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C O M M U N I T Y P. 22 | B U S I N E S S P. 32 | O P I N I O N P. 34 | S P O RT S P. 39 | C L A S S I F I E D P. 41
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FINAL DAYS TO VOTE
Wednesday January 27, 2021
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Vaccines for Ahwatukee school employees get a boost BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
INSIDE HEALTH & WELLNESS
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empe Union and Phoenix Union school officials last week said they were making possible as much as 12,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for workers – from teachers to bus drivers – in any public, charter or private school within Tempe Union’s boundaries, including Ahwatukee. But despite the infusion of those doses last Friday and Saturday – well below the total number of school employees – neither Kyrene nor Tempe Union appear to be near a time when students can return to their classrooms. Vaccinations under the deal brokered by Tempe Union officials with Phoenix Union were to have been available last Friday and Saturday, though teachers also can go to the distribution sites run by the county that are independent of the deal brokered between the two districts. Unlike Mesa Public Schools, which got 4,000 doses for its nearly 10,000 employees and
While schools in Ahwatukee are closed, high school gyms are open for basketball, but under requirements that drastically limit fans in the bleachers -- everyone, including players, are required to wear masks. For the story, see page 39. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff Photographer) started administering them at its high schools last week, Tempe Union area workers taking advantage of the Phoenix Union program had to travel to one of four sites in Phoenix.
The doses originally were to be available only for Phoenix Union personnel and a Tempe
ages and other costly emergency protective measures taken during the Black Lives Matter protests in Downtown Phoenix between May 28 and June 11. An assessment the Arizona Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management determined that Phoenix spent about $6.9 million in additional labor, materials and in repairing damages to city buildings and vehicles. Gov. Doug Ducey issued a statewide Declaration of Emergency on May 31 in response to the protests that enabled cities to recoup damages spent on riots.
But because most of the reimbursement – over $5 million – was earmarked for police overtime, some citizens and Councilman Carlos Garcia objected to accepting it. Some citizens who even used the discussion before the vote to demand Phoenix “defund” the department, calling police racists and other epithets. Garcia also objected to the use of the word “riot” in the Council resolution even though it was quoting from the governor’s executive or-
see VACCINES page 4
DiCiccio assails ‘defund police’ protests over $5.2M . 22
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BY KEVIN PIREHPOUR AFN Staff Writer
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he item on the Jan. 20 Phoenix City Council agenda didn’t appear to be controversial but advocates of the “Defund the Police” movement had other plans. In an 8-1 vote, Council members voted to authorize the city manager to apply for a grant with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to reimburse public service departments — such as the police and fire departments — for $5.3 million in dam-
NOW ENROLLING FOR THE 2021–2022 SCHOOL YEAR!
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VIRTUAL SCHOOL SHOWCASES ANYTIME! www.TempeUnion.org/Showcases
see DICICCIO page 14
ENR NO OLL W!
www.TempeUnion.org