INSIDE:
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RECYCLING PHOENIX
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ESTATE PLANNER
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Wednesday, February 23, 2022
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
T
o say lawyers for homeowners and the owner of the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course haven’t seen eye to eye in nearly nine years of litigation redefines the meaning of “understatement.” But it is not hard at all to see why homeowners’ attorney Tim Barnes and Lakes Course attorney Daniel Maynard immediately picked the same man to be Superior Court Judge Sara Agne’s special master in overseeing the
course’s reconstruction as it moves toward a full reopening this September. And the fact that Mark Woodward has played all the Ahwatukee golf courses except Ahwatukee Lakes doesn’t make a difference. Woodward is Mr. Golf when it comes to course construction and all the many facets it involves. Not only does the 69-year-old Mesa resident’s resumé burst with a depth of experience in creating, maintaining and rebuilding golf courses that earned him admission to the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2020, but he also
Nationals bound
MIXED RESULTS FOR DV
is the scion of a family of people who do the same thing. The Phoenix native ticks off a head-spinning list of relatives who are or have been superintendents – the official title of people whose career is building, designing, restoring and maintaining golf courses: “Myself, my granddad, my cousins, my cousin’s two sons, my son, my son-in-law; two or three in-laws, …my sister was a superintendent, my cousin’s husband was a super-
see LAKES page 4
Phoenix moving forward to buy drones for police BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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IT'S ITALIAN!
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@AhwatukeeFN
Lakes Course special master a master of his craft
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@AhwatukeeFN |
Members of the Desert Vista High School Thunder are headed to Anaheim, California, tomorrow, Feb. 24, for the USA Spirit Nationals Competition, one of the nation’s most prestigious cheerleading competitions. For the story, see community page 27. (Special to AFN)
hen it comes to law enforcement generally and Phoenix Police specifically Ahwatukee’s Councilman Sal DiCiccio and South Phoenix Councilman Carlos Garcia rarely agree. But at a formal Council meeting Feb. 16, the two were united on the losing end of 6-3 vote allowing the Phoenix Police Department to acquire non-weaponized drones for a total cost not to exceed $516,000. City Manager Jeffrey Barton told Council in a memo “This equipment, which is critical for the safety of department personnel, will be used during high-risk tactical incidents to conduct highly detailed and complex investi-
The latest breaking news and top local stories in Ahwatukee!
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see DRONE page 18
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
The Ahwatukee Foothills News is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Ahwatukee Foothills.
Going, going, etc.
Times Media Group: 1990 W. Broadway Road Tempe, Arizona, 85282 Main number: 480-898-6500 Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641
PUBLISHER Steve T. Strickbine
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Some Ahwatukee residents have been wondering what’s replacing the Honeywell building on the northeast corner of Warner Road and Priest Drive in Tempe. Planning documents filed by Honeywell with Tempe show the company plans to build two warehouses occupying about 193,000 square feet that will be named the Warner Commerce Center. (David Minton/AFN
Staff Photographer)
Kyrene, TU dodge budget-busting bullet as cap lifted BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
T
empe Union and Kyrene school districts dodged the potential loss of a combined $35 million after the state Senate on Monday voted to waive the expenditure cap that would have stopped them and other Arizona school districts from spending money they already have. The House’s approval of the measure last week and the Senate vote Feb. 21 spares school districts across Arizona from making cuts in their current budget totaling more than $1.1 billion. Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, had scheduled a vote Monday after apprently working all weekend to round up enough votes, since the waiver required a two-thirds approval in both chambers. Otherwise, come March 1, schools would have been barred from spending cash they already have and need to finish the school year. The House vote occurred with all Democrats in favor and Ahwatukee Sen. Sean Bowie joined his fellow Democratic senators in voting yes.. None of the 14 opposing House Republicans – including two from Gilbert, one from Mesa and another from Scottsdale - explained their decisions. Nor did any respond to requests for comment. The measure had bipartisan support and one of its
see FUNDING page 14
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
LAKES from page 1
intendent, my cousins. So, there was a lot in the business. It’s been going on for a long, long time.” And his dad? He started working for his grandfather at Phoenix Country Club in the 1930s and 40s “when he realized there wasn’t much money in golf at the time so he went into construction.” But after retiring, his father took a job in guest services at Hassayampa Golf Course in Prescott. “My grandfather started our family in the business in 1938 here in Arizona,” Woodward added. “So this is our 84th anniversary this year as a family involved in Arizona golf.” Although he “retired” recently as director of agronomy for the Whisper Rock Golf Club in northern Scottsdale, he's not just spending his time playing golf – a game he learned at age 8. He works as a consultant for golf courses in Arizona as well as for a dealer in John Deere lawnmowers specifically made for golf courses – jobs that he says “keep me active, keep me engaged – and keep me involved in the golf industry.” It didn’t start out that way when Woodward entered Arizona State University, though he naturally had been working for his grandfather in golf course management. He wanted to be a Major League Baseball player but learned shortly after starting ASU that “I wasn’t as good as I thought.” So, he earned a B.S. in environmental resources in agriculture, then followed it up with an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Then came a series of increasingly bigger jobs that the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame summarized at the time of his induction: “A Certified Golf Course Superintendent/Director of Agronomy (CGCS) who has over 50 years of experience in many facets of the golf industry, 45 of those in Arizona, his diverse career has included both stints as a superintendent and administrator. “As the City of San Diego’s golf operations manager in 2005, Woodward was responsible for preparing the Torrey Pines South Golf Course to host the 2008 U.S. Open, working closely with the United States Golf Association. For his efforts at Torrey Pines, Woodward was recognized by Golf Inc. Magazine as one of golf’s “Most Admired Operators” in 2006 and in
Mark Woodward, who has been appointed the special master overseeing the reconstruction of the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course, is part of a long lineage of golf course superintendents and personally has more than 50 years experience in building, restoring and maintaining greens. (Special to AFN) the Top 35 “Most Powerful People in Golf” in 2008 and 2009. “He served as CEO of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America (GCSAA) from 2008 through 2010, and was a senior vice president of operations for Scottsdale, Ariz.-based OB Sports Golf Management from 2013 through 2017. Woodward served on the Cactus and Pine Golf Course Superintendents Association board of directors on three separate occasions dating back to the 1980s, and cur-
rently serves as president.” To those plaudits, Woodward replied: “I was extremely humbled and taken a little off-guard to be selected for this honor. By far, the most rewarding part of my career in golf has been all the inspirational people I’ve met and worked with. They are the true foundation of the golf industry.” When he took the job as golf operations manager for the city of San Diego in 2005, he recalled, it was a daunting but exhilarating task to bring Torrey Pines and two
Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course is half-open for play but it will be up to Mark Woodward to ensure that it is completed to the satisfaction of homeowners and, ultimately, Superior Court Judge Sara Agne, who is presiding over what could be the final stage in nine years of litigation over the 18-hole executive course. (Tom Sanfilippo/Inside Out Aerial)
other municipal courses up to snuff. “We had a ton of challenges politically, we had financial challenges,” Woodward said. “I had to write a business plan that was very controversial. But it ended up being very, very successful in bringing money to the city of San Diego.” “So I hosted three Buick invitationals, and three Junior Worlds and the U.S. Open (in 2008) when I was there, but we had a long way to go. It took us three and a half years to get that golf course in world class condition.” As challenging as that assignment was – “because it was on a worldwide stage” – his next was no piece of cake. He became CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the official group of golf course superintendents and directors of agronomy with 19,000 members from 22 countries and a budget of about $20 million. He was at the helm when the Great Recession hit and as golf course revenues sagged, so too did the association’s income. “I had to lay off 34 staff members to balance the budget. We had a lot of financial struggle,” Woodward explained. “So that was a challenging time in a different way because I was dealing with association management and not golf course management.” Of course, Woodward has played courses around the world, further sharpening his eye for what works and what makes superior links. “I’ve played in the United States, obviously. Canada, I played it. I played in Malaysia, I played in China. I played in Europe,” he said, recalling with fondness the time he played St. Andrew’s Golf Course in Scotland, where the game was invented, with his father and his son. “That was a real special treat because that’s where golf originated years ago and it’s a great golf course,” he said. “It’s a different golf course from what we have here in the United States, but it’s kind of on your bucket list that you want to play golf courses like that. But having my father and my son with me made that really special.” He admitted that when he plays, he sees a course in a somewhat different light from even an avid player because “we understand what the guys are going through maintaining any particular golf course and we appreciate the effort that he puts out.”
see LAKES page 6
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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LAKES from page 4
“Every golf course in its own right is different than the others. There’s no two that are alike and that’s kind of how we look at it.” Woodward said he’s “looked at” Ahwatukee Lakes – but only as a result of driving by it a few times. And amid all the doom and gloom about the sport’s future, Woodward says that the best thing to happen to golf in the last 10 years has been COVID-19 – an assertion many golf course owners, including Lakes owner Wilson Gee, endorse. “Back in the 80s and 90s,” Woodward explained, “we were opening about 400 golf courses each year – so more than one golf course a day. Now that trend shifted when the economy went bad and golf courses start closing. And they were closing to the tune of about 150 or 160 a year across the United States.
GOT NEWS?
“So the best thing that happened to golf recently, believe it or not, is the pandemic because there was nothing else for golfers to do. They couldn’t go to movies originally, they couldn’t go to bars and restaurants and all that stuff. But they could play on golf courses because golf was viewed as an essential activity.” “Every golf course I’ve ever talked to, the rounds increased anywhere from 15%, 20% all the way up to 30% or 40% from the previous year….But the question is: is that sustainable? How long is that going to last? I don’t think the numbers will go back down to pre-pandemic numbers because a lot of people got exposed to golf during the pandemic that may not have gotten exposed to it otherwise.” “So I think all of that was good for golf. And it gave golf a boost and everybody’s making a lot of money and there’s a lot of rounds and all golf courses are busy right now.” ■
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Republican Senate OKs voucher expansion BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
S
tate senators voted Wednesday to make more taxpayer dollars available to more parents to send their children to private and parochial schools. The 16-12 vote came over the objections of Democrats, who said SB 1657 is built on the fallacy that the vast expansion of the voucher program is designed to help students from poor families. They pointed out that much of what is proposed by Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, has no income caps. Boyer acknowledged that the measure would grant automatic vouchers to children of first responders and first-line health care workers. And it would also make vouchers available to any student living in the boundaries of a Title I school – those serving a large percentage of lowincome children – regardless of their own financial status. Still, he said, it would provide a “lifeline’’ to students in schools that are not meeting the needs of students.
480-706-7234 ! LD O S
But Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales, D-Tucson, said that ignores the fact that even many students who come from poor families really won’t be able to take advantage of the $7,000 vouchers and not just because the tuition at many private schools is higher than that. Gonzales said those in rural areas simply don’t have the option of a nearby private school. Then there’s the transportation issue. “This doesn’t work for families that are working two jobs, sometimes three jobs, just to keep food on the table and a roof over their families’ head,’’ Gonzales said, parents who lack the time to drive a child to a private or parochial school. “They can’t just hop on a city bus,’’ added Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale. And then there’s the fact that these private schools need not take all applicants. “Eligibility does not equate to the ability to use it,’’ he said. More to the point, Quezada said, the “choice’’ in this program is not for parents but for the schools who get to pick and choose who to admit. “It’s not our kids with disabilities, it’s
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need to expand it?’’ he asked. What most Arizonans want is subject to debate. A prior bid by the Republican controlled legislature to vastly expand the voucher system was rejected by voters in 2018. But Boyer said that was because some voucher supporters feared that ratifying what lawmakers had approved would impose a permanent limit on how many could be provided in the future. And he cited polls he said show strong support for what he is proposing. Quezada said he sees vouchers as a method of promoting segregation, with the parents of some students who have the means to be able to take advantage of them moving their children to private schools. Boyer called that contention “preposterous,’’ arguing that vouchers are just the reverse in providing parents and their children alternatives to neighborhood schools. “Assigning families to inferior schools based upon their home address is true segregation,’’ Boyer said.■
Ahwatukee’s #1 Team for Over 30 Years 7BR / 4.5 BA / 8,873 SQFT
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not our kids with discipline issues, it’s not our kids that are behind in their classes,’’ Quezada said. “They’re going to pick the kids that are easier and cheaper to educate and so that will raise their scores and make them look like a high-performing school.’’ But Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, said the opposition to making more vouchers available ignores what already is happening. “Parents are not walking away from public schools,’’ he said. “They are absolutely running.’’ He said that’s why already existing law provides vouchers for students attending schools that are rated D or F. Foes of the measure argued the solution is spending the money to fix schools with low academic achievement. But Leach said that often is fought as school boards call it an issue of “local control.’’ Ultimately, he said, there’s nothing wrong with the state providing funds so parents have more choices. Quezada said Leach’s arguments undermine the need for more vouchers. “If it’s happening already, why do we
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Violent crime increase higher in Arizona than nation BY EMILY SACIA Cronkite News
W
ASHINGTON – Violent crime rates in Arizona rose faster and remained higher than the national rate in recent years, according to the latest data from the FBI. Violent crime – which includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault – rose 4.6% in the U.S. between 2019 and 2020, to a rate of 398.5 crimes per 100,000 people in 2020. The rate in Arizona climbed 8.6% to 484.8 per 100,000 in the same period, according to data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer. To address that surge, lawmakers on Wednesday called for action on a bipartisan bill that would allocate $100 million a year for the next decade to support police agencies and increase assistance to victims and their families, which Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Sedona, called a “step in the right direction.” “We cannot afford to disinvest, we have to continue to invest in our officers in our society,” said O’Halleran, a former Chicago police officer. “Because when we invest in training, and support of our officers, we invest in the community and the safety of those within our community.”
This chart shows the stark difference between the increase in violent crime in Arizona versus the nation at large. (FBI) O’Halleran joined other House members and representatives of police organizations on Capitol Hill to push for the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods ACT, which aims to improve clearance rates for homicides and other shootings. The VICTIM Act would require the Justice Department to administer a grant program for local police agencies that would allow departments to hire and retain police officers – particularly homicide detectives – provide training and equipment. It calls for officers to be trained to ad-
dress the needs of victims and their families, and it requires sufficient funding and staffing for victim services, including relocation, counseling, funeral expenses, lost wages and more. Andy Edmiston, director of government affairs for the National Association of Police Organizations, said the funding is needed to help underfunded departments battle the surge in violent crime. “Homicide rates has jumped nearly 40%,” Edmiston said. “Police departments across the country are fighting to contain this increase in violent crime but they are under-
that cat – to allow the procedure. The legislation, crafted by Rep. Amish Shah, D-Phoenix, is being advanced by some animal rights groups. Dr. Steve Hansen, president of the Arizona Humane Society and a veterinarian, said when he first graduated from medical school he declawed cats when requested by owners. But he told lawmakers that was before he got to see the effect it had on the animals. Hansen said the reason the declawing process involves amputation of the last third of the finger at the joint is that the alternative of removing the claw itself is largely ineffective. “It’s likely to regrow’’ in many circumstances “and cause the cat great discomfort walking and great pain.’’ But Colleen Bell provided a different perspective. She told committee members about
Salem, who belonged to her mother, Jan Dougherty. Bell said the cat would jump on her mother’s lap and scratch her, “not out of meanness but just because she wouldn’t retract her claws quickly enough for the landing.’’ Bell said it was a doctor treating her mom for a cut who suggested having the cat declawed to avoid future injuries. “Taking away the declaw option would have been an emotional nightmare for numerous families as well as my own,’’ she said. The alternative, Bell said, would be having to surrender the animal. “I saw the comfort Salem gave her in the last days of her life,’’ Bell said of her mother. “And it was priceless.” Hansen, however, said that some cats, reacting to the lack of claws to defend themselves, will instead turn to biting. “And cat bites are much more serious than cat scratches,’’ he said. Anyway, Han-
staffed, under-resourced and struggling to hire and retain good, qualified officers.” Sgt. Hector Encinas, spokesperson for the Tempe Police Department, said he is not familiar with specifics of the bill, but that “any type of support, financially or otherwise is good, it helps us do our job.” “What’s today’s issues may not be next year’s issues, but if there’s money and training available … we can respond much more effectively,” Encinas said. The FBI data has drawbacks: Not every police department in the country – or the state – provides information to the voluntary Uniform Crime Reporting system, and the FBI attempts to fill in blanks for those which do not. But the report has the advantage of building on decades of data from across the country. According to the FBI, the national rate of 398.5 violent crimes for every 100,000 Americans in 2020 was the most since 2010, when the rate stood at 404.5. Arizona’s 2020 rate of 484.8 violent crimes per 100,000 was the second-highest for the state in that decade, exceeded only by 2017’s rate of 505.7 crimes. 2020 was the last full year for which data are available from the FBI.
see VIOLENT CRIME page 16
State House moves toward ban on declawing cats BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
A
House panel voted to make the routine declawing of cats in Arizona illegal after the chairman of the committee called it “gruesome and unnecessary.’’ The 10-3 vote came after the testimony of several veterinarians who told members of the Government and Elections Committee that the practice, once considered routine, is unnecessary. More to the point, they provided in some graphic detail that this is more than removing a nail. Instead, they noted, it actually involves amputating part of each of the fingers on a cat’s paws. And the majority of lawmakers on the panel said they were unconvinced by claims that sometimes it is in the interest of the cat – and an owner’s ability to keep
sen said, there are other options, like trimming the cat’s nails. The measure also got support from Dr. Jennifer Conrad, also a veterinarian and founder of The Paws Project, which she describes as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to ending declawing. “Cats no longer have to suffer the 10 to 18 or more amputations that are totally unnecessary to manage a cat,’’ she said. And she said a majority of people support a ban. “I would argue that’s probably not true,’’ said Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek. “Every cat owner that I’ve ever known has gotten their cats declawed because they don’t want to have to deal with scratches and things like that,’’ he said. “They don’t want to deal with scratches on furniture, they don’t want to deal with
see CATS page 16
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
13
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN WARNING! Our clinic is taking every precaution and we follow strict CDC guidelines to ensure that our patients, clinic and staff are SAFE! Mesa, AZ — The most common method your doctor will recommend to treat your chronic pain and/or neuropathy is with prescription drugs that may temporarily reduce your symptoms. These drugs have names such as Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin, and are primarily antidepressant or anti-seizure drugs. These drugs may cause you to feel uncomfortable and have a variety of harmful side effects. Chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and the most debilitating balance problems. This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which causes the nerves to begin to degenerate due to lack of nutrient flow.
determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. As long as you have not sustained at least 95% nerve damage there is hope!
Fig. 2
NOTE: Once you have sustained 95% nerve loss, there is likely nothing that we can do for you. 3) How much treatment will your condition require?
Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage as a public service to you and/or your family and friends. This neuropathy/ pain severity examination will consist of a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and a detailed analysis of the findings of your neuropathy.
The treatment that is provided at Aspen Medical has three main goals. 1) Increase blood flow 2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves 3) Decrease brain-based pain The treatment to increase blood flow, stimulate small nerve fibers and get you back to health is our new $50,000.00 SANEXAS UNIT!
As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms. The main problem is that your doctor has told you to just live with the problem or try the drugs which you don’t like taking because they make you feel uncomfortable. There is now a facility right here in Mesa that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects. (See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined. 1) What is the underlying cause? 2) How much nerve damage has been sustained.
In addition, we use a state-of-the-art diagnostics like the TM Flow diagnostic unit to accurately determine the increase in blood flow and a small skin biopsy to accurately determine the increase in small nerve fibers! The Sanexas electric cell signaling system delivers energy to the affected area of your body at varying wavelengths, including both low-frequency and middle-frequency signals. It also uses amplitude modulated (AM) and frequency modulated (FM) signaling. During a treatment session, the Sanexas system automatically changes to simultaneously deliver AM and FM electric cell signal energy. THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT SANEXAS IS COVERED BY MEDICARE AND MOST INSURANCE! Depending on your coverage, your treatment could be little to no cost to you! The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be
Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until February 28, 2022. Call 480274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated. Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-274-3157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.
480-274-3157 4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa Az 85206
NEWS
14
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
FUNDING from page 3
champions was Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, DChandler, who told colleagues there was no reason for them to refuse the one-time waiver. “The override is a temporary fix that will allow schools to spend the money they have already been allocated,’’ she said. She said it simply recognizes – as has the Legislature at least twice before – that the aggregate expenditure limit approved by voters in 1980 needs to be waived in certain circumstances. Kyrene Chief Financial Officer Chris Hermann told the Governing Board two weeks ago that Kyrene would have to cut $17.6 million – about 16% of its current operating budget – if a waiver is not approved. Calling that “a very sizable and significant amount,” Hermann stressed, “Kyrene’s position is to minimize the impact in the classroom and continue to op-
erate schools through the end of the year. In order to do this, it would require a significant and difficult set of cost reductions in other areas across the district in order to meet the $17.6 million amount.” House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, echoed the sentiment that the action should have been routine. “Every year or other there’s some issue that is politicized,’’ he said. “No one ever said that the schools were doing something wrong.’’ The delay in acting, Bowers said, was to make sure that the waiver did not affect other issues, like the fate of Proposition 208, a voter-approved measure that sought to raise an extra more than $800 million for K-12 education through a surcharge on the incomes of the most wealthy. In an earlier ruling the Arizona Supreme Court said the funds cannot be collected if they would force schools to exceed the expenditure cap. Bowers noted, though, that issue is about the 2022-2023 school
year; Tuesday’s vote is about the current school year. Fann needed at least six of the remaining 15 Republicans to go along because it takes a two-thirds vote of both chambers even for a one-year waiver of the expenditure cap. And there currently are only 13 Democrats in the Senate, with Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tucson, not having been present since the beginning of the session. But senators on both sides of the aisle who voted for the waiver said this issue will continue to haunt school districts next year, when the cap could cost them even more than $1.1 billion. While Democrats said the cap should be eliminated, Republican senators questioned school spending. The limit was imposed by voters in 1980 as part of a multi-pronged effort to curb government spending. It set a baseline of total K-12 expenses, with annual adjustments for both inflation and student growth.
That growth figure, however, is based on attendance in the prior school year. And the COVID outbreak resulted in many students not attending classes. Complicating matters is a 0.6-cent sales tax first approved by voters in 2000 to supplement teacher salaries. The original 20-year measure put those revenues outside the expenditure cap. But when lawmakers approved an extension through 2041 they did not include the same exemption. That action alone amounts for more than $600 million of the excess. Education officials have said the failure of lawmakers to waive the limit by March 1 means each and every school district will need to trim about 16% of what they budgeted for the entire school year. The cuts would have needed to be made in just three months, a move that could have resulted in having to lay off teachers and consolidate classes. AFN contributed to this report. ■
GOT NEWS?
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Lawmakers subtract algebra 2 from course mandate BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
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hen was the last time you had to deal with logarithmic expressions? Worked with polynomials and radical expressions? Had to work out probability? They’re all part of what is generally considered algebra 2, one of the courses that Arizona high schoolers are required to take and pass. They also are things that a majority of state House members do not think all students here need to know – or take that class – to get a diploma. The 33-26 vote to quash the requirement this past week came a proposal by Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction. It would keep the obligation that students need four years of high school math. But it would instruct the state Board of Education to come up an alternative to algebra 2, with options including personal finance, computer science, statistics or business math. Fillmore said it is a recognition that
VIOLENT CRIME from page 12
The bipartisan bill has 30 co-sponsors, including O’Halleran and Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix. Its backers bristled when asked whether the bill clashes with the belief by some that Democrats are more interested in defunding the police than directing funds their way. “When we talk to communities, particu-
CATS from page 12
scratches on themselves.’’ Wayne Anderson, who said he is a retired veterinarian, complained that the measure lacks needed exceptions and said the procedure of amputating the end of the digit is not as traumatic as others have said, calling the language about cutting the toes off “very inflammatory.’’ The measure also drew opposition from
the current requirements are not for everyone. What they need he said, are more practical skills. That, he said, includes the ability to amortize a loan, computing out the length of time to pay off a loan dependent on monthly payments and interest rates. It also means being able to do the kind of math necessary to be a good shopper, “understanding that sometimes 60% off an item in a retail store still may not be a good deal.’’ The measure has its share of detractors. Richard Nickel is president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona. That is the outgrowth of other organizations like Achieve 60, established years ago with the goal of ensuring that 60% of Arizona high school graduates went on to something more, whether university, community college or even trade school – a goal that the state has yet to reach. “The bill creates inequities that the state has been working hard to eliminate over the past decade by lowering expectations,’’ he told lawmakers during a hearing on the measure in the House Education
larly those in some of the most high-crime areas, they will say, ‘No, we don’t want to defund the police, we want to fund the police,’” said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., and lead sponsor of the bill. “We don’t want to see less police, we want to see more police.” That was echoed by Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who said that if “you take a survey among the Democratic Congress members, most people are not saying defund
Susie Stevens who lobbies for the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. She said cat owners are informed of the risks and benefits of the procedure before agreeing to do it. And that, Stevens said, goes to the point that this is about the desires of the owner. “The client’s decision is really what this needs to be about,’’ she said. Rep. Frank Carroll, R-Sun City West, said that point is important.
Committee. The result, Nickel said, would be to create separate “tracks’’ for students who want the opportunity for something beyond high school and those who do not – a move he said would disproportionately impact minority students “and those who may be the first in their family to have an aspiration of post-secondary.’’ Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, who chairs the panel, acknowledged there already is an alternative: Students who fail algebra 2 can ask for a “personal curriculum.’’ But she told colleagues that becomes a bit of a game, with students purposely failing the first semester of algebra 2 to be able to get that option. HB 2278, Udall said, is a better way to go. “It allows us to immediately engage them in math that they’re going to find more useful and more relevant to their own life -- and hopefully as rigorous but that is in a field that they’re going to use,’’ she said. It was Udall who took the lead this past week when the measure came to the full House. And to prove her point that what’s in algebra 2 isn’t for everyone, Udall decid-
the police.” The bill has not moved since being introduced in October and assigned to the Judiciary Committee. But Demings said she is confident, as the bill’s sponsors are “laser-focused” on getting it passed. “This bill has bipartisan support and you better believe we’re going to work with leadership and everybody that we can to get this bill … signed into law,”
“Cats are not citizens,’’ he said. “They’re actually the property and responsibility of their owners.’’ But Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that doesn’t preclude the need for the legislation. “Gruesome and unnecessary,’’ he said of the procedure. “That really just sums it all up.’’ He also noted the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control does not advise declawing as a method of preventing cat
GOT NEWS?
ed to tell other lawmakers what are some of the standards for the course. “Identify zeroes of polynomials when suitable factorizations are available and use the zeros to construct a rough draft of the function defined by the polynomial,’’ she read from the list. “Focus on quadratic, cubic and quartic polynomials, including polynomials for which factors are not provided.’’ She offered to keep reading but said they would make no sense to most people “because they’re not things we use on a daily basis.’’ What students do need, Udall said, are things like common sense, logic and reasoning. Most House Democrats opposed the move. But Rep. Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe, who said she loves math and uses the things taught in algebra 2 said she’s also a realist. “I also know how that can turn people off to math,’’ she said. And Epstein said it comes down to having not just rigorous math but also relevant math. “And currently our standards are not achieving relevant math,’’ she said.. ■
she said. O’Halleran said he is optimistic, even though the bill is not an “end-fix” to Arizona’s increasing violent crime rate. “Our citizens need to be protected. Our officers need to be protected,” he said. “That goes with training, picking out the right officers, making sure we have followthrough and the investment in our society that this Congress should be doing.”■ scratch disease, which is a viral infection. Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, said she shares the sentiment. “It’s cruel and inhumane,’’ she said. Martinez said that owners concerned about scratching should pursue other options “even if it is a little more expensive, even if it is a little more difficult with trainers and people who are able to help with the grooming.’’ The legislation now requires a vote of the full House. ■
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
DRONES from page 1
gations and support major planned/unplanned events.” Executive Assistant Police Chief Michael Kurtenbach cited one example where a drone – borrowed from Glendale PD – was critical to saving officers lives: The Feb. 11 shooting of nine Phoenix officers who were ambushed by a crazed gunman who used a baby to lure them within shooting range. One officer said the drone helped police to look inside the shooter’s home during the siege and locate the gunman “without putting any officers in unnecessary danger.” “If Glendale had limited resources at 2:20 in the morning when I received the call” and its drone was not available to Phoenix Police, Kurtenbach said, “then they’re going to be beholden to their citizens. So it could be an hour, it could be two hours, but I’m just here to tell you and every member of the Council, everybody who’s listening, this is a time where seconds and minutes matter.” The Phoenix Fire Department already has been authorized by Council to develop a drone program and the Parks Department also wants one. But DiCiccio, Garcia, and Betty Guardado opposed doing anything until Council could adopt a policy for the use of drones that included input from citizens and a constitutional lawyer as well as Council itself. But others, including Mayor Kate Gallego, noted that it would be at least six months before the Police Department could even buy the drones because they needed to research and find the best devices and technology. To wait until a policy was drawn, they said, would delay movement on an issue that already has been around at City Hall for seven years without action. Over 1,500 public safety agencies across the country utilize drones and 1,103 of those agencies are law enforcement,” according to Barton’s memo. At least 36 police agencies in Arizona use them. “The Tactical Support Unit will utilize this technology during high-risk tactical incidents, where on-scene intelligence is crucial to the safety of department personnel,” he said, citing the ability to use drones “to gather aerial intelligence or determine a suspect’s location significantly reduces risk and exposure of a tactical op-
The Los Angeles Police Department is among more than 1,000 police agencies in the U.S. that use drones for in a variety of situations. (Courtesy Los Angeles Daily News)
erator having to be placed in harm’s way to collect similar intelligence. “Application of this technology also improves suspect safety as it provides visual capabilities allowing tactical operators to communicate with the suspect prior to contact, minimizing direct confrontation during high-risk, high-stress encounters,” he continued. “Direct communication can be used to provide specific instructions to the suspect and to facilitate de-escalation efforts and hazard avoidance.” Barton also spelled out the many uses police can put drones to: “The Violent Crimes Bureau (Homicide Unit), Vehicular Crimes Unit, and the Laboratory Services Bureau will utilize this technology to enable investigators to conduct high definition photography, videography, and crime scene mapping; increasing efficiency and accuracy in evidence collection and crime scene management. “Application of (drone) technology will enable investigators to conduct crime scene mapping in most cases in about 8-10 minutes, with larger more complex scenes taking approximately 25 minutes based on individual crime scene dynamics. This represents a time savings of ap-
proximately 40-60 percent as compared to the current conventional methodology. “The Homeland Defense Bureau will deploy this technology as a real-time aerial platform in support of major planned/unplanned events or significant incidents.” He said not funding a drone program would create “an increased risk for tactical operators while the lack of real-time intelligence can adversely impact operational decision-making in the field; diminishes the command and controlled decisionmaking for the deployment of resources and personnel during high-profile events; and the ability for the department’s Homicide Unit, Vehicular Crimes Unit, and the Laboratory Services Bureau to utilize this technology to provide a wide variety of investigative support tools that adversely impact their ability to conduct aerial photography, videography, crime scene mapping, and reconstruction as a substantial component to crime scene management.” He called the use of drones in investigations the “gold standard” and “a significant time saver for detectives on scene and reduces the amount of time spent on scene and impacts the public by shortening road closure times due to on-scene in-
vestigations.” The opponents of letting Phoenix PD begin the long process of researching and procuring drones now did not dispute Barton’s explanation. Rather, they argued that a policy protecting citizens from an undue invasion of privacy should first be in place rather than let the department go forward while such a policy was formulated. DiCiccio said the reason why the city has not moved forward in seven years on drone technology was because prior councils “could never put together a policy protected the civil rights of individuals - that’s why. It’s as simple as that. “At some point, it reached the point where they couldn’t protect the civil liberties of individuals,” he said. “That’s really what happened.” He also said it was his understanding that the a drone program is “being rushed by a couple individuals” and “that tells me this thing has not been vetted. Third, I’ve heard this before at the national level: ‘Vote for it. We’ll play with it after you vote on it.’ Because that’s essentially
see DRONES page 20
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
DRONES from page 18
what we’re doing here. The debate is not about the timing, but really about voting on something that we don’t even know what’s in it.” Citizens who called into the meeting also were split, with some noting that the U.S. Justice Department is currently investigating alleged civil rights abuses by Phoenix PD and that the department could not be trusted with the potential intrusive nature of drones. But others said that while civil rights need protection, so do the lives of officers and civilians. Mary Crozier, president of the North Central Phoenix Homeowners Association, noted the department is “grossly understaffed… crime is way up, response times are very long and sometimes nonexistent. These problems will not be fixed overnight with the irresponsible movement to defund police and the disgusting disrespect to the men and women in uniform.”
to utilize drones while it struggles to shore up the police department’s dwindling ranks. She cited the ambush where the nine officers were wounded as well as the slaying of a police captain several years ago in her neighborhood. “When is enough enough?,” O’Brien asked. “We’re not asking for us to give up on all of our rights to privacy. I’m asking us to take bold action to prove drones for our police department so that they have the resources they need.” Gallego agreed, saying, “I could not agree more with you. “We have a chance to invest in technology that could help protect our officers. It is so hard to meet with a spouse or a partner or a parent of one of our officers who have been injured or even worse in the line of duty. We want to be able to say that we’ve invested in technology to give them the best information possible when they’re going into dangerous situations.”■
Phoenix Police are not looking for weaponized drones but rather devices with powerful cameras that can provide them more reliable intelligence in various situations, from armed standoffs to riots. (Dallas Police) Lt. Ben Leuschner, president of the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association, said the technology “is about keeping our officers safe. “As to the concerns expressed by some about how this technology may be used in
some nefarious way by the government,” Leuschner said, “this is a red herring. Because this argument could be applied to every technology we currently use.” Councilwoman Ann O’Brien said that by moving now, the city might be able
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NEWS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Tempe Union lifts its mask mandate
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
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GOT NEWS?
Coming soon: a better Valley.
24th St
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empe Union students returned from the long holiday weekend yesterday, Feb. 22, with the ability to see their classmates’ faces for the first time since the school year began. The district last week lifted its mask mandate, High School District today announced it is lifting its mask mandate, effective yesterday, stating the latest available data on COVID-19 transmission levels were trending “in a favorable position.” The announcement within hours after the county health department released data that showed virus transmission levels continuing a month-long free-fall, though they still remain in the “high transmission” category.” That data showed cases per 100,000 people within district boundaries dropped from 520 to 258 and the percentage of new positive test results fell from 23.8% to 14.7%. It was the fourth consecutive week that levels had fallen. “Some of our families will choose to wear masks indoors and some of our families will not. At this time, both scenarios are appropriate and both scenarios need to be honored,” Superintendent Kevin Mendivil said as Tempe Union became the last East Valley school district to drop its mask mandate. Most of Tempe Union’s neighbors, which include three of the state’s five largest school districts, have had an optional mask police since the school year began. Kyrene made masks optional ef-
fective Feb. 14. As is the case with Kyrene, students must wear masks on Tempe Union buses because they are under a federal mask mandate. But the lingering effect of the mask mandate for both districts is the potential loss of a total $8 million in pandemic relief – $5.2 million for Kyrene and $2.8 million for Tempe Union – that Gov. Doug Ducey withheld in September as punishment for beginning the school year with the requirement. Ducey said at the time that districts with mandates for violating a law the Legislature passed in the waning days of its 2021 session – and that was subsequently ruled unconstitutional by the Arizona State Supreme Court. While the Biden administration has threatened to demand that Arizona return all the $163 million in funding that Kyrene and Tempe Union were expecting to share in, the governor filed a preemptive strike on Jan. 21 by asking federal court to rule he had done nothing wrong in withholding funding from districts with mask mandates. Little has been done with that case, according to the docket. Currently, the Ducey administration is fighting a request by the U.S. Justice Department that the case be assigned to U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa, who last year ruled against Ducey’s proposed use of federal relief to offset a ing Freeway Existmoney s ne La V pandemic-related loss in tax s 2 HO nerevenue. Purpose La +6 General Lanesis appealing The Ducey administration +Auxiliary V Lane 1 HOof Humetewa’s dismissal the case. e Lanes ■ Purpos +4 General
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COMMUNITY
Community
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
@AhwatukeeFN |
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Pecos recycling event helps nature and teachers BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor
T
ime to clean out those closets and garages: Keep Phoenix Beautiful is hosting one of its massive “I Recycle Phoenix” drop-off events. During the event, 7 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 26, at Pecos Park, organizers hope to unload anywhere from 800 to 1,400 cars and keep an untold number of pounds of old junk out of landfills. They’re accepting a huge range of items such as clothing, books, toys and household goods as well as donations of school supplies and non-perishable food and hygiene items for other local nonprofits. Also, Security Document Destruction will accept up to five banker boxes of documents for shredding. “We put all these different vendors together who repurpose stuff to keep it out of the landfill and give it a second life or
Keep Phoenix Beautiful, which hosts four to five community recycling events a year. “We’ve probably kept about a million pounds out of the landfill since we started this.” Items that will not be accepted inKeep Phoenix Beautiful estimates its recycling events, including one in Pecos clude CRT Park this Saturday, has kept millions of pounds of waste out of landfills. (CourTVs and montesy Keep Phoenix Beautiful) itors, singleharvest materials that can be used again,” use batteries, fluorescent tubes, light said Tom Waldeck, president and CEO of bulbs, and household hazardous waste
such as paint, tires and chemicals. However, Westech Recyclers will be on hand to take old electronics. “They take out anything with value and repurpose it,” Waldeck noted. If a laptop can be reused, they’ll scrub the hard drive and donate it to a school, for example. Waldeck said they’ve been seeing an uptick in this area as people upgrade their technology, particularly due to the increase in working and studying from home during the pandemic. This is a contactless event. “We ask them to pop their trunk and we’ll pull things out of their trunk and take it for them so they don’t even have to get out of their car,” Waldeck said. Some of the items collected will be repurposed and sold at the Tempe thrift shop benefiting Treasures 4 Teachers, which also runs a low-cost store for school
Ahwatukee spelling champs heading to state bee AFN NEWS STAFF
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wo Ahwatukee schools have fielded the top two winners of their region’s spelling bee and are now advancing to next month’s showdown for the state champ. Vibhav “Vi” Athreya, a 7th grade student at BASIS Ahwatukee, took first place in the Maricopa County Region 1 Bee and Olivia Vaughan, 7th grade student of Saint John Bosco Catholic School in Ahwatukee placed second. They bested 27 other spellers and went 12 rounds before Vibhav was declared the winner with the word “buttressed.” Olivia stumbled on the word “coquetry.” Both youngsters are now preparing for the March 19 Arizona Spell-
ing Bee at Madison Center for the Arts in Phoenix for the chance to represent the state in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland, which will air live on two of America’s most popular broadcast television networks, making it accessible to the widest audience in its nearly 100-year history. The 2022 national competition on June 2 will mark a new chapter for the National Spelling Bee as it makes its primetime debut on ION and Bounce, available free and over-the-air to viewers as well as on cable and streaming. ION, the No. 5 most-watched entertainment network in primetime, and Bounce, America’s first and No. 2 most-watched African American-focused overthe-air network, are each avail-
able in nearly 120 million households across the country. The Bee is the nation’s longestrunning educational competition, having launched in 1925, and has aired on ESPN platforms since 1994. The E.W. Scripps Company owns ION and Bounce. Vi said that to prepare for the regional bee, “I studied the Words of Champions list that were given to me by Scripps Spelling Bee. I studied the roots that are in English words that come from different languages.” And he’ll be doing the same thing to prepare for next month’s contest. “I am not going to do anything differently,” he said. “This is business as usual. I feel cool, calm, and
see RECYLE page 25
Standing front and center are Maricopa County Region 1 Spelling bee
see BEE page 27 winners Vibhav Athreya and Olivia Vaughan. (Courtesy Cindy Casaus)
COMMUNITY
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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Ahwatukee seniors can apply for ARW scholarship AFN NEWS STAFF
A
s Ahwatukee high school seniors begin homing in on post-graduation plans, Ahwatukee Republican Women hope they remember to apply for their annual Marjorie Miner Scholarship. The scholarship was established in 2011 in honor of the longtime Republican activist – who has been a member of ARW since it was founded in 2005. Applicants must live in Ahwatukee and be registered Republicans and the deadline is April 30. Marjorie (White) Miner became politically active in 1936 at age 9 when she supported the candidacy of Republican Alfred Landon, who was running against Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt. At 21, she registered to vote as a Republican and has voted Republican in every election. She has been a block worker, election judge and has chaired several Republican committees, including the Idaho State Republican Committee. At one point, she was the only woman in the continental U.S. to be a state chairman and also serve on the National Executive Committee. She participated in a goodwill trip behind
RECYCLE from page 24
and art supplies solely for members who provide education. The group also is asking for donations of pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, dry erase markers and Post-It Notes. Treasure for Teachers Executive Director Barbara Blalock of Ahwatukee founded the group out of her garage in 2003 and now annually serves about 4,000 teachers and 120,000 students. Blalock began collecting donations when she was a regional preschool director for the YMCA trying to get accreditation for 13 sites statewide through the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She needed to set up binders for policies and procedures, but there was no money for these basic needs. Seeking supplies, Blalock approached Intel, which “catapulted the organization by taking us under their wing,” she recalled. They provided not only supplies, but also financial donations, volunteers
Miner also was a delegate to the 1972 Republican National convention in Miami, serving on the platform and rules committees. She was also a Reagan delegate to the 1976 Republican National convention in Kansas City and was a participant at the Institute of Politics Conference of State Party Chairmen at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University. During the Reagan Administration, she lived in Washington, D.C., and worked in the office of Idaho Sen. Steve Symms. After moving to Arizona, Miner served as president of the Tempe Republican Ahwatukee Republican Women named their annual schol- Women’s club, worked at arship after Marjorie Miner, a long-time Republican activist. election polls for numerous (AFN file photo) elections and has been a the Iron Curtain, which included trips to precinct committeewoman for 24 years. Past recipients of the scholarship have West and East Berlin, Poland, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Hungary and Romania. The been Desert Vista High grads Lacey Morris group also visited Vienna, Austria and Paris. (2011), Allyson Marie Kolodziej (2012), Miner also ran for a Senate seat in the Idaho Tess Marie Kimura (2013) and Jessica Marie Kolodziej (2014; Mountain Pointe High State Legislature but lost her election.
and Treasures 4 Teachers’ first board chair. Contacts at Intel led to donors at other companies. Blalock began to help other teachers who were spending their own money for classroom supplies. “Most teachers tell us when they start the school year, they’re offered one ream of paper,” she remarked, “and after that, they have to figure it out themselves.” Now, Staples donates on average 20 pallets a month of supplies, much of it paper. I Recycle Phoenix also is seeking donations of gently used bicycles and parts for Bike Saviours Bicycle Collective in Tempe and non-perishable food, hygiene products and gently used clothing for Nourish Phoenix Food and Clothing Bank. Keep Phoenix Beautiful is a nonprofit with a staff of seven and an intern devoted to improving quality of life in communities by fighting littering, promoting recycling and other beautification and education efforts. It began in 1982 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The group is a local arm of Keep America
Beautiful, which was founded in 1953 by several large corporations to combat litter “when everyone was driving down the street throwing things out the windows,” Waldeck noted. “Recycling became a big part of our national organization about 15 years ago,” Waldeck continued. “We were in schools already with litter education, so the recycling part of it was a natural.” They also plant trees and run and consult on community gardens. Keep Phoenix Beautiful gets about half of its $500,000 annual budget from the City of Phoenix Public Works Department and the rest mostly from corporate donors and foundations. In addition to partnering on I Recycle Phoenix events, Keep Phoenix Beautiful and Treasures 4 Teachers are planning for next year’s Super Bowl, which will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The last time the big game was here, the two groups repurposed materials such as reusable bags, corporate logo signs and fence scrim.
grads Sonia Serio (2015) and Madison Coffman, who tied in 2016 with co-recipient Michael Kolodziej of Desert Vista. Other winners included Mountain Pointe grads Valeria Smith (2017) and Arika Patton (2018), 2019 Desert Vista grad Itzy Doyle and Corona del Sol Class of 2020 member Emma Stewart and Adam Stewart, Desert Vista Class of 2021. Scholarship applicants should include two letters of recommendation from other than a family member, a 250-500-word double-spaced essay incorporating their involvement volunteer service, extracurriculars, clubs and educational goals. Completed applications should be sent to Ahwatukee Republican Women -Marjorie Miner Scholarship c/o Scholarship Committee, PO Box 93391, Phoenix, AZ 85070. Visit ahwatukeerepublicanwomen. com/scholarships for more information and application. ■
GOT NEWS?
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com Waldeck said the shading on most of their community garden beds “have something to do with football,” and Blalock found material for art supplies and other uses. “We got something like 120,000 reusable bags; we have about two cases left,” Blalock said. “It’s taken us four years to go through them, but they’ve been the best donation ever.” She added that the group also appreciated a $10,000 donation from the Ahwatukee chapter of 100 Women Who Care, which will go toward Treasures 4 Teachers memberships for first-year teachers and extra classroom expenses. ■
I Recycle Phoenix
What: Drop-off of used items and donations; free shredding; no household waste. Where: Pecos Park (west of the community center), 17010 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee When: 7 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 26 Information: keepphxbeautiful.org/irecycle-phoenix; info@keepphxbeautiful. org; 602-262-4820.
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COMMUNITY
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Auditions Saturday for rollicking Disney musical AFN NEWS STAFF
S
o what happens at a school attended by the children of royal heroes and the offspring of some notorious villains? Youngsters have a chance to show the world this June by auditioning for Ahwatukee businesswoman and producer Kimberly Lewis’ production of “Descendants: The Musical.” Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, the new musical comedy features the notable characters and hit songs from several Disney films. It’s set in the kingdom of Au-
radon, where some of Disney’s beloved heroes and royalty are living happily ever after, safe from the terrifying villains and troublesome sidekicks they have banished to the magic-free Isle of the Lost. But then Ben, the benevolent teenage son of Belle and King Adam (The Beast), offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of the Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar and welcomes them to Auradon Prep to attend school with the children of their parents’ sworn enemies. Now entering a completely foreign world and way of life,
the four Villain Kids have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good? Lewis has scheduled auditions Saturday, Feb. 26. for her June musical and participants should bring a one-minute prepared song. Times at 9 a.m. for ages 5-7, 10 a.m. ages 8-11, 11 a.m. ages 1214 and noon, ages 15 and over. Callbacks are 2-5 p.m. Rehearsals will be June 6-24 for the June 25 performance.
Information: studio111the- Studio 111 owner Kimberly Lewis in Ahwatukee has set auditions Saturday atercompany@ gmail.com or for her June production of a Disney musical comedy called “Descendants: 480-706-6040. ■ The Musical.” (AFN file photo)
Pandemic exerting a brutal aging effect BY LAUREN AX, PA AFN Guest Writer
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he past two years has been tough on all of us mentally, but we in healthcare are just beginning to understand how much the pandemic has affected us physically. Physiologically when our bodies are under stress, they produce cortisol, a stress hormone which can negatively impact your hair, skin, nails, blood pressure, as well as increase the risk for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Studies have shown that chronic stress can significantly accelerate skin cancer growth. High cortisol levels in the body create an
Mission Africa’s 5K raising money for medical help
Mission Africa, an Ahwatukee-based nonprofit now in its 15th year, continues to raise money to fund a growing list of ventures in Sapele – many of which have already seen success. Its next fundraiser is a Faith 5K Race starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, on the west side of Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S. McQueen Road Chandler. Packet pick up and late registration is at Sole Sports off Warner and Rural roads 3-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25. There also is late registration available the day of the race from 7-7:30 a.m. at the race site. Maintaining that a good education prepares the next generation to lead, helping schools in his hometown of Sapele, Nigeria, is one of the major project
inflammatory process that can lead to a premature breakdown of collagen, abnormal fat deposition, hair loss, irritability, restless nights, and poor wound healing. These stress hormones are a big part of why you may now be noticing more lines, darker circles, increased pigmentation, a lack of firmness and elasticity and dull, dry skin. Add in the pressures of the pandemic, working from home behaviors including more blue light exposure emitted from your devices, changes in eating habits and an increase in alcohol consumption, many of us are now finding ourselves looking and feeling much older than we actually are. There are things I tell my patients to do to combat pandemic stress changes.
First, get plenty of rest, set boundaries for work at home and find time away from your laptop and other electronics. Have a dedicated workspace, set regular work hours, and stick to them. Drink plenty of water. Hydration allows for a small reduction in cortisol as well as a decrease in overall inflammation. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times per week. Even as little as 10 minutes a day of exercise can improve your cortisol levels and increases endorphins that lead to a more positive mental outlook. Don’t forget to meditate. Meditation also allows cortisol levels to drop naturally and gives the body and brain time to recoup from stress. Last, but certainly not least, use your
skin care products regularly. I always suggest applying an antioxidant in the morning like a topical vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E or similar serum, and a gentle exfoliant at night like vitamin A, Retin-A, or a scrub to wash away the day’s stressors. Doing so will support healthy collagen production and help you maintain the tone and texture of your skin. A multivitamin/mineral combination is also good during these pandemic times to support healthy vital tissues, and never, ever forget your sunscreen.
goals for Mission Africa. Many of those schools were in disrepair, from crumbling foundations to roofs falling off or gone. There were no toilets, few desks and benches, no textbooks or school supplies, no electricity. Many children who did attend were garbed in ill-fitting uniforms. Mission Africa has helped improve the educational environment for children in Sapele and now hopes to raise money for the run to send a medical team and supplies there. All participants will be entered into a raffle drawing at the finish line. For more information: missionafricaproject.org/events. Course volunteers are still needed between 6:459:15 a.m. See the website for details.
Special Ahwatukee car show slated Feb. 26
Open forum with Rep. Mitzi Epstein in Chandler
Lauren Ax, PA, is with Ahwatukee Skin & Laser at 4425 E. Agave Road in Phoenix. Information: 480-704-7546 or ahwatukeeskincare.com. ■
AROUND AHWATUKEE
The Goodman Taylor Team is holding a special Ahwatukee Car Show 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 26 at Mountain Park Church, 16461 S. 48th St., with trophies, food trucks, vendors and raffles. People can enter a raffle to win a 1963 Ford Galaxy 500 Convertible with all proceeds going to Hope for the Homeless. Big O Tires also will provide a free dynameter testing. The show is free for spectators, but they are asked to bring new blankets, socks and underwear for Help for the Homeless. Information and vehicle registration are at ahwatukeecarshow.com.
Rep. Mitzi Epstein will be available to answer questions and provide an update from the legislative session 3-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, at Desert Breeze Park, 660 N. Desert Breeze Blvd. East, Chandler. RSVP to MEForAZ1@gmail.com or 480-463-1079 for location details.
Blue Star pavers available to order for Memorial Day
An engraved commemorative paver placed at Ahwatukee’s Blue Star Memorial is the perfect way to
see AROUND page 27
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Thunder cheerleaders to vie for national title AFN NEWS STAFF
T
he Desert Vista High School Varsity Cheer Team is heading to California for a shot at a national title. The team is scheduled to leave tomorrow, Feb. 24, for the USA Spirit Nationals Competition in Anaheim, where 7,000 athletes from across the country will compete in cheer, song/pom, mascot and pep flag contests. Led by Head Coach Doni Heinze and the JV Head Coach Kira Willis, the team includes: Asiah Cottingham, Ava Franquero, Alyssa Richardson, Erin Salo, Haley Grover, Izzy Gutierrez, Kaci Danks, Kaitlyn Tetreault, Kara Dietrich, Kylie Weatherly, Lauren Tussing, Lexi Lannon, Leyna Nguyen, Lilli Schoonover, Maddie Watson, McKenna Lowe, Nadia Smith, Sarah Kim and
AROUND from page 26
honor a family member or friend who served or is currently serving in the U.S. military and the Desert Pointe Garden Club will be taking paver orders through March so they will be placed in time for Memorial Day. The Blue Star Memorial is a joint project of the Desert Pointe Garden Club and the Ahwatukee Board of Management and is located on the north side of Warner Road just west of 48th Street. Parking is available in the Board of Management lot. Pavers cost $50 without a military logo or $60 with the logo. Order forms are available at the Ahwatukee Board of Management office, 4700 E. Warner Road or at Blue-Star-Memorial-order-form-final-pdf. (az.gardenclubs.com).
Women’s health drive and candidate event slated
A Women’s Health/Hygiene Drive and Candidate Event will be held 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 26 at Desert Foothills Park, 1010 E. Marketplace SE, Ahwatukee. The public is invited to donate items needed by Go with the Flow AZ and Women4Women-Tempe, which offer invaluable support to Arizona women for their menstrual health needs. State, county and local Democratic candidates running in the 2022 election will be there to discuss women’s health. Go With the Flow Arizona provides “Period Packs” at no cost to Arizona schools. Women4WomenTempe provides feminine hygiene products to help
BEE from page 24
collected.” Olivia, the daughter of Amy Vaughan, is an avid reader. “She has broken her own record for Accelerated Reading words every school
The Desert Vista High School Cheer Team is led by Head Coach Doni Heinze, who will be assisted by JV Coach Kira Willis. (Special to AFN) Sofiya Volkova. The USA Spirit Nationals is produced
low income and homeless women. For more information, go to: gowiththeflowaz.org and women4womentempe.org. Most-needed items include sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, feminine wipes, and hand sanitizer wipes (individually wrapped). The Women’s Health/Hygiene Drive is sponsored by Ahwatukee Democrats. Call Melissa, 480-980-4689, or Dana, 602-430-0484, for more information about the drive.
Desert Pointe Garden Club slate their next meeting
Desert Pointe Garden Club’s next meeting will feature a program presented by Sierra Sun Landscaping about using ornamental grasses in home landscapes. Anyone interested in joining a garden club is invited to the meeting on March 7 at 1 p.m .at Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 East Cheyenne Drive. For information about the club call 480-759-4407 or visit Desert Pointe Garden Club – Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs (azgardenclubs.com)
by the United Spirit Association, a division of Varsity Spirit, which has become
aerobics is a cardio class that involved rhythmic movement to music utilizing a fitness bench.” “There is an early sign up on an app for members where they can pick their spot in the room but it’s not required,” said McNeish. “We start with a rhythmic floor warm up and then go into step for the remainder of the hour. I like to tell the class that it’s like running a 10K in comparison but harder because we are moving in different ways and utilizing a bench. Because there is choreography we have to use our brain too… What I love the most is that with step class you have to stay engaged mentally for the whole hour so it goes by fast.” Information: cmcneish@cox.net.
Kyrene Foundation seeks sponsors for golf tourney
Local fitness and line dancing coach Carrie McNeish is looking for participants to join her in a step aerobics class every Monday at 9:30 a.m. at Mountainside Fitness, 4820 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee. “We will take veteran steppers or would love to see some new steppers,” McNeish said, adding, “Step
Sponsors are being sought for the Kyrene Foundation’s 11th annual Golf Classic May 6 at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass. Last year the Golf Classic raised more than $25,000 to help support various Foundation initiatives in the Kyrene School District including the Kyrene Family Resource Center, teacher mini-grants and principal (cq) grant, student scholarships and recognitions and annual initiatives such as Backpacks for Students, Thanksgiving Food Baskets and Winter Wonderland. This year’s goal is $30,000. Sponsorship availability includes two title sponsorships, four contributing sponsors, five hole and contest sponsors, and 14 hole sponsors. Through Feb. 28, a reduced on-line early bird special for one foursome,
year since 2019,” her mother said, noting that she has set a record at St. John Bosco with 13 million words read in the 2020-21 school year. “She is currently at 9 million words read this current school year,” her mother said. She said Amy prepared for the regional
bee nightly by practicing three columns of words a night and looking up each one’s definition. “She will prepare the same way for State, but with more focus on Scripps Word of the Champions-Level 3,” she added. While the contestants in the state bee
Participants sought to learn aerobic stepping
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the global leader in cheerleading, dance team and band apparel, camps and competitions. It also is a division of Varsity Brands, the market leader in team sports, school spirit and achievement recognition. The competition is the season-capping goal for many competitive high school teams and in order to qualify for a bid to the national, the Thunder team had to win a qualifying event during the season and obtain a squad credentialing certificate at a Varsity Spirit Summer Training Camp. Fans at home can watch a livestream TV on varsity.com. “So proud of this team for having their most successful season while also overcoming adversities,” said Heinze. “I am looking forward to watching them crush it at Nationals.” ■ including lunch, is available for $500 – a $100 savings. Information: Kyrene Foundation.org.
Not too early to get ready for Ahwatukee Easter parade
The Kiwanis Ahwatukee Easter Parade and Spring Fling will be rolling at 10 a.m. April 16 from Warner Road north on 48th Street to Cheyenne Drive and groups and individuals have until April 7 to enter. Forms are available at ahwatukeekiwanis.org. Also returning after the two-year hiatus is the Spring Fling that follows the parade at Ahwatukee Community Center Park, 48th Street and Warner Road, where entertainment, vendor booths, games, food and fun for the whole family await from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Kiwanis Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year is being headed by Andi Pettyjohn for the 22nd consecutive year while Mike Schmitt will be the Parade Boss for the 30th year. People who have questions or want to volunteer to help on the parade can call 480-759-0007 or e-mail msch0007@aol.com. For more Spring Fling information, call 602-402-6267 or e-mail andi@wttaz.com. ■
Submit your releases to pmaryniak@ timespublications.com can bring up to six guests, it is not open to the public, according to the Arizona Educational Foundation, which has sponsored the bee since 2001. The foundation said the bee will not be streamed live but will post it to its YouTube channel sometime the following week. ■
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Business AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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Ahwatukee lawyer helps people protect assets BY KAMALA KIRK AFN Contributor
Ahwatukee attorney Rachel Stoddard owns Stoddard Legal Solutions. (Special
N
o matter one’s age or financial background, estate planning is important. Just ask Ahwatukee attorney Rachel Stoddard, owner of Stoddard Legal Solutions PLLC, who helps people organize assets and how they will be distributed, and helps with medical directives, beneficiary designations, as well as trusts to facilitate passing property to heirs. Proper estate planning saves time and money, avoids big taxes, and also protects one’s children and dependents. “From my experience, I find that older clients are experienced and insightful, but many estate planning attorneys approach their practice from a place of preaching rather than listening,” Stoddard said, explaining: “The first question I ask any client, of any age, is, ‘How can I help?’ I listen to their
to AFN)
concerns and work with them to structure a plan that meets their goals and concerns.” Stoddard Legal Solutions specializes in estate planning, helping clients manage
their estates and administration to make sure that their estate planning goals are carried out. In addition to helping clients protect
their assets, Stoddard helps them create medical and mental health powers of attorney and plan for their children and dependents’ futures. Stoddard also creates special needs trusts to ensure loved ones will always be guided toward success and provided for financially through their lifetime. And she helps with firearms trusts to effectively bequeath one’s firearms to someone due to the numerous state and federal regulations that apply to the ownership and possession of firearms. “I’d like to think that I help clients feel comfortable in discussing complex legal issues,” Stoddard said. “Everyone has valuable input and insight, and I respect their perspectives. “I may be a lawyer with specialized legal training, but I am not an expert in their lives, families and personal choices. It takes equal listening and respect to form
see STODDARD page 32
Pooches can stay in luxury at new Chandler ‘dog hotel’ BY KEN SAIN AFN Staff Writer
W
hen it comes to pets, many families are willing to pay a little extra to make sure they get the best. “It’s an extended member of the family,” Keith Nicholson said. Three years ago, when he was still living in New Jersey, Nicholson needed a place to board his two dogs. He came across K9 Resorts and loved the service so much, he’s bringing it to Chandler. The business offers dogs a luxurious experience for either overnight or day care service. At a dog resort, luxury means chandeliers, Italian tile flooring, intricate crown molding and baseboards for dogs. And that doesn’t include a private TV in some rooms. “Everybody coming in really sees their dog, and wants their dog to be treated like a member of their own family,” he said.
The K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel staff are ready to pamper pooches during their stay. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
“When you drop your dog off you know, you’re comfortable that you’re leaving
them behind, and they’re fine.” K9 Resorts opened recently at 1870 W.
Germann Road in a strip mall at its intersection with Dobson Road. It gives canines’ masters a few options to choose from. Top of the line is a luxury suite, which is a large private room with a TV running animal programs. There are only six luxury suites. There are also 44 executive suites that are 4’x7’ in size. All the luxury and executive suites come with a Kuranda bed, which Nicholson says is one of the top brands available. For those whose dogs don’t need quite as much luxury, there is a compartment area for dogs that are used to being kept inside a container. The 27 units are not cages; they have a see-through door. A single compartment is big enough for small dogs, but bigger dogs will probably need a double unit. There are also both indoor and outdoor
see K9 RESORT page 32
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BUSINESS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
STODDARD from page 31
a valuable estate plan.” Prior to establishing her practice in 2016, Stoddard had a successful career in government service helping victims of violent crime for more than a decade. “When I had my daughter, I wanted to adjust my practice so it wasn’t so litigation based so I could be more present for her, but I still wanted to help people and provide comfort for them through difficult times,” Stoddard says. “Estate planning was a natural extension of that. I get to help clients feel empowered in making their own choices regarding their estate, and even end of life choices, which ultimately provides them with a very needed peace of mind.” Stoddard graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University and cum laude from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. While attending law school, Stoddard also headed the Advocacy Program Against Domestic Violence, worked for civil law firms and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and clerked for judges at the trial and appellate courts. “My undergrad is in psychology and I
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graduated with my bachelor’s degree at 17,” Stoddard said, explaining that she believes being so young in a higher education environment “has led me to have a very real compassion and open-mindedness for folks of all circumstances and walks of life.” As a deputy county attorney, she was involved in highly complex and sensitive cases involving crimes against children. She was also selected to be an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney and she handled several federal trials and appeals as a federal prosecutor, successfully arguing before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Stoddard was also named the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and led prosecutions of violent and technology-based crimes that involved children, as well as liaising with local, tribal, state and federal authorities. Stoddard has extended her legal services to private clientele since forming Stoddard Legal Solutions, and during COVID-19, she utilized technology to continue to provide services to her clients. “My husband is an IT engineer, so I was very fortunate to be able to adjust on a weekend and offer secure video conference options for clients who weren’t com-
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fortable meeting in person or just preferred to meet with me from the comfort of their home,” Stoddard said. “It allowed me to still offer high-quality, professional services while taking care of my clients’ needs and concerns, more than just legal. I still utilize such technology and offerings for those clients who prefer such methods and will continue to do so into the future to serve the widest array of clients.” Stoddard shared that her favorite part of working in the industry is helping people feel empowered and confident about topics that are often difficult to think about. As a mother of two, Stoddard is commit-
K9 RESORT from page 31
ted to her family as well as those of her clients. “My two children and my husband are the most important part of my life and I would do anything to protect and provide for them,” Stoddard says. “Which is why it is so important to me to assist my clients in doing the same for those they love, whether it be family or their ‘chosen’ family and friends.” ■
Stoddard Legal Solutions 5010 W. Warner Road 480-210-6444, stoddardpllc.com
play areas. So how much does this luxury cost? A luxury suite goes for $85 a night, an executive suite is $65, a double compartment $55 and a single compartment $48. That’s for overnight service. It is possible to put multiple dogs in some spaces at a discounted rate for families with more than one dog. K9 Resorts also offers day care for either a half ($38) or full ($48) day. There are additional charges for baths, private play time with staff, treats, etc. Nicholson, a local accountant and real estate agent, said he’s been working on bringing the Keith Nicholson, owner of K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel first K9 Resort franchise to Ari- on Germann Road in Chandler, escorts Snoopy to the executive suite. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) zona for about three years. “I like to keep myself busy,” tions relatively soon. The first location Nicholson said. He said the demographics are right to opened in 2005. Americans spend a lot of money on their open his business in Chandler. He also dogs. The American Pet Products Assolooked at some locations in Gilbert. But he settled on Chandler because of ciation says consumers spend billions on the location, which was in a residential their pets each year. Last year, that was area, close to the highway and on the way $103.6 billion. It doesn’t break down how much of that goes to boarding, but it’s a to the airport. To get ready for opening his business, relatively small slice. Boarding is combined with grooming, Nicholson and his assistant manager, Kaitraining, pet sitting and walking. Last year la Gong, went to New Jersey for training. “We were immersed right in with the Americans spent $8.1 billion for these day care, taking care of, giving baths, feed- other services. Nicholson and Gong said they are both ing, everything,” Gong said. K9 Resorts is undergoing major nation- dog people. “I have a couple, well, I had a couple, al expansion. There are currently 16 locations on the company’s website, but some, one passed away,” Nicholson said. “Getlike Chandler, are not open yet. Nicholson ting pressure to get another one at some said there are plans to expand to 70 loca- point.”■
BUSINESS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Financial advisors can help reduce anxiety BY JOSEPH ORTIZ AFN Guest Writer
T
he long-running coronavirus pandemic has fueled a lot of anxieties – including financial ones. But some people have had far fewer worries than others. Consider this: Among those investors who work with a financial advisor, 84% said that doing so gave them a greater sense of comfort about their finances during the pandemic, according to a survey from Age Wave and Edward Jones. Of course, many people experience investment-related fears even without a global health crisis, and that’s probably not surprising, given the periodic volatility of the financial markets. But financial guidance can come in handy during relatively normal times, too.
A financial professional can help you: Look past the headlines. Inflation, interest rates, pandemics, elections – there’s always something in the news that could affect the investment world in the short term. But by helping you construct a portfolio that’s built for the long term and reflects your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, a financial advisor can enable you to look past the headlines. Avoid emotional decisions. Many people let their emotions drive their investment choices. When the market goes through a downturn and the value of their investments drops, they sell to “cut losses,” even though these same investments may still have good business fundamentals and promising futures. Conversely, when the market is on an uptick, some poeple chase after “hot” investments, even when they become overpriced and may have very little room to grow. But a financial advisor
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can help keep you from making these fearand greed-based actions by only recommending moves that make sense for your situation. Work toward multiple goals. At various times in your life, you may have simultaneous financial goals. For example, you could be investing for a retirement that’s decades away, while also trying to save for a child’s college education. A financial professional can suggest ways you can keep working toward both objectives, in terms of how much money you can afford to invest and what types of savings and investment vehicles you should consider. Prepare for the unexpected. Most of us did not need a pandemic to remind us that unexpected events can happen in our lives – and some of these events can have serious financial impacts on us and our loved ones. Do you have adequate life insurance? How about disability insurance?
And if you ever needed some type of long-term care, such as an extended stay in a nursing home, how would you pay for it? A financial advisor can evaluate your protection needs and recommend appropriate solutions that fit within your overall financial strategy. Adapt to changing circumstances. Over time, many things may change in your life – your job, your family situation, your retirement plans, and so on. A financial professional can help you adjust your financial strategy in response to these changes. Achieving your financial goals may present challenges, but it doesn’t have to cause you years of worry and distress – as long as you get the help you need. Joseph Ortiz is a financial planner for Edward Jones. Reach him at 480-7537664 or joseph.ortiz@edwardjones. com. ■
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Thousands of Arizona children need your help BY CHARLIE GRAY AFn Guest Writer
Y
es, you. They need you to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer with a desire to be a light for them during their darkest moments. More than 12,000 of the state’s most vulnerable children and teenagers, who have been removed from their parent’s care, need someone like you to listen to them and advocate for them. They need a caring adult to support them and guide them through incredibly challenging experiences and a sometimes intimidating system. They need you to become a CASA volunteer. CASA volunteers stand by children who are living with someone other than their parent. This can be kids who live with other family members, foster parents, in group homes, residential treatment centers, or other situations. CASA volunteers
are appointed by the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge In each Arizona county to advocate for the best interests of these children in court as well as other settings. As of today, there are 1,235 CASA volunteers in Arizona serving 1,418 children. Heartbreakingly though, there are more than 11,000 children who are in DCS care and do NOT have a CASA volunteer. What does it mean to be a CASA? What special skills or experiences do you need to make this tremendous impact? What expectations will the children or judge have of you? Being a CASA is actually very simple and an opportunity to volunteer without needing special skills, degrees or experiences. Individuals 21 years of age or older, from all walks of life who can pass a thorough background check and complete 30 hours of free training, are encouraged to apply. Volunteers typically serve beside their CASA child for two to three years, but
friendships last a lifetime. By giving eight to 15 hours a month, you would be providing these children a steady adult presence in their life, someone willing to listen, willing to stand beside them in court, and serve as a voice of support outside of the system – focused solely on your CASA child. As a CASA volunteer, you’ll build real and meaningful relationships with these kids and appear in court to give the judge a perspective of the child’s situation that they may not otherwise see. Being a CASA means fighting for a child who is in a very scary, vulnerable place. It means helping them survive a system that is beyond their comprehension. It means having their best interest at heart and standing up for those interests. New volunteers from diverse backgrounds, cultures and age groups are especially needed in all 15 Arizona counties. Currently 85% of our CASA volunteers in Arizona are women, 83% are Cauca-
sian and 65% are 55 or older. The good news, nearly 500 CASA volunteers have recently been training virtually making those first steps even easier. But 11,000 children are still in need. For CASA volunteers, the experience is often life changing. It’s an opportunity to serve the community and to give a voice to a child that may otherwise feel voiceless. One CASA of Maricopa County volunteer recently shared, “I realized how I could fight for an individual child who is in a very vulnerable place. It taught me a lot about myself and changed my perspective on how I can have a direct impact on someone’s life while contributing to our community at large.” Become a volunteer, visit AZCASAVolunteer.org and show these children that they are not forgotten, and we will stand beside them. Charlie Gray is the CASA state program manager. ■
any governmental body in America. Last year, it passed House Bill 2035, a racy little number that made Arizona the fifth state in America to mandate parents opt-in to sex education for their kids. Had the measure stopped there, I would have been okay with it, but this being our Legislature – where common sense is not so common – they had to go just a bit further. HB 2035 also requires school governing boards to “adopt procedures to notify parents in advance and provide them the opportunity to withdraw their children from any instruction or presentations regarding sexuality” – even outside sex ed class. Which brings us to one local school district’s strenuous efforts to warn parents – about, among other things, kids cooking chicken breasts.
Times Media reporter Ken Sain detailed The Great Poultry Alert last week. To comply with the state edict, the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board in December passed a new opt-in policy concerning materials that might be deemed sexual. Sain quoted Chandler High teacher Caroline Sheridan, who last week told the Governing Board: “I teach English and I teach criminal justice,” she explained. “Somehow I found out I need permission slips before I can teach, “Of Mice and Men,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Othello,” “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I can’t teach about Emmett Till without a permission slip. Of course, this makes no sense.” In January, the Permission Slip Police also sent home an opt-in form to parents
of cooking students learning to prepare chicken breasts. District spokesman Terry Locke told Sain this was “a misinterpretation of the legislative statute” which “was corrected and did not apply to the context or content.” Thank goodness the curriculum didn’t include a recipe for sticky buns. Of course, the Legislature is hardly done with the issue. This new session has seen a number of sex education bills, including a measure to change the opt-in requirement back to an opt-out requirement. There’s a bill that will require a parent’s written permission before a student can participate in “any school student group or club involving sexuality,
Legislature outdoes its usual nonsensical self with sex ed BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist
W
hen I was a kid, the fastest way to get me to read a book was to tell me it was too mature for my young eyes. I passed many nights sneaking peeks at my mom’s Harold Robbins novels to find the sexy parts. And there wasn’t a kid in my middle school who couldn’t recite by heart from Page 85 of Judy Blume’s teen lit classic, “Forever.” You know, the page where Michael introduces Katharine to his manhood, which he has inexplicably named … Ralph. Speaking of members, this brings us to the Arizona Legislature, which may have done more to encourage teen reading than
see LEIBOWITZ page 36
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LEIBOWITZ from page 35
gender or gender identity.” And there’s a bill – no doubt dead on arrival – that not only would make sex ed an opt-out class, but would also allow teachers to “discuss populations that historically have been more vulnerable to sexual abuse and assault, such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community and the disability community.” Finally, there’s a bill that would forbid educators, restaurant workers and grocery store employees from “referring to certain foodstuffs and edible materials using language that may be construed to convey a sexual connotation.” Among the terms set to be joining “chicken breasts” as no longer be permissible, as spelled out in statute? Chicken “breasts.” Pork “butt.” Hot dog “buns.” The phrase “finger foods.” And Denny’s has been put on notice that diners will no longer be allowed to order the “Moons Over My Hammy.” Okay, I made that last bill up. But with this group of elected geniuses, it absolutely could have been real. They’re just that … nuts. ■
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Arizona needs to tap the brake pedal on growth
Just read the article by Cecilia Chan on housing crisis. I am a Phoenix native and have lived here majority of my life some 45 years. I love the Valley – or at least did until the out of control migration to Phoenix started four to six years ago. The vertical graph says it all, a million new arrivals in the 1990s. If metro Phoenix adds (realistic) 300k folks a year this decade, that’s three million more folks and we are out of water and in a drought living in a desert!! Population goes from current 7 million to 10 million And yet no alarms going off? In spite of that city fathers keep calling out for people and corporations to move here? One big question, at our current growth rate when does the water run out? We need a fence around Arizona, if that were possible. Many areas already out of water! AJ’s wells have been dry off and on for 10 years and many residents haul their own water. Rio Verde in Scottsdale is in serious trouble. Seems city councils are more interested in tax revenue than vital resources. Also, we’re near the ceiling of our power grid. What is going on? Soon we are going to hit a wall! Clues to impending problems are key rivers and lakes drying up. Vegas, LA and Phoenix are the cause, not just Phoenix Valley. We live in a desert, when we’re out of water no options. Seems nobody that should be is paying attention to the outrageous overgrowth. Need to start tapping the brake pedal. -Tom Kelly
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DV boys soccer to play for title, girls fall short BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
M
icah Vasey knew his Desert Vista soccer team needed a goal. The junior forward had already connected with the back of the net early in the second half to give the Thunder their first points of the 6A semifinal match against Hamilton on Saturday. But with just 5 minutes remaining in the second overtime period between the two teams, Vasey wanted to do what he could to avoid penalty kicks to decide who moved on to the championship. He got his opportunity and he connected. “In those moments you just think of the goal right in front of you and the ball right there,” Vasey said. “When the ball goes in, you just go crazy. All of the emotions just flow in.”
Vasey found himself deep in the box and connected with the ball. It rolled just past Hamilton’s keeper and in. Chaos ensued, but only for a moment. The Huskies came back down and had yet another opportunity to tie it. In the waning moments of the second half, Desert Vista took a 2-1 lead thanks to a goal from senior middle forward Kaya Yildirim. Hamilton answered just over a minute later when Vince Acosta connected on a beautiful strike. Desert Vista hoped to avoid that outcome. But it almost happened yet again as Acosta had a clean look at the net. It went just over the crossbar. “We’re exactly where we are supposed to be,” Elliott said. “It was scary at times, but I never doubted it. That’s a great team, a great program. When the buzzer went off, I knew we had one more.” As the clock hit double-zero to so-
lidify Desert Vista’s 4-3 overtime victory over Hamilton, there were several things racing in the mind of Elliott, Vasey and the rest of the program. First and foremost, they have a chance to compete for a state title for the first time since 2018. Secondly, retribution. Most of the players were on the varsity roster or in the program when Desert Vista fell to Hamilton in the semifinals in 2019. It was a bitter taste that finally, after three years, left their mouths. Most importantly, at least for Vasey, they’re one step closer to sending off the senior class with a state championship ring. “We’ve had trouble in the quarterfinals before, but we got past that. There’s a lot of special players here,” Vasey said. “Doing it for the seniors Desert Vista junior forward Micah Vasey celebrates with is the biggest part. They’re going sophomore forward Ethan DeRubeis after the game-winning goal against Hamilton to send the Thunder to the 6A see SOCCER page 38 championship. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
No start in sight for Spring Training Season BY SPENCER GUSTAFSON Cronkite News
T
he arrival of spring in Arizona typically means one thing. Baseball is here. Fans from all over gather to see their teams gear up for a marathon 162 game season at spring training. From young stars trying to make the team to iconic veterans signing autographs by the hundreds, spring training is a haven. But even as the weather warms up to 80 degrees and the sun shines more brightly, a frozen winter carries on for baseball. A work stoppage has delayed the start of the 2022 season’s spring training. Pitchers and catchers from 15 Cactus League teams that were supposed to report Wednesday and Thursday didn’t. Businesses are concerned. “It’s a tremendous driver of tourism,
Baseball’s stoppage means it is no exhibition games will start as scheduled on Feb. 26 and ballparks include Salt River Fields could remain empty. Opening Day on March 31 could also be delayed. (Susan Wong/Cronkite News) which is a huge driver of the state’s econ-
omy,” said Bridget Binsbacher, executive
director of the Cactus League. In the world of Major League Baseball, this 2021-2022 offseason is the Long Night. This Long Night began at 9:59 p.m. MST on December 1 when the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association expired. The owners instituted a lockout immediately and it’s been a cold winter ever since. “Our owners fully understand how important it is to our fans that we get the game on the field as soon as possible,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. The clock is ticking, and it’s close to striking zero on spring training with no end in sight to the stalemate between owners and players. “Where the clubs have been and remain unwilling to move is in response to player proposals that we believe will undermine
see CACTUS page 38
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SPORTS
SOCCER from page 37
home with a ring. Everything we do is for that ring.” Elliott said in January when Desert Vista was heading into a pivotal mid-season matchup against powerhouse Brophy that this year’s team had the talent to go all the way. He said they are more well-rounded in every position. Juniors like Vasey have stepped up to fill voids at forward and midfield left behind by last year’s graduating class. Nobody on the team wanted to experience the heartbreak they have the last three seasons, where they lost in penalty kicks two years in a row after the semifinal loss to Hamilton. The Thunder left little to doubt this season with a 19-1-4 record heading into the final. Now, the second-ranked Thunder have just one opponent left in their way in Chandler, the 13-seed that beat topranked Tucson Saturday in penalty kicks. It’ll be yet another challenge for Desert Vista, but the players are up for it. “Every single person on this has their own special techniques and contributes to the team in our own way,” Vasey said. “(To win) it’ll take a lot of heart and physicality.” Just before the boys on Saturday, the Desert Vista girls set their sights on anoth-
CACTUS from page 37
the competitive balance in our game,” Manfred said. The players’ association is fighting for more important issues than just their own, including asking the owners to decrease revenue sharing to combat that same “competitive balance” Manfred referred to in his press conference. Associate player representative and former Diamondbacks pitcher Max Scherzer took to Twitter to let the public know what is at the heart of the fight. “We want a system where threshold and penalties don’t function as caps, allows younger players to realize more of their market value, makes service time manipulation a thing of the past, and eliminate tanking as a winning strategy,” he said. That was sent out on Feb. 4 and the needle hasn’t moved much since. Whether it’s the luxury tax threshold, or a salary floor to put more money in young players’ pockets, the two sides do not seem to be on the same page. A struggle was foreseen – and a lockout
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
the first half. The teams remained virtually deadlocked at 1-0 until the 67th minute when Desert Vista senior Mya Fortun scored the equalizer. A short time later, Desert Vista’s freshman keeper Paola Perez collided with a Perry forward and took a hard tumble to the ground. She exited the game but came back a short time later. A tipped ball off the foot of Perry’s Makenna Buist went high into the air and toward the net. Perez, in the north goal at the time, lost it in the afternoon sun. It took a favorable bounce into the net Desert Vista senior Sara McCarthy is one of several key play- with just over 7 minutes to go. ers that helped lead the Thunder to the state semifinals Sat- Perry went on to win 2-1, puturday, Feb. 19, where they fell short against Perry. ting an end to Desert Vista’s (Photo courtesy John Jurik) season. er East Valley power in Perry. It was a bat“I’m sad we went out like this because I tle between the second and third-ranked really believed this was our year,” Desert teams in the 6A Conference with a trip to Vista senior Sarah McCarthy said. “But the finals to play No. 9 Xavier on the line. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I only The Thunder were aggressive against wanted to play with these girls, they’ve Perry, constantly putting pressure on the been amazing.” back line of the Pumas. They just couldn’t McCarthy, a soccer commit to the Navy, finish at the net. was brought to tears when the buzzer Perry scored the first and only goal of sounded. She had been a cornerstone for
considered inevitable. What was once a nightmare has now become reality for baseball. MLB hasn’t been in communication with its Arizona-based Cactus or Florida-based Grapefruit spring training leagues, Binsbacher said, and has offered no updates on the timetable. It took 43 days for either side to meet and propose anything, and the owners and players have had only a handful of meetings. With spring training games delayed until at least March 5, the players’ association has to make a move. Instead, minor league players have been getting their work in at the Cactus and Grapefruit League facilities. “With all the unusual circumstances and obstacles that we’ve faced, we were really excited to have a regular season … and be a part of Arizona’s recovery,” Binsbacher said. But there is nobody to watch. The clubs have opted to not open their doors to the public before the pros get there. To add to the urgency, the players’ spring paychecks may be in jeopardy. A
lawyer from MLB stated in court that minor leaguers at spring training should be considered “trainees” and that the teams shouldn’t have to pay them, Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported. “During the training season, the players are not employees, and would not be subject to either the Fair Labor Standards Act or any state minimum wage act,” said Elise Bloom of Proskauer Rose, a firm advising MLB during the negotiations. The term “spring training” means a lot to the people of Arizona and Florida. It means a lot to fans of the 30 teams to either drive from their homes, or fly in from their respective corners of the country, to enjoy the beginning of what is a long season. “It’s a tremendous driver of tourism, which is a huge driver of the state’s economy,” Binsbacher said. In 2018, widely considered the last “normal” year of the Cactus League, spring training generated $644.2 million across all of Arizona, according to an economic impact report by the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. There’s a trickle-down effect. Tourists
the Desert Vista program for four seasons and especially as a senior. She, on multiple occasions, helped set up shots for her teammates against Perry. She even almost connected on three of her own that sailed just above the crossbar. It wasn’t the ending that any of them had hoped for. Coach Chris Klein, who stepped in just weeks before the start of the season to lead the Thunder, said he wasn’t expecting to give an end-of-the-year speech on Saturday to his girls. “This was not the outcome I was anticipating. I didn’t play this out in my head,” Klein said. “The girls played amazing. I loved to come watch them every day. It was a good year, I loved it.” The Lady Thunder ended their season with a 16-3-1 record and are sending eight of the nine seniors off to play in college. Despite the outcome in the semifinals, that’s something Klein said they can be proud of. “That makes a big difference with the team and how they play, Klein said. “They played good soccer. Hey, fourth in the state is pretty good.” Desert Vista’s boys will face Chandler on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert. Tickets can be purchased online at gofan.co/app/ events/525237. ■
and fans come for baseball. But they also need places to stay, food to eat, clothes to buy, transportation and much more. Even in 2020, when the season was shortened by COVID-19, the Cactus League created over 3,000 jobs. According to the 2020 Cactus League economic impact report, bars and restaurants raked in over $56 million from fans – and it would’ve been more if the pandemic hadn’t hit. Unless MLB and the players’ association want this “Long Night” to continue, compromise is needed. “We will continue to come to the table and bring good things,” said Francisco Lindor, New York Mets shortstop and MLBPA alternate associate representative. The players are determined to get everything they want on their agenda, and the owners haven’t wavered from their stance on what the players want. Instead of unity, there is division. “The players are very aware of everything that’s happening, they’re very educated,” Lindor said. “At the end of the day, we just want a good deal.” ■
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Little pieces of Italy to pepper Heritage Square BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor
T
he cobblestone streets of Heritage Square will be peppered with art, food and musicians when the Italian Festival moves from Scottsdale to Downtown Phoenix Saturday, Feb. 26, and Sunday, Feb. 27. “We really look for ways to make it a true, authentic Italian experience,” said Francesco Guzzo, Italian Association of Arizona’s executive director. “We want you to feel like you’re walking into a little piece of Italy with the vendors, entertainment, the food and art displays. Those are all things meant to share the Italian tradition, but we also want to give people a sense of how much Italians contribute to the fabric of Arizona.” This year’s festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday with a parade and opening ceremonies. The day continues with live entertainment and food — gelato,
Some fun contests for the kids await at Arizona’s Italian Festival later this month. (Special
to GetOut)
lot of people don’t know that. “We have vendors — pasta and pizza vendors and Romolo D’Amico will make his famous carbonara. It’s an amazing dish to demonstrate on stage. We’ll have vendors selling traditional pasta sauces, clothing and olive oil.” Live performances will include Sbandieratori del Palio di Asti (flag wavers) from the city of Asti in Piemonte, and an art gallery with local and international Italian art. Margherita Fray, a 94-year-old artist, will show off her talents in the gallery. “She’s bringing some of her pieces of art and her books,” Guzzo said. “Her books have been translated in English and in Italian. That’ll be incredible just to have her there and be part of the community and sign books. “ Blue Door Ceramics’ Christiane Barbato will display her artwork, while Paolo Co-
pizza, sausages, pasta, cannoli, wine and other delicacies. “The food is the standard part of the fes-
tival,” Guzzo said. “We call it ‘the authentic true Italian food.’ We don’t even allow fettuccine alfredo. It’s not an Italian dish. A
The NHRA Arizona Nationals are set for February 25 to February 27 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The NHRA Arizona Nationals traditionally serve as the second event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series tour. The facility has seen record-breaking performances and is a fan-favorite of the circuit. “With over 35 years of NHRA racing history at the Motorsports Park, we are eager for the Arizona Nationals to return to Wild Horse Pass and the Gila River Indian Community,” said General Manager Henry Moreno. “We are dedicated to making the event the best possible experience for the fans and racers alike.” “We missed the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2021,” adds Glen Cromwell, NHRA president. “We are thrilled to return to
Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett can’t wait to put her peddle to the metal at the NHRA Chandler event next weekend. (Special to GetOut)
see ITALIAN page 41
NHRA’s Leah Pruett loves racing in the Valley BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor
T
op Fuel driver Leah Pruett and the Valley have a mutual love. She has won the NHRA Chandler event twice and recently joined Tony Stewart Racing’s new drag racing team. “Phoenix is in my top three racetracks and races,” said Pruett, who married Tony Stewart in 2021. “There’s always an extra amount of excitement. Phoenix fans have always made me feel like I was their champion. “A lot of it has to do with winning. I won in 2016. When you go to a track only one time a year, that’s why they remember. If you have a repeat winner, it creates a big buzz. The next year, when I go back there, it’s like I never left. That’s a really cool feeling they definitely instill.”
see NHRA page 41
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
ITALIAN from page 40
santi pieces will be available, too. Sunday, the flag wavers and vendors return and, like Saturday, they are sponsored by Galbani, Peroni, PepsiCo, Acqua Panna, San Pellegrino, Chelly, DTPHX, Desert Rose Worldwide Transportation and Great Value Vacations. “The flag wavers are excited about this,” he said. “They’re the traditional group that represents the city of Asti in world competitions in flag waving. They’ve been doing it for 60 years in Asti. “All the colors they wear are representative of the different boroughs. It’s quite significant.” This year, Guzzo said, antique restored Italian vehicles will drive into Heritage Square. Vespas and Italian bicycles from Scottsdale’s Cyclologic will be on display. “Everything coming out of Italy has an artistic flair to it,” Guzzo said. “Ferraris, Lamborghinis or Bugattis are all pieces of art, even though they’re automobiles. “It’s a well-chor-eographed event. There’s always something interesting or exciting happening. Throughout the day, when people come in, they’ll see something of interest. There’s never a dull moment.” Galbani will host a demonstration stage, and mixologists will teach patrons to make creative drinks with limoncello and Pellegrino. Many of the sponsors are send-
NHRA from page 40
Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and put on a great show for the Phoenix fans.” Updates for 2022 include free event parking at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with the purchase of an NHRA Arizona Nationals ticket. The Redlands, California, native, started racing when she was 8. Her father, Ron, who died in early 2021, was a land street racer and a street racer but, she’s quick to add, not a drag racer. He wanted Pruett and her sister to start something “safe.” So, Pruett ventured out on her own and built cars. “It was my father who put the mechanical aptitude within me,” she said. From there, she sat behind the wheel to
Festival organizers add authenticity to the festival with touches of Italy. (Special to GetOut) ing their national representatives to check out the festival. “We’re working on making it as interesting as possible for everyone,” Guzzo said. “We want to attract families and people of all ages. For the kids, we have balloon artists and the face painter. “For the grownups, we have the demonstrations, the entertainment by The Sicilian Band from LA. They will play traditional Italian songs on Saturday and Sunday. We have Steve Ansel & The Jackson Street Band, a full eight-piece orchestra to play traditional jazz that people love.” drag race. She said she enjoys her career because her job description changes. Previously it was “just,” she said, a racecar driver. Now she’s a team manager and in business development. “The hardest thing about my job right now is making sure that I haven’t dropped any balls,” she said. “We want to hit the scene running as a new team while not looking like a new team. We want to look like veterans, experience championship caliber team. “For me as a ‘professional racecar driver,’ I want to be the best in the world. That’s what I think is the most challenging.” To maintain levity, she’s living in a motor home in the parking lot of the race shop. Pruett, who otherwise resides in Lake Havasu, Arizona, works with her team
Saturday night is for eating and dancing to the band Element. The opera singers D Gala will perform on both days, closing out the festival on Sunday. Organizers are mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic and deem Heritage Square safe, with its outdoor seating. Cleaning crews will be working diligently to sanitize the area. Facemasks will be available at the entrance. “We’re doing what we can to make sure everything is comfortable,” Guzzo said. “We want people to enjoy the entire day without feeling like there’s a concern in
daily to order parts and take care of other maintenance and organizational issues. Pruett said she’s ready for “a fresh breath of Phoenix air,” and hanging out at the Sandbar in Chandler and Radford Racing School, formerly known as Bondurant. She “keys up” there to form a road course perspective and get a feel for the high horsepower car. “It’s usually what I do on Thursday,” she said. “I get some horsepower time in there. It puts me in the zone.” The same goes for a little gift she sees along the I-10 and Loop 202. “For the second or third year, they’ve had billboards along the freeway with my car and I on it,” she said with a laugh. “I think that really helps drive the fanbase. It’s seen for two months, and they
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com
41
any way. It’ll be fun. The whole thing is catered to make sure everyone has fun and enjoys themselves.” Heritage Square is new to the Italian Festival. Previously, the festivities were held at the Scottsdale Waterfront. “It’s a beautiful part of Scottsdale, but we ran out of space,” he said. “There was only room for 5,000 people a day to come through there. “Phoenix had been courting us about hosting the festival there. This year, we decided to host it at Heritage Square in Downtown Phoenix. The space allows for typically three times the number of people we would normally get. It has the greenery — grass and trees — cobblestone roads and courtyards. It lends itself to creating a cozy space for a beautiful event like the Italian Festival.” ■
If You Go...
What: The Italian Association’s Seventh Italian Festival Where: Heritage Square, corner of East Adams and North Seventh streets, Phoenix When: 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, and 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27 Tickets: $15; free for children ages 12 and younger Info: italianfestivalaz.com get to see me until I get there. There’s extra enthusiasm by the fans because I’ve been in their face for two months. It’s totally weird. At least I’m not up there pimping attorneys at law. I’m trying to help people know about drag races.” ■
If You Go...
What: NHRA Arizona Nationals Where: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports
Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler
When: 7:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, to Sunday, Feb. 27
Cost: Tickets start at $44 for adults; $20
for juniors ages 12 and younger Info: Info: nhra.com/schedule/2022
42
GET OUT
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
King Crossword ACROSS 1 Atlas page 4 Ivy League University 9 Science room 12 GPS suggestion 13 Haunting 14 Docs’ org. 15 1989 Al Pacino film 17 Decks in the ring 18 Small battery 19 Yard tools 21 “Understood” 24 Membership 25 Tolkien beast 26 Civil War soldier 28 Pulitzer category 31 Abound 33 Narc’s org. 35 Dr. McGraw 36 Anticipate 38 Chips go-with 40 Sugar suffix 41 Mark Harmon TV series 43 School break 45 Shun 47 Owned 48 Sashimi fish 49 New York City’s -- Park 54 Decay 55 Ryan or Tatum 56 Gaiety 57 Sauce source 58 Actions 59 Turf DOWN 1 “-- Miniver” 2 Packed away 3 Shell-game item 4 “No cheating!” 5 Akin 6 Acapulco gold 7 “The First -- Club” 8 Required 9 Sierra Nevada resort 10 Cupid’s specialty 11 Low range 16 Granola grain 20 John Irving hero 21 Teeny bit 22 Got bigger 23 Maryland beach town 27 Nap site 29 Avoid
With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor
W 30 32 34 37 39 42
Pub orders Lansing’s st. Dunce Steering system part Gems from oysters Pigs
44 45 46 50 51 52
LPs’ successors Jug handles “Scram!” Churchill gesture Conditions Pair
Sudoku
PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 45
The best of 2 worlds merge in this cookie
hat if you captured all of the delicious decadence of a chocolate brownie and transferred it to a cookie? A cookie that is so chewy, chocolaty and crinkly that it will win the hearts of crispy cookie lovers and soft baked cookie lovers alike? Well, head to the kitchen, because here it is. I discovered this delicious recipe for Chocolate Brownie Cookies in one of my go-to magazines, Cook’s Country, a spin-off publication of Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen. I love these cookies right out of the oven, but now I know to make an extra batch to freeze. Because, you know, you will have one of those
nights when you must satisfy your chocolate craving and lucky you! You’ll have just what you need in an airtight container in the freezer! Enough said. Trust me on this. You’re going to get lots and lots of brownie points when you share.. ■
Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour 1/4 of a cup of Dutch processed cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 10 ounces bitter sweet chocolate, chopped,
divided 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons whole milk, Half-and-half or heavy cream 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs
Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. Microwave 6 ounces chocolate, oil and butter in medium bowl at 30 second intervals, stirring Each time you restart the microwave. When melted, whisk milk, half-and-half or heavy cream into chocolate mixture until combined. Using a stand mixer, whip sugar and eggs on medium high speed until very pale, about 4 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and whisk by hand until thoroughly combined. Fold in flour
mixture with spatula until thoroughly combined and no dry pockets remain. Fold in remaining 4 ounces of chocolate. Spoon 10 heaping tablespoon portions of batter onto each prepared sheet. (You should have 20 total cookies.) Bake until cookies are puffed and covered with a large cracks, About 15 minutes. (Cookies will look raw in between the cracks and eventually flatten). Allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet pans, then slide a thin spatula under the cookies to remove from the sheets. To keep cookies soft, store in an airtight Ziploc bag or airtight container. Cookies can be frozen.. ■
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoenix San Tan Scottsdale Tempe West Valley
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Three Day Hiring Event Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Feb. 25 - 27 9am – 3pm
Where:
CMC Steel Arizona 11444 E Germann Rd. Mesa, AZ 85212
NOW HIRING IN MESA: • Forklift Operator • Mechanic and Electrician • Production Operator • Entry Level Positions
CMC Steel Arizona has proudly been making
• Technical Training Program
the steel that builds America since 2009. With great benefits, competitive pay, and a family-like culture, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to grow in your career. Visit us next weekend to apply in person!
JOBS
When:
MetroPhoenix
Employment General
To Advertise Call:
Scan to see all job openings!
480 898 6465
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 42
EVERYBODY GRAB A FUTURE Team Member Full and Part Time
Inspire The World Publish Your Book Today
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Your book made available at all major secular and specialty Christian bookstores including: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and many more.
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Call today for your Free Publishing Kit!
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Best of Ahwatukee Coming Soon!
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McDowell and Miller Road • (480) 947-9901 Apply at: 7607 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Located between Hayden Road and Scottsdale Road on the southwest corner of Miller Road.
JOIN CENTURION HEALTH FOR A HIRING EVENT!
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Seeking Healthcare Professionals Our reader poll is designed to let YOU tell us about your favorite people, places, shops, restaurants and things to do in Ahwatukee. PEOPLE | PLACES | SHOPS | RESTAURANTS | THINGS TO DO
Hits the streets March 9th 2022 WWW.AHWATUKEE.COM
to join our exceptional team in Arizona.
Thursday, February 24th
at Arizona State Prison Complex - Phoenix
For more information or to RSVP (not required), please contact:
Laurie Koch lkoch@teamcenturion.com 520.317.3154
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Appliance Repairs
Concrete & Masonry
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Block Fence * Gates
If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed
We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not
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LLC
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Carpet Cleaning
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480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com Not a licensed contractor.
Visit our website! Landlord and Homeowner Property Services
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Repairs • Drywall • Painting • BINSR Items Plumbing • Electrical • HOA Compliance
AND so much more! Ahwatukee Resident
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Not a licensed contractor.
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” Ahwatukee Plumbing Resident • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More! Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Electric Car Chargers for ALL your Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Fans Too Small Marks the Spot for“No electrical needs Job Too ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Lighting Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry 41 years Troubleshooting Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 And much more experience 199 ce Sin rk Wo y able, Qualit
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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Home Improvement
Hauling HAULING LOW RATES! $20 AND UP BRUHAUL JUNK REMOVAL 480-639-6142
YOUR CLASSIFIED SOURCE
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CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
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Insurance Best Auto & Home Insurance Brokers Rates in AZ. One Agency with 20+ companies Like Progressive, Safeco and more, that will shop Instantly & Save you money. Call/Text Ed Caceres 480-717-7277 www.TheFreedomInsurance.com Ed@TheFreedomInsurance.com
• 8am - 6pm Monday - Saturday • You Pay Labor & Materials Only • FREE ESTIMATES • ROC#312942 • David R Smith
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47
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48
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Landscape/Maintenance
RAMON LANDSCAPING SERVICES I could help you have your palm trees and other trees trimmed by giving you a reasonable and better price than the others.
Irrigation Repair & New Installation Yard Clean-ups • Storm Damage • Palm & Tree Trimming Tree Removal • Landscape Lighting Installation & Repair Landscape Design
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★ Epoxy Floors ★ Small Job Specialist
Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465
Scott Mewborn, Owner 480-818-1789
Not a licensed contractor.
License #ROC 298736
602.515.2767 Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online! Classifieds 480-898-6465
Plumbing Proudly Serving Ahwatukee for 15 Years! Family Owned & Operated Residential & Commercial Painting • Interior & Exterior • Professional Cabinet Refinishing • Epoxy Floors & Concrete Coatings • In-Home Color Consultations “Professional, Punctual & Clean”
Painting
• High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction ee • Countless References Serving Ahwatuk Since 1987 • Free Estimates
We Repair or Install www.ACPpaintingllc.com
In Best of Ahwatukee Year After Year
FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!
Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242 ROC #155380
(480) 785-6323
$35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!
A+ RATED
Veteran Owned
602.625.0599
Suntechpaintingaz.com Family Owned
PLUMBING
ROC # 272721
AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured
704.5422
(480)
CLASSIFIEDS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Place YOUR Business HERE!
Plumbing Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced & remodels. Rapid Response. If water runs through it we do it! 602-663-8432
Call for our 3 Month Trial Special! Classifieds: 480-898-6465
Pool Service / Repair
$25 OFF
Filter Cleaning!
602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5
www.barefootpoolman.com See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook
AHWATUKEE SPECIAL $
40 Off
Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001
*Any work done
Roofing
Roofing Watch for Garage Sales in Classifieds! You will find them easy with their yellow background. Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa
Monthly Service & Repairs Available
Plumbing
Serving All Types of Roofing: LICENSED | BONDED | INSURED | ROC #269218
Only $27.50 includes 1 week online To place an ad please call: 480-898-6465 class@times publications.com
$1000 OFF when you show this ad
Play Pools start at
www.affinityplumbingaz.com
Mark 602-799-0147
Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor
CPO#85-185793
Roofing
Anything Plumbing Same Day Service Water Heaters
24/7
Inside & Out Leaks
Bonded
Toilets
Insured
Faucets
Estimates Availabler
$35 off
Any Service
Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! We have a “Spencer” on every job and every step of the way.
Not a licensed contractor
Disposals
$85/month
MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561
Let Us Show Yo
u Th
e IN
Call
602-938-7575
for your FREE Roof Evaluation Today! www.InExRo
CLASSIFIEDS 480-898-6465
-EX D i ffe r e n c e
!
affinityplumber@gmail.com
602-471-2346
10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof
Owner Operated - 20 Years
Ask About Filter Cleaning Specials!
FREE ESTIMATES
• Tiles & Shingles sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com • Installation • Repair • Re-Roofing
480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com
MARK’S POOL SERVICE
with chemicals
Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service
*on qualifying complete roof replacements
Pool Service / Repair
Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541
49
ofin
g.c o m
class@times publications.com
PHILLIPS
ROOFING LLC COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL
Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona
Pool Service / Repair
623-873-1626
Juan Hernandez
Free Estimates Monday through Saturday
Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair
PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!
480-446-7663 Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!
SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable
Call Juan at
480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.
FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded
MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!
480-898-6465
Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured
PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net
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CLASSIFIEDS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Roofing
Plumbing
Window Cleaning
Window Cleaning Sustainable/Chemical Free Residential/Commercial Paint Removal Screen Cleaning
Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years
FREE ESTIMATES
ROC #152111
Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs Complimentary & Honest Estimates
Call our office today!
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
480-460-7602
480-706-1453
480-446-7663 Licensed, Bonded, Insured ROC152111
10% OFF with this ad
Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTAL COMMERCIAL && RESIDENTIAL
We Got You Covered!
We Got You Covered!
Specializing in New, Tile and Shingle Roofs • Repairs New Roofs, Repairs, Roof, & Coatings •FlatCoatings, Roof HotFlat Mopping Hot Mopping•Total & Patching Patching Rubber Roof Systems & Total Rubber Roof Systems
FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded
HIRING?
Same Day Service All Work GuaranteedPeople are looking in the
602-551-2255 30 Years Experience We Pay Your Insurance Deductible Licensed Bonded Insured ROC 288-123
Senior & Military Discounts
602-551-2255
Windowmasteraz.com • Windowmasteraz@gmail.com
480-330-2649
Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!
Valley Wide Service
ROC#288-123 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured
See our reviews and schedule at:
www.cousinswindowcleaning.com
Over 30 Years of Experience
Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING
FREE Estimates SAME DAY SERVICE
@windowmasteraz (602) 515-2828
Ahwatukee Based Family Owned and Operated Insured • Free Estimates
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
Ask us about our discount for all Military and First Responders!
www.porterroofinginc.com
WINDOW MASTER
Classifieds Every Day! Email Your
Job Post to: class@times publications.com
or Call 480-898-6465
CONTACT THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE
Do you want to get out of the life?
Are you being forced to work against your will? Or threatened or tricked by your boss? Do you know someone who may be?
CALL
1-888-373-7888
TEXT
“BeFree” (233733)
9 Get help. 9 Rep ort a t ip. 9 Find service s. 9 Lear n abou t your o ptions .
LIVE CHAT
HumanTraffickingHotline.org 24/7 • Toll free • Confidential • 200+ languages Polaris received $1.75 million through competitive funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant #90ZV0134-01-00. The project will be financed with 43.75% of federal funds and 56.25% ($2.25 million) by non-governmental sources. The contents of this flyer are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
Meetings/Events? Get Free notices in the Classifieds! Submit to ecota@timespublications.com
O P E R AT E D B Y
CLASSIFIEDS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Arizona’s Resort-Style Home Builder MASTER PLANNED CELEBRATED COMMUNITIES BY BLANDFORD HOMES
Award-winning Arizona builder for over 40 years. F BELL RD.
56TH ST.
Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities, parks, and charm. You’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle. A STRATFORD NOW SELLING B C D E F G H
A Dramatic New Gated Community in Gilbert Vintage Collection • From the low $600’s • 480-895-2800 Craftsman Collection • From the low $700’s • 480-988-2400 PALMA BRISA – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING A Dramatic New Gated Community Vintage Collection • From the high $600’s • 480-641-1800 Craftsman Collection • From the low $800’s • 480-641-1800 BELMONT AT SOMERSET – Prime Gilbert Location CLOSEOUT Luxury estate homes and timeless architecture • From the low $1,000,000’s • 480-895-6300 MONTELUNA – Brand New Gated Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa NOW SELLING B McKellips Rd just east of the Red Mountain 202 Fwy • From the high $600’s RESERVE AT RED ROCK – New Upscale Resort Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa COMING IN 2022 Stunning views of Red Mountain • From the $600’s TALINN AT DESERT RIDGE – SALES BEGIN EARLY IN 2022 Spectacular location at Desert Ridge ESTATES AT MANDARIN GROVE – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 11 luxury single-level estate homes with 3- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000 ESTATES AT HERMOSA RANCH – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 12 single-level homes on extra large homesites with 5- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000
E H G
D
C GERMANN
A
BlandfordHomes.com Not all photos shown are representative of all communities. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.
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CLASSIFIEDS
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | FEBRUARY 23, 2022
W Sa in $ vi te To In ng r w st s a a
50
M
0
rd n sAtC re tio n Ne d i th is w t U ad n
en
it
40 Years
BESTOF
2021
Serving the Central Valley
® FREE INDOOR REME HALO Celebrating 40 Years IN-DUCT AIR PURIFIER*
Serving The Valley!
40% OFF 16pt tune up plus outdoor coil cleaning Reg. $109
• Reduces common allergens from pollen, mold dander & dust • Eliminates pet, cooking and musty odors • Reduces airborne and surface bacteria & viruses, such as MRSA, e-coli, and Norwalk 99+%, *With a qualified ac system purchase
YOUR HOMETOWN AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST
FREE www.BrewersAC.com SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643
480-725-7303
Service Call (with repair) Second Opinion A + Rating
We offer Big Savings and Great Financing!
Some restrictions apply. See website for additional information. Special rebates and financing offers are valid on qualifying equipment and pre-approved credit. Offers expire 12/31/2022.