Out with the Old, in with The
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Oct. 17, 2015 Vol. 26, No. 20 Next issue: Saturday, Nov. 7 Out with the old, in with the new After the first few weeks of their admittedly stressful transition to ASU, Corona del Sol grads Chloe Lee Jones and Victoria Schyberg obviously are finding themselves happily settled in. The pair share their observations and hopes for the future in interviews on Pages 14-15, along with a commentary on the challenges of picking a college major by Wrangler News contributor Jonathan Coronel. — Wrangler News photo by Bruce Yeung Wrangler News • Oct. 17 - Nov. 6, 2015 • Page 3 Wrangler News • Oct. 17 - Nov. 6, 2015 • Page 4 One of the growing collection of sketches by Tempe State Farm agent Mary Contreras. Insurance exec takes yet another path in her search for ‘something different’ By Deborah Hilcove door. There are castles all around. aughter, wife, mother. Engineer, The nobility wanted to live as close as entrepreneur, artist. Mary possible to the king. It meant power Contreras, founder and owner and prestige.” D Turning from the computer, she of Tempe-based Contreras State Farm Agency, grew up on a South Dakota showed several sketches, explaining: ranch, attended college, graduated with “Everywhere I travel, I sketch. As a degrees in engineering and commercial plein-air artist, I work outdoors, very art. quickly, trying to capture a view with After 15 successful years in pen and ink. I have a photographic aerospace engineering, she wanted memory,” she said, “so I go back later something different. Her sister and color them in.” suggested State Farm. Contreras “We visited the 16th century village qualified as an agent in 1994 and of Crissay-sur-Manse, just south of opened her own agency in 2003. the Loire River. It’s called one of the She has “found the perfect career,” most beautiful villages of France, with she says, because her passion is serving cobblestone streets, white limestone others, through community service and houses. We toured the Renaissance her business. chapel of St. Maurice.” Both fields have recognized her She held a finely detailed, colorful achievements. In 2013, Phoenix sketch of a small village church with Business Journal named Contreras one various roof lines, a square tower and a of the year’s Top 25 Women. Current slender stone spire. endeavors include projects with Contreras continued: the Phoenix Art Museum and Sleep “There is a Rafael [painting], an America. She is an active member of original, in the church. And here’s both Tempe and Chandler chambers the town. Art everywhere. We had ice of commerce, directing the Chandler cream—pistachio ice cream. The lady Chamber of Commerce Foundation. scooped it, arranging it like petals of a She has just been named to the “Go flower.” Red for Women” executive committee, “We also toured the Château de a movement of the American Heart Chenonceau, a castle belonging to King Association. Henry II, who gave it to his mistress. State Farm has recognized When the king died, his wife— Contreras as an outstanding agent, Catherine de Medici—claimed the awarding trips to exotic locations like castle and re-landscaped the grounds, Uganda and Nepal. Recently, she and creating geometric gardens. It’s right her husband, Gary, returned from on the River Cher. The moat surrounds Paris, extending their trip with a visit the last bit of the original medieval to the Loire Valley. building. Quickly pulling up photos on her “We had access everywhere, even computer, she pointed out the château the stables and nearly every room of where they stayed. “During the 15th the entire castle. Each room had flower century until the French Revolution, arrangements, huge arrangements— royalty built huge palaces in the Loire as wide as your outspread arms— region. The French king’s castle was arrangements of mosses and sedge and right here; we stayed almost next phlox. “Just beautiful.” Wrangler News • Oct. 17 - Nov. 6, 2015 • Page 5 Statewide schools to gather at Corona for annual marching band competition ore than 2,000 bands from 23 years in a row, and performed at the WGI schools statewide will compete at World Championships in Ohio this year. the Arizona Band and Orchestra The percussion program is the largest M in Arizona and consistently wins state Directors Assn. annual marching band invitational Oct. 17 at Corona del Sol High percussion titles. School. During the event, the bands will Dental offices again buying compete for ratings or rankings in their back post-Halloween candy respective divisions, with award ceremonies to follow. for Operation Shoebox The judges will score the bands for their taff at the dental offices of Tempe musical, auxiliary, percussion and visual Smile Design will be doing their performance as well as overall general Sannual candy buyback program to effect. benefit Operation Shoebox, a charitable “We are honored to host an ABODA program that embraces a practical mission sanctioned Invitational,” said David of providing hands-on support for U.S. DuPlessis, director of the Corona marching troops deployed overseas and returning band. home. “This event is a great opportunity for It is the mission of Operation Shoebox the bands to demonstrate their musical to meet the needs of every hero with dignity programs and for the community to and appreciation. experience performances from schools Whether the program involves packing across Arizona.” coffee, socks, toothpaste and sports gear Gates open at noon at the Corona into care packages or sending letters of campus, 1001 E. Knox Road, Tempe. encouragement, organizing fundraisers or The Corona band is recognized as one collecting supplies for homeless veterans, of the finest in Arizona, earning third place Tempe Smile Design, at 1712 E. Guadalupe in the top division in Fall 2014 and second Road, Suite 109, will continue the drive place in Fall 2012. during the two weeks following Halloween The band performed with Katy Perry in (through Friday, Nov. 13). Those dropping the Super Bowl XLIX Pepsi Halftime Show. off candy will get $1 per pound for their Corona’s color guard members have won contribution. the state championship for the past four Information: 480-829-8200. Wrangler News • Oct. 17 - Nov. 6, 2015 • Page 6 Pawn shops: An insider's look at how they work It's likely that not all you've heard about them offers an accurate view of their role in the community By Diana Whittle “To pawn an item you must sign a contract and agree to State Laws ost people remain permanently perplexed at the a 90-day loan with interest. Additionally, a pawn customer The nuts and bolts of the pawn industry are really motivation behind any acts of random violence— agrees to a federal background check when pawning a gun governed by the states. Each state has its own laws, and but particularly disturbing is the recent “highway and if it’s not passed, the pawned gun will not be returned.” they may vary a great deal from state to state. Generally, M While the gun linked to the highway shooter was not shooter” case. however, you’ll find laws on: It hit close to home as the terrorism occurred in the found in his store, he was questioned by police about this Licensing and registration. In most states, Valley, mostly along I-10. incident and also has been involved in other cases. pawnbrokers must apply for a license or register with a A collective sigh of relief was heard when the accused “Pawn shops are not operated under the radar—we state agency – like the state consumer protection agency or shooter, Leslie Allen Merrit Jr., was taken into custody and report everything to law enforcement. state tax department. charged with using a 9 mm, high-point handgun in four Phoenix police maintain a database of transactions at In some states, brokers need a license from the city or random crimes. local pawn businesses that is accessible to any other law town where they do business Law enforcement said the weapon was traced back to enforcement agency.” Interest rates and fees on loans are capped or limited Merrit through both forensic evidence found at the scene of He says that pawn broking is a good and fair industry, in practically every state. Generally, you can expect to pay the crime and pawn-shop records. when operated correctly. But, he admits that even the anywhere from 3 to 25 percent in interest on your loan. On Merrit claimed he could not be responsible for the criminals are not really up to speed on their legal reporting top of that, most states let pawnbrokers charge a service fee shootings, because his handgun was in a pawn shop for the obligations. in money (like $10) or interest (20 percent), each month. preceding two months; but, it was an easy claim to refute. “The pawn business is a highly regulated industry; Records. Usually, pawnshops have to keep detailed All pawn shops are required by law to inform police so, it’s not smart to pawn hot items with serial numbers records of everything they buy or take as collateral – serial of every transaction involving firearms, according to the or guns used in a crime, since it’s a sure bet they will be and model numbers, brand name; precious metal type, Tempe-based owner of Aztec Pawn, who prefers to keep his reported.” gemstone description, etc. name unpublished. An Arizona native, he has been in the In the freeway shooter case, fragments of bullets Reporting. In some states, pawnshops have to give pawn industry for 21 years and currently owns two pawn led to the identity of the gun and a search of local pawn reports of their purchases to local police to help identify stores.