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GOP lawmakers urge punishment for ban defiance

By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services Chandler Sen. JD Mesnard and 25 other Republican lawmakers signed a letter last week urging Gov. Doug Ducey last week to punish school districts that defy the law banning mask mandates by...

Swim coach kills self after child-sex bust

By Zach Alvira Sports Editor Former Chandler High swim coach Bob Chen died by suicide Aug. 8, about 48 hours after he was arrested in Mesa in child-prostitution sting in which 17 other men were nabbed. Chen, who recently had...

D-backs exec taking over Baseball Hall of Fame

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Staff Writer Josh Rawitch was in his last week as an executive with the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the All-Star week and he was just leaving a meeting about the Suns Road Game Rally at Chase Field....

Chandler student jazzed by Yale program

By Ziqing Kuang Guest Writer Over the summer, I had the amazing honor of attending Yale Young Global Scholars’ Politics, Law, and Economics program, which included conversing with some of the most talented and well-known...

Area friends prepare for tough mountain bike race

By Zach Alvira Sports Editor They first came together years ago over a glass of their favorite beer at Casual Pint Ocotillo in Chandler. The more that Frank Gavin, Chad Eby and James Welsh spoke, they realized they all shared a...

Sun Lakes Rotarians reflect on busy year

SANTAN SUN NEWS The 2020-21 session of the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes was a busy one despite the curbs imposed on some activities by the pandemic, Club President Jon Lyons told members recently. Throughout the year, club members...

Nonprofit opening STEM center for Chandler youth

By Kevin Reagan Staff Writer Si Se Puede, the Chandler nonprofit specializing in science education for local youth, next month is opening a new center for students design and build robots. After receiving a $50,000-grant from the...

Sun Lakes author publishes new novel

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF Sun Lakes author Sandra Givens says she’s incorporated some contemporary issues into her latest novel, “Love at the Ranch.” That book comes after last year’s publication of two novels that she...

More than 50 new laws to impact schools

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF Voluntary-only masking policies are not the only thing that differentiates the new school year from 2020-21. New limits on sex education and on what teachers can tell students about racial and gender...

Neither COVID, Ducey backing down as school begins

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF As the 2021-22 school year kicks into high gear, the state’s former top health official has issued a warning about COVID-19. “It’s now crystal clear… Arizona is back in a COVID-19 exponential growth...