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An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
Mesa may be one of nation’s safest cities BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
A BUSINESS ................
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Famed EV driving school has new name.
SPORTS .................
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Lions roaring on the diamond COMMUNITY ............................... 18 BUSINESS ..................................... 21 OPINION .. ..................................... 23 SPORTS ........................................ 24 GET OUT ...................................... 25 PUZZLES ...................................... 27 CLASSIFIED ................................. 28 Zone 1
Sunday, March 28, 2021
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s crime rates have dropped signi�icantly around the country over the last decade, Mesa has not only kept up the pace but has become one of the nation’s safest big cities. Preliminary data shows the trend continued in 2020, when violent and property crimes fell by another 2 percent here. Of�icial reports on 2020 crime in Mesa and other cities will not be released by the FBI for months. In 2020, the number of crimes per 1,000 residents was 22.7. “Our lowest since statistics have been main-
tained,” Mesa Police Assistant Chief Ed Wessing said. Wessing’s �igures are based on a conservative population estimate of 504,410. Other estimates for Mesa’s population range from 518,012 (U.S. Census) to 552,000 (Maricopa Association of Governments). If the population is higher, the 11,440 crimes against people or properties rate per 1,000 could be even lower. “I think we’re in the top three in the nation for cities our size. We’re proud of that,” Mayor John Giles said. He acknowledged a national downward trend in crime, but said that isn’t the whole story. “I also think part of the explanation is we’ve
really prioritized public safety in our city,” Giles said. “Most cities of our size don’t have their own crime labs. We went to voters a year ago and asked for an increase in sales tax dedicated to public safety for more police of�icers. “Having a well-funded, well-trained and well-equipped public safety department – that’s a priority in Mesa,” Giles said. He said Mesa’s reputation is helping fuel its population growth: “The reason people (move) here is it’s a safe, desirable community.” The mayor’s thoughts were echoed by a leader in the business community.
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Mesa schools ready to ‘get a move on’ BY TOM SCANLON Tribune Managing Editor
F
itness guru Chris Powell has a simple message to school kids: Let’s get moving! Move One Mesa is a partnership of Mesa Public Schools, the City of Mesa, Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Mesa resident Powell’s Move One Million. Starting tomorrow, March 29, MPS teachers will begin each day with two-and-a-half minutes of movement and one minute of mindfulness. Powell and the district also hope parents, businesses and the general community will join the moving movement.
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Tomorrow, March 29, is the launch date for Move One Mesa, fitness guru Chris Powell’s project to get kids in Mesa Public Schools starting their days with movement and mindfulness. (Chris Powell)
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