Test not for all / P. 3
'Isolation Busters' / P. 13
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
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Mesa readies lifeline for local businesses
INSIDE
This Week
Chambers’ 3-phase plan to reopen Arizona on page 6 BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer
NEWS ..................... 10 New help for Falcon Field businesses.
BUSINESS .............
M
esa plans to throw a financial lifeline to businesses struggling in the downturn unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of grants mainly to small businesses that have not received other forms
of federal relief. The Mesa Small Business Reemergence Plan would tap into the $90 million allocation Mesa received from the Coronavirus Relief Fund approved by Congress in the federal CARES Act. The grants, part of the Mesa Cares COVID-19 relief efforts, are intended to tide over businesses that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic and that hope to re-open once social distancing restrictions are relaxed. City Manager Chris Brady said he has ten-
tatively earmarked about 20 percent of the Mesa’s relief fund money to business survival – which would account for about $18 million – though the total will depend on demand and level of need. Several equally-as-large buckets of relief money would go toward the food security plan unveiled a week ago and a household assistance program that is still under development.
see BUSINESS page 6
It’s official: no diploma walk for Mesa seniors
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Her network is for women only.
OPINION .............. 17 I wouldn't want Ducey's job. COMMUNITY ............................... 12 BUSINESS ..................................... 15 OPINION ....................................... 17 PUZZLES ...................................... 18 CLASSIFIED ................................. 20 Zone
Sunday, May 3, 2020
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BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor
M
esa Public Schools finalized plans last week for all of its high schools to host a virtual commencement ceremony for the 2020 graduating class. Official details were expected to be sent out to parents and students on Friday while further details from the individual high schools would come in the next few weeks leading up to commencement ceremonies, the Governing Board was told last week. “When we received the stay-at-home order from Gov. Ducey, we realized quickly we would have to change how we traditionally do graduation,” said Holly Williams, the district’s executive director of master planning and bond projects. “I think we’ve come up with some fun ways to celebrate the graduates and some unique opportunities for individualized celebrations for the graduates. Ways that we haven’t done
see SENIORS page 8
Banners celebrating the 2020 class have been hung along the fences at Mountain View High School to honor seniors despite not being able to have a traditional graduation. (Courtesy Mountain View High School)
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