THE VOICE OF THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1891 AND WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING
Fall high school sports wrap-up
EV students shine in robot fair
EAST VALLEY
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Chandler/Tempe Edition
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS ........................ 4 Mesa students play city officials for a night.
COMMUNITY ........ 12 Hospice workers recall Mesa leader’s last days.
GET OUT ................. 23 Christmas event for pets, pet lovers.
FOOD ....................... 26 You’ll scream for this ice cream cake.
COMMUNITY ............... 12 BUSINESS ...................... 16 OPINION ....................... 18 SPORTS ........................ 20 GETOUT.........................23 CLASSIFIED....................28
Sunday, December 8, 2019
East Valley police, civilians ‘Ring’ in crime together BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer
A
doorbell never made as many friends and enemies, but then again, The Ring is far from the ordinary lighted button with chimes. Ring videotapes people walking up to your front door – some of whom might be up to no good. And at a time when Christmas online shoppers are expecting packages, Ring has become a new crime-fighting tool for Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert police. In police Commander Ed Upshaw’s south Chandler district, Ring has helped police nab a stalker, porch pirates swiping Amazon packages – even a couple of Amazon delivery workers caught stealing packages they supposedly delivered or a previously delivered. Chandler police also used the Ring to bust another sort of ring – a carload of teens from Phoenix who jumped out of a car early in the morning and opened the doors of unlocked, park cars to steal whatever valuables they could find. “We have used it in multiple cases. It is a
see RING page 6
CHandler Police Commander Ed Upshaw shows the Ring kit, calling it a valuable tool in the fight against property and other crimes. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)
Mystery deepens as Mesa schools chief resigns BY JORDAN HOUSTON Tribune Staff Writer
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he longer Mesa Public Schools refuses to provide answers to the public surrounding the sudden resignation of former superintendent Ember Conley, the more havoc it wreaks on its employees. It was former school board president Ben’s Smith’s assessment in the wake of Conley’s resignation last week – and the cloud of mystery surrounding her departure. The mystery deepened as the board accepted Conley’s resignation – only about 18 months after hiring her – and refused to disclose whether it will be buying out her contract. Smith, who played a major role in hiring Conley in 2018, told the East Valley Tribune
several teachers have reached out to him, expressing concern and exasperation over the current turmoil in the top tier of the district. “It’s impacting morale in a major way,” Smith said. “I’ve had teachers and staff members reach out to me just asking for reassurance the district is ok.” The mystery has been compounded by Smith’s own criminal complaint to the state Attorney General’s office about the ex-superintendent and Conley’s initial suspension by the board for reasons it won’t disclose. “There is a huge unknown,” he continued. “I read someone wrote a comment on a social media post about how MPS is like a boat with no captain.” District spokeswoman Heidi Hurst said, “The district will continue to focus on student academic learning and social and emotional
well-being initiatives.”
Conley steps down
The governing board abruptly placed Conley on paid non-disciplinary administrative Nov. 18, giving no reason for the action or any indication of how long it would last. “The board appreciates the community’s strong interests in the superintendent status and the district’s leadership, but the district does not, however, comment on pending personnel matters for a variety of reasons,” said attorney Robert Haws during a Nov. 26 meeting. “And it’s based on my advice,” he continued. “But please know the board is diligently working on these issues and additional infor-
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