February 18 – March 2, 2012
www.SanTanSun.com Got milk? Only 4 dairies
remain in Chandler City works to preserve heritage
by Miriam Van Scott SanTan Sun area dairy farms are disap-
pearing at a staggering rate, crowded out by population growth and urban sprawl. In 2005, Chandler had the largest con-
centration of dairies in the state with 23 operating in the municipality. At the time, then-City planner Hank Pluster predicted they would all be gone within five years. He wasn’t far off; today there are only four left, and one has just been sold to a land devel- oper who plans to put housing on the site. “Eventually, when the municipal plan- ning area is mostly developed, there will be
no more dairy farms,” reports Chandler Principal Planner David de la Torre. “All of the remaining four dairy farms are desig- nated in the Land Use Element of the General Plan for other types of develop- ment such as employment or residential.” In practical terms, this means the
days are numbered for the city’s large-scale agricultural sites and the only question is how long it will be before the last one disappears. “The rate at which they're developed is entirely up to the market, economic growth
See Dairies Page 6
CURIOUS: Dairy cows belonging to Hamstra Holdings can still be seen at the northeast corner of McQueen and Queen Creek roads near Chandler Municipal Airport. STSN photo
Tae Kwon Do offers physical, mental benefits
by Alison Stanton While martial arts are known to offer a good workout, one local expert
says the benefits reach far beyond the physical, with training resulting in better behavior, grades and sleep. During the past 30 years, Won Ki Hong has taught Tae Kwon Do to
thousands of students. During this time, he has seen firsthand the many positive physical and mental benefits the martial art can provide. Hong began studying Tae Kwon Do in South Korea in 1959. In 1980 he
READY AND ABLE: Young students from Master Hong’s Tae Kwon Do Center demonstrate some of the skills they have learned.
immigrated to the U.S., where he established a Tae Kwon Do studio in Florida. Hong now owns Master Hong's Tae Kwon Do Center in Gilbert, where he continues to instill in his students a combination of physical and
See Tae Kwon Do Page 7
HONORING DAD: The twin sons of the late singer Rick Nelson, Matthew, left, and Gunnar bring a tribute show about their father to the Chandler Center for the Arts.
Tribute honors teen idol, father
by K. M. Lang Ask Gunnar Nelson
when he first knew he wanted to be a musi- cian, and he describes his first memory, sit- ting on an apple crate next to a stage at Knott's Berry Farm while his father, Ricky Nelson, performed. "It was my first
conscious thought," he says, "watching my dad and making the connection – 'He's
smiling and having a great time. Look at all those people out there – they're smiling and having a great time. Yeah, I want to do this.' I couldn't have been more than 2 years old." Big band, radio, television, rock and roll – for more
CLASSIC CARS: The 9th Annual Chandler Classic Car Show drives into downtown Chandler Sat., Feb. 25. Hosting more than 200 vintage cars, this free family event benefits local charity ICAN. For more information, see Page 47 or visit
www.ChandlerCarShow.com. Photo by John Priddy
than 100 years, members of the Nelson family have been making audiences smile, and they'll do it again March 3 when Gunnar and his identical twin, Matthew, bring their multi-media show, "Ricky Nelson Remembered," to Chandler Center for the Arts. The tribute includes perfor- mances of Ricky's hit songs, "Hello Mary Lou," Travelin' Man," and "Garden Party," as well as video footage of the Nelson family, including Gunnar and Matthew’s grand- parents, big band performers and 1950s icons Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, whose television show, "The Adventures
See Tribute Page 8
COVER STORIES: State of the City
..........................COMMUNITY ...............4 Maid Brigade cleans green..........BUSINESS ................21 Perry players ready bats .............YOUTH ....................27 Yollipop’s frozen
treats................NEIGHBORS ..............43
CLIP-IT! CENTER SPREAD
INSIDE: Community .......4-19 Business.........21-25 Youth ..............27-36 Opinion ...........37-38 Neighbors .......43-53 Spirituality......55-59 AZ Arts............60-68 Directory.........70-72 Classifieds......73-75 Where to eat ...76-78
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