www.SanTanSun.com
Opinion
May 3 - 16, 2008 31
Obituary: John T. Irvine
Mr. Irvine, who served six years with the Army With the church, he served as a Scout leader, home
John T. Irvine, a beloved member of the Church of
National Guard, worked as a manager of transportation teacher, ward clerk and counselor in the High Priest
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and tireless political
and distribution for Allied Signal in Phoenix., a Group Leadership.
agitator, died Monday at his home in Chandler. He
manufacturer of aerospace technologies. He left the His goal in life was to visit all 50 states, preferably
was 69.
position in 1993, but remained passionate about fl ight. on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. He made it to 38,
A fourth-generation Arizona native and grandson
He held a commercial pilot’s license, spending much mostly in a camper. He also traveled to the United
of a signer of the Phoenix town charter, Mr. Irvine was
of his leisure time observing the air traffi c over Sky Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, France and Ireland, where
born in Yuma on Nov. 11, 1938 and lived in Phoenix,
Harbor from the peak of Tempe’s “A” Mountain and he someday hoped to return.
Tempe and Chandler. He was involved with many
making new acquaintances at Chandler Municipal Mr. Irvine is survived by his wife, Sharon Magelby
community-based groups, playing a critical role in
Airport. Irvine; two sons, Thomas Grant and Stephen Patrick;
getting Tempe voters to back a smoking ban, and
Mr. Irvine also had a rare enthusiasm for two daughters; Kimberly Ann and Carol Lynne; and 12
last year led the campaign to change the name of
photography, fi rearms and Johnny Cash. He personally grandchildren.
Chandler’s Canal Park to Crossbow Park.
restored his 1958 GMC pickup truck.
Letters
to the
Editor
Commissioner
pipeline from Texas to Arizona. This provocative and eye-opening fi lm, go to borders. Within this short time period,
ended up increasing the fl ow of gaso- their website and view the movie trailer these military helicopters have helped
Mundell still looking
line into the Valley and was certainly a at www.expelledthemovie.com. Better apprehend over 82,000 pounds of drugs
out for Chandler
positive resolution to the dispute. yet, go see the movie … at the Chandler and over 14,000 illegal immigrants.
As a resident of Chandler for many
Bill Mundell has a long history of Fashion (Center’s Harkins) 20 theatre! Furthermore, the aviation task force has
years, I have watched this city grow.
public service in Chandler. After serv- Marty Clapp, The Provinces benefi ted BP because air assets within
Back when Bill Mundell was the presid-
ing as presiding judge, Commissioner the BP are limited.
ing judge of the Chandler Municipal
Mundell served in the state legislature
Mystery chopper: sound
I empathize with the residents who
Court, Chandler was a small farming
for six years where he was voted “One feel that the sound of the military heli-
town with a population of less than
of Arizona’s Top 10 Legislators.” He was
of freedom and justice copters is loud; however, I ask them
25,000 people, and Kinder Morgan’s
appointed to the Commission in 1999
How many times do we prejudge instead to take a second to refl ect on the
gas pipeline along Pecos Road was in
by then Governor Jane Hull, and was
before knowing the facts on a specifi c mission and purpose of these helicop-
the middle of nowhere. Over the years,
elected to the post for a four-year term
situation? Well, probably more times ters and wish the crew a safe journey as
Chandler has become a major metro-
in 2000 and again in 2004. He served as
than we can imagine. In the April 18 they help protect our borders. I would
politan area with a population of over
chairman in 2001 and 2002.
edition, we read how residents were take the sound of military helicopters
200,000 and is still growing. And every-
Bill Mundell has consistently worked
annoyed by the sound of a military heli- any day especially knowing that some-
body knows, in Arizona more people
hard to protect consumers during his
copter. The focus of the article revolved thing is being done to confront the
means more cars on the road.
time at the Commission. He has also
around the annoyance and noise cre- imbroglio of illegal immigration. Such
In 2005, the City of Chandler’s proj-
not forgotten his roots in Chandler and
ated by the helicopter, and understand- refl ection makes me proud to know
ect to widen Pecos Road from a two-
has led the charge to look out for the
ingly so, because our military helicop- that we have Americans in uniform that
lane country road to a fi ve- to seven-
interests of the City in matters like pipe-
ters are powerful and sturdy machines. are committed to safeguarding the free-
lane arterial roadway was at a standstill
line and railroad safety. When he leaves
However, I prefer to replace this senti- doms we take for granted.
because of the prohibition against com-
offi ce next year because of term limits,
ment of annoyance with indulgence David Church, Springfi eld Lakes
pacting or heavy equipment within four
I look forward to seeing him again at
in the sound of freedom and justice,
feet of the Kinder Morgan’s six-inch
community events in Chandler.
especially knowing the purpose behind
pipeline. The City fi led a lawsuit against
Tracy Buelna, City of Chandler
these military fl ights.
As we all know, Arizona has been del-
Kinder Morgan in an attempt to force
Human Relations Commissioner
uged with the burdens of illegal immi-
Letters to the Editor
the company to move the line. The City
gration as border security has taken
We know you have your opinion! Share it with the
contended that because the 50-year-old
Don’t silence scientists
SanTan Sun News. Unless you’re the Mayor, please
on the dimension of national security.
pipeline had seriously deteriorated over
keep your Letters to the editor around 200-300 words,
As an adult who volunteers much of
For the past two years, the National
or they may be edited for length. Please include your
the years and was buried only 36 inches
my time to work with high school stu-
Guard has teamed up with the Border
fi rst and last name, community or development name
below the roadway, it posed a danger
dents in the Chandler area, I have been
in Southern Chandler (Cooper Commons, Ocotillo,
Patrol (BP) to help it confront the illegal
to public safety as well as an impeding
both surprised and concerned as they
Sun Groves, etc.) or ZIP code and daytime phone
immigration mess while BP augments
necessary roadway construction.
number for verifi cation. Anonymous letters are not
relate to me what they are being taught
its forces. The Arizona aviation Task
typically accepted. Email is the preferred submission
Kinder Morgan fi led its own law-
in their science classrooms, particularly
Force has played an instrumental role
method, to Letters@SanTanSun.com.
suit in federal court to block a forced
when it comes to the topic of origins.
Opinions expressed in Community Commentaries,
in curtailing illegal immigration and
relocation, arguing that the City lacked
It is troubling to me that much of the
Letters to the editor or cartoons are those of the
the fl ow of illegal narcotics across our author, and not that of the SanTan Sun News.
authority to order the company to move
information that they are being taught
the pipeline because it had received its
is either outdated or misleading. For
permit from Maricopa County in 1956,
example, the Miller-Urey experiment,
years before the City annexed Pecos
peppered moths, Haeckel’s fraudulent
Road.
drawings, etc.
The situation was causing costly
But what’s even more disturbing is
delays in construction. Fortunately, the
all of the recent scientifi c evidence that
City and the company managed to reach
they have never been allowed to hear. I
a solution, thanks largely to the efforts
guess that I really shouldn’t be too sur-
of Bill Mundell, a member and former
prised, as we are living in a day when
chairman of the Arizona Corporation
fairness, open-mindedness, tolerance,
Commission. and freedom of thought are valued in
Although the Arizona Corporation every aspect of life except when the
Commission lacked the authority topic of origins is on the table.
to order Kinder Morgan to move the Over the past several years, I’ve
pipeline, Bill Mundell and his fellow noticed a disturbing trend within the
Commissioners met with the compa- academic community where a certain
ny to voice their concerns about the elite group has gone out of their way
safety of the line, particularly in light of to silence, harass, oppress, intimidate
its close proximity to residential areas, and severely punish anyone, especially
businesses, a school, and the historic scientists, who would dare to ques-
San Marcos Hotel, and asked the com- tion the theory of evolution. That is
pany to replace the majority of that line. about to change. On April 18, certain
The company listened to Bill’s concerns select theaters will have their premier
but instead of repairing the old pipe- showing of “Expelled - No Intelligence
line through Chandler, Kinder Morgan Allowed.” This riveting new documen-
decided to discontinue its use and to tary is hosted by actor, economist and
replace the 12-inch fuel lines between former presidential speechwriter Ben
El Paso and Tucson with larger ones. Stein. With his characteristic dry wit,
This solution not only alleviated the Ben takes this topic head-on as no one
City’s safety concerns but allowed for else can. Shot in ten countries on four
road construction to proceed. Kinder continents, “Expelled” chronicles his
Morgan also announced a new expan- search for answers as he interviews both
sion plan that included adding approxi- dissenters and proponents of Darwin’s
mately 140 miles of 16-inch diameter theory. To fi nd out more about this
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