Mesa Tribune: Northeast 08-02-2020

Pandemic sours dairies / P. 3

Disabilities Act at 30 / P. 8

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Mesa election heads to the �inish line Tuesday

INSIDE

This Week

BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer

NEWS ...................... 10 Guv opposes lega weed.

COMMUNITY ......... 14 Photos leave Falcon Field legacy.

BUSINESS ............. 16 New owners to freshen up Tortilla Flat's restaurant.

OPINION .............. 17 Should we still play the National Anthem?

COMMUNITY ............................... 14 BUSINESS ..................................... 16 OPINION ....................................... 17 PUZZLES ...................................... 19 CLASSIFIED ................................. 19 Zone

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1

W

ith the Mesa mayoral and City Council elections slated Tuesday, Mayor John Giles’ campaign war chest has grown to more than $281,000 and political action committees helped fuel several other candidates’ campaigns.

A minority of voters are expected to go to traditional polls on Aug. 4, with about 80 percent voting by mail – about the same as in recent years, according to City Clerk DeeAnn Mickelsen.

Giles, who is backed by the Mesa business

MPS teachers are ready for a different school

and development communities, faces a challenge from constitutionalist Verl Farnsworth, who spent heavily on a newspaper-like �lyer to reach voters as the COVID-19 epidemic limited traditional face-to-face campaigning.

Councilman Jeremy Whittaker, who �irst took of�ice after beating Shelly Allen in 2016 in District Two, faces a challenge from political newcomer Julie Spilsbury, who is backed

by Giles and has raised more than three times more than Whittaker.

Also in contention on Tuesday’s ballot is incumbent west Mesa District 1 Councilman Mark Freeman, who is being challenged by Danny Ray.

Spilsbury has collected $53,175, including some donations from developers and some of the same donors who supported Giles, campaign records show.

Her donors include Jenny Richardson, former Mesa Public Schools board president, and Rich Adams of Visit Mesa.

Spilsbury’s largest donors include members of the Cardon family, who have been involved in development and philanthropy. The Cardons and some of their business associates contributed more than $25,000.

Spilsbury also received contributions from

��� ELECTIONS ���� 6

Wheely cool gifts

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Staff Writer

W

ith the �irst day of the 2020-21 school year beginning Tuesday, Aug. 4, Mesa Public Schools of�icials, teachers and support staff say they’re ready to provide a revamped learning experience for students.

With the reopening of campuses for most students still uncertain, several thousand training courses were administered for teachers at all grade levels, the MPS Governing Board was told last week.

As of July 27, high school teachers alone completed over 1,200 modules in Canvas, the main interface for students to access coursework when school begins.

Tracy Yslas, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning, said junior high teachers

��� SCHOOLS ���� 4

Phil Panipinto pumped up tires and got 300 bikes ready last weekend at Hillsong Church in Mesa, where foster kids got a chance to pick one out and get a helmet to boot. It's part of an outreach that a nonprofit and the Arizona Lottery teamed up on. For details, see page 14. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer)

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

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NEWS

3

Dairies struggle to regain footing in pandemic

BY SARADON RABOIN Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

T

housands of gallons of wasted milk.

Unpredictable, zigzagging prices.

Abrupt dips and surges in demand.

The past four months have been a roller coaster for Arizona dairy farms, including the dwindling number in Mesa, as the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way some of their biggest clients did business.

The ride isn’t over yet: Arizona is a COVID-19 hotspot, meaning impacts on school and restaurant operations – and their dairy needs – remain uncertain.

Food banks �ind themselves overwhelmed with community demand, yet some struggle to safely store and distribute the �lood of milk being donated.

And beyond Arizona’s borders, foreign dairy markets continue to evolve.

“In 46 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Keith Mur�ield, chief executive of�icer of United Dairymen of Arizona.

Jim Boyle, who recently relocated his dairy farm from east Mesa to Casa Grande, said farmers were stuck with thousands of gallons of milk and nowhere to send it.

Boyle, whose Casa Grande Dairy Co. has 3,400 cows on 1,100 acres, said lack of demand forced farmers to limit their production, which is not an easy feat in the spring months, when cows naturally produce more milk.

For nearly two weeks, Boyle said, farmers dumped thousands of gallons of milk.

The market value for dairy products made in Arizona exceeds $762 million and is one of the top �ive agricultural commodities for the state, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

School and restaurant closures hit the industry hard.

The majority of dairy products, such as butter, cheese, sour cream and �luid milk, don’t go to grocery stores. They end up at restaurants and schools, according to Tammy Baker, general manager of Arizona Milk Producers, a nonpro�it that promotes and supports the state’s dairy producers.

That demand disappeared in a matter of days after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, as state of�icials shut down spaces where large groups tend to gather to slow the spread of the virus.

Mesa dairy farmer Jim Boyle, who is relocating his east Mesa operation to Casa Grande, said he's never seen such uncertainty in his industry in 46 years. (Cronkite News)

“We dumped a lot of milk and by-product down digesters and lagoons, and things like that,” Mur�ield said.

These digesters can convert �luid milk into different products such as gas and electricity, according to Mur�ield.

To adjust production, some farms changed what they fed their cows, switched from milking three times a day to just two, or allowed their cows to dry up early.

As Arizona in May began easing restrictions related to the pandemic, restaurant demand for dairy products started coming back, Baker said, but it was still lower than normal.

Since school has been out, Arizona Milk Producers has focused on giving more dairy products to schools around the state free of charge, Baker said.

“We’ve been spending a lot of time working with school food service directors that now have summer feeding programs going and alternative programs so those kids can get the food they need,” he said.

Arizona Milk Producers started looking at other consumers of dairy products to give product to. One of its bigger targets is food banks, which have seen an increase in patrons and demand, according to Angie Rodgers, CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network.

“I do think that (dairy) is a valuable and wanted commodity by consumers,” she said.

Rodgers said food banks are now receiving “a signi�icant amount” of milk and other dairy products through local farms and the federal government. But ensuring

those larger quantities make it safely to everyone who needs them comes with its own set of obstacles.

“The handling, the short shelf life, how it needs to be stored at certain temperatures, how quickly it needs to be distributed is a challenge … for all food banks,” she said.

The Arizona Food Bank Network issued about $1.4 million in infrastructure grants to help pay for new refrigerators, electricity bills and mileage reimbursement for volunteers who will deliver the milk across the state, Rodgers said.

Arizona dairy farmers said they’ve seen demand skyrocket in recent weeks. On June 20, for instance, cheese prices hit an all-time high after dropping to a 20-year low in April.

The strength of the prices will allow dairy producers to recoup some of their losses, said Mur�ield.

But Boyle said demand for foreign exports remains “very weak” in some parts of the globe.

“Because of where we are located in Phoenix or Tempe, we export a lot of products to Mexico,” he said. But it’s too expensive for some Mexicans to buy Arizona products because the peso is too weak, Boyle said, adding, “That could take years to �ix.”

Farmers are keeping an eye out for new slumps or spikes in demand. But having gone through it once, they feel more equipped to change course if needed, Boyle said.

“For right now, we’re �ine,” he said. “But we are prepared … to cut back.” 

4

NEWS

SCHOOLS ���� ���� 1

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

completed over 400 modules.

The largest number of completed modules involved elementary school teachers, who will also utilize a new platform called Florida Virtual Learning for their students’ remote studies. Yslas said they completed over 4,700 Canvas training sessions.

“We only have a little over 2,000 elementary teachers,” Yslas said. “Everyone has really committed to learning and participating and muddling through. We know it’s not always going to be a perfect world for everyone, but we are here to support each other and teachers in particular have stepped up to really support one another through all of that.”

Theresa Baca, the district’s executive director of special education, said special education teachers also took part in the Canvas training modules.

She said district counselors jumped in and immediately began training to prepare for the school year.

Baca acknowledged the fears of parents of special education students who are concerned their children will receive adequate education and meet the goals spelled out in their individual education plans.

Over last few weeks, Baca said they’ve met one-on-one with families to help them understand the support they would receive and to design other opportunities to enhance the success of their students.

“I think remote learning preparation is a little bit for everybody, including all of us,” Baca said. “But also, our students, our staff as they come back and our parents as they look for a sense of calm and how we are going to help their students.”

The reopening of campuses for any student who wants to be in a classroom remains in doubt in Mesa – as it does for students in most Arizona districts.

Under Gov. Doug Ducey’s latest executive order, districts will have to decide when to reopen, using guidelines that the state is supposed to release by Friday, Aug. 7.

But the order also requires the district to provide in-class instruction for any parent who has no place else to send their children, as well as special education and

as well as those from Crismon and Whittier elementary schools.

Over two days, nearly 8,500 devices were handed out to students.

The district all last week and over 6,000 devices were handed out on July 27 alone.

Mesa’s Chief Technology Of�icer David Sanders told the Governing Board July 28 that he believed nearly 18,000 devices had been handed out in four days.

“We still have about three days and 42 other schools to hand out devices to,” Sanders said. “We are getting Plexiglass screens will be erected on the desks of Mesa Public School students there.” who can't wear a mask when they return to campuses. (Special to the Tribune) According to a district survey of parents, seven percent, or nearly 3,500 students, English Learner students.

The state Auditor General’s latest report do not have internet access. However, over says special education and English learner 4,000 K-6 parents said they would explore students together account for about a �ifth registering in the district’s Xplore Enrichof the district’s total population of about ment Centers, which provides help to students conducting online work and gives 60,000 students.

Mesa Public Schools of�icials are back them internet access to do so.

The district’s survey also asked par“in the brainstorming phase right now” ents how many stuto �igure out how dents would rely on to accommodate schools for meals on in-person classes, a daily basis. About Superintendent "We are reinventing 26 percent said Andi Fourlis told the educational model they would come Cronkite News last for meals most days, week. just about every day." while another 18 “We just need Superintendent Andi Fourlis percent said they to get additional would come some guidance, and days. then we need to Helen Hollands, work with our the executive director of technology and school-level leaders to see what that will communication, said the survey helped look like,” Fourlis said. give the district an idea of how many stu“We are reinventing the educational dents would need extra assistance while model just about every day,” Fourlis said. in online learning.

One of the district’s largest hurdles in “We want to make sure we plan accordproviding remote learning involves stuingly for the demand we might have based dent access to a district-issued device and on the governor’s executive order,” Holinternet service. lands said.

Distribution of laptops began on July 23 Also becoming clearer last week were with high school and junior high students

GOT NEWS?

the measures the district plans to take to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

The governor’s order requires all students and staff at reopened campuses to wear masks – a mandate MPS already had planned to enforce both in schools and on school buses.

But for students who for medical reasons can’t wear masks, the board approved the purchase of 1,000 clear partitions manufactured by Flywheel.

The three-sided partitions will be placed on the desks of students who are unable to wear masks.

The total cost for 1,000 partitions is nearly $52,000, and the district could buy more in the future based upon need.

Each partition is constructed with 4mm corrugated plastic polypropylene.

The two side panels are 16 inches wide and the panel that will go across the front of the student’s desk is 22 inches wide. All three panels are clear and 23 inches high.

The purchase comes on the heels of Ducey’s announcement that state health of�icials will provide data-focused benchmarks for schools to make their reopening decisions.

Those benchmarks will largely involve virus-related data in individual communities.

Fourlis said at a prior board meeting she did not anticipate any of the district’s schools would be opening by Aug. 17 – a date that state Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman also considered unlikely.

While Fourlis did not offer any specifics surrounding a possible date to reopen, she reaf�irmed her and the board’s position of having to make crucial decisions in the coming weeks to determine when it is safe to allow students back into classrooms.

“I want our community to know we are being diligent,” Fourlis said. “We have some big decisions to make ahead of us as we think about what those metrics look like to safely open schools. That has been our commitment to open schools when it is safe to do so.”

The board’s next meeting on Aug. 11 will be after those benchmarks are rolled out by the state. 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

5

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NEWS

VERL FARNSWORTH

ELECTION ���� ���� 1

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

MARK FREEMAN

Dawn Giles, the mayor’s wife, and three political action committees: Cox Arizona PAC, $350; the United Mesa Fire�ighters, $3,000; and $5,000 from a conservative PAC associated with former Congressman Matt Salmon.

Salmon’s PAC, called Safeguarding American Liberties, Morals and Opportunities Now, usually contributes to conservative Republicans in Congress, including U.S Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Mesa, and U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, a Republican whose district includes Glendale, Peoria and Surprise.

A spread sheet compiled by Whittaker, who has long condemned the political contribution system as corrupt, shows that Giles, a moderate Republican, received a $1,000 contribution from Salmon’s PAC in 2019.

While Whittaker has self-funded the majority of his campaign at a cost of more than $10,000, he also accepted a $3,000 donation from the Realtors of Arizona.

Whittaker raised $16,603, which includes nearly $11,000 from himself.

“I’ve never voted on anything that bene�ited the Realtors of Arizona PAC,’’ Whittaker said, accusing Giles of aiding developers. “Pay-to-play politics is exactly what’s wrong with our government.’’

Freeman also received a $500 donation from Boeing’s PAC. Spilsbury has denied that she would be a puppet of Giles or development interests, saying she would not be beholden to anyone. She said the Cardons are old friends.

Giles also received donations from the AT&T Employees PAC, $500, and from the Arizona Pipe trades, $1,000.

On several occasions, Giles has said that part of his job is selling the city for development to improve sales tax revenues and

MAYOR JOHN GILES

attract better quality jobs.

He said he is proud of his support from the business community and that being mayor of his hometown is his favorite job.

He said plans to distribute any money left over from his campaign to nonpro�its.

Giles �irst ascended to mayor in 2014 when he beat Ray to �ill out the �inal two years of Scott Smith’s term, after Smith resigned to run for governor. Giles ran unopposed in 2016, garnering 53,273 votes and raising $19,005 for his campaign.

Farnsworth, a political ally of Whittaker who failed to unseat Councilman Dave Luna in District Five two years ago, has followed a similar approach in self-funding his campaign as well.

His newspaper �lyer encouraged voters to support a ticket of himself, Whittaker and Ray. The mayor’s race would seem lopsided, with Giles a formidable candidate who rarely, if ever, loses a council vote and many votes going 6-1 or 5-2, with Whittaker generally in the opposition.

Giles has concentrated on downtown development, education, attracting better jobs, building up sales tax revenue and rolling out the Mesa Cares program to aid individuals and businesses devastated by the COVID-19 epidemic.

His move to push for Council approval of a down-sized version of the asu@mesacitycenter project as an anchor for downtown redevelopment continued to reverberate in the current election campaign.

Farnsworth attacked the project in his �lyer and also tangled with Giles on the controversial Reserve at Red Rock project when the city auctioned off a piece of picturesque but vacant land that once had been intended as a park.

Developer Jeff Blandford bought the property, creating a $21 million sale for the city,

DANNY RAY

JULIE SPILSBURY

and plans to build another of his desertthemed, resort-style gated communities.

Farnsworth’s campaign spending reports list only three relatively small donors in contrast to Gile’s massive fundraising.

Farnsworth, who once made a bid for President of the United States through an online primary that failed to nominate a candidate, appears to have racked up most of his costs from his newspaper �lyer, which was mailed to all Mesa residents.

His bills included $10,145 to Signature Offset and nearly $40,000 in mailing costs to the U.S. Postal Service.

He has promised to let the constitution and God determine his decisions if he is elected mayor.

In District 1, Freeman and Ray, who previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor, waged a low-budget, low-key campaign that was still a mismatch �inancially.

Freeman raised $24,171 and spent only $6,463. His prominent donors included Marc Garcia, Kimberly Forest, Rich Adams and Julie Herman from Visit Mesa, the city’s tourism arm; zoning attorney Sean Lake and Phoenix East Valley Partnership Vice President Mike Hutchinson.

Freeman, a farmer and retired Mesa Fire Department paramedic, collected his largest donation from Mark Dobson, a rancher who donated $1,000.

Ray, owner of Ray Brothers Construction Co., had total receipts of $4,824, with $2,950 in contributions and $1,874 from his own pocket. His largest donor was Curtis Ray, a Gilbert �inancial consultant who donated $2,500.

Only Republicans are vying in North Mesa for the justice of the peace and constable positions.

Incumbent JP Kyle Jones, a former city councilman, is fending a challenge from Ed Malles while Jon Curtis and Robin Carlos

JEREMY WHITTAKER

Beach are �ighting to become constable.

On the rest of the ballot, some legislative districts covering Mesa will have primary contests while others likely will have no election at all this year because only one candidate made the ballot.

The latter development is the case in the State Senate race in LD 16, which covers part of East Mesa. Only Republican Rep. Kelly Townsend �iled from either party for the Senate seat being vacated by David Farnsworth.

In the LD 16 House race, incumbent John Fillmore will be duking it out with Forest John Moriarty, Jacqueline Parker and Lisa Godzich.

In LD 25, the only primary contest is a three-way Republican race two House seats as Speaker Rusty Bowers and incumbent Michelle Udall are facing a challenge from Kathy Pearce.

LD 26 offers Democrats contests for both House and Senate nominations. Incumbent Juan Mendez is facing Jana Lynn Granillio while a four-way contest for two November ballot slots pits incumbent Rep. Athena Salman against Debbie Nez-Manuel, Melody Hernandez and Patrick Morales.

And in LD 18, neither party is offering any primary decisions for voters, though they can expect contests for both House and Senate seats in the fall.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-7p.m., Election Day, Aug. 4. People in line at 7 p.m. will be permitted to cast a ballot.

It’s too late to mail in an early ballot and people can cast their ballot at any voter center, regardless of where they live, because of relaxed regulations due to the pandemic.

Mesa voters can drop off a completed ballot at City Hall, but they will have to go to recorder.maricopa.gov/pollingplace to �ind a place near them to vote. 

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

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8

NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

25 years after ADA’s signing, disabled still face challenges

BY LISA DIETHELM Cronkite News

A

pril Reed remembers what it used to be like before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed.

Reed remembers her father, who wears hearing aids, telling her how he was turned away from a job interview. She remembers a colleague hoping every day that the bus would be wheelchair-accessible when it came by, so she could go about her day.

She remembers another colleague with a master’s degree but an obvious physical disability that cost him his job.

The ADA, signed 30 years ago July 26, changed all that.

“That’s what the ADA did,” said Reed, the vice president of advocacy at Ability360.

“It released people from some of these limitations and gave them the basis of civil rights to go into a job interview and have those protections or expect for a bus to roll up and be accessible.”

But the act did more than force physical and legal protections – in the words of one advocate, it forced Americans to see people with disabilities “as fully human” for the �irst time.

Despite the gains of the last 30 years, however, advocates say there is still work to improve what one called a “baby law” if the country wants to fully guarantee the rights of people with disabilities.

“Every day there are court cases that further expand … the ADA so that people understand their rights and then employers and public accommodations understand their responsibilities,” said J.J. Rico, CEO of the Arizona Center for Disability Law. Mesa provides a detailed list of city resources to help disabled residents in a variety of ways at mesaaz.gov/government/ diversity-of�ice/accessibility/resourcesfor-the-disabled.

An October 2019 survey by Wallethub. com ranked Mesa 70th in the country – ahead only of 89th-ranked Phoenix in Arizona – for its disabled-friendliness.

“With the physical and economic challenges of managing a disability in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 most populated cities across 33 key indicators of disability-friendliness,” it said. “Our data set ranges from physicians per capita to rate of workers with disabilities to park accessibility.”

The late President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law 25 years ago last month.

(Special to the Tribune)

Scottsdale also ranked �irst in Arizona and second in the nation, followed by Chandler at 14th and Gilbert, 16th.

President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. It prohibited discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, transportation and more for the disabled community.

The law de�ines a person with a disability as someone who has physical or mental impairment “that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”

The Census Bureau estimates that 12.6 percent of Americans were categorized as having a disability in 2018, the latest year for which numbers were available, while the rate in Arizona was 13.3 percent.

Jon Meyers, the executive director of the Arc of Arizona, said that before the law was passed, people with disabilities were considered an afterthought and accommodating them was considered “too much work.”

The act “completely remade the world,” at least in terms of accommodations, he said.

“I would say we as a society are now viewing individuals with disabilities, Arizonans with disabilities, as fully human – as people who deserve the respect and the equal level of access to public accommodations and to public bene�its that ev-

erybody else deserves,” Meyers said.

It’s been a struggle, but he said the “awareness and the advocacy have snowballed … over the last several decades, and will continue to snowball.”

“There is no fairy dust that we can sprinkle that’s going to change everybody’s attitude immediately but we’ve come so far,” Meyers said. “We’re going to start seeing what each individual needs and how we can meet those needs to help them become better employed, better educated, and have more opportunity for inclusion in their communities.”

But hurdles remain. Meyers noted that in addition to providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with services, the Arc of Arizona also actively works with state legislators to tackle laws and bills that expand, or defend, the purpose of the ADA. Legislators like Arizona Rep. Jennifer Longdon, D-Phoenix, who uses a wheelchair.

“I still encounter barriers on a daily basis – barriers that you would think, 30 years post-ADA, wouldn’t exist,” Longdon said. “It’s going to be a continued �ight to bring awareness and visibility of this particular community to the typically abled community.”

Longdon, who was paralyzed in a random drive-by shooting in 2004, has been working on bills focusing on people with disabilities since she was elected to the House in 2018. She sees it as part of the larger struggle for civil rights.

“Civil rights have always been taken – by women, by African Americans, by Native Americans, by people with disabilities, by the LGBTQ community,” Longdon said.

“None of these communities have just been given rights. They had to speak up, and demand them and take them.”

And the community faces new challenges today that could not have been dreamed of when the act was passed in 1990 – like access to the internet, a problem that has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As society has transitioned to remote work and online shopping, the challenges that people with disabilities face with utilizing the internet have become obvious.

What’s not obvious, Rico said, is how far the ADA goes to accommodations for online services.

“We’re talking about a pandemic that has been restricting us to our homes,” Rico said. “So how do we shop? We use the internet. We have Instacart and other delivery services. And so I think the ADA has to clearly apply to websites.”

Rico said the pandemic has also put a damper on what should have been inperson 30th anniversary celebrations for the ADA, but he has been pleased to see virtual celebrations.

“I would have loved to see people with disabilities out celebrating the progress and sharing the stories out in public,” Rico said. “But I’m hoping that some of these virtual ADA celebrations get attention so that people with disabilities can share their stories.”

Reed sees the fact that people have taken to social media with hashtags and pictures to share their stories for the 30th anniversary is more proof of the support for the ADA. “Just those simple signs – it really does remind you of what the ADA has done,” she said.

“And again, we are not done. There is still much work to do,” Reed said. “But certainly being grateful for where we are, knowing this is the foundation, this is the basis for what work we will do in the future.” 

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

9

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• Point-Of-Sale Systems

• Food Establishment Permitting

REGISTER TODAY: www.MesaAz.Gov/CARESBizTechAssist Need help registering? Call the Mesa CARES Call Center at 480-644-CARE (2273).

10

NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

Ducey opposes 3 of 4 possible initiatives

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

I

f you get your advice from Gov. Doug Ducey, you’re going to want to vote against at least three of the four measures expected on the November ballot.

The governor has submitted statements in opposition to proposals to legalize recreational uses of marijuana, increase taxes on the wealthy to help fund education, and a third with various provisions relating to hospitals and health care.

He took no position on a fourth ballot measure to give judges more discretion in sentencing.

On marijuana, the governor called what is expected to be Proposition 207 it “a bad idea based on false promises,’’ saying the experience from other states shows it will lead to more highway deaths, dramatic increases in teen drug use and more newborns exposed to marijuana.

Ducey is not alone, particularly on the issue of whether Arizonans should be able to legally buy and possess marijuana for personal use. The secretary of state’s of�ice got dozens of arguments from foes.

All those arguments will be placed into publicity pamphlets mailed to the homes of all registered voters.

So will the handful of arguments in favor of the measure, including one from former Gov. Fife Symington III. “Today the evidence is overwhelmingly clear: criminalizing law-abiding citizens who choose to responsibly consume marijuana is an outdated policy that wastes precious government resources and unnecessarily restricts individual liberty,’’ he wrote.

His son, Fife Symington IV, is managing director of Copperstate Farms which operates what is believed to be the largest medical marijuana cultivation facility in the state.

The pamphlet contains two arguments

ts? o Gew N

Gov. Doug Ducey, who discussed the status of COVID-19 in Arizona last week, opposes initiatives to legalize marijuana's recreational use as well as a tax on wealthy Arizonans to provide additional funding for public education. (YouTube)

by Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, one in favor and one against.

Humble told Capitol Media Services his organization sees the issue through a pair of lenses.

On one hand, he said, there are members of his organization who support the idea of “criminal justice reform,’’ getting rid of state laws that make it a felony to have any amount of marijuana at all.

“But, on the other hand, there is good evidence that these retail marijuana laws increase access to people under 21,’’ Humble said. “It’s harmful to adolescents.’’

“I’m probably going to vote for it,’’ Humble said, saying there’s no reason to make felons out of people who have small quantities of marijuana.

The proposal to increase income taxes on the state’s top earners, Proposition 210, also drew lots of comments.

Most of the support comes from members of the education community like Joshua Buckley, president of the Mesa Education Association.

“A decade of cuts to education have hit

hardest on our state’s most vulnerable population -- our children,’’ he wrote.

Steve Adams, co-president of the Tempe School Education Association, said the funding is needed to make up for cuts made during the past decade.

“Now is the time for smaller class sizes,’’ she said. “Now is the time to pay certi�ied teachers a professional salary. Now is the time for all Arizona students to have access to a quali�ied school nurse, counselor, librarian and support staff who keep them safe and healthy.’’

The measure would affect only the top 4 percent of earners in Arizona, raising the rate only on earnings of more than $250,000 a year for individuals and $500,000 for couples �iling jointly. It is billed as raising $940 million a year for K-12 education.

“That’s a whopping amount, especially considering that our economy is recovering from recession and high unemployment,’’ Ducey wrote.

The health care measure, Proposition 208, pulls some of the same interests together in opposition.

It would require a 20 percent pay

hike for hospital workers, impose new infection-control standards on hospitals, provide protections for insured patients against “surprise’’ medical bills for outof-network care, and guarantee that people with pre-existing conditions can get affordable health insurance.

Glenn Hamer, president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry called it part of a “radical agenda’’ by “outof-state special interests.’’ That refers to the fact the measure is being �inanced by a California chapter of Service Employees International Union.

But it has support from groups ranging from the Arizona Faith Network and Living United for Change in Arizona to Poder Latinx and the Sky Harbor Lodge 2559 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The lone item Ducey has not weighed in on is Proposition 209, designed to partly reverse laws on mandatory prison terms imposed in 1978 and modify the 1993 “truth in sentencing’’ law that requires criminals to serve at least 85 percent of their term before being released.

It also would end the ability of prosecutors to “stack’’ multiple charges committed by someone before arrest to allow them to have the person designed a repeat offender.

State lawmakers actually approved that change last year only to have it vetoed by Ducey because of what he said where “unintended consequences that may raise from this legislation.’’

Dawn Penich-Thacker and Beth Lewis, co-founders of Save Our Schools Arizona argued that the state now spends more on incarcerating people than in state aid to colleges and universities.

“By emphasizing rehabilitation, reintegration training and smarter sentencing, the Second Chances Act addresses the other side of the school-to-prison pipeline that holds back too many Arizona families,’’ they said. 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

M

NEWS

2

Mesa Airman launches VETERAN VETERAN

by Mike Phillips mask-making effort in Hawaii

esa resident Adam Edmunds is an Air Force technical sergeant based in Hawaii. But his service doesn’t stop there. He’s also volunteering to assist those in need during the Pandemic.

Edmunds, a guidance and control specialist with the 735th Air Mobility Squadron at Point Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, said he was watching television news about the impact of COVID-19 and realized he needed to take action.

Edmund’s �irst initiative resulted in a food drive for the Hawaii Foodbank.

“I thought, ‘how else could we give back?’” he said. “I thought about people in New York who were reusing masks and I have a lot of family in the medical �ield, so I did some research and found a template to make masks.”

Edmund’s desire to help is based on previous experience.

“I was stationed at Minot (Air Force Base) in 2009 when the �lood came through,” he said. “Our mission adjusted so when you weren’t working, you �illed sandbags and helped the Guard. There was a sense of urgency.”

To battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Edmund teamed with fellow Tech. Sgt. Teresa Hedger to make the mask initiative a reality.

“We can’t volunteer because we have to

LCpl. Scott Johnson of Mesa walks across the launching nose of a girder bridge used to move personnel and equipment across obstacles. (Special to the Tribune)

keep social distance, but I’m really crafty and already had the materials,” said Hedger, from Alto, Texas. “There’s a big shortage and there are many people who need protection.”

In between taking care of their unit’s mission, which is to provide rapid military mobility in the Indo-Paci�ic region, Edmund and Hedger approached other airmen to volunteer and make masks.

Edmund and his team get together in their off time and are well on their way to meeting their goal of making 500 masks.

“There is a need to do something—to help our families back home who we can’t check on and the people in the hospitals,”

said Hedger. “It’s a good feeling that a little mask could Air Force Tech Sgt. Adam Edmunds of Mesa, left foreground, and his team prepare masks to combat COVID-19. (Special to the Tribune) help somebody.”

Here’s what some other Mesa military Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Childs and his crew recently members have been doing this summer: Haley Colesnow serves as a Navy �ire �ixed a hydraulic leak during a routine controlman aboard the guided-missile inspection on an Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. cruiser USS Antietam. It’s her job to keep Childs and his crew are based at Hurlburt an eye out for trouble as part of America’s Field, Fla. LCpl. Scott Johnson, serves as a combat forward-deployed defenses. The Antietam is deployed to the U.S. Seventh Fleet engineer in the Marine Corps. He recently in support of security and stability in the participated in a gap crossing operation at Camp Hansen, Japan. Johnson is assigned Indo-Paci�ic region.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Justin Childs to the Bridge Platoon, 3rd Marine Logisserves as a crew chief with the 801st tics Group. 

Mesa man a Merchant Marine Academy grad TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

P

11

arker James Maxwell of Mesa recently graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

Maxwell earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the U. S. armed forces. He also earned a Merchant Marine of�icer license, qualifying him to serve as an of�icer on any ship in the U.S. Flag Merchant Marine.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates and graduates licensed Merchant Marine of�icers.

Maxwell will likely be serving with the U.S. Flag Merchant Marine for eight years as Navy reservists in the Strategic Sealift Of�icer Program while working aboard

U.S. �lag vessels or will serve on active duty in another branch of the armed forces.

“By virtue of their elite training and real-world experience, graduates are ready to go on day one in service of American military strength and economic power,” the academy said in a release.

As part of his four-year education, Maxwell spent a year training as a cadet aboard ocean going vessels.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2020 midshipmen returned to the academy for three weeks in June to prepare for and take their U.S. Coast Guard license exam, four days of tests which midshipmen must pass in order to graduate.

This year, the graduation ceremony was held at the War Memorial Monument where the names of the cadets and graduates who died during WWII are remembered. 

12

NEWS

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

Cox offers 2-month free internet to qualifying families TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

C

ox has announced that new customers who qualify will receive Connect2Compete, the company’s low-cost internet, for two months at no cost.

New customers must sign up By Sept.

30 for free service, which also includes free technical support.

“Distance learning is the new normal, and we’re focused on removing barriers

so all kids can advance in this environment,” said John Wolfe, Cox southwest region manager and senior vice president. “The internet levels the playing �ield and there are kids that need us now more than ever.”

Noting that computers are part of virtual learning, Cox also is partnering with local schools and organizations to distribute refurbished computers to students.

Families can also receive information

on discounted, refurbished computer equipment available through our association with PCs for People at cox.pcsrefurbished.com.

Cox also is providing free WiFi modem rental to qualifying families and access to 1,600 hotspots in the Valley.

The monthly cost will be $9.95 after the two-month free period ends.

The Cox Connect2Compete program is available to families who: have at least one child that is a K-12 student at home;

participate in the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF, Head Start, WIC, LIHEAP or live in public housing.

Families can qualify for Connect2Compete on their mobile device or desktop by visiting cox.com/c2c.

To help parents help their children learn from home, Cox has provided several tips and resources available on the company’s content hub Converge.

Click here to learn more. 

20 Tonto campgrounds closed by �lood fears TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

C

ampers and others who like to head out to the Tonto National Forest will have to hunt around for places to go after of�icials closed huge portions of the area until at least Sept. 10 – and possible longer.

The closure order was issued last week because of potential �lood hazards related to the Bush Fire, forest of�icials said.

Closed are the following campgrounds: Christopher Creek, Houston Mesa, Ponderosa, Sharp Creek, Reynolds Creek, Valentine Ridge, Frazier, Grapevine (except for except Forest Route 84 to the boat ramp) Cave Creek, CCC, Bartlett Flats, Horseshoe, Mesquite, Riverside, South Cove, Larry Forbis, Tortilla, Kellner, Timber Camp and Timber Camp Equestrian.

The Bush Fire was declared contained on July 4 after it burned approximately 192,412 acres of the Tonto.

“Post-�ire �looding and debris �low risks will persist through the Arizona monsoon season, tropical storm season and winter rains,” Tonto Park rangers said in a release.

They said that during an assessment of post-�ire threats to human life and safety, property and “critical natural or cultural resources,” a team determined “that hydrologic response from the burn scar will be signi�icant.”

The team’s modeling determined that the likelihood of basins producing water �lows resembling a 100-year or greater �lood “would have historically been a 10year storm event.”

That means that a major �lood is 10 times more likely than normal.

The team determined watersheds on the interior of the burn area “will have a greater than 50 percent likelihood of producing debris �lows from a modest rainfall event.”

Rangers will be installing gates on key roads to prevent public access into highrisk areas and put up signs across the burn scar to warn the public of risks and treatments to protect Forest Route 626.

Rangers conceded “signi�icant impacts to the public as a result of this closure,” but called it “a matter of human life and safety.”

“It is important that the public remain out of restricted areas on the forest,” their release said.

Only people with written Forest Service permission and law enforcement will be permitted in the affect area, rangers said.

The area in red shows what part of the Tonto National Forest is closed until at least September after it was ravaged by the Bush Fire earlier this summer. (Special

to the Tribune)

GOT NEWS?

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

13

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THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

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WW2 vet left behind historic Falcon Field photos

BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Staff Writer

A

slew of historic images depicting military aircraft, personnel and other historic landmarks from Falcon Field has been left behind by a Royal Air Force World War II veteran.

Bertram Charles Whittle passed away on his 99th birthday on April 26 in Joondalup, Western Australia.

Known as Bert by family and friends, the veteran grew up Ipswich, United Kingdom and decided to enlist in the R.A.F. shortly after his older brother, Peter, announced he would do the same.

The two were inducted in 1938.

Peter joined as a trainee wireless operator while Bert joined the R.A.F. Photographic School at

Farnborough before taking on the pilot training course.

He captured numerous moments through his lens during his time training and in combat. Now, Bert’s son, Eric Whittle, is hoping to share some of the photographs his father took while at Falcon Field with Mesa residents.

“He had a special af�inity with Americans after his experience in Arizona while training to be a pilot, and I’m sure they would have gravitated to him also,” Eric said.

“More and more he would pause and tell stories about characters in his log or the photo album, and in the telling he became a different man to the one we knew when growing up.

“If anyone should recognize themselves or an ancestor in the Bert’s photos please get in touch on the website or through this

publication; I would very much like to pass on my personal best wishes.”

Eric hopes not only to share the photos with historians, but family members of other WW2 veterans as well. He feels not only is their value in piecing together history, but for families of those loved ones who fought in one of the most signi�icant wars in history.

Several pictures depict aircraft the R.A.F. used during training at Falcon Field in 1941. There are also several pictures of soldiers from both the R.A.F. and American forces. Additionally, images

��� WW2 ���� 15

Bert Whittle, a former prisoner of war in World War II while fighting for the Royal Air Force, captured several photos from his time fighting and training at Falcon Field in Mesa.

(Courtesy Eric Whittle)

Lottery, nonpro�it give bikes to 300 foster kids TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

E

ven if they haven’t won on Powerball or a scratch-off lately, Arizona Lottery players might be happy that some of their money made 300 foster children pretty happy during an event in Mesa last week.

Lottery of�icials and representatives of the Arizona Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents delivered 300 new bicycles and helmets to foster kids who gathered July 25 at Hillsong Church in Mesa.

“The Arizona Lottery exists to do good in our communities. Supporting our most vulnerable, our foster children, has a huge impact for Arizona,” said Arizona Lottery Executive Director Gregg Edgar.

“These bikes will give these kids who

have lost so much a sense of normalcy and enhance their childhood development for years to come. We are proud to assist Recycle Your Bicycle as we ful�ill our mission to make Arizona a better place to live, work and play.”

The Recycle Your Bicycle Program, part of AZAFAP, provides bicycles to children and youth in foster care.

Over the last 10 years, the program has provided more than 10,000 bicycles for foster families.

Joe Jacober, a former foster parent for 15 years, helped create AZAFAP alongside his wife when they realized foster kids and the families fostering them weren’t receiving as much support as needed.

��� BIKES ���� 15

Brand new bikes were arrayed at Hillsong Church in Mesa last weekend, awaiting 300 foster kids to take their pick, courtesy of the Arizona Lottery and the Arizona Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents. (Pablo Robles/ Tribune Staff Photographer)

COMMUNITY

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

WW2 ���� ���� 14

from all over the world are also available in the online portfolio Eric has created.

At 21 while �ighting in Holland in 1942, Bert was taken as a prisoner of war. He returned to England three years later but without his brother. Peter, some of Bert’s close friends and several thousand fellow airmen lost their lives in the war.

Eric believes this was one of the reasons he took the photos was to show his children what he had been through.

He said it wasn’t until Bert’s later years that he was able to relax and have an open dialogue.

“Bert very rarely directed anecdotes of the war directly to his children,” Eric said. “On occasions, he would swap stories with a friend who had also served and been through similar experiences.

It was only in later years that Bert could relax with his war stories, and we could relax with him. He used them with goodwill and humor -- can we say as a way of laying his demons to rest.”

Bert settled down with his family on their dairy farm in southwestern Austra-

BIKES ���� ���� 14

Jacober said the bicycles, which are given out several times a year by the organization, give foster kids a sense of normalcy.

“I always ask people how they felt when they received their �irst bike,” Jacober said. “Everyone has the same reaction. In my opinion, there is nothing more normal or more exciting for a kid than a bike. It’s something you remember your whole life.”

Jacober said the event typically takes place in the spring but had to be pushed back because of the governor’s stay-athome order.

“This year, Recycle Your Bicycle took an extra meaningful turn with the onset of COVID-19,” Jacober said. “Thanks to the support of the Arizona Lottery, we gave hundreds of bikes to children in foster care with no other way to receive a bike.

We are grateful to the Arizona Lottery

15

lia and became a “champion of the arts and an educator.” He became the director of the Western Australian Art Gallery for many years and was an accomplished artist.

Eric said he feels both pride and relief when thinking about all his father went through.

“Pride because many people have bene�itted directly and indirectly from his knowledge in the �ield,” Eric said. “And relief in the sense that if he hadn’t survived and continued his love affair with mom then I wouldn’t be here to enjoy this conversation.”

Eric has contacted the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum to share the more than 300 photos his father took during the war. But he hopes Mesa residents will also �ind them enjoyable, just like his father.

“I think Bert would be quietly satis�ied to know this process was going on in his name,” Eric said.

The photos can be found on Eric’s online gallery on Flickr.com by searching his username, “ericwhittle7.” 

From left: W. J. Williamson, B. Whittle, F. O. Smith, L. True, T. K. Whitfield. A picture dated Oct. 27, 1941 from Falcon Field in Mesa on the night Bert Whittle and crew received their wings. (Photo courtesy Eric Whittle)

and all Arizonans for their support of children in foster care.”

“We rely on volunteers to gather to refurbish all of our bikes,” he said, adding that this year’s event offered only new bikes to keep volunteers safe.

“Our mission is just as important as ever for the kids,” he said. “They still need the joy of their �irst bike, the exercise that comes from having a bike and, maybe most important, to be like every other kid in the neighborhood.”

The program hopes people will open their hearts and their wallets to help other foster kids get bikes this year.

Through an arrangement with the Huffy Corp., the nonpro�it is getting bikes at a discounted rate that may be cheaper than you could �ind them on sale.

Jacober said anytime the organization donates bikes to kids in need it receives a warm welcome from the community.

Rina Grocke, a foster parent from Mesa, picked up bikes for the 2-, 4- and 7-year

old kids. She said since then, the family has gone on bike rides every evening after dinner.

“Foster kids don’t generally have a lot of stuff to call their own,” Grocke said. “A lot of the kids that come to my door have never had a bike before. At least in my childhood memories, my bike was one of the most important. So for them to now have that type of childhood memory is amazing.”

Grocke became interested in fostering kids when she began working with the Department of Child Safety. On her �irst day, she walked into the of�ice and saw a 2-year-old sleeping on a cot on the �loor.

She immediately felt the need to step in and help other kids in that same situation.

She now currently fosters �ive kids in total, one of which being a sibling group of four. Along with the 2-, 4- and 7-year olds, she currently takes care of a 6-year old and 1-year-old.

Grocke said everyone in line to pick up the bikes was ecstatic.

GOT NEWS?

“I was sitting in line watching the parents and every one of them were just so thankful,” Grocke said. “I’m also part of a foster parent group on Facebook and so many of them promoted the event and asked how they could get involved to help. It’s awesome that it really brought the community together.”

Donors can go to recycleyourbicycleaz. com and can pick the size of bike based on age and the program’s workers will order it, build it and deliver it to a kid in foster care.

Tax-deductible donations range from $35 for a bike for someone 2 to 3 years old to $70 for a 26-inch bike for kids 12 and up.

Since 1981, the Arizona Lottery has generated more than $4.4 billion in net funding to support of programs that help to improve Arizonans’ quality of life by funding higher education, economic development, environmental conservation and health and human services. 

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

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New owners aim to freshen up legendary Tortilla Flat

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Tribune Staff Writer

K

atie Ellering, one of Tortilla Flat’s new owners, isn’t about modernizing the remnant of the Old West

town.

She and her �iancé/operations director, Chris Field, just want to bring a fresh look to the tourist attraction, which boasts a population of six.

“The most important thing to remember is we—the owners—are temporary,” said Field, who lives in Gilbert with Ellering.

“We’re transitioning what Tortilla Flat was into the 21st century. We’re not a sports bar or a strip mall that’s going to be gone in 10 years. This is a historical Arizona property that will be here for another 100 years,” Ellering said, adding: “Our goal, as caretakers, is property maintenance and we want to keep the look and the feel and provide programming to make sure we’ll be able to pass it on.”

Ellering has owned it since September with partners Ryan Coady, Tom Misitano and Dale Evans.

“We thought this was such a unique thing and we were like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this,’” Ellering said. “We got together and made it work.”

So far, the team has upgraded the kitchen and the food on the menu, except – Ellering and Field are quick to add – the famous chili recipe that’s been around since the 1940s.

“It’s a time-honored tradition and that will not change,” she said.

The chili, which is also found on the chili dog, is part of a hearty American menu that includes the Mucho Macho nacho ($15.99); Roosevelt Dam Good wings ($7.99 starting price); Gaucho cheesesteak ($12.49); Ol’ Faithful BLT ($11.49); chicken street tacos ($12.59) and fajita salad ($14.39).

“We have great food,” Field said. “We do.

Is our food better than what you’ll �ind elsewhere? Maybe. We’re trying to create an experience. It’s a little gem of an experience.”

After having a meal in the saloon, guests

in the frontier days, if there were more than 100 permanent residents, you were considered a town or settlement and you’re of�icially on the map.

“Tortilla Flat was never big enough to have that prestige,” he said. “We were big enough to have a post of�ice. Because of that, there’s no real town hall records or buildTortilla Flat, nestled in the Superstition Mountain range, draws thousands annually. ing plans. Most of (Special to the Tribune) what we know about can head to the Tortilla Flat General Store Tortilla Flat has been assembled by differand Ice Cream Shop, where they can en- ent people who were here.” joy its well-known prickly pear gelato, or No one knows the real story behind the take home prickly pear barbecue sauce or name, Tortilla Flat. But one is believable, a Tortilla Flat “Killer Chili” packet.

Field said. It’s understood that it came The owners have heard plenty of heart- from a family who was caught in a monwarming stories from visitors to Tortilla soon in the 1930s in the area. After being Flat. They see children dressed up as cow- stuck for a couple days, all they had left boys and cowgirls and the awe on their was masa and water. face when they’re out there.

“They were down to eating tortillas for “They’re used to growing up in the city the last couple of days,” he said. “So, they and when they come out here, they play in called it Tortilla Flat.” the dirt and see cactus everywhere,” she A man who visited in the early 2000s said “They have a lot of fun. They have a said he lived there when he was a child. lot of fun with the dollar bills, too.”

He sketched a picture on a napkin of the “I got a letter a few months ago that had town before �ires and �loods ravaged it. It a dollar bill in it. A young kid had taken one included the Goldbrick Motel, which was of the dollars off of the wall (at Superstition Saloon and Restaurant) and had written us a letter of apology and sent us the dollar bill back. It was really cute.”

The couple have been visited by folks who have donated the collectibles that �ill the saloon, like the saddles that sit atop handcarved bar stools and worn leather goods that are tacked to the walls.

One of the fun parts of Tortilla Flat is its history Tortilla Flat’s Superstition Restaurant and Saloon is known for its saddle bar stools. (Special to the Tribune) and games. Field explained

constructed from mud bricks manufactured on-site out of clay in the ground and then mixed with gold-dust from the local miners in the Superstitions at the time.

The kitchenettes in the motels were rented to tourists until 1987 when a �ire destroyed the entire town. A building that replaced it houses the gift shop and post of�ice.

“Every time it rains, we have a little creek alongside the property,” he said.

“You can see little shiny �lecks.”

Other stories revolve around the items that adorn the walls of the saloon.

“One of the funny things is, maybe a month ago, there was a couple here who were like, ‘Hey, that stuff right there is ours—that gun and jacket. We donated that,’” Ellering recalls.

“People are so proud to have their things up on the wall and just be a part of history.

There are some really cool, fun stories and things that happen out here.

Tortilla Flat is a self-suf�icient little town, according to Ellering.

“We’ve got a sewer plant. We’ve got a water plant. We do process our own water,” she said. “However, we don’t even have a phone line. We can’t get a landline here. So, when people call us, they don’t know that they’re calling a cellphone because we don’t have a landline. We can’t get the internet.”

Field and the all-female leadership team, Ellering; restaurant manager Renee Lockhart; restaurant supervisor Marba Carroll; and kitchen manager Kaleena Gallegos; and retail manager Stephany Duarte, are planning some improvements.

They include painting signs and creating a town newspaper with treasure hunts for kids, a historical crossword puzzle and stories of Tortilla Flat.

Field said Tortilla Flat, which also houses a museum, is perfect for a day visit for Mesa families during the pandemic.

“Our goal is to take what’s here and just make sure that it looks fantastic, it’s in repair so people can create memories with their families long after we’re dead and gone.”

Information: tortilla�lataz.com 

OPINION

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

17

Share Your Thoughts:

Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com TheMesaTribune.com

|

@EVTNow

/EVTNow

To kneel or not to kneel, what is the question?

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Tribune Columnist

H

ere’s a practical solution to an issue that has riled professional and amateur sports for the past few years.

How about we stop playing the National Anthem before sporting events, as a way of improving national unity?

Think about it: No more kneeling protests that offend Americans who view disrespecting “The Star Spangled Banner” as unpatriotic. No more celebrity anthem fails, ala Roseanne Barr, Fergie or Chaka Khan. No more stories about high school students suspended for kneeling before the homecoming game.

Introduce the players, hand them a ball

or a puck or wave the starter’s �lag – and off we go.

It makes sense, because if we’re being truly honest, Francis Scott Key’s anthem no longer serves the purpose for which it was intended: To unite Americans in a shared moment of celebration for everything this country has overcome in its comparatively brief, war-torn history.

You know the gist: Despite the British bombs on Fort McHenry in 1814, despite “the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” all night long and into the dawn “our �lag was still there.”

I still get chills, but what do I know anymore?

The connection of “The Star Spangled Banner” to sports began in 1918, two years after Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order making the song the anthem of the

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U.S. Armed Forces and even before Congress made it the National Anthem in 1931.

The World Series pitted the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs in 1918. This was in the middle of World War I and 100,000 American troops had given their lives.

Game One in Chicago was a lightly attended affair, the stands about half full – despite Babe Ruth pitching for the Sox. According to the New York Times, the crowd was somber until the seventh inning stretch, when a military band played an impromptu version of the “Banner.”

As the Times put it: “It was at the very end that the onlookers exploded into thunderous applause and rent the air with a cheer that marked the highest point of the day’s enthusiasm.”

Playing the anthem became a staple during that Series and has remained so for

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 19

the next century-plus.

I’ve always enjoyed hearing it in athletic settings, because it feels like the right mood-setter before a competition: a reminder that we are one for this moment, despite our differences on and off the �ield of play.

However, that no longer seems to be the case for more than half of you, if the latest CBS News poll can be believed.

Among those surveyed, 58 percent say kneeling to protest racial discrimination is acceptable, with 42 percent opposed.

As with everything else in 2020, there’s a massive partisan divide and racial divide. Democrats support kneeling protesters 88-12 percent; Republicans oppose kneeling 77-23 percent. Independents �ind kneeling acceptable by a 55-45 percent margin.

The divide among races is equally gaping. Whites say kneeling is unacceptable, 52-48 percent. Blacks support kneeling, 88-12 percent. Latinos, too, say kneeling is acceptable, 62-38 percent.

Personally, I love the National Anthem.

And I �ind kneeling while it’s played to be an acceptable protest.

In fact, I �ind it to be a fundamentally American protest – one of the basic reasons we as a nation engaged in that “perilous �ight,” the Revolutionary War and two world wars.

Maybe I’m way off base, and we need to be reminded today more than ever that for all this country’s ailments and wrongs, for all the sicknesses we still need to cure, America is still “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Or maybe in 2020, we just don’t get to have nice things anymore. 

Share Your Thoughts:

Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@ timespublications.com

18

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

19

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20

Public Notices

Public Notices

CITY OF MESA

CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

WILLIAMS FIELD ROAD IMPROVEMENTS & WATER LINE EXTENSION WILLIAMS FIELD ROAD AND CRISMON ROAD, MESA, AZ PROJECT NO. CA220 and CA230 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received until August 20, 2020 at 1:00p.m. All bids will be received electronically. Bids shall be submitted to the following email: EngineeringBids@mesaaz.gov. Bids must be submitted as an unencrypted PDF attachment with a maximum file size of 20MB. Please ensure that your email is smaller than this before sending. Submitted bids that are unable to be opened by City staff will not be considered for award. Bidders may request a single opportunity to verify that a test email and attachment are received and can be opened by City staff. Test emails must to be sent to EngineeringBids@mesaaz.gov. Any bid received after the time specified will be returned without any consideration.

A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held via Telephone on Wednesday, August 6, 2020 at 1:00p.m. The Conference Bridge call in is 866.429.7190 conference ID 174-6445 in order to join the call.

There will not be a pre-bid review of the site.

This contract shall be for furnishing all labor, materials, transportation and services for the construction and/or installation of the following work: Williams Field Road Improvements located at the intersection of Crismon Road and Williams Field Road as outlined by the Improvement Plans for the Offsite Improvements for Williams Field Road. Improvements may include sewer, water, curb and gutter, sidewalk, paving, street lights, landscape, signage and striping. Excludes rough grading and dry utility trenching and conduit (by others).

Williams Field Road Water Line Extension located west of Crismon Road within Williams Field Road as outlines by the Improvement Plans for the Water Line Extension. Improvements include water, valves and any other improvements shown on the plans.

The Engineer’s Estimate range is $1,250,000 – 1,550,000.

For all technical, contract, bid-related, or other questions, please contact Stephanie Gishey at stephanie.gishey@ mesaaz.gov.

Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, to assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified above.

Contractors desiring to submit proposals may purchase sets of the Bid Documents from ARC Document Solutions, LLC, at https://order.e-arc.com/arcEOC/PWELL_Main.asp?mem=29. Click on “Go” for the Public Planroom to access plans. NOTE: In order to be placed on the Plan Holders List and to receive notifications and updates regarding this bid (such as addenda) during the bidding period, an order must be placed. The cost of each Bid Set will be no more than $36.00, which is non-refundable. Partial bid packages are not sold. You can view documents on-line (at no cost), order Bid Sets, and access the Plan Holders List on the website at the address listed above. Please verify print lead time prior to arriving for pick-up. For a list of locations nearest you, go to www.e-arc.com.

Work shall be completed within one hundred ten (110) consecutive calendar days, beginning with the day following the starting date specified in the Notice to Proceed.

Bids must be submitted on the Proposal and Schedule Form provided and be accompanied by a Bid Bond, (PERSONAL OR INDIVIDUAL BID BONDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE) for ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the Bid, payable to Otago Development, Inc., as a guarantee that the contractor will enter into a contract to perform the proposal in accordance with the plans and specifications.

The successful bidder will be required to execute the Otago Development, Inc. Contract and respective Addenda for construction within ten (10) days after formal Notice of Contact Award. Failure by bidder to properly execute the Contract and provide the required certification as specified shall be considered a breach of Contract by bidder. Otago Development, Inc. shall be free to terminate the Contract or, at option, release the successful bidder.

Payment and Performance Bonds will be required for this Work. The successful bidder, simultaneously with the execution of the Contract, shall be required to furnish a Payment Bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and a Performance Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price. The successful bidder shall name Otago Development, Inc. as obligee on both the Payment and Performance Bonds and name the City of Mesa as an additional obligee on the Performance Bond using a Dual Obligee Rider form. An approved Dual Obligee Rider Form is included in Chapter 2.

The right is hereby reserved to accept or reject any or all bids or parts thereto, to waive any informalities in any proposal and reject the bids of any persons who have been delinquent or unfaithful to any contract with Otago Development, Inc., the City of Mesa or Cadence Community Facilities District.

BETH HUNING District Engineer

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking qualified Consultants for the following: ON-CALL CONSULTING SERVICES FOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING SERVICES The City of Mesa is seeking qualified Consultants to provide design services and/or construction administration services on an on-call basis in the following area/category: Transportation Engineering Services.

All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

Transportation projects may include roadway improvement projects, transportation alternative projects (i.e., bike, pedestrian, transportation enhancement, and safe routes to school projects) and commuter parkand-ride projects. Design components associated with these projects might include, but will not necessarily be limited to, grading, drainage, demolition, pavement, concrete, driveways, sidewalks, ramps, traffic signals, intelligent traffic systems (ITS), signage, striping, storm drain, street lights, landscaping, landscape irrigation, aesthetic elements, pedestrian improvements/amenities, bus shelters, surveying, bridges, block walls, environmental, and utility undergrounding. These projects also often include utility (including water and wastewater) upgrades, installation and/or rehabilitation in the same project areas as the transportation-related improvements. Other tasks that a design consultant might be asked to perform include alignment studies, design concept reports, environmental studies, environmental clearances, cost estimating, legal descriptions and exhibits, geotechnical reports, drainage reports, utility coordination, and public outreach. Transportation projects differ from the other projects in that transportation needs drive the project and are the emphasis.

From this solicitation, the Engineering Department will establish a list of on-call consultants for Transportation Engineering Services. This category is further defined below: A Pre-Submittal Conference will not be held.

Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this RFQ (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, assure that contract decisions are made in public and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified below.

RFQ Lists. This RFQ is available on the City’s website at http://mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/architectural-engineering-design-opportunities.

The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter that contains current company/firm contact information including a valid phone number and email address, plus a maximum of 10 pages to address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt.

Please provide one (1) electronic copy in an unencrypted PDF format to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov by 2:00PM on Thursday, August 13, 2020. Maximum file size shall not exceed 20MB. SOQ’s that are unable to be opened by City staff will not be considered for award. Submitters may request a single opportunity to verify that a test email and attachment are received and can be opened by City staff. Test emails must be sent to Engineering-RFQ@mesaaz.gov. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer.

Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered and activated in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System (http://mesaaz.gov/business/purchasing/vendor-self-service).

Questions. Questions pertaining to the Consultant selection process or contract issues should be directed to Michele Davila of the Engineering Department at Michele.Davila@mesaaz.gov BETH HUNING City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen City Clerk

ATTEST: Dee Ann Mickelsen District Clerk

Published: East Valley Tribune, Aug. 2, 9, 2020 / 32233 Published: East Valley Tribune, July 26, Aug 2, 2020 / 32035

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

21

The Mesa Tribune

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• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair

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I

E NC

19

78

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LIC/BONDED/INSURED Res/Comm’l ROC#218802

aaaActionContractingInc.com

Irrigation

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

Not a licensed contractor

NTY

5-YEAR WARRA

480.654.5600

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

azirrigation.com

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

Landscape/Maintenance

Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

Call Lance White

480.721.4146

ROC# 256752

www.husbands2go.com

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949

Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

Ask me about FREE water testing!

REASONABLE HANDYMAN

Sprinkler & Drip Systems Repairs • Modifications • Installs

ALL Pro

T R E E

• Painting • Plumbing • Carpentry • Drywall • Roofing • Block

S E R V I C E

L L C

Prepare for Monsoon Season!

LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE

- Free Estimates -

480-276-6600

Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential

*Not a Licensed Contractor

Hauling

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

480-338-4011

www.irsaz.com

520.508.1420

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

All Estimates are Free • Call:

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call!

15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

General Contacting, Inc.

East Valley

LLC

Painting

Irrigation

Home Improvement

ROC#309706

East Valley PAINTERS Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates!

Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Family Owned & Operated

Now Accepting all major credit cards

Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Plumbing

PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com

480-354-5802

• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

MISSED THE DEADLINE?

480.345.1800

Call us to place your ad online!

ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

480-898-6465

HYDROJETTING

480-477-8842

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

23

Roofing

Plumbing

Important Notice for Patients of National Cardiovascular Partners, Cardiac Cath Lab of Phoenix, Arizona Cardiovascular Institute, Cardiovascular Center of Mesa, and Cardiovascular Therapeutics of Mesa

Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541 affinityplumber@gmail.com

July 17, 2020

www.affinityplumbingaz.com

Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor Anything Plumbing Same Day Service Water Heaters

24/7

Inside & Out Leaks

Bonded

Toilets

Insured

Faucets

Estimates Availabler

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

Any Service

ACCREDITED BUSINESS ®

Not a licensed contractor

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!!

‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com

Your leaks stop here!

New Roofs, Repairs, Coatings, Flat Roof, Hot Mopping & Patching & Total Rubber Roof Systems

FREE ESTIMATES & MONSOON SPECIALS

SAME DAY SERVICE 30 Years Experience References Available

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC 286561

Pool Service / Repair

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!!

Classifieds 480-898-6465

At National Cardiovascular Partners (NCP) and our partnering clinics, we take the privacy and security of our patients’ information seriously. NCP is a managing partner of Cardiac Cath Lab of Phoenix, Arizona Cardiovascular Institute, Cardiovascular Center of Mesa, and Cardiovascular Therapeutics of Mesa in Mesa, Arizona (the clinics). We are providing the following information to inform our patients that a third party may have had unauthorized access to information about some patients who were seen at the clinics.

On April 27, 2020, an unauthorized individual obtained access to an NCP employee’s email account. NCP became aware of the unauthorized access on May 19, 2020 and took immediate steps to contain the incident. We terminated the unauthorized access to the email account the same day it was discovered and worked with a leading cybersecurity forensics firm to investigate this matter.

As part of our investigation, NCP conducted an extensive review of the employee’s email account to determine if any emails contained personal information. As a result of that review, beginning on June 18 NCP identified emails containing the names, addresses, dates of birth, dates relating to the provision of medical services or the payment for services, medical history and diagnosis information, prescription information, health provider information, insurance numbers, email addresses, and medical record numbers for some of our patients. We also identified emails containing the Social Security numbers of two individuals and the financial account information of one individual for whom we do not have current contact information to send a personalized notification letter.

Disposals

$35 off

Public Notices

At this time, we are not aware of any unauthorized viewing or misuse of our patients’ information. All available evidence suggests that the unauthorized individual’s purpose was to attempt to commit financial fraud against NCP—not to seek and obtain any personal information of patients. NCP sent notification letters by first class mail to all potentially affected individuals for whom we have up-to-date contact information and have arranged to provide them with 12 months of identity protection and fraud resolution services through Experian.

Any individuals who receive a notification letter from NCP or who might otherwise be concerned about identity theft are encouraged to regularly review statements from their accounts and to periodically obtain their credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. Individuals may obtain a copy of their credit report once every 12 months by either visiting http://www.annualcreditreport.com, calling toll free at 1-877-322-8228, or completing an Annual Credit Report Request Form (found at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/ 0155-free-credit-reports) and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For questions about identity theft, credit monitoring, and how to keep information secure, patients can visit this website: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/identity-theft.

Individuals who received care at one of the clinics and have not received a notification letter may call (833) 281-4826 toll-free to determine whether their information has been identified as being involved.

Published: East Valley Tribune, July 26, Aug 2, 12, 2020 / 32042

Senior & Military Discounts

480-280-0390

It Only Takes Seconds to Drown.

Always watch your child around water.

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 2, 2020

24

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H Palma Brisa – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING I

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BlandfordHomes.com Not all photos shown are representative of all communities.

Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.