Gilbert Sun News - 11.22.2020 by Times Media Group

Sellers pulls out victory

Teachers’ wishes come true

PAGE 3

PAGE 15

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

INSIDE

This Week

FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com

Student, mom ask GPS to keep classrooms open Higley to consider individualized campus closures. Page 10

BUSINESS................. 19 Yes, this is an escape room.

SPORTS........................21 Cross country runners’ rocky season.

Sunday, November 22, 2020

BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

ith Campo Verde High School back in hybrid learning last week due to COVID-19 cases on campus, freshman Grace Thompson made it clear to the Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board that she wasn’t happy with it. The board earlier this month set triggers for moving schools back to hybrid and virtual learning in an effort to stop the coronavirus’ spread in the GPS district. “Hybrid learning does not work,” Grace,

14, told the board. “The system that you have put in place is ineffective. No one is learning anything. Last year I was a straight “A” student.” Campo Verde students are expected back on campus full-time this week after going to the hybrid model for 14 days. The board earlier this month approved thresholds for the type of learning that would take place on an individual school campus. If COVID-19 cases per week on the district dashboard are higher than 1 percent at a high school based on school population, 1.5 percent at a junior high campus and 2 percent at an elementary school, that campus would go to the hybrid-learning model. Canyon Valley High School and the RISE

Junior High program – because of their size – would need five and three cases, respectively, for their triggers to activate. Under hybrid learning, students are split alphabetically into two groups that then are in class either Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays with virtual learning for all on Wednesdays. What pushed Campo Verde, with 1,929 students and staff, into hybrid learning Nov. 9 was the 20 active cases on campus the prior week. As of last week, Campo Verde reported two active cases on the dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday. No campuses last week met the triggers. Grace, who at times became tearful, tore into the board.

see VIRUS page 8

Nightlife may have ebbed, Remember when? drunk driving hasn’t

BY JIM WALSH GSN Staff Writer

GETOUT......................25 EV eateries that respect food allergies.

COMMUNITY........................................15 BUSINESS............................................. 19

SPORTS........................................21 GETOUT................................................. 25 PUZZLE.......................................26

CLASSIFIED..........................................28

olice tactics are changing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the East Valley DUI Task Force will return during the holiday season with the same goal of promoting public safety by busting as many impaired drivers as possible. Throughout Arizona, driving under the influence arrests are down 10-15 percent this year, but East Valley agencies report the opposite trend, with Gilbert police arrests increasing 31 percent from a year ago and Chandler police also reporting an increase. Mesa and Scottsdale police report little change from a year ago, with drivers still drinking or using drugs before getting behind the wheel – apparently after imbibing at home or pri-

see DUI page 10

It was only last year that the 11th annual 12Ks of Christmas drew hundreds of runners and walkers to Freestone Park. But such Gilbert holiday traditions won’t be happening this year because of COVID-19. For details, see page 4.. (GSN file photo)

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

A CARD THAT REWARDS YOUR INTERESTS

5% 3%

CASH BACK

on category of your choice

CASH BACK

on gasoline

CASH BACK

on groceries

CASH BACK

on everything else

BANKS OWN YOU. YOU OWN US. Card type and APR is based on creditworthiness.1Capped at $1,500 spent in qualifying purchases quarterly. Cash Back rewards are tracked as points and each $1 in Cash Back rewards earned is equal to 100 points. Points can be redeemed for cash back, merchandise, gift cards, travel, and charitable donations. See Vantage West Rewards terms and conditions for details and restrictions of the program. Subject to approval. Certain restrictions may apply. Subject to change without notice.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

An edition of the East Valley Tribune Gilbert Sun News is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Gilbert.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Main number: 480-898-6500 | Advertising: 480-898-5624 Circulation service: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

Display Advertising:

480-898-6309

Classifieds/Inside Sales:

Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timespublications.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timespublications.com Steve Insalaco |480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timespublications.com Advertising Office Manager:

Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@evtrib.com Advertising Sales Executive:

Jane Meyer | 480-898-5633 | jane@timespublications.com NEWS DEPARTMENT

Executive Editor:

Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@timespublications.com Managing Editor:

Cecilia Chan | 480-898-5613 |cchan@timespublications.com Reporters:

Jim Walsh | 480-898-5639 | jwalsh@timespublications.com Kevin Reagan | 480-898-5638 | kreagan@timespublications.com Get Out Editor:

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timespublications.com Photographer:

Pablo Robles | probles@timespublications.com Design:

Christy Byerly | cbyerly@timespublications.com Production Coordinator:

Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director:

Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com Sports Editor: Zach Alvira | 480-898-5630 | zalvira@timespublications.com Gilbert Sun News is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

NEWS

Sellers pulls off slim county supervisor win BY PAUL MARYNIAK GSN Executive Editor

ith all the more than 2 million votes cast Nov. 3 in Maricopa County, a final stunning surprise was saved until the end. After trailing Democratic opponent Jevin Hodge almost all week following the election, Republican incumbent Maricopa County Supervisor Jack Sellers, whose district includes Gilbert, eked out a 403-vote victory, according to final unofficial results. Sellers, a former Chandler City Council and State Transportation Board member, was appointed to the post by the board in January 2018 to fill the seat vacated by Denny Barney, who resigned to become president/CEO of the PHX East Valley Partnership. Hodge, the son of Tempe Union Governing Board President Berdetta Hodge – who easily won her reelection bid – had declared victory on his Facebook site two days after the election, telling supporters itt was time to get to work. But while Hodge had jumped to a big lead on Election Night and held it for a few days, Sellers began chipping away at it until he took a slim lead over the weekend. Hodge posted a video on his Facebook site on Saturday conceding. “Today is very very hard,” he said. “But I am thankful and very proud…. This is not the end of this movement.” Sellers on his Facebook page thanked voters and congratulated Hodge “for running a very competitive campaign.” “This was a very close race and the voters came out in record numbers,” Sellers wrote. “It is now incumbent upon me to ensure all residents feel included in decisions made by the Board of Supervisors. “We have many issues to work on, most importantly our response to the COVID 19 pandemic and the economic vitality of our county. Working together, we can protect public health while ensuring our business community can survive the crisis and prepare for an even stronger future.” Sellers also noted that the campaign

Jack Sellers was fought on issues “without attacking each other.” He said Hodge called him and “we had a very cordial and productive conversation. We agreed to get together soon to start an open dialog on issues that are important for our district.” Sellers’ victory clinched all county offices for Republicans as well as retained the 4-1 control they have on the Board of Supervisors. The only Democrat who held a county office the last four years was County recorder Adrian Fontes, who conceded late last week to Republican challenger Stephen Richer. The GOP’s across-the-board victory in county offices included former Gilbert Council member Eddie Cook. Meanwhile, final unofficial tallies showed state Sen. J.D. Mesnard easily overcoming a hugely financed effort to deny him a second term – his sixth as a lawmaker for a district that includes South Chandler, Sun Lakes and part of Gilbert. Mesnard garnered a 52.5 percent vote margin over Democrat Ajlan AJ Kurdoglu in a race where nearly two-thirds of the $3.2 million spent in the Legislative District 17 battles were spent on the Senate race alone. In the three-way race for the two LD17 House seats, Democratic Rep. Jennifer Pawlik repeated her 2018 election

debut by garnering the most votes with 33.7 percent, or 65,172, according to final unofficial results. Second was Republican Rep. Jeff Weninger, with 33.4 percent, while Chandler Realtor Liz Harris captured 32.8 percent in her failed bid to return the LD17 delegation to all-Republican. No other legislative district in Arizona saw the kind of campaign cash that was spent in LD17, records show. Of the $3,265,895 that was spent by and for all five candidates, $2,389,270 was spent in the Mesnard-Kurdoglu race. Of that, the candidates’ own campaigns spent $441,268 while independent organizations – many from outside Arizona – spent another $1,948,002. That include a stunning $1,331,430 spent by groups advocating for Mesnard’s defeat. Mesnard last month said he was mystified as to why independent organizations targeted him so heavily, though he suggested they felt that the Republican voter registration edge in LD17 could be surmounted because his victory in 2018 was in the single-digits. Regardless of the reasons, the five candidates themselves spent $775,046 combined on their campaigns. Among the three House candidates in LD17, independent groups’ spending totaled the most for and against Pawlik. Independent groups spent a total $154,386 advocating for her election and $120,900 against. Independent groups’ spending was second highest in Harris’ campaign, with groups opposed to her election pouring $147,817 to advocate for her defeat while only $19,991 was spent by other groups on her behalf. Hodge, who faced an uphill battle in a district where Republicans hold a 20,000 registration lead, also ran second to Sellers in the race for cash. The latest filings in the county supervisor race showed that Sellers raised $118,570 while his opponent has raised $104,030. Sellers also out-spent Hodge $118,570 to $104,030, according to third quarter campaign finance filings.

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Gilbert begins a pandemic-muted holiday season BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

t’s beginning to look a lot like not-Christmas this year in Gilbert with no Giving Machines, socially distanced Santas and one of the town’s most popular holiday events moved online – all thanks to COVID-19. But there are still events on the town’s holiday calendar, though many will be different this year because of the pandemic, with reduced crowd sizes and other health regulations in place. And various drives are already going on – or will soon – to help needy families at a time when the pandemic brought economic havoc to many households. The pandemic since March has thrown many public events off-kilter, most notably the town’s centennial celebration and Gilbert Days. Now, Santa returns to HD SOUTH, Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, and San Tan Village for pictures with the kids but they will be a contact-free experiences. Santa, his elves and anyone 2 and older will wear masks and hand sanitizer will be available. To reserve a spot with Santa at San Tan Village for Dec. 4-24, shopsantanvillage.com/SantaPhotos. HD South also is requiring reservations for its Breakfast for Santa event 8:30-11:30 a.m. Dec. 5 at hdsouth.org/events. What was to be Gilbert’s third year of hosting vending machines at Water Tower Plaza downtown that enable people to donate to nonprofits has been delayed until 2021, according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Giving Machines are part of the church’s annual Light the World campaign, which asks people to take the 25 days leading up to Christmas and turn it into a season of helping others in need. The initiative is still being held and the church is encouraging the public to donate to charities. Plans were in place to expand to more locations this holiday season but COVID-19 prompted church officials to postpone all Giving Machines until 2021.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints won’t be using its Giving Machines this year because of the crowds they attract. The Gilbert machines have been highly profitable for the church’s charitable endeavors. (GSN file photo)

Church spokeswoman Jennifer Wheeler said the Gilbert site attracted big lines in prior years, so “the cancellation is because of concern related to Covid-19 spreading in large groups.” The Town of Gilbert is still holding its Riparian After Dark event from 5:30-8 p.m., Dec. 11-20 at 2757 E. Guadalupe Road. Tickets must be purchased online, beginning 8 a.m. Nov. 30, in order to walk through the holiday lights display. Gilbert also is stringing up holiday lights downtown at the iconic water tower that will dance and sing to holiday songs. From Nov. 30-Jan. 3 at 5 p.m., the tower will play through eight songs and restart every 30 minutes until 10 p.m. A menorah will be lit in downtown Gilbert starting the night of Dec. 10 until Dec. 18 to celebrated Hanukah. For children who want to partake of the town’s holiday-themed recreation programming, there are several to choose from, but advance registration is required, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Harrison. There’s the Challenge Island Holiday Workshop for toy-making 9:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Dec. 5 for 5- 12-year-olds at McQueen Park Activity Center. The cost is $40. Also, the McQueen Park center will host a Holiday Cookies and Crafts workshop 10 a.m.-noon, Dec. 12 kids 5-12 years old. The cost is $20 but the class is full, so a waiting list registration is open at gilbertaz.gov. For adults over 18, the Winter Wonderland, 6-8 p.m. Dec. 13 at Freestone

Park,1045 E. Juniper Road, includes an evening of music, crafts, cozy treats and a visit from a very special guest. Each reservation is for one table and each table can accommodate up to six people. Cost is $20 and reservations can be made at gilbertaz.gov. But the 12th annual Fulton Homes 12K’s of Christmas – which is considered one of the best holiday runs in the nation by professional runners – won’t be held at Freestone Park as it has been the past decade. Instead the event will be held Dec. 12-14 virtually. It includes a 12K run and 6K run/ walk and a 1.2K Dog Dash. Participants can complete their 12K or 6K anytime between Dec. 12 and Dec. 14 outside or on a treadmill and post their timed results to Raceroster. com by Dec. 14. The 12K and 6K registration still includes goodies such as a Christmas medal, Santa beard buff, Christmas socks and a Custom Naughty or Nice finishers certificate. All 1.2K Dog Dash participants will receive a Custom 12K’s of Christmas bandana to share with their fur babies, bib and Christmas sticker. Deadline to register is Dec. 5. For those who want their SWAG delivered before Dec. 12, the deadline is Nov. 25. For more information, including costs and registration, go to https://raceroster.com/ events/2020/34746/12ks-of-christmas-virtual There also are opportunities for those

looking to help others in need during this trying holiday season. Gilbert Police are holding a Holiday Gift Card Drive from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Nov. 21 at Jacksons Car Wash, 2870 S. Market St. Anyone who donates a gift card valued at $25 or over will receive a free full-service car wash or a free express oil change in return. Participants will be entered in a raffle with the chance of winning a year of free car washes. The department usually holds a toy drive but because of COVID restrictions, people are asked to donate gift card donations instead. Gilbert Fire and Rescue is holding a clothes and toys drive for needy children in town from now until Dec. 14. Unwrapped donations of new toys and clothing can be dropped off 7 a.m.6 p.m., Monday to Thursday at the Fire Administration at 85 E. Civic Center Drive or at the Municipal Building, 50 E. Civic Center Drive. Those who want to participate virtually can send items to Gilbert Fire Admin, 85 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, Arizona, 85296. People also can register to sponsor a portion or the entire wish list of a child by signing up to be a Holiday Hero. Register at glbrt.is/GFRDHolidayDrive. And, keep an eye out for Fire Engine No. 2510, which will continue a 10-plus-year tradition where crews festively decorate the truck located at Fire Station 10 to bring the holiday spirit to the streets of Gilbert. At the nonprofit AZCEND in Chandler, which also serves Gilbert, Operation Santa kicked off. People can adopt a struggling family or donate a new toy or clothing item. Donations requested include new shoes, clothes of all sizes, jackets, socks, dolls, arts and crafts, cars or trucks, new books, board games and gift cards. Items can be dropped off from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec. 12 at Heritage Center for AZCEND, 132 W. Bruce Ave., Chandler. For more information, go to gilbertaz.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/9189/19.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020 Santan Fwy 202 E. Germann Rd.

PRICES VALID THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH THRU SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2020

UP TO

35% OFF SELECT APPLIANCES1

SHOP DOORBUSTERS ALL DAY THURSDAY ON SEARSHOMEAPPLIANCESHOWROOM.COM

PLUS

RBUSTERS

25.5 cu. ft.

HOT BUY

†

25.5- cu ft.† capacity refrigerator • Full width gourmet pantry drawer • Dual evaporator maintains separate temperatures and humidity levels for the refrigerator and freezer keeping food fresh longer ITEM# 04675035 Additional discounts and offers do not apply. Limited to warehouse quantities.

80% more water coverage • Removable third rack to store cooking utensils

third rack stainless steel tub

SAVE $420

629

40% OFF $

REG. 1049.99

1399

REG. 2289.99

6311/WK

LEASE PER WEEK

3-DAY HOT DEALS

599† or more with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card.** $

5.0 cu. ft. dual door opening

18 MONTHS FINANCING**

ON APPLIANCE PURCHASES $999† OR MORE

ITEM# 02214573 Additional discounts and offers do not apply. Limited to warehouse quantities.

$ 38% OFF

10% OFF* APPLIANCES

HOT 24-in. built-in dishwasher BUY • PowerWave™ Spray Arm delivers

SAVE $890 fingerprint resistant

S. Gilbert Rd.

S. Stearman

S Gilbert Rd Suite #7 SHOWROOM SW2100 Corner of Gilbert & Germann

CLOSED THANKSGIVING | OPEN FRIDAY AT 8AM

FRIDAY

Dr.

HOME APPLIANCE

E. Germann Rd.

26 /WK

64 *

LEASE PER WEEK 5.0 cu. ft. capacity washer • TurboWash3D™ and 6Motion™ technologies uses 6 wash motions and creates a powerful water flow that forces clothes to rub together for a deep, thorough clean • EasyDispense™ system accepts detergent, bleach and fabric softener all at once

with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card.*

FREE DELIVERY ON APPLIANCES $499 OR MORE with qualifying Shop Your Way or Sears credit card**

7.3 cu. ft. capacity electric dryer • Dual door-opening option offers convenience to load and unload clothes • Sensor Dry detects moisture & automatically adjusts drying time ITEM# 02665362/

DLE7300WE Gas dryer priced higher. Limited to warehouse ITEM# 02635362/WT7300CW quantities.

FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

SHOP ANYTIME ON SEARSHOMEAPPLIANCESHOWROOM.COM

SAVE $405 ON THE PAIR

697EACH

REG. 899.99 EACH

2986/WK

LEASE PER WEEK

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Council urges no liquor license for smoke shop BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

Scottsdale owner of Joey Smoke Shop on Gilbert Road will have to persuade the state to let him sell beer and wine to go after the town voiced opposition to his request. Town Council recently voted unanimously to recommend that the state Liquor Board deny Christopher Robin’s application for a Series 10 Beer and Wine Store Liquor License because of an arrest that was still making its way through the justice system. The town rarely objects to a liquor license application. “There are still six felony charges pending,” said Police Chief Mike Soelberg, who advised against supporting the application. “At this time my request is still to not approve the license based on the pending criminal charges against the applicant.” Robin was arrested September 2019

by Scottsdale Police and faced six felony charges; possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of narcotic drug for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia. Soelberg said Scottsdale Police turned the charges over to the County Attorney’s Office for filing but the case was kicked back to police to do more work. “They have completed that and they are in the process of resubmitting that case to the County Attorney’s Office,” Soelberg said at the Nov. 10 council meeting. Scottsdale Police did not respond to a Gilbert Sun News request for the report. Robin told Council he was at the wrong place at the wrong time and that it hasn’t been proven he has committed a crime. At the Oct. 13 council meeting, when the issue was continued, Robin said

Hidden In The Hills Artist Studio Tour

NOVEMBER 20–22 & 27–29 CAVE CREEK • CAREFREE • NORTH SCOTTSDALE

SEE ARTISTS IN ACTION SOC I AL ST

Visit 35 studios featuring over 135 artists at this one-of-a-kind event. Find unique gifts for the holidays!

ANCING

(Clockwise from top left): Jacki Cohen, Jason Napier and Nancy Pendleton

480.575.6624 • HiddenInTheHills.org

he and a friend had entered another friend’s home using the security pin she gave them to disarm the alarm. But for some reason, the alarm triggered anyway, he said, adding that police arrived and could not reach the homeowner. He said he was briefly detained but was released with no charges. “The Scottsdale Police did not find marijuana in my home, my car or on my person,” Robins told Council this month. “I understand the police is attempting to provide information to this committee for the sake of the license. The information they are giving are allegations, not facts that I have committed a crime. Nothing has been proven. “Denial of this license would place a burden on collecting city and state taxes and on my business. The city of Gilbert would lose on taxable income based on accusations. My business, my employees and I would lose on opportunities to grow during these harsh times that we

are all going through.” He asked Council to ignore Scottsdale Police and emphasized he has never been convicted of a crime. “At the moment I am a business owner trying to make it through these hard times by growing my business that I have worked hard to build,” Robin said. “I have paid the fees and I have taken all the training necessary to obtain this license.” The council, however, wasn’t buying Robin’s argument. Vice Mayor Yung Koprowski said outside of the accusations from Scottsdale Police, she believed everyone has the right to enjoy whatever hobby in their home allowed by law. “We have little desire to infringe upon those rights but having these rights doesn’t explicitly inform the consumer on the danger of mixing substances in a smoke shop and with liquor,” Koprows-

see JOEYSMOKE page 7

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

JOEYSMOKE from page 6

ki said. “A one-stop shop such as this could represent an inherent endorsement of mixing substances with negative result and I believe it does not offer any benefits to this community.” Generally, smoke shops and vape shops are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local municipalities have little to do with their control, said Councilman Scott September, adding his statement had nothing to do with the applicant or with the pending charges. “The result of that is the ATF and the federal government do not have the resources to adequately regulate at the local level and to ensure compliance with local laws,” September said. “I think the result of that we’ll see with minors having access to tobacco products and vape products and I think it’s a problem today. “I would hate to see the idea of adding another product that has to be regulated and put that in the hands of people who have already demonstrated an inability to adequately control the products that they sell now.” Councilwoman Kathy Tilque, a retired longtime CEO of Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, said the discussion sounded as if support was based on the business Robin owns. “I’m a bit concerned that we make decisions based on the type of business from a moral perspective or a philosophical perspective,” Tilque said. “By doing so, does that set a precedence for the decisions that we will be making in the future?” Councilman Jared Taylor said the last time Council didn’t back a license request was five to six years ago. “I don’t think this will change or set any kind of precedence because largely we’ve supported liquor licenses in almost very series that come through,” Taylor said. “I think the Council will continue to do that.” Mayor Scott Anderson said Council also could choose to pass no recommendation to the state board. Councilwoman Aimee Yentes said she had ruminated on the issue quite a bit because she wants to support business-

Joey Smoke Shop carries an array of pipes and other tobacco products, but the owner wants to add beer and wine to his offerings and Gilbert Police have recommended against that. (Special to GSN)

es struggling through the pandemic. She didn’t want to be a regulatory burden but noted there was a reason why Council was discussing the application. “Whether we’re talking about occupational licensing or liquor licenses, there is a government interest to regulate it,” she said. “And specifically, because these charges have a nexus to the kind of business that it is. “Just like if we were to look at pending charges for a CPA trying to become licensed and he had issues of fraud. We would look at that nexus with a great concern.” She asked the chief if Proposition 207 would result in some of the marijuana-related charges being dropped. Arizona votes in November approved the recreational use and possession of marijuana up to 2.5 ounces. “Based on my reading of this criminal case and the passing of 207, it will not affect these charges because of the quantity,” Soelberg said. Yentes said the timing was bad for Robin and suggested he pursue his liquor license at a later date. “The businesses in these cases, in these regulatory environments do have

the onerous on them to prove they have the privilege to be granted a license to sell alcohol and especially just considering the particulars of this case,” she said. “I feel comfortable making the decision to deny,” Yentes continued. “It pains me to say this because I do want to be helpful to our business community. There are other businesses that sell both substances so I don’t necessarily think the mixing in this situation is a problem but just given the information we have today with the knowledge that we have I think that it’s probably the wisest decision.” Tilque then asked if Robin would consider withdrawing his application and come back when his criminal case has been decided. “I have currently nine businesses and during everything that has been going on I’ve been able to stay open,” said Robin, whose other operations are wireless businesses. “I’ve been able to keep all my employees employed and helped them provide a life for their family and a life for my family.” He added the case is over a year old, no charges have been brought against him and he didn’t know how long this

process will last. “I’m just trying to do everything I can right now to keep my business afloat and I feel like bringing in another stream of revenue would probably be one of the only ways I can keep this business operating,” he said. Joey Smoke Shop LLC was formed in 2013, according to the Arizona Corporation Commission. A call left for Robin at the shop was not returned. The state liquor board holds monthly meetings if there are cases that are contested and has not received Robin’s application yet. The Department of Liquor Licenses and Control director generally approves licenses when there are no objections filed, according to Jeffery Trillo, assistant director of the Licensing and Administration Division. He said the number of actual new and transfer liquor applications that come before the board are relatively small in number. When making its decision, the board looks to see if the applicant meets the legal requirements under state law such as not having any felony convictions within five years of the application. Aside from that disqualification, “there is no bright-line rule but in short, the Liquor Board assesses whether an applicant shows oneself to be capable, qualified and reliable to be issued a liquor license,” Trillo said. “In essence, is this the type of individual who should be entrusted to operate a liquor license-related business, that is, one believed sufficiently responsible to operate a business in accordance with applicable laws?” Trillo added. The board also will determine if the application is in the best interest of the community, according to Trillo. In fiscal year 2020, the board heard 22 applications and granted six licenses and denied three, according to department data. Six applicants withdrew from the process, three had continuances and three filed for appeals. In reviewing the four prior fiscal years, fewer than half of the contested applications were approved.

NEWS

VIRUS from page 1

“Online orchestra, online weight lifting?” she said. “Do you not see how ridiculous this is? I know that students at my school are catching COVID but they aren’t dying. “They feel sick for a few days and then they come back and they’re fine, which I might remind you happens to most people on a yearly basis. This is not a reason to ruin education, create mental health issues in hundreds of children and teenagers and take away personal freedoms from the people who put you in these positions.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most children with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms at all but some can become severely ill. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported so far over 1 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 and that the number of new child cases reported for Nov. 12, nearly 112,000, was by far the highest weekly increase since the pandemic began. And, in Arizona as of Nov. 12, there have been 574 hospitalizations of children, 0-19 years old, which was 2.6 percent of the cumulative total for hospitalizations of all ages in the state, the professional association said. Additionally, nine child deaths related to COVID-19 were reported in Arizona. Grace told the board that keeping students away from school harmed their mental well-being, pointing to herself and her siblings. “Life is not about being afraid of death,” she said. “The students of Gilbert Public Schools want to be in school. Teenagers are begging to be back in school. “Stop taking away their right to choose. You have done enough by providing options for the people who don’t want to attend school. Now don’t take away the choice from people who do,” she continued. “Stop using fear to control and punish people even if you feel like you should. That isn’t your job. You should be focused on the education of your students but right now you are literally taking direct action to hinder it.” Amy Johansson also spoke in favor of keeping schools open during the public comment portion of the meeting. Board

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

tion. While in hybrid learning, students remain with their classroom teacher instead of moving to the district’s Global Academy, which is fulltime virtual instruction. Should two of the three state health benchmarks reach the substantial risk level for two weeks, the board will meet to decide if the entire district moves temporarily to virtual learning. Campo Verde High School freshman Grace Thompson tried to hold Gilbert mom Amy Johanssen applauded the district’s handling of The state recentback tears of frustration as she asked the GPS Governing Board to pandemic safeguards but said it is important to keep classrooms keep classrooms open. (YouTube) open. (YouTube) ly revised its recommended criteria members are not allowed to respond. I’m going through or about what other for when districts transition to virtual Johansson said her three sons grad- kids my age are going through that are in learning. Previously just one of the three uated from Gilbert High School and her worse situations,” she wrote, continuing: health benchmarks – two consecutive daughter is now a senior there. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve weeks with new case rates below 100 per Johansson said she was pleased with heard, ‘If you want schools to reopen, you 100,000 people; two consecutive weeks how the district has been handling the don’t care about the innocent lives that with 10 percent or lower positivity and pandemic and felt the board members will be lost.’ Actually, I do. I care about the two consecutive weeks with percent of had the children’s best interest at heart. individuals being left out of the conversa- hospital visits showing symptoms of That said, she asserted students need to tion.” COVID-like illness below 10 percent – had be in school. Carlee wrote that students secluded in to be in the red or substantial category to “Yes, the cases are going up,” Johans- their homes are suffering depression and trigger a district’s return to virtual learnson said. “But it’s not spreading at our anxiety or other mental illnesses. ing. Now all three benchmarks need to be schools. It’s not spreading between the “I care about the scared, innocent chil- in the red for that to happen. kids and the teachers. I feel like we are dren being sexually, mentally and physiAccording to Maricopa County’s dashfree to choose and the ones that do want cally abused by family members or friends board last Thursday, Gilbert Public School to keep their kids home, they should have inside of their home with nowhere to es- district was in the red for one benchmark that opportunity. But our kids need to be cape,” she said. and yellow or moderate spread in the two in school.” She said she missed school and seeing others but all three had seen increases Johannson said she worked for the dis- her friends and asked the board not to take from the week prior. trict for five years and is now in the pri- away her right to go to class in person. For cases per 100 people, it was 219.5 vate sector working with youth on a daily GPS administrators review health data last Thursday in the district’s boundary, an basis. from the state and county daily and on increase from 154.3 the week before. And “They’re struggling,” she said. “There’s Wednesdays, they and county health of- for percent positivity, it was 8.03 percent anxiety, there’s depression, there’s suicid- ficials determine if it’s necessary for a compared with 7.08 percent the week prial. There are other factors going on and school to move temporarily to hybrid or and for COVID-like illnesses, it was 5.03 we need to support children.” learning. percent compared with 4 percent. Her daughter, Carlee Johansson, sent a If the decision is made to do so, parents Higley Unified School District also saw letter to the board. The 17-year-old is an are notified Thursday and the campus its numbers rising. honors student who has scrupulously fol- move to the learning model on the followIts cases per 100,00 people was red for lowed the protocols in place to limit the ing Monday. the two weeks with 307.9 last week comvirus’ spread. Should cases decrease during the two pared with 149.72 the previous week and “I’m done with adults making decisions weeks of hybrid learning, students and the percent positivity rose from 7.3 perfor me that have absolutely no idea what staff would return to in-person instruc- cent to 9.5 percent last week.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

#1 Rated Shop in the East Valley

Your Trusted European Car Specialists

We at Huffs Automotive are specialists in: Se Habla • BMW • Land Rover • Mini Cooper Español • Jaguar • Volkswagen • Audi • Mercedes Benz • Porsche

CALL NOW!

FREE

FULL VEHICLE INSPECTION $150 Value!

Must mention ad when making appointment.

Thank You for voting us

BEST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR

Serving Chandler & the East Valley for over 10 Years • Family Owned and Operated

95 N. Dobson Rd. • Chandler, AZ 85224 480-726-8900 • huffsautomotive.com info@huffsautomotive.com

Call For An Appointment!

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Higley plans meeting on closure benchmarks BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

igley Unified School Governing Board will hear district administration’s recommendation for triggers that would send students to remote learning for individual campuses as cases continue to rise in its boundary. The special meeting begins at 5 p.m., Dec. 2. “While our current plan already dictates the need to return to remote learning should active cases significantly rises on a particular campus, we also recognize with the recent substantial increases in community spread there is a need for specific protocols to be formally approved,” said Associate Superintendent Dawn Foley at last Wednesday’s board meeting. While the district is at a substantial virus spread level in one of the three health benchmarks used to determine closures, the state recently revised its recommendation that all three metrics should be at that level for a return to virtual learning. Foley said positive cases on Higley

DUI from page 1

vate social gatherings. “Overall, our numbers are down slightly from last year. However, our crashes involving impaired drivers have remained at a similar level,’’ said Sgt. Ben Hoster, a Scottsdale police spokesman. “This is still significant because of how nightlife has been impacted. “Across the Valley, we are seeing a noticeable amount of people driving impaired that are not coming from the establishments impacted by the pandemic.’’ Mesa police Officer George Chwe, a state instructor in DUI investigations, said the problem can be traced to substance abuse and addiction. “A lot of old habits are coming back,’’ Chwe said, with people who have suffered from substance abuse in the past likely backsliding under the pressure of losing their jobs and sustaining other

Gov. Doug Ducey’s office released this chart showing the how COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose in the summer, fell in the early fall and are now on the rise again. (State of Arizona)

campuses were not rising. As of last Thursday, its dashboard, which is updated each weekday, showed 14 cases. “We are seeing very little evidence

of person-to-person spread on school campuses,” she said. “We attribute that to the mitigation strategies that we have implemented on our campuses. We have

Gilbert Police will be out in force during the holiday season to get drunke drivers off the road. Despite a slowdown in nightlife because of COVID-19 restrictions, police in Gilbert and Chandler say DUI arrests have actually increased over last year. (GSN file photo)

setbacks during the pandemic. “I think impaired driving and substance abuse will be a huge factor,’’ he said, as the nation mobilizes to defeat the pandemic and return to a sense of

normalcy. “We’re just changing our tactics, but it’s business as usual,’’ Chwe said. “We’re doing it in a COVID-prevention manner.’’

seen that increased sanitation as well as wearing a face covering are effective ways to minimize the spread.” Chandler Unified administrators told their board the same thing as that district is adopting an individualized approach to campus closures similar to one already adopted by Gilbert Public Schools. Foley said “almost all” of Higley’s virus cases resulted from off-campus activities such as parties, sleepovers “or attendance to events where preventative measures were not followed.” Board member Scott Glover, who also is a teacher, remarked that it was the district’s plan to rely on the county for guidance while “other districts, as we have seen, are making their own plans.” “So, do we wait for the county, which at times have been a little bit slower than we would like or do we make our own?” he asked. “I would rather defer to public health experts but I just want it to be known that I am willing to do the work to make a decision if my colleagues see fit to do that (on Dec. 2)”

see HIGLEY page 13

Chwe said the entire point is to prevent needless fatalities and deter highrisk behavior that can have a deadly consequence for innocent people on the road. “People do make mistakes. We would rather catch them before they make a tremendous mistake, killing someone,’’ he said. Alberto Gutier, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said police are changing tactics to avoid either contracting COVID-19 from each other or from suspects during traffic stops or at mobile testing and booking stations. “We have to very careful. No briefings with 50 people in a room,’’ Gutier said. He said the safety protocols will help protect officers and suspects alike by promoting social distancing, with may-

see DUI page 12

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Despite virus surge, Ducey discounts mask mandate BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

ov. Doug Ducey refused last week to impose new restrictions or mandates on individuals even as his own health chief warned of an increasing number of Arizonans becoming infected with COVID-19. The governor dismissed the idea of a statewide mask mandate, calling it unnecessary given various local ordinances. Nor will he clamp down on existing occupancy limits at bars, restaurants, gyms or movie theaters or seek to curb their hours of operation. State health director Dr. Cara Christ said the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive-care units also is on the rise. “These metrics are heading in the wrong direction,’’ she said. Christ put in a plug for masks based on new research by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We know now that masks pro-

vide more protection than previously thought,’’ she said. But Ducey said he has no intent of imposing a statewide mandate for people to wear masks when they are outside, even following pleas from state schools chief Kathy Hoffman. “I want people to wear a mask,’’ the governor said, “Masks work.’’ He said, though, a statewide mandate is unnecessary because local mandates already cover about 90 percent of the population. And Ducey said that the efforts by his administration to convince people to mask up “has got the maximum amount of compliance.’’ “What I want to avoid is some of the division and politics that have happened around this issue,’’ the governor said, saying he prefers “participation and cooperation.’’ The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation says just two thirds of Arizonans are masking up in situations where they are exposed to other.

The institute predicts that doing nothing will result in about 118 deaths a day by the end of January. By contrast, the researchers say that could be cut in half with a statewide mask mandate. Ducey said he wants Christ and her department to work with officials at the state’s three main airports – Sky Harbor, Mesa Gateway and Tucson International – on what he called “inbound messaging’’ for passengers arriving from elsewhere “around the importance of wearing masks and information on where travelers can get tested.’’ He also wants the airports to set up on-premises testing sites available to travelers when they land. But there are no testing mandates for visitors or protocols for happens if a test comes back positive. Instead, the governor said he anticipates that people will do the right thing on their own. “I have a lot of faith in Americans that if they realize that if they were positive or exposed to the virus in a significant

way that they would quarantine,’’ he said. Ducey agreed things not getting better in Arizona any time soon. “That’s not on the horizon,’’ he said, “and getting back to normal isn’t in the cards right now.’’ Ducey also made another push for getting kids back into the classroom. “I think children should be in school,’’ the governor said. “I want parents to have options and one of those options should be in-person learning.’’ Ducey said he believes that is in the best interests of children, even as schools have wrestled with how to provide instruction and keep the youngsters and staffers – and, by extension, their families – safe. “No one can argue: Kids have already missed out on far too much learning due to this pandemic,’’ he said. The governor said that having schools

see DUCEY page 12

NEW CHANDLER COMMUNITY!

ASSISTED LIVING

MEMORY CARE

RESPITE CARE

BEHAVIORAL CARE

TH E RI GH T PLACE TH E RI GH T CARE T H E R I G H T C H O I CE

4950 S Lindsay Rd Chandler, AZ 85249 (NW Corner of Chandler Heights & Lindsay Rd)

CALL OR VISIT US TODAY!

480-802-6888

NEWS

DUCEY from page 11

open for learning does not mean compromising safety. “They’re already required to have mask policies,’’ he said. And Ducey said that Christ will be issuing an emergency directive designed to ensure those policies are followed not just in the classroom but also on school grounds and buses. Christ also addressed the news on the national level about progress in developing a vaccine, saying she is anticipating having some available by the beginning of next year. But that, she said, will require navigating some logistical hurdles. One is that this is going to be a twodose series. That means whatever version someone gets the first time has to be the exact same version for a second shot anywhere from 21 to 28 days later. And that, she said, will require the ability for her agency to call people back to remind them of the need for that second dose.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

DUI from page 10

be one suspect being booked at a time in a command van, while the others wait outside. Other holiday enforcement campaigns this year, during the July 3 holiday and Labor Day, have followed similar practices. Gutier anticipates that arrests statewide from the holiday enforcement campaigns will probably drop 10-15 percent from this time last year. He canceled his yearly Thanksgiving rally against DUI at the State Capitol, where police from around the state would gather in a show of force to publicize their campaign, which is largely funded by federal highway safety grants. Instead, police agencies will either work on their own, or form smaller, regional partnerships to carry out the campaign between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, he said. Barring an extreme flare-up of COVID-19, the East Valley task force has been divided into north and south divisions.

Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler will form the south division, while Tempe, Scottsdale, the state Department of Public Safety, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Arizona State University police and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa tribal police form the northern contingent. Hoster said the two divisions also cut down on travel time, allowing officers to focus more on DUI enforcement. “Each of the respective cities have grown up enough that they need their traffic units working in their own city at night,’’ he wrote. “Eliminating the drive time, for example, between Scottsdale and Gilbert allows more time for officers to focus on enforcement.’’ Brenda Carrasco, spokeswoman for the Gilbert police, said the plan is to use a somewhat scaled-down approach featuring six nights of enforcement during the holiday period. The task force would rotate their enforcement efforts among the three cities, hitting Gilbert one night and Chandler or Mesa the next, she said.

“We have seen a 31 percent increase in DUI arrests. We have had our traffic units go out three nights a week,’’ Carrasco said, adding that all Gilbert patrol officers are vigilant about spotting possibly impaired drivers. “When you can take people off the road who are endangering others, you want to do that,’’ she said, adding, “we don’t have a specific answer as to why’’ arrests have increased. Gilbert’s DUI arrests have increased to 1,092 between January and October 2020, from 832 during the same period in 2019, Carrasco said. Detective Zachary Waters, a Chandler police spokesman, said traffic officers have noted an uptick as well and his department is planning saturation patrols throughout the holidays. “We just want to keep impaired drivers off the roadways,’’ Waters said. “We think people still continue to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol. We believe the task force is still important.’’

NEWS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

HIGLEY from page 10

He also addressed a community criticism that the district was holding in-person learning because its funding is based on how many students are in classrooms. “We are a public good,” Glover said. “We are not for-profit. So that notion is relatively absurd in my mind. “Furthermore, the governor promised he would use relief and other money to fund schools at least to 98 percent of what they got last year for the sole purpose to avoid any situations where schools are forcing kids to attend for fear of lost funding. So, nobody is making your kid come to school at the risk of their health solely for the dollars attached to them.” He also addressed fake cases reported by students. “Since the beginning, Higley has had reports of kids bragging they or someone else in their family has COVID,” Glover said. “Maybe they wanted a few days off. Maybe they wanted some street cred. Maybe someone in their family has COVID and they just have to quarantine. Maybe they had a symptom and thought they had it but after telling everyone and getting tested, maybe they didn’t have COVID.” He said anyone hearing such tales should report them to the district so they can be checked out. Higley High School senior Giuliano Daddabbo blasted the board for its Aug. 26 decision to reopen schools. Higley had started remote learning on the first day of school on July 27. “It is with a heavy heart I must inform you that the decision to return to live instruction was impulsive and wrong,” Daddabbo said. “I, too, long to have a physical senior year but I am not selfish enough to jeopardize the health of others to obtain that….The decision made to open up was rushed, disastrous and I believe should be reverted.” Daddabbo said currently he has one teacher who has contracted COVID-19 and that he knew of at least three other positive cases from a single classroom. Higley High last Thursday reported seven active cases and 30 resolved cases. “Higley has become a breeding ground for coronavirus,” Daddabbo said. “I have witnessed that many students will take off their masks during passing period and no one walks on the right side of the hall-

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

way when entering or leaving. I’ve seen masks taken off for extended amount of time in classes or masks are just under the nose and it just keeps happening. Students do congregate every single time in the passing period in the courtyard.” He said the board shouldn’t wait until Dec. 2 to take action. “It is now winter and all of us can confidently say we are getting colds more often, sneezing and coughing and allergies are all over the place,” he said. “More students are absent and we are in a fact in the second wave, which will be much, much more dangerous than the first without proper precautions such as going online.” Stacy Aberilla, a parent of three students who attend two different campuses, said she was not there to advocate for any particular learning model. “Our case rate is going up,” Aberilla said. “It’s jumped 128 percent within our boundaries within the last few weeks. Thankfully, it seems as though the positivity rate on campus is relatively well-controlled. “Trouble is, some parents are knowingly sending their kids to school knowing they either had a positive test but apparently if they have no symptoms then the rules don’t apply to them. Or they think maybe their kid has it but they have a few symptoms and they go and get a test and they send them to school while they’re waiting for the results.” Aberilla claimed upwards of 80 percent of the cases in students from the district are “from families whose parents frankly lied and hid that information from the school district.” “We all want our kids to be in school,” she said. “We all want them to have a safe environment and nobody wants to have their kid isolated, quarantined or out of school for two weeks. I certainly do no want my children to have to be out of school for two weeks because some other parent sent their kid to school with COVID and exposed my kid and now my kid has to miss school.” Aberilla urged the board to find some way to hold parents accountable who knowingly send their kids to school sick. The board was unable to respond to Aberilla because she spoke during the public comments.

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 November 30, 2020. 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 1425 S. Greenfield Rd., Ste. 101 Mesa, AZ 85206

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Best Dentist at Affordable Prices! FREE Exam & X-Rays Missing Teeth? Embarrassed to Smile? Tooth Pain? Loose Dentures? We Can Help, Call Us NOW!

SUPREME DENTURES $

starting at

AFTER

BEFORE

EXPIRES 11-30-2020

Is Your Pool In Need of a Makeover? We’re the Pool Resurfacing Experts!

Let us help you create the pool of your drea ms!

% OFF

Tile Cleaning Expires November 30, 2020

BRING IN A WATER SAMPLE FOR A FREE ANA LYSIS

602-546-POOL (7665)

www.barefootpoolman.com Ahwatukee!

Ahwatukee!

PORCELAIN CROWNS from $

699

1241 E. Chandler Blvd., Ste. 124, Phoenix, AZ 85048

from

799

each EXPIRES 11-30-2020

SNAP ON LOWER DENTURE

Before

With Two Implants

3,999 ALL ON 4 / ALL ON 6

EXPIRES 11-30-2020

After

from $

EXPIRES 11-30-2020

Starting at only (Permament Teeth You Don’t Remove)

SEE STORE FOR DETAILS

Pool Resurfacing Experts Specializing in POOL SERVICE, MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

999

IMPLANTS

$14,995

*All offers for New patients without insurance only.

We Accept Most Major Insurances • Interest FREE Financing with Low Monthly Payments Emergencies Welcome & Same Day Appointments Available

(SW corner of Desert Foothills Parkway & Chandler Blvd.)

Thank you for voting us an Ahwatukee’s “Best Of” Pool Service Company 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018!

1722 E University, Mesa

Ahwatukee Owned & Operated Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

(W of Gilbert on N side of University)

480.833.9942

www.TRUVALUEDENTAL.com

Up to $1,160 per year to buy OTC products, plus $300 per year for healthy foods Get credits to buy hundreds of over-the-counter (OTC) health products, plus more credits to buy healthy food. It’s just one of many extra benefits you could get with UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete® LP (HMO D-SNP). You could get: • Up to $1,160 yearly to spend on OTC products, including pain medicine, vitamins, bandages, antacids, cough drops, allergy relief, toothpaste and more • Up to $300 yearly to spend on fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats and other healthy food • Accepted at many retailers, making shopping easier

Got Medicaid? Got Medicare? Get the health plan that gives you more. Call 1-855-874-6291, TTY 711 to learn more.

UHCCP.com/AZdual $25 in credits added to the card on the first day of each month; food credits expire at the end of each month. $290 in credits added to the card on the first day of each quarter; OTC credits expire at the end of each quarter. Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. Depending on your level of Medicaid eligibility, costs may vary. Benefits, features and/or devices vary by plan/ area. Limitations and exclusions apply. © 2020 United HealthCare Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Y0066_201008_114719_M CST31576_H0321-002

CST31576_DU20_AZ_OTC-FoodBen_NpAd.indd 1

11/6/20 4:27 PM

COMMUNITY

Community

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

GilbertSunNews.com |

@Gilber tSunNews

For more community news visit gilbertsunnews.com

/Gilber tSunNews

Lawmaker’s wife, son open thrift shop BY STACI HAUK GSN Contributor

handler residents and mother-son duo Janet and Christian Weninger are not new to being philanthro-

pists. But they are adding a new effort to their many ongoing philanthropic efforts with Born Again Vintage at 590 N. Alma School Road in Chandler. Born Again Vintage became a reality on Nov. 11, with a grand opening in Chandler. The goal is to raise funds to help those aging out of foster care. From the time Christian was in grade school, his mother Janet feels he had a calling to do something important. “Christian has a beautiful heart and

Janet Weninger and son Christian have opened a thrift store to raise money for foster teens aging out of the system. (Special to GSN)

has consistently gone above and beyond to make lives better,” she said. “As a boy, he would invite the whole neighborhood over at least twice a month for a big cel-

ebration, ‘just because.’ “We started working together to help end child abuse when he was very young. He would put on events at the local ice

cream shop and at his school during fall festivals – basically whenever possible – that would raise awareness about the thousands of children suffering in our state.” Janet, the wife of state Rep. Jeff Weninger, owned a clothing boutique in Chandler at that time and on her and Christian’s quest to do more, she came across Childhelp. Janet had been hard-hit by the news story of a daycare worker silencing a child who suffocated due to the cuffing of her mouth for too long. The story hit a nerve for Janet, as the child was a foster child who she felt deserved a voice after her death.

see VINTAGE page 17

Gilbert teachers get Fiesta Bowl cash for their wishes GSN NEWS STAFF

welve teachers in Gilbert public and charter schools have something special to be grateful for this season thanks to Fiesta Bowl Charities, the charitable arm of the organization that handles the celebrated end-of-theseason football game. They are among 200 teachers statewide who each will receive $2,500 through the organization’s Wishes for Teachers program, which distributes $500,000 through Desert Financial Credit Union to teachers who apply for consideration. The wishes ranged from new classroom furniture made by two teachers at the chartered Gilbert Arts Academy to a Pioneer Elementary teacher Linda Sadusky’s wish for money to buy materials for “baskets of challenges” aimed at keeping online students engaged in their virtual learning. The 200 teachers represent 161

Some of the Gilbert teachers whose wishes were granted plan to spruce up their classrooms. (Special to GSN)

schools and 70,000 students in 67 school districts. “Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers has been built into the preeminent program for teacher support,” said Fiesta Bowl board Chairman Patrick Barkley. “My mom was a teacher and we all know teachers who inspire us with selfless work, shaping today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders.” Each fall, Arizona K-12 public and charter school teachers are invited to apply for a grant by detailing their school or classroom need. Grantees’ names are drawn randomly. Over the five years of the program, Fiesta Bowl Wishes for Teachers has awarded $3.7 million to more than 840 Arizona teachers, “impacting over 225,000 children across the state,” organizers said. “What’s more fun than granting wishes? Wishes for Teachers is even more

see TEACHERS page 18

COMMUNITY

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Wreaths sought for veterans’ graves at EV cemetery GSN NEWS STAFF

alley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery and the Chandler Exchange Club will host the fifth annual Wreaths Across America memorial at its graves for military veterans Dec. 19. “We are very proud to honor area veterans with this dedication service,” said Brent Bouche, general manager of the cemetery at 10940 East Chandler Heights Road. The Chandler Exchange Club is soliciting individuals, businesses and community service organizations to sponsor wreaths for the more than 2,700 veterans known to be buried in the cemetery. Michael Whitaker, a member of the Chandler Exchange Club, noted with a grant of $5,000 from Northrup Grumman, the wreath count has grown to almost 1,000 wreaths, but the club is hoping for donations to put wreaths on the other 1,700 graves so that all the veterans are honored. Wreaths Across America finds its roots

The effort to place holiday wreaths on the graves of veterans is a long-running national campaign. (Special to GSN)

in one family’s tribute in 1992, when a Maine family that owns a tree farm had a surplus of wreaths during the holiday season. The family sought the help of their

local congressman to put the spares on those graves at Arlington National Cemetery that were least visited. “Several volunteers stepped up to help, including veterans from American

Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and a truck company owner who transported the wreaths to Arlington, Virginia, where a small ceremony was held at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” according to the U.S. Defense Department. This remained a small yearly tradition for nearly 15 years until a photo taken at the 2005 ceremony went viral. “Almost immediately, thousands of people wanted to know how to help or how they could begin a similar tradition in their states,” the Defense Department said. By 2008, it had become a traditional at dozens of cemeteries across the country and has continued to grow, with more than 2.2 million graves across the country now decorated with a wreath at more than 2,100 cemeteries. The ceremony and wreath-lacing at Valley of the Sun will be different this year because of the pandemic, Whitaker

see WREATHS page 18

Got Medicaid? Got Medicare? Get the health plan that gives you more. Call 1-855-874-6291, TTY 711 to learn more.

CST31576_DU20_AZ_OTC-FoodBen_NpAd.indd 1

11/6/20 4:27 PM

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

VINTAGE from page 15

“My heart was aching, but not as much as my blood was boiling over the fact that no one was being charged in the child’s death,” Janet recalled. “Everyone was allowed to just keep on going about their lives as if nothing had happened. “Meanwhile, this beautiful girl was tagged as an accidental death. I had a 4-year-old daughter at the time, and I recall sitting in the back of my boutique and crying, thinking ‘I will not give up until I know that every child is safe in our foster care system.” Fast forward five years, and Janet and her kids were actively involved in Childhelp, assisting with the abundance of kids entering into state care, with not enough places to house them. The state Department of Child Safety was opening the first ever placement center in Arizona at that point, where kids could stay while a safe and stable home was found for them. “The placement center was so important to me that I was willing to give up everything for it, including my own plans and dreams, as well as my chil-

dren’s toys, clothes and furniture,” Janet said. “I even went into debt to ensure that new baby beds and everything that was needed was provided. My hope was that the next generation would never have to hear about another child being hurt or killed while in foster care. “The center curbed the number of those in foster care by a significant amount, and the beautiful testimonials prove lives were changed for the better.” Janet expanded her efforts by helping the homeless. She partnered with DCS workers to organize the donations that began with Janet’s many years ago. The donations had taken over a massive storage room at DCS with a continuous flow of new donations every week. These often went to the homeless population, many winding up in Janet’s basement while they found new homes. “Many of the items being donated were not needed for kids in foster care or the homeless,” Janet said. “I had them all in my basement for sale so we

could get needed funds to help the people who needed housing after aging out of foster care. “I jokingly set up the basement like my old clothing boutique after Christian moved out, as some of the items were really expensive and most were like new. My basement quickly became a business, and folks said I must open a thrift store and sell the items.” Janet credits her son Christian with the success of the store’s grand opening. “Christian loves to do events and to be involved in things that are bigger than just his own personal gain, so he was eager to help and the day that he decided to ask the community to help was the day that this project took on a life of its own,” Janet said. Donations began pouring in, and Janet is overwhelmed by the community support. The store is packed with clothes for every size and age, as well as shoes and accessories. The prices range from $1 for a pair of socks to $25 for a beautiful

HASTINGS FARMS – CREEKSIDE

Queen Creek, AZ | Starting from the $300s

NOW SELLING! Hastings Farms Creekside Series (Parcel-B) is a Master Planned Community located in Queen Creek at the corner of Ellsworth Road and Chandler Heights. Hastings Farms Creekside Series features six distinctive floor plans offering 3 and 4 bedroom layouts with 2 and 3 car garages. These floor plans range from 1,638 square feet to 2,884 square feet. Come visit our new model homes at Hastings Farms; Queen Creek, AZ.

WE BUILD THE PLACES WHERE LIFE’S BEST MOMENTS CAN HAPPEN. Within each Cresleigh neighborhood, you’ll find new homes thoughtfully designed to suit the needs of any generation and any lifestyle, with energy efficiency and reliability at their core. Every Cresleigh team member is passionate about building a new home that you can rely on and a new home that helps you to focus on what truly matters: creating memories with the people you love.

Welcome to the neighborhood. 23440 S 210th Street, Queen Creek, AZ 85142 Phone: (480) 888-1025 www.cresleigh.com

COMMUNITY

formal gown. “Our desire is to help bridge the gap for many young adults that find themselves alone and hopeless after the money and the support is gone,” said Christian, adding: “We are so grateful for the clothing donations and support we have seen from local Facebook group members and invite everyone to shop for a cause in our beautiful location in the heart of Chandler.” Every Sunday Born Again Vintage will upload ten new items to their online store at bornagainvintage.com. These pieces will be available online-only for one week. For those who prefer to shop in person, the new Chandler location will have hundreds of thrifted offerings, and would love donations from the community. For tax-deductible donation consideration, contact Janet at Janet@ CrusadersofLove.org. The store is accepting clothing, accessories and monetary donations at this time.

COMMUNITY

TEACHERS from page 15

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

meaningful this year as teachers have adapted to extraordinary circumstances,” said Jeff Meshey, president and CEO at Desert Financial. “Desert Financial has made it a practice to support education to honor the legacy of our 15 founders, all teachers.” Each of the unique wishes will benefit teachers and schools in technology, reading, music, fitness and other needs. “The need this year was more in line with the circumstances related to COVID-19, with more technology needs, plexiglass dividers and flexible seating equipment than ever before,” organizers said in a release. “It’s been quite a year for teachers.

We are honored to support them as they adjust to today’s circumstances yet still work tirelessly and selflessly every day to help our children on their life journey,” said Mike Nealy, Fiesta Bowl executive director. Among the Gilbert recipients were Gilbert Arts Academy teacher Kaitlin Duprey, who wanted new furniture for her classroom, and Michelle Lyon, who sought adjustable desks for students. Patterson Elementary School ( Christy Hubele ), their wish is to provide iPads for the entire class. Cooley Middle School teacher Rachelle Hughes got her wish “to provide an inviting classroom for their students by

purchasing decorative and functional items,” Fiesta Bowl Charities said. Arete Preparatory Academy’s Rebekah Kienenberger will be able to buy materials students can use to build earthquake-resistant structures in their earth science class. Houston Elementary teacher Brandy Kiker will be spending her money on a Smart TV for her classroom “promote a more engaging learning environment” while Houston Elementary’s Dana Leonardo gets to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing students with books and materials to help them relate to others. Gateway Pointe Elementary School

teacher Taylor McBride will be able to provide additional books and flexible seating options for her classroom. Gilbert Global Academy teacher Katy Sawyer will be able to provide better technology for students while Islands Elementary’s Natalie Suffecool got her wish to provide their students with a classroom library. Eduprize Schools teacher Darcy Wheeler wanted a kitchen for students while Neely Traditional Academy teacher Bethany Bergman will use her gift to buy art supplies. More teachers in Gilbert won the luck of the draw than any other East Valley school district.

said, and only 50 people will be allowed to participate. “Unfortunately, we cannot have the hundreds of volunteers from previous years, but we will stream the ceremony on Facebook Live for those who want watch the ceremony,” Whitaker said.

He stressed that regardless of the limited participation, the cemetery still needs wreaths for the veterans’ graves. An individual wreath sponsorship costs $15, and a family pack of four wreaths is available for $60. A small business sponsorship for $150 will sup-

ply 10 wreaths. Go to wreathsacrossamerica.org/ AZ0084P to sponsor a wreath for the Valley of the Sun Cemetery. The Chandler Exchange Club, chartered in 2013, is part of a national network of community service clubs across

the nation. The club name is derived from “exchanging” ideas to better serve the local community. Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery has been serving Chandler and the East Valley since 1963.

WREATHS from page 16

BUSINESS

Business

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

GilbertSunNews.com |

@Gilber tSunNews

/Gilber tSunNews

Gilbert man’s ‘escape bus’ no puzzle to fans BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor

ain Knudson and his friends are bringing brain-teasing entertainment right to people’s doorsteps. The Gilbert man and his group have created BrakeOut Arizona, an escape room game inside the hull of a former school bus where participants use their skills to figure out puzzles, riddles and clues to break out of a locked room within a given time frame. “We built this experience for success,” Knudson said. “Entertainment comes down to people feeling validated and they feel successful at the end of the day.” Knudson is the co-owner of 5 Gents Events and handles sales, social media outreach and marketing. The other East Valley co-owners are Dan Knudson, chief experience designer.

BrakeOut Arizona partners include, from left, Dan Knudsen, Dain Knudson, Burke Nichols and Curt Easton. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer)

architect and business logistics; Curt Easton, experience designer and maintenance; Burke Nichols, experience

designer and maintenance; Isaac Sneed, engineer and games master and Jared Brimhall, financier and business logistics.

All the men hold jobs outside of this side passion –two work in banking, one in construction, one is an engineering student at Arizona State University and one is going back to school for a business degree. Knudson himself works in sales in the semiconductor industry. “Our group has in the past put together these experiences and really enjoyed the thrill of them,” Knudson said. “We like challenging people’s critical thinking and letting people think creatively.” The first event the group ever did was CacheDashe, where people in an adventure race around the Valley deciphered clues as they hunted for a buried box of money. But, Knudson said the group always had in the back of their minds to do a mobile escape room that delved into the

see BREAKOUT page 20

Popular Cider Corps moving production to Gilbert GSN NEWS STAFF

s it celebrates its third anniversary this month, Cider Corps announced it will expand to Gilbert with a new cidery designed for growth. Starting in mid-2021, all production of its craft ciders will take place in a 14,000-square-foot facility on 2.5 acres at 685 S. Gilbert Road. Its Downtown Mesa location will remain open as a taproom. Cider Corps co-owners and brothers Josh Duren and Jason Duren, Sgt. USMC (Ret.) said the property gives them “the ability to make more ciders to share throughout the state and educate people about the craft beverage.” “Our immediate goal is to ramp up production to be able to share our ciders with even more people in Arizona,” said Josh.

a front room that will be open to the public for take away sales. The entry space will also house the canning line, allowing visitors to see the packaging in action. A second 2,500-square-foot building will provide cold storage. Cider Corps will Brothers Josh and Jason Duren, co-owners of the popular Cider Corps cidery, are moving their production facility to Gilbert.. (Special to GSN) move all its existing production equip“As we grow, it’s nice to have kind of ment to the Gilbert spot in addition to a blank page of space that can evolve as upgrading its fermentation tanks. The we do, and that can adapt as life beyond new set up allows for a 1,000 barrel prothe pandemic does.” duction capacity – nearly tripling its curThe Gilbert facility includes an rent abilities. 11,500-square-foot main building with When the time is right, the Durens

plan to open the cidery to tours and other events to help people learn more about cider making and the variety of cider flavor profiles. Cider Corps creates a range of craft cider styles that infuse fruits, botanicals and spices with its hard apple cider. As lead cidermaker, Jason Duren has created specialized fermentation techniques to reduce the tartness of the apples for flavors that are smooth and balanced without added sugars or sulfates. This move will be the second expansion for Cider Corps. The cidery opened its doors on Veterans Day in 2017 in Downtown Mesa. In 2019 it expanded into neighboring space to add another 2,000 square feet to its production area.

see CIDER page 20

BUSINESS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

BREAKOUT from page 19

narrative and in January they acted on it. At an auction sale they purchased a retired Gilbert Public Schools bus for $2,250. “We were lucky to have it run super well right off the bat,” Knudson said. They ripped out all the seats and rehabbed the bus with some paid professional help along the way – all for just under $10,000, including the bus purchase. Knudson said there are other mobile escape rooms but they are out of trailers and he was sure they are the first to have it in a bus west of the Mississippi. Before launching the new venture, the group invited members of the public to test it. “Having the test groups was super important for us,” Knudson said. “From our perspective we created (the puzzles) and know how everything is done and we needed from the public how their mind approached it.” He said there were elements the public liked that the group didn’t initially appreciate – such as having audio feedback when a puzzle was solved to let players know to move on. So, the group put in a white board with red and green lights. When a puzzle is unsolved it’s red and when solved, it turns green and makes a dinging noise. The group finally took their mobile entertainment on the road in September. They’ve taken the bus to private events like birthday parties and dropped in at the Queen Creek Feastival and the Gilbert Feastival.

CIDER from page 19

The cidery had already begun to can its products when the taproom closed in March due to pandemic stay-at-home directives. It now has three flagship styles in four-packs at Whole Foods, AJ’s Fine Foods and Total Wine & More and over a dozen rotating styles for take away from the Mesa taproom Cider Corps reopened the taproom to limited seating this month, and Jason Duren said that throughout the pandemic, the cidery continued to be “a destination as people picked up new and favorite styles.”

The interior of the BrakeOut Arizona bus has been converted into a giant game room where players try to solve puzzles to get out of the vehicle. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer)

“We’ve had groups of teachers do it on their own time as a team-building experience,” said Knudson, adding all safety precautions are taken such as sanitizing the bus after each use. Most of the bookings so far have been in the East Valley but the company is getting interest for the bus from Prescott and Florence. BrakeOut Arizona has several options for booking, including an enhanced experience that lasts an hour and an express experience that lasts 20 minutes with varying pricing. So far, one group has broken the record for the 20-minute experience and escaped the bus in 12 minutes and 30 He said dedicated regulars helped influence the decision to expand in Gilbert. “We get a ton of people from the East Valley, Gilbert and beyond, who make the trek to the taproom. We’re really excited about being closer for them” he said. “But I’m just as excited about being able to grow and create more ciders for all of Arizona.” The Durens started the cidery as a hobby and their operation is now Arizona’s largest craft cidery. Information: cidercorpsaz.com

seconds. “One of the boys in the group just had a unique experience that fitted the room well,” Knudson said. “We were really impressed with them.” Knudson said the success rate for completing the escape room is between 30 and 40 percent. “It’s challenging and without hints and without clues, going into it can be very difficult,” he said. Knudson said the company is focusing on weekend events but is flexible to bring

the bus out during weekdays and can tailor the experience for bookings. Escape rooms are largely pitched as team building exercises for corporations but this year due to the pandemic, many have their employees working remotely. The first escape opened in 2007 and today there are over 2,250 such facilities in the country and holding steady, according to Room Escape Artist, which tracks the industry. Although many escape rooms are temporarily closed due to COVID-19, they are better positioned to operate in the coming months than many other forms of entertainment such as movie theaters, theaters, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and amusement parks that require large crowds to turn a profit, according to Room Escape Artist. Knudson said the company’s future plan is to expand its mobile entertainment. “We would like down the road to buy more buses and have a fleet of buses anywhere in the Valley at any time with different themes and puzzles,” he said. “We have a goal of expanding offerings over the next several years and also not just doing escape but other mobile entertainment as well.” To book and to learn more about BrakeOut Arizona, go to brakeoutaz.com, facebook.com/brakeoutaz or instagram. com/brakeoutaz.

Taqueria on wheels

Construction delays have slowed the opening of Mr. Mesquite Taqueria in Gilbert but the owners have their food truck at Fry’s at Gilbert and Williams Field Road until they finish..

(Special to GSN)

Sports & Recreation GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

GilbertSunNews.com

@Gilber tSunNews

/Gilber tSunNews

SPORTS

Check us out and like Gilbert Sun News on Facebook and follow @GilbertSunNews on Twitter

Feeling of relief as cross country comes to an end BY ZACH ALVIRA GSN Sports Editor

t’s no secret the Highland High School cross country program had to reload heading into the 2020 season. The Hawks graduated several star runners on both teams, including star Leo Daschbach for the boys and Caroline McLeskey for the girls. Both runners played vital roles last season in helping Highland place No. 1 overall for the boys and No. 2 for the girls in the 2019 cross country finals. Heading into 2020, coach Monty Montgomery felt he had been able to reload his program with capable runners to once again compete for the state title. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “What we all went through, it says a lot about every kid out here,” Highland coach Monty Montgomery said. “I’m just thankful we had a season. I told the kids all year

Led by sophomore Kayla Case “center,” Highland’s girls cross country team placed second overall at the Division I state championship. The boys placed third.

we just had to adapt and overcome.” The pause on all sports activities in the summer, when the virus first raged on in Arizona, resulted in virtual meetings and Highland runners training on their own.

A strong performance by Gilbert junior Terrance Keys helped the Tigers claim the Division II boys cross country state title. (Photos Pablo Robles/GSN Staff)

Some met with other teammates at local parks while others ran around their neighborhoods. Instead of a team effort to train for the season like in years past, it widely fell

on each individual to hold themselves accountable. And despite the difficulty and nervousness presented on a daily basis, it

see CROSS page 24

Perry badminton wins fourth title in dramatic fashion BY ERIC NEWMAN GSN Contributor

erry badminton was pushed more than it has been all year but claimed its fourth consecutive AIA Badminton Division I Team Championship Thursday with a 5-2 victory over Sunnyslope. Perry came in as the prohibitive favorite and No. 1 seed. Before the match, coach Lerina Johnson said the Vikings, winners of three of the past four Division 2 titles before moving up to D1 in 2020, would provide her team a unique test as one of the most talented and well-coached squads the Pumas had faced in years. The Pumas started the final hot. Each of Perry’s six singles players won the first set. But, while the top three, senior Kate Macpherson, junior Nikhita Jayaraj and senior Ashley Rodarte

Perry’s badminton program was pushed more than it has been all season long and in the last four years, but the Pumas prevailed to capture their fourth straight Division I title. (Pablo Robles/Staff)

all closed out their matches in victory, along with junior Kaylee Ross at No. 6 singles, Sunnyslope stole three-set victories at No. 4 and 5 singles. It was just enough to extend the match into doubles play, where the Pumas would need just one of three victories to secure the overall win. “We would have liked to win it in singles, but Sunnyslope is a really good team so we kind of thought we’d have to go to doubles and win it for our team,” Rodarte said. Sunnyslope’s No. 2 and 3 doubles teams won their first sets, scaring Perry more than any team had all postseason. But Rodarte and Jayaraj, who

see BADMINTON page 22

SPORTS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Highland athletics biggest fear now contact tracing

BY ZACHARY LARSON GSN Contributoing Writer

s summer camp came to an end, the chance of seeing Highland athletes back in action for the fall season was uncertain. “We were all optimistic about fall sports and we had all the protocols set down to return,” Highland Athletic Director Brandon Larson said. “The closer we got and when the numbers spiked in July, that’s when the nervousness started to kick in.” Over the summer, Larson worked with other Gilbert Public Schools athletic directors to establish policies and protocols for the fall season. Their group effort has paid off, giving the Gilbert district games to play. Now having concluded the season, the Highland Hawks football team has played every scheduled game. “There are players and teams out there in the country who aren’t able to play right now, so we’re super lucky for this opportunity and I’m just thankful we’re able to play,” senior running back Max Davis said. As the season approached, news broke of Chaparral’s football team shutting down all events due to two positive cases amongst the team. Later on, many more Arizona high schools would follow with their own COVID-19 cases. Throughout the season, Highland head coach Brock Farrel has used the Chaparral situation to convey a mes-

sage: Is it worth it? “I told my guys, is it worth going to In-N-Out with your friends to miss out playing Chandler who is fifth in the nation?” Farrel said. “Is it worth hanging out with your girlfriend all weekend long to not play against Hamilton who is No. 25 in the nation?” Throughout September, Highland began transitioning back into teaching in the classroom. This included required masks, social distancing amongst the students in the classroom and everywhere else on campus. With over 3,000 students, the school has

managed to prevent an outbreak since the full return on Sept. 21. However, in-person learning has developed a new fear among student athletes: Contact tracing. If a student tests positive for the coronavirus, the county requests seating charts from the school and sends surrounding students home for a 14-day period. Larson has already seen the effect on Highland athletics. Two days before a badminton matchup against Desert Vista, senior Allison Teague, the top player for the Hawks, was sent home due to

had won their third consecutive individual doubles state championship mere days earlier, held firm at No. 1. Rodarte’s serve on match point was returned directly into the net, and the duo’s 21-9, 21-14 victory led to the jubilation Perry badminton has become accustomed to. “I’ll take my state champ team, no-one better to win it,” said Johnson. With the victory, the Pumas capped off another undefeated season hoisting the championship trophy, going 13-0 in official AIA matches as a team and a combined 117-10 in individual matches in 2020. The three graduating seniors on Perry’s roster finished their careers without taking a

team loss. Moving forward, Perry will be tasked with replacing a group that has flourished for four years, a senior class Johnson said took the reigns as leaders this season and almost served as coaches on the court. But for now, the Pumas are on top, celebrating yet another victory and dominant campaign. “This was a really cool moment to win the last point for our team and win another championship, this is unreal,” Rodarte said. In Division 2, Campo Verde came up short of its own undefeated season, losing 5-0 to Ironwood in the final. The whole process, including team intro-

ductions, the National Anthem, warmups and finally match play, took just 39 minutes. Each of Ironwood’s six singles players won their first sets. One-by-one, the Eagles closed out their matches with sweeps. Ironwood junior Diana Ramirez’s drop shot hit inbounds to finish her No. 5 singles match 21-14, 21-17, and the Eagles rushed the court celebrating their first team title. “It was so relieving and such a great moment in my life. With everything that’s gone on with COVID and the season, to finish like this just makes it a little better,” Ramirez said. Despite the loss, Campo Verde coach Rochelle Burson - who plans to retire from

BADMINTON from page 21

As the fall sports season nears its end, Highland administrators, coaches and players have started to fear contact tracing that would result in a 14-day quarantine rather than catching the virus themselves. (Courtesy Donna Mundy

Photography)

contact tracing. The Hawks battled, but lost 5-4 against the Thunder, ultimately losing the section title game. While Larson acknowledges the outcome could have been similar, the issues of moving up each player on the depth chart “presented problems that could have been avoided.” The Hawks’ football team has also lost three players to contact tracing, according to Larson. To avoid being sent home and missing playing time, the team began taking action to protect themselves. “We are all contacting our teachers and asking if we can be moved to the corner of our classrooms so if somebody in our class comes down with it, we wouldn’t be affected.” Davis said. Farrel and Larson both acknowledge the situation is “out of our control” and players in any sport could miss games. “The hardest part is you can follow everything, and someone in the community can get it and be in your class and you’re sent home for 14 days,” Farrel said. “That’s the biggest tragedy of it all.” With the postseason on the horizon, Davis knows the team is still focused on finishing the season and winning a state championship. “We all realize that we are a part of something huge right now, and football means more than a conversation or interaction with people at school,” Davis said. “We have something special right now and we don’t want to ruin it.” coaching - said 2020 was her most rewarding leading the Coyotes. Campo Verde had its best regular season in school history, going 12-0 and securing its first No. 1 playoff seed. Settling for runner-up, Burson said, does not diminish what her girls accomplished in a ‘crazy’ season. “This is just a very special year for us. I’m so proud of the way everybody came together and dealt with playing in the pandemic and still had so much success,” Burson said. “At the beginning of the year we didn’t think we’d be at this point, so to even make it here is wonderful.”

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

A-1 Golf Carts

WE HAVE LOWERED THE PRICE ON BATTERIES!

SUN LAKES, AZ

ANSWERS TO PUZZLE AND SUDOKU on Page 25

STOP IN AND CHECK OUT THE

NEW 2021 E-Z-GO’S! When you need to choose a Medicare plan, Humana can help Talking it through, helping you choose, getting answers, finding resources—human care.

2021 TXT

2021 RXV Lithium

ASK ABOUT THE NEW E-Z-GO ‘LITHIUM’ POWERED CART

Call a licensed Humana sales agent for a free consultation* TRACY EUBANK-SLOAN 480-201-1128 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. teubank-sloan@humana.com Humana.com/teubank-sloan facebook.com/teubanksloan

6 Passenger RXV

FINANCING AVAILABLE When you purchase a NEW E-Z-GO! * Finance offers only available at participating E-Z-GO dealers. Approval, rates, applicable fees, and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Offers only available in 50 U.S. states and District Columbia. Financing offers void where prohibited. Finance terms are also available for pre-owned E-Z-GO products. Please see your local E-Z-GO Authorized Dealer for details.

Y0040_GHHHXDDEN_21_C

*No obligation to enroll.

25820 S. Arizona Ave. • Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 480.895.2000 • www.A1GolfCarts.com

SPORTS

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Football the glue to Zellner family bond or Derek Zellner, the past nine years have given him an opportunity that he and his dad never got to experience together. He has been able to watch his sons, Wyatt and Cooper, on the Gilbert High sidelines as a father and coach. “I value this opportunity more than anyone knows because I never got to make that strong connection with my dad through football,” Zellner said. When Zellner was 9 years old, his family moved from Colorado to Arizona. Shortly after, his father fell ill and passed away at the age of 31. He emphasized the bond that football creates with his family. “I use football to connect with Wyatt and Cooper,” Zellner said. “Football has been what has brought our whole family together. Football is embedded at the center of our family and it is what we love.” Both Wyatt and Cooper feel the connection that has been created through football. “Football is what brought me closer to my dad and brother,” Wyatt said. “We spend every day together, on and off the field.” “Football is what glues us together,” Cooper added. “All the talks and lectures we have had in the car and at home have

“Coach Z emphasizes the family outlook throughout the team,” linebacker Daniel Fulton said. “He pushes us hard at practice and will get on us, but he is always there for us and treats us like his own sons.” However, Wyatt and Cooper almost didn’t follow their father to Gilbert four years ago. They were given the choice of where to attend high school. It was either following their mother to Williams Field, where she teaches, or following their The Zellner family bond between Gilbert head coach Derek and his sons, Wyatt and dad to Gilbert and Cooper, runs deep as the three share a sideline on a weekly basis. (Courtesy Zellner family) continuing to play for him. shaped us and made us close.” “The decision was pretty simple,” Cooper This connection has funneled into the said. “We knew what we were going into as atmosphere around the Tigers football we had played for the coach and knew the team. culture. Also knowing that our dad will be

at every game each week was a big factor in favor of Gilbert.” The Tigers sit at a 1-3 record this season, and with only five games left, the Zellner family is watching Wyatt play his final games for his dad and with Cooper. As Senior Night approaches, there is a mix of emotions. “I am dreading Senior Night,” Zellner said. “I don’t want to stop coaching and being around Wyatt every day, but I am excited to soak in every moment throughout the rest of the season.” “I don’t want this season to end,” Wyatt said. “This year was the first season that I got to play with Cooper and it has been awesome to see him progress and get better. I wouldn’t trade the past nine years with my dad for anything.” With the clock winding down on Wyatt’s senior season, Zellner said he will always cherish the memories that he has from the past nine years. “I have the best job in America and being able to spend it with these two is so special,” Zellner said. “Time goes by so fast and there are people who would kill to be in my position and have the opportunity I have. It is truly a blessing to be able to be with them every day, teaching them about the game and helping them build their character. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”

became clear Highland’s group of runners on both the girls’ and boys’ teams took their offseason seriously despite a seemingly volatile situation around them. “When we were locked down they were over here running on their own,” Montgomery said. “I couldn’t be with them. That tells you a lot about their character and their discipline.” Highland’s girls placed second overall while the boys placed third at the 2020 Arizona Interscholastic Association cross country championships. The event, held at Crossroads Park in Gilbert on Thursday, Nov. 12, featured a 3.1-mile course through the park’s hills. The girls were the first to race in the early morning session. Kayla Case, a sophomore at Highland, placed third overall with a time of 18 minutes, 1.9 seconds. She was the first Highland runner to cross and

was followed by sophomore Emma Baugh a short time later. Marina Deer, Sophie Mann and Kathryn Sewell also had strong runs for the Hawks, which put them just three points behind state-champion Desert Vista. The boys took to the starting line shortly after the conclusion of the first event. Led by senior Elijah Poelman, the boys placed 18 points behind champion Brophy and eight behind runner-up Desert Vista. Senior Brandon Ericson, freshman Crewe Resendez, junior Wyatt Williams and senior Jagger Zlotoff also scored key points for the Hawks. “I’m very proud of both teams,” Montgomery said. “We ran as well as we could have today. The times were fast, and this isn’t usually a very fast course. (Desert Vista) and Brophy, we knew they would bring it.”

Several other Gilbert programs also competed for a shot at the state title. In Division I girls, Perry finished just behind Highland in third place. Perry’s boys placed 11th. On Friday, Nov. 13, the Division II and IV races took place at Crossroads Park. Campo Verde’s girls, a traditionally strong program, placed sixth overall. The boys placed third in Division II. Gilbert High School’s cross country program captured the boys Division II state title after a strong performance by junior Terrance Keys, who placed third. Junior Jefferson Sees, junior Oscar Gregorio and sophomore Leo Freestone also contributed to the Tigers’ win. The state championship by Gilbert put an end to Flagstaff’s reign as the top program in Division II. Arete Prep in Gilbert placed seventh

overall in the boys Division IV race. The end of the pandemic-shortened cross country season was a welcoming sight to Montgomery. At various times, he had runners in quarantine after they were considered a potential close contact to a positive case at the school. “On the boys, we lost our No. 7 to contact tracing, which hurt,” Montgomery said. “We were also missing our No. 5 but that’s OK. That’s the way it goes. Everybody had to deal with that.” Many other programs shared the same sentiment as Montgomery. A sense of relief came over the park as each runner crossed the finish line. At any moment, the programs could have been shut down and their season essentially canceled. But they all managed to overcome perhaps the greatest adversity they have ever faced in competing

BY RYAN BLANK GSN Contributor

CROSS from page 21

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

GilbertSunNews.com |

@Gilber tSunNews

GET OUT

/Gilber tSunNews

Allergy-friendly eateries a growing EV trend BY STACI HAUK GetOut Contributor

Spooky’s Swirls

he East Valley is known for its innovative culinary options – and a growing trend among restaurants and bakeries involves patrons with food allergies or special dietary needs. Three area establishments are among those that are coupling fresh ingredients with safety precautions in main entrées and baked goods. Intentional Foods Café & Market, Spooky’s Swirls and Drink Me! Tea Room all appeal to diverse niches with delectable menus.

Drink Me! Tea Room

One step into the Drink Me! Tea Room, on the Chandler-Tempe border in the Countryside Specialty Shops, has customers spiraling down the Rabbit Hole to Wonderland, complete with storybook décor and treats that inspire a magical high tea experience. “I decided to open the tea room after being inspired on a family trip to London, said owner Melissa Harlan. “We went to London over spring break 2019 and experienced afternoon tea a number of times over the week. We all enjoyed the experience so much that I started writing my business plan on the flight home.” Harlan had been planning to leave her corporate job that year and thought, “This would be a great idea for my next chapter.” “I am both vegan and gluten-free and it’s a challenge to find the combination of both when eating out. Afternoon tea is such a fun experience,” she explained. “I wanted to be sure that everyone could enjoy the experience and not feel as if they are missing out due to their food challenges.” Harlan was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder, and quickly realized that eliminating

Spooky’s Swirls owner Lola Forbes, left, and pastry chef Chris Szydlowski create fascinating movie character cakes that also are free of food allergens. (Special to GetOut)

gluten from her diet allowed her to feel better and rely on nutrition to help heal. Additionally, she is vegan and has found the East Valley has quite a following when it comes to seeking out delicious vegan cuisine. “Our kitchen and our menu are both 100 percent gluten-free and plantbased,” she said. “When we confirm our guest reservations, we also ask if there are any additional food allergies. Most of the time we’ve been able to modify our items to accommodate any additional food allergies such as soy or nuts.” Harlan said guests are often overwhelmed and grateful that they don’t have to ask a lot of questions or worry about the food when visiting Drink Me! Tea Room. “I’ve had a guest cry happy tears and want to hug me – if it weren’t for COVID-19 – out of gratitude for being able to eat without worry,” she said, adding guests “express their gratitude for

our opening and our offering of something that is a fun experience where they feel cared for.” She recalled one guest, named Sonya, who “surprised us one day by coming back in with a thank you gift about a week or so after dining with us – a handmade tea cozy that she had knitted in colors to match the tea room.” “This one brought tears to my eyes and filled my heart,” Harlan said. “She enjoyed her experience at the tea room so much that she took the time to make us a gift. Meeting all of our lovely guests has been the best experience for me.” With touches of whimsy reminiscent of childhood. Drink Me! offers specialties such as Wonderland Tea, an almond chess board cake wrapped in homemade purple marzipan, cucumber and cashew cream crisp on a house made cracker, vanilla shortbread “Eat Me” cookies and a combination of lemon curd and coconut cream served with scones.

Spooky’s Swirls in Chandler is the brainchild of owner Lola Forbes and pastry chef Chris Szydlowski, who combine their passion for baked goods and motion pictures. Everything in their bakery is gluten free, which means it is safe for those with celiac disease to enjoy a treat or who seek a custom creation for special occasions. “We decided to go gluten free with our business because we felt there was a lack of fun, fresh baked, quality items in the area,” Szydlowski explained. “Most kids can get a birthday cake at a grocery store or bakery so we really wanted to take care of those kids with allergies that are usually left out. We feel everyone deserves a cake on their birthday.” During Halloween celebrations, for example, Spooky’s Swirls developed a horror movie theme for its sweet treats. Szydlowski and Forbes are movie prop collectors. The shop houses an impressive museum of their collection. Though it is currently closed due to COVID-19, many of their cinematic horror items were on display in the bakery. The bakery is a dedicated gluten-free facility, Szydlowski said, stressing “We don’t take any chances when it comes to any possible cross contamination and have extensive knowledge of our ingredients. Gluten-free is our main focus at this time.” Recently, a 4-year-old boy requested a gluten-free cupcake for a friend who was attending his birthday party. “His birthday wish was for her to have something to eat at his party because she usually couldn’t,” Szydlowski said. “My partner and I both teared up…It’s times

see HEALTHY page 26

GET OUT 26 NOVEMBER 18 , 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

King Crossword King Crossword

ACROSS

1 6 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 22 24 27 29 32 35 36 37 38 40 42 44 46 50 52 54 55 56 57

Flourish “Rabbit, Run” author Tearjerker Construction piece “Anna Christie” playwright Coats Lima’s place Father of Thor Away from WSW Style Lummox Most Wanted List org. Elite alternative Bart’s sister Lincoln’s election year Region Location Storm center Inseparable Osso buco base A cont. Level Apiece Boardroom props Prophet Half a storybook duo “My heavens!” Clothing Unlike a rolling stone?

8 9 10 11 12 18 21 23 24 25 26 28 30 31 33

like this that absolutely make everything we do worth it.” “Our namesake is the ‘Spooky’s Swirl,’ our freshly made cinnamon bun, which is still our best seller,” Szydlowski said. “We try to put our spooky theme on all of our items – we do many non-spooky special requests as well. Being pop culture junkies, we try to get creative with names and descriptions. For example, our cheesecakes are SCREAMcheese cakes.”

Intentional Foods Café & Market

Obituaries

34 39 41 42 43 45

Multitude Old anesthetic Starts Turkish potentate “Animal House” group Capri or Wight

47 48 49 51 53

Dogfight participants 23-Down’s old name The lady Sixth letter after 53-Down See 51-Down

Sudoku

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

HEALTHY from page 25

Part of N.B. Lecherous look Poppy drug Lubricate Tunes Wrinkly fruit Challenge for Laurel and Hardy in “The Music Box” Saharan Obsession “Show Boat” composer Gaelic Doo- -- music Fool Make a choice, with “for” “The Greatest” Shriner’s chapeau Life story, for short Unknowing Waiting area Pigpen Nay canceler Coop denizen

PUZZLES ANSWERS on onpage page23 24 PUZZLE ANSWERS

Intentional Foods Café & Market has quickly built a brand with allergy-safe items that are both unique and thought Laurie Curto out. Laurie This mission is personal forElizabeth owners Curto was born to Lisa and Ned Heath, whose establishDoug and Esther ment is on the Gilbert-Mesa border. Watson on September 26th, in Bogota, With experience in the1959 restaurant inColumbia. She passed dustry, they wanted to be a change-agent away on April 9th 2020 for diners with foodinallergies their Phoenix,– like Arizona. own daughter. Laurie lived all over the US finally “At only 6 months old, before our middle settling in Arizona. daughter Sarah was diagnosed with a Laurie worked retail for many years, as a life-threatening nut allergy,” Lisa said. child care coordinator at the Ahwatukee “We didn’t realize how serious it was, nor YMCA, before she finally found her passion working at educated Norte Elementary as a beloved were we on life-threatening lunch Of all But the jobs sheslearned had, working at food lady. allergies. we’ve all too Norte added so much joy to her life. As she wellsojust how scary having allergies had many wonderful stories tofood tell about her can be. work day. Laurie can be remembered for her “Everything changed for us laugh the and day outgoing personality, andat preher she took one bite of agenerosity, granola bar ability to make each person feel appreciated. school. bite by almost led to us losing She is One survived her children Kimberly our daughter.” and Michael, her brother Mark Watson, his wife Robin Watson, their and many The couple began to children, ask the questions life long friends. – including “What if she could have everything on the menu?” The Heaths built a worry-free dining environment to give people with food allergies and celiac disease a sense of normalcy that they were missing Employment Generaldue to the real worry of a life-threatening reaction toSeeking food. Administrative Assistant to organize

Employment

several small projects. P/T as needed Quickbooks and Excel a must. Cost Summary Reports, File storage/archiving. Ahwatukee area. Send resume and compensation requirements to conover.paul@gmail.com.

Arizona Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers, LLC dba AK-DHC seeks a Nephrologist to work in Phoenix, Arizona and at multiple unanticipated sites throughout Arizona. Req’d: MD + eligible for state med. lic. + BC/E in Nephrology. Mail CV to Kristen Klein at 3333 E. Camel-back Rd, Ste 180, Phx, AZ 85018 and refer to job code 089.

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020 49

“Our café is free from all nuts, gluten, wheat, eggs, dairy, soy, seafood, shellfish and sesame,” Lisa said. “We contact every manufacturing facility for every single ingredient down to the salt and pepper to ensure that it is free from cross contamination of any of the top nine allergens.” “If there is an allergen in our kitchen that is outside of the top nine allergens, we prepare the dish in a new pan with Garage Sales/ new tongs, change gloves and assemble Bazaars in a separate area of the kitchen.” Moving/Garage Saleat IF include fresh baked Popular finds Your newspaper. 11/20 and 11/21 doughnuts, cookies, lemon bars and 8am-4pm. Your community. cupcakes, roll and New and likealong new with cinnamon items. House, kitchen, churro donuts. Your planet. golf, yard accessories, times, and “Many power tools. New we have cried with felXmas and lights low decor allergy mamas witnessing children and muchat much more. eating a restaurant for the firstme. time. Please recycle 3822 E. Goldfinch Our favorite Gate Ln is when they surprise their PHOENIX, AZ 85044 allergy babe with a visit to IF and then tell them they can order anything they Pets/Services/Livestock want from the menu. “Seeing families gathering around a table creating memories, birthdays, While Your’ AwayforServices dance recitals, after sports games, or just Pet, Home & Property Checks hitting a Taco Tuesday because they can Voted one of the “Best of Ahwatukee” 10 Years Running! – seeing the joy – it fills our cups. It fuels Reasonable Rates us to keep going.” Special Pricing on Extended Service Licensed/Bonded/Insured Ahwatukee Resident

Call Eleanor Today! INFORMATION

480.287.4897 Drink Me Tea Room

www.WhileYouAreAwayServices.com 1730 E. Warner Road, Tempe 602-206-5469

Announcements

Intentional Foods 1837 W. Guadalupe Road, Mesa Adult Care/Assisted Living 480-264-7002 Spooky’s Swirls 3029 N. Alma School Road, Chandler 707-776-6597 Private and Semi Private

LATIN’S HOME 10601 S 42nd St, Phoenix, AZ 480-249-6143

ASSISTED LIVING

Your news 24/7

www.GilbertSunNews.com

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.Ahwatukee.com

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Care and Coverage. Together. Discover the Banner Medicare Advantage plan difference.

With Banner Medicare Advantage, you’ll get quality health care and comprehensive insurance coverage – including prescription drug coverage – in a single plan, with free supplemental benefits. We make it easy and convenient to stay healthy. If your health care needs have changed over the past year, you may want to change your Medicare coverage.

Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period ends December 7.

Get more from Medicare this year.

0 $ 0 $

Annual deductible and copays for primary care provider visits in network. Rx copay tier. Plus, mail order options included in your plan’s prescription drug coverage. 5,000+ providers to choose from. No referral needed for a specialist in network. Hundreds of clinics and labs, 16 hospitals.

To learn more or for help enrolling, call 833-516-1010 (TTY 711) Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to speak with our licensed agent. No obligation. Or visit us at Bannerhealth.com/MAnews to learn more or enroll.

Banner Medicare Advantage Prime is an HMO with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Banner Medicare Advantage Prime HMO depends on contract renewal. H5843_AEPFPAd3CY21_M

™

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Gilbert Sun News

1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com

Deadlines

The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | GilbertSunNews.com

Obituaries Ella Mae Bingham McKinnon

Ella Mae Bingham McKinnon returned to her heavenly home on Friday, November 13, 2020. She passed away peacefully at home at the age of 95 in Mesa, AZ. Ella Mae was born on July 18, 1925 in Randolph, UT where she loved her childhood. She made many friends, learned to dance, play the drums and met her eternal companion in Kindergarten. She and Byron (Gene) lived a lifetime together, raising a family of three sons which soon turned into 20 grandchildren, 67 great-grandchildren, six great-great grandchildren … and two more on the way. Family was everything to her, and she showed this with each intentional act of kindness and love to every one of them. She was preceded in death by her parents Leonard and Mabel Brough Bingham. Husband, Byron. Brother, ElMont. Her daughter-in-law, Sue. Granddaughter, Kristi and two great- grandsons, Alistair and Gus. She is survived by her brother Fred and sons Steven Eugene (Tina), Donald Len (Nancy), and David Kim (Tamara) McKinnon, as well as four remaining generations of her adoring posterity. Visitation on 11/19/20 at Bunker’s Garden 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Family graveside funeral service at 1:30 at the Mesa Cemetery

H E A D STO N E S

Employment Employment General Bridge Engineer. MS in Civil Eng. Knowledge of bridge load rating. T. Y. Lin International, Tempe. Email: Debbie.parsons@tylin.com for Job#2 or apply @ https://careers-tylin.icims.com/jobs/2596/bridgeengineer-%28job-%23-2%29/job

NOW HIRING

“Memories cut in Stone” • MONUMENTS • GRANITE & BRONZE • CEMETERY LETTERING • CUSTOM DESIGNS

480-969-0788 75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233

www.everlastingmonumentco.com info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com

Make your choice Everlasting

andise

For Rent

Wanted to Buy

Apartments

Cash 4 Diabetic Strips! Best Prices in Town. Sealed and Unexpired. 480-652-1317 Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846

Assemblers Electricians Plumbers Apply online at

silent-aire.com/careers

Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465

Real Estate for Sale Manufactured Homes

EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.

Merch

Manufactured Homes BRAND NEW NEVER LIVED IN 2 BED / 2 BATH HOMES $58,900 Financing Available 55+ Mobile Home Park in Great Chandler Loc. Call Kim 480-233-2035

Real Estate

ALMA SCH & MAIN 1b 1 bath duplex Income verified UTILITIES INCLUDED Bad Credit OK. No Deposit Close to Lightrail $700 (602) 339-1555 APACHE TRAIL & IRONWOOD Secluded Cute Studio, A/C $650/Month Bad Credit ok No Deposit. Water/Trash Inc. (602) 339-1555

HOME FOR RENT? Place it here! 81% of our readers, read the Classifieds!

Call Classifieds 480-898-6465

THE LINKS ESTATES

Need help writing an obituary?

Why Rent The Lot When

We have articles that will help guide you through the process.

YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home

Classifieds: Thursday 11am for Sunday Life Events: Thursday 10am for Sunday

Air Conditioning/Heating

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship Furnace / AC Tune Up - $69 New 3-Ton AC Units - now $3,995 New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

‘A’ RATED AC REPAIR FREE ESTIMATE SAME DAY SERVICE

Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

480-405-7588

ItsJustPlumbSmart.com Appliance Repairs

Appliance Repair Now

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

FROM THE UPPER 100’S

Deadline for obituaries is Wednesday at 5pm for Sunday. All obituaries will be approved by our staff prior to being activated. Be aware there may be early deadlines around holidays.

Meetings/Events?

Gawthorp & Associates Realty

Call 480-898-6465 Mon-Fri 8:30-5 if you have questions.

602-402-2213

Visit: obituaries.EastValleyTribune.com

ASK US HOW YOUR $105,000 CASH INVESTMENT AND OUR SENIOR LOAN PROGRAM ENABLES QUALIFIED 62+ SENIORS MAKING THE LINKS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAVE NO MORTGAGE PAYMENT & NO LOT RENT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE IN HOME. 40667 N Wedge Dr • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140

www.linksestates.net

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured Get Free notices in the Classifieds!

Submit to ecota@timespublications.com

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Concrete & Masonry

Garage/Doors

Glass/Mirror

DESERT ROCK

GARAGE DOOR SERVICE

GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS

C O N C RETE & M A S O N RY BLOCKWALL CONCRETE RETAINING WALL BLOCK FENCE PLANTER BBQ

FOUNDATION DRIVEWAY SIDEWALK PATIO

PAVER • CONCRETE REMOVAL • HARDSCAPE BONDED & INSURED • ROC#321648 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE ESTIMATES • 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE RESIDENTIAL CALL JOHN: 480.797.2985 COMMERCIAL

Block Fence * Gates

602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!

East Valley/ Ahwatukee

Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610

Not a licensed contractor

Handyman HANDYMAN 37 years experience. Drywall, framing, plumbing, painting, electrical, roofing and more. Stan, 602-434-6057

Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates

WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY Call 480-306-5113

Handyman

LLC

HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING Move a wall; turn a door into a window. From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all. Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more. All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years' experience. Call Ron Wolfgang Pleas text or leave message Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934

OUR JOB BOARD HAS THE TALENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR.

Home Improvement

ACTION CONTRACTING INC. WE DO IT ALL!

Bath & Kitchen Remodels • Car-Port to Garage Conversion Drywall & Stucco Repairs • Plumbing • Electrical • Can Lights Windows • Doors • Cabinets • Painting • Block Fences Wrought Iron Gates • Remodeling • Additions • Patios Tenant Improvements

East Valley

FIND THE BEST TALENT. EASILY POST JOBS. COMPETITIVE PRICING AND EXPOSURE

480-833-7353 - Office INCE 1 480-430-7737 - Cell - S A+

LIC/BONDED/INSURED Res/Comm’l ROC#218802

aaaActionContractingInc.com

Irrigation

More info: 480-898-6465 or email jobposting@evtrib.com

J BS. EASTVALLEY TRIBUNE.COM

Most jobs also appear on Indeed.com

WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO SERVE YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS

480.898.6465 CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

NTY 5-YEAR WARRA

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

Drywall

JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest! QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL!

• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair

SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

All Estimates are Free • Call:

520.508.1420

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs!

www.husbands2go.com Painting • Flooring • Electrical

Licensed, Bonded &•Insured • ROC#317949 Plumbing Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More! Ask me about FREE water testing!

Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo y alit Affordable, Qu ✔ Bathrooms BSMALLMAN@Q.COM HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY 2010, 2011 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Affordable, Quality And More! 2010, 2011 Small Man!” 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, • Panel Changes 2014 Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor 1999 Since Ahwatukee Resident / References Work ty Quali , Affordable and Repairs 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor 2014 Bruce at 602.670.7038

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932 Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

Hauling

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES

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 480.266.4589 Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More! josedominguez0224@gmail.com Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 Not a licensed contractor. 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Electrical Services Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

Home Improvement

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6465

• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris

• Old Paint & Chems. • Yard Waste

Sprinkler & Drip Systems Repairs • Modifications • Installs

• Concrete Slab • Remodeling Debris • Old Tires

Home Improvement

General Contacting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198

One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.

Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!

• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Landscape/Maintenance

Painting

Irrigation Repair Services Inc.

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

Not a licensed contractor

www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752 Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

ALL Pro S E R V I C E

L L C

Prepare for Monsoon Season! LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

480-354-5802

showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Roofing

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

480-338-4011

ROC#309706

Plumbing

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

HYDROJETTING

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

WORD SEARCH: Words ‘n Words

480-477-8842

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

#1 Find nine 3-letter words using only these letters:

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM

Painting

PUMPKIN

20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

East Valley PAINTERS

ROC 3297740

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!

Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

10% OFF

Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service

#2 Find five 5-letter words, starting with R and using only these letters:

HARVEST

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465

#2 Answers: raves, rathe, rheas, rates, resat

Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

Family Owned & Operated

Service by Publication Circuit Court-Civil Division State of Wisconsin Small Claims Milwaukee County Defendant Name(s) and Address (es): HEZEKIAH SIMELTON 1156 N FIJI WAY GILBERT, AZ 85234 You are being sued by Franklin Financial Corporation, in the small claims court, Milwaukee County, in the Milwaukee County courthouse located @ 901 N. 9th Street (Room #400) Milwaukee, WI 53233 A hearing will be held: Friday,January 8, 2021, 8:30 am. If you choose not to appear, a judgment will be given to Franklin Financial Corporation, due to default. A copy of this has been mailed to last know address on November 13, 2020. Plaintiff: Plaintiff: (414) 447-5130 Franklin Financial Corporation 10101 W GREENFIELD AVE #200 WEST ALLIS WI 53214,. Published: East Valley Tribune, Nov. 22, 2020 / 34484

#1 Answers: imp, ink, kin, nip, pip, pin, pun, pup, ump

T R E E

Juan Hernandez Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Call Lance White

480.721.4146

Public Notices

Pool Service / Repair

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

NOW OPEN

HAPPY HOUR

Every Day 2pm-6pm and 10pm-CLOSE • $2 OFF ALL Draft Beer • $4 House Wine • $2 Well Drinks

• $4 Titos, Bacardi, Tanqueray, Herradura Silver, Jack Daniels

ALL DAY SPECIALS MONDAY $10 Burgers WEDNESDAY $10 Wraps

FRIDAY $9 Fish & Chips and Fishy Wrap

TUESDAY BUY ONE, GET ONE ALL APPETIZERS

SATURDAY $10 Pizzas SUNDAY $10 Pastas

THURSDAY BUY ONE, GET ONE WINGS & TENDERS

1026 S Gilbert Rd Gilbert AZ 85296 www.howlerssportsbar.com

480-687-2864

REGULAR HOURS : DAILY 11AM - 12AM

GILBERT SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 22, 2020

The luxury and location you want, featuring a luxury Person Centered approach; Providing directed care to our residents that need a little extra.

• LivGenerations offers Assisted Living services right in the comfort and privacy of your apartment home. So you can continue to enjoy your same way of life with a little extra care. We simply come to you to provide the assistance you need. • Our Signature Services program is for those who require a little extra help and a little extra cueing with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, mobility, medication assistance, and more. • Memory Care at LivGenerations can bring comfort, care and joy to our residents’ lives… while bringing peace of mind to their family. It’s a beautiful environment designed specifically for those with memory loss - including amenities to provide comfort and familiarity.

LivGenerations Ahwatukee

LivGenerations Agritopia

15815 S. 50th Street | Phoenix, AZ 85048

2811 E. Agritopia Loop S. | Gilbert, AZ 85296

480-485-3000

480-485-2000

livgenerationsahwatukee.com

livgenerationsagritopia.com

I N D E P E N D E N T L I V I N G | A S S I S T E D L I V I N G | M E M O R Y C A R E | S I G N AT U R E S E R V I C E S