Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 175

Saturday June 26, 1999 THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC (0) IS Abe Kwok, (602) 444-7943 r- aaa -irt 1 A Sun Lakes 1 iaren remau, iouzj w-wjhi Sunset, bv tWawa -J Laraine vowahi. Online: www.azcentral.comsev EV to Wildflower Bread Co. Ex-Dobson star adjusting is place to loaf around, shop to new home on Indians' farm I iffistoric hotel, now in tads of developers naw i iifi ft ii ii 'ii iim $1 deal calls for renovation go back to the city, according to an agreement approved Thursday. The building needs major work on the south side, especially to a sleeping porch that was used in the old days by patrons of the Chandler Hotel, which was built in 1914. It is a candidate for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The one-story building to the west, also part of the deal, will be demolished and converted into outdoor seating and parking. "It's not part of the history, it's not in great shape, and it would cost more money to rehabilitate," Kreipke said. Downtown coordinator Michael Ker-ski said two other firms responded to the city's request for proposals, but both wanted more time to complete the project and had less experience than Kreipke and his partners. All three bid 1 for the property. Kreipke said the hotel will have one to four tenants, a mix of restaurant and office space, and perhaps a studio for.

artists; "I've gotten a lot of phone calls Please see PRIVATE, Page EV6 By Janie Magruder The Arizona Republic Chandler bought a historic but dilapidated downtown hotel for $360,000 last year and now has sold it to a private development company for $1. But it may cost Chandler City Center Developers a half-million dollars to renovate the building on San Marcos Place and tear down a smaller, historically insignificant structure behind it. The buyers are Niels Kreipke of Valhalla Investments, who already owns two other downtown buildings, Lahaina Construction Management a Phoenix firm that is known for its historic renovations, and Phoenjx-based Bliss Marketing Communications, which will market the property. The deal with the city requires the partnersjo renovate the two-story brick building, which housed pharmacies in the 1940s and 1950s but more recently was a pizza restaurant, within eight months. If they fail, the property will Photos by Mark SchiefelbeinThe Arizona Republic The first woman to graduate as a pilot from Chandler-Gilbert Community College's aviation program, Aysha Harward is getting her flying hours in as a flight instructor for Sawyer Aviation in Phoenix.

Her student is Kerr Gelvin of Paradise Valley. She's a soar winner 1st female pilot graduate aims for airlines Man gets 30 years in 79-year-old's death Flying is not the only part of a pilot's job. Instructor Aysha Harward and student Kerr Gelvin check the engine oil before taking off. By Kelly Pearce The Arizona Republic Aysha Harward was scared. Here she was, in an airplane cockpit where she's never been before, staring at a conglomeration of knobs, switches and dials that were as intimidating as they were foreign.

Here she was, the only woman among 20 or so men, each of them yearning to fulfill their dream of becoming a pilot. It was Harward's dream, too. And the 26-year-old with spunk achieved it this spring, becoming the first woman to graduate as a pilot from Chandler-Gilbert Community College's aviation program. What of her original classmates? They still are in school, moved on to other programs or dropped out. "I love' flying," said Harward, who recently landed a job as a flight instructor at Sawyer Aviation in Phoenix.

"Just imagine having an office 3,000 feet above the ground. I've seen the most incredible sunsets." Everyone has ambitions. Not everyone embraces them. Harward did. Her story began when it came time to mag out a career.

By Jim Walsh The Arizona Republic Jack Wilmoth didn't pull the trigger in the slaying of a 79-year-old Mesa man who was abducted as he picked grapefruits in his front lawn. But Wilmoth assisted Michael Jessup when Jessup kidnapped Frank Watkins at gunpoint, and Wilmoth was in the back of Watkins' stolen pickup truck when Jessup shot Watkins to death. For that, Wilmoth drew a 30-year prison sentence Friday. "I'm really sorry that this happened," Wilmoth, 20, told Watkins' family Friday it Maricopa County Superior Court in vlesa. "I didn't know he was going to be rilled," Wilmoth said.

"I thought he was to be dropped off and they were going to steal the truck." Judge Daniel Barker considered Wil-moth's remorse sincere but still sentenced him to 18 years for second-degree murder and 12 more for armed robbery. He ordered that the sentences be served consecutively. Wilmoth, who has a history of juvenile arrests for auto theft, must serve more than 27 years in prison before he is eligible for parole, Deputy Maricopa County Attorney William Culbertson said. "This incident occurred where one most expects to be safe, your own home, your own front yard," the judge said. "Mr.

Wil-moth's role was not minor. His was definitely not the role that Mr. Jessup played. Mr. Wilmoth was not the person Please see ACCOMPLICE, Page EV5 become a flight attendant, following in the footsteps of her husband, Rand.

When she didn't make the cut, she was crushed. But it made her even more determined. In fall 1996, she signed up for Chandler-Gilbert's aviation program. However, her journey down the academic runway was bumpy. As a lyiYiTTYyIS 1 little girl in o5yyB.L Aa wMJ Tennessee, envisioned herself as a police officer.

Then, when she graduated from high school, she had visions of pursuing art. But after two years at Mesa Community College, she was bored. So for two more years she tried to Please see FEME, Page EV6 Tri-City Pavilions plans get boost from anchor Reading Tempe's ticket to ride I Karia Guillen, 6, gets help with her reading from her aunt, Irene Guillen, at the Tempe Public Library. The library is working with the city's transit department, giving free bus passes to kids who sign up for its reading program. By Lisa Gonderinger The Arizona Republic MESA The Rubin Cos.

couldn't even give away space at MesaTs aging Tri-City Mall a year ago. But after a series of seven-figure risks, knocking on doors across town and razing most of the 39-acre site, the company has found its first tenant for what it hopes will help the old mall rise from the ashes. Library program offers kids 6-18 free bus passes By Elvla Diaz The Arizona Republic TEMPE Youngsters in Tempe can't blame lack of transportation for not visiting the public library this summer. The city's transit division is handing out free bus passes to youngsters 6 to 18 years old in an effort to encourage them to read more. All they have to do is register with the library's reading program.

C.J. Yabes, 12, was among the first to take up the offer. "It's so cool," said Yabes, who will enter Grade 7 at Fees Middle School. "Riding the bus is really fun, because I'm with my friends. We go to the! library.

We go to the mall." And that's the idea, said Amanda Nelson, the city's transit marketing Rubin Cos. This artist's rendition shows the plans for Tri-City Pavilions, which will replace the Tri-City Mall at Dobson and Main. Tom TintfaThe Arizona Republic Metros said. "We're trying to foster regular reading habits," Metros said. "Giving out bus passes has been very successful." In addition to the free bus pass, the library gives out treats.

Preschool- and Please see YOUTHS, Page EV6 Safeway Stores Inc. has signed on to take an anchor spot in the new Tri-City Pavilions. Plans are to break, ground late this year, with the store opening six months later. It's a significant first hurdle for the Rubin which has been sweating the challenge of redeveloping the property at Dobson Road and Main Street since it bought the mall in 1996. At the time, 79 percent of the mall's space was leased.

The company thought it could renovate the mall, one of the first in the Valley, and lure retailers back inside, said Mike Didiminico, a vice president. But nobody wanted to take a chance, on Tri-City, even with significantly reduced rent. The remaining tenants left Please see SAfTM, Page EV6 "It gives youngsters some independence," Nelson said. "The free pass offers the ability to go to fun places. They also have to read." Already, 3,500 youths have registered to participate with the library's reading program, nearly double the number from the previous summer, library administrator Tcri.