road, west of Price Road, including a new

Alta Steelyard Lofts groundbreaking set for October

Wood Partners is breaking ground in October on Alta Steelyard Lofts at 353 S. Washington St., a 301-unit luxury apartment community in downtown Chandler that adds residential rental units to what the builder is calling the rapidly developing Silicon Desert core.

With an urban feel in architecture and density combined with convenient access to employers and entertainment, the project is designed to appeal to Millennials who are coming to Chandler for employment opportunities in technology companies such as Motorola, Orbital Sciences, eBay/PayPal and Intel.

“Alta Steelyard Lofts is going to bring an entirely new look to multifamily housing in the City of Chandler and the greater Southeast Valley,” says Todd Taylor, Wood Partners development director for Arizona and Nevada. “We feel there is a meaningful

blank spot in terms of walkable, urban infill offerings in the area.”

Designed by Biltform Architecture, Alta Steelyard includes five buildings on 6.4 acres with 195 onebedroom, 102 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom loft-style units and 468 parking spaces. Units feature luxury finishes such as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and high-tech entertainment packages. Common amenities are a cyber-café, theater, expansive fitness center, outdoor lounge areas with grilling stations, resort-style pool and deck area and community Wi-Fi.

Wood Partners bought the property, once used for steel fabrication, from SMI-Owen Steel Co. and is the general contractor for the project. Wood Residential Services will manage Alta Steelyard, which is expected to open for leasing in September 2015.

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