How Highland lost the big game PAGE 19
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Gilbert residents mostly happy to live here
INSIDE
This Week
BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
NEWS.....................................
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Gilbert lawmaker enters Bullhead City fray.
COMMUNITY..................
Gilbert grandma keeps jamming PAGE 16
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The Greek - and Latin - squad from Gilbert.
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ilbert has a lot going for it — including good schools, safety and a healthy local economy — but it needs better public transportation and traffic flow as well as affordable quality housing, residents told the town in a survey. Town Council recently heard the results for the 2019 National Community Survey that gauged Gilbert’s livability, from surveys conducted in 600 communities across the nation. The town commissioned the National Research Center to do the survey, which was completed in late June. “The two most important resident priorities were safety and the economy, so the
same as in 2017 and 2019,” said Melissa Connor, data content strategist. “The overall quality of life rated similarly from 2017 to 2019 with 98 percent rating it excellent or good.” Connor said Gilbert’s participation in the survey, both mailed and online, surpassed most other municipalities that have been surveyed. “They typically receive around 300,” she said of the research center. “In 2017, we had 800 due to online and this year, we had over 2,000, which really eclipse other cities.” A total of 2,534 residents took the survey. Of that, 72 percent of the respondents were between 25 to 54 and 89 percent identified as white, Connor said. Other overall characteristics of respon-
Governing Board OKs more counseling at Gilbert High
dents included 69 percent worked full time, 80 percent owned a home and 50 percent had children younger than 17 living at home, she added. The survey gathers opinions about resident satisfaction, community livability and government services, which helps guide elected leaders make decision on their community’s future. Highlights from Gilbert’s survey include: 8 in 10 said Gilbert has a good or excellent sense of community, which eclipses levels seen in most other cities across the nation. Gilbert ranked 18th among all other municipalities. Almost all residents exalted the town as
see SURVEY page 4
All in for Dr. Seuss
BY CECILIA CHAN GSN Managing Editor
FOOD..............................
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You will find this dessert peachy keen.
COMMUNITY...................... 13 BUSINESS............................. 16 OPINION............................... 18 SPORTS................................. 19 GETOUT................................22 CLASSIFIED........................ 28
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ilbert High School students will have more access to mental health care in an agreement that could expand to other campuses. Gilbert Public School Governing Board last week voted 5-0 to provide office and classroom space for a Southwest Behavioral and Health Services mental health counselor to come to the high school once a week. Students and their families would pay either with private insurance or through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System — the state’s Medicaid program for people with limited income. Susan Cadena, K-12 Prevention Coordinator, said Gilbert High’s
see COUNSELING page 6
Paige Erdmann, 12, of Gilbert, gives a big yell during a rehearsal of "Seussical Jr,,, which Gilbert's Limelight Theatre will be presenting starting this week at Mesa Arts Center, For details, please see page 14. (Pablo Robles/GSN Staff Photographer)
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