Longbow Gateway One aims to attract aerospace businesses
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Construction machinery peppers the southeast corner of Higley Road and Longbow Parkway in preparation for Longbow Gateway One, a 150,000-square-foot speculative industrial facility designed to attract aerospace and defense businesses to the Falcon Field District.
Construction of the facility is expected to be completed January 31. Once fully leased, Longbow Gateway One is expected to have at least 175 employees.
“Longbow Gateway One will be an excellent addition to Mesa,” Mayor John Giles said. “ e decision by Opus Development Company to bring a new
Longbow...continued on page 5
After summer monsoon, Red Mountain Park is cleaning up
By Jimmy Magahern
Red Mountain Park, just west of the Red Mountain Freeway at Brown Road, is home to an eight-acre, 17-foot-deep urban fishing lake regularly stocked with catfish, trout, sunfish and largemouth bass. In 2011, in fact, Mesa resident Brandon Dugan even caught the biggest largemouth bass – 3 pounds, 12.8 ounces – in Arizona’s Urban Big Fishof-the-Year contest here.
But lately, it’s the water around the 65,000-square-foot Red Mountain Multigenerational Center that’s been attracting the most attention. Kym Otterstedt, recreation supervisor for the city of Mesa, says the rainy weather
Park...continued on page 6
Red Mountain Multigenerational Center
(Photo by Kym Otterstedt)
Ethan Reeves gets started on making his mask at the “Afternoon of Disguise” event at Red Mountain Library.
Vice Mayor and District 5 Councilman David Luna speaks before 30 to 40 people at the groundbreaking ceremony.
(Photo courtesy City of Mesa)
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• Games, Rides and Music
• Food Trucks and Entertainment
• Haunted Bus and Bounce Houses
• Carnival Rides ($5 wristband for unlimited rides) 480-644-2352 www.mesaaz.gov/celebratemesa
community spotlight
Philanthropic Home Run
Las Sendas improvements coming by December
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Las Sendas is expected to wrap up the first tier of Boulder Mountain Parke improvements by December, seven months after renovations started.
Soon residents will see pickleball courts, a splash pad, additional parking, a road, bocce ball and horseshoes, according to the community’s activities director, Kristha Lima. Las Sendas is paying for the renovations through a special assessment to homeowners.
“One of our stadium courts, a tennis court, has lines for pickleball and tennis,” she said. “ at’s what we’ve been using. We’ve heard that it’s quite popular with different age groups. People are coming to the office more and more asking about pickleball. We realized we had to build a couple courts just for pickleball.”
e other tiers will possibly feature an amphitheater and additional bathrooms. Other Las Sendas projects include switching natural grass for synthetic grass to reduce water usage.
“We’re doing this in different
common areas, the entrances of the community and the entrance to the members club,” she said.
Fall festivities already have started at Las Sendas, with the events happening at Trailhead Parke because of the Boulder Mountain work. Food Truck Fridays kicked off in September and will continue from 6 to 10 p.m. October 6 and November 3.
CTS (Called to Serve) will perform during the Concert in the Park from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, October 22.
“ at one’s really exciting because we’re going to raffle off a custom guitar to benefit those affected by the hurricanes in Texas and Florida,” said Lima, who has been with the community for nine years.
“I spend quite a bit of time outside of work making sure I’m up to date on what’s being done at various communities. I research the bands and music to make sure we have fresh events every year.”
Other events include the Halloween Haunt in October and the car show and member mixer in November.
In August, the Arizona Diamondbacks donated a check for $25,000 to Sunshine Acres Children’s Home in Mesa. (Photo courtesy Arizona Diamondbacks)
industrial facility for aerospace and defense companies to the Falcon Field District is a great endorsement of our business-friendly environment.”
Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak said his staff, specifically Aric Bopp, worked closely with the Opus Group and Longbow ownership throughout the design review, planning and permitting process to make this happen.
e development will be adjacent to Boeing’s 2 million-square-foot manufacturing facility, Falcon Field Airport and the Loop 202. Boeing makes AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
“ is is an exciting step toward the future of the Falcon Field District. e city of Mesa is committed to being a business-friendly community and to attracting top flight companies to our city,” said Vice Mayor and District 5 Councilman David Luna.
“ is facility will check all the boxes companies look for and will be a tremendous addition to Mesa.”
In addition to aerospace and defense businesses, Opus Development Company, investor and developer of
the project, is targeting light assembly, distribution, general industrial, storage, food and e-commerce businesses as future tenants.
“ e city of Mesa, as our strategic partner, was integral in the process and we look forward to working with them to bring a great project and future tenants to the city.”
e land is properly zoned, so it did not need to go before council, Jabjiniak
“ is strategic location within Longbow Business Park is ideally suited to capitalize on the consistently steady demand we have seen in the Southeast Valley across a variety of industries, especially aerospace and defense,” said Sean Cummings, vice president of real estate development for Opus Development.
said. It went through Planning and Zoning on April 19, and the Design Review Board on March 14.
Nearby is Longbow Business Park and Golf Club, a mixed-use commercial development, which features Longbow Golf Club, alongside planned office, industrial, retail and hotel spaces.
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Longbow Gateway One will be adjacent to Boeing’s 2 million-square-foot manufacturing facility, Falcon Field Airport and the Loop 202. (Photo courtesy City of Mesa)
Park...continued from page 1
the city experienced over the summer monsoon had left an unwelcome, and rather musty, pool of water around the popular fitness and activity center.
“We had a lot of rain basically coming off the roof and then not draining away from the building,” she explains. “It was always wet around the building and it didn’t look good –or smell good!”
And so, beginning in June, the city began what Otterstedt calls the first exterior landscaping improvement project the 18-year-old structure has undergone “since, like, ever.”
In addition to fixing the drainage issues, the city also re-did much of the landscaping and, because it was utilizing the services of plumbing experts, tackled some much-needed renovations in the facility’s locker rooms.
“We were having some different types of drainage issues in the locker rooms, with the showers not draining
properly,” Otterstedt says. “Also, since the facility was built so long ago, the locker room showers were designed as one big bay with seven shower heads all around the walls, and we really did not see a lot of customer use of those showers. You know, even schools don’t really have that kind of setup anymore.”
e center’s new showers feature private individual stalls that are sure to encourage more use, as well as an upgraded ventilation system in the locker area to cut down on humidity and stuffiness. “It used to get a little warm and steamy in there, especially if you were coming from an aerobics class.”
Otterstedt says the renovations should be completed in October. e staff at the Red Mountain Multigenerational Center hope the work will put the attention back on the body of water Mesa residents and visitors come to see: that lake teeming with all those big fish.
You get one chance to make a first impression, let us help you make it a great one.
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Renovations on the Red Mountain Multigenerational Center should be completed in October. (Photo by Kym Otterstedt)
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Mesa’s cotton boom created a massive festival
From 1919 to 1920, Mesa’s cotton acreage doubled from about 90,000 acres to 180,000 acres. e surging cotton market increased the selling price to 80 cents per pound in 1919, a $40 return on a 50-pound bale of high-grade long staple Pima cotton. It is easy to see why farmers went “cotton crazy.” To promote Mesa’s growing cotton industry, Mesa’s Commercial Club (an early version of the Chamber of Commerce) created an annual cotton festival called the King Kotton Karnival. e annual cotton festival was first held in October 1919 and was the biggest event planned in Mesa to date. e three-day event was an opportunity
to showcase not only cotton but also other local agricultural products. e carnival covered several city blocks along Macdonald Street and featured attractions including a parade, Ferris wheel, boxing tournaments and baseball games. e Eichenbroner’s Orchestra was brought in to play for the official Karnival Ball, which began at 9:30 in the evening at the event central in the Vance Auditorium. Along with the entertainment, dozens of booths featured displays from large and local businesses. Eventually, cotton prices would stabilize and cotton joined citrus as an important crop for Mesa farmers.
A cotton gin in Mesa, circa 1920.
The King Kotton Karnival was first held in 1919. (Photos courtesy Mesa Historical Society)
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SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THURSDAY, 10/19 6:30-9:30pm TUESDAY, 11/14 6:30-9:30pm
Saturday, September 30th 8:30 am - 11:30 am
MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (SOUTHERN & DOBSON CAMPUS)
Thursday, October 19th 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
SATURDAY, 10/14 8:30-11:30am
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Mesa City Council close to filling vacant District 3 seat
By Niki D’Andrea
Mesa City Council will soon be whole once again.
e council and Mesa Mayor John Giles selected five finalists for the vacant District 3 council seat at a September 21 meeting. At press time, the City Council planned to select the new councilmember from those candidates at a meeting on September 28.
“We came up with five people, fairly diverse, but any one of these five would be an outstanding councilmember, and many of those who didn’t make the final five would have been outstanding, as well,” Giles said.
irty-one eligible applicants applied for the seat. e five finalists are Pablo Felix, Francisco Heredia, Frank Mizner, eresa Ratti and Christian Stumpf. Applicants must have resided in District 3 for at least two years to be eligible for the appointment.
“I was really pleased with the number of responses we got,” Giles said. “I was really encouraged. I think that’s a sign of a healthy community that we’ve got that level of interest from people that want to be involved in government and in representing their part of town and contributing to Mesa city government.”
council and state government and be a good advocate for the challenges we have in District 3.
“During the evaluation process, all of our council spent a great deal of time evaluating each one of those applications – there was no one that was overlooked or wasn’t considered,” Giles added. “ at was a pretty timeconsuming and thorough process.”
“But at the same time, it’s got to be someone who is a team player, someone who realizes that when you’re on the City Council, you don’t just represent your district; you have to be concerned about the overall well-being of the city,” Giles continued. “You can’t be blind to what’s going on in other parts of town; you’ve got to be a team player that’s trying to raise all the boats in our city harbor. You have to represent your region, but at the same time, you do represent your entire city.”
Giles said in addition to being a resident of District 3 for a minimum of two years, there were other important criteria considered when selecting the finalists. “A few qualities I was looking for are, we need someone who is passionate about that part of town. If they’re not, they’re going to be quickly tossed to the curb by the folks who live in District 3. It’s got to be someone who genuinely cares about the issues being dealt with in District 3, and it needs to be someone who can be an effective advocate,” Giles said. “So ‘passionate’ is a word I think is important, and ‘advocate,’ as well –can solve problems and come to the
e District 3 council seat has been open since August 31, when Mesa City Council unanimously voted that former councilman Ryan Winkle had violated the panel’s code of conduct and was unfit to hold public office after Winkle was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence.
Winkle’s former district is a “particularly involved council district,” according to Giles. “ ere’s some well-organized neighborhoods. For example, the Dobson Ranch Homeowners Association is part of that district. It’s not just that HOA; there are others that are also very involved. You’ve got neighborhoods that host a lot of activities – they’re
Mesa Mayor John Giles said any one of the five finalists “would be a great city council member.” (Special to Nearby News)
very involved in block watch, they’re very involved in expressing their concerns to the city,” Giles said. “It’s kind of a high-maintenance part of town, and I mean that in a good way. ese are people that are engaged and involved in their community. So that council seat will require somebody who’s very engaged, very willing to be in the neighborhood talking to people [and] responding to constituent concerns. You have to be particularly aware of the needs of your community
a DUI charge. (Photo by Kimberly Carrillo)
if you’re going to represent District 3.”
Giles feels good about the prospects, saying in advance of the September 28 meeting, “ ere will be a lot of questions asked, and I think that will help us make a good decision.
“I don’t think we can make a bad decision – any one of these five people, and many others on that list of 31, would be a great City Council member,” Giles added. “We’re in good hands. I’m looking forward to getting the council back at full strength. We’ve got a lot of pressing issues at the city that we need a sevenmember council to resolve effectively.
I’m looking forward to, this time next week, having a full council again.” e appointee will serve as the District 3 councilmember until the election on August 28, 2018. If a runoff election is required, it will be held November 6, 2018.
Ryan Winkle was removed from his seat as District 3 councilmember following his arrest on
Family time yilFam etim
Superstition Farm makes children’s curiosity grow
By Crystal Lewis Brown
Ask your kids where food comes from. Go ahead, I’ll wait. If they’re anything like my youngest, there’s no telling what the answer might be.
(For the record, he said food trucks.) And that kind of answer is one of the driving forces behind family-owned Superstition Farm.
Casey Stechnij said the family started giving tours of the farm about a decade ago and hasn’t looked back since. “We decided people needed a farm to go to,” Stechnij said of the family conversation that launched the tours. “Let’s give people a place to learn about where their food comes from.”
your tour at Moo-University, which is a rundown of what you can expect to find on a dairy farm and the work that goes into it (like, how you actually get milk). After you graduate from MooUniversity (see what I did there?), it’s time for a guided hayride to find out more about the farm.
I’ve been to farms before, but Stechnjic explained that Superstition Farm was a working dairy farm, meaning 2,500 cows – among other animals – call the farm’s nearly 30 acres home. And it also means that in addition to the activities provided, farm visitors see farmhands going about the day-to-day work needed to sustain the farm. e tour has a few parts and usually lasts about an hour and a half. Pro tip: Bring a lunch. ere are picnic tables and you’ll probably want to grab a bite before you have dessert. But more on that later. You’ll start
Of course, no visit to a farm would be complete without a petting zoo, where visitors have opportunities to pet, feed and interact with the animals, including goats, sheep, bunnies, miniature donkeys, horses and chickens. ere are even two rescued pot-bellied pigs – Stechnjic said the farm often takes in rescue animals. In fact, their rescue efforts even included transporting, caring for and adopting out dogs who were lost or stranded in Texas after Hurricane Harvey’s devastating landfall in August.
Stechnjic said he wants people not just to visit the farm, but to experience it and everything it has to offer. “Leave your screens behind and stay a few hours,” he said.
Part of that experience means some activities aren’t always planned. For example, Stechnij said, if a sheep needs shearing, they may post on
social media to invite people out to watch the process. And last month, they hosted impromptu tractordriving lessons, where kids actually got the opportunity to learn the basics of driving a real tractor.
In addition to the tours, visitors can also reserve tours for large group visits, field trips and birthday parties. In keeping with Stechnjic’s farm-totable teaching, there is also a milk bar on the farm where visitors can try one or more of the farm’s 12 flavored milk offerings. Be sure to try the popular orange cream, which tastes like the old-school Creamsicles we used to pine for as kids. Feeling adventurous? Try a sip of the lime flavor, which Stechnjic assured me tastes “just like a Jolly Rancher.” ey also carry their Udder Delights ice cream, which has a real old-school homemade taste and feel. eir goal, said Stechnjic, was to “Make a delicious ice cream that tastes like Grandma made.”
e farm’s recurring theme
is good family fun, and it consistently hits the mark. “ is is just a great opportunity for you to grab your family. Everything is hands-on and old-fashioned fun. ere’s no LEDs and no flat-screens,” he said, laughing. And if you ask me, family and ice cream are all anyone really needs, anyway.
IF YOU GO
What: Superstition Farm
Where: 3440 S. Hawes Road, Mesa Cost: $9 for adults, $7.50 for kids. Tours available 8 to 10 a.m. TuesdaySaturday, but vary by season. Info: 602-432-6865, superstitionfarmaz.com, facebook.com/SuperstitionFarm
The petting zoo is just one part of the tour of Superstition Farm. (Special to Nearby News)
In true farm-to-table fashion, visitors to the dairy farm can enjoy homemade Udder Delights ice cream. (Special to Nearby News)
Culinary teachers spark the joy of cooking for teens
By Laurie Struna
e scent of freshly baked waffles fills the advanced culinary classroom at Mountain View High School. Teacher Loren Saulsby grades his students’ work one bite at a time. e former restaurateur shares his passion for food while teaching students to be self-sufficient and independent thinkers in the kitchen.
“Students learn life skills in my classroom,” Saulsby says. “Whether they cook for their parents, college roommates or, one day, their own families, cooking is a practical skill they can take with them everywhere in life.”
From julienne to chiffonade, students receive a solid understanding of food, and different cooking and baking methods. Students learn the importance of keeping a clean kitchen, mastering chopping skills, identifying meat cuts and various cooking methods.
Five years ago, the program consisted of three classes. Today, more than 350 students in eight classes enjoy learning to bake breads, stir-fry delicacies and make pasta. Students put their skills on display for the community in a variety of ways. Culinary students help feed the 200-member Toro marching band on traveling football game days. is tall order includes 400 pancakes, 50 pounds of bacon and 500 cookies. Students give back to the
community during anksgiving by baking and donating 130 pies to St. Vincent de Paul.
Chef Jen Pearl, culinary arts teacher at Red Mountain High School, spent more than 16 years in the industry. Her resume includes executive chef and general manager positions, and for the past two years, she has inspired students at Dobson and Red Mountain high schools to enjoy the art of cooking. Students learn skills like budgeting and shopping for groceries and meal planning, developing a new respect for people who put food on restaurant tables.
“I have always wanted to teach culinary arts,” Pearl says. “Cooking is like life. It isn’t perfect, and sometimes you have to improvise for your dish to turn out. I want my students to know that lessons can be learned and mistakes can be fixed.”
Students are eager to engage and innovate. ey are hands-on and take their dishes to the next level. Later this month, culinary students will put their catering skills to the test by providing hors d’oeuvres and cupcake selections for a wedding.
Culinary arts is one of several programs of study offered through the Mesa Public Schools Career and Technical Education department. Learn more at mpsaz.org/cte.
Advanced culinary students prepare vegetables for roasting. (Photo by Tim Hacker)
Mesa Center for Success provides alternative education for students with special needs
By Melody Birkett
Students with special needs require a special education, and one Mesa academic institution strives to provide not just schoolwork, but social settings and career preparation.
e Mesa Center for Success, in a public/private partnership with the Mesa Public School District, serves about 120 at-risk students in grades K-12.
“We partner with the district and ensure that we’re meeting all of their educational standards,” said Director of Operations Rory Conran. “What we do is develop a program around the needs of the district and the community, ensuring we’re educating students that need a little bit of help.” e curriculum goes beyond tutoring. Mesa Center for Success collaborates daily with Mesa Public Schools to set up students for success. Schools contact the center and ask them to help. How long a student stays at Mesa Center for Success depends on a couple of different factors.
“It depends on the individual student and the plan that is put in place as to length,” Conran said, “but the ultimate goal is to get them integrated back into their home school.”
Students are sent to the school when they’re close to being suspended or expelled from their public school.
Mesa Center for Success doesn’t believe in expelling any student, but instead in finding ways to deal with the behavioral issues that got them kicked out.
“One of our organizational mottos is ‘We never give up,’ since all students have a right to learn, be in school and have an opportunity to achieve success,” Conran added.
Mesa Center for Success is one of 16 schools operated by the Menta Group in Arizona and Illinois. e school follows the Menta approach that emphasizes personalization, preparation for life and support for success.
“It goes into where there’s a lot of
trauma focus, which is very therapeutic, along with anything else the students might need in order to be successful in an educational setting,” Conran explained.
Another focus is socialemotional learning. is translates into better performance in school and fewer behavioral problems for students. An additional goal of the school is to prepare students for college or a career. A big part of that is knowing how to be a citizen.
In addition to academics, e Menta Group defines success in all aspects of students’ lives. ey believe all must graduate with the three C’s: citizenship ready, career ready and college ready.
Part of that is providing students with the necessary skills to find a job and further their education, as well as
life skills to function in the community. e staff goes through extensive training in order to meet the needs of the students they serve. Once the staff thinks a student is ready to return to their own school, the reintegration process begins.
During the 2015-16 school year, more than 100 students graduated from Menta programs in Illinois and Arizona.
For more information, visit menta. com.
Estate plans don’t ‘expire.’ However, personal circumstances and laws do change. Reviewing your plan is an opportunity to make sure it still fits your current needs.
should have your estate plan reviewed if: There are several more reasons to have your plan reviewed, including the importance of understanding the plan you have in place and how it will impact those you care about.
A teacher and a student work together on an art project at Mesa Center for Success. (Special to Nearby News)
Falcon Field tours cater to guests
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Aviation nuts in Northeast Mesa can learn about the inner workings of flight during tours at Falcon Field at McKellips and Higley roads.
e free tours are given upon request, according to Dee Anne omas, marketing/communications specialist for Falcon Field. ey are catered to each guest.
“We design the itinerary based around their needs, the ages of the people in the group, the time of day and the things they want to learn,” omas said.
She often suggests folks visit the nearby Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona at 2017 N. Greenfield Road. e tours often include trips to the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, which trains future commercial airline pilots, and Fire Station 208 on the airport.
“ ey have a special aviation firefighting truck and technology,” she said. “We show them that truck and they give them a demonstration of how that works. ey also talk to them
about what’s different between fighting a fire on the airport, as opposed to a home.”
Occasionally, guests are taken to the Mesa Police Department aviation hangar at Falcon Field.
“ ey have three helicopters of their own and two fixed-wing aircraft,”
omas said. “ ey talk about their aircraft and their mission, and the specialized equipment that they have, like the really bright lights that shine down.”
Private tenants are willing to show off their aircraft, especially members of the Falcon Warbirds, Warbirds Unlimited Foundation and Wings of Flight Foundation.
“ ey’ve all been gracious enough to talk to groups about being pilots or restoring aircraft, and the special charity or community work they do,” she said.
e public lawn area is open daily and can be accessed directly from the terminal parking lot. It is located between the terminal and the Falcon
Field air traffic control tower. It features historic photographic murals as well as a sidewalk painted with authentic runway markings. Free gliders can be obtained inside the terminal office during business hours that children can fly on the miniature runway. To schedule a tour, call or email Chris Baldwin at 480-644-4235 or chris.baldwin@mesaaz.gov. For more information about Falcon Field, visit falconfieldairport.com.
November 5, 2017
Staff with the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy enjoy talking to tourists. (Photo courtesy City of Mesa)
Celebrate Mesa 2017 brings fall family fun to Red Mountain Soccer Complex
By Niki D’Andrea
ousands of people regularly pack Red Mountain Soccer Complex for the annual Celebrate Mesa festivities, and organizers expect an equally large draw this year.
“Typically, we see about 10,000 people throughout the evening. We would expect the same [this year],” said Roger Singleton, recreation coordinator for Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.
Hosted by the City of Mesa Parks and Recreation Department, Celebrate Mesa is a free, family-friendly event featuring live music, movies, food trucks, games and giveaways, bounce houses, carnival rides, a virtual reality zone and more. “Our attendees really enjoy the free activities we offer – inflatable rides and bounce houses, trick-or-treating at all our city department booths, stage entertainment and the outdoor movie,” Singleton said. “ e vehicle displays brought out by our first responders are also a big hit. Families love taking their picture with the Mesa PD helicopter.” e purpose of Celebrate Mesa,
Singleton says, is to “offer a free family festival while showcasing the many city services offered and provided to the Mesa community.” is year’s festivities kick off at Red Mountain Soccer Complex at 5:30 p.m., with music from popular local
‘80s cover band Rock Lobster. With a vast repertoire that includes hits like “Come on Eileen,” “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” “Jessie’s Girl,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Video Killed the Radio Star” and “Walking on Sunshine,” Rock Lobster has performed festivals
all over the Valley for more than a decade, much to the delight of dancing festivalgoers.
“We are excited to have Rock Lobster at Celebrate Mesa,” Singleton said. “’80s music has experienced a resurgence over the last several years. e tunes bring back fond memories with many of the parents at the festival, while the kids can enjoy the family-friendly vibe.”
In addition to live music, kids can enjoy superhero sightings and a “dino encounter,” and the whole family can indulge in contests and giveaways, food trucks, and a virtual reality zone and carnival rides (wristbands for unlimited rides cost $5). ere will be a showing of e Lego Batman Movie at 7:30 p.m.
FOR MORE INFO
What: Celebrate Mesa
When: October 21, 5 to 9 p.m.
Where: Red Mountain Soccer Complex, 905 N. Sunvalley Blvd., Mesa
Cost: Free Info: 480-644-4345, mesaaz.gov/ things-to-do/celebrate-mesa
School starts August 9
All children learn differently , so we offer options that help them discover and build on their potential and passions .
• Preschool through adult education
• Homeschool enrichment classes
• Franklin Traditional Schools
• Spanish immersion
• Montessori
• International Baccalaureate
• STEM
• Online learning
• Free all-day kindergarten
Rock Lobster will perform music hits of the 1980s at Celebrate Mesa. (Courtesy Rock Lobster)
What’s Missing?
See something missing from the map? We would like to add local landmarks and businesses serving our community. Please email anything you see missing to mapit@nearbynews.com, and we will see that it gets added. Thanks for the help!
Celebrate Mesa
Families can enjoy food trucks, bounce houses, games, live music by ‘80s cover band Rock Lobster, a showing of The Lego Batman Movie and more at this community festival.
When: October 21, 5 to 9 p.m.
Where: Red Mountain Soccer Complex, 905 N. Sunvalley Blvd., Mesa
Cost: Free
Info: mesaaz.gov/things-to-do/ celebrate-mesa
Corn Maze & Fall Festival
Old MacDonald’s Pumpkin Patch
Great Arizona Puppet Theatre’s production uses hand and rod puppets to tell the story of Old MacDonald’s animals on the hunt for the perfect Halloween costumes in this sing-a-long show. When: October 4 through 29, various times
Where: Great Arizona Puppet Theatre, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix
Cost: $10, adults; $7, children Info: 602-262-2050, azpuppets.org
Science Before
Bring the whole family along for a day of mini-golf, wagon rides, a zipline and a seven-acre corn maze.
When: October 2 to November 5, various times
Where: Vertuccio Farms, 4011 S. Power Road, Mesa
Cost: $9-$10
Info: 480-882-1482, vertucciofarms.com
Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey
By wrapping performers in glowing neon wires, Lightwire Theater tells the electroluminescent story of bullied Marvin the Mouse, who aims his homemade rocket toward space in the hopes of meeting other misfits.
When: October 21, 11 a.m.
Where: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale
Cost: $9-$29
Info: 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org
Martial Artists and Acrobats of Tianjin
A high-flying combination of kung fu, gymnastics, tumbling, trick cycling and more, the Martial Artists and Acrobats of Tianjin are among China’s most exciting and artistic acrobatic troupes.
When: October 4, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale
Cost: $29-$49
Info: 480-499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org
Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts
Formerly known as the Mesa Arts & Craft Festival (MACFest), the Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts features dozens of artists showing their creations across a variety of media, accompanied by live music and other entertainment.
When: October 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: On Macdonald between Main Street and Pepper in Mesa
Cost: Free Info: dtmesafest.com
Saturday: Weird Science
The “weird and wacky side” of science is highlighted at this event. Halloween costumes are encouraged.
When: October 13, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: Arizona Museum of Natural History, 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa
Cost: $9, adults; $5, children ages 3-12 Info: 480-644-2230, arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org
Enchanted Trail
This annual fall festival held at the Rio Salado Audubon Center teaches people of all ages about nature and science through expert-guided night hikes, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, interactions with live animals and more. When: October 20 and 21, 5:30-8 p.m. Where: Rio Salado Audubon Center, 3131 S. Central Ave., Phoenix Cost: Free Info: 602-468-6470, riosalado. audubon.org/programs/enchantedtrail-sendero-encantado
Target Free First Friday at Phoenix Children’s Museum
The first Friday of every month, visitors get free admission to Phoenix Children’s Museum to experience interactive exhibits like “Block Mania,” an art studio and a noodle forest. When: October 6, 5 to 9 p.m. Where: Phoenix Children’s Museum, 215 N. Seventh St., Phoenix Cost: Free Info: 602-253-0501, childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Ride-In-Movies at the Park
Moviegoers are encouraged to walk or bike to Mountain View Park, and to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic food for an outdoor showing of the comedy film Hocus Pocus. Free kettle corn provided by SRP.
When: October 7, 6:30 p.m. Where: Mountain View Park, 845 N. Lindsay, Mesa Cost: Free Info:
around the neighborhood
Photos by Kimberly Carrillo
Kids and teens got creative at the “Afternoon of Disguise” costuming and mask-making event at Red Mountain Library. Here are a few of the undercover characters we found.
1. Jazmyn Gower, 7, gets the glue ready for her mask. 2. Jurnee Gower, 3, loves the disguise she created. 3. Mags Jenkins, 11, and Jalen Jenkins, 14, had a blast creating unique disguises. 4. Destiny Viramontes, 6, cuts out part of her mask. 5. Andrew Acosta, 6, makes himself a superhero as his disguise. 6. Kimberlee Baillargeon, 9, shows off her finished disguise. 7. Nathaniel De Santos, 9, traces out his disguise. 8. Jaxon Gower, 10, starts decorating the hat to his disguise.
1 2 5 4 3 7 6 8
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Mesa Music Festival returns for third year downtown
Since the Mesa Music Festival was founded three years ago, naysayers have told organizer Indian Antao what the event can’t be.
He knows exactly what it is.
“ is festival is truly unique,” he said. “It actually took somebody else to point it out to me. It’s the only one of its kind. It’s the only emerging artists festival where 100 percent of it is free.”
Set for Friday, November 10, and Saturday, November 11, the Mesa Music Festival is designed for musicians to learn from and network with industry professionals, trade ideas with others in the music community and show off their talents to industry professionals and fans.
City officials expect more than 200 bands from across the globe to perform in downtown Mesa businesses and on outdoor stages. Musicians applied for free for a potential spot in the festival.
anks to his 30 years in the music business, Antao has introduced bands to keynote speakers like former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield and Chester Bennington. is year, former American Idol judge Randy Jackson will discuss his career during a free talk at 7 p.m. Friday, November 10, at the Mesa Arts Center.
key to the city, was inspirational. When Antao went to dinner with the former Linkin Park singer after his keynote, Bennington said, “You’re onto something here.”
Papa Roach and Bush. Baumgardner is making a return visit.
e headlining concert this year is by the San Diego-bred metal quartet P.O.D. ey will play a free show on Saturday, November 11, in downtown Mesa. Time and location are TBA.
Since 1992, these SoCal rock vets have released nine albums, including the triple-platinum Satellite, earned three Grammy nominations, have songs in numerous major motion pictures and have collaborated with other musicians such as Katy Perry, H.R. (Bad Brains), Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies) and Sen Dog (Cypress Hill).
“It’s a musicians’ event,” Antao said of the Mesa Music Festival. “Musicians get to come and network with people and other bands. First year we had Matt Pinfield. e second year – God rest his soul – we had Chester Bennington. He gave such an incredible speech. It was the first and only time he did it.” Bennington, who received the
“ at meant the world to me,” Antao said. “Chester also came to the VIP party. He took a picture with every last attendee.”
Other speakers this year include Leigh Lust, vice president of A&R at Pledge Music; Rene Mata, artist management at AAM, A&R at Red Bull Records; and producer Jay Baumgardner, who has worked with Ugly Kid Joe, Helmet,
e Mesa Music Festival is much more influential than most people think, Antao said.
“We get comments like, ‘We thought the Mesa Music Festival featured bands playing in a park with tents,’” he said. “Shame on you. Do the research.”
e New Jersey-based Antao is impressed with Mesa and its ever-growing arts scene. He visits about once a month and is continually impressed with the number of home studios and venues in downtown Mesa.
“I feel there’s a groundswell happening,” he said. “Pretty soon there will be more happening in downtown Mesa. It’s because art attracts art.”
It frustrates Antao when he hears accusations that the Mesa Music Festival is ripping off South by Southwest, an annual Austin, Texas, tradition.
“It’s anti-South by Southwest,” he added. “I want to be what South by Southwest was at the beginning. If you’re an artist from Des Moines, Iowa, or Lawrence, Kansas, and you come to Mesa and you’re hanging with Chester? Nothing for nothing, that’s pretty cool. ose are the little points I really want people to know about.”
For more information, visit mesamusicfest.com.
Former American Idol judge Randy Jackson will participate in the Mesa Music Festival this year. (Special to Nearby News)
Mexrrissey reimagines Smiths and Morrissey songs in Spanish
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
When Ceci Bastida saw her childhood idol Morrissey recently for the first time, she heard his songs differently. After all, she knows Morrissey and e Smith songs intimately.
Bastida is the keyboardist for Mexrrissey, a band that reworks the two acts’ songs in Spanish.
“A lot of the times, as a musician, you enjoy the songs and figure out what they’re doing,” she said. “We’re recreating these songs and dissecting them. I realize how some of them are simple, yet so powerful. at’s the genius of it. When these songs come to life, it’s a magical thing to experience.”
Mexrrissey, which plays the Mesa Arts Center on Friday, October 27, released its debut album, No Manchester, in 2016. It was recorded in Mexico and Tucson and features only Morrissey songs, such as “Everyday Is Like Sunday,” “Last of the International Playboys” and “Suedehead.” However, shows includes tracks from Morrissey and e Smiths. “Camilo (Lara, founder) and I are huge
fans of e Smiths and Morrissey since we were really, really young,” she said.
fans of e Smiths and Morrissey since we were really, really young,” she said. “He had it in his head that we wanted to try this. I trust him very much because I was truly a fan.
“Having the opportunity to dig into these songs, take them apart and put them back together was super interesting to me.”
e shows to Bastida are just as special.
e shows to Bastida are just as a party in a way, which is a strange thing
FOR MORE INFO
“It’s a really fun show,” she said. “It’s super energetic. It’s the album plus other songs we didn’t record. It’s kind of a party in a way, which is a strange thing to say about Morrissey songs.”
What: Day of the Dead Concert w/ Mexrrissey, La Santa Cecilia and Mariachi Flor de Toloache
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street
When: October 27, 8 p.m.
Cost: $38
Info: 480-644-4500, mesaartscenter.com
Mexrrissey plays Mesa Arts Center this month. (Special to Nearby News)
The Art of Healthy Living
The new exhibition features 16 artists from Arizona and around the globe. Artworks – highlighting creativity, physical fitness, food and meditation –include ceramics, paintings, sculptures and photographs.
When: Through Sunday, January 21, various times
Where: i.d.e.a. Museum, 150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa
Cost: $9 for those 1 and older Info: ideamuseum.org
Sanctum of Horror
All who enter the Sanctum of Horror become mad, including Lenore, a twisted girl with a tragic and violent past. Weave your way through an ancient graveyard to the St. Charlotte Asylum and eventually to Lenore’s cell. She’s expecting you.
When: Through October 31, various times
Where: Sanctum of Horror, 6555 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa
Cost: $15-$22
Info: 480-200-8163, sanctumofhorror. com
Scarizona Scaregrounds
Scarizona Scaregrounds is one of the newer haunted attractions in Arizona, and it features two haunted houses,
Slayer’s Slaughter House and Epic Fear, as well as an interactive zombie paintball shoot. Chainsaw gauntlet and zombie trivia are also on the docket.
When: Through October 31, various times
Where: Scarizona Scaregrounds, 1901 N. Alma School Road, Mesa
Cost: $22-$38 Info: scarizona.com, info@scarizona.com
The Crypt Haunted Attractions
One of Arizona’s longest-running haunted houses, the Crypt Haunted Attractions boasts three attractions in one location – The Crypt, The Asylum and Chaos. Children younger than 10 must be accompanied by an adult. When: Through October 31, various times
Where: The Crypt Haunted Attractions, 1445 W. Southern Avenue, Mesa
Cost: $8-$25
Info: hauntedaz.com
Corn Maze & Fall Festival
Bring the whole family along for a day of mini-golf, wagon rides, a zipline and a seven-acre corn maze. Open daily.
When: October 2 to November 5, various times
Where: Vertuccio Farms, 4011 S. Power Road, Mesa
Cost: $9-$10
Info: 480-882-1482, vertucciofarms.com
Take Me to the River: Live! With Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush and William Bell
Take a journey through the soul of American music with this talented bunch as well as The Hi Rhythm Section. These artists are featured in the Take Me to the River documentary celebrating the intergenerational and interracial musical influence of Memphis in the face of pervasive discrimination and segregation.
When: Friday, October 6, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa
Cost: $46
Info: mesaartscenter.com
Food Truck Fridays
Get a “taste” of Las Sendas during this monthly event.
When: Friday, October 6, 5 to 9 p.m.
Where: Las Sendas Trailhead Parke, 7900 E. Eagle Crest Drive, Mesa
Cost: Free admission
Info: https://www.facebook.com/ MesaFoodieFridays
Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts and Farmers Market
Formerly known as MACFest, the festival and farmers market features the work of established and emerging artists and
crafters who sell woodwork, holiday gift items, metal crafts, food, jewelry, art, photographs and handmade soaps.
When: Saturdays October 7 and October 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: On Macdonald, near Main Street, in downtown Mesa
Cost: Free admission
Info: dtmesafest.com
Bomber Homecoming
After completing their Flying Legends of Victory Tour around the United States and Canada this summer, the bombers return home to Falcon Field. Join the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona as members and guests welcome them back.
When: Monday, October 9, 3 p.m. (weather permitting)
Where: Commemorative Air Force
Airbase Arizona, 2017 N. Greenfield Road, Mesa
Cost: $5-$15, includes “Climb Aboard Tours” of the B17 and 25 bombers Info: 480-924-1940, azcaf.org
Andrew Bird
The internationally acclaimed multiinstrumentalist, vocalist, whistler and songwriter picked up his first violin at age 4 and learned a classical repertoire by ear. His most recent album is Are You Serious, released April 1, 2016.
When: Friday, October 13, 8 p.m.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa
Cost: $36-$41
Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com
ROWLEY CHAPMAN & BARNEY, LTD.
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Mom-and-pop Alessia’s brings big Italian flavors to Mesa
Jon Carr is everybody’s neighbor in Northeast Mesa.
He greets his guests at Alessia’s Ristorante Italiano like they’re lifelong friends. Carr unapologetically injects humor into his conversations, making diners feel at home.
But there’s more to Alessia’s than Carr’s humor and the team-based serving staff. It’s about the central- to northern-style Italian dishes made by his Hawaiian-born wife, Shari, who
trained with a Roman chef for 10 years in Honolulu.
“She’s just a natural cook,” he said. “ e big difference between us and other Italian restaurants is we stick true to Italy. We do have a few Americanized dishes, like Alfredo. But she knows the proper ways and techniques.”
Shari Carr makes each sauce on the menu from scratch when guests order the dishes, whether it’s gnocchi amatriciana ($18) with bacon, onion,
niece in Italy, has been at McKellips and Higley roads since June 2004. e couple moved from Honolulu, where they were working in the restaurant industry, in June 2003 to Arizona after the economy crashed following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Alessia’s opened with 12 tables in a dining room and out on a patio. Now it boasts a bar and wine store as well.
garlic and white wine in a tomato sauce; or spaghetti Bolognese with ground beef, carrots, celery and onions in tomato sauce ($17). Because each dish is made with care, meals can take 30 to 40 minutes. Nearly everything is built on fresh tomato, basil and Parmesan cheese.
But there is a variety of appetizers to keep guests happy during the wait, like bruschetta ($8-$11); formaggio di capra, warm goat cheese with roasted red bell peppers in rosemary olive oil ($10); and calamari fresco with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil ($11).
“People have to realize that we’re still a mom-and-pop,” he said. “My wife and her sous chef make absolutely everything. ere are no fryers. ere’s no grill. ere aren’t different cook stations. Everything is built on a stove.
“When you see it happening, it’ll blow your mind. ere are 16 burners. at’s only four four-tops. We’ll do 200-plus (dinners) on a Friday/ Saturday night. We’re not a slop-anddrop restaurant, where you can tell the sauce was ladled over the top.”
Shari’s talents are so appreciated that when she and Jon visit her sister in Florence, her dishes are requested. Jon is asked to choose the wine.
“It’s a compliment, ultimately,” he said.
Alessia’s, named after the Carrs’
“We’ve been very lucky,” he said. “We’re not pretentious. Some people see it’s nice in here and they don’t expect that because we’re in a strip mall. You can come in with shorts and a T-shirt.
“We’re not trying to be anything too fancy. We’re the neighborhood Italian restaurant. We have a beautiful selection of wine that’s all Italian, given one or two.”
ey yearn to school guests on what they know about wine. Alessia’s hosts wine events several times per month, including a wine tasting on Wednesday, October 4, and the Fall Italian Fine Wine Showcase on Saturday, October 21.
e Carrs are sticking true to what they wanted to do: open a mom-andpop restaurant.
“Even though we expanded, we’re here every night as much as we can be,” said Carr, who grew up in upstate New York. “We just love what we do. We love our locals and our regulars are great. I love getting to know everybody. It’s fun.”
Alessia’s Ristorante Italiano
Alessia’s owners Jonathan and Shari Carr
The dining room at Alessia’s feels welcoming. (Photos by Kimberly Carrillo)
Spaghetti Bolognese, pollo marsala and gnocchi amatriciana (inset).
By Jan D’Atri
Manestra what’s cooking?
Christopher Columbus, cover your ears! is Italian girl is going to tip her hat to the Greek Festival this month and a recipe that is the ultimate Greek comfort food: manestra! It’s a beautiful pot full of falloff-the-bone short ribs and orzo pasta. In my Italian family, orzo was always used as the pastina of choice in our homemade chicken soup, so Greek manestra was entirely new to me. ere is only one word to describe this hearty meal: Opa! It’s that lovely Greek word meaning to celebrate with exuberance, but the ingredients and flavors in manestra are pure soulfood/comfort food in any nationality. It starts with braised and slow-cooked short ribs that create a fantastic red sauce for the orzo to soak up in the pot. It’s absolutely mouthwatering. For this delectable discovery, I thank popular Valley musicians and recording artists ano and Demitri Sahnas, known in Arizona as e Sahnas
(Photo courtesy Jan D’Atri)
Brothers and Turning Point. eir mom, Kathy Sahnas, had a hidden treasure that had been passed down from generation to generation that is so simple and welcoming, I couldn’t wait to dish it up and then get it into your hands! Enjoy the great flavor of this Sahnas family favorite.
If you haven’t enjoyed the big Greek event celebrated in the Valley each year, hope you can make it to the Phoenix Greek Festival (phoenixgreekfestival.org) at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, October 13-15. Also check out where the Sahnas Brothers are performing this month at theguitarbrothers.com.
Greek Manestra
Ingredients:
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 2 packages bone-in short ribs (approx. 8-10 pieces or 3 to 3-1/2 lbs.)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 bunches mint, finely chopped with stems removed
- 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
- 6 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
- 1/4 whole cinnamon stick (approx. 1 inch-long)
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 package orzo pasta (approx. 1 lb)
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 1/2 cube butter, browned
- Chicken broth for thinning mixture, optional
For the Dutch oven method:
1. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of short ribs.
2. In a hot skillet with olive oil, brown ribs. When browned, add mint and onion, cooking until onions are tender. Add tomato sauce, cinnamon and cloves. Simmer until meat is tender, about three
hours. When done, remove meat and cut up or shred into bite-size pieces. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and cloves.
3. Add orzo to sauce, stirring often to avoid sticking. Cook for about 25 minutes. Add lemon juice. Return meat to pot. In a small saucepan, cook butter until browned. Stir butter into orzo and meat mixture and serve. Serve with a salad and feta cheese as a side. Yields approximately 6-8 servings.
Note: If the mixture becomes too thick, add chicken broth or water, a little at a time.
For the slow cooker method:
In a skillet, brown the seasoned short ribs in olive oil. Add onions and mint, cooking until onions are tender. Transfer ribs and onions to slow cooker. Cover meat with tomato sauce, cloves and cinnamon. Cook on high for about six hours or until ribs are tender. Remove meat. Cut or shred into bite-size pieces. Add orzo to the sauce. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the meat back to the cooked orzo. Add the melted butter and lemon. Stir and serve.
business spotlight
Morris Hall PLLC provides exclusive estate planning for clients
By Marilyn Hawkes
eron M. Hall Jr. (Tim), senior partner of Morris Hall PLLC in Mesa, has practiced many different types of law. “I’ve done divorce work, criminal work, defended people and sued people,” he says. He gravitated to estate law because he feels it’s the best way he can help people. “Everybody’s happy when you’re finished.”
Estate planning is important because if you don’t have a plan in place, other people will make decisions for you if you become incapacitated, Hall says. “But if you have your estate set up properly and your affairs in order and you become incapacitated, you have the people you chose to make the decisions, not only for your health care, but also your financial decisions.”
In many cases, people don’t think they need an estate plan, but Hall advises that if a person or couple has
any type of retirement assets, such as an IRA, 401(k) or a 403(b), that amounts to more than $30,000 to $40,000; has minor children or potential minor beneficiaries; children from another marriage; or beneficiaries with some type of special needs, then he or she should consider an estate plan.
Some people also choose to set up a pet trust or make provisions in their trusts to ensure their pets are taken care of. “We have a lot of clients who do that,” Hall says. “ ey have a strong attachment to their current pets and pets they will have in the future.”
When setting up a pet trust, clients must name a caretaker who will provide a loving home for the animal(s) and a trustee to distribute the money that’s been set aside. Often they are the same person.
For those who already have a trust
or estate plan in place, it’s a good idea to review the documents every three years to make sure there haven’t been any changes, Hall says. “In the last few years, there have been some very significant changes – some good, some bad, so we keep our clients in the loop.”
e attorneys at Morris Hall also review already established estate plans for new clients because often the documents are not properly drafted, which can result in beneficiaries not being protected against creditors, lawsuits, ex-spouses, taxes and other issues, Hall says.
As a service to its clients, Morris Hall offers free estate planning seminars as well as question and answer sessions at its offices throughout Arizona and New Mexico. Non-clients are also welcome to attend. Information is available at morristrust.com.
Morris Hall sets itself apart from other firms by concentrating solely on estate planning. “It’s all we do,” Hall says. e firm is one of two in Arizona that belongs to the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, a group of 150 estate-planning firms throughout the United States.
“We’ve written and reviewed about 75,000 trusts. We’ve been doing this for a long time and seen literally everything,” Hall says. “We’ve often said estate planning is not just our practice; it’s our privilege and our passion, and we love doing it.”
Bebe
Etro
Ferragamo
Valentino
Coach
Kate
Tura
Tiffany
Cazal
Caviar
Nike
Cole Haan
Tommy Bahama
Façconable
Pro-Design
Klick
Fysh
Eco
Modo
Dr. Katherine Blaskovich
Dr. Tina Ansari
Alli Hoppert, FAAD
Susan Reckell
Dr. Lindsay Jung
Theron M. Hall Jr. (Tim), is senior partner of Morris Hall PLLC in Mesa. (Courtesy Morris Hall PLLC)
Mesa plans for light rail line to Chandler
By Jim Walsh
It won’t happen tomorrow, or probably even five years from now, but Mesa is looking into its longterm options for a second light rail line, one that would run through the Fiesta District and might even head to downtown Chandler someday.
Mesa and Chandler caution that the possibility of any such line eventually opening depends on a lot of factors that are difficult to predict, such as the availability of financing and how Chandler develops in the future.
A 2012 study identified a potential corridor for high-capacity transit, which could include anything from light rail to express bus service or even a streetcar, such as the streetcar project planned in downtown Tempe.
e planned light rail line would run south along Dobson Road from the Sycamore Valley Metro light rail station, turn east on Southern Avenue near Mesa Community College, pass Fiesta Mall and turn south on Country Club Drive.
Phase 1 of such a project would likely end at Country Club and Baseline roads in Mesa. Phase II would potentially run down Arizona Avenue to downtown Chandler.
e Alternatives Analysis study would consider several forms of transit. e Mesa City Council recently authorized $900,000 for the study, but Chandler officials have not decided
whether they want to participate, which would cost about $600,000.
In 2019, Valley Metro would make a recommendation, including a route and the type of transit. No one ever said light rail is cheap, although advocates cite its impact on curbing highway congestion and pollution and its role in encouraging high density urban development.
A Mesa council report estimated the city’s share of the cost for light rail operations during the 2017-18 fiscal year at $3.6 million.
Jodi Sorrell, Mesa’s transit services director, said such major projects can take up to 15 years of planning. She
noted that planning for the extension of light rail from Sycamore to Mesa Drive started in 2004 and the extension eventually opened in 2015.
“We’re doing the preliminary work to see if it is feasible,’’ she said, so that Mesa has a potential project ready to go years from now if funding becomes available.
With the presence of Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa Community College and the Fiesta District, “we have more density, we have more bus ridership’’ that would make light rail a better option sometime in the future.
Sorrell is currently most concerned with the extension of light rail on the
original corridor along Main Street, from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road, a project now under construction and expected to open in spring 2019.
Light rail would be a more startling development in suburban Chandler, which is taking a cautious approach toward mass transit. Buses will start running at 15-minute intervals along Arizona Avenue starting in October for most of the day, rather than just during the rush hours, said Dan Cook, city engineer.
It might not sound like much, but at least it’s better than the current half-hour wait during off-peak hours.
More likely than not, mass transit would become more available in Chandler in stages, with the addition of more frequent buses or express buses before progressing to light rail, the most intense and expensive option, Cook said.
He said the issue of participating in Mesa’s light rail alternatives study is still under discussion internally among Chandler officials and has not come before the Chandler City Council.
“We don’t know if Chandler will ever meet the criteria in ridership to have light rail transit. We don’t know if we will ever get there,’’ Cook said, noting the city’s lack of high-density development. “ e concept of staging through it is probably the way to do it.’’
If expansion plans are completed, light rail or some other form of public transportation will reach Germann Road in Chandler. (Photo courtesy Valley Metro)
New Nekter Juice Bar open at Power and McDowell roads
By Nearby News Staff
e same space in Mesa that formerly housed a Tropical Smoothie location is the new home of another smoothiecentric business, Nekter Juice Bar. e national chain recently opened the outpost – its 14th in the Valley – at 2832 N. Power Road, on the corner of Power and McDowell roads. Billing itself as “Your healthy neighborhood juice bar,” Nekter Juice
Bar has a menu consisting of freshsqueezed juices, smoothies, coldpressed juice cleanses, and homemade acai bowls. e concept is meant to appeal to people on-the-go who want something fast but healthful to eat. e establishment on Power Road also offers free WiFi. For more information, call 520-201-8727 or visit nekterjuicebar.com.
The Nekter Juice Bar location on Power Road is the company’s 14th in the Valley. (Photo courtesy Nekter Juice Bar)
By Kevin J. Chapman Rowley Chapman & Barney, Ltd.
On-the-job injuries and third-party claims
If you are hurt while working, you are generally entitled to make a claim under your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. You cannot sue your employer or any fellow employees for your injuries. at is the foundational compromise of our workers’ compensation system: In exchange for giving up the right to sue your employer and co-workers, your employer is to pay for your related medical care and a portion of your lost wages – even if you are the cause of your injuries.
Additionally, all medical providers who treated you for your on-the-job
injuries must accept the payment from the workers’ compensation carrier as payment-in-full, so they cannot bill you for co-pays, deductibles or anything else.
But what if someone other than you, your employer or co-workers caused your injuries?
You can pursue a claim against the person at fault, often referred to as a third-party claim. For example, if you are injured at a job site by a worker from another contractor, or if you are driving for your work and hurt in a car crash caused by someone else, you can make a claim on that contractor’s or other driver’s insurance company.
But there is a catch: If you obtain any money from the person at-fault or his/her insurance company, you have to reimburse the workers’ compensation carrier if that carrier
paid some or all of your accidentrelated medical bills.
ere is another catch, too: the future credit. If you obtain money via your third-party claim from the person at fault or his/her insurance company, any amount of that settlement you get would be applied as a future credit. at means if you re-injure the same areas of your body in a future on-the-job accident, the workers’ compensation carrier does not have to pay any of your medical bills for those areas re-injured until
your net share is exhausted, provided a doctor finds that your injuries were originally caused by the original accident for which you received settlement money. Consequently, sometimes it’s not worth making a workers’ compensation claim.
At Rowley Chapman & Barney, we can guide you through the complexity of any third-party claim because of a work-related injury and make sure you get the money you deserve from the person responsible. If you need help, call us at 480-833-1113.
Porsche Chandler, a lu xury experience encompassing Sales, Service, Parts & Accessories in the heart of the East Valley. Offering complimentary Porsche service loaners and door-to-door Sales & Service vehicle delivery. Showcasing the finest selection of New, Certified and Pre-Owned Porsche models. Conveniently located North of the Santan 202 Freeway on Gilbert Road.
BEAUTY SERVICES
COME ISIT
T E AIR PARLOR
For all your hair nail needs Perms, ighlights, Ra or Cuts, Back Com ing, Roller Sets.
COME MEET O R BARBER -
EOR E
Mary Ann s air Parlor
3049 E. McKellips Rd., Ste. 3 Mesa, A 85213
480-641-0334
CHILDCARE
NAT RE O SE
A Montessori approach to natural learning
Now enrolling ages 2-5 www naturehousea com 480-828-2721
CLEANING SERVICES
O SECLEANIN FOR YO
Trustworthy, Relia le Lady Many years of e perience References Mesa il ert 480-361-3190
HANDYMAN
IS YO R ONEY DO LIST
ETTIN TOO BI FOR YO
Did you uy something that needs to e put together i e ohn the andyman a call e can help you get things done.
Anything that takes your time I can do ha e the tools to do it ohn the andyman 760-668-0681
HAULING
DA E S D MPIN
A LIN I haul it all
Yard construction de ris, unk, furniture, appliances, clean-outs, etc., etc., etc., o s oth ig small I’m a 6th grade Mesa teacher working his 2nd o . Phone Estimates Da e 480-360-5865 or 480-360- NK
See my ad in the Bi Bo Section
HEALTHY LIVING/ FITNESS
BOOTCAMP
All Fitness Le els
Wednesdays Saturdays Wednesdays 5 30pm Saturdays 8am - Recruit the lutes Booty Specific 10 drop in fee or punch card of 10 classes for 90 Location Muscular Support on igley McKellips 480-466-5589 gracefullyfit-co godaddysites com
HOME IMPROVEMENT
MARK S OME
IMPRO EMENT AND REPAIRS
Speciali ing in Ca inetry touch up, repair, modify, roll-out drawers, reface and installs.
pgrade your drawers and glides to get more space and access 100 of the drawer. Soft close hinges and drawer glides.
Create a trash recycle center. Replace the ase ca inet shel es with roll out drawers for easier access.
Plum ing, electrical, paint, drywall repairs, lights, fan, etc...
30 years e perience
Mark riffin 480-980-1445
MESA OME
MAINTENANCE REPAIR
Plum ing, electric, irrigation, garage doors, water heaters, tile and drywall repairs, carpentry, handyman lists and other ser ices.
All work guaranteed.
Sean Sorn erger 480-699-7990
HOME REMODELING
ALL AMERICAN REMODELIN
AND ANDYMAN SER ICE
Need some help around the house
Please call, I do it all
Design
Carpentry
Paint
Flooring
Electric
Plum ing
Drywall
And More
Small pro ects to full remodels hydrotherapy tu s
Todd 480-388-5335
OME REMODELIN
REPAIRS C STOM
INTERIOR PAINTIN
Mo e a wall turn a door into a window.
From small o s and repairs to room additions, I do it all.
Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plum ing and more.
All trades done y hands-on eneral Contractor.
Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and afforda le. 40 years e perience. Call Ron Wolfgang Office 480-820-8515
Cell 602-628-9653
Wolfgang Construction Inc Licensed Bonded ROC 124934
PAINTING
INTERIOR OME PAINTIN
Want a fresh new room color
Or a wall in perfect stripes
Artistic with fine lines 35 Years E perience Bo 520-413-3005 Or 480-316-9064
PET SERVICES
YO R PAMPERED PETS
Pet Sitting - Earning the trust of pet owners for 10 years. Professional, lo ing pet care ser ices personali ed to your specific needs.
Daily isits, dog walking, mid-day isits potty reaks, pet ta i, and more.
Pet CPR First Aid Certified. Fully insured with Special Property Co erage. References proudly pro ided.
Please call Kelly Ro erts at 480-229-7596 to schedule your complimentary initial meeting or isit www yourpamperedpetsa com
POOL SERVICES
A ALITY POOL SER ICE T AT IS PRICELESS
Does your pool surface need refreshing Call for an acid wash
CPO Technician ROC 303766 Li ardPoolsLLC li ardpools com 480-489-0713
CLEAN SPLAS POOL SER ICE
ALL PRO TREE SER ICE, LLC
Tree Trimming, Tree Remo als, Stump rinding, Monthly Landscape
Maintenance, Full Yard Clean ps, Palm Trees, Deep Root Fertili ation, Irrigation, Etc. Free Estimate, ery
Professional, Insured, and Bonded
isa MasterCard Accepted
Mention this Ad and Recei e 15 off Discount
480-354-5802 or dennis allprotrees com
See Our Ad in the Bi Bo Section
ROOFING
Tim KLINE Roofing, LLC
The Most Detailed Roofer in the State. Roofs Done Right..The FIRST Time. 15-Year Workmanship Warranty on All Complete Roof Systems. FREE Estimate and Written Proposal. 480-357-2463 www timklineroofing com
R.O.C #156979 K-42 Licensed, Bonded and Insured
TRAVEL
ENOS KIN -LEWIS II, A ENT uide, Producer Fun Trips Prosperity - Wellness www.Enos4Prosperity.com 800-824-1450 Call 24 7 enos4homes hotmail.com
TUTORING SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL T TORIN
Indi iduali ed, at-home instruction for grades K-12. Multiple su ects including Math, Reading and Writing. Preparation for college entrance tests. Assistance for home-schooling, eha ioral, organi ational and special education concerns. Call Philip N Swanson, Ph D 480-677-9459
WINDOW CLEANING
DIRTY WINDOWS
FILT Y SCREENS
Call Fish Window Cleaning 480-962-4688 and you will ha e the cleanest windows and screens on the lock. Below is the list of ser ices we offer Windows-Interior E terior Screens-Sunscreens Regular Tracks, Ceiling Fans, Light Fi tures Power Washing Your dri eways, sidewalks patios
REFLECTIONS WINDOW CLEANIN
Make your home sparkle with the cleanest windows you e e er seen Instant 10 discount FREE estimates BONDED and INS RED. Mem er IWCA 480-892-1999
Weekly ser ice starting at 70 per month. Repairs - Maintenance - Acid Washing Free Estimates Consultation
CPO Certified APSP Mem er Bonded Insured 480-216-3229
Arizona’s Resort-Style Home Builder
MASTER PLANNED CELEBRATED COMMUNITIES BY BLANDFORD HOMES
Award-winning Arizona builder for 39 years.
Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities and charm. Many offer resort-style amenities such as pools, spa, fitness, tennis, event lawns, and lifestyle activities, you’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle.
A Mountain Bridgein Northeast Mesa – Resort-Style Master Planned Community
6 BRAND NEW REVOLUTIONARY MODELS FOR 2017
Vintage Collection • From the high $300’s • 480-988-2400
Craftsman Collection • From the low $400’s • 480-641-1800
Artisan Collection • From the low $500’s • 480-641-1800
Master Collection • From the low $700’s • 480-641-1800
B Mulberry –“New Old-Home Neighborhood” GRAND OPENING NEW PHASES! Resort-Style in Southeast Mesa
Arbor Collection • From the low $240’s • 480-895-6300
Americana Collection • From the $260’s • 480-895-2800
Centennial Collection • From the $320’s • 480-733-9000
Heritage Collection • From the $350’s • 480-733-9000
C The Estates at Thirty-Second Street NOW SELLING
Estate single-level homes with 4 to 6 car garages and optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the low $700’s • 480-750-3000
D The Estates at Las Sendas NOW SELLING
Northeast Mesa Resort-Style Master Planned Community
Estate single-level homes on 30,000 sq. ft. lots with 4 to 6 car garages and optional RV garages and carriage houses From the high $700’s • 480-641-1800
E Sienna Hills –124th St & Shea in Scottsdale COMING SOON!
Luxury single level estate homes from the low $900’s
